Harry Potter and his whole world belong to JK Rowling. I am borrowing a few characters from her.

The Newest Boggart

"What did McGonagall want?" Ron asked as soon as Harry and Ginny joined up with them in the Great Hall.

Ginny still looked shocked, and Harry imagined that he did too.

"What's wrong?" Ron demanded.

"I'm back on the team," Harry said quietly.

Hermione and Ron beamed.

"I knew you would be, Harry!" Hermione said happily.

"That's great, mate!" Ron enthused. "I knew McGonagall wouldn't let you stay off the team!"

Harry smiled. Ginny was staring at Harry, her eyes still huge.

"What is going on?" Ron demanded suddenly. "You both have eyes the size of galleons. And Ginny's being quiet. That's not normal, there's something up. What's going on?"

Ginny turned to look at Ron and Hermione. Her expression didn't change one bit. Harry couldn't help it; he burst out laughing.

"Quidditch...Captain!" he managed to get out, between fits of laughter and gasping for breath. "Ginny's been made Quidditch Captain!"

"What?" Ron and Hermione demanded at the same time.

Ginny had seemed to snap out of her reverie by Harry's announcement. She glared at them all.

"Who else has been named Quidditch Captain, you git! Go on then, tell them!"

Ron's jaw dropped as he and Hermione both turned to Harry.

"You too, mate? You and Ginny?"

Hermione broke into a huge smile. "That's amazing!" she exclaimed. "I'm so happy for you both! I thought it would be Harry, mainly because you weren't on the team for long, Ginny, but Co-Captains is great!"

Ginny smiled at her friend. "I thought it would be Harry too, I nearly wet myself when she said that I was a Captain as well."

Harry and Ron stared at each other, then at Ginny.

"That was a bit too much information," they said as one.

Hermione and Ginny both laughed as they helped themselves to shepherd's pie. "Congratulations, Harry," Remus' quiet voice came from behind them. "And you too, Ginny. Professor McGonagall just told me."

He sat at the table next to them and grinned. It was strange to see a teacher sitting at the House Tables.

"I feel strange sitting up there by myself," Remus said quietly, as though reading Harry's mind. "I feel like everyone's staring at me, especially now that they know what I am."

Harry looked over Remus' shoulder and saw that people were, in fact, glancing his way surreptitiously. It made him angry.

"Don't worry about it, Harry," Remus said with a shrug. "There's nothing you can do about it." He picked up a chicken leg. "You three have double Defence Against the Dark Arts this afternoon, right? What class have you got, Ginny?"

"Double Potions," she answered with a scowl. Remus chuckled.

"It's nice to see that hating Potions is a Weasley family tradition. Bill didn't enjoy it either, did he?"

"No," Ron answered. "He was excellent at it though, as you know. Charlie too. Percy wasn't bad, he was good enough to get an Outstanding OWL and NEWT, but I think Snape made him nervous." He grinned. "And of course Fred and George caused mayhem whenever they could."

"Unlike you three, who have always been perfect little angels in Potions," Remus said blandly. Harry chuckled.

"Always," Ron said, his face impassive. "I am a Prefect, you know."

"Ugh, shut up already, Percy," Ginny groaned.

Hermione and Harry laughed as Ron huffed in mock-outrage. Remus grinned at them and got to his feet.

"I'll see you in class. Don't be late!"

Hermione grinned excitedly. "I wonder what he's got planned for this class," she squealed. "Remember, Professor Lupin's classes were always fun!"

The four of them ate quickly. Ginny said goodbye glumly as she stood to head to her Potions class. Hermione paused as she stood up and glanced around the Great Hall quickly.

"I wonder if it's wise that Professor Lupin sit with us like he has been," she said suddenly. Harry and Ron both looked at her. She had a worried look on her face.

"Well, remember how Voldemort's - come on already, Ron - remember how he lured you out last year Harry? I'm sure somebody here has to have Death Eater parents."

At this she glanced over at Malfoy. "What if somebody tells Voldemort? What if they do the same to you as they did with Sirius?"

Harry glanced around the Great Hall as well, just making sure nobody was listening.

"Hermione, I've explained to you, I've been working at the Occlumency. Professor Dumbledore helped me. Plus, Remus is here. How exactly is somebody going to lure me out?"

Hermione bit her lip. "They could tell you something bad happened during a full moon, couldn't they?"

