Millie groaned. Like everyone else, she hate dealing with boggarts. She practiced repeating Riddikulus several times while waiting her turn. Then Magnus () ran from the room. She made a mental note to check on him when her turn was over. When her it was her turn, she approached the barrel, took a deep breath, and nodded at Professor Valdez to release the boggart.

Her father appeared with with an angry face. "I don't know where I went wrong with you. I did my best. I gave you as much space as young girls need and still spoiled you rotten. Then you go and fail out of Hogwarts. If you think you're going to stay in this house after that, you're wrong!" Millie could feel a tear come out and her heart rate increasing. She failed. She ruined her future. But wait. This wasn't real. She took another deep breath and said, "Riddikulus!" and her father changed into his usual green Healer robes with the silly glasses and mustache he wore for the sick kids. She started to laugh.

Then her mother appeared, yelling at her in German. "No mum. I did my best it was too much." her mother was stilling yelling at her in German. "Mum, you and dad pushed me into taking 12 classes. What did you expect?" she could feel her heart rate increasing again. "it's not real" a voice whispered in her head. "Right. Riddikulus!" and her mother appeared in her traditional dirndl. Millie started to laugh. The dirndl and lederhosen always made her laugh.

Then it changed again. This time it was Emmett. His face was furious. "You seriously failed? I thought you were way smarter than that. I guess that's why you were placed in Hufflepuff and not Ravenclaw! Now we can't be together." Millie responded with, "Emmett, no. Please. We...." Emmett cut her off, "if you think I would want to be with a failure, you really are stupid. And..." This time Millie cut him off. She could feel her heart rate go up and her face turn red out of anger. "No! NO!" she stomped her foot. "You do not get to talk to me like that Emmett Hans Keller! The only reason I failed is because of you. You're a distraction. Always making me write you everytime something little happens. It takes away from my experience here at..." She suddenly remembered where she was. "Riddikulus!" and Emmett changed into the time he had tripped and fallen face first into his younger's cousin's birthday cake. He had pink frosting all over his face. Millie started laughing. Hard.

Amelia Tudor, Hufflepuff

Oh no...a Boggart? Ellie thought to herself....I have a feeling this won't be very fun, especially considering I already know what my biggest fear is. Sighing, Ellie made her way towards the front of the group, mostly because she just wanted to get this done with and then relax while watching the other students.

Stepping up into the front of the line, looking at a boy with pink frosting on his face, Ellie waited for the Boggart to change and in a blink of an eye, the Boggart changed into her Mother and Father, both looked over at her waving, and then with another blink, a green light flashed and the words "avada kedavra" echoed throughout the room; looking up Ellie watched as her mother and father stopped waving and began to fall backwards.

Not wanting to see more, Ellie quickly said "Riddikulus" with a stern tone, and the imaging of her parents falling was wiped away and they were back to standing and dressed in ridiculous outfits that made each of them look blueberries.

Quickly turning away, Ellie headed to the side of the classroom to watch the other students.

• Ellie Wilding, Gryffindor

Merlin watched as his friend Magnus () confronted the boggart and his heart ached. “Oh Mag..” He was thinking how to make it funny but it simply couldn’t be funny. He wanted to help but the professor took him away and then he was gone. It was his turn to face the boggart and a huge questing beast appeared. It looked a lot like a giant snake with huge poisonous fangs that were going after his pregnant mother and father. “No!” He squeezed his wand and pointed at the monster with a shaky hand. “Get away from my parents!” When the beast opened its mouth Merlin screamed louder than he probably should. “Riddikulus!!!” The questing beast now had broken teeth, cute panda fluff ears, and the body covered in bubbles. Everyone laughed since It truly looked ridiculous. “Don’t mess with my mom and dad.”

After he finished his part, he ran out to go find Magnus.

Merlin- Slytherin

Hollynd observed silently while her peers took their turns. She was learning a lot about her classmates this term by listening and paying attention. A nervous pit grew in her stomach, but she tried to think of ways to make her Boggart funny. It wouldn’t do to be disarmed by something that couldn’t actually harm you.

