The Fox In A Snake Pit! Story 3

True fear

With a steady hand, Lupin raised his wand to shoulder level and declared, "Waddiwasi!" directing it straight at the mischievous Peeves. In an instant, a wad of gum erupted from the keyhole like a cannonball, plunging directly into Peeves' left nostril. The poltergeist shot upright, his face a mask of surprise, before he zoomed away, shouting in frustration. 

"Cool, sir!" exclaimed Dean Thomas, his eyes wide with wonder. The class couldn't help but chuckle at Peeves' discomfort. 

"Thank you, Dean," Professor Lupin replied, tucking his wand into his pocket. "Shall we proceed?" 

They set off again, the class looking at the shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. As they walked along the second corridor, he came to a stop right in front of the door to the staff room. 

"Please, step inside," Professor Lupin instructed, holding the door open and gesturing them in. 

The staff room, a lengthy space adorned with wooden panels and an assortment of aged, mismatched chairs, lay silent save for a solitary figure. Professor Snape lounged in a low armchair, his gaze sweeping over the students as they entered the classroom. A glint of mischief sparkled in his eyes, and a disdainful smirk played on his lips. 

As Professor Lupin stepped into the room and moved to shut the door, Snape's voice broke through the air, sharp and uncompromising. "Keep it open, Lupin. I'd prefer to avoid this spectacle," he declared with a disdainful flick of his robes. With an air of authority, he pushed past the students, his dark garments sweeping dramatically behind him as he exited. At the threshold, he pivoted sharply, addressing Lupin with a hint of disdain. "Perhaps no one has warned you, Lupin, but there is Neville Longbottom in this class. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear." 

Neville's cheeks flushed a deep red, while Jade let out a stifled laugh. 

Professor Lupin raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I was counting on Neville to help me with the first phase of the task," he remarked, "and I have no doubt he will handle it splendidly." If it were possible, Neville's face flushed an even deeper shade of crimson. 

Snape's upper lip curled into a sneer, but he made his exit, slamming the door behind him with a resounding thud. 

"Now then," Professor Lupin announced, gesturing toward the far end of the room, where an old wardrobe loomed—its dusty surface a sanctuary for the teachers' spare robes. As he moved closer to it, the wardrobe unexpectedly rattled violently, slamming against the wall with a thud. "Don't be alarmed," he said reassuringly, noticing a few students recoil in fear. "There's a Boggart in there." 

While some remained skeptical, the majority of the class looked visibly anxious. Neville's face twisted in fear as he cast a terrified glance at Professor Lupin, while Seamus Finnigan scrutinized the quivering doorknob with a frown of worry. Jade, caught in a swirl of confusion, turned her attention to the professor. She had never encountered a Boggart before nor had she come across the term in any book, leaving her curiosity piqued. 

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," Professor Lupin said. "Wardrobes, the space under beds, the cupboards under sinks... I've even met one that had taken up residence in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it there to give my third years some practice... So, the first question we need to ask is, what is a boggart?" 

As Jade anticipated, Hermione was the first to raise her hand when he asked the question. "It's a shapeshifter," she declared confidently. "It can transform into whatever it believes will scare us the most."