The Broken Boggart

"Facing a Boggart in a group can leave it at a loss, but to drive it away, you need laughter. That means turning it into something you find very funny.

"A very simple spell can do that, but it requires strong willpower."

"Now practice. Don’t use your wands yet." Professor Lupin looked at the many students before him. "Repeat after me: Riddikulus."

"Riddikulus," the Gryffindor students said in unison.

"Very good. Louder, and pronounce it clearly. Listen carefully… Riddikulus."

"Riddikulus."

"Excellent. That’s enough practice for the easy part." Professor Lupin said, "Next, I’ll guide you through the exercise.

"Neville, come over here."

"Lupin," Snape said teasingly, "perhaps no one has told you, but I suggest you choose someone else. Longbottom isn’t capable of doing anything complicated."

Neville awkwardly retreated half a step, his face flushing red.

He had always been rather shy. Now that Snape had pointed it out in front of everyone, he was so embarrassed that he wished he could crawl into a crack in the floor.

"I think he can do an excellent job." Professor Lupin raised his brows and said pointedly, "Neville Longbottom is an excellent wizard. He merely lacks proper guidance.

"Neville, don’t be shy. Come on!"

Neville’s body trembled nonstop as he stumbled over to Professor Lupin.

"Neville, what are you most afraid of?" Professor Lupin asked.

"Professor Snape," Neville said nervously, his voice quieter than a mosquito’s buzz.

"What? Sorry, I didn’t catch that."

Neville swallowed and cast a trembling glance in Snape’s direction, looking so aggrieved that he was nearly in tears.

Perhaps he would have had enough courage to say Snape’s name if Snape had not been here, but now, he truly did not dare.

"Oh!" Professor Lupin drew out the sound thoughtfully. "I think I understand. Professor Snape, right? A lot of people are afraid of him.

"Neville, you live with your grandmother, don’t you?"

"Yes. I don’t want the Boggart to turn into her."

"No, it won’t." Lupin shook his head slightly. "Think about what your grandmother wears. Just think about her clothes. Think clearly."

"She carries a red handbag…"

"You don’t need to say it aloud. As long as you can see it, we can see it." Lupin spoke meaningfully. "All right, when I open the wardrobe, I want you to do this: imagine Professor Snape wearing your grandmother’s clothes."

At those words, the Gryffindor students all laughed, and the Boggart inside the wardrobe began shaking violently.

"This is a bit too much." Aaron said with a dark expression. He finally understood why Professor Snape had called him here to disrupt the class.

If Snape was the representative of Slytherin, then Lupin was surely the representative of Gryffindor. They were practically another Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter.

Yet Snape stood there expressionlessly, merely watching coldly. It was as if he had expected this all along, with no intention of stopping it.

Professor Lupin motioned for the others to step back and make room for Neville, leaving him standing alone before the wardrobe.

"Here we go. Wands ready." Professor Lupin drew his wand. "One, two, three."

The wardrobe handle turned, and Professor Snape, dressed in black robes, strode out menacingly.

"Think quickly, Neville, think quickly," Lupin reminded him from behind.

Watching Professor Snape approach step by step, Neville nervously drew his wand. "Riddikulus."

Snape staggered back a step. His black robes turned into a long green dress, while a hat decorated with a stuffed vulture appeared on his head, a brown scarf around his neck, and a red handbag in his hand.

Neville let out a breath of relief. He knew he had succeeded.

The other Gryffindors burst into laughter, with Lupin laughing the loudest of all.

"This is going too far." Aaron angrily moved to step forward, but Snape firmly held him down by the shoulder.

"Don’t go."

"Professor Snape, you can put up with this?"

"Don’t do meaningless things. Longbottom will pay for his actions." Snape said meaningfully. But seeing the faint black fury in his eyes, Aaron shuddered and silently mourned for Neville Longbottom for one second.

You may be having your fun now, but Potions Class will definitely make you pay for it later.

"Wonderful, Neville. Incredible." Lupin laughed. "Everyone, line up. One at a time."

Everyone had become intensely interested in the Boggart and voluntarily formed a line. Lupin even put on some music to set the mood.

"Everyone, think of what you fear most, then turn it into something ridiculous.

"Next, Ron."

Ron nervously stepped forward. Professor Snape, still dressed in old-lady clothes, spun rapidly through the air and turned into a giant spider the instant he landed.

Ron’s face turned green. He backed away while drawing his wand.

"Riddikulus."

A skate appeared on each of the spider’s six legs. Its legs immediately went out of control, leaving it sprawled on the floor and twitching nonstop.

