Lost in spells and shadows

Chapter 37: Plannings for a Summer

It was their last month of being in Hogwarts, this year had proven to be quite a long and difficult one. The exams were no exception. They were longer and harder.

Their defence against the dark arts' exam consisted of two parts. (Like most subjects) one was theory and the other was demonstration of they learned. The last thing on her demonstrative exam was to fight a boggart. Adelaide never volunteered in class for fighting against one, since she didn't want her fear to be seen by other people, namely classmates that were going to see her for some four years. She already knew her fear then: being a burden. But now that she had that fear away from her,Adelaide hated how she didn't know what was her fear anymore.

Being a burden was something that was not the main fear she always had, she used to know things but now she had no clue. Fears change with time. And hers was the testament of this fact.

Adelaide, drew in a sharp breath and prepared herself to see her greatest fear. She waited for the box to be opened and watched as the boggart shape-shifted. She saw the boggart change into Helena. Helena had tears in her eyes and said: "You didn't save me. You let me get hurt." More tears.
"No- Helena, I..." why am i responding to this boggart? It is not Helena, herself.

Then boggart changed into Lily, she was angry and had angry tears leaving her eyes: "Why didn't you save me! Why didn't you do anything. I am dead because of you."

It's not real. It's not real.

The boggart changed into a person that Adelaide hadn't seen in a year. Her mother. She looked better than her last few months but she had expression that made her feel horrible. Annalise' expression was one of disappointment and pain.

"You promised that you would protect them. You didn't do anything and let them get hurt, killed. How could you? You broke your promise to me. You told me you would save them and never let them get harmed. Your friends, your family members, they are dead because of you..."

It's not real! It's not real! IT'S NOT REAL!

Adelaide finally found the urge to point her wand to the boggart and shouted: "Riddikulus."

The boggart turned into a porcelain statue of a young girl playing with her dolls. It awfully looked like her mother when she was younger. The exam was finished and she quickly walked away from the boggart, outside the room. She nodded towards her teacher. He nodded back and said: "Full marks. Great job." Adelaide waited for Alice, as she had told her to wait for her to finish her exam.

Alice left the room some minutes later, looking visibly shaken.
"What did you see?" She asked Adelaide.
"Um.."

"I saw our old neighbour babbling nonsense, then it changed into me being all sick and pale, not even knowing who i was. I didn't manage to get it, at first try. It was crazy, how it came get to you."

"I saw some people being disappointed. Mama was one of them too." She didn't tell her the truth, that if she let the boggart go on and on, she would have perhaps seen Alice hurling insults and pained words to her for not saving them, whatever it was.

"Oh, Adelaide... let's go and eat something and celebrate our last exam. Of course, if that's alright with you." Alice asked.

Adelaide had only started eating with all of her friends for a week, and only for breakfast or sometimes dinner. Eating with them all the time was not possible for her yet but she was getting there, after two months.

"Sure."

They ate lunch at the great hall and were talking about how they would like to spend their Summer holiday.