All heads turned around toward the door's direction, seeing an old wizard with a cane standing there. He was slightly hunched and his white eyebrows were so thick that his bright blue eyes were barely visible bellow them.
Some of the Muggle borns in the classroom still seemed lost, but other students sent each other horrified glances, as though the thing inside the trunk was in fact a worrying matter.
Peter had started biting his nails nervously out of habit once he learnt that a Boggart was inside the trunk, but Remus lowered Peter's hand so he would stop. Sirius and James quickly returned back to their seats, though they seemed to be the only ones in the room to be grinning, excited for what awaited them.
With his cane in hand, the old wizard took slow steps toward the top of the classroom. He looked so old that Jenna assumed he had to be almost twice Dumbledore's age.
"There's no way he's gonna last till the end of the year," Marlene whispered to Alice, who was watching the new professor worriedly.
Professor Dumbledore had introduced him the previous night before the feast at the Great Hall, but from the close distance the wizard looked even older, his thick mustache just as white as his hair.
"I'm Professor Moorfield and I'll be teaching you Defense Against the Dark Arts this year," said the wizard, smiling at the curious-looking students in the class. "This is my second time teaching at Hogwarts. I've actually taught young Albus Dumbledore, back in the days. He asked me to return this year and get back to teaching. Alas, how I missed it now that I stand here at last!"
The big trunk behind him have another shake.
"Not to worry, not to worry." He let out a little laughter over his thick white mustache, but he ended up coughing. "I personally do not and never have believed it theoretical lessons. How are children supposed to learn how to defend themselves with notes and reading? Hit the Banshees with their books?"
Everyone chuckled. Sirius nudged James with his elbow, sending him a knowing grin. Practical lessons were their favorites, specifically when it came to Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Now, as it had been at my time, the main focus on third year was dark creatures," said Professor Moorfield. "Boggarts. Vampires. Werewolves. Banshees. In the last few months of the year, we will also cover defensive spells, if we have the time."
"Practical lessons with dark creatures?" Peter muttered worriedly to Remus, but he wasn't listening. Something that Professor Moorfield mentioned had troubled his mind.
They were going to learn about Werewolves this year. What if someone found out about his secret? Not everyone was going to be as accepting as James, Sirius, and Peter.
"Now, my children, please get to your feet," Professor Moorfield instructed, taking out his wand.
Once everyone had gotten up, the old wizard gave a small swish of his wand and on cue, all the desks and benches flew into the air, floating toward the class's walls so they could empty a lot of space in the middle of the room, where the students had now gathered.
Putting his wand back into his shabby coat's pocket, Professor Moorfield placed both his hands over the head of his cane, smiling at the young faces before him.
"A Boggart, ladies and gentlemen, is one of the dark creatures that we all might come across at least once or twice in our lifetime," the professor started to explain. "This creature hides in shadowy corners of an old room, inside dark wardrobes, underneath our beds. It is drawn toward the dark spaces, and its nature is to turn into whatever scares us the most. It feeds upon our fears. Now who can tell me what's the cure of fear?"
"Happiness," Lily answered after raising her hand for permission. "Laughter is what finishes off a Boggart."
"Precisely!" the old professor squeaked. "The incantation for the spell is Riddikulus. Repeat after me, please. Riddikulus!"
"Riddikulus!" the classes chanted back.
"No, no. I might be old, but my hearing is just as well as before. Some of you are pronouncing is as ridiculous. It's quite different. Listen carefully, please. Riddikulus!"
"Riddikulus!" everyone repeated.
"Better. Much better." He nodded. "Now how about a little practice? Take out your wands, please. We'll be practicing the required wrist movement."
With an excited chatter, the students took out their wands, mimicking the wand movement that Professor Moorfield was showing them.
"Very well. I think you're quite ready," said the professor after a few minutes of practice.
Peter gulped. He did not look ready at all as he eyed the trunk nervously. But James and Sirius looked so excited as though they were born ready.
