Chapter 11: Boggarts
"Good morning, class." Harry Potter said to the fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins. He sounded grim. Bad mood. Class wouldn't be fun today, that much was sure. Well, it never really was.
"Good morning, Professor Evans." The class answered in unison, just not as loudly as usually.
The students took their seats and Harry Potter sat down on his desk, getting a few bemused glances from some students. He didn't even notice.
"Does any of you know what a boggart is?" the teacher asked. Martin raised his hand, as usually. But he was not the only one. Ronny had been told that story about his father's former potions professor in his grandmother's clothes. His dad hadn't liked the situation. Ronny thought it was quite funny, though. Except perhaps for the fact that all school had heard of it – that potions professor as well, who had been even meaner afterwards.
"Mr Longbottom?" Evans finally said.
"A boggart is a creature which lives in the dark. No one knows what it really looks like, for it transforms into your worst fear the moment you spot it. So it is really hard to handle."
"Thanks, Longbottom. This was a short, but good explanation of a boggart. Five points to Gryffindor." Evans said. The class was startled. That person gave points? And to Gryffindor? "Now, I do not think a boggart is that hard to handle. You do know it's nothing but a mean little boggart, after all. Luckily, Professor McGonagall found one in the dungeons last evening, for I was hoping to get a chance to let you actually face one, not just read about it in some book."
Harry grinned, remembering Minerva's expression when she had told them there was a basilisk down in the dungeons. His grin faded, as he remembered how the story continued. He'd gone down there with Minerva, in order to help her get that creature locked into a cupboard. He hadn't known what it would transform into if it faced him back then. He hadn't known what his greatest far was. And he had wanted to find out before he'd face it in front of the class. And now he knew, and he hadn't liked it. That thing had transformed into Lord Voldemort. Minerva had screamed and ran out of the room. Harry had stood there, a bit shocked, for a moment, before he had said that simple spell to… change its shape a bit. Then he had locked it, secretly relieved. Of course it had been nothing but a boggart, but it had still looked powerful and frightening. He would avoid to meet that thing in front of his class.
"Any objections?" the professor asked. A girl raised her hand.
"Miss Baker?"
"I… I do not want to meet my worst fear, Professor." She quietly said.
"Now, that's understandable. Do you know what your worst fear would be?" Evans asked calmly.
"I… no, not really." She answered.
"It's time to find out, then, isn't it? And of course, there is a spell to get rid of it. I'll teach you that charm before you face the boggart. I'm sure you can handle it. In my schooldays, everybody did fine with the boggart, and we had only just started third year. I'll even have the first years try to handle it today. And if it's too hard, I'll do it for you after a while. But I'm sure that won't happen. So are you all ready to fight the evil boggart now?" Harry said, smiling.
The class smiled back. Perhaps Evans really wasn't that bad at all. He had proven to be able to actually be nice in a few situations so far.
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Draco Malfoy was teaching potions – first years, even worse. Those students were completely frightened of him. As well they should be, but he couldn't properly work with them yet. They just didn't dare speak. Not saying anything at all. So of course, they didn't reply if he asked questions. None of them. Draco couldn't remember being that frightened of Snape in first year. Those students really did overreact. But he was sure he'd get that fixed. A few points off here, a few points off there, and perhaps some detentions… they'd change their behaviour some time.
"I want some hands up there! You really don't know that answer? Such a simple question! You can't possibly be that stupid, can you?" Draco yelled and the class shivered. Hopefully, he wouldn't take that many points off.
Suddenly, it knocked. The door. Everyone had heard it, for as usual it was silent in Malfoy's class. Especially with the first years.
"Enter!" Malfoy shouted, wondering who dared to disturb his class. He hoped it was a Gryffindor. It was.
Harry Potter opened the door and entered the room. Malfoy could see some students standing behind him. Fifth years, it seemed. Yeah, there were Longbottom and his little gang. Fifth years Gryffindors and Slytherins.
