Harry Potter: Raised By Roses

Chapter Forty-Four: The Boggart

Trying to answer a question with Hermione so close to him, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting. But Harry always liked showing her that she was not the only smart one in the room. Annoying her gave him life.

"Because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be," he said,

"Precisely," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione put her hand down, looking disappointed and annoyed again. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening. The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires the force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing. We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please... riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."

The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows. Harry always felt bad for his friend. He and his siblings always tried to bring his confidence up, but his grandmother seemed to destroy their hard work over the summer each year.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

"I didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.

Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape."

Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Harry facepalmed. If a Professor was what a student feared the most, that should immediately raise red flags about that professor. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.

"Professor Snape... hmmm... Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother," Lupin asked.

"Er — yes," said Neville nervously. "But — I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either."

Every time Neville talks about his family life, it was deeply concerning to Harry.

"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, what sort of clothes does your grandmother usually wear? Picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"Yes," said Neville uncertainty, plainly wondering what was coming next.

"When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand — thus — and cry 'Riddikulus' — and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into them."

There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.

"If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical..."

Harry looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself, "Take its legs off." Harry was sure he knew what that was about. Ron's greatest fear was spiders. The twins had often joked about how they turned a teddy bear of his into a spider when he was young.