Sorry for waiting until Friday to post this all, bit depressed here in my cave- a good friend miscarried and we're all having a bit of a rough time. Till next time.

Mistress Slytherin

Chapter 7

Your Worst Fears

Harry sat silently at his desk as Lupin lectured. The man was looking a bit peaky, he was thin as a rail and dark circles rimmed his eyes. It wouldn't do Harry decided thoughtfully. Remus was fighting the wolf, fighting his curse and it was destroying him slowly. The voice was sympathetic towards the werewolf's plight and nagged at him to do something nearly constantly. Oddly enough the moon could care less. Vagabond, that's what she'd noted him as, the lowest of low. Harry sighed slightly.

"Right then, if you all would follow me?" Remus said pleasantly once he'd taken roll. Some of the students glanced at each other in cautious curiosity and Draco nudged his way closer to Harry as they stood and made their way to the door. For some reason all years fourth and below had been asked to join in on the lesson.

"Harry." He said quietly. Harry glanced over, slightly surprised that Draco was talking to him. Draco had done his best to avoid being around him since the Dementor attack on the train- but he looked slightly pale now, and it wasn't because of Harry.

"What happened?" Harry said in concern his eyes darting around to make certain that no one was listening as they jostled their way through the hall.

"There's a rumor going around." Draco said quietly. "Their saying the Sirius Black was sighted near by." He said pressing his lips into a thin line. Harry felt his breath catch in his throat.

Sirius Black.

The man who had betrayed his parents to the dark lord.

It was common knowledge that he was after Harry, which was why the Dementors had been placed on school grounds in the first place. Harry wasn't entirely worried; he had three rather protective forms of magic to keep him safe. But he wanted answers. Why? Why had the man betrayed them? What had caused him to join the Dark Lord? And, did he know the current whereabouts of the dark lord? Tom was nearly driving him nuts with his frantic search.

"Now this lesson will be a practical so you will only need your wands." Remus' voice cut through his thoughts and Harry idly slipped his books into his bag. Quickly he scanned the room his eyes drawn nearly immediately to the dark form of one Severus Snape. He clenched his jaw at the sight of how thin Severus was, how tired and drawn he looked.

Your fault.

Severus' gaze landed on him briefly before he stood and strode passed them all stopping briefly at the door to address Remus. "Possibly no one has warned you Lupin, but this class includes Neville Longbottom- take care not to entrust him with anything too difficult." He said with a sneer. The boy in question a rather dumpy looking boy with slightly dull eyes turned bright red. Remus Lupin ever the Gryffindor lifted his chin.

"Actually I was hoping Neville could assist me in my demonstration, you are welcome to stay of course." He said narrowing his eyes in challenge. Harry rolled his eyes at the childishness.

The boy, Neville looked if at all possible more terrified than before.

"Oh I must see this." Severus drawled nastily. Harry sighed and shook his head slightly as Lupin smiled thinly before directing them towards a large wardrobe that looked to be older than Hogwarts. The class jumped slightly as the wardrobe shook violently.

"No need to worry." Remus said easily. "It's only a boggart. You see boggarts like dark enclosed places- like this wardrobe for example. They are shape-shifters; they will shift into our greatest fears." Neville Longbottom shivered and Harry took a step back subconsciously.

"Alone, no one knows what the boggart's true shape is, we know only that he will assume the shape of whatever it is that we fear most. You see already we have the advantage, can anyone tell me what that advantage is?" Amber eyes scanned the room and landed on him. "Harry?" He said tilting his head slightly forward. Harry pursed his lips.

"There are too many of us; he won't know what shape to take." He said logically. Remus beamed proudly.

"Excellent, it is always best to face a boggart in a group so as to overwhelm it. However the way you defeat a boggart is relatively simple-" he paused for effect and smiled slightly. "Laughter." He said easily. "You must force it to assume the shape you fine most amusing." He said with a slight grin.

