Well, here's the next chapter! I'm not sure how many people are still reading my story… Please review! It boosts confidence. :-)
Disclaimer: I don't own boggarts or Remus or anything else in the Harry Potter world. They belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.
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Remus tried to look everywhere but his infuriated mother, but her infamous glare had him in its grasp.
"I asked you a question, young man! I found this-" she brandished the shining piece of glass at him- "in the basement! Well?"
Remus gulped again. What do I say? Will she know I found the boggart? Think…!
Remus slowly stood up and tried to look as guilty as possible, which was not difficult given the situation. "I-I'm sorry mum. I-I wanted some… sweets, so I… went down into the cellar and… well, I didn't mean for it to break and I tried to pick it up, really I did-"
Mrs. Lupin's angry expression progressed into something far more frightening- a sort of extreme paranoia; Remus could see it in her eyes as he trailed off. She thinks I found it!
Mrs. Lupin cleared her throat. "That- that was all?" she shook off the strange look and once again put on the mask of scolding mother. "So you wanted sweets and broke one of my jars..." It sounded like a question. Remus bowed his head dejectedly. He could just barely hear his mother's sigh of relief. "Well, I hope you've learned your lesson, Remus John Lupin. I mean, honestly, you could have…"
Remus blocked out his mother's voice for a moment while he thought. She doesn't want me to find the boggart… all the preserves are there to hide it until dad gets rid of it… maybe he can't! What if it's something else, something so powerful that-
"Are you even listening to me?!" Remus snapped back to his mother with her hands on her hips, scowling down at him. "Yes mum. I promise never to go back into the cellar." He carefully crossed his fingers behind his back. Thankfully, his mother took no notice.
"Alright, mister." She bent down and gave him a somewhat forceful good-night kiss. "Your father might be a while, honey. He's… cleaning up the rest of the glass. Night-night." She shut the door.
Remus sighed. Now he was positive that his father was in on it too. Why can't he just "riddikulus" it away? It's not terribly difficult magic… is it? Should I still get rid of it, even though it could be a part of his job…? Remus felt like a rat running through a maze with no exit.
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Two days later it would be a full moon. Remus had a rather uneventful time leading up to it, having carefully deterred Mike from visiting for the next few days (to much protest) when he had seen him the afternoon before.
The monster in the basement had Mike so crazy with curiosity he had threatened breaking into the Lupin home unless Remus let him see it soon. Remus felt a little bad about executing his plan without his new friend, but he knew that doing magic in front of muggles was illegal. He wasn't worried about the threat Mike had given; Remus knew that for all Mike blabbed and acted, he was actually quite a coward (the yellow garden slug had caused him a great deal of discomfort after their conversation). As Remus watched Mike try to contain his terror by yelling out empty threats at the slug, he realized he was becoming quite fond of him. Maybe the friendship would work out after all.
The night of the full moon passed just as slowly as before. His parents tried to calm him, but it was getting harder and harder for just words to stop the wolf in its tracks. Even the first reading of Goodnight, Moon was nearly unsuccessful. Mr. and Mrs. Lupin opened the bedroom door the next morning to more blood than ever before. Thankfully, Mr. Lupin, always practical, had taken it upon himself to learn as many healing spells as he could muster, and to everyone's great relief they were saving a large sum of hospital bills and pain due to his newfound skills.
Remus awoke to the ache of sore muscles and a few small bites on his arms and legs (apparently there was no cure for those) but no cuts or bruises, thanks to his father's magic. He slowly stood up, using his bed for balance and walked carefully to the kitchen for a small breakfast. However, it was already late afternoon, so he had lunch instead.
Remus had planned the following night as that of the boggart-vanquishing quest. He knew tonight he would be far too weak. But he didn't plan on sitting idle all day. Remus read and re-read as many books as he could; any book that he thought could help somehow, especially one small passage from an old defense against the dark arts textbook about boggarts:
'… then upon taking the wand and brandishing it in the said pattern, one shall utter the phrase "Riddikulus" and think of some amusing vision in which to ensnare the creature; be forewarned of the beast's cleverness... It may entreat with some stranger form of that which you fear, but do not be swayed. Repeat the above commands and you shall be successful.'
Remus had no idea if this information was even valid anymore, as it had been his father's old textbook, but it was all he had. Using it along with his notes from his father's lessons, he prepared his mind for the daunting task ahead.
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Remus awoke the following night just as the waning moon was rising above the trees. A sorrowful sound echoed through the night as he got out of bed… a mourning dove outside his window? Or a wolf howling in the distance? Remus shuddered visibly and crept out of the room.
Both of his parents were sound asleep, his father snoring loudly. Remus tiptoed quietly towards his father's nightstand. The shadows seemed to dance and stretch upon the walls, and Remus had to keep double checking to make sure there was nothing in the corners, watching him. Mr. Lupin's wand sat innocently on the nightstand, as if waiting to be taken. Maybe he's put a spell on it, an alarm! Remus hesitated. He was not even allowed to hold a wand, he knew, according to his parents' rules. He hoped the Ministry wouldn't know even if he cast a spell; he was counting on the fact that they often overlooked young wizards doing magic because they usually couldn't help it. But his parents would be incredibly disappointed… if I get rid of the boggart; face my fears like dad said, they'll be proud! Remus tried to reassure himself. He could feel his hand shaking as he reached for the wand. Suddenly Mr. Lupin's snores rose to a whining feverish pitch and he snorted. Remus jumped and grabbed the wand without a second thought. His father rolled over. Nothing happened.