She realized that the worst thing was not the Boggart itself, but it manifesting as her weaknesses and opening up such a big part of herself to the scrutiny of others. “I know I’m mentally strong, but how will I overcome this challenge?” Hollynd found she was at a loss, especially since her Boggart was more of a feeling than anything else. She took pride in being psychologically tough, but still disliked facing her fears head-on.

Her chance came to go up against the Boggart. Crack! The prettiest, smartest, and richest girls in Slytherin House were reading her diary with raised eyebrows. They pointed at her and whispered, with catty remarks, judgmental side eyed looks, and fake smiles that belied resting bitch faces. Hollynd felt completely exposed. Now everyone knew her secret thoughts and innermost feelings.

“Get a grip,” she thought and chided herself. Summoning her courage she said, “Riddikulus,” and with a crack the crowd transformed. Gone were the girls’ lithe bodies and fashionable outfits. They ballooned into inflated clown versions of themselves, even letting out air. A peal of real laughter escaped Hollynd’s lips. With that, she quietly resumed her perch in the back of the room. She was glad to let others take the spotlight.

Hollynd Atwood, Slytherin

No, no, not a boggart. Not only is it facing fears, but facing them in front of other people. Many of those who went before her had something really personal or traumatic. Oh, no. What if the fear that it shows is something I don't want to share or something embarrassing? What if the fear is embarrassment? How would that show?

Nicola steps up to the boggart, already shaking. Drawing her eyes up from the floor she sees a large sheet of tattered paper marked with a giant "Fail" stamped in deep red ink. It seems to glow and wobble in an unseen wind. The word fail seems to almost bleed. Oh, no it IS bleeding. Ugh, gross and scary bad combo.

Gulping, Nicola whispers "Riddikulus". Realizing she only whispered she clears her throat and nearly screams "Riddikulus" turning the scholastic failure into a hopping origami frog. Shocked, then pleased, she laughs and retreats to the rear of the class.

Nicola Stromwing- Hufflepuff

Elizabeth watched the others dealing with their worst fears from a safe spot in the storage room. She was leaning against the wall and definitely not okay with leaving her personal belongings behind in a classroom that far away...if someone sneaked into the room and stole some things? She shook her head to focus on the lesson. Some fears were common, some were surprising - Elizabeth loved to learn more about the other people through a lesson. For herself, this lesson's goal was an easy task. She knew her worst fear - a giant centipede - and she knew how to deal with it. The body of such a creature was similar to a snake and that was what Elizabeth would turn it into - a snake sock puppet. Smiling confidently, she waited for her turn.

When it was time to face the boggart, she stepped in front of the barrel. Elizabeth took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders and tightened her grip around the vine wood wand. She was pointing it confidently at the barrel and now, within seconds, the boggart appeared. Elizabeth blinked confused. This was not a giant centipede. Instead, she was facing...herself. The boggart-Elizabeth was not approaching her. It was just standing there, watching her. Carefully, Elizabeth approached the....the thing. When she came closer, she lowered her wand, but she didn't notice that. Her mind and eyes were focused on the boggart. The hair of the boggart was let down and wavy, almost like a black mass. Why was she afraid of herself suddenly? What was happening here? While Elizabeth was examining the boggart, in the twinkling of an eye, it blinked at her. The boggart's eyes were the same colour as Elizabeth's, but they looked cold. Elizabeth stopped and gripped her wand again. The boggart started to smile devilishly and now, there was definitely something dark around the creature - it even seemed as if dark smoke was following it. How could she make herself ridiculous? In front of all these people? It would be so embarassing. As if the boggart could sense her feeling of being puzzled, it started to laugh. The tone of it was cold and calculating - so very different from herself. "Elizabeth", the boggart spoke, and it was clearly Parseltongue. It was like a calling, a whisper - and it sounded threatening yet so soft-spoken. Her eyes flashed with a glimpse of fear and then humilation hit her. Everyone here around saw that she was afraid of herself - well, a slightly darker version of herself, but still...

