Back in Black

Boggarts-1976

Disclaimer: I only own Nicole. That's it.

Nikki's POV Still:

It has been three months since I was stuck in the Marauder time era. Along with Fred and George, I had found the Marauder's Map in my third year. George and Fred were ickle firsties then. I love calling them that!!

I have started to like being around Sirius a lot more. For some reason, whenever some girl starts dramatically flirting with Sirius, I get this painful feeling in my stomach. I don't know why this is happening!! Am I going crazy? I have never felt like this ever.

I've started to become closer with Remus. We love reading books together. He'd suggest a good book to me and I'd suggest a good book to him. But, something's up with Remus. He's always ill or a family member died every month. I need to figure out what's wrong with him.

We walked into Defense Against the Dark Arts as a line of jokesters. We were laughing at each other and then I saw the cabinet shaking due to something inside it.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Brennan. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks — I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my sixth years some practice."

I'm pretty nervous for this. I don't really want to find out what my greatest fear is. Professor Brennan asked, "What is a boggart?"

I raised my hand. "Ms. Granger?"

"A boggart is a creature that changes form into whoever faces it's greatest fear. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like in its normal form."

"10 points to Gryffindor. The charm to repel a boggart is riddikulus. Say it with me, everybody. Riddikulus." Everyone repeats the incantation. "Now, class. Line up in order facing the cabinet. It doesn't matter whose in front of you; you all will get a turn."

Sirius, James, Remus, Peter, and I are in the front of the line. Sirius walks up to the cabinet, and Professor Brennan opens it with the Alohomora charm. Another Sirius walks out of the cabinet, but he looks different. He looks more distinguished, more proper. His hair is neatly groomed and short. His lips aren't in a carefree smile, but in a frightening smirk. I see him pull his left sleeve up. On his forearm is the Dark Mark, black and slithering around.

Sirius gasps. "Riddikulus!!" He shouts the incantation as the Death Eater Sirius turns into this harpy like creature spouting gibberish from her mouth. Sirius faintly smiles and walks back to me.

"Who was that?"

"My mother."

"Well, she looks like a beauty," I comment, sarcasm dripping from my every word. Sirius snorts.

James walks up to replace Sirius, and his boggart turns into the dead bodies of Sirius, Remus, Peter, Lily, and two older people. His parents? Sirius is staring at the older people in shock. "His parents?" I ask Sirius quietly.

"Yes. They are the parents that I never had, what with my mother-"

"Looking like Satan's daughter?" I finish his sentence.

"Yes, exactly."

James's boggart turns into Lily giving him a hug and laughing with the others. Awww.

Remus walks up casually, but I can tell he's nervous. His boggart changes to... a moon? That's odd. Wait... could Remus be a werewolf? It all adds up: his mysterious absences, his boggart, and the scars.