"You are disturbing a very important class, Evans. Why, if I may ask?" Malfoy said. He didn't mind the students knowing about the rivalry between two of their teachers.
"I want to know where you've put the cupboard with that boggart. I thought you might know where it is, since the dungeons are yours and that boggart isn't where I put it yesterday. You wouldn't by chance have put it away?" Harry Potter said coolly.
"Of course I have, Evans, for it was standing in the middle of my office." Malfoy snarled.
"And where is it now?" Harry asked, obviously annoyed.
"In a corner of my office, Evans. You would have seen it already if you weren't so blind. Now would you please go on with what ever pointless activity you are momentarily planning to do and leave the people on the higher level teach their class in peace?" Malfoy said.
"Gratefully!" Harry spat and turned on the spot and walked away, his class following. They looked nearly as annoyed as him.
"And thanks for closing the door, Evans!" Malfoy shouted after him. He was satisfied. He had actually made Evans angry. At least it looked that way. Malfoy went to the door and was in the progress of closing the door himself, when…
Bang!
Malfoy screamed in a mixture of pain and rage. The door had shut really well, after it had hit his head. His nose seemed to be broken.
"Something wrong, Malfoy? I thought I had heard you telling me to shut that door."
Evans. He sounded cheerful. Really happy.
"You did that on purpose, ass." Malfoy muttered
"And if I did, wouldn't I be foolish to admit it?" Harry Potter said from outside the room. "And now let's go, we don't want to disturb dear Professor Malfoy's class any longer than absolutely necessary, now do we? He is, after all, busy threatening some first-years, which is awfully hard to do and requires a good deal of concentration." he said, turning to his class.
Some looked utterly shocked, others grinned wildly. Harry smiled. "I thought so." He said and casually walked away, leaving a furious Malfoy behind. The class was staring at their potions professor anxiously. Malfoy was cool, always picking on stinking Gryffindors, the Slytherins thought. Malfoy in rage was bad though, for everyone.
Professor Draco Malfoy knew he had to go to that Poppy woman soon, if he didn't want his nose to end up like the one of Albus Dumbledore. And he didn't.
"Class dismissed!" Malfoy growled before leaving his classroom and slamming the door shut, causing his students to flinch. After their teacher had left, the kids sighed in relief.
*****
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*****
"Now that's what I'd call a Slimy Slytherin." Harry Potter muttered.
"Come again, Professor?" Leon asked. Had Evans just said what he thought he had? The rest of the class looked bemused as well.
Harry sighed. There was not really a reason to hide it from the kids, they'd notice it sometime, anyway. Besides, it would be fun to see their reaction.
They had reached Malfoy's office, which was not far from the teacher's classroom. Harry Potter and the class stopped.
"If you have not noticed, Mr Creevey… " the professor said. The class was entirely quiet, looking at him expectantly.
"Professor Malfoy and I do not really get along too well. To get it straight: I cannot stand that git, and I doubt he likes me any better." he continued, a slight smile on his calm face.
Some gasped, others smiled, a few even laughed out loud. They had never expected Evans of all people would say to say something like that outright… in presence of his students.
"Now do not blame me for telling you, Malfoy did not really make much of an effort to hide it from you as well, now did he?" Harry asked, now grinning broadly.
Ronny laughed even louder. Sometimes Evans behaved like an ass, then again sometimes he was nothing but cool. Now what was he like? Now he was really funny… and he was right about Malfoy being a git, no question. Ronny was sure everyone – at least every Gryffindor – would agree with that. Now what house had Evans been in? He had promised to tell them, but they had forgotten to ask him the day before. Had he perhaps even – as unbelievingly as it sounded – been a Gryffindor? He did want to train the Gryffindor Quidditch team after all, and that couldn't be just out of pity. And he despised Malfoy, that Slimy...
