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4 September 1993
The first few days of term were miserable for Harry as Malfoy and his friends cruelly mocked him for feinting. He would glare suspiciously at the petite blonde Ravenclaw whenever she joined them for meals, thinking his Gryffindor friends would never betray him. Hermione noticed and kicked him hard in the shins, not wanting him to make her best friend uncomfortable.
Hermione received her time turner her first day back and Percy lead her to an abandoned corridor with many rooms, 2 of them set up as bed chambers. He explained the trick to using the time turner was to make sure she had plenty of time to rest and eat. Her brother introduced her to Mopsy, a Hogwarts house elf who was only too eager to help her in any way. Percy helped Hermione set up a rough schedule and where she would use her time turner as to not get caught. So, far she felt she had a good handle on manipulating time so she could take additional courses.
"A boggart is a shapeshifter, it will change its shape to show ones greatest fear." Hermione answered after she silently slipped into the classroom.
"Very good Miss. Weasley. 5 points to Gryffindor." Professor Lupin smiled in approval, moving on to discuss how to banish a boggart.
"Where were you?" Ron asked harshly.
"I was behind you?" Hermione asked, forcing her face to look as innocent as possible.
"No, you were bloody weren't. You've been disappearing since term began." Ron narrowed his eyes at his sister.
"Mr. Weasley. Thank you for volunteering." Professor Lupin was suddenly right infront of them, looking down at the red head with a stern expression.
"I'm sorry professor?" Ron's voice cracked as he looked up.
"Come, you will be the first to face the boggart." Professor Lupin nodded and lead the pale boy to a large wardrobe. "Now, what is it you fear most?"
"Spiders..." Ron mumbled uncomfortably under his breath.
"Spiders? Alright, so how would you make spiders funny?" Pofessor Lupin smiled kindly as toyed with an old gramophone.
"Uhh...I dunno Professor." Ron look apprehensively at the shaking cabinet, he looked back at his sister who always saved him from spiders, giving him an encouraging smile. He squared his shoulders. "Take away the legs?"
"Very good! Now the incantation." Professor Lupin lead the class through the incarnation and wand movement. "Now, remember, the boggart's worst fear is laughter. Ready, Mr. Weasley?"
"Yeah...yeah." Ron nodded with determination as the professor unlocked the wardrobe. A long hairy leg stepped out, it seemed to go on forever, it was followed by another and a another. A spiders body, larger than the wardrobe squeezed itself from its confines. Ron paled and raised his wand shakily, against a 10ft acromantula. "Rid-" Ron's voice died in his throat as one of the larger than life limbs came down hard beside him. Hermione started to rush forward but someone beat her there.
"Riddikulus!" Neville shouted, jumping in front of Ron. The boggart quickly changed forms, the potions master was advancing on them, sneering down at the Gryffindors. Professor Lupin stood off to the side, a proud smile on his face. "Riddikulus!" Neville shouted again, professor Snape's clothes changed into something nearly all his classmates recognized. A tight green dress, a flowered hat with a stuffed vulture on top, and a bright red hand bag. A nervous giggle bubbled in Neville's throat, sending the rest of the class into a round of snickers.
"Alright! Line up! Work quickly and you can confuse it!" Professor Lupin instructed. Grandma Snape turned into a mummy, then unraveled and tripped. The students went one by one, each trying to think of something more ridiculous than the last. Hermione was in front of Harry and she flashed him a mischievous smile as her turn came up.
"Little Dove." Arthur Weasley stood in front of the class, balding, rounded belly, and his usual jovial smile. Hermione was confused for a moment, she didn't fear her father. "I always knew you couldn't handle being a Weasley." Arthur's face contorted into a malicious smile that did not belong on his normally loving face.
"Da..dad?" Hermione squeaked, taking a step back, forgetting that this was a boggart she was facing in front of her whole class.
"I've regretted it from the moment we brought you home. I knew you would never really be-" Arthur snarled viciously.
