The next day, River got up and made his way to breakfast when he saw a notice nailed to the Great Hall door.

  “Change of schedule, due to time constraints and a rework of the year’s schedule. The Tri-Wizard Champion choosing will take place the day after the Hogwarts and Mahoutokoro arrive. Now takes place on the second of October, thank you. Headmaster August Soot.”

  “I have a feeling this year will be full of confusion,” Archie said.

  “Tell me about it,” River said as they went into the hall. As predicted, the hall was packed with students seeking their yearly class schedules. As River walked to his seat, a few girls were standing by the Thunderbird table. Which normally wouldn’t have been out of place. But since they were Wampus girls, it was. Wampus was Thunderbird's intense rival. Rarely did anything involving the two Houses end peacefully. The three girls saw River and absolutely beamed. River blinked as they rushed over.

  “River!” they all said. “Wow, you grew so much.” One Third-Year girl said.

  “So much hotter, too!” another Third-Year girl with blonde hair said.

  “Uh, thanks…” said River.

  “Anyway, we wanted to ask for your autograph,” the third girl said, her face completely red like the Wampus colors. They held out last year's New York Ghost front pages. The main wizarding paper in the US, where it reported that River Grimes won the Award of Bravery at Ilvermorny for the first time in this millennium. Just as River took one of their quills, there was a rapt clear of a throat.

  “Giving out autographs without little ol me?”

  Instantly, anger grew in River’s stomach. He turned around and winced. The new pompous potions professor Gilderoy Lockhart.

  “Professor Lock’em,” River said. “Sorry, but they asked me,” he said, looking at Gilderoy’s perfectly styled hair, now blonder than silver. To River, the hair seemed too perfect…

  “Ahem…” he cleared his throat uncomfortably. “It’s Lockhart.”

  “Are you sure?” River asked. “I mean, you do have a book called Who am I? By Gildercot Lockhearth,” said River.

  The girls behind River giggled. But as if River didn’t say anything at all. Gilderoy took the quill from River’s hand, and quickly wrapped River under his wing and scribbled a large swoopy signature over River’s face. The shy girl looked down at her paper in sheer disappointment.

  “Ah, Soot is calling me over, good day,” Gilderoy patted River’s shoulder and walked off. He strolled off, and the girls looked sadly at the paper.

  River pulled out his wand and tapped the paper. The swoopy signature detached from the paper, floated into the air, and gently glided down to the stone floor, as if Gilderoy signed the floor, a little trick River learned from Pan. Who mistakenly used his summer homework as top-secret Macusa work. The shy girl beamed happily.

  “Wow, River!” she said. “Thank you! Can you still sign our papers?”

  “Sure,” River smiled. Normally, he wouldn’t like signing autographs. But since they didn’t want Gilderoy’s and only wanted River’s. It felt so much better to him. River quickly wrote his name on all three papers. They scampered off, giggling like mad. River sat next to Archie.

  “Mr. Popular, huh?” Archie said in a jealous tone.

  “Not my fault they find me so perfect,” River said mockingly.

  “Big head,” Archie said, and they laughed. They ate and talked for a while before Murphy finally joined them. She looked so much better already. Her hair was messy and lime green. Her right knee had a fresh scrape, and dirt was already smeared on her fingers. She sat next to River.

  “Hello, boys!” she beamed. “I was up early and climbed some trees. You should join me next time.”

  “No thanks!” Archie said. “This boy likes his feet firmly on the ground.” Then Pan came over, holding a stack of paper.

  “Ah, you three,” she flipped some pages, and tossed three of them, each with each other's names on it. “Your schedules for this year. River tries not to kill Lockhart, no matter how much of an idiot he is.” She quickly moved down the table, passing pages out to others.

  “Great…” River sighed. “Double potions first period with Wampus…. Kill me now.”

  After breakfast, River was slow to make his way to the Potions classroom. When he got to the door, he froze. His body refused to move. His heart began to pound in his ears, and his eyes began to tunnel on the large wooden door leading to the potions classroom. River managed not to think about going to potions class all summer. But now that he was standing at the door. A fresh wave of hollowness ate at every inch of his insides.

  Those purple eyes began to flash in the front of his brain. Her smell filled his nose, the warmth of her body pressed into his, so tightly he began to struggle to breath. He was back in the hidden room, and Hatch’s evil cackling echoed in his ears. Rook’s lifeless body sprawled over him.

  Suddenly, he was pulled out of the room and flew back into his body so fast he gasped and struggled for breath. He felt something warm in his hand. “River… you’re crying.”

  Panting, River looked around the small room outside the potions classroom; luckily, only he, Archie, and Murphy were there to see him.

  “Huh?” River said, still out of it.

  “You are crying,” Murphy repeated.

  River reached up with a trembling hand and wiped the tears from his face.

  “Are you ok?” Archie asked softly.

