Hello! First of all, I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPLOADING! I JUST FELT REALLY SLUGGISH AND WROTE REALLY SLOWLY! I'll try to be more productive this week! I would like to thank Siena McGonagall Dumbledore who checked my story before uploading it! Thank you thank you thank you! I do NOOOOOT own Harry Potter (what a shame, really)!

They arrived in class a bit before the bell rang. Hermione, her arm still linked with Alissa's, dragged her to the desks in the front of the class. Harry suspected that she had done it so everyone could see that they were now friends. And it worked, people stared at them, Lavender and Parvati looked at them disapprovingly but Hermione didn't seen to care at all. Harry and Ron just sat down and shrugged at Seamus who was sending them a confused look.

"They're really silly." Hermione stated. Alissa bit her lip and looked at her. Hermione gave her a wide smile and took her hands in her.

"I want you to know that we're really sorry! It was stupid of us to judge you like that!" She said seriously.

"It's okay, I'm used to it." Alissa said.

"Let's be friends. From now on, you'll hang out with us and always sit with us!" Hermione said.

"O-okay, let's be friends." Alissa chuckled.

"Great, now that it's settled, have you done the charms homework?" Hermione asked "I did five inches supplementary since there's so much to say, but do you think–" And a little conversation started. Harry watched them talk and Ron whispered something to him.

"Do you think it's a good idea we let her be our friends?" He asked.

"Yeah... I think so." Harry said. He kept looking at Alissa until Professor Lupin entered, wearing his shabby clothes. Alissa caught Harry's eyes and smiled. He smiled back not noticing the small tug in his chest. Lupin smiled warmly at the class and Harry noticed he looked a bit healthier than when he had first seen him. Perhaps Hogwarts's delicious meals had helped him restore his soundness. Alissa leaned over to Hermione a whispered something and they both giggled. It was a bit surprising since Hermione didn't giggle. Harry ha seen her laugh before but not giggle. Giggling was more Parvati and Lavender's department. Lupin shushed them but not before beaming at Ron, Harry and Hermione.

"Put back your books everyone, today's going to be a practical lesson, you'll only need your wands." He said. Everybody looked at each other excited but a bit scared, the last time they had a practical lesson, it was with Lockhart a definitely not a good memory.

"What do you suppose we're going to do?" Ron asked as Lupin led them towards an empty classroom.

"No idea" Harry shrugged.

"What do you think?" Hermione asked facing Alissa.

"Oh, I promised Dyadya I wouldn't tell anyone, but trust me, this is going to be fun!" She smiled.

"I can't believe he told you! Do you know about all the future lessons?" Hermione asked unhappy. Alissa nodded proudly and Hermione muttered something about unfairness.

"What the bloody hell is a 'Dyadya'?" Ron asked to Harry.

"Oh it's what I call him... It's the equivalent of... Uh... Oh yeah, Uncle or something." Alissa said, searching for her words.

"Oh." Ron said.

"Do you have trouble with english?" Harry asked, people didn't hesitate like she did normally.

"Well, to be honest, a bit. French is easy and I was raised in russian. I liked coming here in the summer but I still spoke russian to Dyadya... I just didn't want to mess up and make a fool of myself." She laughed. "And if you speak really really fast, I won't understand half of what you're saying..."

"Then you're not meant to be pals with Lavender and Parvati!" Ron said.

"If you have trouble, just ask me!" Hermione pressed.

"But don't ask Ron, he'll just confuse you even more!" Harry joked and they all laughed, except Ron who just shoved Harry playfully.

"Shove it Harry." He mumbled, a small smile playing on his lips. They all fell into a comfortable silence, and Lupin opened the door of the empty classroom for them to enter it. The room was full of mismatched chairs all empty except for one, where Professor Snape was sitting. He sneered at the students as they filled the classroom. When everyone was there, and Lupin had barely closed the door, Snape spoke up.

"I'd leave it open if I were you, Lupin." He said, "With Longbottom in this class, who knows what could happen? Accidents happens so fast." Neville went bright red and Alissa muttered something under her breath. Harry couldn't understand a word from it but he knew it wasn't respectful at all. Not that he minded anyway, Snape was an old git who bullied people who didn't do anything to him. Whatever she had said, he deserved it. Lupin looked a bit surprised by Snape's statement.

"Actually, I was hoping that Neville would assist me today." He said looking at Neville, "And I am sure he'll do it admirably." Neville smiled a bit confused, no teacher had ever stood up for him or even went as far as saying that he was about to do something admirably. The rest of the Gryffindors seemed to suddenly like Lupin a bit more. Snape juste glared at him and left the classroom, his robes floating behind him. Lupin walked to the back of the class and took out a sheet from on top of an old wardrobe. The wardrobe began to shake violently and everyone took a step back.

"Do not be scared, it's not dangerous." He smiled. "Now, can any of you tell me what's in there?"

"It's a Boggart!" Dean said.

"Very good Dean, who can tell me what are Boggarts?" They are shape-shifters," Hermione said. "They can take the shape of whatever they thinks will frighten us most."

"Very good Hermione, I couldn't have put it better myself," said Lupin, making Hermione beam at him.

