But in all things natural, magic has a way of reasserting itself, of putting into balance that which is out of balance. And so it is true of Hogwarts Castle: its truest nature cannot be denied; what is simply must <i>be</i>.
*~*
Harry Potter sighed and held his wand up once again. "Wand at the ready, Clara," he commanded.
"Professor, I-I just don't think..." the young girl stammered.
He lowered his wand and walked over to her. Clara Hunt-Chastain, a Hufflepuff in every sense of the word, stood trembling in the large classroom, her wand gripped too tightly in her sweaty hand. Her classmates groaned softly behind her.
"Quiet!" Harry said sternly. "I suppose you lot think you can do better?"
A titter ran through the crowd of third-years. "Merlin, yes," someone hissed under their breath, and another wave of amusement rippled through the crowd of restless students.
"Really?" Harry demanded as he walked towards them. "All right then. You--" He pointed at a large boy sporting a smirk. "Benson, here. Now."
The boy shuffled his way through the throng to come to stand beside his professor. Harry stood at his tallest, his Head Auror frown on his face. Benson looked up, and the bravado slid off his face.
<i>Excellent</i>, Harry thought viciously. "All right, give it a go, would you."
Benson raised his wand at the writhing snake before him. He screwed up his face as if to conjure the image Harry had asked them to do: a funny, absurd object or creature or situation to transform their worst nightmare. As the boy thought, the Boggart changed from reptile to a small, yapping, snappy dog, a chihuahua. It lunged at Benson, who yelped and did a quick dance step back. Laughter rang out. "Aw, is the widdle boy afraid of the puppy dog?" someone called.
"QUIET!" Harry commanded. He stepped in front of the snapping dog--to Benson's credit, the dog was particularly aggressive and managed to snag the hem of Harry's robes--and it immediately changed to a
*~*
Harry Potter sighed and held his wand up once again. "Wand at the ready, Clara," he commanded.
"Professor, I-I just don't think..." the young girl stammered.
He lowered his wand and walked over to her. Clara Hunt-Chastain, a Hufflepuff in every sense of the word, stood trembling in the large classroom, her wand gripped too tightly in her sweaty hand. Her classmates groaned softly behind her.
"Quiet!" Harry said sternly. "I suppose you lot think you can do better?"
A titter ran through the crowd of third-years. "Merlin, yes," someone hissed under their breath, and another wave of amusement rippled through the crowd of restless students.
"Really?" Harry demanded as he walked towards them. "All right then. You--" He pointed at a large boy sporting a smirk. "Benson, here. Now."
The boy shuffled his way through the throng to come to stand beside his professor. Harry stood at his tallest, his Head Auror frown on his face. Benson looked up, and the bravado slid off his face.
<i>Excellent</i>, Harry thought viciously. "All right, give it a go, would you."
Benson raised his wand at the writhing snake before him. He screwed up his face as if to conjure the image Harry had asked them to do: a funny, absurd object or creature or situation to transform their worst nightmare. As the boy thought, the Boggart changed from reptile to a small, yapping, snappy dog, a chihuahua. It lunged at Benson, who yelped and did a quick dance step back. Laughter rang out. "Aw, is the widdle boy afraid of the puppy dog?" someone called.
"QUIET!" Harry commanded. He stepped in front of the snapping dog--to Benson's credit, the dog was particularly aggressive and managed to snag the hem of Harry's robes--and it immediately changed to a
