The Monster Inside ~Draco Malfoy Story

†Chapter Twelve†

"Intriguing, isn't it? Would anyone like to venture a guess... as to what is inside?" Professor Lupin asked, we where currently in DADA it was a couple days later, I had gotten the sling off and my arm was doing well.

"That's a Boggart, that is." Dean said smartly.
"Very good, Mr. Thomas. Now, can anybody tell me what a Boggart looks like?"
"No one knows." A voice came from behind me, I jumped and turned to see Hermione.
"When'd she get here?" Ron asked.
"Boggarts are shape-shifters. They take the shape of whatever a particular person fears the most. That's what makes them so –" A million different fears came to my mind making me shiver, no matter what I was going to avoid this like gym class.
"-so terrifying, yes, yes, yes. Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a Boggart. Let's practice it now. Ah, without wands, please... after me... Riddikulus!"
"Riddikulus!" We all repeated. I mumbled it under my breath.
"Very good. A little louder and very clear. Listen: Riddikulus! " I continue to say it making sure I knew it well.
"Riddikulus!" We all chimed.
"Very good- well, so much for the easy part. You see, the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a Boggart is... laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Let me explain. Ah- Neville, would you join me, please? Come on. Don't be shy, come on. Come on."
LUPIN: Hello. Neville, what frightens you most of all?"
"Profter... S- Snafpt..." Neville mumbled
"Sorry-"
"Professor Snape." I held in a laugh, sure he was scary but worst fear, I don't know.
"Professor Snape. Yes, frightens us all. And I believe you live with your grandmother?"
"Yes, but I don't want that Boggart to turn into her, either."
"No...It won't. I want you to picture her clothes, only her clothes, very clearly in your mind."
"She carries a red handbag..."
"We don't need to hear it. As long as you see it, we'll see it. Now, when I open that wardrobe, here's what I want you to do... Excuse me... (Whispers) Imagine Professor Snape in your grandmother's clothes."
"Can you do that? Yes. Wand at the ready. One. Two. Three. Think, Neville. Think!" Professor Snape came out of the closet (I felt funny saying that XD When I read it over I laughed for a good five minutes clears throat Anyway... very serious.. Stop laughing)
"Riddikulus!" Snape was changed into a hilarious outfit and I couldn't help but laugh. I wasn't the only one.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Wonderful, Neville, wonderful! Incredible! Okay! To the back, Neville. Everyone form a line. Form a line. I want everyone to picture the thing they fear the very most, and turn it into something funny. Next! Ron! Concentrate. Face your fear. Be brave!" People went up and that was when I noticed that I was behind Parvati, who was behind Ron.
"Ooh.." Ron whimpered as the Boggart changed into a giant spider
"Wand at the ready, Ron. Wand at the ready!"
"Riddikulus!" I laughed as roller skates appeared and it looked like a fool.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha!"
"Yes! You see? Very good, very good! Marvelous! Absolutely very, very enjoyable! Parvati, next! Step up. Show us what you see. Keep your nerve. Steady..." The snake changed into an even more frightening Jack in the box. Let's hope that I was afraid of that. People seemed to go silent as I turned to go to the back of the line.
"Miss Potter I do believe your next." Professor Lupin encouraged. I rubbed the back of my head nervously.
"Um no I think that was Harry," I said nervously.
"Come now don't be nervous," He motioned me forward and I sighed. I could run out but that would call for an unwanted detention. I stepped forward fear in the pit of my stomach, but of what I didn't know. The thing changed into a person, than another, but then it changed into a Dementor but changed again and again not taking full form on anything, it couldn't seem to make up it's mind. Before I knew it Professor Lupin stood in front of me The Boggart changed into a... a moon?
"Riddikulus!" It became a balloon and flew around the class until he guided it back into the closet. "Right, well, sorry about that. Ah, that's enough for today. If you'd all like to collect your books from the back of the class, that's the end of the lesson. Thank you... Sorry, sorry, you've already had too much of a good thing." I couldn't help but stand there looking at the place where the boggart had been changing. If it didn't know what to change into, what did that mean? That I was afraid of so many things and it couldn't decide which would scare me the most?
"Some fear there Potter," A voice said, I turned to see Draco, I quickly snapped out of my trance and walked passed him going back to the DADA room, I could feel peoples eyes on me. Judging me.