Professor Moorfield slowly walked toward the trunk and stood beside it, the cane in his left hand and his wand in his right hand.
"Do we have any volunteers?" He asked, looking from one face to another.
James and Sirius were first to step forward, their smirks dangling from their lips.
"Ah! I'm glad to see the daring ones! You, my son," he pointed at James, "step forward, please."
With his wand at the ready, James walked to the front of the line that was formed behind him.
"Now," Professor Moorfield went on, his eyes fixed on James, "wait for the Boggart to take its form, try to think of something funny when you see it, point your wand directly at it, and cast the spell. Are you ready?"
"Of course," said James with determination, his hazel eyes fixed eagerly on the trunk.
Professor Moorfield pointed his wand at the trunk, giving it a small swish. The locks on the trunk clicked open. Everyone took a step back cautiously. James tightened his grip on his wand, and so the trunk opened.
Suddenly, fog started emerging from inside the trunk, slightly blocking their sight. A few people who were standing closer to the trunk gasped in horror when a woman slowly rose from within it, stepping out of the trunk. She was in a white gown and a veil on top of her head to cover her face. But they could still see her dark eyes and what looked like blood streaming down her cheeks instead of tears.
James suddenly went pale at her sight, taking a step back for every step that she took closer to her. She raised her boney hand toward James's direction, as though trying to reach for him.
Mustering all the courage he had left in him, James pointed his wand at the terrifying woman, saying loudly, "R-Riddikulus!"
The next moment, the whole class burst into relieved laughter when the woman exploded into dozens of white butterflies and the fog immediately vanished.
"Well done!" Professor Moorfield cheered as the rest of the students clapped in awe. "Next!"
With a grin, James patted Sirius on the shoulder who was next in line and then walked up to the end of the class where Jenna was standing.
"La Llorona? Still?" Jenna snorted quietly. "It's been almost ten years since Aunt Silvia told that story. How are you still not over it?"
"I was only four! What kind of a sick human being tells a kid that if you go out after dark a dead woman who had killed her own children would come to steal you too!?" James rolled his eyes. "That old hag."
"Yes, I precisely remember how you cried every time night came until you were six."
"Five!" James corrected her angrily.
By that time, Sirius had stepped to the front of the class with his wand in hand, waiting for the Boggart to shape-shift into what he feared the most. But a confused murmur fell through class the next moment when the Boggart turned into a tall and slim woman with dark hair and cruel eyes.
For a second, Sirius lowered his arm, his jaw clenching as he looked away from the woman. But he quickly shook his head as though finally come back to his senses and raised his wand, saying loudly and clearly, "Riddikulus!"
The woman suddenly became locked up inside a portrait laid on the floor. She tried to yell but no voice came out of her, as though she had been muted.
With a satisfied grin, Sirius placed his wand back in his robe and walked to the end of the line where James was, high-fiving him.
It was certainly the most interesting lesson they'd ever had in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. For Marlene, the Boggart turned into dozens of small spiders, and Alice's turned into a mummy. For others, there were also snakes, a banshee, zombies, and some were scared of blood.
While these were rather understandable fears, Remus's Boggart turned into what looked like an orb, hovering in mid air. With a swish of his wand and casting the spell, it turned into a balloon, and then the Boggart suddenly exploded.
"Well done, everybody!" said Professor Moorfield. "As you can see, it's quite easy to finish off a Boggart. Now I know some of you are disappointed that you didn't get the chance to have a go at the Boggart, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't practice the wand-movements. It might come up in your exam at the end of the term. Thank you, everyone! Class dismissed!"
The students in the back of the line groaned in disappointment, going to grab their bags to leave, but Jenna was glad that she hadn't gotten the chance to face the Boggart, knowing all too well that it was going to turn into the dead bodies of her parents and James. That was her worst fear, and even the mere thought of it was enough to fill her eyes with tears.