Hey everyone! It's winter break and I'm soo happy! Thank you for the people who reviewed, it really motivates me to continue writing! I love you all and hope you enjoy this chapter!
Scorpius opened his eyes and looked around. He was in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and there were a few students in it, along with a professor. The professor looked familiar to him, and he looked closely at him. Then he gasped and jumped up excitedly. It was Remus Lupin! He had completely forgotten that the brave werewolf, one of the Fallen Fifty, had once been a professor at Hogwarts, in his dad's third year and his mom's first year. He watched in awe as the werewolf walked to the front of the classroom.
Scorpius looked around and saw his dad in the back of the classroom. He had a sling on his arm, and for a moment Scorpius worried. Was it an injury caused by his father? Then he saw his dad shift his "injured" arm and wink at a burly boy beside him. That was definitely something his dad would actually do, Scorpius thought. He couldn't help but smile.
He looked to the front of the room and saw more familiar faces: Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing together, as usual, and he saw a chubby boy that looked a lot like Professor Longbottom standing a little to the side.
"Alright class!" Lupin yelled. "Today we will be doing a practical lesson. Does anyone know what a boggart is?"
Hermione raised her hand. She was just like Rose! Scorpius thought. Beautiful, fiery Rose who just wouldn't admit her love for him…
"...creature that turns into your darkest fear. The only way to defeat it is through laughter," Hermione answered.
"Good job Ms. Granger, 10 points to Gryffindor," Lupin said. "The incantation to defeat a boggart is 'Riddikulus'. Repeat after me,"
"This class is Ridiculous," Draco muttered, rolling his eyes. The Slytherin students beside him began to snicker, whispering "good one, Malfoy", and Scorpius felt nothing but disgust towards his dad's so called "friends". It was so obvious to him that the other Slytherins were sucking up to his dad because of his name.
Scorpius hadn't been around to experience it, but he had been told by both his father and grandfather that the Malfoy name used to mean something besides evil. Even in his dad's time, it used to be respected, and no one had ever dared to go against the Malfoy family in fear of their lives. Scorpius supposed that was also due to the intimidating patriarch at the time, who was someone to be afraid of, even by his own son. Scorpius's dad could also be scary when he tried to be, but their family name was too damaged now, after being on the wrong side for two wars.
Still, those Slytherins were trying to get close to Draco because of his riches, his status, and his powerful name. How could they even be called friends if they didn't even notice that their friend was hurting?
"Now, who would like to go first?" The class was silent. Obviously, no one was willing to show their worst fear in front of the class. Scorpius noticed his dad especially trying to hide in the back of the room, leaning against the wall farthest away from the closet with the boggart in it.
"Ok… how about Mr. Longbottom?" Neville turned bright red and stumbled to the front of the room. Scorpius stared in shock. Was this really his favorite professor as a child? He had expected Neville Longbottom, war hero who had killed Voldemort's snake, to have been one of the most popular kids in school, but it seemed like he was more like Scorpius than he had realized. He saw the Slytherins in the back, including his dad, snicker and laugh when Neville almost stumbled and fell. It seemed like Neville was also one of the victims of his dad's bullying. But Professor Longbottom had never treated Scorpius differently than any other student, and Scorpius was grateful for that.
"Neville, what are you most afraid of?" Lupin asked. Neville mumbled something too soft to hear. "I'm sorry, can you say that again?" Lupin said patiently.
"Professor Snape," Neville mumbled, a little louder than before. Scorpius's mouth dropped open. Severus Snape was Neville Longbottom's worst fear? One of Albus's namesakes, another hero of the Second Wizarding War? Was he really that bad of a teacher? All of Scorpius's history knowledge was a lie! He hadn't seemed that bad in the other world, except for the fact that he hadn't believed Scorpius at first. But who would have? His story had been pretty far-fetched.
And his dad and mom had always talked about how Professor Snape had been their favorite professor. Especially his dad, as he had told Scorpius that Snape and his father had been school friends, so they had met very often as Draco was growing up. And Scorpius knew about what his grandmother had done during the war, when his dad had been given the task to kill Dumbledore. She had trusted Snape enough to ask him to protect Draco. But it seemed like he was prejudiced towards the Slytherins, as all the Slytherins were laughing at Neville's fear, and the people in the other houses looked like they sympathized with him. Draco was laughing the hardest, his good hand holding his stomach as he doubled over.