I waved goodbye to Harry, Hermione and Ron as they went to Hogsmeade. I assured them that I was fine and that they should go without me. I walked around the grounds not sure of what else to do with my friends gone. That's when I saw Professor Lupin he was leaning against the side of the bridge just looking.
"Professor?" I asked getting his attention. He looked at me.
"Can I ask you something?"
"You want to know why I stopped you facing that Boggart, yes? I would've thought it'd be obvious. I assumed it would take the shape of Lord Voldemort." He replied quickly. That hadn't been what I wanted to ask but I was curious about that too.
"I did think of Voldemort... at first. But then, a million other things ran through my mind, things more scared of than him... I remembered that night on the train... and the Dementor..."
"Well, I'm very impressed. That suggests that what you fear the most is fear itself. This is very wise." I stood beside him looking at my hands resting on the stone rail.
"Before I fainted... I remembered something. Everything actually... Everything bad that had ever happened."
"Well, Dementors force us to relive our very worst memories. Our pain becomes their power. You know, the very first time I saw you and your brother, I recognized you immediately. Not by Harry's scar scar, but by you, you look just like your mother. Yes. Oh, yes. I knew her. Your mother was there for me at a time when no one else was. Not only was she a singularly gifted witch, she was also an uncommonly kind woman. She had a way of seeing the beauty in others, even -- and perhaps, most especially... when that person couldn't see it in themselves... And your father, James, on the other hand, he ah, heh- He had a certain, shall we say, talent for trouble. A talent, rumor has it, he passed on to you. You're more like them than you know. In time you'll come to see just how much."
"I have to disagree with you professor, I can only see my relation to my parents in my appearance, but in everything else. They where good people, Nothing like me."
"What do you mean?" He asked putting a hand on my shoulder.
"It's nothing I should go Harry should be getting back from Hogsmeade." I left quickly. Where did that come from? I almost, I was considering telling him about the monster I truly was.

"Honeydukes Sweetshop is brilliant, but nothing beats Zonko's Joke Shop. We never did get to go to the Shrieking Shack, though. You heard that it's the most-"
"-Most haunted building in Briton. Yeah, I know. You should stay away from there though. Huh? What's going on?" I asked as I saw the crowd of people around the Gryffindor entrance.
"Probably Neville's forgotten the password again."
"Hey-" Neville protested.
"Oh, you're there!" Ron covered.
"Let me through, please. Excuse me, I'm Head Boy... Get back! All of you! No one is to enter this dormitory until it has been fully searched!" People shouted Ginny came running to us the second she spotted us.
"The Fat Lady... she's gone."
"What? Where? Why?" I asked dumbly.
"Serves her right. She was a terrible singer."
"It's not funny, Ron." Hermione snapped. I quickly put my hand to my pocket and sigh in relief after feeling the map in my pocket.
"Keep calm, everyone. Break into fours. Back to your common room. Be quiet-" Percy shouted.
"Make way. Make way."
"The Headmaster's here."
"Come on, move!"
"You heard! Move!" Professor Dumbledore pushed through us.
"Mr. Filch. Round up the ghosts. Tell them to search every painting in the castle to find the Fat Lady."
"There's no need for ghosts, Professor... The Fat Lady's there." Everyone pushed to see her.
"Hey- mind where you're going! Slow down! You listen! I'm Head Boy!"
"Come back here!" People where shouting I could hear Percy's irritating voice over the crowd and I couldn't help but roll my eyes, I pushed through the crowd staning on my tipy toes to see passed Dumbledore.
"Keep moving. Dear lady, who did this to you?"
"Eyes like the devil, he's got. And a soul as dark as his name. It's him, Headmaster. The one they all talk about. He's here, somewhere in the castle! Sirius Black! Aaah-hoo-hoo!"
"Secure the castle, Mr. Filch. The rest of you... to the Great Hall." I couldn't speak Sirius Black was here. He was... My mind raced as I numbly walked towards the Greta hall. I kept my wand in my hand ready for anything even though I was surrounded by people. I found Harry and didn't leave his side for the rest of the walk, he probably figured that it was because I was scared, but no I needed to make sure that if Black was after Harry, it'd be over my dead body.
I lay in the cot beside Harry and Fred in the Great Hall I couldn't take my eyes off the map squinting at the names as they walked the halls. I quickly hid the map and closed my eyes as I heard voices.
"I've searched the Astronomy Tower and the Owlery, sir, but there's nothing there. Filch mumbled.
"Thank you."
"The third floor's clear, to, sir."
"Very good."
"I've done the dungeons, Headmaster. No sign of Black. Nor anywhere else in the castle." I heard Snape say.
"Thank you. I didn't really expect him to linger." Dumbledore said, I heard their footsteps get closer.
"Remarkable feat, don't you think? To enter Hogwarts castle on one's own, completely undetected..."
"Quite remarkable, yes."
"Any theories about how he might have managed it?"
"Many, each as unlikely as the next."
"You may recall that prior to the start of term, I did express concerns about your appointment of Professor-" Professor. PROFESSOR WHO DAMMIT!
"Not a single professor inside this castle would help Sirius Black enter it. No, I'm quite convinced the castle is safe. And I'm more than willing to send the students back to their Houses."
"What about the Potter's? Should they be warned?" Snape asked, was that concern in his voice?
"Perhaps... But for now, let him sleep... For in dreams we enter a world that's entirely our own. Let them swim in the deepest ocean, or glide over the highest cloud." As I heard footsteps continue to leave, I felt a light kick on the back of my head.
"Go to sleep you silly child," Snape said, then he walked away. I couldn't help but smile as I closed my eyes, keeping my ears open.