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Chapter 4

- Riddikulus -

After Care of Magical Creatures was ended early, Teddy ran to his room and locked himself inside. He needed somewhere quiet to calm down. His heart was racing a few times his feet threatened to collapse. Taking a few short breath he laid on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. By the time Lunch had come around Teddy was ready to go to the Great Hall.

Once there he spotted Harry, Ron and Hermione waving to him. He sat down and held up his hand to cut off their questions. "Please, I don't wanna talk about it."

From a distance he could here a conversation between Draco and the Slytherin stundets.

"Does it hurt terribly Draco?"

"It comes and it goes. Still, I consider myself lucky. Madam Pomfrey said another minute and I would've become a monster, just like Wolfboy over there."

"Listen to the idiot," Ron said ripping his piece of toast in half. "He's really laying it on thick, isn't he?"

"At least it wasn't serious." Hermione murmured. "But I've heard his father's furious. We haven't heard the end of this." Teddy's head sunk down further.

"Maybe I should go apologize." Teddy began to stand up but Ron grabbed his arm.

"Forget it! That monster deserved everything he got! Hell, he deserved MORE than what he got!" He slammed a fist on the table. "If I were you I would've straight up bitten him-"

"Ron!" Hermione slapped him on the back of the head with her book. Teddy only went paler. "What if I had... you know... bit him?"

Before Ron could reply Hermione jumped back in. "Don't worry Teddy," she said softly. "Everyone knows you were trying to help him."

"Doesn't mean they've ignored that fact that he almost did turn Malfoy." Ron muttered and got another smacked on the head.

"Shut up Ron! Besides, everyone knows it takes a bite to become a werewolf, not a scratch." Harry sat silently watching the conversation unfold. Teddy glanced at the other tables and noticed everyone was staring and whispering among themselves. "Everybody hates me." He moaned, his forehead hitting the table and his arms covering his head ashamed.

"Teddy?" He jumped, looking over his shoulder to see Professor Lupin behind him.

"Hi." He said awkwardly.

"I heard about what happened in Care of Magical Creatures... Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm... I'm fine." His cheeks went red and he couldn't meet the Professors eyes.

"Just know that I'm here if you ever want to talk." Teddy nodded silently. Professor Lupin put a gentle hand on his shoulder, making him look up and meeting his warm gaze. "Cheer up, you have me for you next class." Surprisingly, that did cheer him up and he gave grateful smile. He'd have to get used to finally having someone who could understand him. As soon as the Professor was gone there was a yell from one of the Gryffindor students. "He's been sighted! He's been sighted!"

"Who has?"

"Sirius Black!" He held out the newspaper for the other to read.

"Dufftown?" Hermione looked up. "That's not far from here!"

Everyone began talking at once and Teddy could only listen to one conversation at a time.

"You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts, do you?"

"With dementors at every entrance?"

"Dementors? He slipped past them once. Who's to say he won't do it again?"

"That's right. Black could be anywhere. It's like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands."

Teddy looked in awe at the large wardrobe which shook violently at the other end of the classroom. All the tables and chairs had been moved aside for the practical lesson. "Intriguing isn't it?" Professor Lupin asked, walking around the class, who flinched when the wardrobe shook again. Whatever was inside it was desperate to get out. "Would anyone like to venture a guess as to what is inside."

"That's a Boggart that is."

"Very good, Mr Thomas. Now can anyone tell me what a Boggart looks like?"

"No one knows," Teddy looked to his right in surprise. For the second time today Hermione had appeared out of thin air. "When did she get here?" Ron whispered.

"They take the shape of whatever a person fears the most. That's what makes them so-"

"So terrifying, yes." The Professor agreed standing in front of the class. Teddy positioned himself near the front. He didn't even notice how most of the students moved out of his way cautiously. Remus, however, did notice. But he tried to hide his empathy and guilt. "Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a Boggart. Let's practice it now. Without wands, please. After me. Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" The whole class murmered.

"Very good. A little louder and very clear. Riddikulus!"

Once again the class repeated the incantation, only a little louder. "Riddikulus!"

