Eli looked at the boy skeptically. Girls their age didn't care about love or hearts! Did they? Naw.

Another thought occurred to Eli. "Oh! And they are scared of boggarts and the dark and... and bugs! All girls are scared of bugs, they make them scream. Also, I know a girl who is scared of kappas." Okay, so it wasn't a girl. Ok... So it was Eli himself. Probably girls were scared of things if even he was scared of them!

Points points points, yummy points, Professor LaFlame was gonna give him a jillion zillion points for Ravenclaw for all his brilliant insight!

Josh was not interested in the question until he heard the younger Ravenclaw boy spoke. ''Excuse me'' he said with a tone that all class could hear, grinning at the boy ''But i know a girl who is far braver than many people. She is not scared of the things you have said. I also know a girl who likes spiders and what about Slytherin girls who are always close to the dungeons? I don't think they would be scared of darkness, definitely not but... '' he stopped, looked around and went on ''they might be scared of losing their beauty.'' hehehe

Amy growled under her breath, but the gryfindor boy was right unfortunatly, lots of girls cared too much about their looks and losing them was terrible for them

Eh?

A girl's biggest fear?

Rolling her eyes, Miranda raised her hand. "Professor, I'd say it's wasting precious time having to deal with anyone who gets in your way." Like, what else could it be? She could imagine the things the boys were saying were right for some girls, but not for Miranda.

Meh, whatever. What were they doing today? Hm?

"Ooh, that's true! Girls are sooo scared of The Ugly, Professor!" Maybe they were making Uglifying potions. If so, the Slytherin she-snake bullies wouldn't need to take it, ha ha ha oh, not so funny. Especially since they were all really pretty, if you went for that vicious and scary type. Eli did not.

Eli was glad Ellie wasn't hearing him make such broad comments about girls. She was a hundred million times braver and tougher than he was, after all. She would crush him for his generalizations, on principle.

Erm... Pretty? Cue the pink tinge at the base of Oliver's neck.

He attempted to smooth out his expression.. which he did for all of five seconds before his lip curled upwards again with disgust. "Can we use a bubblehead charm on ourselves, Professor?" He asked seriously.. cos that stench was just.. yuch.

What did girls hate? Having their foreheads slap slaaapied? Meh. It wasn't really fear.. more a loathing. What did Cam fear? Ravenclaws? Bookdusk? But then Cam wasn't exactly your average teenage girl, was she?

He raised his hand. "Breaking a nail, miss? Being hugely unpopular? Or perhaps.. a bad hair day?" Losing their hair completely? hehehe.

Being set on fire by a psychotic potions professor.

Raiden bit his tongue on this one, though it took effort. Respect. It was hard to conjure up for this woman, especially because of the paranoia that she'd once more do something to her class participants that she hadn't asked about.

He glanced at Nia, unable to even conjure so much as a smile to throw her direction, and suppressed his uneasiness when Gold put herself next to him.

He knew she liked this coocoo of a professor. It wasn't hard to tell. What was difficult to figure out was why someone who was usually so intelligent didn't realise how much of a loony she was approving of.

"Not every girl is so insecure in her looks," he murmured, looking around the classroom at those suggesting it. "Some are more worried about failing their OWLs or other more important things. Like their friends, and how to keep them safe."

They were stereotyping an entire gender just then, the lot of them. Ridiculous. Daphne Hopton would've been more worried about her friends and her own well-being were she in this classroom, he was sure of it. Moreso than her level of prettiness.

Anni rolled her eyes as the Proffessor commented on Eli's hair. Rude or what? She ignored it, deciding Eli could fight his own battles with the Proffessor, if he wanted to anyway. She figured he'd probably leave her alone, though...
'Uh, being unpopular?' she said, putting her hand up. Not that she was herself, but she knew lots of girls - and boys, for that matter - who most definiely were.




Anni smiled sadly at Eli as he moved beside the Proffessor. But at least he was away from those Slythie girls, that was a start. She laughed as he said girls were scared of cooties, though. How silly! Hmmm, what was she scared of?

Trixie looked down a little as the professor smiled at her. Well at least she wasn't in a setting people on fire mood. She raised her hand up sheepishly. Se didn't like the fact some people were going on about looks and popularity and stuff. "For me Professor, and I'm sure it is probably a lot of people's fear in here would be loosing someone they loved" she replied. Whether that be someone sadly passing away or loosing a boyfriend. "Or being dumped" she added quietly on the end. Se had to get some stereotype in there somewhere didn't she? Oh and Fire. Scary stuff that was.

She glared slightly at Oliver. Pfft Breaking a nail? He should know that she couldn't care less when she was climbing that tree with him. And blimey she broke loads in Qudditch. Gah. Such a hypocrite.

What?... A girls biggest fear. What did that have to do with potions?

