《Harry Potter: My Life as Hermione》Chapter 34: Facing Fear

"Qin, I heard from Charlie you might make the Gryffindor Quidditch team?" George asked, his voice tinged with envy.

"Charlie won't stop raving about your flying. He says the two of us are nowhere near your level," Fred added, sounding more than a little deflated.

The three of them were making their way back to the castle from Hagrid's hut, the crisp morning air filled with the chatter of the twins.

The Weasley twins had always thought of themselves as a cut above their peers—until they met Qin Yu. Despite being a year younger, he managed to outshine them in wit, magical talent, and, most painfully, in business sense. Even their legendary twin synergy seemed to pale beside his knack for strategy.

And now, with the news that Qin Yu might join the very Quidditch team they both dreamed of, it was hard not to feel a sting of jealousy and defeat.

But in truth, they'd long since accepted his brilliance. If they hadn't, they wouldn't be so nonchalant every time they saw Kelly and Anna fussing over him.

"Charlie did mention it," Qin Yu admitted. "But Professor McGonagall doesn't want to rush things. She wants me to go through the tryouts like everyone else—if I pass, then I can join."

"What? You're trying out too?" George blurted in surprise.

"So we'll be competing against you…" Fred suddenly lost some of his earlier bravado.

"Just do your best. I know you two can make it," Qin Yu encouraged, offering them a reassuring smile.

"Well, even if we know we're a bit behind, we can't chicken out now," George said, pumping himself up.

"Yeah, there are plenty of spots this year. We've still got a shot!" Fred agreed, regaining some confidence.

"Then let's give it our all. Good luck, everyone!" Qin Yu said, grinning.

"Yeah, good luck!" the twins echoed together.

Their laughter trailed behind them as they entered the castle's grand doors.

Qin Yu parted ways with the twins and, realizing it was nearly ten o'clock, made his way straight to the main building to find Professor Swenton.

…

When Qin Yu knocked on the office door and stepped inside, he immediately noticed a black wardrobe standing in the center of the cleared floor.

The sight of it made his heart skip—he had a pretty good idea what was coming.

Sure enough, Professor Swenton greeted him with a smile. "Today's training is about facing your fears. I was going to show you some scary images, but you're not like other children—those things don't seem to bother you. So, I found something a bit more… personal. A Boggart."

He gestured toward the black wardrobe.

"A Boggart?" Qin Yu echoed, feigning ignorance.

"That's right. It's a shape-shifting creature that can sense your deepest fear and turn into whatever frightens you most. The trick to defeating a Boggart is simple: use the Boggart-Banishing Spell, Riddikulus, and imagine it as something utterly ridiculous. If you can laugh at it, your fear loses its power," Swenton explained.

Qin Yu had heard of Boggarts before, but he'd never actually cast Riddikulus, and he had no idea what form his greatest fear would take.

A faint anxiety crept in.

Noticing his hesitation, Professor Swenton felt a rare sense of satisfaction.

Finally managed to rattle him a bit, he thought.

"Alright, let me teach you how to cast Riddikulus."

He walked Qin Yu through the pronunciation, wand movement, and timing, breaking down every detail.

It turned out Qin Yu was a natural. Whether it was his own talent or the influence of his Obscurus Power, he picked up the spell in under five minutes, soon able to cast it with ease.

Swenton couldn't help but marvel at how quickly the boy learned.

"Now comes the real test—facing the Boggart itself. Remember, the more you fear it, the more powerful it becomes. Stay calm, don't let fear dictate your emotions, and focus on making it laughable," Swenton said, moving to stand beside the wardrobe.

"Understood, Professor," Qin Yu replied, though he was secretly curious—what did he fear the most?

"Let's begin…"

With a flick of his wand, Swenton opened the wardrobe.

The moment the door creaked wide, a strange, unsettling feeling washed over Qin Yu, prickling at his nerves.

A shadow leapt from the wardrobe, twisting in the air before landing on the floor—and transforming.

Qin Yu froze in shock.

It was an office desk. His old desk, down to the last detail: keyboard, mouse, monitor, a familiar mug, and a small cactus. On the monitor, an unfinished PowerPoint file was open.

The title slide read, in bold letters: "Weekly Summary Report."

For a split second, Qin Yu felt an invisible force dragging him back to that cubicle. He could almost hear his boss's voice, barking reminders in his ear…

Was it all just a dream? Am I still a corporate drone? No magic world, no Hermione…

A heavy weight pressed against his chest. His irritation flared, and his breathing grew ragged.

"Qin!" Professor Swenton's voice cut through the fog.

Jolted back to himself, Qin Yu instinctively fell back on his meditation training. His mind steadied, breath slowed. He raised his wand and declared:

"Riddikulus!"

A flash of magic shot toward the desk. With a loud pop!, the desk and monitor twisted and reshaped, morphing into a giant pug—tail wagging, monitor for a head.

Qin Yu let out a shaky breath and, despite himself, started to laugh.

"Not a bad transformation!" Professor Swenton praised.

With that, the Boggart vanished and the wardrobe door snapped shut.

"You handled that very well. You recognized your fear, calmed yourself, and responded quickly. That shows real emotional control," Swenton concluded.

"Thank you, Professor. Honestly, if you hadn't spoken up, I might've been stuck in that fear for a while," Qin Yu admitted, grateful.

"Don't sell yourself short. Most people freeze the first time they face a Boggart. Your reaction was perfectly normal—and I believe even without my help, you would've found your footing soon enough."

All in all, the Boggart trial was a success. Qin Yu had faced his fear, kept his emotions in check, and—most importantly—didn't trigger his Obscurus Power. That was exactly what Professor Swenton had hoped for.

Once Qin Yu was fully composed again, Swenton had him repeat the trial several times. By the end, Qin Yu could transform the Boggart into all sorts of ridiculous shapes without a moment's hesitation.

…

"Alright, you're free to go."

"Goodbye, Professor Swenton!"

"Goodbye, Qin!"

With the morning's trial complete, Professor Swenton dismissed Qin Yu.

After the boy left, the office fell silent. Swenton stood, lost in thought about what Qin Yu feared. His expression shifted—curiosity, understanding, something else—before he finally murmured, "What a remarkable child."

He flicked his wand, opening the wardrobe once more.

The Boggart emerged, shifting instantly into the shape of a statue—a tall man in robes, left hand gripping a round shield, right hand holding a long sword. The man stood proud, gaze unwavering.

Swenton frowned, staring at the statue.

"Riddikulus!"

With a flick of his wand, the statue's face was suddenly painted in clown makeup, a bright red nose appearing at its center.

In a heartbeat, the ridiculous clown faded away, and the Boggart slipped back into the wardrobe.

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