The Redemption of Severus Snape

Part 8

"I doubt the outcome will be much different than usual, but I'll try. What's in the trunk?"

"A boggart."

"Oh, great...."

"You just need a little confidence...."

"I need more than that, and you know it."

Remus smiled and set his teacup down. "We've discussed this. You know what to do. Draw your wand and concentrate. Tell me when you're ready, and I'll open the chest."

"Hit me, Remus."

He flipped open the chest and stepped away. The boggart emerged from the chest looking like a beautiful yet surreal caricature of Lindsay. It had a look of menace about it that made Remus shiver. He looked to Lindsay who was backing away, her eyes wide with fear, "Wand up, Lindsay, wand up." She continued to back away, her wand at her side. The boggart grew more confident and swelled in size as it approached her. "Riddikulus--say it, Lin!" shouted Remus.

He moved across the room with the intent of standing in front of her, his wand already drawn, when the most peculiar thing happened. Lindsay stopped backing away. Her eyes focused on the boggart and a determined expression spread over her features. The boggart reached out and grabbed her arm. A blue light flashed from the contact point, and the boggart flew into pieces; its parts nothing more than smoky remnants that disintegrated into the air.

"Well done!" shouted Remus, "A bit unorthodox, but certainly effective." He thought Lindsay would be happy with herself, but she appeared even more apprehensive than before.

"Did I kill it?"

"Boggarts are a type of shape-shifting spirit. You can't kill them, only dispel them."

"I don't like to hurt things, Remus. I prefer to find another way if I can."

He was truly baffled by her reaction, but tried, nonetheless, to be supportive. "I understand, but sometimes it's necessary to be hurtful. It would be foolish to risk your own life to protect a creature that intends to harm you. Well, I think you've had enough for one day...and I have papers to grade."

###

"The girl needs a new wand Albus," stated Flitwick. "She performs poorly enough without having to use an uncooperative wand."

"I'm not convinced that a new wand will be of much use," said McGonagall. "She hasn't managed to transfigure a single thing, not even a button. I'm fond of her, Albus. She's very likeable, but likeability doesn't mean she belongs at Hogwarts."

"I find her to be an excellent student, quite clever with an engaging personality. She's pleasant and cooperative, and seems to have developed a friendship with Neville Longbottom," said Sprout. Snape snorted at the mention of Longbottom's name. Sprout shot him a disapproving look, to which he raised an eyebrow in answer.

"That seems to be a consistent problem with the girl. She performs abysmally in practical lessons, but excels in magical theory and in subjects that don't require as much magical ability," said Flitwick. He took a deep breath before continuing. "I hate to say this, Albus, but I don't think the girl belongs here. She's impressively clever, but she's far too lacking in magical skills. She's a virtual squib."

Dumbledore looked pensive. His eyes shimmered as they moved from one set of eyes to the next. "How is she doing in Potions?"

"The girl performs adequately, Headmaster."

"High praise indeed, Severus," said Dumbledore pleasantly, which made Snape's mouth twist into a sneer. "Hagrid, your thoughts?"

"She's right good wi' animals, a fast learner, and a hard worker," answered Hagrid. Dumbledore nodded and turned his attention to Lupin.

"You've been very quiet, Remus. What are your thoughts?"

"I have to agree that she's highly intelligent, and I believe there's more to her than meets the eye. It's clear that she has some amount of magic, but why she's having so much difficulty controlling it is a mystery. She's evidently not a squib or she wouldn't have been able to float that feather..."

"That was very strange," said Flitwick. "She put her hands on the desk to do it, and she didn't recite the spell. I don't know what to make of it."

"Her magic is primitive," said Dumbledore. "She relies heavily on tactility. She seems to be able to affect objects simply by using willpower instead of incantations..."

"That seems more like advanced magic rather than primitive," said Snape.

"In a different context, it would be," replied Dumbledore. "She was able to manipulate the feather because it was in contact with the desk, which her hands were also touching. Once the contact was broken, she was unable to further affect the feather."

"So how do we proceed?" asked McGonagall.

"Pomona, Hagrid, and Severus, continue with your lessons. Minerva, Filius, and Remus, I'd like you to focus entirely on theory. I'll take over her practical lessons myself."

"Best of luck to you, Albus, but I think you're wasting your time," said Flitwick as he rose to leave.

Flitwick's comment annoyed Hagrid. "'Course he's not wastin' 'is time! Lindsay's dead clever! Maybe yer jus' not teachin' her right!"

"There's more to magic than wand-waving, Filius," said Sprout tersely. McGonagall chose not to comment, but the expression on her face made it clear that she agreed with Flitwick. All of the teachers filed out of the Headmaster's office except for Lupin.

"What is it that you wanted to speak to me about, Remus?"

"I had Lindsay try a boggart today. I didn't think she'd be able to do anything with it, but thought I'd try her anyway. She panicked at first and backed away from it, as I expected her to, but then she stopped...." His voice trailed away as though he were trying to organize his thoughts.

"And...," urged Dumbledore.

"She didn't raise her wand nor did she speak. The boggart reached out to touch her. I saw a blue light emanate from Lindsay's body, and the boggart burst into pieces. It was astonishing."

Dumbledore frowned and began to pace. "I'm as perplexed as you are, Remus. I'll need to ponder this. And I'd like you to keep that piece of information to yourself."

"Yes, of course...there is one more thing. The boggart took the shape of Lindsay herself." The revelation that was so shocking when Remus witnessed it didn't faze Dumblebore at all. It was almost as if he'd expected it. He nodded and asked Remus to keep him informed.