After already spending a few days at school, Serena could tell that this year just wasn't going to be it. From the stares and notes she received in class from fellow students to overhearing conversations about her father's escape the one thing she seemed to be most relaxed about was the fact that she hadn't had a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson yet. Usually, this class always excited her and was one of her favorite subjects, no matter how creepy or annoying the teachers were. This time, however, she didn't like the idea of having Professor Lupin as her teacher. It mainly linked back to the feast a few days before when it seemed that he was talking about her to Professor McGonagall, making her think that before class with him even started, he wasn't too keen on her because of her family line. It was also since she knew she's definitely seen the same name Remus John Lupin written down somewhere or heard it in a conversation before, and as much as she didn't want to really have him as a Professor it made her curious. Maybe she wanted to know him a bit better, maybe, somewhere, he had something do do with her family.
Serena made her way down the third-floor corridor on her way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She kept her third-year textbook close to her chest as she lined up against the wall with the rest of the class, glaring down at her feet on the smooth stone floor. Remus, who seemed to be looking rather cheerful that day emerged from the classroom. "Ah... Good morning class, if you'd just like to make your way inside and stand yourselves in a group over there" He said, his hands nervously fiddling behind his back as the class filed in. Serena attempted to get past him quickly with her head down but was stopped as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Ah... Hello Serena, how are you on this fine morning?" He asked with a kind smile as the students who had been lined up behind Serena pushed past the two to get inside the classroom. How did he know her name already? "Uh... I'm... I'm fine I suppose" Serena replied with a small shrug, not really sure what to say as he let out a light-hearted laugh, clapping her on the back. "Well, that's wonderful!" He said happily before escorting her into the room, turning all the attention to her... Again. "Now... Go stand over there dear," He said merrily as Serena slowly made her way over to the rest of her class, her eyes never leaving the floor.
"Would anyone like to venture a guess... As to what is inside?" Professor Lupin asked as he stood before the class, hands behind his back. He seemed to be stood in front of an old wardrobe that was covered in mirror panels and appeared to be violently shaking as if something was trying to get out. "That's a boggart" One boy, whose name was Dean Thomas spoke up as Remus nodded politely, keeping up his cheery demeanor. "Yes. Very good Mr. Thomas" He said proudly. "Now... Can anyone tell me what a boggart looks like?" He asked, his eyes scanning through the group of students, he skipped past one student, named Hermione Granger who desperately had her hand up and went to Serena who still had her head down, she was still listening to the lecture yet she didn't have her hand up. "Let's see..." He mumbled to himself before pointing at Serena, smiling "Yes, Serena?" He said as the brunette raised her head. "Hm?" She questioned, staring around her and back to Professor Lupin before realizing that he wanted her to answer his question. "No one knows what a boggart looks like exactly. That's because they take on the shape of what a particular person fears the most" She said flawlessly as Hermione shot daggers her way. "Very well done Miss Black," Remus said, clapping his hands together in front of him. "Now-"
"Luckily a very simple charm exists to repel a boggart..." He began saying as the wardrobe behind him began to shake more and more furiously. "Let's practice it now," he said, placing his hands behind his back again. "Without wands please, repeat after me... Ridikulus" He said loud and clear as the whole class repeated it. "Now again... A little louder, making it very clear-listen... Ridikulus" He said again until he was happy that the class had got the hang of it. "This simple charm isn't enough to finish a boggart, what you need is laughter. You need to force it to assume the shape of something you find most amusing" He explained before calling a Gryffindor boy, Neville up to demonstrate. Sure enough, when he performed the incantation the boggart became something to laugh at, something that Serena didn't expect to happen with her's.
The class formed a line as each student took turns. Serena observed that most people's fears seemed to be simple things such as spiders of snakes. Serena definitely wasn't looking forward to her turn since she knew that her fears were much darker than that. She hated bringing all the attention towards her and so she silently raised her hand from the back of the line. Remus looked over and squinted to see whose hand it was and smiled brightly when he noticed it was Serena. "Yes, Serena?" He asked, putting a hand out for a moment to pause the lesson as she spoke. "I mean... Do we have to do this?" She asked she didn't want to make it sound like she was insulting his lesson she just didn't like the idea. "Why is it you don't want to?" Lupin asked putting his hands behind his back furrowing his brows... What could be so terrifying to her that she almost seemed embarrassed? "Tell you what Serena, I'll stand right beside you, and if it becomes too much for you I'll let you be excused from the classroom... How does that sound?" He offered kindly yet also deep in thought as to why she felt like this. From what he knew she'd grown up in pretty loving and accepting family... So what was to be scared of?
Serena managed to nod a little in agreement as she shuffled her way to the front of the line and stood before the entity that began to morph and twist itself into the very thing that Serena feared the most. The girl felt her heart shatter into a million pieces right then and there as she also heard the class of students also gasp in both shock and horror as Remus watched her curiously, ready to step in if necessary.
The boggart had formed into that of her very own father, just like all the wanted posters it showed the man handcuffed and chained down, screaming out to her not being able to hear what he was saying. The sight of the chains shaking and the man's mouth moving caused a ringing in her ears. Remus watched her carefully, waiting for her to perform the counter-curse but it never came. He was going to start encouraging her until he saw the complete shock and horror that was plastered on her face. Without hesitation, Professor Lupin stepped in front of her, arms out so that his body covered her own from the sight of the monster. It was heartbreaking for him too... Seeing one of his oldest friends in such a position but he had to do what he could to protect the closest thing he had to Sirius and the girl that he should've protected all these years.
For Remus, the boggart had morphed into the moon... A full moon to be exact, this earned a lot of confused glances his way from other students and a sigh of slight surprise and relief from Serena. "Ridikulus!" Remus spoke, pointing his wand towards the boggart as the moon became a deflating balloon that whizzed around the classroom before Remus shut it back in the wardrobe.
The professor hesitated for a moment before turning back to the rest of the class, putting his hands behind his back awkwardly. "Sorry, that's... Unfortunately it for today" He explained hesitantly while keeping a worried eye on Serena who seemed to be stood there in complete shock and distress as she was clearly gripping her wand tighter in her hand. "If you'd all like to collect your books... And I'll see you next lesson" He said, letting his arms swing by his sides as he tried to keep a smile on his face while earning a few tired and frustrated moans coming the rest of the class as they slowly picked up their books and filed out, leaving just Remus and Serena in the room alone, while, as they left, Remus held the door open, smiling kindly as he said phrases such as "Well done!" and "Marvelous job Mr. Weasley!" Before shutting the door behind them, leaving the room oddly quiet as Serena kept staring at the mirror.
Remus turned around and sighed softly, putting his hands slowly behind his back as he looked back at Serena who he now noticed to have a few tears rolling down her cheeks and hitting the floor. Although he couldn't quite tell what she was scared of. Sure, the obvious reason would be because she thinks he's going to come after her and kill her too just like everyone believed he'd killed her mother. But part of Remus thought she was scared because she wanted him to come and find her... Even if he was a wanted man, she'd spent her whole life knowing that she was ripped away from him... And might never get to meet him. He slowly walked over to her and sighed sadly as he placed a hand on her shoulder as he too stared at the wardrobe. "You're alright..." He whispered kindly.