I do not own Harry Potter. All the characters and if you find anything familiar from the books belongs to J.K Rowling. All the bolded text from the book 3 belongs to J.K Rowling.

Chapter 14: Blast into the past

Pacing back and forth in his room, James Potter was wondering why his dad doesn't tell him about things that have been going around. If he tries to ask about the past, he gets straight no and same about the things in present, his parents try to hide everything from him. The only person from whom he gets most of the answers is Teddy but where on earth is he, thought James.

"Hey, James…..Do you know–" asked Al as he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"What?" replied James angrily.

"Oi….no need to be mad at me" said Al shaking his head.

"Sorry…I was just thinking where the hell is Teddy" said James ruffling his hair with anger and frustration. "Do you think we should do some of our own investigation?" he added thinking through all the clues he have by now.

"I don't know…..what if dad finds out and you know how angry mum gets when she finds out"

"Oh…. don't worry about them, they won't know about it" replied James with an evil grin on his face.

"Are you sure? What is your plan anyways?" asked Al looking suspiciously at his brother as he knows James comes up with the ridiculous ideas but somehow they do work.

"Hmmm… come with me" said James as he went to open the door. He tried to open it but somehow it was locked from outside. "What the hell….who locked the door?"

"You have got to be kidding me" said Al as he tried to open it too. "It can't be Mum, Dad or Teddy or Lily….they know we can use magic in potter manor… this is stupid" he added pointing his wand at the door.

"Alohamora"

Boys came out of the room and wondering who locked the door. They were about to enter Teddy's room when they saw Lily coming out of it.

"How did you come out of your room?" asked Lily.

"So it was you who put that lock spell on the door" asked Al.

"Lily you know we can use magic here so what were you trying to do?" asked James.

"Ummm sorry I forgot that we could do magic here without being getting traced" she replied nervously.

"But–" Al was about to say something when James interrupted.

"Never mind that….Lily why don't you go into you room and do your work" said James.

She nodded and left.

"What is wrong with her? I thought she might snap at us or something but she just left….that's not Lily at all" said Al.

"I know but maybe she is worried about Teddy" replied James and went into Teddy's room and Al nodded and followed him into the room.

"The Boggart in the Wardrobe," read Ron with an evil grin on his face as he looked at his potions master.

"Oh come on….do we really have to read this chapter?" said Snape stubbornly making everybody jump as it was like one of the shocks they has faced about Snape. He shaked his head and "I mean this is not necessary…is it?" he asked in his usual bitter tone looking at Teddy.

But Teddy just smiled and nodded to Ron to continue.

Malfoy didn't reappear in classes until late on Thursday morning, when the Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon, his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting, in Harry's opinion, as though he were the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle.

"Yeah right" snorted Tonks.

"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But Harry saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away.

"Cissy your son needs to learn some new tactics." laughed Sirius.

"Umm" Draco muttered while his face was returning red.

"You are one to talk" said Emily under her breath but was heard by some people in the room.

"Sorry did you say something?" asked Sirius.

Emily just looked him in the eyes and was unable to reply "Umm…..mm I-I

"She just said you are one to talk" filled in Alison in as a matter of fact tone making everybody snigger while Sirius shrugged.

"Oh come on Sirius you used to do that all the time" said Lily giggling with the others.

"I did not"

"Yes you did" said James and Remus together causing more laughter in the room.

"Lovely friends" said Sirius sarcastically.

Harry was observing everyone very keenly especially Sirius as he knows what is coming next chapters and he could see the pain in his godfather's eyes. Watching the marauders and his mom laughing and making jokes was a very perfect sight to see their friendship but what they did to deserve separation and pain, thought Harry. He felt frustration and anger coursing through him and then sadness was all that reflected from his face. He heard Ron reading again but he was so lost in his thoughts that words just went by.

He thought, if it wasn't for him maybe his mother had never died…they all say it's Voldemort's fault but it was for him that they had risked their lives and more are risking their lives every day. Maybe he should just leave them all and let them have a peaceful life where there is no Harry Potter to be the reason for their worries. He should just leave –

"Harry" he heard Hermione and felt her hand on his shoulder as her grasp tightens. He looked up and saw that everybody has been looking at him.