Now, the charm you will need to learn goes like this-" he waved his wand slowly. "Riddikulus!" He said clearly. "Practice it with me now- Riddikulus!"

They practiced it a few more times before Remus lined them up placing Neville at the front. Harry frowned as he saw Lupin lean forward and talk with Neville quietly for a moment before stepping back wand in hand.

"Ready?" Remus said lifting his wand. Longbottom's tongue was sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrated and he nodded determinedly. Lupin brought his wand down and Harry watched with the rest of the class as none other than Severus Snape stepped from the wardrobe looking down at them imperiously.

"You've got to be kidding me." the real Severus said incredulously. Harry snorted.

"Riddikulus!" Longbottom shouted nearly viscously. Harry watched with fascinated horror as Severus' double suddenly shifted to sport a rather ugly green dress and a large wide brimmed hat with a stuffed vulture perched on the edge. There was a roar of laughter and Harry saw Severus pale in fury and embarrassment but Lupin didn't give them a chance to recover.

"Pavarti forward!" he called out allowing Neville to step to the side as the girl stepped forward raising her wand high. Harry stiffened. Lupin didn't actually mean for them all to face the thing did he? Fear shivered through him. The darkest recesses of his mind crawled forward to the edge of his mind and suddenly he was being pushed forward. Time seemed to stand still as he faced the dark shadow. Magic lifted up inside of him and he gasped as she reached out creating a barrio to prevent anyone from interfering.

No!

He looked towards Severus terrified.

You must face this my childe!

Magic cried out. He saw Lupin stride forward only to be repelled by the barrier and began to tremble as he turned back to the boggart- no…

"Freak!" Vernon's swollen face gasped at him eyes bulging as his meaty fists raised to attack him. But Harry had magic!

"R-Riddikulus!" He cried out desperately but nothing happened and Vernon let out a bellow.

"Ungrateful whelp don't make me get my belt!" Harry flinched and panted in true fear before remembering that Vernon was dead. Slowly he climbed to his feet and rose his wand. "Riddikulus!" He said confidently watching as Vernon clutched at his chest his face purpling before rapidly shifting.

Harry froze.

The man was tall, lightly tanned and a quick look at the cut of his suit told Harry that he was also very wealthy-

Marcus Gibran.

"No!" He cried out stumbling back.

"Hello Little Bird." The man said eying him suggestively. Harry panicked his entire body trembling.

"No-no you're dead!" he cried out clutching the sides of his head.

"Harry!" he startled at the sound of Severus' voice. The man was bodily throwing himself against the barrier. Harry trembled and jerked back as a cool hand settled on his cheek.

"As beautiful as ever-"

"Riddikulus!" He cried out watching as Marcus' head was thrown back in agony blood spilling from his lips as he stared at him with wide broken eyes.

"No…" Marcus whispered brokenly before shifting again. Harry gasped at the familiar face.

Severus.

Dark eyes were staring at him in fear and the man was stepping away from him in terror.

"You- MONSTER!" The man roared. Harry felt as if his lungs were seizing up. He couldn't breath, his head was spinning and his wand hung limply in his hand as he heaved desperately for air that wouldn't come to him.

Oh my childe…forgive me, oh forgive me…

Magic mourned dropping the barriers around him. It was too late though, he couldn't think past the agony.

"HARRY!" Severus was there gathering him into his arms and lifting him off the ground before turning and snarling something towards Remus only to freeze his eyes wide. Harry grasped at his throat and tilted his head to the side dizzily only to catch sight of a pair of familiar green eyes.

Mother…

Green eyes that accused Severus darkly. Red hair that streamed beautifully around a pale face shifted as Lily Potter took a step back her eyes hurt and betrayed.

"Your fault Severus." She said softly, her voice hauntingly familiar. Harry gasped for air one last time.

"No." He managed to force out. Lily's eyes turned towards him and Harry lifted his wand weakly, but before he could issue the spell the world went dark around him and he knew no more.