𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐒𝐀𝐖 | d. malfoy

five | rats, murderers, and aurors

REMUS LUPIN was standing in the center of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. He welcomed the class and asked the students to follow him. He led the class to the teacher's lounge, where he knew a boggart was hiding. Hermione explained what a boggart was, how to confuse it, and what spell repels it. Remus asked Neville to go ahead first, following Snape's jab at Neville's incompetency. Following Neville, Remus asked each and every student to come forward and try the boggart. Soon, it was Rosie's turn. She knew exactly what the boggart would change to, and was afraid of what others would think.

"Ready, Rosie?"

Rosie silently nodded. Shaking herself from all uncertainties, she stepped forward. The boggart was thinking. Quickly, it changed into the body of Sirius Black, in shackles, back in Azkaban. Then, it morphed into Sirius, lying on the floor, dead. It then morphed into Peter Pettigrew turning into a rat to escape. Rosie was crying. Her wand hand was shaking, incoherent words coming out of her mouth. The boggart had gone through the dead bodies of Cedric Diggory, Albus Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Fred Weasley, Severus Snape, Dobby, and the rest of the fallen fifty. She couldn't take it anymore when lastly, the boggart laid as the dead figure of Harry Potter. She ran out of the teacher's lounge, sobbing. Her feet took her outside to the Great Lake and she sat down under a tree, crying uncontrollably.

Rosie stayed there, under the tree. After several long moments, or it might have been half an hour, or possibly several sunlit days, Rosie finally stood up and wiped her tears. She slumped back to the classroom and sat in the back corner. Other students were still facing their boggarts. Finally, it was Harry's turn. Remus turned to Rosie as if asking, 'is it okay for him to do this in front of everyone?' Rosie nodded once curtly and Harry walked up to the boggart. The boggart turned into a dementor, and Rosie could see Harry suffering silently. She wasn't in a place to produce a patronus, so Remus quickly jumped in front of Harry. Even being cured of his transformations, his greatest fear was still the moon. Embarrassed, Harry joined Rosie in the back of the classroom. They were soon dismissed to go to potions, but Remus called Rosie back to talk to him for a moment alone.

"Why do you fear an incarcerated Sirius Black?" Remus asked, almost forcibly.

"I know things you don't. You will soon learn. I promise. The truth will come. Be ready when it does. Goodbye, Remus." Rosie was not in the mood to be some sweet little girl who explains every small thing to everyone. She stalked away, into the corridors, into the shadows.

Knowing she would be late if she didn't, Rosie closed her eyes and searched for Lady Hogwarts. When Rosie found her, she asked her to transport her to the Potions classroom. Feeling a slight breeze, Rosie opened her eyes and saw the curious glances of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Shrugging, Rosie smiled and walked into the classroom.

"Hello Severus. How d'you do?"

"Professor Snape to you, Feudestin."

"Shame. I would've thought Dumbledore would've told you my secret and our deal by now. Seriously, you should ask him."

"I will ask him when I am not bothered by brewing a potion for that dreadful, murdering Lupin."

"Just because Sirius Black tried to feed you to him once does not mean that Remus was conscious during that time, you know. And even then, I wouldn't blame Sirius. It was a real cruel thing he did, but at the time he didn't know better."

"Be quiet. Call the others in."

Rosie backed away to the entrance of the dungeon, poked her head out and asked everyone to come in. Potions consisted of Severus taking points from the Gryffindors, hitting people on their heads, and making snarky comments at Rosie. Some examples of this include,