The Marauders: Year Three | #Wattys2016

Defending Lily

Defending Lily

"That Veigler bloke is ruddy brilliant," Sirius announced as they sat down to lunch after the class defeating the boggart. He snatched up an array of food, shoving a couple chips in his mouth as he filled his plate up. "Really knows what he's talking about," he said 'round the food, spraying bits of it everywhere. Peter wiped his face with the sleeve of his robe with a look of disgust.

James nodded, "Best bloody Defense teacher we've had yet!"

"Apart from perhaps that auror, Moody," Peter input.

"He's even better than Moody because he's going to stick around," Sirius said, grinning. "We've learned loads more already in just two months from Veigler than we learned the whole of term last year with that Blythe woman."

Remus sat quietly listening to them talk. They'd been going on about the boggart and the brilliance of Professor Veigler for at least ten minutes by now and he was worried that they might ask him to weigh in with his thoughts on the subject. He didn't really want to tell them how he felt about Veigler until he had figured out what it was about the Defense teacher that bothered him so much. He just couldn't put a label to the reason, though he knew that whatever it was felt rather instinctively like a very good one.

Frank Longbottom sank into the seat behind his wheel chair, and propped his arm up on one of the push handles, leaning over Remus's shoulder, "Hey there, you lot, how's the morning going so far?" he asked. He stole a chip from Remus's plate, which Sirius had filled and passed over.

"Going well!" Sirius exclaimed from across the table. "Learned about boggarts with Veigler this morning."

"Oh Veigler!" Frank said, a grin crossing his face, "He's ruddy brilliant. Best Defense teacher we've had in four years, right Woodhouse?" he asked, looking up as the Quidditch captain lowered himself across the table, beside Peter.

"That's what we said, too," James agreed.

Andy Woodhouse nodded, "Best without a doubt," he replied. "Although he hasn't got a lot of stiff competition. I mean last year with Blythe being distracted mid-way through with that stupid probation, and the year before with Professor Tutman hauling off -- Moody only temporary. And in our first year the witch who taught it was this funny old woman who could barely talk. You'd think she was Professor Binns's great-grandmother or something."

"Blimey, I can't imagine that," Peter said.

Frank nodded, "She was terrible. She was probably brilliant in her time, but that time was long before we ever met her. Dunno why Dumbledore even hired her on. We heard later she was some sort of old family friend. Old being the keyword."

Andy Woodhouse guffawed loudly, "You can say that again," he said.

"So, how were the boggarts? Anyone afraid of anything funny?" Frank asked, looking 'round at them. "When we learned about boggarts - there's a girl in our year whose boggart was a flock of geese."

"Geese are violent!" Peter squeaked, eyes wide.

Frank grinned at Peter, amused.

"Well they are," Peter said, looking 'round the others for some back up. "They'll attack you as look at you."

"And what? Peck you to death?" James snickered.

Sirius's eyes twinkled, "Stupid peckers." He winked at James, who snickered even harder.

Peter said, "Maybe, you dunno! They could do some damage if they beaked you."

"Dunno if they could or not, but she made'em into a load of down pillows," Frank said with a shrug.