Advanced Boggarts

[Deputy Headmistress]

Location: DADA classroom
Time and Date:11/7/07
Private/Open: OPEN to all SIXTH YEAR students


As she stepped into her old classroom, Professor and Deputy Headmistess McLaughlin smiled. She couldn't help but think of how it was another year, and another year meant new students, new homework, and new fun ways of giving kids detention. Every year, she walked over to the desk in the far right corner, and the seat to the left. There, was her name. Carved into the desk. "Jayne Robyn Shay." Next to it, was Charlottes full name- Charlotte Melinda Taylor. She always found it very humorous that her neice, Hayden Rose, had carved her name right under her aunts. Sure enough, Melinda Hayes's was there too. She couldn't help but sit down at her old seat. As she closed her eyes, she remembred her first day at Phoenixsong School of Spellcraft. DADA was her very first class.

She stood up, and walked over to her teacher's desk. When she sat down on her big, comfy chair she saw a picture of her two girls. Both with their light brown hair up in pigtails, and matching outfits. Jayne couldn't help but give the picture a sad smile. She looked next to that picrure, to see one of Hayden and Melinda when they were only about six or seven. They were sitting on kid broomsticks licking ice cream cones. Lastly, she saw the picture of her and Charlotte when they came to Phoenixsong School of Spellcraft. She chuckled, and looked at the blank black-board.

She flicked her wand, and their lesson plan appeared on the board. Today we will be learning about Advanced Boggarts. When you were in your third year, you did simple Boggarts. Now, your fears have changed and become more dangerous. Firstly, you will get into groups of three or four and discuss what you think your Boggart might be. Then, you will face your new Boggart. Finally, you will get back into your groups to see if you were right.

As she waited for her students to enter, a little first year came in the room, scared as anything. "Pro-Professor McLaughlin? The-the Headmistress wants to see-see you really quick. She-she said some-something about a seven year old in-in your off-office?" Jayne's head shot up. "What? Oh! Robyn!" She quickly walked pass the student, "What house are you in?" She asked, and turned around. "Bright-brightstar." Professor McLaughlin nodded, "Ten points to Brightstar!" She then sighed, and flicked her wand at the black-board. Under all the directions it read, I'll be right back! She then started to almost run to her office.

[Melinda B. Hayes]

Melinda Hayes walked into her Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom very uncharacteristically. For one, she was practically on time, having accidentally gotten up early when a first year had been crying for her mother and woken her up. For another, Hayden wasn't by her side...the lucky girl had slept right through it all. She slid into her seat and fingered the part where she'd carved her name, and where her mother had carved her. It was almost comical how her mother, the Headmistress, whom she always saw as a "Don't break the rules" type of woman...actually carved a name into a desk. Probably with Jayne's insistance...speaking of which, where was that professor?

Looking up at the board, she saw the lesson plan...advanced boggarts. That should prove interesting. And then right underneath that was "Be right back!" Huh, wonder where she had to go. Oh well. Free reign of the classroom! She chuckled slightly and sat on her desk, swinging her legs up and down as she drummed her fingers on the desk.

[Soren Daein]

A small, dark haired boy walked into the classroom. His constant, Almost-too-perfect-that-it-almost-looks-fake, sweet trademark smile planted on his face as usual. He sighed contently, holding his books and other things with to hands calmly with an air about him that was almost...ethereal. He shook a large portion of hair that always hung over his left eye to the side of his face and then glanced around the room. He laughed quietly as the piece of hair fell back over his face and he gave up-as usual-trying to fix it. Upon his glance around the room, he noticed the chalkboard, which read their lesson. The colour dropped in his face momentarily, but he restored it and clenched his fists slightly. He was going to tell her he couldn't do it. He knew what his Boggart was, and he -knew- he wouldn't be able to fix it. After fixing his mortally shocked expression, he looked over at Melinda and smiled widely, a smile that lit up his eyes. He strode over to her, and didn't dare take the seat next to her, knowing that it was saved for her best friend. Instead, he took the seat infront of her, brushing any dust off of his Wryfeather dress pants and then, turned to face Melinda, and gave her a wave.

"Good morning, Miss Melinda." he grinned sweetly, a light blush painting itself over his nearly white complexion. When using suffixes with students, he never used their last name, but rather their first.

He sighed yet again and brushed his fingers through his hair, then dropped his hands back onto his knees, along with the painted black fingernails. He turned his eyes back over to the chalkboard and noted the "Be right back" at the bottom and felt his stomach drop just a bit. He wanted to get explaining why he couldn't participate over with. He found himself dwelling on it, going over in his mind what he was going to say and how he was going to say it. Whenever he -did- say something it always turned out well and people generally listened. He was that type of person, the one people wanted to listen to. He wasn't sure why, but they did.