"Hahaha!" Lupin laughed. "Did you see that? Brilliant! Absolutely hilarious."

"Next."

The spider turned into an enormous rattlesnake, and the female student standing opposite it looked somewhat panicked.

"Don’t panic. Whatever you do, don’t panic," Professor Lupin carefully reminded her.

"Riddikulus."

The rattlesnake turned into a clown, rocking back and forth.

After that, the laughter in the classroom never stopped.

A feast of Transfiguration unfolded clearly before everyone’s eyes. A bloodstained mummy tripped over its own bandages, a green-glowing female ghost turned into a mouse, and a severed hand was caught in a mousetrap…

Snape stood silently to one side without offering any comments.

Only when it was Harry Potter’s turn did he nudge the chair beside him with his elbow. Aaron, who had been dozing off, groggily opened his eyes.

"Class is over?" Aaron yawned.

"What do you mean, class is over?" Professor Snape said speechlessly. "It’s your turn."

Aaron froze for a moment, then turned and saw the eager-to-try Harry Potter stepping forward. He could not help rolling his eyes. "Professor Snape, is this really necessary?"

"Don’t disappoint me. Otherwise, as for Dumbledore…"

"I’ll go." Aaron cut him off helplessly. "I’ll go, all right?"

Professor Snape nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Lupin. "Lupin, I trust you won’t mind if my prized student cuts in line?

"Mr. Gaius is rather interested in this Boggart and would like to try early."

Professor Lupin paused, then looked at Aaron with interest. "Really?"

Aaron: …

No. Don’t misunderstand.

He said it. It has absolutely nothing to do with me.

Seeing that Aaron did not answer, Snape quietly gave him a push from behind. Aaron reluctantly nodded, forcing out a rather strained smile. "Really."

Lupin glanced at Snape behind him, seeming to understand something. He smiled. "Fine. Then stand behind Harry. There’s still time before class ends."

Aaron’s smile became even more strained, because there were several Gryffindors behind Harry Potter, all looking at him with resentful eyes.

Professor Snape forced me to do this, Aaron comforted himself. I’m innocent.

Harry stepped forward and looked with slight excitement at the severed hand twitching before him, wondering what he should turn the thing he feared most into.

The severed hand spun several times in midair before becoming a Dementor. Long, rattling breaths came from its mouth as bone-piercing cold rushed toward them.

Harry seemed frightened stiff, his body becoming somewhat rigid.

Aaron was hesitating over whether to help when Lupin swiftly stepped in front of Harry.

The Dementor transformed again, becoming a night scene. A full moon slowly emerged from among black clouds.

Abei suddenly leaped in front of Aaron and growled warily at Professor Lupin.

Aaron stared at the scene in astonishment, then glanced at Professor Snape, who had somehow already drawn his wand. He looked as though he was ready to strike at any moment.

Gollum!

Aaron swallowed, an absurd guess surfacing in his mind.

No wonder Abei had called Professor Lupin a ticking time bomb on the Hogwarts Express. If his guess was correct, then all he could do was admire Dumbledore.

You’ll bring just anyone into the school? You really aren’t afraid of a teaching accident, are you?

"Riddikulus."

Professor Lupin shouted the spell, and the full moon turned into a deflating balloon that darted wildly around the staff room.

Professor Snape gave his wand a hard flick, locking the shriveled balloon back inside the wardrobe.

"Begin, Gaius. Class will be over soon."

Hearing that, Aaron shrugged and walked over to the wardrobe.

The wardrobe shook violently, then opened a crack. Yet nothing happened.

"What are you doing?" Snape frowned. "Think about what you fear most."

"I am thinking." Aaron said anxiously. Memories of his past experiences flashed through his mind one after another, yet there was almost nothing that could truly make him afraid.

More than ten seconds later, the wardrobe opened completely. A refined-looking man walked out, wearing wizard robes bearing the Slytherin emblem.

"Tom Riddle," Harry murmured in disbelief. Hermione and Ron also stumbled back half a step in alarm. But upon further thought, it was not particularly surprising. Voldemort was, after all, a fear rooted in nearly every wizard’s heart.

"Get lost!" Aaron turned his face away disdainfully.

Who do you think I am? A mere defeated opponent thinks he can come out and scare me?

The smile on Riddle’s face instantly froze, as though he had crashed.

A moment later, the Boggart transformed again, becoming a dwarf wearing a crown and covered in gold and jewels, though his eyes were lifeless.

"Uh… can you change into someone else?" Aaron said with distaste. "I must have fears somewhere in my heart, but could you not use him to insult me?"