  River nodded, “Yeah…yeah… just… the first time since…”

  They both looked at the door and understood. “Want to ditch?” Archie asked.

  River shook his head, “No… let’s go in.” he took a breath, then pushed the door open.

  The room was the same, a dark, round room, with floating candles lighting it up. And tables filled with students, with black cauldrons on their desks in front of them; they all turned to look at River as he came in.

  The only difference was that the room was so much brighter now. Strings of purple drapes and nearly a hundred paintings of all Gilderoy Lockhart’s, all smiling, showed every single tooth. They found a table, unfortunately, it was near the professor's desk. They sat down and readied their cauldrons. They were late to class, but it seemed to matter little. Gilderoy Lockhart hasn’t shown up yet.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  “Where’s the Professor?” a girl from Wampus said.

  “I heard he was a prick,” Arther said snarkily from his table near the back. River hated that he agreed with him.

  BOOM!

  The Rook’s office door burst open, and Lockhart appeared. Who apparently changed clothes from breakfast to an eye-sore neon-yellow robe. “Helloo!” he said loudly with a flourish. “As you know, I am your new potions professor, Gilderoy Lockhart. Yes, yes,” he flapped his wrist around while chuckling to himself, as if he was swatting away the applause. But there wasn’t any applause. “Yes, yes, Gilderoy Lockhart is your potions Professor,” he grinned. “Winner of the Order of Merlin, Third Class. And Winner of Witch Weekly’s Most Charming Smile Award, a total of 7 times.” He smiled as if he were posing for another smiling award. “And…” he pointed to a table stacked with books like a book shop selling a new popular book. But they were all different, with only his face grinning back. “Author of many best-selling works, such as… Break with a Banshee By Gilderoy Lockhart. Gadding with Ghouls By Gilderoy Lockhart. Gilderoy Lockhart’s Guide to Household Pests By Gilderoy Lockhart. Magical Me by Gilderoy Lockhart.”

  “Enjoying my own voice By Gilderoy Lockhart, Archie said. A few snickers rang out in the room.

  Continuing as if he didn’t hear Archie, “Year with the Yeti By Gilderoy Lockhart. Who Am I? By Gilderoy Lockhart. And my new book, I, Gilderoy Lockhart relearn that I’m Gilderoy Lockhart by Gilderoy Lockhart,” he took a breath, as if waiting for applause. When none came, he cleared his throat. “Ahem… Any questions?”

  The entire class raised its hands. The cocky smile of Gilderoy Lockhart reared on his face.

  “Let’s go with my fellow famous person, River,” he pointed to River.

  “Yes, what do you have anything to do with potions?” Asked River. Lockhart’s smile faded.

  “Because I applied to the job,” Lockhart said.

  “Why did you apply? Did you book not sell well?” River asked, a few more snickers rang out.

  “It sold very well, thank you. Let’s hear from someone else, ah, you with the hair,” Lockhart pointed to Murphy.

  “Do you have any books about potions?” Murphy asked.

  “No… but I can whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep,” Lockhart beamed. And quickly pointed to another, “Yes, you.”

  Asher sat up, “My mom said you were famous in the 90s. Then you went crazy? Is that true?” River had to cover his mouth to stop laughing.

  “No,” Lockhart said. “Yes, I am famous, but I did not go crazy. Someone can’t remember who. Hit me with a powerful memory-altering spell. I spent years in the hospital regaining my memory. Anyone, I know you are all so excited to get to know me, and I’m sure you all have so many questions. But I’d be a failure as a Professor if we didn’t get to learning. Now. First order of business. Who wants an autograph?” he laughed, showing all of his teeth. Despite all the hands going down, he passed out little slips of paper with his name swirled on them.

  “We aren’t going to learn anything this year,” River sighed, crumpling up his Lockhart autograph.

  “Today, we will learn the Wiggenweld Potion. The common healing potion,” Lockhart flicked his wand at the blackboard, and to River’s surprise. Detailed instructions appeared in white chalk. River looked to Archie, who looked mildly impressed.

  “It’s right…” Archie said. “I’m… surprised. I mean, I learned this potion when I was six, but I’m honestly surprised he knows it.”

  Surprisingly, class went… perfectly… To River’s disgust. He brewed a perfect Wiggenweld potion. The entire class did. Even Asher, who was useless in potions. Gilderoy was attentive and always quick to help someone in need. Infuriatingly enough, he helped River when he had trouble squeezing out Flobber Worm Mucus. When the bell rang, River quickly cleaned up his station and cauldron and left the classroom, followed by Archie and Murphy.

  River stormed through the castle to their next class. Defense Against the Dark Arts. He stormed into the dim classroom and into Pan’s office, who was sitting down fixing papers. She looked up at him, startled, “River, what’s up—”

  He firmly wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tightly. His face buried in her neck, he was just taller than her now. She sighed, set her papers down and wrapped her arms around him. Her nose was buried in his hair.

