"Very good, Neville,"
said Professor Lupin.
"First, the important thing: tell me—what are you most afraid of in this world?"
Neville's lips moved, but no sound came out.
"Sorry, Neville, I didn't catch that,"
Professor Lupin said kindly.
Neville glanced around in panic, as though hoping someone might save him.
Then, in a voice so low it was almost impossible to hear, he said:
"Professor Snape."
Almost everyone burst out laughing. Even Neville gave an embarrassed little grin.
Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.
"Professor Snape... hmm... Neville, I think you live with your grandmother, don't you?"
"Er—yes,"
Neville said awkwardly.
"But... I don't want the Boggart turning into my grandmother either."
"No, no, you've misunderstood,"
said Professor Lupin, and now a smile spread across his face.
"I was wondering whether you could tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears."
Neville looked startled, but answered:
"Alright... she always wears that hat.
A tall hat, with a stuffed vulture on top.
And a long dress... usually green... sometimes with a fox-fur scarf."
"And a handbag too, right?"
Professor Lupin prompted him.
"A big red handbag,"
said Neville.
"Excellent,"
said Professor Lupin.
"Neville, can you picture those clothes very clearly? Can you see them in your mind?"
"I think so,"
Neville said uncertainly, clearly worried about what was coming next.
"Neville, when the Boggart comes charging out of that wardrobe and sees you, it will turn into Professor Snape,"
said Lupin.
"At that moment, you raise your wand—like this—and shout, 'Riddikulus!' Then concentrate with all your might on your grandmother's clothes.
If everything goes well, Boggart-Snape will be forced to wear that vulture hat, a green dress, and carry that big red handbag."
The class erupted in laughter.
The wardrobe shook even harder.
"If Neville succeeds, the Boggart will turn its attention to each of us in turn,"
said Professor Lupin.
"So I want all of you to take a moment now and think carefully about what you fear most, then imagine how you could make it ridiculous."
The room fell silent.
Lupin gave Sean an especially deliberate look, as though expecting something, and even blinked at him.
What, exactly, would Sean fear?
Many of the students shut their eyes tightly. Ron was muttering to himself:
"Take its legs off."
Only then did Sean fully return to the present. He knew exactly what Ron meant.
Ron was afraid of spiders.
"Is everyone ready?"
Professor Lupin asked.
The students nodded and rolled up their sleeves.
"Neville, we're all going to move back,"
said Professor Lupin.
"That'll leave you some space, alright? Then I'll call the next student forward...
Right then, everyone back, give Neville room—"
The class pressed back against the walls, leaving Neville standing alone beside the wardrobe.
He was pale and clearly terrified, but he had rolled up his sleeves and was holding his wand at the ready.
"I'm counting to three, Neville,"
said Professor Lupin, pointing his own wand at the wardrobe handle.
"One—two—three—go!"
A jet of sparks shot from Professor Lupin's wand and struck the round brass handle.
The wardrobe door burst open, and Professor Snape came striding out, his hooked nose first, glaring viciously at Neville.
Neville stumbled backward, his wand held up, but no words came out.
Snape advanced on him step by step, reaching into his robes for his own wand.
"Pardon the interruption..."
A cold voice came from beside the wardrobe, and the students were all busy marveling at how realistic the Boggart looked.
But Sean immediately noticed something was off.
He turned toward the door and saw Professor Snape standing there, wearing a sinister smile.
"Lupin, it appears I need to take my assistant away to discuss some truly useful business. My apologies."
Snape said the words, but there was not the slightest trace of apology in his expression.
He looked at Lupin as if he were already a corpse.
"I'm afraid I can't—"
Lupin blinked in surprise, then tried to refuse.
"Come with me."
Professor Snape fixed Sean with an unblinking stare.
In the end, Lupin could only stand there frowning as the two wizards disappeared from the classroom.
With a flick of his hand, the wardrobe slammed shut with a bang.
"Well then, class, let's continue."
It wasn't until the lesson ended that Lupin, looking troubled, finally went to find Harry and the others.
They were gathered together in a noisy cluster.
"Did you see the way I took down that ghost?"
Seamus was shouting.
"And that hand!"
Dean waved his own hand around dramatically.
"And Snape in that hat!"
"And my mummy!"
"I still don't understand why Professor Lupin would be afraid of a crystal ball,"
Lavender said thoughtfully.
"That was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?"
Ron said excitedly as they headed back toward the classroom to get their bags.
"He does seem like a really good teacher,"
Hermione said approvingly.
"But I wish I'd had a turn with the Boggart too—"
"What do you think it would've turned into for you?"
Ron said with a grin.
"A homework essay that only got nine out of ten instead of full marks?
And Justin—what about you? Just wait, you're going to love this class."
Justin only smiled mildly, adding an occasional quiet remark.
"Mr. Finch-Fletchley, could you stay behind a moment?"
Just as they reached the door, Justin was stopped.
"Mr. Lupin, you look a little better than before,"
Justin said.
"Yes, sir,"
Lupin replied with a smile, closing the door behind them. The young wizards outside immediately looked puzzled.
"My mother used to tell me that no matter the circumstances, a person always has one bargaining chip left..."
Justin sat down politely.
"What's that?"
Lupin asked as he poured tea.
"Tomorrow. It brings waiting and hope, and so all human wisdom is contained in those two words."
Justin took a sip of tea and narrowed his eyes contentedly.
Lupin fell silent for a moment, a little wistful, before putting his smile back on.
"You're right."
"I assume you didn't keep me behind just for a chat?"
Justin set down his teacup.
"Of course not. It's about Mr. Green..."
Lupin said carefully, his expression growing more troubled.
"And Professor Snape. The relationship between them..."
"I've wanted to talk to someone about that for quite a while, actually, don't you think..."
Justin's eyes lit up at once.