Battling Boggarts

“The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.” (J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 134)

As I lay in bed at 3:30 am trying every trick I could think of to make my mind rest and find some passage into peaceful dreams or–even better– a dreamless sleep, I found myself wishing that we could confront all fears with a simple flick of the wrist and a spell.

“Riddikulus!” I would yell, and the evil woman who still plagues my life would blow up like a balloon and float away, only to be deflated by the unintentional beaks of migrating geese. She lands safely, of course, in the middle of an island where she will actually be happy because she will always get her way, since there will be nobody else there to object.

“Riddikulus!” And the entire sports program, especially overbearing coaches and testosterone-filled basketball and football players would appear in frilly pink tutus, begging for the opportunity to perform on stage.

“Riddikulus!” The Extreme Conservative Republicans who want to change the world so the rich continue to get richer and anyone who is not rich will simply disappear (unless they remain as servants)–they will all find themselves on the streets, unable to get medical attention, food, jobs, or any other necessities of life.

“Riddikulus!” My dogs would develop the ability to fly and the courage to chase and bark at the rumbling god of thunder. They will find so much joy in this ability that I won’t see them until the sky is blue or they collapse in quiet exhaustion, leaving me to work in peace.

“Riddikulus!“

The list could go on and on. I know, I am responsible for my own happiness. But sometimes, I wish the solutions could come with the simple wave of a wand.

What form would your boggarts take?

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