Thestrals

VI

"This class is ridiculous"

𝓢𝓲𝔁

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"Intriguing, isn't it?" Professor Lupin says, standing in front of a wardrobe that won't seem to stand still. Both Slytherin and Gryffindor stood there wanting to see if this new professor was any good. Nova was curious to see her father teach them about defense. June was there to see her husband teach his class and to help with whatever she could, plus she didn't have a class and didn't want to read papers so she came down here. Her belly was getting a little big but she still isn't showing so no student nor teacher besides her family here, McGonagall, Sprout, and her cousin Snape knew that she was expecting.

"Would anyone like to venture a guess... as to what is inside?"

"That's a boggart, that is."

"Very good, Mr. Thomas. Now, can anybody tell me what a boggart looks like?"

"No one knows." November state.
"Boggarts are shape-shifters. They take the shape of whatever a person fears the most. That's what makes them so terrifying" November trailed off.

"yes, yes, yes... very good November" Professor Lupin goes on.
"Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a boggart. Let's practice it now." We take out our wands.
"Without wands, please." We put them back away.
"After me. Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!"

"Very good. A little louder and very clear. Listen: Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!"

"This class is ridiculous," Malfoy mutters under his breath. Both Harry and Nova turned around and gave him the finger.

"Very good. 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. Professor June, would you like to demonstrate for us." Remus said with a flirtation smirk, which disgusted most of the kids while Nova, Harry, and Aries were used to that.

"How about a student trying it, Professor Lupin," she answered

"Very well, Neville, would you join me, please?" Neville looks at him with wide eyes.
"Come on, don't be shy. Come on. Come on." The boy walks up to him. "Neville, what frightens you most of all?"

"Professor Snape." He mutters inaudibly.
"Sorry?"
"Professor Snape." He says a bit louder and the whole class laughs.
"I don't blame you, I mean have you seen him, especially with his greasy hair and cape that make the dungeon bat look like Dracula," said November, making half-bloods and muggleborns laugh and her father and mother trying to hide their laughter.
"Professor Snape. Yes, frightens all. You live with your grandmother correct?" He questions.

"I don't want it to turn into her, either." Everyone laughs again.
"No... it won't. I want you to picture her clothes. Only her clothes, very clearly, in your mind."
"She carries a red handbag..." Neville trails off.
"We don't need to hear. As long as you see it, we'll see it. Now, when I open that wardrobe... Here's what I want you to do." He steps out of the way. Nova got the camera from her bag ready to take a picture. He stood in between June's legs and she put her arms around his neck bringing him a little closer to her so she could rest her head on his shoulders.

"As much as I love it and you, don't flirt with me in front of the students," June whispered in Remus' ear. He nodded.

"Imagine Professor Snape in your grandmother's clothes. Can you do that?" Neville nods.

"Yes. Wand at the ready. One, two, three."He unlocks the wardrobe and Snape walks out.

"Think, Neville, think."
"Riddikulus!" Old, grandmother looking clothes appear on Snape and everyone around the room laughs.

*snap*

The picture of Nova's uncle in a dress was now in her camera.
"Hey, darling if you don't mind giving me a copy of the picture that would be lovely" June said to her daughter who nodded her head giving her mom a thumbs up.

"Wonderful, Neville, wonderful! Incredible! Okay... to the back, Neville. Everyone, form a line! Form a line!" They all push to get up first, but the first person is Ron. Aries is next, Nova, and then it's Harry.

"I want everyone to picture the thing they fear the very most... and turn it into something funny. Next! Ron!" Ron steps up.

"Concentrate. Face your fear." The boggart turns into a giant black widow spider. Nova and Aries recall back to last year when they fought off Acromantulas. That was not a fun time for any of them, especially Ron.

"Be brave! Wand at the ready, Ron."
"Riddikulus!" Roller skates appear on the spider's eight legs and it falls on its stomach, having a hard time getting back up.

"Yes! You see? Very good, very good! Marvelous! Absolutely, very, very enjoyable! Aries! Next! Show us what you see." She stepped up and pictured her fear.

At first, she thought of the dementors then it was Voldemort. I mean, he almost killed her best friend's parents, and then almost killed her best friend and her last year and the year before. But as she thought about it she remembered the basilisk. As her mind lands on that, a smaller version of the terrifying beast appears. But that wasn't it.

"Keep your nerve. Steady."
It was her mother. This made June tense up. Remus took a hold of her hand, running it gently to calm her nerves.

"Riddikulus!" She quickly says the incantation and her mother burst into confetti. Bobbing up and down like it's being played. Everyone around her stood silently.

"And next! Step up, step up! Wonderful, wonderful!" Nova steps up and the boggart turns into the full moon. Everyone was confused and thought it was a crystal ball. But at that moment Theo figured something out about her that she didn't want anyone to know. And she fears that because of this people will now know. Both her parents stood there with sadness in their eyes for their daughter.
"Riddikulus." She chanted. The once full moon was now a bunch of little butterflies that flew around the students making some of them laugh.

Then there was Harry. At first, you would have thought that it was going to be Voldemort but to your surprise, it was a dementor. June jumps in front of Harry, trying to protect the class. The boggart then transforms into her dead friend and family."Riddikulus!" The Professor says and the dead friends grew to be a beautiful tree. Remus the boggart back into the wardrobe.
"Right. Sorry about that. That's enough for today. Collect your books from the back. That's the end of the lesson."
"How'd I do?" he asked his daughter.
"You did great pops. But don't flirt with mom in front of students or me... that was kinda disgusting." Nova answered with a smile.