Little Miss Marauder

Chapter 31 - Remember What You're Fighting For

Chapter 31 - Remember What You're Fighting For

The day following the rounds, Cassadee still had Minerva's words stuck in her head. No, this had not changed her mind on Sirius' innocence, rather it had her questioning who this was really aimed at. As much as she got along with the older professor, she still knew very little about her life outside of the castle walls. There was much that she still needed to find out, and even more that she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Having to put these thoughts aside, Cassadee pulled the trunk into the centre of the classroom, having already moved the desks to the sides. All of the lessons that day were about the same thing, adapted for each year, but getting the boggart was hard enough so informing all students was worthwhile today. They started off with the first years, detailing what a boggart was and how it had originated. This then followed with Cassadee demonstrating the counter spell, knowing that the first years would be unable to control the boggart, and Remus would not want his fear displayed to all the students before him. Seeing what it had turned into, confused all the young students, none of them sure what the original image was, but they all were enthused with the lesson, walking out chatting amongst themselves as to how they had learnt about third year content.

The actual third years heard this muttering on their way in to the room, their curiosity mounting upon seeing the cabinet. Cassadee ushered the students into a line whilst Remus introduced the boggart. They started off with a young boy named Neville Longbottom, forcing memories of the fellow order of the phoenix members. She had been to visit Frank and Alice before leaving for Hogwarts, knowing how awful it was to feel forgotten and alone, even if they weren't fully aware of this. She assumed that the poor boy's fear would be related to this, but hearing that it was in-fact Professor Snape was both amusing and upsetting. "Well Neville, let's make Professor Snape much less intimidating shall we." With that Professor Potter opened the trunk and thus begun the practical part of the lesson.

Harry couldn't look at his Aunt during the start of the lesson. He found Neville's fear funny but just couldn't look up at his friend, she was right next to him. All the emotions he had felt the previous day still swirled around his head, but the closer he got to the front of the queue, the wonder of the boggart took over. Watching it transform into the fears and then be spelled by 'Ridikkilus' put the much needed humour into his day. He was the last remaining student to face the boggart when the two professors announced the end of the lesson. His anxiousness to face the the creature dwindled, replaced by shock at not being able to.

Neville was amazed that he had successfully spelled the boggart so wanted to discover more about the creature. Feeling more warmth from the female professor he walked to her first. "Hi... Professor Potter. Would I... please be able to ask you more about today's lesson?"

"Of course... Neville was it?"

"Yes Miss, Neville Longbottom."

"Do you have a lesson now boy? Boggarts are complicated creatures so questions you have may take some time."

"No... No Professor"

With that, Cassadee motioned the boy to sit at the desks she had moved back while she leaned against the desk at the front, next to Remus.

"So, as you know boggarts take the form of the observers greatest fear. No one is certain of how they look when not faced with an observer."

"So, with that spell you taught us, Riddikulus, is that how you get rid of them?"

This time Remus continued the explanation. "Yes and no. Once the boggart has taken form, it also takes the weakness of the form it is in. So for example if someone's fear was.... Say a locked door, they would be able to beat the boggart with alohomora."

"As well as this, if the boggart is facing multiple wizards in one go, it can get confused and thus transform into a mixture of their fears, resulting in it not scaring either of them. Boggarts thrive on the fear of the observer so by altering that fear into something amusing will cause the boggart to disappear, but not die."

"So when Professor Snape was dressed in my grandmothers clothes?"

"The class laughed at it which caused the boggart to be, well defeated. It takes a great deal of strength to face our greatest fear and then alter this to something amusing."

"But... I did it. Me."

The professors glanced at each other then back to the student in front of them. "Which shows a great deal of bravery and magical prowess. Well done Mr Longbottom."

"Have you always been able to defeat them, or has there been a time where the boggart startled you?"

"Well... there was... erm...." The question froze both Cassadee and Remus. Neither of them had expected this from the meek Gryffindor that had been in their lessons so far. "Due to the fickle nature of boggarts, it appears as your greatest fear at that moment in time. The differing circumstances when you meet a boggart can change what it turns in to."

"As Professor Lupin said, when I first encountered one of these at school, it turned into my friends laughing and running from me, as I aged this has now turned into me facing my... final chance of happiness and being denied it. As you mature so do your fears. While Professor Snape may be your greatest fear right now, you may overcome this and it change onto something else."

"What if my fear doesn't change? Or what if I can't fight the boggart? If I don't have the bravery?"

"Mr Longbottom, the only way a boggart can beat you is if you let fear consume you. Being able to be face to face with your greatest fear and change it to be something you are no longer scared of really does take a large amount of strength. There will be times that you believe you don't possess this strength, but you need to remember what you are fighting for. Remember why you get up in the morning now and put that into your spell. Look for the light in every situation when you are not facing adversity, so that when you do that is what you naturally look for."

After a few more questions, Neville left the two professors alone and with extreme gratitude, he walked with his head held a little higher than usual.

Harry was furious as he walked away from the defence classroom. She hadn't cared about him before so why was his 'Aunt' trying to protect him now. Was she just trying to humiliate him in class by suggesting that he wouldn't be able to face the boggart? The fear of Sirius Black getting near him did not even register in the boys brain until he looked out a window near the defence classroom and saw the same large black dog as was in Little Whining. This was the grim that Professor Trelawney had mentioned. McGonagall had eased his mind at the situation but seeing this, the fear began to creep in again. As if sensing his fear, the creature crept back into the forest and faded out of sight. Maybe Harry would avoid Hagrid's for now, to avoid being closer to the forest than necessary. With that thought echoing, Harry thought of how he would get to Hogsmeade tomorrow when he ran in to a proud looking Neville. "Well done in class today Neville, you made old Snape look crazy, don't think anyone will be able to take him seriously in potions later!"

"Thanks Harry, shame we ran out of time before your go." Neville's pride was lifted even further by the compliment from his friend. As Longbottom got further down the corridor Harry headed the other way, running in to Hermione rushing the way that Neville had just gone. "Mione! Where are you rushing off to? I haven't seen you outside of lessons all day? Want to head to the common room before Herbology?" Harry was desperate to not think about any of his troubles at the moment and desperately needed one of his friends for a distraction. Hermione glanced down, knowing the amount of classes she still had for the day, but seeing the look in Harry's eyes she knew he needed a friend at that moment. McGonagall wouldn't mind if she used it to get some free time would she? With that thought in mind, Hermione quickly agreed and the two struck up a easy conversation on their way.