Jacob shook his head, and thaught about it... How was he supposed to know?! Jacob raised his hand and said. "Love and rejection?" He said... well asked

Marie looked up when the Professor addressed her. Oops, it appears Marie had forgotten to acknowledge the professor when she walked into the room... or maybe she was just ignoring the woman. Nevertheless, she couldn't very well ignore her now since she was speaking to her directly. "Hello... Professor," she said then turned her attention back to the purple haired thief.

Oh crap!

He had to go sit up front... too bad for him. He would have been better off sitting by them but now he had to go sit by Profesor I'll light you on fire and make you go bald. And the boy thought they were scary, he hasn't seen anything yet.

Oh Merlin, and she was making Gold go back to her seat too. Oh well, now Marie, Destiny, and Evelyn had the table to themselves.

She started to wrote down some notes as the others said what they thought girls were afraid of. She giggled a little when someone mentioned Cooties, and even more when Destiny said it too. Of course she would say that. Not wanting to even be in the class she just continued to listen and not offer any answers. Unless she was spoken to directly she was not going to participate in class discussions today, nope not one word.

Raising his hand, Jake said, quite seriously, "Other gggirls."

It was true.

So true.

Other girls were vicious and nasty and stole best friends and boyfriends and stuff.

Yeah, Jake watched TV during his christmas vacation at home...

Nia refrained from saying anything to that comment, instead giving a slight nod and smile. Of course it was just a smell. But it was a highly unpleasant one when you'd just eaten. And Nia had just carbo loaded on rather a lot of yummy pasta, ready for training. Hmm. She could in theory cast a bubble head charm, but she had feeling that wouldn't be considered appropriate by Lafay. So instead, she opted for a smile allowing her to breathe solely through her mouth. It sort of worked. For the moment at least.

Nia's eyebrows dipped into a frown as she caught Raiden's gaze. Something told her there was more to just Lafay being back and the Slythie Prefect being protective and of the fire incident/detention. What though, she obviously couldn't fathom. And she wasn't going to risk even mouthing to him in this class. Instead, she sent him a reassuring smile.

Of course, what she was being reassuring about, she didn't know - but at least he knew she had clicked onto something, and was there. She could be rather strong minded when needed...

Nia's eyes widened at some of the answers from around the room. She didn't even know what cooties were, and as for some of the other suggestions...well, they were just stereotypical and mainly wrong. Or at least, in Nia's case. Was she really that weird...or non girly for not fearing those things?

Sure, Nia might be annoyed or worried if a juicy spot appeared on her face before a match or going out somewhere, but she got over it. A bit of concealer, and sorted! No need to fear about her beauty. As for popularity, Nia wasn't exactly popular so why fear it?

Raiden got it spot on really. It was a personal thing, fear. And Nia probably couldn't even classify her own fear. But it was most likely to be along the lines of failing her classes, not being there for her Quidditch team when needed, and definitely something to do with helping her family and friends being safe.

She supposed she should probably input to this discussion, though, being a Captain and a role model. Meh. "Stereotypically," she said with an extra emphasis, "It's probably something along the lines of getting a spot and not having an outfit to wear when going out... Or creepy crawlies." She paused. "But for me personally, and fear is personal, Raiden's got it about right."

A girl's biggest fear? Wouldn't it depend on the girl? She was pretty sure her biggest fear was different then Destiny's, who's biggest fear was probably different then Marie's.

However, she had to resist a laugh at the Ravie boy. Even though he was sitting up in the front, his answer just reminded her of Destiny. On the other hand, she got really quiet when she heard Josh speak. Jooooooosh! There was now an empty seat at their table. He should...totally sit with them.

Listening to other answers, she most likely agreed with the ones about beauty and hearts broken and such. Seems girls would fear boy troubles the most right?

What in the world did a girls biggest fear have to do with Potions? Zane thought to himself. "Would it be getting into trouble or not being good enough in school?" Zane asked, raising his hand. He knew that wasn't a gender thing, but it was the best he could do.

Earlier, when Ivory had first walked into the Potions classroom before class had started, she had in all honesty paused at the entrance, fearing something similar to the last lesson where she'd heard many a pupil's hair had fallen off spontaneously or perhaps something similarly disarming like maybe a loss of an appendage or something... But when she'd seen that there seemed to be no commotion inside, at least for now, she'd stepped into the classroom hesitantly and taken a seat near a few particularly friendly and protective prefects.

Sadly, that was where her courage had dwindled and she had nodded her head respectfully rather than try to greet the Professor in her probably very shaky voice.

But that had been then, now Ivory had had time to calm her worry-wort nerves and concentrate on the matter at hand. The class. She had the utmost respect and love for the subject, and it was at the very least something she knew Kazimeriz, were he here, would not have wanted her mind wandering on and would rather have had her mind put to learning. Which is just what she did.

Clearing her throat, she tuned in to what the Professor was saying and raised her hand. "Possibly being alone? Or not fitting in?"