Ronny stopped his thoughts as Evans unlocked the door to Malfoy's office once more. The class stepped in they looked around for some cupboard, where that boggart would be in.
"Ah, there it is." Harry said. With a wave of his hand, Harry lifted the cupboard into the air. Then he left the office, the cupboard floating out behind him. He didn't seem to do any sort of spell and there was no visible connection between the teacher and the cupboard.
"Now are you coming?" Harry asked, sounding a little annoyed. The class had not moved, but just stared at him. They had never seen anyone, except perhaps for Dumbledore, do that sort of stuff.
"Sure thing." Martin Whitby said after a while and stepped out of the door after Evans, who smiled and gave Martin a small nod. Slowly the class followed hesitantly.
That was the first time Martin had noticed Evans didn't use a wand at all. Of course, Martin had read all about wand-less magic. Only very few very advanced and powerful wizards and witched could perform it, and only the most simple spells. It was nearly impossible if the person did not constantly hold eye-contact with the object, or sometimes even person, he was cursing. And the people had to practise really long to actually manage, then it was still difficult to cast spells and curses.
Evans did not look like he was concentrating at all, and he never looked at the object all their way to the classroom, which was no little distance.
Martin had once tried some wand-less magic himself. It had been last year – not that long ago at all – and he had been sitting in an empty classroom for hours, trying the most simple transfiguration he could think of – a match into a needle. Naturally, Martin had never managed. He had been really frustrated and sad by the end of the day. Martin had always thought of himself of a rather good wizard, since he knew stuff from books the others had never heard about. But that was just knowledge, he had realised. There was a great difference between knowledge and ability, and one had to be very powerful to be able to perform any wand-less magic. Martin assumed no kid had ever done so.
Martin smiled. He'd been really naïve last year.
The class stopped. Martin, Ronny and Leon recognised the room as Evans' office. It was next to Evans' place, but they had never been in that office before. The kids wondered what it would look like.
Harry opened the door and led them into the room. It was – big surprise, they thought – colourful. Not as bad as his place, but colourful still. The floor was red, the walls green. There were several bookshelves at the walls, even more than in Evans' place. This guy really did seem to read much. Then there was a huge desk with a chair there. Several books were lying on the desk, as well as loads of parchments, some written on, some clear.
"Now that was stupid." Harry muttered and made all that stuff on his desk vanish with a snip. He shouldn't have let stuff like that lying around openly, and he still had not placed any proper security charms onto his place and his office.
"Now, before you get your hands at that poor creature, I'll make sure you know the spell so you won't hurt it too badly while getting rid of it, okay? The word is 'Riddikulus'. Quite simple, I'm sure you won't have any problems with it. Now please, try to copy this." Harry said. He waved his hand and said "Riddikulus!". The class stared at him, some waving around with their hands stupidly.
"Er… you use your wands of course." Harry said quickly. He'd have to get his wand soon, or else people might suspect anything. But then, breaking into Gringotts was certainly pretty dangerous and difficult, so if he'd ever do that to get his wand back, he'd better properly plan that little trip before. He was really acting stupid lately.
The class raised their wands and waved them, calling "Riddikulus!". Harry thought it looked just fine, so he'd let them start now.
"Hmm…" he said. The class stopped and looked at him.
"Miss Wood… would you mind being the first one to face that boggart?" Harry Potter asked.
"M… me?" the girl stuttered. She'd face that thing if it had to be, but as the first one?
"Yes, you. You walk over to that cupboard and draw it open, it is not magically locked. That boggart will come out and you'll be the first one it'll face, since you are nearest. Then you think how you could… change its shape a bit… so it looks funny."
Susan Wood stared at Evans strangely. How was she supposed to make her worst fear look funny?
The teacher seemed to read her thoughts. "It's not as insane as it sounds, believe me. Just try to laugh at it, since laugher is truly the best weapon to use on a boggart. Do you remember the spell, Miss Wood?" he asked.