"This morning seems...as though something strange is going to happen, doesn't it?" he said, looking back to her, never breaking the smile. He muttered something about things going wrong with the Boggarts and then shook his head. "How fairs her Lady this morning?" he went on a more cheery air and tipped his head slightly to her, in a playful bow.

[Melinda B. Hayes]

She looked up when she heard someone address her...and quite formally at that. It was Soren, a Wyrfeather boy in her year. Brushing a strand of her brown hair behind her ear, she smiled back and said. "Good morning, Soren." Her classmate sighed and glanced at the chalkboard. Slight little nuances in his behavior-the sighing, running hands through the hair-were things that nervous people generally did. She didn't know if it were true, but Melinda guessed that he was probably nervous about the lesson. She then realized the full plan for the lesson. Their boggarts were going to be different...and scarier. Not the dust bunny under her bed that she had thought was a dementor for all those years. Melinda quietly began to worry herself a little too.

When Soren spoke again, she looked directly up at the still-smiling boy once more and nodded. "I think you're right..." her voice trailed off slightly, but she laughed when he addressed her as 'Lady' and gave her a playful bow. "I'm doing quite well, thank you, good Sir." She did a tiny curtsy in her seat. "And you?"

[Soren Daein]

He shrugged as she agreed with him and how this morning was different, or was going to be different. He wasn't even sure himself, it was only to make idle conversation before class started. He hated awkward silence. Silence was good, but awkward silence was never good. He let his smile falter for only a moment while looking back at the chalkboard, squinting his eyes slightly, and then sighed, looking back at her, returning the smile to his face, laughing calmly but in a playful manner at her deciding to go along with his Medieval way of speaking.

"His good Sir is feeling quite fine!" he said with utmost confidence with a slight European accent. However, when he spoke again he removed his accent and went back to the normal way of speaking. "There's no need for me to get up early. I'm just a floor above this classroom, which is quite nice. "It's quite a walk for you, though, no? You're all the way down on the third floor if I recall correctly." he finished, with a monotone voice.

Instead of sitting backwards on the chair, he turned it to face her desk and drummed his fingers on the table idly, but quietly as to not disturb her. Though his attention seemed elsewhere, it was completely on her. He stared at her, fixing his eyes on hers. Though the colour increased on his cheeks, he never looked away. Well, except for a second to glance at the empty seat beside her. "She's...always late, isn't she?" he stated quietly, then looked back at her, twitching the smallest smile into place.

[Hayden Rose]

Hayden Rose was running to get to her first class. She knew she was going to be a little late. It was to the point where she was wearing a cute light pink tank top, and her pink PJ-bottoms. When she saw that she was still in her PJ pants, she had to run all the way back to the third floor to put on her shorts. She threw her robe on afterwards. Her makeup was barely on today. She didn't have enough time to make herself look as pretty as she would have liked. "MOVE!" She screamed to a second year, and ran past them. She heard a book fall to the floor, but she didn't have time to help her pick it up. So much for being prefect of the year.

Finally, she saw the door. She ran into the room, and slid. "I'm here! I'm not late! Auntie I promise that I--..." But she then noticed that her aunt wasn't in the room. Her cheeks turned light pink, and she looked at Melinda and Soren. "Hello everyone!" She said cherfully. She skipped over to her seat, as her blonde pigtail bounced up and down. She sat her normal seat, and smiled as she looked down at her name. She then looked up, to see Soren facing them. She gave him a small smile, then looked over at Melinda. Her smile turned into a smirk.

"Why didn't you wake me up? I just got up an hour ago! I need at least two hours every morning to get ready." She then giggled, and pointed to her face. "You see how ugly I am without my makeup on?" Hayden turned to Soren. "You'd think she'd know better." She winked, then looked back over at her best friend. "Soo...good morning!" She gave her friend a small hug. "I wish I got to see you at breakfast..." Again her blue eyes wondered to the black board. "Where did my aunt go?" She asked, not knowing no one knew the answer.

[Soren Daein]

He heard tapping from outside of the classroom, his ears twitched slightly over to the sound and he noticed Hayden come in, calling something to her Aunt, the Professor who appeared not to be here. She came and sat down beside her friend, Melinda, as he had presumed. It would have been...odd if she sat anywhere else. He gave her a small wave and widened his smile, listening to her converse with Melinda.

