500 word drabble.
May continue.
Tonks' eyes darted from the figure at the cupboard to her friend standing next to her. She didn't understand.
"Remus…" she started. She swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Remus, why...?" The question dangled in the air.
Lupin shook his head. He didn't know. "Th-this isn't my usual Boggart, Tonks." His eyes were wide as the Boggart stepped towards him, that familiar smile so crooked, the scars on its face glaring red. Lupin took a step backwards and stumbled. The Boggart followed, strolling past Tonks as though she was invisible.
"Remus!" she cried, raising her wand. As she made to bring it down, she stopped. She couldn't. That was Remus. The Boggart…it was Remus!
She watched as the real Lupin braced himself, holding his own wand out in front of him. She could see the words "Riddiculus" on his lips, but no sound came out.
Boggart Lupin laughed quietly. "You see, not even strong enough to face a mere Boggart. But you know you could be. You know there is strength in there that both you and I see." It leered down at its counterpart, seeming taller by comparison. "You could kill, tear, maim. And there is a part of you that wants to. You want to feel blood gushing from between your fingers, see the fright in their eyes, and hear them beg at your feet…"
"NO!"
Tonks rushed forwards towards the pair, and then all of a sudden, Remus was pushed backwards, the wind taken out of him, and Boggart Lupin turned around and Tonks was on the floor, crimson staining the floorboards, as Boggart Lupin grasped her throat tightly and tugged, red, red was everywhere, and…
Wait, that couldn't be right. Tonks was beside him now. She was shaking him. "That's not me, Remus! I'm here, I'm right here! You would never do that!"
He blinked down at the young Auror; he looked at the fear in her eyes. Suddenly, all of the air rushed back into him, and he took a startling intake of breath. Anger rose up in him, poised like a lion, and his arm shot up, his wand held tightly at the end of his hand. Sparks flew ferociously from the tip. He envisioned the scene that would follow – it wasn't particularly amusing, but it would do. And finally, with a determined bellow, the words were called. "RIDDICULUS!"
Boggart Lupin looked up from the floor, from which it had been licking the dummy Tonks' blood, and its eyes widened. It opened its mouth in a scream – a horrible, realistic scream that reminded Remus of his full moon nights. It had evidently struck Tonks dumb too – not a sound was heard from her, as she gripped Remus' hand tightly.
And then the Boggart melted into goo, reminiscent of the evil Wicked Witch of The West in The Wizard of Oz.It bubbled and belched, until finally it disappeared in a puff of smoke, indicating the Boggart's end.
Tonks' and Lupin's enclosed hands tightened.