  “How’d it go?” she asks softly.

  “Perfectly,” he muttered.

  “I’m sorry,” Pan said, holding him tighter. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  River shook his head on her neck, and she nodded. They held each other tightly until the bell rang, not a single word uttered between them. As the students filed into her classroom outside her office door, they held on until class started, even running a few minutes late. Then, River pulled away slowly, and he wiped his eyes.

  “Are you ready?” Pan asked softly. River could smell the burning smell from Pan’s lips, the burning from her favorite whiskey. She seemed to notice what he smelled. “Just had a drink, sip really. First day jitters and that.” She tousled his hair. “I’ll start class, join when you are ready.” She walked past him and out of her office door. The chatter from the class outside grew louder when the door opened as she slipped out, then muffled when it closed again. “Everyone shut up.” Pan’s muffled voice said, and the class went silent.

  River wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his robes, took a few deep breaths, then walked out. The class all looked up at him, then he sat between Archie and Murphy.

  “Are you ok, Riv?” Murphy whispered.

  “Yeah,” River said, clearing his throat.

  “Today, we are going to learn about Boggarts,” Pan said. “Can anyone tell me what a Boggart is?”

  “I know,” Archie raised his hand.

  “Yes, the nerd River likes,” Pan called on him.

  “You’ve been to my house?” Archie complained. “My family has a Boggart in the attic. If you go up there, it takes the form of what scares you the most.”

  “Yes, Barchie,” Pan said.

  “That’s… kinda close to my name,” Archie said.

  “Relax, I’m kidding,” Pan said. “Boggarts are classified as Non-Beings, a sort of Spirit. Their true forms are impossible to see and can only be seen, as Archie said, as your worst nightmare. And the only way to get rid of a Boggart is with laughter. They hate it, since it likes to feed on your fear; laughter is the natural opposite of that. Does anyone know the spell?”

  The class was silent.

  “It’s Riddikulus,” Pan said. “To cast Riddikulus, you must picture what you fear most, in a funny situation, like a spider on roller skates, or a clown flying around the room like a deflating balloon. And if you managed to concentrate on it hard enough, and cast the spell, your Boggart will turn into that funny thought, then you well… you laugh. Then the Boggart is gone. Now I did have a Boggart, but… I seemed to have misplaced it. So we’ll just practice the spell for today until I can find a replacement. River, come here,” Pan flicked her wand, and a large target dummy that looked strangely like River appeared. She flicked her wand again, and the desks slid across the room with the students still inside, clearing a large area to practice.

  River stood up and pulled out his wand.

  “Now the movement is like an upside-down bowler hat,” Pan mimicked the movement with her wand tip. “Now think of something funny with the dummy, dummy. And cast.”

  River looked at the dummy, concentrating hard on coming up with something funny. Then, with a flick of his wand, “Riddikulus,” with a crack, the dummy started to fart the National Anthem. The class boomed with laughter.

  “Good!” Pan said. “10 points to Thunderbird. Murphy, you next!” Murphy jumped up, River sat down, and Pan flicked her wand, fixing the dummy.

  “Riddikulus!” Murphy shouted, and with a loud crack, her dummy started to breakdance. The dummy did a few rotations, spinning on its head, before Pan flicked her wand, making it flip back upright, and called Archie.

  After Archei turned his dummy into a large lollipop, DADA class seemed to pass by in a blink. After everyone had a turn making the dummy change into something funny, River’s cheeks and stomach were hurting from laughing so much. The bell finally rang, and it was lunchtime.

  As everyone got their bags and began walking out, Pan called for River. “River, can you stay for a second?”

  River told Murphy and Archie to go on without him, then turned back to Pan. She flicked her wand, and her classroom shifted back to normal. “Yeah, Mom?”

  She sighed, put her wand on a desk and looked at River. “What are you scared of?”

  “What?” River said, taken aback at the weird question.

  “What are you scared of when you face the Boggart? What will pop out?” she asked again.

  “Uh…” Said River, now thinking heavily. He thought about Death’s Hand. But they more annoyed him than anything. Then he thought about the Dementors and how he reacted to them. But he wasn’t really scared of them; they just affected him more than most. Then he thought about Hatch. But there was no reason to be scared of him. River turned him to dust. “I don’t know.”

  “You don’t know? Everyone is scared of something,” Pan said.

  River shrugged, “I can’t think of anything right now. Maybe we’ll see when you get the Boggart. Hey mom, you said you'd teach me a spell to fight off Dementors. When will that happen?”

  “I told you I’d find someone to teach you. I can’t produce that spell anymore, but the person coming can; he’s pretty good at it,” Pan said. “Go on, get before I beat you up!” she kicked the air between them. River grinned and ran out.

  Over the few weeks since school started, the excitement for the Tri-Wizard began to die down, and school continued without major excitement. In fact, it was very boring. Which River was hoping for entirely. Then October came…