He smiled and nodded when she spoke to him, returning the wink with a grin. Soren then reached down into his pockets and pulled out a stick of black eyeliner with a little hand mirror, he then held the items out to her. "If you'd like to touch up...that's all I have, but, I don't think you look bad without makeup, Hayden." he looked down at his feet for a moment, and then looked back up, with a very cute smile and quite a thick layer of blush made its way across his cheeks. "Your eyes are so outlined, big and bright already, that you don't need it. I doubt anyone would be able to tell the difference." He finished quietly, his voice seemed slightly nervous, calm at the same time. He never stuttered.

At her last words, he looked back at the chalkboard. "I'm sorry, I don't know. All she's left is that note there, I'm sure she'll be back shortly." a little mischievous smile then came on his lips. "Until then, we have a free class to ourselves. That's not so bad, is it?"

[Hayden Rose]

"If you'd like to touch up...that's all I have, but, I don't think you look bad without makeup, Hayden." She blushed when he said that to her, and offered her some eye liner. She took it, and gave him shy smile. "Thank you." "Your eyes are so outlined, big and bright already, that you don't need it. I doubt anyone would be able to tell the difference." She ran a hand though her hair, and looked over to the side. She quickly put the makeup on, and made sure it looked perfect. "I don't know...I think you can tell." She looked at him again, and laughed. "See? Now doesn't that look much better?" Hayden was so used to putting on makeup, people were always shocked on how quickly she could apply it.

"I'm sorry, I don't know. All she's left is that note there, I'm sure she'll be back shortly." At this, she nodded. She bet it had something to do with her Uncle Jimmy or little cousins. At the thought of Peyton and Robyn, she smiled an even bigger smile. "Until then, we have a free class to ourselves. That's not so bad, is it?" She chuckled, and nodded at this as well. "Yeah, and you know she could be a while. My aunt and I have a trend on being late for everything. Oh, and taking forever when we don't really want to go somewhere." She gave him a sweet smile, then looked over at Melinda again.

"Mel, we'll have to eat lunch together today." She looked over at Soren again. "You should join us! We'll most likey eat outside if it's nice out." She then twirled her blonde hair and shifted in her seat.

[Melinda B. Hayes]

((*re-reads all the posts and grumbles about amazing plays setting her behind ))

Melinda barely had time to nod to both of Soren's questions before the blonde mistress of tardy walked into the classroom. Funnily enough, she was so busy shouting to her absent aunt that she didn't notice she wasn't even there. What a perfectly good waste of Hayden's comical entrance. Speaking of comical, Melinda could almost laughed at loud at the fact that her friend's hair was in a ponytail...and hers was in a messy bun. Similar, yet slightly different. Just like the two of them. Oh the ironies of life.

"Hayden, dearest friend of mine, I did try waking you up...that was me beating you with a pillow. You woke up a little, and then you shouted at me. Quite rudely I might add. Something about 'What's the point of getting up early to get ready if I don't get any beauty sleep!?' I figured it was best to just leave you to your dreams...whatever they were." She explained with a chuckle and wink. Soren then handed Hayden some of his black eyeliner after commenting Hayden probably didnt need it. Aw, how sweet. Melinda thought as she waiting for Hayden to finish applying with her usual lightning fast speed.

"And see? It's not so awful. Soren here was kind enough to help you with your plight. So, now you've got your make up, and your beauty sleep are you willing to enjoy this free period?" Melinda glanced from one of them to the other, and let them talk for a while. It was just fine for her to be left to her own thoughts. But when Hayden mentioned inviting Soren to eat lunch with them, her quick, easy, smile returned, and never missing a beat, she replied,

"Definitely. It's such a nice day out, we should enjoy them while we can. And besides, we're generally hilariously fun people to eat lunch with."

[Soren Daein]

He snickered quietly while Melinda spoke to Hayden. These two were quite amusing, he'd love to be a friend of theirs, if only to listen to their conversations...and, they were nice, too. He blinked at Hayden and how quickly she had applied the eyeliner, she then showed him how it looked now, and he shrugged. "You still look fine without." he smiled sweetly without showing his teeth. He looked back over at Melinda while she explained to Hayden that it wasn't so bad, in a comical fashion and he laughed out loud a bit.

Soren then turned his attention back to Hayden, while she went on about how her Aunt and her were quite alike with their lateness. He nodded, then put on a jokishly sarcastic tone, "You? Late? Why...I never..." he gave her a smug grin and then looked away momentarily, back at the chalkboard, and then looked back, quickly changing the subject. "Boggarts today, eh? I don't mean to start with the class, but what do you two think yours will be?" he eyed them both, and then removed his smile for a moment, contemplating his own boggart. He barely needed to think about it, he knew what it would be and he knew, knew, knew he wouldn't be able to fix it!

