Love and Potions - Severus Snape x OC

Chapter 29 - True Fear

"This is simply humiliating," Severus huffed as he sat down at the back of the defense against the dark arts classroom. Since his classroom would be under repairs for the remainder of the day, Rowan and Severus had been instructed to assist Professor Remus Lupin in teaching the dark arts. 

"How do you suspect the students feel, Professor Snape?" Rowan asked as she entered the classroom with a group of third-year Slytherins. Severus scowled at her remark, not wanting to compare someone such as himself to an imbecilic student. Rowan sat down in the almost filled classroom, a smile on her face. However, when her eyes met an empty chair next to Draco Malfoy, her smile dropped into a frown. "Do you suppose that's where Juniper sat?" Rowan asked in a hushed tone. 

"We'll find her," Severus replied simply, placing his hand on her knee underneath the table. It was all he could do to comfort her in public without raising any suspicions. Rowan nodded simply, turning her attention to Professor Lupin as he entered the classroom. Rowan had always found it strange that she referred to him as 'Professor Lupin' because she never had him as a teacher. Though, the students adored him.

"Students! How are you all on this lovely morning?" Remus asked and the students immediately burst into various side conversations. Severus scowled at the way Remus ran his classroom. He mentally noted that if this were his class, he would get more respect. "Wonderful! Now, I needn't introduce our potions professor and his assistant. Professor Snape and Professor Knight will be joining us in our lessons today," Remus began, walking over to a rather strange looking wardrobe. 

"Now, can anyone tell me what you think is inside here?" Remus asked, tapping the wardrobe with his wand. "That's a boggart, sir," A small Gryffindor boy piped up, sending a smile to Remus' face. "Very good! Can anyone tell me what a boggart looks like?" 

"Nobody knows. Boggarts are shapeshifters. They take the shape of whatever a particular person fears the most and that is what makes them so-" Hermione Granger piped up, looking rather annoyed at the two boys beside her. 

"...So terrifying, yes! Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a boggart. Let's practice now, without wands please," Remus instructed and began to teach the students of the Riddikulus charm. 

"This class is ridiculous," Draco Malfoy mumbled, causing Rowan to chuckle softly. "Behave, Professor," Snape playfully scolded as he, too, found humor in Draco's response. Remus also told that laughter is half the battle with a boggart, something Rowan hadn't known. After a few moments, Remus had called up his first volunteer to go against the boggart, Neville Longbottom. 

"Neville, what frightens you most of all?" Remus asked the shivering boy. If Rowan hadn't known better, she thought he might explode with fear. "professor snape," He whispered, barely audible. "I'm sorry?" Remus asked again, not quite sure if he heard correctly. "Professor Snape," Neville repeating, causing the whole classroom to erupt in laughter, including Rowan. She knew that Severus had been hard on the children, but somewhere deep down he truly cared. When she looked to see Severus' reaction, he looked rather pleased with himself. 

"Eh, frightens us all," Remus chuckled. "I believe you live your grandmother?" Neville seemed more confident now, but Rowan could tell he didn't like the attention he was receiving. "Yeah, but I don't want that boggart to turn into her either," 

"No, it won't. Picture her clothes and only her clothes clearly in your mind. As long as you see it, we'll see it. When I open that wardrobe..." Remus trailed off, leaning into Neville's ear, and whispered something only he could hear. Neville nodded in return and they both drew their wands. 

The wardrobe slowly creaked open and a creature looking exactly like Severus climbed it's way out. "Handsome devil, isn't he?" Severus whispered to Rowan with a sly smile. Rowan had to agree with him on that topic. The boggart approached Neville, and the boy looked like he would never move. Shocking Rowan, Neville quickly yelled out, "Riddikulus!"