"Feral," pleads Bella.

"You've ruined the lesson for everyone. I don't have another boggart," says the teacher. "What is wrong with you? You are fourteen years old! Accidental magic is for children!"

Feral takes a deep breath, shakes off Bella's hand, and stalks out of the room.

"I could've fucking killed him," says Feral, cling-snuggling. "I almost did. And fuck, if he does that every time - I can't be the only kid in the whole school who's got somebody they don't wanna meet like that. It's fucked up."

"Are you gonna be okay?"

"Sure," he says. "Maybe not today, but I will. I just—" He shivers, bites his lip, and hugs her tighter. "I didn't know it was going to be that bad," he murmurs. "I thought it would be more like when the Dementor hit me - but - that was all in my head. With the Boggart, he was there. It's a whole different thing."

Hugs. "Do - do you need to talk to Healer Song or something?"

"Fucked if I know," he mutters.

"Who was - you probably don't want to talk about it."

"My dad. And yeah, I don't."

Hugs.

Yes. Hugs. Hugs are good. Feral likes hugs.

"I'm sorry."

"I'll be okay," he says, hugging her some more. "...If you wanna stay and snuggle me for a while, though, that would be good."

"I can do that," agrees Bella, and she does precisely that.

Feral curls up in bed and snuggles her. It does help; he doesn't start crying again, or feel like he might set anything on fire.

Snuggle, snuggle. "Transferring into a different section wouldn't even help," mutters Bella. "I wonder if they'd let me test into ninth grade Defense or something."

"You could try," he says. "I'm probably fucked."

Nuzzle. "I'm sorry."

Snuggle-shrug. "Oh well. He's probably not gonna try another Boggart on me, anyway."

"Yeah, he doesn't have another one. I'm not sure whether I wish we were in an earlier class or not. I mean, it didn't look like the room had been previously partially demolished, but that doesn't mean much."