The next morning, everywhere he went, whispers followed Jack around the school and what his Boggart had said.
Whispers like "I heard it said that Frost used to trap people in their houses..." and "Well I heard it said he killed them with his ice magic..."
"Ugh... this is just like last year..." Jack groaned as he, Harry, Ron and Hermione turned to walk down a corridor where a group of gossiping Hufflepuff's - having spotted them – ran away fear on each of their faces.
"Hey at least its only rumours this time," Harry said shrugging "Only going by word from a Boggart and no proof."
"Yeah, like that stopped any of this happening to you last year, mate" Ron said rolling his eyes "Sure you don't want us to come in to see Lupin with you Jack?"
"I'm sure," Jack said nodding confidently as they came up to the classroom door. "Besides you have classes. I have a free lesson."
"Ok, we'll meet up with you in Charms then," Hermione said as they all set off for Divination.
Looking up at the door, Jack took a deep breath and knocked on the door, unsure why he did it, but felt he should, before walking into the classroom.
"Professor Lupin?" Jack called out looking around.
There was a slight rustle of papers which made Jack spin around and point his wand at the noise, only to calm down when he saw it was just Baby Tooth, eating a cookie.
"Baby Tooth?" Jack asked coming over to her "Why are you in here, you normally come straight back to me after I send you to do things." Jack spotted the letter she was sitting on that was what made the noise. "Is that from Bunny?"
Baby nodded and got up to hand Jack the note, before chirping an explanation as to why she was there in Lupin's classroom, but she was going to face for Jack to understand.
"Ok, ok calm down, and speak slower, ok?" Jack said trying to calm her down.
"I think, what she's trying to say, Jack," Lupin's voice spoke from the front of the class "Is that I bumped into her his morning out in the grounds as she was coming back with that note."
Jack span around, wand still in hand and raised, and blocking Baby from view.
"Oh please, Jack there's no need for that," Lupin said smiling and coming closer sitting on top of a desk. "Good reflexes though, and smart of you not to let your guard down by putting your wand away."
"Sorry Professor," Jack said calmly putting his wand away and letting Baby Tooth come out to finish her cookie.
"That's alright Jack," Lupin said smiling "So, I'm not sure what your friends told you last night, but I have called you here to ask you if there was anything about your Boggart you might want to talk about."
"Like what?" Jack said sitting down on a desk as well, avoiding Lupin's eyes, and shooting them towards the darkest corner of the classroom.
"What it became..? What it said..? How you felt after it said what it said..?" Lupin said giving suggestions.
Jack stayed quiet, as Baby Tooth paused in her cookie eating to look up, confused.
"Not really sir," Jack said after a minute or two.
"Well, then may I ask you why you ran away when you saw my Boggart?" Lupin asked gently.
"You could," Jack said quietly gripping the edge of the desk "But it's not going to say I will give an answer."
Lupin gave a sigh and leaned back.
"Jack, I'm here to try and help," he said calmly "But I can't if I don't understand what's going on. Please. Explain."
Jack stayed quiet again, trying to figure out just how to explain everything that is happing with him makes sense.
"Professor Dumbledore has told me that you're a very special kid, Jack," Lupin said after a bit.
"Yeah?" Jack asked looking up a little.
"Yes." Lupin said smiling gently "And the way you stuck up for Neville against Big-Nose, er, I mean Professor Snape..."
Jack smiled and gave a small laugh too.
"What exactly did Dumbledore say, sir?" Jack asked curious.
"He says that you are part of a group of people who help look out for all the kids in the world, and help bring joy into their lives," Lupin said calmly "And keep all their happy memories alive." Here he looked at Baby Tooth who had taken that chance to look very proud of herself.
"Well... I am, sorta, but I only got to be part of their group a few years ago." Jack said smiling.
"Yes, Dumbledore said that too," Lupin said nodding "Until then I have a feeling you was a lone wolf. Always on your own, looking for new places to live, and not fitting in anywhere. Right?"
"I didn't really have a home, no. But I did have friends, it's just we all have jobs that keep ourselves busy so I couldn't hang out with them too much." Jack said looking away from his teacher's eyes again.
After a while Baby Tooth chirped up asking for some more cookies.
"Alright little fairy, I'll go get some more," Lupin said getting up and going to his office.
While he was gone, Jack looked at the letter from Bunny.
Dear Jack,
Sure I'll come and help tutor you and some of the other Hogwarts students.
Although it won't be a full time thing, I do have Easter to worry about remember.
North is writing to Dumbledore and seeing to it that this gets done, and I should be coming around Halloween, maybe a bit earlier.
From Bunny.
P.S. You do realise while I'm here you have to treat me with respect and call me 'Sir' in front of the other students right?
"Meh... anything to make Potions easier for Neville and everyone else," Jack said stuffing the letter away and looking up when Lupin came back with a new plate of cookies.
"So, ready to talk to me yet Jack," Lupin asked gently after a few more minutes.
Jack took a cookie and started nibbling on it to give him time to think.
"It... it became a kid I know, that I favour and see as a little brother," Jack said slowly. "It said, things that, when I was alone, I was scared of. People not believing in me... me being by myself..."
Lupin nodded quietly, glad they were getting somewhere.
"After it said those things, I felt... small, weak, mad at myself for letting the things it said into my head and worry me, when I knew Jamie wouldn't say anything like that. He sees me too much as a hero/big brother to say things like that." Jack said smiling to himself thinking of Jamie Bennett "The words it said alone, were bad, but coming from him just made it worse."
"And what about my Boggart?" Lupin asked quietly "Why stand through all of that, and then run when my fear was revealed?"
"Because..." Jack said trying to think of a reason "The moon's not been all that kind to me either."
Getting a mixed worried and confused look from Lupin, Jack gave a bit of an explanation.
"When I was on my own..." Jack said sighing "Whenever I felt just a little bit unhappy, or more alone than usual, or just wanted to let off my feelings, I... would speak to it at night, but... I never got a reply. In fact, it felt like... it was ignoring me."
"Oh..." Lupin said calming down a little "Well just because you didn't get a reply, doesn't mean it wasn't listening. I used to have friends who had very good hearing, but even with that, they only heard about half of what our teachers said about classes and homework."
"Really?" Jack said smiling at this.
"Yes. Believe it or not, they were some of the best students, at least in some classes, but because of their 'hearing problems', no one ever believed they would get anywhere in life."
"Where are they now?" Jack asked hopeful "Are they big and rich and famous?"
"Well two were already rich, because of their families and their history. But no, sadly all of them were lost in the first wizarding war."
"Oh... Sorry." Jack said quietly not sure what to say now.
"It's alright, I still have the memories of how we all used to be." Lupin said checking his watch. "Well if there's nothing else to be said, Jack, I suggest you get going to your next class."
Jack to a second or two to think and shook his head unable to think of anything else to say "Ok Professor."
With that, Jack grabbed his bag and got up to leave.
"Oh and Jack," Lupin said smiling "If you feel the need to come and talk to me about anything, I will be here to listen to you, and hopefully give you a reply."
Smiling Jack nodded and with Baby Tooth on his shoulder went off to his next class.