"Y… yes." The girl stuttered.
"Try then. And the rest of you better be prepared, you'll all come to face that thing." Harry said. The class flinched. This would be hard.
Slowly, Susan Wood opened that cupboard, ready to face that boggart, though she had no idea what it would turn into. She was shocked when she saw that creature. It had a snake's body, but feathers and wings like a bird, and who legs. It was about three metres tall, so the class backed away hastily, not to get in the monster's way.
"Oh no, master, it's an Occamy!" Sammy hissed from Harry's shoulder. Harry only nodded in response, since he didn't want the class to know about him being a Parseltongue. "Those are dangerous, master, I know about them, they're distantly related to us snakes…"
Harry shook his head to make Sammy stop hissing in front of class. Luckily, Sammy got the point and didn't say anything anymore.
Susan remembered seeing that monster once in a picture in one of her father's books. That incident had happened two years ago, but Susan remembered clearly. Of course the picture had moved, like all – or at least most of – the wizarding pictures did, and that thing had stared at her for a moment, then opened it's mouth and hissed something, revealing its sharp teeth…
Her mum had ran into her dad's office immediately when she had heard her daughter scream – of course she would, you never knew in these days, her parents would say – and taken that book out of Susan's hands, quickly shutting it. Of course she had been mad, her daughter knew she was not allowed to read those books after all, but she had explained afterwards.
This thing was an Occamy. Those creatures usually lived on small animals like rats and birds, but it could handle larger victims, like monkeys, as well, if it wanted to. And it would attack anyone who came too close. Later, she had read about that thing in 'Fantastic Beasts and where to find them' as well.
Susan was sure this monster wouldn't have any problems attacking a human at all.
The professor's voice brought Susan back to reality. "Hey, what are you waiting for? Those Occamies are known to be rather dangerous, so I'd advise you to get rid of it, Miss Wood." The teacher said.
Susan stared at the monster and swallowed hard. She had to think about transforming it into something amusing, but it was getting harder to think at all as the creature flew nearer and nearer. But she had to. Hmm… perhaps this would work. Now what had that spell been? Ah, sure.
"R… rid… riddiculus!" she managed to finally stutter, looking at the creature, that had now nearly reached her, in fear.
The Gryffindor half of the class laughed in relief and applauded when that… Occamy, was it?… suddenly had pink ribbons… everywhere. Around its neck, its wings, its tail… just everywhere. The Occamy-boggart looked slightly confused – or about as confused as a flying snake could look – and turned to the next student.
"Well done, Wood. Domy, you're next!" Harry shouted over the classes applause. "And as well as Miss Wood might have handled the boggart, it's nothing worth an extra applause, since I expect it from every single one of you!" he added.
Dominic Domy, a Slytherin, faced some thing the class had not expected to see there at all… a Veela. The class – even the Slytherins – burst out laughing. This guy was afraid of a Veela! That was a thing the boy would be teased about for months onwards… A Slytherin, afraid of a Veela! That story would make history…
"That's nothing to laugh about, those Veelas can really drive you insane! The guys of you might perhaps know what I'm talking about." Harry shouted in a tone that caused the whole class to flinch and be silent immediately. The man didn't seem to like people being teased at all, many thought. Or was he just favouring the Slytherins again?
After some time, nearly all class had faced the boggart, and class was nearly over. The class had seen loads of horrible things that lesson, and many – especially the girls – had screamed a lot, but they had laughed as well. A transformed boggart sometimes looked so funny…
"Longbottom, you are last! You put that boggart back into the cupboard when you're finished!" Harry announced.
Ronny Longbottom nodded shortly, before turning his attention to the boggart. This time however, the teacher was the first one to gasp at the sight of it, and the class watched their hated DADA professor, who was staring at Ronny's boggart open-mouthed.
Author's Note:
And another chapter done. Thanks for reading, folks. And: Can you guess what Ronny's boggart turned into to make Harry react like that?