"What?" he said and looked as if somebody has woken him from a dream.

"You didn't heard what I was saying did you?" she asked.

"Ummm….sorry I was kind of lost in my thoughts for a second. What did you say?" replied Harry calmly as he doesn't want to let them know he was thinking.

"Harry….are you ok? You look pale and worried" said Ron.

"What is it?" asked Sirius and Remus at the same time and then looked at each other as if both thinking the same thing.

"Nothing" he lied knowing that this is not going to be good if they keep asking about his thoughts.

Ron and Hermione slightly jumped as both looked at each other and nodded.

"Ummm….could anybody please like to continue from here" said Ron putting the book open on the table.

"Come on we need to talk" said Hermione as Ron and her took Harry by his arm and went into the other.

Everybody looked astonished as they could possibly not think of why they went to talk as reading was going smooth and everybody was just laughing minutes ago.

"And please keep reading" said Ron as he peaked back into the room before closing the door.

"What do you want to talk?" asked Harry looking at his friends.

"Did we ever tell you that you suck at lies?" snapped Hermione.

"Ummm yeah sometimes" he replied back.

"So now are you gonna tell us what were you thinking?" said Ron as stood next to Hermione.

"Listen guys…its really nothing ok its nothing you need worry about" he replied.

"Alright if you don't want to tell us than it's fine but let me tell you one thing Harry James Potter…we have told you this before and will tell many times more that we are in this together with you and will be with till the end –

"Hermione–

"No let me finish….I know we have been really secretive from you this summer and didn't really replied to all your letters and I am…We are sorry for that we were doing what Dumbledore asked us to do but now I have realised that He may be right but our friendship is much stronger than anybody else and no matter what happens or whatever comes next we are not backing down…okay"

"I second what she said" said Ron as he took Hermione's hand in his and they smiled at each other and looked at Harry.

"You guys are taking it too far…..I – okay I was thinking that maybe I am the reason that you all had or have to suffer but I never doubted on our friendship and I am sorry too…I should have talked to you guys about this…I mean ever since I came to Grimmauld's place, we didn't really talked to each other and I was mad at you guys but not anymore."

"Harry, we are not fighting for you we are fighting for us, our loved ones" said Hermione as she and Ron went to stand next to Harry.

"Promise me you will not let us out…..you will not try to push us away" said Hermione as she put her hand in front of him. "Promise"

"I promise" he replied.

"So that's settle then and now what do you say shall we go back in and break the suspense." said Ron. "They think like we are on a secret mission or something" he added laughing with the other two. "Plus I don't want to miss the boggart part"

"Oh I don't wanna miss the reaction of others" said Harry sniggering as he followed Ron.

A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defense Against the Dark Arts class before, unless you counted the memorable class last year when their old teacher had brought a cageful of pixies to class and set them loose.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."

"So teaching again Professor Lupin" said Harry as he entered the room and saw Remus reading.

The three of them had a smile on their faces which made others relaxed a bit. They took back their seats and looked perfectly normal and happy.

"You were the best teacher we had" said Hermione. She was just trying to make sure nobody question Harry or them about what just happened and why did they left.

"True" said the Hogwarts student in the room including Draco.

"Thank you"

"Do you mind if I continue from here? I really want to read this chapter" said Ron making Snape glare at him.

Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.

Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.

"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin —

"I can believe he is still singing that stupid song. Sirius and I did a really great job then huh" smirked James while Remus just shaked his head smiling at his friends.

Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling.

"He is always smiling" Tonks chuckled and then blushed as she realized she has said it out loud and the redness rose as she saw him blushing too at her comment. While the others just smiled.

"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms."

Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.

"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."

He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "Waddiwasi!" and pointed it at Peeves. With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.

"Wicked" said the twins and Teddy together.

"Nice one professor Moony" smirked Sirius giving a high five.

"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement. "Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"

They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.

"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back.

The staffroom, a long, paneled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in. His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this."