"Very good." The Professor smiled brightly, a light shining in his tired eyes. "So much for the easy part. You see, the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a boggart is laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Let me explain. Neville, would you join me, please?"

The next part of the class was extremely amusing. Teddy had never been a big fan of the school's potions master, Professor Snape. Who seemed to hold a great grudge against werewolves, even if they're only part wolf. It was the Professors job to make Teddy's life a living hell. In class he'd been given the nickname Wolfboy, seeing as he had no real last name, which Malfoy had picked up quickly. So when Teddy learnt that Neville's greatest fear was the Potions master, Teddy had to stop himself from giggling to hard.

What happened next though left him standing on the spot, drowning in tears of laughter. Neville had performed the Riddikulus charm on the Boggart, which had taken the form of Professor Snape, dressing him up in his Grandmother's clothes. "Wonderful, Neville, wonderful! Alright, everybody form a line." Teddy quickly slotted himself near the front of the long line.

"I want everybody to picture what they fear the very most and turn it into something funny. Ron, your turn." Teddy watched as the red haired boy stood forward. Boggart Snape seemed to disappear and instead it was replaced with a gigantic spider. Most of the school knew of Ron's fear of spiders and Teddy could sense the fear rolling off him in waves.

"Wand at the ready, Ron." Professor Lupin reminded.

"Riddikulus!" The spider was now wearing red rollerskates and was slipping and sliding all over the floor. The class burst in laughter.

"Wonderful Ron! Next!" A Ravenclaw girl stood forward and gasped as the Boggart formed a huge snake.

"Riddikulus!" She yelled and the Boggart turned into a mechanical clown, swaying back a forward. Teddy watched as Harry stood forward. The Boggart was gone and was replaced by... a Dementor!

At the same time Professor Lupin threw himself between Harry and the Boggart, causing it to once again change shape. Into a full moon. Teddy looked at the Professor sorrowfully. "Riddikulus!" He shouted and the moon turned into a white balloon that deflated quickly, flying around the class. It seemed to be heading back to the wardrobe but then it landed into front of Teddy.

Teddy glanced at the crowd of students and the Professor. Everyone had the same look on their face. They all thought it'd change into the full moon, or a large werewolf or something like that. But instead it shifted into a giant wasp that filled half the classroom. Teddy felt his heart hammer in his heart as he pulled out his wand unsteadily. "Riddikulus!" At first nothing happened then wasp starting to shake it stinger. only the stinger was gone and replaced with a large toilet plunger.

Teddy laughed as the plunger got stuck on the wall. The wasp tried desperately to pull his stinger from the wall. Even Professor Lupin was laughing before he cast a quick spell causing the wasp to fly back into the wardrobe which locked automatically. "Right! Sorry about that. That's enough for today, if you could collect your books from the back. Sorry, sorry." He apologized to the groaning students who'd yet to have their turn.

Harry was soon the only one still facing the wardrobe which continued to shake violently. "Harry, you okay?" Teddy asked touching his shoulder.

"I'm fine." He replied.

"Remember, these visits to Hogsmeade village are a privilege." Professor McGonagall explained whilst receiving the students permission forms. "Should your behavior reflect poorly on the school that privilege shall not be extended again." Teddy sat watching from the doorway. Harry had walked past him and towards the Professor holding out his blank permission form.

McGonagall, already guessing what he was going to ask, shut him down. "No permission form signed, no visiting the village. That's the rule, Potter."

Filch gave a dirty smile. "Those with permission, follow me. Those without, stay put." He looked at both Harry and Teddy, who glared back at him.

Hermione and Ron waved goodbye to the two of them and followed the other students. Harry stood beside Teddy, sadly watching them go. "Aunt and Uncle didn't sign you form?" He asked and Harry nodded.

"Matron wouldn't sign mine." He sighed.

"Why not?"

"I was caught sneaking food out of the kitchen one night. How about you? What'd you do?"

"I blew up my aunt."

Teddy was silent. "Oh." Was all he could reply.

"Hey look," Harry pointed towards Professor Lupin who was walking towards the Wooden Bridge. "I'm going to go talk to Professor Lupin. I need to ask him why he didn't let me face that Boggart."

"Have fun." Teddy waved.