"Good morning, class." Harry Potter said to the fifth year Gryffindors and Slytherins. He sounded grim. Bad mood. Class wouldn't be fun today, that much was sure. Well, it never really was.
"Good morning, Professor Evans." The class answered in unison, just not as loudly as usually.
The students took their seats and Harry Potter sat down on his desk, getting a few bemused glances from some students. He didn't even notice.
"Does any of you know what a boggart is?" the teacher asked. Martin raised his hand, as usually. But he was not the only one. Ronny had been told that story about his father's former potions professor in his grandmother's clothes. His dad hadn't liked the situation. Ronny thought it was quite funny, though. Except perhaps for the fact that all school had heard of it – that potions professor as well, who had been even meaner afterwards.
"Mr Longbottom?" Evans finally said.
"A boggart is a creature which lives in the dark. No one knows what it really looks like, for it transforms into your worst fear the moment you spot it. So it is really hard to handle."
"Thanks, Longbottom. This was a short, but good explanation of a boggart. Five points to Gryffindor." Evans said. The class was startled. That person gave points? And to Gryffindor? "Now, I do not think a boggart is that hard to handle. You do know it's nothing but a mean little boggart, after all. Luckily, Professor McGonagall found one in the dungeons last evening, for I was hoping to get a chance to let you actually face one, not just read about it in some book."
Harry grinned, remembering Minerva's expression when she had told them there was a basilisk down in the dungeons. His grin faded, as he remembered how the story continued. He'd gone down there with Minerva, in order to help her get that creature locked into a cupboard. He hadn't known what it would transform into if it faced him back then. He hadn't known what his greatest far was. And he had wanted to find out before he'd face it in front of the class. And now he knew, and he hadn't liked it. That thing had transformed into Lord Voldemort. Minerva had screamed and ran out of the room. Harry had stood there, a bit shocked, for a moment, before he had said that simple spell to… change its shape a bit. Then he had locked it, secretly relieved. Of course it had been nothing but a boggart, but it had still looked powerful and frightening. He would avoid to meet that thing in front of his class.
"Any objections?" the professor asked. A girl raised her hand.
"Miss Baker?"
"I… I do not want to meet my worst fear, Professor." She quietly said.
"Now, that's understandable. Do you know what your worst fear would be?" Evans asked calmly.
"I… no, not really." She answered.
"It's time to find out, then, isn't it? And of course, there is a spell to get rid of it. I'll teach you that charm before you face the boggart. I'm sure you can handle it. In my schooldays, everybody did fine with the boggart, and we had only just started third year. I'll even have the first years try to handle it today. And if it's too hard, I'll do it for you after a while. But I'm sure that won't happen. So are you all ready to fight the evil boggart now?" Harry said, smiling.
The class smiled back. Perhaps Evans really wasn't that bad at all. He had proven to be able to actually be nice in a few situations so far.
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Draco Malfoy was teaching potions – first years, even worse. Those students were completely frightened of him. As well they should be, but he couldn't properly work with them yet. They just didn't dare speak. Not saying anything at all. So of course, they didn't reply if he asked questions. None of them. Draco couldn't remember being that frightened of Snape in first year. Those students really did overreact. But he was sure he'd get that fixed. A few points off here, a few points off there, and perhaps some detentions… they'd change their behaviour some time.
"I want some hands up there! You really don't know that answer? Such a simple question! You can't possibly be that stupid, can you?" Draco yelled and the class shivered. Hopefully, he wouldn't take that many points off.
Suddenly, it knocked. The door. Everyone had heard it, for as usual it was silent in Malfoy's class. Especially with the first years.
"Enter!" Malfoy shouted, wondering who dared to disturb his class. He hoped it was a Gryffindor. It was.
Harry Potter opened the door and entered the room. Malfoy could see some students standing behind him. Fifth years, it seemed. Yeah, there were Longbottom and his little gang. Fifth years Gryffindors and Slytherins.
