But, Dad...

Echos of flippendo! can be heard throughout the Defense classroom. This time, the injured kid isn’t me. And, actually, the injury is apparently severe enough that Professor Potter has to take the Ravenclaw to the nurse himself.

“Go ahead and start the lesson, Al!” he calls over his shoulder before the door slams shut.

I stare up at our substitute teacher, deciding that I’d probably never be able to focus if he were actually our teacher. He’s biting his lips, shifting his weight, making his fringe fall into his eyes. “Right. Today we’re gonna be working with the Bogart, since you guys didn’t do this last year apparently.”

Murmurs fill the classroom.

“So, pretty much, the Bogart senses whatever your fears are, and, when it targets you, it turns into your fear. The spell that gets rid of the Bogart is riddikulus. When you say it, you’ve got to be thinking of something either really hilarious or really happy or really special. It’s important to focus on that memory, otherwise it won’t work.”

My eyes shift from Albus (granted, with much difficulty) over to the Bogart box lying in the middle of the floor. The squib walks over to it cautiously.

“Merlin, I shouldn’t be doing this,” I hear him mutter to himself before opening the lid.

Nothing happens for a few moments.

Then, a shrieking giggle that sounds scarily like Rose’s and several other of her friends. Two golden paws, each with long, silver claws on them, step out, and soon enough the entire beast is there, eyes on Albus.

It’s a lion, sort of. It’s got a snake mane, devilish badger claws, and matted raven wings atop its back. Its lips curl back, as if to snarl, but instead a freakish laugh bellows from it. “Squib! Ahahaha, worthless squib! No, not a Potter, a squib can’t be a Potter!” This time, it does roar, deadly and menacing as it steps towards Al, whose green eyes are wide with fear.

Acting on Gryffindor compulsion, I stand up and rush over, placing myself between the Bogart and the squib. It immediately twists out of the beast and into two very familiar faces: Grandfather Lucius and Great-Aunt Bellatrix.

Green eyes. Snorting. <i>"Silver." "I am the coolest son." “Riddikulus!”</i>

Bellatrix struggles to hold up the mens’ robes, ill-fitting on her frame, whilst Lucius looks horrified at trying to cover up with my great-aunt’s skimpy dress.

With that, the Bogart rushes back into its box, the lid slamming behind it.

The class is laughing. I go stand by Albus’s side. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Thank you.” He looks at his feet. “For saving me.” He giggles as he says it.

“What did I miss?” Professor Potter walks in. I take a step away from Albus, just in case.

“Men and women changing clothes!” a student laughs.

Potter shrugs and goes to the front of the class. As the class gets into a line, Albus and I sit in the back of the room. The professor raises an eyebrow, but Albus waves a hand as if to simply say, ‘later.’

As class ends, his green eyes look almost watery as he whispers again, “Thank you.”

I simply wrap my arms around him, hugging him close. I’m a little taller than him- he’s up to my nose- but he slouches enough to tuck his head under my chin. It feels perfect, and we stand there for a few more seconds before I let go, blushing slightly, and rush off to my next class.