Remus ran out of the room and down the hall, scared out of his mind. The last time he had been out of bed and wandering at night it hadn't turned out so well. And tonight the surroundings looked positively threatening. The broom resembled a giant claw awaiting its prey; the chairs hunchbacked old men huddling to discuss how to dispose of the nosy boy; even the chess set sitting on the table cast elongated shadows that seemed like knives and gravestones. Remus gulped and told himself they were all harmless and kept going.
The room seemed to stretch out as he made his way to the cellar door. Closing his eyes in dread, Remus reached out his hand to open it. You know, you don't have to do this, a voice in his head said soothingly. You can just go back to your nice warm bed and pretend that you never found the boggart downstairs. Go on, your father can take care of it… go back to sweet ignorance…
But I have to face my fears, like dad said! I can't pretend anymore! Remus turned the knob.
The cold air from below blasted his face, smelling of mildew and death, much like an old crypt. Remus once again had second thoughts, but his feet had already begun to make their way down into the darkness. Remus felt as if he were being smothered by a lethinfold. I should have brought a flashlight! He cursed his stupidity as he reached the bottom and fumbled for the light switch.
The room burst into light, the preserves glittering menacingly on the shelves. Remus noted there were no gaps now; his mother must have put up a new jar to replace the broken one. Remus began to remove jars from the shelves, amazed he was not breaking them right and left as his entire body shook. Unlike before, no light shone from behind; if possible the blackness was more complete than anything Remus had ever seen. How will I see? Suddenly Remus recalled the wand. Gripping it tightly, he kept working until a large enough gap appeared. Remus could see nothing. He stared into the void, repeating Riddikulus! in his head like a mantra. Still, he hesitated. Come on, GO! Finally, drawing up all the strength and courage he possibly could, Remus squeezed into the hole.
"Lumos!" Remus whispered. Nothing happened. He panicked- the magic wasn't working! "Lumos!" he said it again a bit louder, imagining the light, and to his extreme relief the wand tip lit with a very faint glow. The far wall was still dark. Remus strained his ears but could hear nothing. He bit his lip and approached.
There it was. Pale, sickly, St. Mungo's gown, the heavy labored breathing that Remus could not believe he hadn't heard earlier… and the eyes. Remus didn't look at them. Instead he looked towards the rotten dresser, his heart beating wildly. One of the drawers was opened. So that's how she got out! His knees trembled as did his voice as he stammered, "R-riddikulus!" and waved the wand as he had practiced. Nothing. The creature began to breathe louder and turned its dead eyes to Remus. He could feel his heart exploding in his ribs. "Riddikulus!" She outstretched her spindly arm to him, fingers limp, the IV cart rattling as she slowly moved. Remus felt like screaming. Every nerve in his body was on fire, all his hair on end. Boggarts can't hurt you… boggarts can't hurt you… Imagine her… but Remus couldn't think of anything funny at all. RUN!
Remus closed his eyes and raised his wand. "NO! I have to finish this! RIDDIKULUS!!" The girl let out a faint whining noise that Remus strongly suspected was a scream. It wasn't working! Remus frantically searched the tiny room. Maybe he could hit the creature? Smother it? Can you touch a boggart? Kill it? All of his limbs were trembling as his eyes ping-ponged from object to object. They rested on a pale tube in the corner. The IV! Remus didn't wait another heartbeat. He grabbed the cord and yanked it as hard as he could.
The thing hardly even flinched. Remus stumbled backwards, dropped the wand, and watched as she slowly lowered her arm until the whole thing hung limp. It stared at him. Remus' warm brown eyes met only emptiness. Minutes seemed like hours. Remus still couldn't tear his gaze away. Suddenly, as if a switch had been flung, her eyes snapped shut and she shuddered. The gaping mouth closed and the rattling breaths stopped. Remus couldn't help but notice how at peace the creature looked as it took its last breath and softly laid its head onto the pillow. It was over.
Remus fell onto his knees and put his head in his hands. He had done it! He had faced his fears and gotten rid of the monstrous thing! He could still feel his whole body shaking. Peering through his fingers he saw the creature was still there. Aren't boggarts supposed to disappear? Remus noticed how the light from the wand was casting strange shadows on the thing. Something was glittering on its arm. Remus wondered why a bracelet needed to be a part of the boggart's illusion. He rose up and carefully snuck over to the body. It didn't move. Remus took the waxy arm gingerly into his quivering fingers and turned the white and green bracelet towards the pool of light. There was something written on the faded paper. Remus leaned closer to read it.
FELICITY MARIE LUPIN
RAMI AHLQUIST WARD
FIRST FLOOR ROOM 42
ST. MUNGO'S HOSPITAL FOR MAGICAL MALADIES AND INJURIES
Remus fell backwards onto the concrete. He hadn't killed a boggart. He had murdered his younger sister.
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