"You are disturbing a very important class, Evans. Why, if I may ask?" Malfoy said. He didn't mind the students knowing about the rivalry between two of their teachers.
"I want to know where you've put the cupboard with that boggart. I thought you might know where it is, since the dungeons are yours and that boggart isn't where I put it yesterday. You wouldn't by chance have put it away?" Harry Potter said coolly.
"Of course I have, Evans, for it was standing in the middle of my office." Malfoy snarled.
"And where is it now?" Harry asked, obviously annoyed.
"In a corner of my office, Evans. You would have seen it already if you weren't so blind. Now would you please go on with what ever pointless activity you are momentarily planning to do and leave the people on the higher level teach their class in peace?" Malfoy said.
"Gratefully!" Harry spat and turned on the spot and walked away, his class following. They looked nearly as annoyed as him.
"And thanks for closing the door, Evans!" Malfoy shouted after him. He was satisfied. He had actually made Evans angry. At least it looked that way. Malfoy went to the door and was in the progress of closing the door himself, when…
Bang!
Malfoy screamed in a mixture of pain and rage. The door had shut really well, after it had hit his head. His nose seemed to be broken.
"Something wrong, Malfoy? I thought I had heard you telling me to shut that door."
Evans. He sounded cheerful. Really happy.
"You did that on purpose, ass." Malfoy muttered
"And if I did, wouldn't I be foolish to admit it?" Harry Potter said from outside the room. "And now let's go, we don't want to disturb dear Professor Malfoy's class any longer than absolutely necessary, now do we? He is, after all, busy threatening some first-years, which is awfully hard to do and requires a good deal of concentration." he said, turning to his class.
Some looked utterly shocked, others grinned wildly. Harry smiled. "I thought so." He said and casually walked away, leaving a furious Malfoy behind. The class was staring at their potions professor anxiously. Malfoy was cool, always picking on stinking Gryffindors, the Slytherins thought. Malfoy in rage was bad though, for everyone.
Professor Draco Malfoy knew he had to go to that Poppy woman soon, if he didn't want his nose to end up like the one of Albus Dumbledore. And he didn't.
"Class dismissed!" Malfoy growled before leaving his classroom and slamming the door shut, causing his students to flinch. After their teacher had left, the kids sighed in relief.
*****
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"Now that's what I'd call a Slimy Slytherin." Harry Potter muttered.
"Come again, Professor?" Leon asked. Had Evans just said what he thought he had? The rest of the class looked bemused as well.
Harry sighed. There was not really a reason to hide it from the kids, they'd notice it sometime, anyway. Besides, it would be fun to see their reaction.
They had reached Malfoy's office, which was not far from the teacher's classroom. Harry Potter and the class stopped.
"If you have not noticed, Mr Creevey… " the professor said. The class was entirely quiet, looking at him expectantly.
"Professor Malfoy and I do not really get along too well. To get it straight: I cannot stand that git, and I doubt he likes me any better." he continued, a slight smile on his calm face.
Some gasped, others smiled, a few even laughed out loud. They had never expected Evans of all people would say to say something like that outright… in presence of his students.
"Now do not blame me for telling you, Malfoy did not really make much of an effort to hide it from you as well, now did he?" Harry asked, now grinning broadly.
Ronny laughed even louder. Sometimes Evans behaved like an ass, then again sometimes he was nothing but cool. Now what was he like? Now he was really funny… and he was right about Malfoy being a git, no question. Ronny was sure everyone – at least every Gryffindor – would agree with that. Now what house had Evans been in? He had promised to tell them, but they had forgotten to ask him the day before. Had he perhaps even – as unbelievingly as it sounded – been a Gryffindor? He did want to train the Gryffindor Quidditch team after all, and that couldn't be just out of pity. And he despised Malfoy, that Slimy...