Lupin chuckled. "Professor Snape? Well, I guess he scares us all sometimes." Then he leaned down to whisper something in Neville's ear. Scorpius strained his ears to listen but couldn't hear. He glanced back at his dad. He was still leaning against the wall, whispering to some of the Slytherins standing around him. The group of them glanced at Neville and began sniggering again. Scorpius didn't know what to feel, seeing his dad bully people. Especially since Scorpius knew how being bullied felt like.
"Alright, remember Neville, the spell is Riddikulus. Ready, set, go!" Lupin unlocked the cabinet, and the intimidating figure of Severus Snape walked out. Neville cowered for a second under his furious gaze, but quickly yelled, "Riddikulus!" Snape's black robes changed into a green dress with a flower hat to match. He was clutching a handbag. The class roared with laughter, Slytherins included. Scorpius couldn't help but laugh with them. It really was a funny sight, even though he knew that Snape was a hero of the wizarding war. He glanced back at his dad again, only to see him laughing as well, although he looked a little uncomfortable.
"Good job, good job! Form a line quickly!" Scorpius heard multiple groans and cries of protest near the back, and saw his dad standing to the side with his arms crossed, smirking. The two burly boys Scorpius had seen before were pushing everyone in the back away, so they could stand in the back. And Draco did stand in the back, the very last person. Scorpius couldn't help but feel a bit of annoyance. Although he knew what was happening to his dad at home, he still reminded Scorpius of the bullies at school who tormented him and Albus at school. Maybe if his dad had been kinder to people at school, he would've made things easier for Scorpius now.
The line moved quickly, and it was Harry's turn. Scorpius was curious as to what Harry Potter was most afraid of. Was it Voldemort? Harry stepped forward, towards the cabinet. He gripped his wand as the boggart slowly turned into a… dementor. Scorpius felt sick staring at the robed figure, and although he was in a memory and he knew that he couldn't feel the dementor, he still felt cold. The last time he had encountered a dementor had been in the other world, when he was escaping from the dementors with Snape. He felt a pang of sympathy towards Harry, who was staring at the creature in shock.
Lupin jumped in front of Harry, and the boggart turned into a white orb. Scorpius frowned, before remembering that Lupin was a werewolf. Obviously the moon would be his worst fear. Lupin yelled "Riddikulus!", and the moon turned into a balloon that flew around the room. Some of the people in the class were laughing, but others looked afraid, glancing at Harry uncomfortably.
His dad looked delighted, with a cunning glint in his eyes. It was obvious to Scorpius that he was going to use this knowledge to his advantage. Like a true Slytherin, he thought bitterly.
"Class is dismissed!" Lupin yelled. "If you have not yet seen the boggart, stay here with me!"
Everyone left, except for a handful of Gryffindors, including Hermione, and most of the Slytherins, including Draco.
"Now, we will finish each person as soon as possible, and once you are done, you can leave with your fellow classmates." Lupin said quickly. "Hermione, how about you go first?"
Hermione nodded and stepped forward. She raised her wand as Lupin opened the cabinet. What could the current Minister of Magic possibly have to fear?
Professor McGonagall stepped out, and Hermione looked confused. She opened her mouth to say something, when McGonagall lifted a piece of parchment up. Hermione gasped and stumbled away. Scorpius moved closer to see what the parchment said. It said "fail". Scorpius could relate with having a fear like that. Failing his classes would be the worst thing to ever happen to him!
He heard a snicker from the back of the classroom, and saw his dad covering his mouth to keep from laughing. His dad really was completely different than Scorpius in his school days. In fact, they were almost polar opposites. His dad had been popular and was the bully, while Scorpius was one of the least popular people in the school and was being bullied. He wondered how they were so different in personality when they were so similar in looks.
Hermione ignored the laugh and looked at Lupin, who sighed. "It's alright, you still have plenty of time to practice your boggart before the final exam. You may go."
Hermione stepped forward stubbornly. "Let me try again Professor, I'll get it this time!"
But Lupin shook his head. "There is no time. We have to go to the next person." Hermione sighed and nodded, walking out of the classroom.
Everyone else in the class went, all facing their fears, some taking longer than others to turn it into something funny.
Until there was only one boy left, the boy that Scorpius had suspected would go last. His dad. Draco stepped forward, and Lupin stood near the cabinet, ready to open it.
"Are you ready, Mr. Malfoy?" He asked.
"No," Draco said, scowling and crossing his arms childishly. "I'm not afraid of anything," Scorpius winced when he realized that was an attempt to leave before having to face the boggart. Lupin looked at the boy, attempting to act patient but failing.