"RIDDIKULUS!" Ron shouted and stepped in front of his sister at the same time Harry pulled Hermione back. Hermione was shaking, she never thought that would be her greatest fear. Sure, it was a constant worry, that her parents would one day regret bringing her home and making her a Weasley. She didn't even notice her brothers boggart spider lose its legs and roll away. Hermione vaguely realized that someone else grabbed her away from Harry. Then the room grew cold and the voice of Celeste echoed in her head.
"Riddikulus!" Hermione looked up to see Professor Lupin step in front of Harry. The boggart shifted from a dementor to a floating, glowing sphere then with a crack it deflated like a balloon and Professor Lupin was quick to banish it back into the wardrobe. "Excellent 5 points for everyone who faced the boggart! Class dismissed!"
"Well, that was informative." Hermione mumbled as she grabbed his bag, passing pureblood students looked at her sympathetically. All of them knowing what it was like to be afraid of disappointing their fathers or paterfamilias. Ron slipped an arm around Hermione's shoulders and glared at Harry.
"What?" Harry snapped, sick of Ron's mood swings.
"Nothing!" Ron snapped back, lowering his eyes to the floor.
"You okay, Ronnie?" Hermione asked gently, not having noticed Ron's glare.
"Yeah, fine. Just that boggart, yeah?" Ron said sheepishly. Hermione hugged her brother tightly and smiled gratefully.
"Thanks, I kind of froze." Hermione sighed.
"At least you were saved by the professor." Harry said grumpily.
"No, I was saved by my big brother. He didn't even give you a chance! What were you going to do to it?" Hermione asked curiously as they walked out of the classroom.
"Honestly? I didn't expect a dementor. I thought it would be Uncle Vernon or Voldemort." Harry shrugged.
"Yeah, I definitely didn't think it would be my dad." Hermione nodded sympathetically. "What do you hear when the dementors come near you?"
"My mum..." Harry whispered, looking uncomfortable.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione sighed sadly and wrapped both her arms around him a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry. I hear Celeste." She bit her lip as she stepped back, Ron standing beside them, looking distinctly uncomfortable.
"I'll just leave you to it." Ron mumbled before throwing Harry at threatening glare and walking away.
"Umm...who's Celeste?" Harry asked, ignoring Ron's glare.
"Luna's mum...we were in her lab with her when a spell back fired. We were trapped behind protective wards and the roof collapsed on top of her." Hermione shuddered.
"That sounds awful." Harry muttered and put his arm around Hermione shoulders. "I just hear my mum begging Voldemort not to kill me...but it's the only time I've ever heard her voice. I'm confused."
"Confused?" Hermione turned her head to face the conflicted boy.
"The dementors...I hear my mum dying, pleading for my life but on the other hand I hear her voice and she loves me so much she's begging him to take her instead. The Dursleys aren't..uhh..the most expressive with the gentler affections..." Harry flushed and turned his face to the floor.
"That must be awful for you, Harry. I can't even imagine...I would love to hear my birth mothers voice but..I think I might be able to find a way for you to see memories of your parents." Hermione bit her lip nervously.
"Really?" Harry's head snapped up to stare at her in awe.
"Yeah, Uncle Albus has this way to extract memories and thoughts, I think. It's really advanced magic but maybe...if we explain to him he might help. Everyone says how much they loved your parents, I'm sure they would love to show you their memories of them." Hermione nodded eagerly.
"That would be amazing...maybe we could do the same for your parents?" Harry had a dreamy smile on his face.
"No, my father's family is all gone and mum said they didn't have any other friends or family but that's fine. You showed me them, in first year. I dream about them, sometimes. Before I would dream of them having magic and they would take the place of mum and dad but now I dream of them living like muggles...it's nice." Hermione blushed.
"You always know how to make me feel better, Hermione." Harry whispered, looking at his friend closely.
"Of course, Harry, I'd do anything." Hermione smiled shyly and met her friends stare.
"There you guys are! Come one, we'll be late for charms!" Eloise's bossy tone snapped them out of their trance and they both blushed deeply, avoiding the others eyes.