Ronny stopped his thoughts as Evans unlocked the door to Malfoy's office once more. The class stepped in they looked around for some cupboard, where that boggart would be in.
"Ah, there it is." Harry said. With a wave of his hand, Harry lifted the cupboard into the air. Then he left the office, the cupboard floating out behind him. He didn't seem to do any sort of spell and there was no visible connection between the teacher and the cupboard.
"Now are you coming?" Harry asked, sounding a little annoyed. The class had not moved, but just stared at him. They had never seen anyone, except perhaps for Dumbledore, do that sort of stuff.
"Sure thing." Martin Whitby said after a while and stepped out of the door after Evans, who smiled and gave Martin a small nod. Slowly the class followed hesitantly.
That was the first time Martin had noticed Evans didn't use a wand at all. Of course, Martin had read all about wand-less magic. Only very few very advanced and powerful wizards and witched could perform it, and only the most simple spells. It was nearly impossible if the person did not constantly hold eye-contact with the object, or sometimes even person, he was cursing. And the people had to practise really long to actually manage, then it was still difficult to cast spells and curses.
Evans did not look like he was concentrating at all, and he never looked at the object all their way to the classroom, which was no little distance.
Martin had once tried some wand-less magic himself. It had been last year – not that long ago at all – and he had been sitting in an empty classroom for hours, trying the most simple transfiguration he could think of – a match into a needle. Naturally, Martin had never managed. He had been really frustrated and sad by the end of the day. Martin had always thought of himself of a rather good wizard, since he knew stuff from books the others had never heard about. But that was just knowledge, he had realised. There was a great difference between knowledge and ability, and one had to be very powerful to be able to perform any wand-less magic. Martin assumed no kid had ever done so.
Martin smiled. He'd been really naïve last year.
The class stopped. Martin, Ronny and Leon recognised the room as Evans' office. It was next to Evans' place, but they had never been in that office before. The kids wondered what it would look like.
Harry opened the door and led them into the room. It was – big surprise, they thought – colourful. Not as bad as his place, but colourful still. The floor was red, the walls green. There were several bookshelves at the walls, even more than in Evans' place. This guy really did seem to read much. Then there was a huge desk with a chair there. Several books were lying on the desk, as well as loads of parchments, some written on, some clear.
"Now that was stupid." Harry muttered and made all that stuff on his desk vanish with a snip. He shouldn't have let stuff like that lying around openly, and he still had not placed any proper security charms onto his place and his office.
"Now, before you get your hands at that poor creature, I'll make sure you know the spell so you won't hurt it too badly while getting rid of it, okay? The word is 'Riddikulus'. Quite simple, I'm sure you won't have any problems with it. Now please, try to copy this." Harry said. He waved his hand and said "Riddikulus!". The class stared at him, some waving around with their hands stupidly.
"Er… you use your wands of course." Harry said quickly. He'd have to get his wand soon, or else people might suspect anything. But then, breaking into Gringotts was certainly pretty dangerous and difficult, so if he'd ever do that to get his wand back, he'd better properly plan that little trip before. He was really acting stupid lately.
The class raised their wands and waved them, calling "Riddikulus!". Harry thought it looked just fine, so he'd let them start now.
"Hmm…" he said. The class stopped and looked at him.
"Miss Wood… would you mind being the first one to face that boggart?" Harry Potter asked.
"M… me?" the girl stuttered. She'd face that thing if it had to be, but as the first one?
"Yes, you. You walk over to that cupboard and draw it open, it is not magically locked. That boggart will come out and you'll be the first one it'll face, since you are nearest. Then you think how you could… change its shape a bit… so it looks funny."
Susan Wood stared at Evans strangely. How was she supposed to make her worst fear look funny?
The teacher seemed to read her thoughts. "It's not as insane as it sounds, believe me. Just try to laugh at it, since laugher is truly the best weapon to use on a boggart. Do you remember the spell, Miss Wood?" he asked.
"Y… yes." The girl stuttered.