"There is no choice in the matter. You have to go now, otherwise I will take away 30 points from Slytherin. And this lesson is a mandatory 3rd year lesson to do. So unless you at least attempt it, you will fail this class," he said firmly.
Scorpius wondered what his grandfather would do if he found out that his son had failed an entire class. He had punished him horribly when he found out that his grades were worse than Hermione's. How would he react about something like this? Scorpius shuddered at the thought. He watched as his dad's face paled, and panic flashed in his eyes.
"I'm injured," he drawled, motioning to his "injured" arm. Scorpius was now sure that the injury was a fake, and he wondered why his dad was faking it. Maybe to excuse him from classes? Although Scorpius loved his classes, it seemed like his dad didn't.
Lupin's face was slightly irritated now. "You have two arms, don't you?" he said. Draco only glared at him stubbornly. It seemed like Lupin didn't fall for the injury either.
Lupin seemed to see the fear in Draco's usually stony face and softened. "You don't have to get it on your first try, Mr. Malfoy. Many of your fellow students didn't get it either. You have all year until you have to face it again in your exam,"
"Alright," Draco sneered. "I'll do it. Open the cabinet."
He gripped his wand, and Scorpius only had a second to wonder what his fear would be before the cabinet opened. Cold grey eyes narrowed down at Draco, who had frozen with shock and fear, his face becoming white. Scorpius had suspected this, seeing the past memories, but he didn't imagine that a child could fear their own father more than anything else in the world. It hurt him to think that his dad's worst fear was his own father.
Lupin looked just as shocked as Draco, and seemed too stunned to move. Draco dropped his wand, and it landed with a clatter on the ground.
"Worthless. Pathetic. Failure. Incompetent," Lucius hissed, advancing towards his son with every word, with his cane raised. Draco stumbled away, seemingly forgetting that he was in a classroom, and that this wasn't his actual father. Lucius hissed insulting words, and Draco looked terrified and devastated, his eyes filling with tears. Of course his grandfather would be his dad's worst fear. He had been raised to fear the man, and obey him or get hurt. That was a horrible way to be raised, and Scorpius was glad that it hadn't been continued. Immediately after he had that thought, he felt guilty. So it was fine for his dad to have been raised that way, as long as he didn't do it to Scorpius?
Scorpius needed no more proof that his dad was a good man, despite all the mistakes he made.
Draco had backed into the wall, cowering, while the boggart Lucius towered over him, glaring at him with cold eyes.
It was only when Draco flinched and threw his arms over his face in a weak attempt to protect himself that Lupin finally snapped back into action. He shoved Draco behind him roughly and stood in front of his terrified student, ready to take the blow for him. Scorpius gasped and covered his eyes. But before the cane could land, Lucius disappeared, replaced by the moon, just as before.
"Riddikulus!" Lupin yelled, and watched as the balloon flew around the room again. He pointed his wand at the cabinet, and it opened. The balloon flew inside and he locked the door quickly.
Then he turned to look at the student in front of him, and watched him quietly, as if he didn't know what to say. Scorpius couldn't blame him. What do you say to someone who was being abused?
"The boggart is wrong," Draco said angrily. "My worst fear isn't my father! It can't be!"
Lupin sighed, and his expression was sad. "The boggart cannot be wrong. Why didn't you tell anyone, Draco?"
Draco looked taken aback at the casual use of his first name. He scowled, back to looking like the stubborn, arrogant boy he had been before the boggart.
"There's nothing to tell, Professor," he sneered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm leaving."
He turned to the door, not even bothering to say bye. Scorpius looked at Lupin. What would he do?
"Really Draco? Do you have nothing to tell me?" Lupin asked wearily.
Draco stopped and turned around. "This is none of your business! I said I didn't want to do the boggart, but you forced me! This is your fault!" he yelled.
Lupin touched Draco's shoulder gently, making him stiffen. "Draco, your father is a cruel man, and-"
"Don't you dare insult my father! He's a better man than you'll ever be," Draco snapped. Scorpius gasped. For a moment Scorpius thought he was going to whip his wand out and curse Lupin. Instead, he grabbed his wand and walked towards the door. Then he paused for a moment and turned toward Lupin.
"I would really appreciate it if you don't mention what happened here to anyone," Draco added. Scorpius didn't miss the underlying fear in his voice, of what his father would do if he found out that he was his son's worst fear, and that other people knew about what was obviously supposed to be a secret.
Lupin obviously didn't miss it either. He watched Draco leave with a helpless expression, looking like he wanted to call him back, but not knowing what to say.