He blinked once when Hayden and Melinda invited him to eat lunch with him, he felt his throat close up slightly, while trying to come up with a reply, "W-well...I d-d-" he cut himself off and cleared his throat, removing the stutter and any nervous tone. "Sure, as long as you two don't mind, I'd love to join you." he leaned back in the chair, blushing slightly. He felt his gaze go over to look for a clock in the room. He couldn't find one, so he turned to face the two girls again. "Do either of you have a watch? I forgot mine in my room..." he smiled sheepishly with a shrug.

[Melinda B. Hayes]

It's nice hearing him laugh. Melinda thought, somewhat surprising herself. Probably because when you see him at first you don't think he's the type to do it that often. So when he does, it's a nice bit of surprise. But that's just stereotypical, isn't it? She found herself laughing a little as well as he teased Hayden about her tardiness. He surprised her again by asking what she thought her boggart would be. She honestly couldnt think of what it would be...something happening to her family? To Hayden? To Jayne and her family? Those were all very awful things but...was she really so selfless to have that as her fear? Deep down inside, she had an idea that her fear had something to do with her...or something happening to her in the very least.

"Well..." she began slowly after a moment of thought. "I'm pretty sure mine won't be the dust bunny I thought was a dementor that used to be under my bed...That thing used to give me nightmares like you wouldn't believe."

She smiled slightly when Soren agreed to sit with them at lunch, gladly seizing on the chance to change the subject from her worst fears. "Sounds like a plan. We'll meet you on the grounds a little bit after lunch period starts. We do have to get food, after all."

A watch? She looked around the room for a clock, and couldn't believe they hadn't put it back into the room. Oh well...Glancing at her wrist, she realized that she must have forgotten hers in her dormitory...or maybe it fell off when she had been hitting Hayden with a pillow...?

"Sorry, I don't have mine on me. And I'm pretty sure Miss Tardy over here doesn't have hers either." she chuckled.

[Hayden Rose]

Hayden wasn't really paying all that much attention. That was, until she heard Soren start to tease her. She crossed her arms, and treid her hardest not to smile. She was very used to people teasing her. This wasn't anything new to her at all. Her brothers were always playing tricks on her-and trying to make her scared. Of course, it always worked. Growing up with three little brothers was no walk in the park. With one being ten, another being eight, and the last one being six. Her father always found a way to tease her as well. Hayden and her mother, Nicole, were a lot alike in their actions. Like mother, like daughter. She knew Melinda had something before...something about trying to wake her up? She thought that was her mother? Oh well, she must have dreamed it. "You? Late? Why...I never..." Was really the last thing she had really heard. At this, she looked up. "Ha-ha." She stated with mock laughter. "Very funny. Pick on the girl who likes to look her best. What goes around comes around!" After saying this, she looked out the window. She had the strangest wanting to start singing Justin Timberlake songs.

"Boggarts today, eh? I don't mean to start with the class, but what do you two think yours will be?" This statement of Soren's started to make her think. Could it be losing her family? What about never seeing Melinda again? Looking like a troll? All this thinking made her brain ache. The last thing on earth she wanted to think about was think about what scared her the most. She knew for a fact that it wasn't her dying or anything. She cared more about other's than herself...most of the time. Maybe it had something to do with Connor, Nolan, and Maxwell? Peyton and Robyn? Hayden didn't even know that her left hand was now resting on her forehead. Also, was he going to eat lunch with them? Yeah, she had heard him say something about that being nice. Thankfully, she heard something about a watch?

"What about a watch?" She asked, and looked from Soren to Melinda. Had she missed somethigng? "Do I have one?" She was still a little confused, but shook her head. "I don't even own a watch....I own a cell phone..." She said this last sentence like they should have known. "Wait a second!" She yelled, and looked at Melinda, "Did you call me Miss Tardy!?"

[Melinda B. Hayes]

