I do what I can- Facing our fears.
Disclaimer- I obviously don't own Harry Potter and am making no money off of this.
A/N- So this is the first in a series of one-shots about our favourite werewolf's time teaching at Hogwarts. This series will
be called, 'I do what I can.'
Remus was ready to step in when Neville Longbottom finally got to the front of the line. He wanted to spare the class from seeing Bellatrix Lestrange step out of the cabinet, shooting spells everywhere.
Of course, this is what the new DADA professor assumed the young Longbottom heir's boggart would take the form of. She was, after all, the woman who had tortured his parents into insanity, so much so, that they didn't even recognise him.
As the cabinet door slowly opened, Remus' wand poised at the ready, his heart cracked in two when he saw what stepped out and his hand faltered.
Severus Snape. Looking to the Gryffindor, his heart broke, even more, when he saw the look of absolute fear on the boy's face.
This boy, whose first memory was his parents being tortured, was more afraid of his potions master than of the woman who did it and if that wasn't the most heartbreaking this Lupin had ever heard, he didn't know what was.
He was ready to get rid of the boggart himself but glancing at Neville, he hesitated. 'No' he thought, 'he has to do this. This is what this whole lesson is about, standing up to your fears.'
Nodding to himself, Remus told Neville exactly how to cast the spell, smiling gently as the rest of the class laughed at the boggart Snape who was now dressed in Neville's grandma's clothes.
The rest of the children didn't notice but the kind werewolf did. Neville was smiling at him, hope, respect and admiration shining in his eyes.
I.D.W.I.C - F.O.F
The class had been dismissed ten minutes ago, but Remus was still sat leaning against the wall, his head in his hands.
'How could that poor boy be more scared of his teacher than he is of his parent's torturer?' Standing up he brushed himself off. He may not know the extent of Snape's abuse of power or reign of terror, but it was going to end. Now.
He walked to the dungeons, everybody he passed stepping out of his way, they could tell he was mad and even he knew it. What they didn't know, however, was that not only was he angry, Moony was furious too.
I.D.W.I.C - F.O.F
Snape's lesson had just ended when the irate werewolf stepped into the dungeon classroom. "Severus. We need to talk. Now."
"Make it quick, I have places to be, dog." Remus flinched at the insult but refused to back down, he wasn't doing this for him, he was doing it for his students. This needed to be done.
"I was teaching my class about boggarts today. Had them all practising the riddikulus spell." He mentioned casually, despite his anger.
The pale potions professor raised an eyebrow, "your point?"
"The boggart took the shape of you at one point. Jumped out of the cupboard and started berating the poor child." Remus had decided beforehand not to tell Snape that it was the Longbottom heir, in hopes it would save him further torment.
"Oh. You're telling me this...why?" Snape already had several ideas on who it could be, but unless the DADA teacher said he would have no way of knowing for sure.
"I am telling you this because a child's biggest fear should not be his bloody potions professor!" Remus spat in a voice halfway between a yell and a snarl.
Severus took a step back at this point, noticing how hints of yellow were bleeding into the other man's eyes, showing that the wolf was near the surface.
"What do you want me to do about it? It's not my problem." Snape drawled, although he was still very wary of the wolf being so close to the surface, especially since Remus normally had such good control.
"What do you mean it's not your problem?! It's 100% your problem!" Remus could hardly believe that Snape could be so mean, cause he knew the other man couldn't simply be this stupid.
Taking a menacing step forward the werewolf growled lowly, "If your attitude doesn't improve, I'll do something about it myself and then even the power of Dumbledore himself won't be able to save you."
With that, the defence professor turned on his heal and left the room, while Severus was finally able to let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding in.
In the end, Snape did actually become less cruel to his students, although it happened subconsciously and the change was barely noticeable. Very few actually noticed but one boy did.
I.D.W.I.C - F.O.F
Remus turned around when he heard Neville Longbottom enter his classroom just after last period. "Mr Longbottom, what can I help you with?"
Neville slowly approached the desk and quietly said, "I know it was you who got professor Snape to be nicer to everyone. Not many people actually noticed, but I did. I'm still scared of him and he's still really mean and intimidating but not as much before and that really helps. So, Thank you. "
Remus smiled at the boy, noticing he seemed slightly more confident than before. Putting a hand on Neville's shoulder, the werewolf smiled and said, "I do what I can."
A/N- Hello Everybody! I hope you enjoyed this, I had fun writing it. I just feel that Remus would have had more to say when a students biggest fear is their professor when said student heard his parents being tortured. Neville literally faced his greatest fear every single day and I think that makes him the most Gryffindor of all. Please review and have a lovely day! :)
-MercuryStars