Lexie's POV: I woke up covered in sweat. Carefully, I looked at my leg. It was thankfully better than yesterday but still; the wound was heated and red. I sighed and let myself fall back into bed. I just needed to get today over with and then I could use the weekend to take a break from all of this. I got ready and headed over to the Great Hall. It was still very early so the tables were mostly empty. My gaze fell on the teacher's table where Lupin sat. Our eyes met and when he stood up, I quickly turned around and headed back to the Slytherin dorm. I was halfway there when I met Marcus.
"God, Lexie, where have you been? I haven't seen you in like two days. Professor Lupin came by our Herbology lesson yesterday morning and excused you. Even the Ravenclaws started talking about it. Are you okay?"
"Relax, Marcus. I was on my way to class when I met Professor Lupin. Apparently, I looked like a walking dead, so he sent me back to bed. I'm much better now." I lied giving him a big smile.
He carefully eyed me up and down. "To be honest, Lexie. You still look a bit pale. Are you sure you don't want to go to Miss Pomfrey?"
"No", I said a bit too fast.
Marcus raised one eyebrow.
"Don't worry about it. I think I just didn't eat well." I gave him one more smile. "So, what have you been up to?"
We headed to the Great Hall together.
"I saw Shelley in the dungeons last night. You think she was looking for someone?"
Marcus stopped. "Shelley? Veronica Shelley?"
"Yes, Veronica Shelley. You know Chaser from Gryffindor. I was wondering if maybe she was looking for someone... a certain Slytherin student maybe" I smirked.
"What? Who?"
I just shook my head and chuckled. We were nearly at the Great Hall when I stopped again.
"You know... I want you to be happy. Even if that means you're happy with ... someone I might not get along too well."
He raised his eyebrows. "Someone you might not get along with too well?"
"I'm trying really hard to be nice here okay."
"Fine, fine." He chuckled. "Thanks, Lexie. That really means a lot to me." He smiled at me. "Now, let's get you something to eat. You still look like a vampire sucked out all your blood."
"Hey." I protested but he shoved me into the Great Hall and down at a table. I looked up but thankfully Lupin was gone.
"So, what's your conclusion for the Transfiguration paper? And did you do the DADA homework?" Marcus asked with a mouth full of scrambled eggs. My eyes got big.
"Shit." was all I managed to say. "It's okay you're always so good with your homework, I'm sure they will let this one time pass," Marcus said but it was not about the homework, it was about the fact that I forgot we had an hour DADA today at all. I really could not stand seeing Lupin's face right now, but I swallowed my pride and made my way to his classroom.
"God, you look awful." Lupin greeted me.
"Thanks, you too," I mumbled ironically. I realised too late that that was not the best way to respond to a Professor. The whole class stared at me and Lupin. He noticed the staring as well and replied with a gloomy look.
"Good thing you already have detention with me this evening, Miss Hatchet. I'm going to think of a very pleasant task for you."
He said with a cold voice, although his eyes were still full of remorse and sorrow. Once everyone sat down, Lupin began his class.
"Last time we started with the Patronus charm. A very powerful spell to protect yourself from Dementors and we will continue with this next week, but I have this Boggart which I used for the 3rd year and since I've been informed that your DADA classes of the last years were very theoretical, I wanted to use this opportunity to let you practice with it. Now, who can tell me what a boggart is and what he does."
As usual Shelley's hand went up, so I did not even bother to try.
"Miss Hatchet?" I looked up. Shelley seemed just as confused as the rest of the class.
"A Boggart is a shape-shifting creature that will assume the form of whatever most frightens the person who encounters it," I answered.
"Yes, facing a Boggart means facing your deepest fears and therefore it holds an, in my opinion, very important lesson for you. To fight a Boggart, you need to face your own fears. In life, you will find yourself confronted with your fears or problems many times. Now, how you handle these encounters is how you determine your life. You can either face it and grow from the experience or you can sit at home and be limited by fear for the rest of your lives. Sometimes you must face ugly truths about yourself or your life, but you will only find happiness when you stop denying who you are and start working with what you got."
The class like myself had become very silent. I had this weird feeling that Professor Lupin chose this subject for an awfully specific reason.