Melinda rolled her brown eyes at Hayden. "Yes, Haydee, we are so very mean to you. It makes us wonder why you're even friends with us at all." she shook her head with a smile. Hayden began looking out of the window, and then came the old habit of having her gaze follow her friends. It seemed a nice, normal enough fall day. The leaves were just starting to change, and were being gently stirred by the wind. The window closest to them was open, and the breeze that she could see stirring the leaves felt a little cool, while the air outside was warm. The combination of air and breeze was the perfect mixture of fall and summer, the distant memories of warm days and the promise of crisp fall afternoons jumping into a pile of leaves...well, she'd jump in them. Hayden probably would, but would pick leaves out of her hair every few seconds. Oh well, it was just part of fall. That reminded her...she had brought hardly any of her fall clothes. A recent growth spurt had made many of her clothes too short, and with the growth spurt had come a few extra pounds of weight...so that meant fall shopping. With Hayden. Oh dear heaven above, help us all.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hayden rest a hand on her forehead. Probably thinking seriously about something...maybe Soren's boggart question. It was quite a hefty question...fears did reveal a lot about a person. Were you more afraid for yourself or those around you? Were your fears superficial? And then having the whole class see it...it sort of freaked her out a little. What if she had this superficial fear about herself and everyone made fun of her or laughed...? Melinda set her face with determination. Who cares? I'm free to be who I want to be...and to fear whatever the heck I wanna fear! She nodded to herself, and turned back to Soren and Hayden. Hayden was talking about watches...had Melinda missed more of the conversation again? She had to stop spacing out like this...

She giggled at the last part Hayden shouted. "I might've...what're you gonna do about it, blondie?"

[Hayden Rose]

Hayden watched Melinda roll her eyes. "Yes, Haydee, we are so very mean to you. It makes us wonder why you're even friends with us at all." When her best friend said this, Hayden gave her a smug smirk. "Makes me wonder, too. I guess I'll just have to blame our families. I mean...they did anways make us hang out as kids. I guess it just stuck." Soon, some of her childhood memories came back into her thoughts. Her dark blue eyes kind of fogged over when she was thinking about something for a long amount of time. She remembered their first sleepover, and their first real fight. She remembed when they set up Connor's baby room-and then got so mad that they trashed it. When she woke out of it, she shook her blonde head. Hayden glaced got the window again. Because it was almost fall, the newest fall fashions would be out. It bummed her out that because she hadn't grown since she was fourteen, she couldn't get any new sizes. Her eyes then looked at her size six feet. She always thought that they were too big for her body.

Hayden couldn't help but wondered where her aunt was. She liked not having class, but she wanted to make sure her Auntie Jayne was ok. She also missed her brothers. Most people might have thought this was weird, but not Hayden. Besides Melinda, they were her best friends. Sure they liked to make her life heck, but she missed saying good night to them every night. She knew that right about now, Maxwell was just getting up, Nolan was outside begging her mom to let him swim in their pool, and Connor was still found asleep in his bed. Shaking her head, she looked at Soren and Melinda again. She knew that Melinda was "technically" (they were like sisters) an only child, but was Soren? She didn't know...and didn't to bug him about it.

"I might've...what're you gonna do about it, blondie?" She burst out laughing, "Ummm...kick your butt?" She joked, and winked.

[Melinda B. Hayes]

She laughed out loud at Hayden's first remark. Yes, in the end, the blame for Hayden and Melinda's friendship could always be placed squarely upon their grandmothers. It was Prudence and Isabella who had raised their children together, and that was how Charlotte and Jayne had latched onto each other. It was only natural that their own children were raised side by side as well. It was a particular favorite method of the two girls that whenever one parent or another would ask, exasperated, "Just how did you two get to be friends anyways?" she or Hayden would be able to giggle innocently, and reply, "Don't blame us, it's our grandma and mom's faults!"and in the end, there was nothing any of the adults could say against that because it was completely true. A most wonderful built-in excuse. The two girls would never complain though, because they had the most fun memories as children when they were together just goofing off.

In fact, it was probably the reason why she wasn't completely friendless. Melinda was a free spirit, yes, but she often had difficult times letting other people in. Being an only child, there was no sibling always there that she had to adjust with. She seemed inviting enough to friends, but she had this unsettling habit of shutting down her feelings and emotions. Hayden, with her usual bluntness, really got her to open up...but generally only to Hayden. Better than nothing, it was usually supposed.

"Oh, kick my butt will you? Only if you can reach it, shorty!"

[Soren Daein]

Soren simply watched them both, dazing out of the conversation. They both seemed quite deep in thoughts as well. He gave an odd snicker at the Shorty comment. He found it funny, but it wasn't like he could laugh too loudly, him and Hayden were probably the exact same height. His eyes drifted over to the door again, as much as listening to the two of them talk was amusing, he wanted class to start. He -didn't- want to present his own boggart, he was interested in what everyone else's would be. He let his glazed over gaze fall on Hayden. He had no idea what hers would be. Dropping her makeup in a sewer, maybe? She did seem pretty scared not to be made up. That seemed too unrealistic, though. Anyone's -true- fear wouldn't be something as simple as that. He then looked over at Melinda and tried to think of something, he had absolutely no idea. He didn't know her well enough to even have a clue.