"So the Boggart sitting in the wardrobe has not chosen a form. He does not know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears." Lupin said, as if it was a good thing. When no one said anything, he spoke again.

"This means that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin." He said Have you spotted it, Harry?"

"Erm… Because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"

"Exactly." Lupin said. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake It tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not very frightening no?" He said and the students shyly laughed.

"There is a way to repel a a Boggart, and it's with laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing and say the spell that will provide the Boggart from scarring you. We will practise it right now but without your wands. Now, repeat after me, Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"Very good. This is when I will need your help Neville." Lupin said motioning Neville to come over.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first, what would you say that scares you the most?"

"P-Professor Snape." Neville stuttered. Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.

"Professor Snape...hmmm...Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Yes," said Neville nervously. "But I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either!" He added making everyone laugh.

"If the Boggart turned into my grandmother I think I would jump from the Astronomy tower." Alissa whispered and Ron snorted.

"You haven't met my mum!" He said.

"Don't worry" said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "Now, can you imagine the clothes your grandmother usually wears.

"She has a red handbag and–" Neville started but Lupin interrupted him.

"No need to say it out loud, as long as you see them, we'll see them." He said. "Now, I want you to..." He said but no one caught the rest of his sentence since he had whispered it. Neville nodded and Lupin unlocked the wardrobe's doors. Slowly, Professor Snape came out, ready to yell at Neville but just before he had the time to open his mouth, Neville cried out "Ridikulus!" As soon as he said it, Snape's black robes turned into a green dress with a fox scarf. A big red handbag appeared in his hands and a moth-eaten vulture hat appeared on Snape's head. The students burst out laughing, and Harry, for once, wished that Collin Crivey was here with his camera.

"In line everyone!" Lupin cried. Everyone seemed pretty excited to face the Boggart except for Alissa who walked next to Lupin. Harry shot her a questioning look but she just shrugged and mouthed to him "I'll just watch."

"Parvati!" Lupin anounced and she stepped forward. There was a crack, and Snape turned into a bloodstained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising.

"Riddikulus!" cried Parvati. The mummy entangled itself in it's bandages and fell face on the floor.

"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin. Seamus tool Parvati's place and Crack! Where the mummy changed into a woman with floorlength black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face... It was a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek that made the hair on Harry's head stand on end, not that it wasn't already since Harry's hair was known to have a mind of it's own.

"Riddikulus!" shouted Seamus. The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone and Crack! The banshee turned into a rat. Harry noticed That Alissa had suddenly tensed up and had taken a couple of steps back. The rat chased its tail in a circle, and...Crack! It became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before ...Crack!...becoming a single, bloody eyeball.

"It's confused!" shouted Lupin happily. "Go on Dean!" Dean stood in front of the eyeball. And Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.

"Riddikulus!" Dean yelled pointing his wand at it. Snap! The hand was trapped in a mousetrap.

"Excellent! Ron, you next!" Ron walked forward, a bit unsure and...Crack! Quite a few people screamed, mostly girls. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was clicking its pincers menacingly. Ron rose his wand with a trembling arm and shouted "Riddikulus!" Roller blades appeared at the end of the spider's legs and the spider fell in it's abdomen, unable to move. Harry's turn came and the class fell silent, everyone seemed to expect Voldemort to appear and from the look on Lupin's face, he did too. It took a while before the Boggart changed it's form when... Crack! The students all began to scream as a Dementor appeared.

"Here!" Lupin screamed pushing Harry aside. The Dementor turned into a white orb. The orb then turned into a balloon who flew all around the class, deflating. The wardrobe door opened again and the balloon flew in. Lupin locked the door.

"Well, that's it for today everyone! You all did a great job!" He announced and the students groaned. Only a few had faced the Boggart but everyone wanted a turn.

"Five points for everyone who defeated the Boggart and for Harry, Hermione an Dean!" Lupin added.

"But I haven't done anything!" Harry said.

"You answered a question correctly!" Lupin answered. "You will all do me a summary on Boggarts for Monday morning!" The students all left the classroom talking excitedly but Harry didn't feel that cheerful. Why didn't Lupin let him face the Boggart? Wa he afraid Harry would faint? Ron and Hermione caught up with him and Ron patted him in the back.

"I wished I faced it!" Hermione said." I wonder what my biggest fear is!"

"Probably you failing an exam." Ron said. Hermione just ignored his comment and looked around.

"Hey, where's Alissa?" She asked.

"I thought she was with you?" Harry said. Just as he said that, Alissa ran to them.

"Hey! Sorry I had to tell Dyadya something!" She said.

"Whatever! I'm hungry let's go eat!" Ron said. They all chuckled and walked to the Great Hall.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Review! I know I told some of you that their friendship would only start a bit later but guess what, I LIED! Okay maybe not. While I was writing this chapter and the way I ended the last one, I figured it would be bet if they started to be friends right now. Also, someone has requested that I make Alice a flyer and I must say that I am very tempted to do so. I'm just not sure if she sould start flying in the next chapter or if I should make her fly only in her next years, I had fifth year in mind. Please tell me what you think I should do! PLEASE REVIEW!

GailyGail

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