He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear."

"Sev…that's really unfair" said Lily. "And I know you are going to say that life is never fair but still they are just children" she added.

But Snape has somehow lost his voice as he heard Lily calling him Sev. He missed listening to her for so long. He felt sad; "Sorry" he mumbled and looked at the ground to hide the pain in his eyes.

Neville went scarlet. Harry glared at Snape; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers.

Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows.

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."

Almost everybody chuckled. "Nice one" Sirius clapped his friend's back while glaring at Snape.

Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap.

"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.

"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a Boggart in there."

"That's a really good start…..I am impressed Professor" said Lily.

"Oh stop…..don't call me Professor" he said shortly.

"Now now….. Moony you are just sounding like my cousin here" laughed Sirius as he pointed at his cousin which obviously made the couple blush.

Most people seemed to feel that this wassomething to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some practice.

"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a Boggart?"

Hermione put up her hand.

"Of Course…..who else could it be" said Draco.

"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. "So the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet 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.

"This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"

Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to him, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting, but Harry had a go.

"I know how that feels," said Ron while Hermione glared at the two.

"Sorry" both said quietly and Ron started reading.

"Er — because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"

"Precisely," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione put her hand down, looking a little disappointed.

"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 — tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.

"Oh our boggart class was awesome…I still remember how we literally had tears because of laughing so badly" said James.

"Yeah…I don't think I laughed that much during a class" said Lily.

"Oh you wait till you hear what Professor Lupin did…..it was hilarious" said Harry. "No offense sir" he added looking at Snape who just looked at him in surprise.

"The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.

"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please… riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."

The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

Nevile was turning red at the thought of what is about to come.

"It's okay Neville…We know you were just nervous" said Lily smiling.

"I didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.

Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape."

"What!" exclaimed Lily as she and others others just burst out laughing, obviously not Snape.

"Snivellus you frigthens the poor kid" snorted Sirius.

"Sorry Professor" said Neville looking guiltily on the floor.

Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.

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

"No you didn't" said Lily as she looked in horror at the sight of poor Severus.

"No Lily….He did" said Snape looking viciously at Remus. But there was a tone of amusement in his voice but it was more because of Lily talking about him.

"Oh Remus…this is very rude" said Lily in a serious tone and then next second she started laughing. "But Sev…you have to agree it's funny" she added.

"Funny? I think it's hilarious…I wish I could have seen that sight" said James but earned a smack on his arm by his wife.

"shhh...Ron dear read" she said.

"Er — yes," said Neville nervously. "But — I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either."

"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"

Neville looked startled, but said, "Well… always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress… green, normally… and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.

"A big red one," said Neville.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"And here I thought he is the decent one among them" pouted Snape. "What….I knew about this but I didn't know that he came up with this whole idea of Grandma thing" he added glaring at Remus.

"Sorry" said Remus sincerely but soon he added "but what did you accept I am a Marauder after all" which made everybody laugh.

"Yes," said Neville uncertainty, plainly wondering what was coming next.

"When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand — thus — and cry 'Riddikulus' — and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."

"Oh I would pay galleons to see Granny Snivellus" laughed Sirius.

There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.

"If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical…"

The room went quiet. Harry thought… What scared him most in the world?

His first thought was Lord Voldemort — a Voldemort returned to full strength. But before he had even started to plan a possible counterattack on a Boggart-Voldemort,

a horrible image came floating to the surface of his mind…

A rotting, glistening hand, slithering back beneath a black cloak… a long, rattling breath from an unseen mouth… then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning…

"You do know Potter that it's really impressive that you are more afraid of the fear itself" said Snape with a surprised expression on his face. "Why do you all have to look at me like that whenever I say something?" he added as he looked up all the shocked faces.

"See professor the thing is you have been acting a little weird…I am sorry I mean unusual as you have been praising Harry –"

"Which until today we thought is impossible" added Ron. "And – I will shut now" he said as he saw the glare of Snape and went back to reading instead.

Harry shivered, then looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself, "Take its legs off." Harry was sure he knew what that was about. Ron's greatest fear was spiders.

"Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin.

Harry felt a lurch of fear. He wasn't ready. How could you make a Dementor less frightening? But he didn't want to ask for more time; everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves.

"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward… Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot —"

They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.

"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One — two — three —now!"

A jet of sparks shot from the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.

Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.

"R — r — riddikulus!" squeaked Neville.

There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.

Everybody just burst out laughing at this while Snape just glared around the room.

"Oh God…I wish I could have seen that" laughed Sirius as he wiped the tear of his eyes

"Sev…..I wish I was alive to see that" said Lily when she could finally breathe after laughing so hard. But soon she realised that this had rather made everyone tense. Severus stood up from his seat and left the room.

"Should I continue reading?" asked Ron as everybody was calm now and Lily was looking gloomily at the door but she nodded.

There was a roar of laughter; the Boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"

Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was 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.

A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.

"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin.

Seamus darted past Parvati.

Crack!Where the mummy had been was a woman with floorlength black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face — 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 — "Riddikulus!" shouted Seamus.

The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.

Crack! The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then —crack!- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before —crack! — becoming a single, bloody eyeball.

"Ewww! That's just gross…why would anyone be scared of an eyeball" said Tonks scrunching her nose.

"It's confused!" shouted Lupin. "We're getting there! Dean!"

Dean hurried forward.

Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.

"Riddikulus!" yelled Dean.

There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.

"Excellent! Ron, you next!"

Ron leapt forward.

Crack!

Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, Harry thought Ron had frozen.

"Some faithful friend you are" said Ron glaring at Harry who just smiled sheepishly.

Then —

"Riddikulus!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry's feet. He raised his wand, ready, but —

"Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward. Crack!

"Yo Moony! why didn't you let my godson have a go?" asked Sirius.

"I thought it might turn into Voldemort" he replied.

The legless spider had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. Then they saw a silvery-white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said,"Riddikulus!" almost lazily.

Crack!

"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" said Lupin as the Boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach. Crack! Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined.

"Riddikulus!"he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the Boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone.

"Good job Neville…..you are brilliant you just need some confidence just like your mother that's all" said Lily.

Neville smiled.

"Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone… Let me see… five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the Boggart — ten for Neville because he did it twice… and five each to Hermione and Harry."

"But I didn't do anything," said Harry.

"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of the class, Harry," Lupin said lightly. "Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, kindly read the chapter on Boggarts and summarize it for me… to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

Talking excitedly, the class left the staffroom. Harry, however, wasn't feeling cheerful.

Professor Lupin had deliberately stopped him from tackling the Boggart. Why? Was it because he'd seen Harry collapse on the train, and thought he wasn't up to much? Had he thought Harry would pass out again?

"I honestly did not think a bit of that" said Remus quickly in defense.

"I know…it was just a stupid thought" sighed Harry.

"No it was not stupid it how you saw it from your perspective." said Lily.

But no one else seemed to have noticed anything.

"Did you see me take that banshee?" shouted Seamus.

"And the hand!" said Dean, waving his own around.

"And Snape in that hat!"

"And my mummy!"

"I wonder why Professor Lupin's frightened of crystal balls?" said Lavender thoughtfully.

"Crystal balls!" snorted Teddy and Tonks.

"That was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags.

"He seems like a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly.

"But I wish I could have had a turn with the Boggart —"

"And I was right about it was I not Hermione Granger" said Ron in a dramatic tone but soon groaned loudly as she smacked him hard on his head.

"What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"

"You really had that as your Boggart?" asked James looking amused as he remembered something from past. "If it makes you feel any better…..Lily had the same one" he said in low tone.

"I did not" Lily said crossing her arms.

"You did" said everybody who was in school with her back then.

Before Lily could say anything in return, there was a loud booming noise in the room along with a bright flash of light.

"What the hell was that?" yelled Snape as came back in.

"James….Al" gasped Teddy as he stood up from his seat looking at the two boys who just appeared out of the light.

~A/N~ Please review...

***Chapter still have to be edited