He turned in his seat to grab some papers off his desk, along with a quill and ink, then placed them on the table they were all sitting at. "If you two don't mind-and don't think that I'm ignoring you!-I'm going to work on some homework, it's due tomorrow...and well, I'll probably be doing more tonight, so I'd rather get it done now..." he smiled and turned his attention down to the paper. He had to write a huge report on an experiment they had did. His, as usual, had turned out. So he would write about each stage of making the Frost Stone. It started out as liquid, and then you used a spell to freeze it, and then another to make it solid.

He grumbled to himself, writing about how it turned out wasn't very interesting. He grinned and finished writing about how -his- had turned about and what he had learned and whatnot, then he remembered the person beside him, he didn't know their name but they had failed, miserably. Maybe he'd get extra points if he added what they had done, and how you shouldn't do that, and what you should do instead?

He decided to glance up at the two, and removed his enthusiastic concentrated expression and put on a huge smile instead. "So, where exactly would you guys eat? I wouldn't wanna miss you...I mean, the field is pretty big." he then looked over to the window. "By the pond, maybe?"

[Seth Ridgewood]

Despite a tardiness that could easily cause the loss of your place in a class, Seth headed into the Defense Against the Dark Arts class nonchalantly, books, quills, ink and wand all tucked away into a bag slung casually around his shoulder. The old wooden door creaked on its hinges as it was slowly pushed open, an announcement to a badly-timed entrance.

'Oh well.' He thought bleakly, slowly walking towards the large desk at the front of the room, head bent expectantly in anticipation of a harsh scolding. Scoldings aren't so bad though, it's the consequences that usually follow them. While the air was filled with the dull roar of students chattering, it didn't occur to Seth that this was out of place. In fact, it barely occurred at all, so it was only after a few moments that he looked up and realized that he was standing before an empty desk.

Following an upward glance, his eyes flitted across the blackboard at the front of the class and nodded lightly to himself. Though he doubted it, there was a chance that his presence at the beginning of class wouldn't be noticed.

He repositioned the strap of his bag which bit into his shoulder lightly and made his way past the various small groups to the back of the room, and took his usual seat by himself.

[Deputy Headmistress]

Professor McLaughlin slowly walked down the hall leading to her room. She could not believe what just happeded. Her eldest daughter, Robyn, was just in her office. The small seven year old was crying, saying that she lost her teddy bear and that her 'daddy' wasn't helping her look for it. Jayne yelled at her daughter for flooing without her dad, or another adult. This made little Robyn cry even more, which made Jayne extra late for class. After about twenty minutes of calming her daughter down, she was able to get her husband, Jimmy, to get Robyn. But he brought their youngest daughter, Peyton, so it took even longer for her to get rid of them. Her light blue eyes were almost red with anger. She didn't know why Jimmy wasn't keeping a better eye on them. She could see that the door of her room was closed. Professor McLaughlin never really liked her door to be closed with just students in it. Her first year teaching she allowed it-and caught two seventh years having 'too much fun' on her desk. It made her make the new rule, 'The door is open when just students are in my room.'

When she opened the door, she looked around. There was Melinda and Hayden in their normal seats. That wasn't anything new. She looked and saw Mr. Soren Daein not his normal seat. This confused her- but thought her blunt neice might of had something to do with it. She had seen Seth walk in late, but decided to just ignore it. He was in the room now. She also wondered why she only had four students. Her list had about ten students on it. She took account that it was the first day, but that didn't mean they shouldn't be there. Their lesson today was very important, and so she thought everyone should be there.

"Good morning!" She chipped, and walked over to her desk. "I have had such a busy morning..." She let her sentence trail off-and she shook her head. "Well, I am glad I have four good little students come to class on time! Ten points to each of you!" She looked over at her neice and then at Melinda. She could tell they had just been teasing each other. Both had that look in their eyes. "Mr.Daein, you're in a different seat this year." She gave him a warm smile, and placed her wand on her desk. "Oh and Mr. Ridgewood, please sit down." She walked to the front of her desk, and sat on top of it. She was a pretty laid back at times. She really loved teaching these kids though. Every year they seem to put a smile on her face. It is really hard for her to teach Hayden and Melinda at times. She hated being all teacher-y with them. It didn't feel right, but she knew she had to. Like last year when she sent Hayden to go see Charlotte-her heart almost broke.

"So...Boggarts." Professor McLaughlin said, and chuckled.

[Soren Daein]

Soren smiled and immediately put his homework away and back inside of the Alchemy book when she walked in. He turned away from Melinda and Hayden, giving them a little wave and sitting back in his spot. He frowned a moment, then glanced back at Seth, who had just walked in...who was all alone. He hated seeing people alone, especially in the back. He didn't mind in the front, or middle, but in the back was horrible. Then again...Seth liked to be alone. He'd leave him...for now.

