The Girl Who Found Hope [2]

Year 3 - 20

It had been a few days since the situation with the Hippogriff, and Draco still had his arm in the sling and still used it to make excuses for other things. That morning he had used it to get out of chopping his own roots in potions, and the result was Ron chopping them for him. However, he chopped them unevenly- which Draco complained about- and then he was forced to swap roots with him. Meaning Draco got Ron's nicely cut up ones, and Ron got the awful ones. Of course Draco was pleased with that result.

~*~

The Slytherin and Gryffindor Third Years stood in their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, the desks were against the wall and there was a wardrobe in the middle of a space. The students stood a little away from the wardrobe as it shook in its place.

"Intriguing, isn't it?" Professor Lupin asked. "Would anyone like to venture a guess as is to what is inside?"

"That's a boggart, that is." Seamus Finnigan said.

"Very good, Mr Finnigan."  The Professor replied. "Now, would anyone like to tell me what a Boggart looks like?"

"No one knows." Hermione and Cassiopeia replied in unison.

"When did you get there?" Ron and Amelia asked the pair, but they ignored them and continued to answer the professor.

"Boggarts are shapeshifters." Hermione explained.

"They take the form of the thing a particular person fears most." Cassiopeia added.

"That's why they're so..." Hermione trailed off.

"So terrifying, yes." The Professor finished. He then walked to the front of the class. "Luckily a very simple charm exists to repel a Boggart. Let's practice now, without wands. After me, Riddikulus."

"Riddikulus." The class repeated.

"Very good. Now louder and very clearly. Listen, Riddikulus." Professor Lupin repeated.

"Riddikulus." The class repeated again.

"This class is ridiculous." Draco commented. The Slytherins around him, besides Cassiopeia (who rolled her eyes), nodded.

"Very good. Well, so much for the easy part. Now, the incantation alone is not enough.  What really finishes a Boggart is laughter. You need to force it to become a shape you find truly amusing. Let me explain. Neville will you join me, please?" Professor Lupin replied. Those in the front then slit so that Neville could walk towards the front, which he did. "Neville, what frighten you the most?" Neville then mumbled something under his breath.

"What?" The Professor asked.

"Professor Snape." Neville said louder, making some of the class laugh.

"Ah, yes. Professor Snape. He frightens all." The Professor said. "Now, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Y-Yes, but I don't want that Boggart to turn into her either." Neville replied. The class laughed again.

"No, it won't." The Professor assured. "I want you to picture her clothes. Only her clothes, very clearly in your mind."

"She carries a red handbag-" Neville started.

"We don't need to hear it. As long as you see it, we'll see it." The Professor said, cutting him off. "Now, when I open that wardrobe, here's what I want you to do." The Professor then whispered something into Neville's ear. "Can you do that?" Neville didn't reply. "Wand at the ready?" He said. The Professor then got his wand, as did Neville. The Professor counted down from three and then used his wand to open the wardrobe. Everyone watched as Professor Snape walked out the wardrobe. "Think Neville, think."