Unmatched Hatred

Chapter 5

"Well then...let's go," said Draco, and he got up from his place in the hospital bed.

As we entered the classroom we could see and hear Professor Lupin talking about boggarts. All of the students were standing very quietly, listening to him speak. Draco and I walked over to a place near the wall along with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Now how many can tell me what shape a boggart is?" asked the professor.

"Boggarts are shape shifters. They change shape to whatever the particular person fears the most," explained Hermione," That's what makes them so..."

"So terrifying," interrupted the professor as he walked around the room to observe all of the students," Yes very good."

"Today we will be learning a spell that can change your boggart into something funny. You will picture the boggart as something you are afraid of then call out 'Riddikulus'. Now let's practice that without your wands please."

"Riddikulus," mumbled the class.

"Very good but speak up a bit," commented the professor.

"Riddikulus!" shouts the class.

"This class is ridiculous," murmurs Draco.

"Just hope you don't break another arm in this class."

Draco then replies by nudging me in the arm, informing me to shut up before my arm became broken. All I did was laugh but he did nudge me pretty hard.

"Neville," says Professor Lupin," Why don't you go first?"

Neville was genuinely petrified at the sound of his name being called. He stood there completely still and frozen. Neville gradually walks up to the front of the classroom. In front of him, which I just now noticed, stood an immense, towering cabinet. It had a large mirror on the front of the door and the cabinet was entirely made out of wood.

Professor Lupin asked Neville what his biggest fear was.

"Pro-Professor Sn-Snape," stuttered Neville, petrified of his own voice.

All the students around him giggled, especially Draco and his gang of Slytherins. To be honest, a great deal of students is terrified of Snape, so I don't know why everyone was giggling. Professor Lupin, however, was nice about it and agreed that he does scare many students. I then watched as Professor Lupin whispered something in Neville's ear which made his eyes grow wide. Professor Lupin stood back, and the cabinet opened its doors. Out of the cabinet came Professor Snape, heading directly towards Neville. It looked too real to be a boggart. Neville slowly reaches for his wand and says in an almost clear tone of voice...

'Riddikulus!"

Suddenly, Professor Snape was no longer wearing his original black clothing but was now in something Neville's grandmother would have worn. Neville was no longer tense or nervous but was relieved and laughed along with the rest of the class. The class overflowed with laughter at the sight of Professor Snape in old woman's clothes. All except for Draco, of course. I didn't care though for I found it quite hysterical. Nevertheless, now everyone wanted a turn at the boggart. Professor Lupin told everyone to form a single file line which was difficult as Draco pushed everyone aside and out of his way. Ron was first, and he proposed to be more fearful than Neville had been. I knew exactly what Ron's biggest fear was. Sure enough, the boggart transformed into a gigantic spider. It was a massive spider... larger than the average spider.

Ron pulled out his wand and gulped.

"Riddikulus."

The massive spider was now wearing roller skates on all six feet. The spider struggled to stand up with all the roller skates, except it never did collapse. Next came this girl and her biggest fear was snakes. The snake was ten times larger than Ron's spider but the girl never resembled any signs of fearfulness. Instead, she took out her wand and said the spell. The snake turned into a ginormous jack-in-the-box. The jack-in-the-box looked pretty funny but rather... creepy. But then again it's not everyday you see a huge jack-in-the-box in the middle of your classroom.