And she thought hers was farfetched, She bit her lower lip trying not to laugh at Zane's response, girl's only cared about that if they were bookworms or trying to impress their family with good grades. Cooties, and family being hurt or not being pretty enough.. man too many problems in a female's life.. Alex hide her face in her embarassed way trying not to laugh hysterically at all the answers, some people had no clue what they were saying.

Selena chuckled. "Breaking a nail?" she said a bit jokingly, "Or is it getting a pimple or zit?" she asked. She always thought beauty was just skin deep. It didn't last. They would eventually age anyways.

"Good, yes... not what I'm looking for but yes." She said

... she blinked. "Yes." She chuckled. "Those are frightening..."

"Well... seems Miss Shepard confirms..." She shook her head.

Merlin... "Yes..." She shook her head, "that would upset a girl. Still not what I'm looking for."

"That's a good one... still not what I'm looking for." She said nodding.

"Oh... Broken many hearts Master Denver?" She said with a smirk. "Yes, but not what I'm looking for."

"Not exactly a fear... but it's something to annoy you... Certainly annoys me." She smirked. Smart kid...

"Right..." Ok... this kid was cute, even she could tell. "Those are scary, still not what I'm looking for."

"Right, but not what I'm looking for." She said.

"Good, that's something to be afraid of." She said nodding.

"Right... good fear, not what I want though." She said

She smirked.

She laughed. "Yes, some girls are afraid of other girls... especially the smart ones." She said.

"Right... not what I'm looking for." She said.

"Right..." she said. "Not what I'm looking for though."

"Right..." she said. "Not what I'm looking for though."

Why were the snakes not answering?

Anyone else? She said looking at Flores.

"Ahhh... Beauty..." She said touching her nose. "That's what I'm looking for." She said.

She laughed. "Yes, some girls are."

"All correct and both the nail and the bad hair day are related to beauty and personal looks." She said noting the boy was starting to blush. "What about you, you ever have a bad hair day?" She smirked.

"Right... again... appearance." She said

"No, not every girl is, you are right. But you can't deny a lot are." She said nodding to the boy. He was answering well, and not being cheeky. That was good. "And yes, I was frightened I wouldn't do well on my Runes NEWT, that was my worst subject." She said nodding. "But that's not what we're doing here."

She looked over the kids and said "We're going to be brewing a fattening potion." She laughed. "I am going to cure everyone of their fear of 'the ugly' as Master Jared so masterfully put it. We're all going to brew a potion, and you are all going to drink it. You may sit this one out, but you wont receive participation points if you do so." She said and rolled her eyes. "The foul smelling potion is the antidote. I will give you a phial of it when we're done." She said. "Questions?"

... Questions? Why yes, please.

"Why?" As in, what possible use could this potion have other than to embarrass people? She seemed to like humiliating and upsetting people. "What practical uses could we have for such a potion."

He didn't see anyone in HERE that particularly needed to put on weight.

Whaaat?

She couldn't, grasp the concept....of what they were doing today. They were brewing a, fattening potion. And they were going to drink it? Okay, yes, she feared that. "You are, going to make us brew a potion...that makes us fat?" she asked uncertainly after raising her hand. Surely she misunderstood.

She didn't go on her runs every morning and evening just because of stress...

Oh joy. A fattening potion. Maybe she can reach normal weight then. She was nine pounds underweight and absolutely hating it. A few pounds wouldn't be too bad... if it was too much then she'd just drink the antidote. It didn't sound that bad. She glanced around the room, she wondered who was panicking about this...

Well, Jake had the obvious question.

"Wwwwill it hurt? And sssince our ssskin will stretch... will there bbbe marks like ppregnant ladies get?"

Pregnant ladies... a force NOT to be reckoned with.

So no bubblehead charm then? Damn. Bleh.

Oliver smiled when his answers were deemed correct, then the expression slid off his face. Had he had a bad hair day? Pffft. “All the time.” He mumbled in reply. And not including that time his hair fell out. Suuuu not funny.

Wait? WHAT!? A fattening potion!? Oliver looked down at his tall skinny self. Like, really, he didn't have the bone structure to carry any weight. And so the face pulling came back with a vengeance. Oh maan. He'd do it.. but only because he wanted the points.. and because the Slytherin was so curious and interested to know what he would look like morbidly obese. Jus' no broom flying until he'd drunk the stinky antidote: who knew if he would be able get off the ground.

He raised his hand. “Is it safe, professor? I mean being fat can bring about all kinds of medical conditions. My body's not going to go into shock and cause me to have a heart attack cos it can't handle it, right?”

"Good Question!" She said nodding. "Can anyone answer that question?"

"Did I stutter?" she said looking to the girl... "See..." she said to everyone... "The fear is setting in..."

"No... as long as you take the antidote within the first week." She said.

"Well, for one day nothing will happen. Not under this potion anyway. As long as you take the antidote within the first week or so."