Safe With Me ~ Fred Weasley

The Boggart

"Yes sir, A boggart is a particularly tricky creature which takes the form of whatever a person fears most. Because of this, no one can ever truly know what the boggart actually looks like."

"Very good, Miss Granger, I can tell you've started your reading. Five points for Gryffindor." Lupin started to an oversized wooden wardrobe in the corner of the staff room, which I now noticed was slightly shaking back and forth. "As luck would have it, a boggart moved itself into this wardrobe earlier this week, and I have asked Dumbledore to let us have some practice with it."

Professor Lupin explained that one by one we would approach the Boggart once it was released from it's cabinet and it would become what the student feared the most. The way to get rid of the creature was through laughter paired with a new spell. Lupin told each of us to picture what we feared the most and then think of a way to make that fear a comical one.

Hermione whipped around to look at her friends and I could hear her whispering to them contemplating what he biggest fear was.

"Come off it Hermione, we all know it's going to be a giant F on an exam or something." Ron grumbled.

"And yours will just be a tiny spider." She bit back.

I looked Harry up and down before they turned to me, Ron and Hermione out of comebacks. I wondered, out of the horrors Harry had already seen in his life, which the Boggart would appear to him as.

"What do you figure yours will be?" Harry asked, softly, obviously wondering the same thing about me, although I had seen no horrors as great as his.

"Uh... I've no clue." I answered, not daring to ask for his. Many of the other students in line were sneaking looks back to Harry, obviously all wondering if we were all about to see You Know Who appear in this small room.

As Professor Lupin announced the start, Neville standing at the front of the line, his legs shaking so badly I was sure Justin would have to catch him before he fell to the ground any second. Lupin pointed his wand at the wardrobe and it shot open with a bang. The long black pant leg of Snape stepped out, shooting Neville a spot on glare and heading straight towards him.

"R... Ridikulus!" Neville sputtered out and with another bang, Professor Snape now wore an old patchy dress with a white crochet shawl and held a giant handbag. The class all roared in laughter, including Neville, and Professor Lupin gave him a short applause before sending him to the side and calling Justin forward.

The room was filled for the next fifteen minutes with bang after bang as we went down the line, watching mummy's and bugs and monsters straight out of horror films become humorous figures before it was finally our groups turn. Harry and Hermione took a large step back and I followed suit before Ron could realize he was now in front.

"Come on up, Ron. No need to worry, you've got this." Lupin encouraged from the side of the room as Ron grimaced and stepped forward.

With a bang, the Boggart turned into a large hairy spider, it's shiny black eyes all peering down at Ron as it advanced. I heard the whimper from Ron's lips before he raised his wand and screamed out the spell.

The spider began slipping around the room and I looked down to realize Ron had put him into rollarblades. The room erupted into laughter as Ron took a few steps to the side of the room and I realized it was my turn. My stomach was churning as I stepped in front of the spider now and with a bang it shifted into what I should have known it would be.

The dark gray clothes matched his black and gray hair and his eyes met mine with a murderous glance that I had seen too many times before to not know what was coming next. It felt like someone had set a weight on my chest. I could hardly get any breath in, much less think of the words to the spell. And even if I could, there was no way I could turn him into anything funny. I was frozen to my spot as my father took another step towards me and began to raise his hand towards my face.

Before I knew what was happening, I had sunk to the floor, crouched down and Professor Lupin was in front of me. My father was gone almost instantly and I heard Lupin yell Ridikulus at something that I couldn't see.

There was a long pause where no one spoke once Lupin had sent the boggart back into the cabinet and I clambered up from my spot on the floor. A few students were looking at me, but most eyes were trained on Lupin. I didn't have time to wonder what his boggart had turned into that had taken their minds off of my freak out.

"Alright, class, that's enough for today. Thank you all for your participation, I will see you next week. Have a great rest of your evening."

I shot for the exit but felt a hand on my arm and I gasped and yanked it away, looking back into Harry's shocked face.

"Cassidy, are you alright?"

I nodded, but I felt like I hadn't gotten a full breath since the boggart was Ron's spider.

"Miss Olsen, a moment if you will?"

I cringed and avoided the eyes of the trio as they filtered with the rest of the class out into the hall and I was left alone with Professor Lupin.

"Don't feel bad, it's a tricky spell, and the boggart's a tricky creature. You would have had it any minute, I have no doubt." Lupin lied, giving me a small smile.

"T-Thank you." I stuttered, my voice coming out quite small.

"I just wanted to make sure everything is okay with you? I don't want to intrude at all..." He trailed off.

"Yes professor. Thank you." I snuck a look behind me and he got the hint.

"You're free to go Miss Olsen. Good work, and please don't hesitate to come to me. If you ever need anything. All of the professors are always more than happy to talk to or help any students."

I plastered a smile on my face and nodded, trying to act like I had no idea what he was talking about, or why I would need help. That was all I needed. For anyone at school to find out about my father. For wizards to show up at his door and ask him if he was hurting me. The trouble I would be in if anyone from this world entered his, I could only imagine.