Love and Potions - Severus Snape x OC

Chapter 29 - True Fear

The boggart Professor Snape quickly morphed to be wearing what Rowan could safely assume were Neville's grandmother's clothes. The class roared with laughter and the boggart gained a very embarrassed look on its face. "That insolent little-" Severus began, glaring down the young Gryffindor. 

"Now, Professor! Loosen up, will you?" Rowan scolded, turning her attention toward the front of the class again.  Many students went after Neville, all of them successfully banishing their boggarts. "Professor Knight, why don't you give it a try?" Remus offered and suddenly, everyone's eyes fell upon her. 

"I mean- Why not? I'm not sure I'm afraid of much," Rowan said nonchalantly, stepping in front of the boggart. "Everyone is scared of something, Professor," Remus replied as he leaned against his desk. 

Slowly the boggart took form and its form even surprised Rowan herself. At first, she had expected to see her father or her mother. Neither of them were kind to her in her youth, and that was the only thing she could think of that would make perfect sense. However, in front of her, the boggart slowly morphed into a bloodied version of Juniper Montgomery. 

Rowan's jaw fell open as she watched this version of her missing friend. "You didn't save me. I trusted you," The boggart cried out and Rowan slammed her eyes shut. She imagined Juniper when she was a first-year, getting stuck on one of the moving staircases. "Riddikulus!" Rowan yelled loudly and the boggart began to change again. Except, it didn't change to a  happier Juniper. Instead, it laughed at her. Quickly, it morphed itself into a bloody and dying Severus Snape. Rowan could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"You could have saved me! You are nothing more than a selfish child!" The boggart screamed out, causing Rowan to start to hyperventilate. "You killed me! You're a murderer! You're just like your muggle father," The boggart screamed out again. Rowan fell to her knees, her wide eyes meeting Remus'. He quickly stood up and got in front of her, the boggart quickly changing into a full moon. 

"Riddikulus!" He exclaimed and everyone laughed as the boggart turns into a balloon and went flying around the moon. "I'm sorry, Rowan. I hadn't known that boggarts could do that," Remus apologized, helping Rowan up to her feet. She quickly brushed herself off and shook her head. "I was terrified it would be of my parents. I wasn't even worried it could be them," Rowan said shakily. She returned to her spot beside Severus, who looked at her with concern. 

Soon enough, the class was finished and Remus had dismissed the students and safely contained the boggart back in the wardrobe. "Out of curiosity, Severus, what would your boggart be?" Remus asked as he locked up the wardrobe. "I'm not sure, Remus. I don't think I would like to find out either," Severus said coldly as he turned and briskly left the classroom. 

After a small apology to Remus, Rowan sped away and caught up with Severus. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" Rowan called out, causing Severus to slow down to meet Rowan's pace. "I was hoping to head out to the courtyard. Would you like to join me?" He asked, a small smile on his face. "I would love to, Severus,"

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

They sat outside in the abandoned courtyard in comfortable silence. They had spent many nights out in the same spot, Severus hadn't ever seen it in the middle of the day. "Do you want to talk about your boggart?" Severus asked carefully. Rowan shrugged, nodding slightly. 

"I was almost sure it would be my parents, Severus. When it became Juniper, I was sure I could make it into her when she was just a funny and lost first-year. When it turned into you..." Rowan trailed off, the fresh memory was still painful. Severus placed his hand on hers, looking into her eyes deeply. "Go on," He offered, showing that he was listening. "I guess I'm afraid to become my father and I'm afraid that you'll see me as a murderer. Which sure, I am, but you've never judged me before-"