Sign it [Lupin's Daughter]

Chapter 5

Remus put a comforting hand on Maddy's shoulder and held up his wand in the other pointing at the handle of the wardrobe. "On the count of three, Neville.  One - two - three - now!"

Sparks ejected from the end of his wand and hit the handle, causing the wardrobe to burst open. Snape walked out, donning his signature robes, hook-nosed and menacing featured on his pale face, his eyes upon Neville. 

Neville backed away cautiously, his wand up, his lips moving without making a word.  "R-R-Riddikulus!" Neville squeaked. 

Maddy wanted to run forward to help him, but one looked at Snape made her launch into a fit of laughter. He was wearing a lace-trimmed dress and a moth-eaten vulture hat, and a crimson handbag in his hand. 

Remus shouted, "Pavarti! Forward!" A girl she assumed to be Pavarti walked forward. With a crack, Snape was gone, and a blood-stained, bandaged mummy. Maddy filed the boggarts behavior into her memory, and giggled slightly as Pavarti made the mummy trip and its head roll off.

Maddy zoned out, watching the boggart so intently she didn't see who the students were, and she didn't listen as her father called out names.

The boggart turned into many things. A banshee. A rat. A rattlesnake. A single bloody eyeball. The boggart's behavior was changing slightly. He was getting confused, Maddy noted excitedly. Meaning it was almost her turn!

"It's confused! We're getting there! Dean!" shouted Remus. Dean rushed forward, and the eyeball became a severed hand, which was crawling like a crab.

Dean yelled the incantation, and the hand was in a mousetrap. "Excellent! Ron, you next!"

Ron leapt forward, before CRACK! Maddy heard quite a few screams, and examined the six foot tall spider in front of Ron. Ron almost seemed frozen before, "Ridddikulus!" He bellowed it so loud that Maddy jumped slightly. 

The spider was suddenly limbless, rolling towards a squealing girl, and halting at Harry's feet. Harry seemed to prepare before, "HERE!" Her father had shouted suddenly, and Maddy followed him with almost a skip. A full moon was floating above her father, and Maddy hoped that the students thought it was a bowling ball, or a prophecy orb, or a wheel of cheese. The thought almost made her laugh as her father said the incantation almost lazily. 

"Madeline, your turn. Are you positive you're ready for this." Maddy gave him a reassuring smile. "All right. Neville, be ready for my que to finish him off!"

The boggart was briefly a cockroach, before it saw Maddy. She took a deep breath and prepared for the inevitable. Her father was standing in front of her, and she could see the students doing a double take at seeing two of their teacher. Remus looked about ready to call Neville when Maddy signed, It's not what you think, Dad.

"It's not what I think?" questioned Remus. He looked concerned, that was before the boggart spoke.

"Useless!" The boggart yelled, "You're worthless! Your mother was right to leave you as a baby! You're nothing more than a waste of space, Madeline! I don't even know why I raised you! You no good dirty-rotten child. You can't even speak! Why can't you be…" 

Maddy hadn't heard her father tell Neville to cut in front of her until Neville pushed her to the side and Snape appeared again. Neville let out a great, "Ha!" and the boggart exploded, turning a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, before disappearing. 

The room burst into applause for Neville, causing Maddy's smile to appear as fast as it left. Sure, the boggart bothered her, more than she had initially anticipated. 

"Excellent! Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone…. Let me see… five points to Gryffindor for everyone who tackled the boggart - ten for Neville because he did it twice… and five each to Hermione and Harry."

"But I didn't do anything," Harry replied modestly.

"You and Hermione answered my question correctly at the start of class, Harry," Remus said lightly.  "Very well done, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, kindly read the chapter on boggarts and summarize it for me… to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

The students left, talking rather excitedly, leaving Maddy and her father alone in the room. Remus tapped her shoulder, causing her to turn to him, and crouched down to be about her same height. "You figured out your boggart, Maddy." He said casually, but the look in his eyes was anything but.

I guess I did. She replied, trying to convey the same tone. 

Remus looked at his daughter almost shamefully, "I'm sorry, cub."

Maddy frowned, Sorry for what, exactly?

"Your boggart, Maddy. If I just helped you out a little more, than you'd know I'd never leave you."

Maddy gave a gentle smile, I know that, Dad. 

Remus pulled Maddy into a hug, and they stayed like that for quite a while. "What did you think of the lesson? I know that boggarts are your favourite, for some reason." Remus said after they had pulled apart.

Maddy's smile widened, and she noted that she had that expression on her face more today than the last nine years of her life. I should say that I'm proud of Neville. I was ready to punch Snape in his face.

Remus chuckled, "I thought you were mad that my friends and I weren't the nicest to him."

I somewhat am, She agreed. But, he bullied a student! I can't let that pass! He should know first hand about bullying, then. He should know how horrible it makes people feel. And a teacher bullying a student is quite different than a student bullying a student. While both are awful, a student can grow up. An adult is supposed to be our role model. I might be young, much younger than you were, but I know that sometimes children aren't the smartest. I'm not the brightest flower in the pot. I have my moments. But I'm still growing up. I'm still learning. Snape should learn to act his age. 

Remus picked Maddy up, which surprised her, as she wasn't a little four year old anymore. He still managed to rest her on his hip with ease, "Let's get back to our room I have a surprise."

■□~□■

A book? Maddy asked, as her father handed her a wrapped package in the shape of, well, a book. She placed it on her lap, as she was sitting on her bed, her legs dangling aimlessly on the side. Is there any reason you're getting me a gift in September? Christmas is in December, and my birthday is in July. 

"I know that, Maddy. I just wanted to get you a book. Aren't you going to open it?" She did as she suggested, and unwrapped a novel. It wasn't thick, holding less than 250 pages, and on the front was the title, Matilda.

"Muggle novel. Thought you might enjoy it." 

Maddy nodded, Thank you.

"Not a problem, Maddy. If you'd like, after you finish it, I could get you more muggle novels, and even some wizarding ones." Maddy only nodded, clutching the book to her chest. "Well, it's time for dinner." Her father added.

Maddy looked disappointed, but placed her book on her desk. She stood up, and held her hand out for her father to grab. With a small smile, Remus grabbed it.

Madeline might have only had her father, but she couldn't have imagined a better life for herself.