He nodded to the Professor and didn't say anything, but he might to say, 'It's quite alright', but didn't bother. Most kids probably thought of him as a teachers pet, he liked to befriend them, and get along with them. He broke that breach when it came time to enforce rules, though. He beamed at her when she spoke to him, commenting on his different seat. He usually sat in the front, because he usually arrived first and had no one else to sit with. "I decided to talk with Miss Melinda before you arrived, I'll probably sit here from now on..." he glanced back at Seth and gave him a very pretty smile. "Maybe."

"So...Boggarts." Professor McLaughlin said, and chuckled. When the Professor had mentioned Boggarts, his hear nearly jumped. He raised his hand, but didn't bother waiting for her to call on him. Instead, he stood up and walked over to her. "Um, Professor, I have something to ask about that...actually." he said, with a voice loud enough for all the students to hear. What he said next, however, could not be head. "Could I actually...sit out? I know what my Boggart is, and I know I won't be able to fix it." he grimaced at her, and put on his cutest, saddest facial expression. Faces didn't usually work with the Professors, but it came naturally.

[Seth Ridgewood]

"Oh and Mr. Ridgewood, please sit down." said the professor warmly. Though generally uncaring on such issues himself, he couldn't stop the smallest glimmer of a smile from tracing its way across his lips. Though his actions and demeanor would say otherwise, Professor McLaughlin was one of his more favored teachers. She could have given him the boot years ago for all his late appearances in her class, but opted instead to generally just overlook it.

He couldn't help scowling a bit however at the amity in the tones of both the teacher and Soren; who if you didn't know, could be mistaken for family at their closeness. Then again, Soren was that way with all the teachers. Maybe it was just his way, but there was an unmistakable weirdness to the whole thing that Seth found somewhat unsettling. Then again, he thought to himself, maybe it was just him.

"I decided to talk with Miss Melinda before you arrived, I'll probably sit here from now on..."
Seth looked up from his desk once Soren had finished commenting on his new seat, somewhat startled by the size of the small boy's grin on his face, and further startled that that smile was in his direction. "Maybe..." continued Soren. Seth didn't bother with the amount of thought necessary to understand his classmate's meaning, so he just returned a blank stare for a moment before looking up to the front of the room.

"So...Boggarts." Professor McLaughlin said, and chuckled. With dull interest, he watched Soren waddle up from his seat to the front of the room, not paying much attention to the hushed conversation between the teacher and her short student. He instead let out a light sigh, folded his arms on his desk and leaned his head on them.
"Boggarts... What a dumb creature..." he muttered softly.

[Deputy Headmistress]

Jayne McLaughlin watched as one of her best students came up to her desk. She have Soren a warm smile as he approached her. "Um, Professor, I have something to ask about that...actually." Professor McLaughlin noticed how his voice was loud, and then got very soft, "Could I actually...sit out? I know what my Boggart is, and I know I won't be able to fix it." At his words, her warm small turned into a sad one. It almost broke her heart in half to hear him sound so upset about it. "Soren," She started. It was then she called him by his first name. That was something she rarely ever did. "Mr.Daein," She felt better after that, "I'm really sorry, but in order to pass sixth year Defense Against the Dark Arts you need to beable to change your boggart."

Most students could tell that Professor McLaughlin was a mother to two small children. The way her face got all upset when she had to give someone bad news, or how her voice became all motherly. Her light blue eyes looked into Soren's and gave him a small nod. "So, I'm sorry but you'll have to show the class your boggart. I happen to think going first is the best thing to do. Not only do you get it over with, but the boggart seems less scary than going first!" She tried to joke around a little, because she hated just telling students bad news, then blowing them off. "Please, take your seat."

When she glanced up, she saw Mr. Seth Ridgewood mutter something to himself. No, she could not hear him, but she knew that she most likey didn't want to. "Mr. Ridgewood, please keep your muttering to a minimum today? I'm not in the mood." She did not normally mind Seth's attitude, but because of her morning, she wasn't in the mood to deal with students not listening to her. "Thank you very much." She ran a hand through her dark brown hair, "So who remember the curse to fix your boggart?" Jayne figured that at least one of them might remember.