Nicki's POV: What was happening right now? I stared at Lupin and I got the vague sense that he was talking about something completely different and only using the boggart as an example. And what was the deal with Hatchet? And with Hatchet and Lupin? The two of them had never liked each other, or at least Lupin had basically hated her since the beginning of the year and now Hatchet could offend him and he merely said that she was lucky she already had detention? And how dare he just ignore me and instead ask Hatchet? I felt confusion and simultaneously anger rising in me. I couldn't understand this situation and I did not like it one bit.
"To get to know your fear and overcome them, you have to confront it", Lupin continued. "For a dementor, much like a boggart, but so many times worse will show you your fears. Without conquering them and being able to think of something happy instead, conjuring a Patronus will be almost impossible. You've probably had boggarts in the third year already, but have you actually ever encountered one?"
We all shook our heads, still silent. You could have heard a needle dropping. I was sure everyone held their breaths. Lupin nodded, more to himself than to us.
"The boggart doesn't like being made fun of, so that's exactly what we're doing now. The spell is Riddikulus. Please speak after me. Riddikulus."
He showed us the gesture for the spell and we all copied him.
"Good, now please form a queue and let's start."
We did as told and Lupin went to stand beside a cupboard.
"Are you ready?", he asked a Slytherin, who was first in line. He nodded and Lupin pulled open the cupboard's door. For a few moments, nothing happened but then a large, growling black dog stepped out. We collectively went a step back but the boggart-dog was solely focused on the Slytherin. The boy stared at the dog coming closer and finally, with a conviction I wouldn't have assumed, he raised his wand and said "Riddikulus!" With a pop the boggart transformed into a pink poodle with a party hat, panting happily. That got a giggle from most of us.
"Well done", Lupin said. "Next."
And so it went on until it was my turn. To be fair, I had a faint idea what the boggart would show me, I just wasn't sure what to do about it. And sure enough, the room suddenly erupted in a wave, big and coming towards us. I heard a few gasps behind me and was suddenly frozen. I hated the ocean, I hated big waves, and my body stood stock still. I could only stare and stare until the wave was almost upon us. I saw Lupin move and that's what ripped me out of my trance. My pride wouldn't allow me to fail this. So I raised my wand and almost shouted "Riddikulus!", and the wave exploded in a burst of glitter and confetti raining down on us. Still a bit shaky, I moved to the side where the others were waiting. I didn't really look who I was standing with until I heard Flint whisper: "You're afraid of water?"
I glanced up at him, but he wasn't looking at me. I nodded, not sure if he saw or not. Not really caring about it either.
"Did you know the Slytherin house is completely surrounded by the Black Lake?" When I looked at him this time, I met his cool, grey eyes.
"This is just one more reason why I'm glad I'm not Slytherin and why I should never go down there", I replied.
"But you were down there yesterday, weren't you?", he asked and my breath hitched. I turned back to the other students still in line. Hatchet had really gone and talked to him? I couldn't believe it. But what had I expected?
"I wasn't there for you in case that's what you're implying", I finally said but I couldn't stop the blood from colouring my cheeks.
"I didn't mean to imply anything", he said. "I was just wondering what you were doing down in the dungeons."
I crossed my arms. "That is none of your business, Flint."
He huffed softly and I turned to him, seeing him grin. "I'm not so sure about that", he whispered.
"I think I'll make it my business."
"You will do no such thing", I hissed.
"You are such a nuisance." He shrugged. "You're not the first to say that. But I'm pretty sure I'll find out about what you're doing, creeping around in the dungeons at night."
"No, you won't."
"Bet you I will."
"Oh, you want to bet? Now that's something we can do", I said and smirked up at him. Now he turned towards me fully, both brows raised.
"Are you sure you want to bet with me, Shelley? What's the wager? If I find out until the, let's say, end of the year, then what?"
Shit. Was I really doing this? What did he want? I didn't answer, contemplating what to say. So he continued: "I think it might be time for some honest words then, don't you think? And, what I'd like... a one-on-one on the pitch. Just you and me and the quaffle and we'll see who is actually the better chaser."
I couldn't help a snort. "I already know that I'm the better chaser but alright, it's on. I'll be honest with you for one single question only, I won't promise more. But the quidditch is most definitely on. And if I win, I want you to leave me in peace for the rest of the school year."
He looked uncertain for the fraction of a second but then he nodded.
"May the best Slytherin win."
I rolled my eyes and looked back at the remaining queue. There were only two students left. Angelina and Hatchet.