GINGERSNAPS

13. Challenged

The next morning Olivia had her first class with Professor Lupin, with the Gryffindors. After breakfast the students headed to the classroom and waited for the teacher to show. Eventually Lupin came in and told them to bring only their wands and to follow him to the staff room.

They all stood crowded around facing the wardrobe she had seen yesterday. Professor Lupin strolled in front of the group and gave a kind smile.

"From what I hear last year, you wasn't given much of a hands on learning experience with your last teacher. I'm hoping to change that this year. A opportunity presented itself to me yesterday and I decided I couldn't pass it up. Now, you may have noticed this wardrobe behind me," the wardrobe gave a rattle, "can anyone guess what kind of creature is inside of it?"

After last night Olivia couldn't help but wonder what could be inside until it occurred to her this morning while brushing her teeth. She raised her hand.

"Miss Evans" Lupin called on the girl

"Is it a boggart?" She asked

"You tell me, is it?" He challenged Olivia and a cork of his brow.

"Uh Yes, it's a boggart." She tried to say with some more confidence.

"5 points to Hufflepuff, Miss Evans is correct. And can anyone tell me what a boggart looks like?"

"No one knows, because it takes on the shape of their targets fear." Said Angelia Johnson.

"Excellent, couldn't have said it better myself, 5 points to Gryffindor. Today we will be learning how to defeat a boggart. Does anyone know what defeats a boggart?"

"Laughter!" Olivia cheered

"Laughter yes! 5 more points for you. Now in order to do that we must know the spell to use. Everyone say with me, Riddikulus! Perfect. Now I want everyone to take a moment to think of what your worst fear is..... alright and once you've thought of it think of how you can make it... funny." Lupin smirked.

Olivia was having trouble thinking of what she feared the most. Sure, she never liked heights, but that wasn't her worst fear. Before she could think of it Professor Lupin had moved on.

"Miss Bell, would you assist me? Come and stand in the front. Right, now what is it you fear most?"

"Uh snakes sir..." Katie Bell muttered

"Snakes, okay, now before I open the wardrobe think of a snake and..." then the teacher whispered in her ear where the rest of class couldn't hear it. Katie nodded at Lupin and swallowed hard.

Lupin raised his wand and the cabinet opened. Out slithered a large and long mucky green snake. Katie's eyes bulged out of her head but she raised her wand shakingly in the air. She took a deep breath and loudly said Riddikulus! The snake shriveled up into a balloon animal.

The whole class was laughing!

"Everyone form a line! And think of how to turn your fears funny! Next!" Lupin shouted.

The class lined up one after the other. Olivia was in the back behind Fred and George. She was hoping by the time she got to the front she'd know what her fear was at least.

Quickly the line shorten. There had been all kinds of fears, everything from spiders with roller skates, a troll in a ballet tutu, to a Zombie that changed into a clown.

Finally it was George's turn and the boggart morphed. What stood in front of him was George looking at himself. And that's when Olivia realized his worst fear was being without Fred. George raised his wand and out behind the fake George popped a fake Fred pulling on his brothers ear.