Ron sighed. "Hermione…stop worrying. Harry's not going to fall for the same trick twice. And Remus probably won't be getting too far out of Harry's sight, because I think he's keeping an eye on him."
"But you don't know that, do you Ron?" Hermione snapped, glaring in Ron's direction. They started towards the door. Ron was glaring at Hermione and opened his mouth to say something.
"Stop, already," Harry said tersely. "Hermione, I'll say something to Remus, but I'm sure he's thought about it, and he'll remind me, just as he reminded Sirius, that he's not a child and that he can make up his own mind."

The three of them came to a halt as they entered the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. It had been completely rearranged so that all the desks were in a half circle, and Remus' desk was in the middle. Harry raised his eyebrows and glanced at Ron and Hermione. They quickly chose desks near Neville, Seamus and Dean and waited eagerly for Remus.

They didn't have to wait too long. Remus entered the room, his battered briefcase in his hand, a slight smile on his face.

"Hello again, everybody," he said with a smile.

"Hello, Professor Lupin!" the class chorused back. Remus' smile widened.

"It's nice to be back. I won't take the roll, since I know you're all here. We'll start by opening your bags."

The class just stared at Remus. He raised his eyebrows.

"Come now, I said open your bags. Now, please."

Somewhat confused, the class obeyed, opening their backpacks.

"Thank you. Next I want you to place your wand in there."
They did.

"Now, remove last year's text book, Defensive Magical Theory, please."
Everyone but Hermione did this. Dismay was written all over Dean and Seamus' face. Hermione, as usual, had her hand in the air.

"Hermione?"

"Professor, I was just -"

"Yes, I know. Questioning me," Remus interrupted with a smile. "Kindly do as I asked, Hermione."

Harry and Ron both stared at Remus, mouths open. Since when had Remus started acting so Snape-like?

Hermione goggled at Remus as well, but put her hand down, and took out her book.

"Thank you," Remus said quietly. "Now, I wish for you to turn to page 376. Read that chapter and we'll discuss it. There will be no need to talk."
Hermione dropped her book in shock. Remus wasn't acting like Snape, he was acting like Umbridge.

Harry glanced around. Everyone was staring at Remus. He scowled and glared at each of them.

"Do it, we don't have all day!"

Bewildered and dismayed, the Gryffindor class opened their books to the chapter entitled Werewolf Brutality and began to read in silence. Hermione had skimmed the short chapter, which basically said that, as dark beasts and undoubtedly dark wizards, the werewolf should be put down immediately after receiving the bite, or, at the very least, be required to wear a symbol on their robes, identifying them as werewolves. Harry's hands shook as he read the page, anger threatening to overwhelm him. Hermione's jaw was clenched in anger and her hand was, once again, in the air. Remus was, as Umbridge had done, ignoring her.

The class finished reading quickly. Lavender and Parvati both had tears in their eyes. The chapter had gone into some detail about how wizards had dealt with ravaging werewolves in the past. It hadn't been pretty.

Harry cleared his throat, causing Remus to look at the class. He'd been looking out the window. He found everyone staring at him and smiled.

"All finished? Good. Now, the next thing I would like for you to do is to open your bags once more."
Seamus sighed impatiently as they all leant over and opened their backpacks.

"Now, I want you to take out your wands."

Harry could feel a grin start to work its way on to his face. He pulled his wand.

"See this circle here?" Remus indicated a circle that had been drawn on the floor. "Banish your books there, please."

Harry caught sight of Ron's face and could tell that he was starting to think along the same lines as he was as they Banished their books to the circle.

Remus backed away. "Now, what I want for you to do is to look directly at your book, point your wand at it, and say 'Incendio!'"

Hermione stared at Remus, a knowing smile creeping across her face. Harry and Hermione raised their wands first and pointed them at their books.

"Incendio!" they cried at the same time. Two of the books in the pile burst into flame. Ron laughed and did the same to his book.

Soon the floor was aflame. Harry glanced at Remus and saw his eyes narrowed maliciously. Harry shivered, hoping that Remus Lupin never became his enemy.

"Right," Remus said as the last book burst into flame. "We'll just let that burn for a moment. Any questions regarding that chapter?" As he spoke he pulled out his briefcase, which wobbled on the desk. Harry raised his eyebrows as he looked at it.

Neville raised his hand. "Do people treat you different when they find out?" he asked quietly.

Remus tilted his head to the side as he regarded Neville thoughtfully. Slowly he nodded.

"They do. They automatically assume that I am a Dark Wizard and should be dealt with accordingly. Dolores Umbridge, who was your Dark Arts professor last term, was one of those. She pushed through a legislation three years ago that made it close to impossible for me to find work." Remus' jaw was clenched tight and he took a deep, calming breath before continuing. "Many people think werewolves aren't to be trusted, just for something that is beyond our control." He smiled bitterly. "There are, of course, Dark Wizards who are werewolves, just there are Dark Wizards who aren't werewolves."

