The Sight Of Eternity With You

The Glorious Fates

"You met The Fates, remember them?
Always singing in the back of your mind,
Wherever it was this young girl went,
The Fates were close behind,
People turn on you just like the wind,
In the end, you're better off alone" -Any Way The Wind Blows, Hadestown

****

Since Professor Lupin had arrived, Defense classes had been lively and informative with a more hands on approach. This certainly was the most they'd learned in this class in the last three years and the mounting anticipation for the day's lesson could be felt when you entered the classroom. Harper was excited for today, they didn't know what to expect with him other than a good time.

"Today's class is going to be in a different area, it seems I was able to trap a boggart in the staff room cupboard. Please follow me," Lupin motioned for the students to follow.

All moved except for Harper.

"Harpsichord?" George took her hand in his and gave it a slight squeeze, but there was no response. "Harper."

Harper's eyes met George's, he watched the color slowly fade from her face and her expression change between fear and horror to panic before returning to a neutral expression.

"Sorry," Harper shook her head and the two moved on with the class. Catching up behind the Ravenclaws.

"Nonemacker," George muttered, pulling on her robe.

Harper shook her head, shaking him off with a trembling hand. "I'm fine," her voice was so soft George barely heard her.

"We could skip? Go to the kitchens....Or the pitch? I'll swipe my broom and we could just go for a laze around the pitch," George offered, feeling slightly helpless.

"Do you realize who you're suggesting skip a class to?!" Harper scoffed, seeming to come back to herself.

George smiled slightly, "but it'd be with me, can't be that awful."

Harper looked at him out of the corner of her eye, still seeming to be shaken a bit but she gave him a smile. "That's rather presumptuous of you."

"Come on, love. Let's just..." he pulled her hand backwards, motioning to an empty classroom they passed. Harper shook her head.

"Let's just go, it's fine. I'm fine."

George pursed his lips into a thin line, raising his eyebrows. Harper leaned forward to kiss his cheek, squeezing his hand, "I promise."

"You're such a bad liar," George muttered, they joined the rest of the class in the cramped staff room, a cabinet sitting in front of them.

"Now today, we are going to be learning about a boggart. Can anyone tell me what a boggart is?" Lupin called to the class, George stifled his laugh as Harper's hand shot up-even a bit rattled, she was still going to be top of their class. "Miss Nonemacker."

"A shape shifter that takes the form of your deepest fears."

"Correct, five points to Gryffindor, and what can vanquish a boggart? Miss Hastings?"

"Laughter?" Joy's voice squeaked.

"Correct! Another five points to Gryffindor. Now today each of you will get the opportunity to face the boggart and practice the counter spell which is riddikulus." Lupin cleared his throat, twirling his wand between his fingers, "let's go over the practical aspects before we begin."

Harper felt a cold sweat on her neck as she stared at the cupboard, mindlessly following along with the students. What was her biggest fear? Loneliness? Abandonment? Heartbreak? How could a thing manifest into any of that? Harper's mind was a twisted mess as her classmates slowly began forming a line to try their techniques against the boggart.