Runaways (Don't Save Me Book 2)

Chapter 50: A Familiar Boggart

I was standing in one of my first lessons with Remus. He seemed particularly excited about this lesson as the students would be practicing on a boggart. There was a light pep in his step as he began teaching the students the charm they would need before calling Neville up to the front.

He looked around fearfully before locking eyes with me.

"It's alright, dear. Come on up," I soothed. He seemed to relax slightly before stepping up to the front of the room.

"Neville, what frightens you most of all?" Remus asks.

Neville looks up at me before looking down, mumbling something we couldn't hear.

"Sorry?" Remus asks softly.

"Professor Snape," he answers, his eyes flicking to me before quickly looking down again. Laughter fills the classroom but I couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy. To be so afraid of someone that this person becomes your boggart truly made me wonder what Severus had done to Neville. I was pulled from my thoughts as Remus began speaking.

"Professor Snape. Yes. Frightens all," Remus answered with a slight chuckle. "And I believe you live with your grandmother."

"Y-yes, but I don't want that boggart to turn into her either."

"No," Remus laughed as the cupboard shook. "It won't. I want you to picture her clothes... only her clothes very clearly in your mind."

"She carries a red handbag..."

"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." Remus moved closer to Neville, whispering in his ear but I could still make out what he was saying. "Imagine Professor Snape in your grandmother's clothes."

I couldn't help the laughter that escaped my lips and I quickly covered my mouth to contain it. Neville gave Remus a confused look before looking fearfully at me.

"Can you do that?" Remus asked.

"B-but what about..." Neville trailed off as his eyes flicked to me.

"I'm sure Professor Y/l/n doesn't mind," Remus answered. I moved closer to Neville, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Not at all, dear." I leaned closer, whispering just low enough for him to hear. "I think it'll be quite amusing seeing him in your grandmother's clothes, don't you?"

Neville relaxed, a small smile breaking out across his face, and he quickly nodded. I moved away from him as Remus smiled at me, taking out his own wand.

"Wand at the ready. One... two... three." He flicked his wand and the cupboard opened slowly. Severus stepped from the wardrobe, looking menacingly at Neville. Neville gulped, holding up his wand as he tried to concentrate on the spell he was meant to do. Severus began reaching in his robes

"Riddikulus!" Neville shouted. Instantly Severus's black robes were transfigured into a green suit, fur around his neck and a hat with a large bird sitting atop. In his hands he held a red handbag and the boggart Severus looked around confused. I broke into laughter, clapping, as Neville beamed at me.

Several other students faced their boggarts, turning it into something funny. Laughter filled the room as the boggart grew confused. Harry stepped forward and Remus looked at me, as we both pulled our wands. We watched the situation cautiously as Harry stood in front of the boggart, waiting for it to change. Suddenly the clown's head morphed into a dementor, it's long cloak billowing as it descended upon Harry. Before I could move, Remus had pushed me behind him, gently, quickly jumping in front of the dementor. It quickly changed into a moon and as Remus yelled the Riddikulus charm, a balloon began swirling around the room before Remus threw it back inside the cupboard.

Remus dismissed the students but I asked Neville to stay for a brief moment. He looked afraid as he slowly made his way toward me, taking a seat.

"Neville, I wanted to speak with you regarding... well," I trailed off, not exactly sure how to address the situation.

"Regarding my f-fear of Professor Snape," Neville finished.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, Professor... I-I didn't mean to offend you," he stuttered. I quickly shook my head.

"No, no. That's not why I've called you here at all, dear... I'm not offended. Professor Snape is a difficult man to get to know. He is strict in his classrooms and at times... rude."

Neville nodded quickly, seeming less reluctant to talk to me.

"I asked you to stay behind because I want you to know that you can come to me... for anything. You should never have to be afraid of your Professor... and I'm going to have a word with him if that's alright with you."

Neville quickly looked up, fear crossing his face once again.

"Not to worry, dear. I won't use your name. I fear that would only make things worse. You are not the first student to express frustration with the way he handles discipline and his classes in general... but, Neville, I'd like you to know you can come to me for anything, especially in regards to Professor Snape. I'll be assisting in his classroom about halfway through the year, but until then... you'll tell me if he's being unfair, won't you?" I asked.

"Of course, Professor, thank you," he said. I could see tears slipping down his cheeks as he quickly wiped them away, smiling at me. "Thank you for everything, Professor," he said, surprising me as he quickly pulled me into a hug. I chuckled before hugging him back. It seemed as if the boy had never had a sense of comfort and, knowing what I knew about his parents, I realized he probably needed this hug more than anyone. We pulled away and I sent him off, heading toward Remus's office in the back of the room. The door was open and I was met with Remus beaming at me.

"You're good with the kids."

I chuckled before taking a seat. "Thanks, Rem."

"What's on your mind, love?" he asked as I took a seat.

"I just... I hate that everyone fears me because of what Severus is doing and I hate what he's doing. The students have become afraid to say the wrong thing around me because they're afraid of what he might do to them... I love him... but it's getting really hard to keep defending someone who keeps making the same choices," I sighed. Remus walked over, taking a seat next to me and taking my hands in his.

"Y/n... I've never seen Severus as happy as he is when he's with you. That man loves you. There's no denying that. Talk to him, love. If anyone can get him to listen it's you. I've seen the way he looks at you. That man would burn down the world if anything happened to you, so I think he can manage a conversation," Remus chuckled, still holding my hands in his. "Go, love. You should talk to him. There's only a few papers left to grade. I can finish those up. You should go." Remus smiled at me, releasing my hands, as I stood up and made my way out of the classroom, heading to Severus's office.