Suddenly, the old wardrobe began to shake. Professor Lupin anticipated this familiar scene might frighten the students, but to his surprise, they remained remarkably calm, leaving him momentarily taken aback. He addressed the class with a composed demeanor, "Don't be alarmed, there's a Boggart inside." Scanning the room, he inquired, "Can anyone tell me what a Boggart is?"
Eager for the opportunity to earn points, hands shot up immediately. Among them were Hermione, known for her extensive knowledge, and John. After a brief moment of consideration, Lupin called on Hermione. A smile of triumph lit up her face as she quickly responded, "Boggarts prefer dark, enclosed spaces, often hiding in wardrobes, under beds, or in cupboards beneath sinks. They are shape-shifters, transforming into whatever they believe will scare us the most."
"I couldn't have explained it better myself," Professor Lupin praised, much to Hermione's delight. He approached the trembling wardrobe and elaborated, "The Boggart in this closet hasn't assumed a specific form yet because it doesn't know our fears. When alone, its appearance remains a mystery."
John, however, seemed to disagree silently. He believed he had a unique insight into the true form of a Boggart, having researched that shielding oneself with Occlumency could prevent the creature from reading one's fears. He recalled an encounter where, under the cover of a Disillusionment Charm, he observed the Boggart as a gathering of black mist, undetectable and formless.
Professor Lupin continued, preparing to demonstrate. "The moment it is released, it will transform into what each of us fears the most. However, this gives us a significant advantage." His gaze swept the room, and despite Hermione and John's raised hands, he chose Harry, asking, "Harry, have you noticed this advantage?"
Caught off guard, Harry hesitated before responding, "Uh... because there are so many of us, it can't decide on a single form to take?" His guess, stemming from intuition, was spot on, earning Lupin's loud praise.
Disappointed, Hermione and John lowered their hands, the latter humorously contemplating a deduction in Lupin's hypothetical salary.
Lupin, pleased with Harry's insight, shared an anecdote about a Boggart attempting to scare two people simultaneously, resulting in a non-threatening half-slug form. "The spell to repel a Boggart is simple but requires strong willpower," he explained with a smile. "Laughter is what truly defeats a Boggart. We need to force it into a form that we find amusing."
With wand in hand, Lupin stood before the class, initiating the practice. "Wands ready, please repeat after me... Riddikulus!" The students, finding this approach far more engaging than those of previous Defense Against the Dark Arts professors, enthusiastically joined in.
"Excellent! Remember, laughter is key to defeating a Boggart. Now, Neville, it's your turn," Lupin announced, calling on a visibly nervous Neville Longbottom. Despite his apprehension, Neville stepped forward, demonstrating that bravery wasn't foreign to the Longbottom lineage. Lupin observed with approval, recognizing the courage within the young boy. Standing beside Neville, John inquired gently, "Neville, what are you most afraid of in this world?" Neville hesitated, his gaze shifting towards John before he whispered, "Professor Snape." Professor Lupin couldn't help but chuckle at the mention, noting to himself how Snape's unpopularity persisted. Neville had initially considered mentioning John as well, but the stern look from John made him swiftly decide against it. Neville knew that if John discovered his fear, the training sessions would become even more rigorous. The mere thought of John emerging from the wardrobe as the embodiment of his fear was enough to convince Neville to stick to mentioning Snape alone.
The revelation that Neville feared Professor Snape elicited immediate laughter from those around, given Snape's notorious reputation. John caught the amused glances of some Slytherin students and couldn't help but smile, thinking to himself about their apparent bravery.
Professor Lupin, seizing the moment for a bit of mischief, suggested Neville imagine his grandmother's dress. As a former member of the Marauders, Lupin might not have been as wild as the others, but he certainly shared their Gryffindor bravery and penchant for humor. He then opened the wardrobe, which ceased its shaking and revealed its contents. John braced himself for the worst, half-expecting Snape to emerge. However, the figure that stepped out, while resembling Snape, was not quite him. It was a Boggart, taking on the appearance of Snape but with a twist.
As the Boggart advanced towards Neville, its attire transformed into a garish ensemble of red and green women's clothing, much to the amusement of everyone present. The laughter reached a crescendo, with even Malfoy joining in. Professor Lupin's laughter was the loudest, his enjoyment of the spectacle evident.
The Boggart, now thoroughly confused, was faced with a succession of students, each confronting their fears and transforming the creature into various humorous forms. When it was Ron's turn, the Boggart morphed into a giant spider, which quickly lost its legs to Ron's spell and tumbled around helplessly.
The Boggart's attention then shifted to Harry, but before it could fully transform, Lupin intervened, causing the Boggart to become a silver-white orb. However, it didn't stay that way for long. As it approached John, the Boggart began to change erratically, unable to settle on a form that embodied John's fear. The rapid transformations left everyone, including Professor Lupin, in stunned silence. It was clear that they were witnessing something unprecedented.
John, curious about the Boggart's true form, focused on imagining it. To everyone's astonishment, the Boggart's frantic changes halted, and it retreated back into the wardrobe, effectively ending the confrontation. The class was left in awe, pondering why the Boggart chose to flee.
John mused aloud, "It seems that even a Boggart, capable of delving into our deepest fears, is reluctant to confront its true self." His comment left Professor Lupin pondering the outcome of the lesson. It was difficult to say whether the exercise was a failure since the Boggart had fled, or a success, given that John hadn't even used his wand.
Ultimately, Professor Lupin decided not to dwell on it further. He awarded 5 points to Gryffindor for the day's lesson, recognizing the bravery and insight demonstrated by Hermione, Harry, Neville, and, implicitly, John. Professor Lupin assigned the class an intriguing piece of homework: an essay on Boggarts. Draco Malfoy, unable to contain his displeasure, loudly voiced his opinion that Professor Lupin was showing favoritism towards the Gryffindors. He pointed out how John, a Gryffindor, seemed to always catch the professor's attention, even when he raised his hand in a manner that was almost too deliberate to be genuine. This observation garnered a wave of agreement from the Slytherin students, who clearly saw John as their superior rival, always ready to champion their cause.
However, amidst the brewing discontent, John's mind was preoccupied with a fascinating concept far removed from house rivalries or classroom dynamics. He pondered the nature of Boggarts, creatures that had the ability to peer into the deepest recesses of one's heart, and Dementors, beings that fed on a person's soul and joy. An intriguing thought struck him: what if he could combine the two? The idea seemed to ignite a spark of inspiration within him. His eyes gleamed with the light of newfound possibility, and a determined expression settled on his face. John was on the brink of an experimental venture, eager to explore the potential of merging the characteristics of Boggarts and Dementors. This revelation, though kept to himself, marked the beginning of an adventurous exploration into the unknown.
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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