[Melinda B. Hayes]

Seth's late entrance barely phased Melinda, she was pretty used to him walking into classes late by now. But when Soren had to return to his usual seat, she was a little annoyed. She hadn't gotten a chance to answer his question...and she'd end up feeling really guilty if he couldn't end up sitting with her and Hayden because he didn't know where they'd be. I'll have to tell him after class, she reasoned with herself, repositiong her seat so that she was facing front. They were going to get going on the boggart thing, and now that it was looming closer over her, she was getting weird energy rushes. She was excited to see how hers had changed...for some reason, it would help her learn more about herself to know what she was afraid of. And of course, it'd be interesting to see what Hayden, or even Soren's changed to. But she was also afraid of how she'd be perceived if her boggart was something shallow...or silly...

No, it doesn't matter. They can think whatever they want. It's my fear. Melinda thought resolutely. Looking up, she caught Jayne reprimanding Seth, something she rarely did. The woman had outstanding patience, after all, she was the mother of two young children. We'll have to investigate what's stressed her out. she thought with a significant glance to Hayden, who she knew could probably guess what she was thinking, and Hayden could probably most certainly tell that Jayne was a little stressed this morning. Quickly, however, her brown eyes slid back to Jayne, who was asking a question about what the incantation for boggarts was. Remembering how her mother said she must participate in class more, she put her hand up, waiting to be called upon.

[Deputy Headmistress]

All Jayne could think about was how none of her students where there, well, other than these four. She ran a hand though her dark brown curls for what seemed liked the zillionth time that day. She had a lesson, and she needed to each it! All of the studnts missing would not only have dentention, they would have to stay after class and do their Boggarts then. Jayne was a very busy woman, and didn't always have time to stay after. She liked being a good teacher, and not having to be bossy or mean, but she would not be passive. The last thing she wanted was students walking all over her. If she wanted that, she could have just stayed at home with her own kids.

"So who remember the curse to fix your boggart?" She has just asked, and beamed as Melinda's hand went up in the air. "Oh! Thank you Miss Melinda! I knew my O student would know!" She winked, and then added, "Thank you for being awake this morning. Maybe you should help your classmate out there?" She looked over at Hayden, who had her eyes closed. "Honestly...." Jayne then smirked, and shook her head. "Anyways, yes Melinda? What is it?"

[Melinda B. Hayes]

Melinda smiled embarassedly when Professor McLaughlin had mentioned her 'O' grade on the exams. Well, this was one of her favorite classes, so she liked doing well in it. Whether it was the subject matter or the teacher, she couldn't be sure, but either way, DADA was typically fun. She was then giggling as she watched her tease Hayden with aunt-like familiarity. She was then called on to give the answer, and putting her hand down, and clearing her throat loud enough to make sure that her friend heard-hey, maybe it would wake her up a little bit, she replied, "The charm used to repell a boggart is the Ridikkulus charm. Professor. And the incantation used is the same as the name." It felt a little strange to have to be so formal in class, even after six years at Phoenixsong during which she had to endure a Headmistress mother. Oh well, it wasn't going to kill her, after all.

When she was sure it would not be noticed, she prodded Hayden in the stomach and whispered, hoping that Jayne wouldn't hear, "You better pay attention. Jayne looks a bit frazzled today, so she might like...eat you or something." She cringed at her phrasing, ever since an unfortunate incident with a second year in the last year, she had been trying to use the words 'eat me' less and less. It did, however, unfortunately slip out if she wasn't paying attention.

[Deputy Headmistress]

Jayne waited for Melinda to respond. She smiled very widely when she heard, "The charm used to repell a boggart is the Ridikkulus charm. Professor. And the incantation used is the same as the name." Professor McLaughlin clapped her hands. "Very good, Miss Hayes! I'll have to tell your mother how well you're doing." She gave her /basically/ neice a nod, and walked over to her chalk board. She picked up a peice of pink chalk. Pink!? Why on earth was her chalk pink? "Hayden..." she muttered, and looked back to see Melinda poking her. She smirked, and wrote on the board in her neat swirly writting, 'Ridikkulus'. She wrote it rather big, just so the students in the back could read it. She thought that one or two of them needed glasses, but she was not really sure.

"Miss Hayes, would you like to go fir-" But Jayne was cut off by a knock at her door. Closing her eyes, she sighed deeply. What could be wrong now!? "Come in! Come in!" In walked a scared looking second year. She walked up to Jayne's desk, and said in a soft voice, but loud enough for the class to hear, "I just saw two small children in your office..." If you have ever seen a bright red crayon, you might have an idea to what Professor McLaughlin's face looked again. "AGAIN!?" She boomed, and then collected herself. "Honestly. Thank you Miss Dovovan." The small second year ran out of the room, and Jayne yet again sighed. "Class, I seem to have an issue here...." She walked over to the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can get rid of two..." she paused, "Two little girls." With that she walked quickly out of her room, the big wooden door shutting behind her.

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