The passage was narrow and cramped, forcing the trio to walk in single file. Neville, leading the way, couldn't help but voice his growing apprehension. "Where does this lead?"
John, trailing behind, replied nonchalantly, "A haunted house."
"What?" Neville stopped dead in his tracks upon hearing it was a haunted house. John gave him a reassuring pat on the back, "Don't worry, I'm here."
Neville wanted to protest that John's presence did little to alleviate his fears, but before he could, Luna chimed in with a sing-song voice, "There are ghosts in Hogwarts, aren't there?"
Among the three, only Neville seemed genuinely frightened, which only served to amplify his self-loathing for his own timidity. Gathering his courage, he pressed on, eventually emerging into a house that seemed to embody the essence of neglect and decay. The wallpaper was peeling, the furniture smashed and broken, and the windows were boarded up, casting the room into shadows. It was the quintessential haunted house, right down to the wallpaper that looked as though it had been clawed at by some unseen terror.
John noticed Luna gravitating closer to him. He had forgotten that, unlike him, she didn't have the advantage of seeing in the dark. "Lumos," he whispered, and the comforting glow of his wand lit up the room.
The house, steeped in darkness, seemed to whisper secrets of its past. Wanting to challenge Neville's fears, John suggested, "Let's split up and explore."
Neville, despite the lump in his throat, nodded and ventured forth, his resolve hardening with each step. John watched him go, then turned his attention to the remnants of luxury buried beneath layers of dust and decay.
Pushing open a creaking wooden door, John and Luna discovered what appeared to be a kitchen, its view obscured by the boarded-up windows that hinted at the presence of trees outside. "We should check on Neville; he's probably terrified by now," Luna observed, her insight cutting through the silence.
John agreed, though he felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of Neville's fear. They hadn't gone far when Neville's panicked voice reached them. "Professor Snape, I didn't mean to."
"No need to explain, Neville Longbottom. Because of you, Gryffindor has been deducted 100 points!" The voice, cold and unforgiving, belonged to Professor Snape.
Neville, imagining the scorn he would face from his housemates, cowered in fear as the figure advanced. John, sensing something amiss, burst through the door. "Stupefy!" The spell struck the figure, revealing it not to be Snape but a Boggart, a creature that morphed into one's greatest fear.
Neville was aghast, believing John had attacked a professor. But as they watched, the Boggart transformed again, this time into a plate of Stargazing Pie with four dead fish heads protruding from it, before vanishing completely.
John, recognizing the creature, explained, "It's a Boggart. They become whatever we're most afraid of."
The revelation brought a mix of relief and curiosity. The encounter with the Boggart, though frightening, had taught them an important lesson about facing their fears. And as they left the haunted house behind, the trio couldn't help but feel a little braver than before. John understood Neville's fear of Professor Snape, but he was puzzled by his own fear of the Stargazers. After a moment of contemplation, he realized that his constant practice of Occlumency might have influenced the Boggart to transform into the dark dish he detested. He was momentarily speechless, casting a glance at the cabinet where Boggarts preferred to lurk in dark, cramped spaces. With a decisive kick, John sent the Stargazing Pie back into the cabinet and secured it with a flick of his wand.
"Neville, it's alright. That was just a Boggart. But why did you think of Professor Snape just now? It's quite surprising that you'd conjure him up in this situation," John said, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.
Neville, looking somewhat embarrassed, hesitated before replying, "I remembered being docked points last year, and I feared Professor Snape might be lurking in the room, ready to deduct more points."
John sympathized with Neville's predicament. Being penalized for trying to help Harry had left a deep psychological scar on him, especially since it was actually Professor McGonagall, not Snape, who had deducted the points. John wondered why Neville's mind immediately went to Snape.
Turning to Luna, John noticed her fascination with the Boggart, innocently believing it could transform into something as benign as a fish pie. Deciding it was time to conclude their adventure, especially with nightfall approaching and the presence of a first-year student among them, John led the way back to the castle. Along the way, Neville narrowly escaped an encounter with the Whomping Willow, saved by John's quick reflexes.
After safely returning to the castle and parting ways, Luna thanked John for the adventure, her voice light and dreamy. John hinted at the many wonders Hogwarts had to offer before heading to the Room of Requirement for training.
While training, John's thoughts drifted to Neville. He considered the idea of finding a more suitable weapon for Neville, envisioning him as a sword master capable of destroying Horcruxes. With his skills in alchemy and Gryffindor's casting techniques, John crafted a rudimentary sword as a training tool for Neville.
The next morning, John presented the sword to Neville, suggesting he might indeed be a sword master. Neville was taken aback, unsure of how to respond, but John encouraged him to embrace sword training and aspire to greatness.
Meanwhile, Hermione's unwavering dedication to reading Lockhart's book, despite a disappointing lesson, impressed John. He hoped she would soon see through Lockhart's facade.
Heading to class, John pondered over Professor Snape's persistent coldness towards him, despite his contributions to earning points for their house. On his way, he encountered Malfoy, who smugly hinted at an upcoming humiliation for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, boasting about the superior Nimbus 2001 brooms his father had sponsored for the Slytherin team. Malfoy's disdain for the Gryffindor team's equipment only fueled John's determination to prove him wrong. John could almost visualize the day he would lead Slytherin to victory, securing the house trophy. This vision filled him with a sense of pride and determination. However, a part of him felt a twinge of embarrassment at the thought of discussing this dream with Harry. After all, with Harry Potter in the picture, achieving such a feat might prove to be more challenging than he anticipated. Harry was, undeniably, the protagonist of their story, a fact that could not be overlooked.
_________
If you are tired of reading I also have this converted to an audio novel on my youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@NovelAudioForge/featured
Direct Link to playlist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_Hg-qsW4rM&list=PLKskshYG-OcPTR4-Nw7IWFEBZm07D8pBV&ab_channel=NovelAudioForge