A/N: I do not own anything Harry Potter. I got bored and decided to do a one-shot based on my character Annie Black in my story, Sweet Child of Mine: The Story of Annie Black. Basically this story takes place in Annie's third year at Hogwarts when Sirius is still on the run after escaping Azkaban. I was planning on using this as some type of flashback but thought it would be best as a stand-alone. Hope you enjoy and please check out my other story!
Boggarts
Annie Black sat in the front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom talking to Harry, Ron and Hermione when Professor Lupin walked in from his office door.
"Put your books way, please, pack up your belongings and follow me," he said walking toward the door and waiting for the class to join him. He led them out in the corridor and right to the staffroom. After asking Professor Snape to leave, he turned to the class and stood by a shaking wardrobe.
"Now, inside this wardrobe is a boggart. Who can tell me what sort of creature a boggart is?" he asked. Hermione's hand shot in the air. "Yes, Miss Granger?"
"It's a shape-shifter," she said smiling. "They become whatever frightens a person the most."
"Precisely. Now when a Boggart comes out it will immediately change its shape to the thing that will frighten us the most like Hermione said but we have an advantage," he added looking at all of the confused faces. "Harry, what do you think will be our advantage?"
Harry looked sideways at Hermione who had her hand raised and was bouncing up and down. "Erm, I think our advantage is that there are too many of us, it won't know what to become," he said.
"Very good," said Lupin. "The boggart in this wardrobe will become very confused when confronted by a large group of people such as ourselves. So, Neville, will you please come up here and give me a hand in demonstrating the spell?" said Lupin. Neville looked around the room scared and walked to the front of the class. "Now, Neville please tell us what frightens you the most."
Neville looked down at his shoes. "P-P-Professor Snape," he stuttered.
The class laughed and Neville let out a shaky laugh while Lupin waved his hands for silence. "Neville I believe you live with your grandmother, am I correct?" Neville nodded. "What kind of clothes does she wear? Anything that would stick out?"
Neville thought. "Well, she does have a stuffed vulture hat and a red handbag. She also wears a green dress," he replied.
"Now I want each of you to take out your wands and repeat after me: Riddikulus." The class echoed and Lupin smiled. "Excellent, Neville will you step forward and when I open the wardrobe the boggart will take the shape of Professor Snape. You must then shout Riddikulus while concentrating on your grandmothers clothing. If Neville is successful in his attempt, then the boggart will be forced to take on those clothes and then focus its attention on someone else."
The class laughed and Neville tightened his grip on his wand.
"Are you ready, Neville?" Lupin asked and Neville nodded. "One, two, three!"
The wardrobe shook open and out stepped Professor Snape leering down at the class. Neville's face went from horror to determination as he waved his wand and cried "Riddikulus!" In seconds, Professor Snape was standing before them wearing a horrid green dress, a vulture-topped hat and was carrying a red handbag on his arm. The class erupted with laughter.
"Excellent, Neville!" called Professor Lupin. "Now I want you all to line up and have a go."
There was a great shuffle as everyone pushed their way into line. One by one the students went up and face their boggarts. One second there was a large spider and the next there was just a ball rolling around on the floor. Then there were clowns which became balloon animals and banshees that lost their voice. Everyone was laughing and having a great time.
Annie was shoved to the front of the line still laughing at the hand trapped in a mouse trap. Just then the boggart snapped and Annie saw Sirius lying on the floor, dead. The class stopped laughing and stared at Annie who stared horrified at the body before her. She began to back up and turned around and ran straight for the door.
Harry ran after her and found her sitting in a corridor crying with her head down on her knees and her long unruly mop of hair flailed down over the sides of her arms. She was shaking as she looked up to the sound of approaching footsteps. Harry sat down next to her and placed an arm around her shoulders and she buried her head into his shoulder.
"I don't know where he is," she said a few minutes later looking up and wiping her eyes. "I don't. Everyone thinks I must because I'm Sirius Black's daughter but I don't. I've only received two letters and neither of them say where he is. I don't even know what I would do if I did," she said placing her head back on Harry's shoulder.
Harry gave Annie's shoulders a squeeze. "I know it must be really frustrating for you but you know you always have me to talk to," he said.
"I know. Thank you, Harry. It's just, everyone thinks I'm hiding something and no one will believe me when I tell the truth. I don't know where his and I'm scared," she said speaking into his shoulder.
Just then Annie and Harry looked up to see Hermione and Ron approaching them each carrying Annie's and Harry's forgotten backpacks.
"Professor Lupin said he wanted to see you in his office after classes are over today, Annie," said Hermione placing her backpack at her feet.
Annie wiped the tears from her eyes and lifted her head off of Harry's shoulder. "Of course he does," she said looking up and giving a watery smile. Harry gave her another squeeze before removing his arm from around her shoulders standing up. He held out his hand and hoisted Annie to her feet. After collecting their backpacks, they walked over green houses for double Herbology.
Professor Sprout let the third years out a half-hour early and they trooped back up to the castle to return their books to their dormitories and head down to the Great Hall for dinner. When they reached the third floor, Annie said goodbye to her friends and set off for Lupin's classroom. She knocked three times and a first year Ravenclaw opened the door.
"I didn't know you still had a class, Remus. I can come back later," she said shifting her backpack.
"You don't have to, you can just wait in my office. And didn't we discuss you not calling me Remus in school?" he asked. The first years watched the two curiously. Surely they didn't expect an older student get away with calling a teacher by their first name.
"Please don't lecture me about this right now, Rem, I'm having a really bad day and you know this," Annie pleaded.
Remus sighed. "Just wait in my office, okay?" Annie nodded and walked past him and the up the stairs into his office.
Twenty minutes later Remus walked into his office to find Annie sprawled out on the couch throwing a hacky sack in the air. She sat up immediately as he sat down behind his desk and placed his chin on his folded hands. "So, how are you?" he asked.
"Just peachy," she said folding her arms and leaning back into the couch. "Fan-bloody-tastic, in fact." Annie blew a piece of hair out her face and stared at Remus who laughed. "It's not funny, Remus."
"I know, I'm sorry. You're response just reminded me of your father, that's all," he said. Annie huffed and looked away upset. "You're worried about him."
Annie looked back with tears shining in her eyes and nodded. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be, I mean he did escape from Azkaban and is nowhere to be found. What would you think?" she said, tears now leaking down her cheeks.
Remus got up from behind his desk and went to sit next to Annie on the couch. Remus had known Annie her entire life and knew her father since they started Hogwarts together. Although she went to live with James and Lily after Sirius was sent to Azkaban, he always considered her to be his niece. He put an arm around his niece's shoulders and pulled her closer. He kissed the top of her head and told her Sirius was going to be alright. They sat there for several moments until she pulled away, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Thank you, Remus. I'm glad I can come to you if I need someone to talk to," she said hiccupping a little as she spoke.
"Of course, kiddo, any time," he said. "Now why don't you head down to dinner? You must be pretty hungry."
She stood up from the couch and picked up her bag. "See you tomorrow, Remus. And could you maybe not mention this to Aunt Lil and Uncle James? I don't want them to worry about me.
"Only if you agree to call me 'Professor' in class or when we're talking about schoolwork, deal?" he held out his hand and smiled.
Annie took his hand and shook. "Deal," she said. She turned around and walked out of the office and went down to the Great Hall to join her friends for dinner.