"Try then. And the rest of you better be prepared, you'll all come to face that thing." Harry said. The class flinched. This would be hard.
Slowly, Susan Wood opened that cupboard, ready to face that boggart, though she had no idea what it would turn into. She was shocked when she saw that creature. It had a snake's body, but feathers and wings like a bird, and who legs. It was about three metres tall, so the class backed away hastily, not to get in the monster's way.
"Oh no, master, it's an Occamy!" Sammy hissed from Harry's shoulder. Harry only nodded in response, since he didn't want the class to know about him being a Parseltongue. "Those are dangerous, master, I know about them, they're distantly related to us snakes…"
Harry shook his head to make Sammy stop hissing in front of class. Luckily, Sammy got the point and didn't say anything anymore.
Susan remembered seeing that monster once in a picture in one of her father's books. That incident had happened two years ago, but Susan remembered clearly. Of course the picture had moved, like all – or at least most of – the wizarding pictures did, and that thing had stared at her for a moment, then opened it's mouth and hissed something, revealing its sharp teeth…
Her mum had ran into her dad's office immediately when she had heard her daughter scream – of course she would, you never knew in these days, her parents would say – and taken that book out of Susan's hands, quickly shutting it. Of course she had been mad, her daughter knew she was not allowed to read those books after all, but she had explained afterwards.
This thing was an Occamy. Those creatures usually lived on small animals like rats and birds, but it could handle larger victims, like monkeys, as well, if it wanted to. And it would attack anyone who came too close. Later, she had read about that thing in 'Fantastic Beasts and where to find them' as well.
Susan was sure this monster wouldn't have any problems attacking a human at all.
The professor's voice brought Susan back to reality. "Hey, what are you waiting for? Those Occamies are known to be rather dangerous, so I'd advise you to get rid of it, Miss Wood." The teacher said.
Susan stared at the monster and swallowed hard. She had to think about transforming it into something amusing, but it was getting harder to think at all as the creature flew nearer and nearer. But she had to. Hmm… perhaps this would work. Now what had that spell been? Ah, sure.
"R… rid… riddiculus!" she managed to finally stutter, looking at the creature, that had now nearly reached her, in fear.
The Gryffindor half of the class laughed in relief and applauded when that… Occamy, was it?… suddenly had pink ribbons… everywhere. Around its neck, its wings, its tail… just everywhere. The Occamy-boggart looked slightly confused – or about as confused as a flying snake could look – and turned to the next student.
"Well done, Wood. Domy, you're next!" Harry shouted over the classes applause. "And as well as Miss Wood might have handled the boggart, it's nothing worth an extra applause, since I expect it from every single one of you!" he added.
Dominic Domy, a Slytherin, faced some thing the class had not expected to see there at all… a Veela. The class – even the Slytherins – burst out laughing. This guy was afraid of a Veela! That was a thing the boy would be teased about for months onwards… A Slytherin, afraid of a Veela! That story would make history…
"That's nothing to laugh about, those Veelas can really drive you insane! The guys of you might perhaps know what I'm talking about." Harry shouted in a tone that caused the whole class to flinch and be silent immediately. The man didn't seem to like people being teased at all, many thought. Or was he just favouring the Slytherins again?
After some time, nearly all class had faced the boggart, and class was nearly over. The class had seen loads of horrible things that lesson, and many – especially the girls – had screamed a lot, but they had laughed as well. A transformed boggart sometimes looked so funny…
"Longbottom, you are last! You put that boggart back into the cupboard when you're finished!" Harry announced.
Ronny Longbottom nodded shortly, before turning his attention to the boggart. This time however, the teacher was the first one to gasp at the sight of it, and the class watched their hated DADA professor, who was staring at Ronny's boggart open-mouthed.
Author's Note:
And another chapter done. Thanks for reading, folks. And: Can you guess what Ronny's boggart turned into to make Harry react like that?