And then she understood - Elizabeth realized the essential part of why this was her boggart now. Her mind was racing through all the ominous books she had read in the past few months, all the spells she had practiced. The boggart-Elizabeth was still grinning mischievously while Elizabeth was trying to concentrate on her thoughts. She pointed her wand at the boggart again, and with a confident voice, she shouted ' Riddikulus ! '. The spell hit the boggart and in a flash, it changed its appearance. All the dark features disappeared and now, a very innocent looking Elizabeth, with her hair tied properly tied stood in front of her, smiling warmly. Elizabeth didn't know what had been more embarassing - the dark version of herself or this sickly sweet version. With a flick of her wand, she send the boggart back into the barrel and bit her lip. Slowly, she turned around to the rest of the class but wasn't looking at anyone - she covered her face and tried to blend in with the other students, hoping this scene would be forgotten soon.

Elizabeth Amalia Covington ~ Slytherin

Keet had followed Professor Valdez and the other students with some apprehension, wondering why they wouldn't be using their normal classroom for the lesson. When she heard that their lesson today would be a boggart, her heart sank. She knew what her greatest fear was, and didn't much like the thought of everyone else in the class seeing it, too. She gulped and tried to think of how she would make her fear the least bit funny, practicing her incantation and wand movements with the other students.

When the other students started facing the boggart, Keet felt a particular pang for Magnus. Her own fear of rejection and abandonment was similar to his. She watched sadly as he left the class early, she would make a point to check on him later. Now she was wondering how well she would fare with the boggart.

When it was her turn, Keet held her wand ready and braced for what she knew was coming.

Crack- The boggart was her father- "I can't believe you're a freak like your mother. Nothing you do will ever make up for that, just get out of my house!" he shouted. Keet trembled and felt a tear trickle down her cheek, trying to tell herself that her father loved her, and would never really say anything like that.

Crack- Now the boggart was her mother- "I never wanted a girl, your brother is so much more special than you are. Your father and I love him far more than you. I wish we'd never had you!" There were more tears in Keets eyes now, and she tried to concentrate on what she had thought of to make it funny. Before she could cast the incantation, though, the boggart changed again.

Crack- Now it was her new friend Rain, sneering at her. She was very glad at the moment that Rain did not have DADA at the same time as she did. "You're so weird and quiet, Keet. No wonder you didn't have any friends at Ilvermorny. I think your pet fwooper really did drive you mad! I don't want to be friends anymo.." "Riddikulus!" Keet shouted, pointing her wand at the boggart. A giant sock appeared in the mouth of the Rain-boggart. She managed to giggle a bit and wipe the tears from her eyes, noticing a few chuckles from the other students as well. She was embarrassed, but relieved that her turn was over.

Keet Arlie, Ravenclaw

A boggart!? Why did it have to be a boggart?? Drew thought to himself. Why couldn’t it be something easy…a vampire…a Death Eater…hell even Voldermort again! But no…it was a boggart. The teen cringed and subtly shifted toward the back more than willing to wait…and hope for a way out of this lesson.

Drew thought for sure he’d found his out with Magnus. His friend’s reaction was heart-breaking to watch and Drew longed to go to him. Then…another student’s fear materialized into the same one Drew dreaded and he shrank back. Please don’t let it notice me too…please, please, please! he begged silently. By the time he’d recovered a bit Professor Valdez had handled things with Magnus and his chance was gone. Then another student went through their arachnophobia and Drew was left trembling. With so many people having the same fear didn’t that tell the world something? Like the things should be annihilated!!

He watched as Merlin completed the task and ran off to check on Magnus. He inched toward the door, hoping for a getaway as well but the sound of a throat being cleared stopped Drew in his tracks. He glanced back and Professor Valdez was arching an eyebrow at him as he nodded fro Drew to move forward and take his turn. Drew darted a hasty glance around and realized nearly everyone else had already had a turn. With a shaky sigh, he moved forward, slowly and hesitantly.

