Heir to the House of Black

Welcome to the Team

Orion was sitting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall doing his homework as his friends listened to Draco talk about how he barely escaped from Buckbeak with his life.

"Listen to the idiot. He's really laying it on thick, isn't he?" Ron said, sneering.

"Yeah, but at least Hagrid didn't get fired," Harry commented.

"Yeah, but I hear Draco's father's furious. We won't be hearing the end of this." Hermione chimed in.

"Don't worry about that. I sent a letter to my mother about what happened. She'll make sure Lucius doesn't bend the truth." Orion said, not looking up from his work.

"He's been sighted! He's been sighted!" Seamus yelled, running to the Gryffindor table and slamming down today's newspaper.

"Who?" Ron asked.

"Sirius Black!" he said, making everyone gasp and stand up to look at the paper.

"Dufftown?! That's not far from here." Hermione says, looking to Orion, who had a concerned look on his face.

"Y-you don't think he'd come to Hogwarts, do you?" Neville asked worriedly.

"With dementors at every entrance?" someone said.

"Dementors! He's already slipped passed them once, hasn't he? Who is to say he won't do it again?" Seamus said.

"That's right. Black could be anywhere. It's like trying to catch smoke. Trying to catch smoke with your bare hands." Some random kid said as Harry had a worried look on his face. Orion was off to the side, listening in on the conversation. Would his dad really come here? And if he did, why?

~

Later Orion was in Defense Against the Dark Arts as the students stood in an empty room, looking at a wardrobe that shook every so often. "Intriguing, isn't it? Would anyone like to venture a guess as to what is inside?" Lupin asked, walking around the classroom.

"It's a Boggart, sir," Orion answered.

"Excellent, Mr. Black. Now, can anyone tell me what a boggart looks like?" Lupin asked.

"No one knows," Hermione said from beside Ron.

"When did she get here?" Ron asked no one in particular as Orion looked at Hermione, confused. Why did she keep appearing in class, seemingly out of thin air?

"Boggarts are shape-shifters. They take the shape of whatever a particular person fears the most. That's what makes them so..." Hermione said as Lupin finished her sentence.

"So terrifying. Yes. Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a boggart. Let's practice it now... without wands, please." he said. "After me: Riddikulus," he said as the class repeated the charm. "Very good. A little louder and very clear. Listen. Riddikulus." he said, getting a chorus of students saying the charm. "Very good! Well, so much for the easy part. You see, the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a boggart is... laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Let me explain. Uh, Neville. Will you join me please. Come on. Don't be shy. Come on." Lupin said, beckoning Neville towards him. "Neville, what frightens you most of all?" He asked.

"Professor Snape," Neville mumbled softly.

"Sorry?" Lupin asked as he couldn't hear Neville the first time.

"Professor Snape," Neville said as the students laughed.

"Professor Snape?" Lupin said, chuckling. "Yes. Frightens all. And I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Y-yes. But I don't want that boggart to turn into her either." Neville said, getting the class to laugh again.

"No. It won't. I want you to picture her clothes-- only her clothes-- very clearly, in your mind." Lupin said.