Chapter Twenty Eight - In Which Fears Are Faced
"Good morning class" greeted Professor Lupin "stand up, wands out, today is going to be a practical lesson" A series of excited voices broke out, Professor Lupin continued, "I'd like to remind you all that exams are fast approaching, so keep studying hard" he encouraged deliberately avoiding Tonks's gaze "you're doing brilliantly, all of you."
Professor Lupin paused as if trying to muster up the courage to continue and Tonks couldn't help but stare at him. He looked as pale as death itself, he's eyes weren't the usual twinkling blue and he was not as clean shaven.
"Today I'd like to reintroduce you to a creature that I'm sure your very familiar with, no doubt you will have covered them before in your third year."
Professor Lupin began to drag a large heavy chest into the middle of the classroom. Bill jumped out of his seat and began to help him.
"Thank-you Bill" he nodded, there was a sudden bang from within the closet, "Nothing to worry about" said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm.
"There's a boggart in there. Our dear headmaster, Professor Dumbledore was fortunate to come across it last week and suggested that you'd all like to have a look.
Boggets are quite common creatures really" he continued, "usually hidden in dark places, gaps between beds, cupboards, sinks and under desks. Their shape shifters" Tonks swallowed as a few people around her glanced in her direction, but Professor Lupin didn't seem to notice. "A boggart in the darkness had 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. It is important to remember that boggarts feed off our fears, without us there is no boggart. Just like life, fears don't exist without us, we create them in our minds and the more we feed them, the more they will grow.
But fears change and mature just like people, a serpent, a spider or a monster under your bed might have been the worst think you could imagine when you were 14, but what about now? Are you afraid of darker things? Fears that are not as easily defeated.
It's important" Professor Lupin paused again picking his words carefully, "to never underestimate the power of fear, fear makes people do terrible things, they tell you about a person's innermost feelings, there a window to a person's soul. It is rumoured that Voldermorts boggart is himself lying dead" the majority of the class flinched at this but Tonks only smiled sadly, he was the first person that she had ever heard use his name like that, she always knew that he was brave.
"So you see" he continued, "a person's boggart tells us a lot about who they are. It tells us that what we fight is not darkness or evil, what we fight is only fear and the sooner we realise that fear can be overcome, the better people we will be.
So" continued Professor Lupin breaking out of his thought "I'm sure you all remember the spell, Riddikulus" he said showing them the wand action.
"Riddikulus" the class repeated.
"This class is ridiculous" mumbled Terrence angrily from down the back.
"Remember to think of something funny", he instructed.
Tonks thought it was strange watching her classmates battle the boggart. It was almost embarrassing to see their fears laid bare before everyone, and unnerving to hear there shrieks of terror as many of them burst into tears at the sight of themselves and their loved ones dead.
After the first few attempts Professor Lupin began to think that perhaps this wasn't such a good idea. Things were rather gruesome and he felt like he was really about to throw up after seeing Laura's boggart.
A piercing scream ripped through the air, as young girl cried out in pain, splattered across the floor she was practically swimming in a thick pool of her own blood clotting and thickening as if made of slime. Laura just stood there transfixed at the image in front of her, her robes soaking up some of the blood.
Laura swallowed, she knew it wasn't real, but Merlin she couldn't stop shaking.
"Riddikulus" she sobbed out, but with no effect, the boggart smell her fear.
"Riddikulus" she said again breaking down into a fresh series of sobs,
Instantly both Tonks and Professor Lupin rushed forward to help, the class had definitely become out of control. The boggart changed and Tonks felt time stop. She saw herself spread out across the floor, her blood splattering in all directions as she was being mauled by a werewolf and as horrific as it seemed, Tonks knew deep down that this wasn't her boggart, and in that split second as she looked up and caught the terror in his eye she realised that it was Professor Lupins. But she didn't want the rest of the class to know that.
Tonks instincts kicked in as she rushed forward and shouted "Riddikulus", she did it so quickly and so fearlessly that the boggart didn't have time to change shapes. It simply burst into a thousand small pieces of nothing.
When Tonks looked up everybody in the room seemed to be in a state of shock, even Bill who was normally calm was twitching at the sight of Tonks's lifeless open body on the ground.
"Thank-you Tonks" said Professor Lupin looking as if he was about to pass out and still staring at the place where Tonks's body had been lying on the floor.
"Class dismissed" he mumbled waving them out.
A few people mumbled looking confused between Tonks and Professor Lupin. Tonks desperately wanted to stay behind, she wanted to talk to him about the boggart but she knew her friends wouldn't let her get away that easily.
"Tonks?" questioned Olivia who was also comforting Laura "what's your boggart?" she asked eyeing her sceptically.
"Don't be daft Olivia!" replied Tonks frustrated "you saw it, I'm afraid of werewolves"
"Really?" questioned Olivia getting slightly annoyed herself, "because you've never talked about them before and I'm getting the strange suspicion that there's something you're not telling me" she whispered
"Well" replied Tonks's slightly higher than normal voice "you saw it for yourself",
"Because from where I was standing" continued Olivia picking her words carefully "Professor Lupin was closer to the boggart"
Tonks shrugged, "and why would his boggart be me getting attacked by a werewolf?" she asked her hair flashing to a dangerous shade of red.
"You tell me" replied Olivia feeling slightly bad about what she had implied, "you know that you can tell me if something was up?" she continued quizzically staring at Tonks.
It was that moment that Tonks felt guilty about everything, it was also that moment that Laura chose to throw up all over the floor.
Olivia didn't even bother to say goodbye, she just continued to lead Laura to the hospital wing.
And so Tonks sunk back into the classroom…
Author's Note- I'm back! Sorry to leave a cliff hanger, it would have been too long if I had of continued. Thanks again for all your wonderful reviews
Letswilhelm (awesome to have you back – I had to have a good laugh at your hot choc joke ) JellyBeaan007, JessAndFriend, Guest, Evytheworm, Random Person With No Name, Pleione-x, Mary, Xxrunnin-wit-pandasxX, Saraell, ayshanesionovia, Shirapp, Guest (different one), Hannah,
So being a good author, I want to mention that I have been reading some of my amazing reviewer's stories which are all amazing! I want to read all your stories wonderful reviewers! There amazing, I don't know where to start, but hopefully I will get around to all of them, there are never enough hours in the day, but I will try,
So basically no question for today, I'm just going to try and start reading some of your stories! But feel free to direct me to your faveourite fanficion! And thanks for sharing your "true love" advice last chapter it was really special to hear all your opinions! Sweet Dreams,
PrincessDreamGirl
