Lust for Darkness

As we sat in the Great Hall, Draco, complained about his arm and completely exaggerated the story.

“Listen to the idiot. He’s really laying it on thick, isn’t he?” Ron spoke,
“At least Hagrid didn’t get fired.” Harry spoke,
“Yea, but I hear Draco’s father’s furious. We haven’t heard the end of this.” Hermione spoke.

“He’s been sighted! He’s been sighted!” Seamus suddenly yelled,
“Who?” Ron asked,
“Sirius Black!” Seamus replied.

I stayed where I was as the others looked at the paper,
“Dufftown? That’s not far from here.” Hermione spoke,
“You don’t think he’s come to Hogwarts, do you?” Neville asked,
“With dementors at every entrance?” Dean asked,
“Dementors? He’s already slipped past them one. Who’s to say he won’t do it again?” Seamus spoke,
“That’s right. Black could be anywhere. It’s like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.” Bem explained.



A mirrored locked wardrobe shook in front of us,
“Intriguing, isn’t it? Would anyone like to venture a guess as to what is inside?” Lupin asked,
“It’s a boggart.” I spoke, Harry and Ron looked at me a little surprised that I knew,
“Very good, Miss. Skylar.” Lupin spoke, the wardrobe shook gain.

“Now, can anybody tell me what a boggart looks like?” Lupin asked,
“No one knows.” Hermione spoke out of nowhere,
“When did she get here?” Ron asked in shock.

“Boggarts are shape-shifters. They take the shape of whatever a person fears the most. That’s what makes them so--” Hermione explained,
“So terrifying, yes, yes, yes. Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a boggart. Let’s practice it now. Without wands, please. After me. Riddikulus!” Lupin spoke.

“Riddikulus!” we repeated,
“Very good. A little louder and very clear. Listen: Riddikulus!” Lupin spoke again,
“Riddikulus!” we all yelled.

“Very good. So much for the easy part. You see, the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a boggart is laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Let me explain. Neville, would you join me, please?” Lupin explained, Neville looked around at all of us, “Come on, don’t be shy. Come on… Come on.” Lupin smiled as Neville stood forward, “Hello. Neville, what frightens you most of all?” Lupin asked.

“Professor Snape.” Neville answered, I smirked as he muttered it,
“Sorry?” Lupin asked,
“Professor Snape.” Neville said more clearly and the rest of the class laughed,
“Professor Snape. Yes, frightens all. And I believe you live with your grandmother.” Lupin spoke,
“Yes, but I don’t want that boggart to turn into her, either.” Neville spoke, the class laughed again.

“No… it won’t. I want you to picture her clothes. Only her clothes, very clearly, in your mind.” Lupin explained,
“She carries a red handbag--” Neville started,
“We don’t need to hear. As long as you see it, we’ll see it. Now, when I open that wardrobe here’s what I want you to do. Excuse me.” Lupin walked around to whisper to Neville.

“Imagine Professor Snape in your grandmother’s clothes. Can you do that?” Lupin whispered, I snickered and covered my mouth, as I was the only one to actually hear that, Lupin looked at me with a small smile as he got his wand, “Yes. Wand at the ready.” Lupin spoke.

“One, two, three.” Lupin opened the door, the door handle spun, and Snape stood at the door.

He walked out and towards Neville I smiled as he casted his spell,

“Riddikulus!” Neville spoke.

Snape stepped back, he was carrying a red handbag, wearing a dark green skirt and jacket with some dead animals wrapped around him. The class was in an uproar of laughter.

“Wonderful, Neville, wonderful! Incredible! Okay… to the back, Neville. Everyone, form a line.” Lupin explained.

We all got in a line, I was in front of Harry as we all got pushed forward. I felt Harry tread in the back of my front as he was pushed into my back.

“Sorry,” Harry muttered, I looked back and smiled at him,
“It’s fine. It would take a lot more then someone treading on my foot to make me say ouch,” I smirked Harry smiled as Ron was up first.

Guess what the boggart changed into?

That’s right… a spider.

“Riddikulus!” Ron spoke and the spider had roller blades on.

The girl in front of me feared snakes.

She then changed the snake into a jack-in-the-box.

It was my turn.

I stepped up to the boggart.

My true fear was human blood.

The boggart changed suddenly into my ‘mother’. She pulled a knife out from under her robes and placed it gently on top of her skin. I froze in place and shut my eyes.

Think of something funny…

“Riddikulus!” I spoke waving my wand just as a drop of blood fell to the floor.

My ‘mother’ changed into my ‘father’ who was tap dancing like a moron. I laughed and looked back at Harry as my ‘father’ stopped dancing and looked at him.

I looked at the boggart and saw it change into a Dementor.

Lupin suddenly jumped in front of Harry.

The boggart changed into an image of a full moon.

“Riddikulus!”

The moon popped and went flying around the room.

Lupin trapped it back into the wardrobe.

“Right. Sorry about that. That’s enough for today. Collect your books from the back. That’s the end of the lesson. Thank you! Sorry! Sorry, you can have too much of a good thing.” Lupin explained.

I walked over to Harry and put my hand on his shoulder as he looked at me jumping from my touch,
“Sorry… caught you in deep thought there didn’t I?” I asked,
“No, it’s ok,” Harry looked at me with a small smile.