Parvati raised her hand slowly.

"Is there a cure?" she asked quietly.

Remus forced a laugh. "No, Parvati. No cure, not yet. I would be first in line for it if there were. Being a werewolf is not something most people enjoy, or would willingly choose to stay. It's not only the transformation, but the days leading up to, and the days after the full moon are hell.

"Are there any other questions?"

Seamus raised his hand almost reluctantly, as though he were afraid of upsetting Remus again. Remus looked at him with no trace of anger in his eyes.

"Seamus?"

Seamus swallowed nervously. "Have you ever bitten anyone? As a werewolf?"

Harry could see Hermione puffing up indignantly out of the corner of his eye. She opened her mouth to say something, but Remus silenced her with a look. Then he turned his eyes back to Seamus, looking thoughtful. Everyone waited breathlessly for his answer.

"I never have, Seamus," Remus answered, very quietly. "When I was a child, my parents took…precautions. When I was here, Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey, mainly, took precautions. The Whomping Willow, the Shrieking Shack…they were placed for my use. Now, as an adult, even with the Wolfsbane Potion, I still take precautions, but with the potion, I'm able to just curl up in my office as a harmless wolf. However, I place Unbreakable Charms on the windows and on the door, and Professor Dumbledore does something, I'm not sure what, in the event of my getting a bad batch of Wolfsbane.

"There is no need to be afraid of me, Seamus." He looked Seamus directly in the eyes, then slowly turned his head, looking at each of them in turn. "I swear, I will never harm any of you." He looked at Harry. "I swear on Padfoot's soul."

Harry blinked furiously, trying to clear his eyes. Everyone but Hermione and Ron looked confused, but he found that he didn't care. He nodded at Remus.

The briefcase gave another wobble. Neville raised his hand again.

"Another Boggart, sir?"

"Sure is, Neville," Remus answered cheerfully. He looked grateful for the change of subject. "I'm very certain in all of your abilities, but the first quarter of this term is going to be spent on revision. Professor Dumbledore wants a refresher for you all, and then we'll move on to learning how to defend yourselves against Dark Wizards. As last term was almost a complete waste, we need to refresh your skills." He smiled around at them all.

"However," he continued, "today we are going to work on the Patronus Charm. That's what this Boggart is for. Later, I will let you all have a go at it, but for now, Harry is going to come up here and demonstrate how to do the Patronus against a Dementor, which is what the Boggart will turn into when it sees him."

Harry flushed, goggling at Remus. Lavender and Parvati looked round at him, and Ron and Hermione both grinned. Hermione had also done a Patronus, though not against a Dementor. They didn't think they should tell Remus that anyway, as it had been during DA classes, even though Remus knew about them.

"The reason we're starting with the Patronus is simply thus. The Dementors have left Azkaban, and could attack at any time. You need to be able to defend yourselves against them. We will watch how Harry does his Patronus, and then each of you will try one." He glanced at the books burning on the floor. "Aqua." A jet of water issued from the tip of Remus' wand and steam rose into the air as the books were extinguished.

"Harry? Could you come up here please? If you don't mind, that is."

Harry shook his head and moved to stand in front of the class. He pushed the sleeves of his robes up and held his wand ready.

"Ready, Harry?" Remus asked, his wand pointing at the lock on his briefcase.

"Not yet, I need a happy memory." He racked his brain, trying to think of something. Subconsciously he wondered what he would hear this time the Dementor approached him. At first it had been his parents, then it had changed to Voldemort's return. What would it be now?

He finally decided that being named Quidditch Captain would be a happy enough memory, as his stomach still squirmed with excitement at the thought. He nodded at Remus, who unlocked the briefcase.

Harry had to look around. The Dementor had not appeared as they had thought it would. Instead, the Boggart turned into a large stone cauldron. Harry's stomach flip flopped. He knew what was coming.

"Your greatest fear is a huge cauldron?" Seamus and Parvati asked at the same time. Then, slowly, there was a hiss and steam began to issue from the cauldron. Parvati screamed as a figure began to emerge from it. Lavender screamed as well.

Harry stared as Lord Voldemort smiled and stepped from the cauldron.

***

I just wanted to thank everyone for reading this story. I'm glad that you're enjoying it, and thank you for all the reviews. I'm going to try to finish this story before I update Saviour, because there are things coming up in Saviour that are spoilers for this story. So please be patient with me!!