CRACK!! Oh Merlin’s beard, it had to be the grand-daddy of them all!! The thing was huge!! Drew found himself facing an acromantula from his nightmares! He gripped his wand and unconsciously began stepped back. It didn’t bother the creature in the slightest…it skittered toward him on its seemingly abnormally long, creepy legs. How he hated the way they moved!!

“Ri…ri…riddik…” Drew fought to get the word out as he bobbed his wand up and down like a yo-yo. The spider seemed to laugh at him and advanced. Drew dodged to the side. He gasped for breath and his brain managed to remind him that this wasn’t real. He’d seen real…had dealt with real his first term at Hogwarts. He could do this. He just had to get a grip and find something funny to change this giant, intimidating, hideous, dangerous creature into.

As Drew dodged to the side the spider angled its body and launched a web toward the youth. Oh no!! I’m going to be wrapped up and eaten!! Drew began to panic, but as the legs began working the web, a thought flickered in Drew’s mind and then…

“Riddikulus!” he intoned in a strong voice.

Suddenly the horror of seconds before was reclined in a rocking chair, a stocking cap on its head, and all eight legs busy knitting…or attempting to knit. Its legs were all twisted in the webbing and Drew managed to grin and then snickered. “Better ask Poppy and Zoe for lessons,” he said to the spider boggart before turning away. He’d done it! And man did he owe Poppy and Zoe a treat for their influence in helping, even though they would likely have no idea what he was talking about!

Keliora looked around nervously. She knew exactly what was going to happen when she went up, and she wasn't sure if this storage room was actually large enough to contain the appearance the boggart would assume when she saw it.

You see, ever since she saw that dinosaur movie at a way-too-early age, she has had a debilitating fear of velociraptors. Just thinking about the intelligence in their eyes paired with the deadly hunting abilities (those teeth, those claws, that everything..) had her shivering.

She wracked her brain, trying to think of a scenario where a velociraptor wouldn't be terrifying. Dressing it up wasn't making it less scary in her mind, no matter how frilly the ruffles or how outrageous the wig. Muting it wouldn't help - the sound wasn't the scariest part of the beast by far. Even taking away all its sharp things like teeth and claws - that look would still be petrifying. Perhaps the size though - if she could shrink it down to the size of her pinkie finger nail, how scary could that be?

A plan in mind, she focused on what an incredibly miniature velociraptor would look like - harmless, probably making squeaky noises.. theoretically it should be quite amusing.

Her turn came much faster than she was ready for. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward to face the boggart, feeling its attention solely on her. Quickly, it transformed into a ferociously cunning beast that looked hungry for a snack and happy that it had her in its sights. Keliora was paralyzed with fear, her wand starting to make the down motion but stopping on the up and her voice croaking out a weak "riddikulus". The boggart!velociraptor shrunk about an inch. Gaining her voice and the adrenaline working against the fear spurring her into action, she cried out a much stronger "RIDDIKULUS" and aggressively waved her wand.

Unfortunately, the adrenaline clouded her focus and instead of shrinking, the velociraptor starting growing exponentially, although still leaning forward so its ever-expanding face was right in front of Keliora's nose - taking her breath away. Just before she fainted, she thought to herself "now if it had expanded like a balloon and popped, that could have been funny. Maybe next time.."

-Keliora, Ravenclaw

Points

Gryffindor Turokai - 15 points Paddy - 15 points Charming - 15 points

Slytherin Alex - 15 points Arkham - 15 points Lazuli - 15 points Valiska - 15 points Merlinpendragon - 15 points Poppet - 15 points Anne - 15 points Leafling19 - 15 points

Ravenclaw Raven - 15 points Bitterlimeparakeet - 15 points Seashell - 15 points Keliora - 15 points Garnet - 15 points Ulalena - 15 points

Hufflepuff Sauvage - 15 points Luck - 15 points Potion - 15 points Samaritan - 15 points Tardis - 15 points Gryphongrl - 15 points