Because You Love Me

73. Severus and the Boggart

 Later on that day, Harry got to attend the class he was best at: Defense Against the Dark Arts. Having a new teacher every year was hard, but he had a feeling that this year would be different. He liked Professor Lupin already because he had made the Dementor on the train go away. That was brownie points already in his corner. Lupin was already in there when Harry walked in. He noticed that the desks were gone, which struck him as a little bit odd, but he didn't say anything. Nothing would surprise him after a year with Lockhart. He put his books down on a table near the door and joined the crowd in the middle of the floor. He found Ron at the front of the group and stood beside of him. He was staring hard at something in front of him, so hard he didn't even notice that Harry had joined him.

"Ron, what's going on?" Harry asked curiously.

Ron jumped, a little startled. "Oh hi, Harry," he greeted him nervously.

"Why are all the tables like that?"

Ron pointed to the center of the room. Harry's eyes followed his finger and he gasped when he saw it. It was a wardrobe.

"They were like that when we got in here," Ron explained. "This was already sitting in the middle of the floor." Suddenly there was a noise and his eyes widened. "And it's been doing that. There's something in there, Harry."

Harry gulped. "And I'm betting it's nothing good." He looked around. "Where's Hermione?"

He shrugged. "No idea. She's probably going to be late."

Harry frowned. "Hermione is never late."

"I know. I just never see her come in. It's weird."

Harry grinned. He heard more footsteps coming through the door, which meant that more students were coming in. The heaviest set came a few minutes before it was actually time for class to start. Harry looked back. It was Professor Lupin. He frowned. The professor must have gone out and come back in. He looked around. Hermione still hadn't made it that he could tell.

"Intriguing, isn't it?" Lupin asked, his voice booming. He wanted to make sure all of them could hear him well. He walked up toward the front as he talked. "Would anyone like to venture a guess as to what is inside?"

Harry licked his lips nervously. He had no idea, but a kid behind him did. He turned and saw that it was Dean Thomas.

"That's a boggart," Dean declared.

"That's correct, Dean. Can anyone tell me what a boggart looks like?"

Ron looked at Harry and shrugged.

"No one knows."

They turned in the direction of the voice, recognizing it immediately. Ron stared at her in disbelief and then looked at Harry. "When did she get here?"

He shrugged while Hermione finished talking.

"Boggarts are shapeshifters. They take the shape of whatever a particular person fears the most. That's what makes them so-"

"Terrifying," Lupin finished. "Ten points to Gryffindor." He finally made it to the front of the class. "Luckily a simple charm exists to repel a boggart. Let's practice it now. Uh, without wands, please. Repeat after me. Riddikulus."

The class repeated the spell.

"You must be very pronounced when you say it. Riddikulus."

"Riddikulus," they all said in unison.

"This class is ridiculous," Draco muttered. Harry rolled his eyes. He hated having classes with Slytherins.

"Now that is the easy part," Lupin told them. "What really finishes off a boggart is laughter. You, with the spell, turn the boggart into something you find amusing. Let me demonstrate." He looked out into the crowd and called on Neville Longbottom, who just happened to be in the front. "Neville, would you come here please?"