ambitious, cunning, adaptable | hp x dm

chapter thirty two: sirius black

Harry stared hard at the wardrobe in the teacher's lounge. It was rattling quite fiercely. He looked around the room. The plush, mismatched furniture was pressed against a wall and Professor Lupin was standing next to the moving cabinet.

"Could anyone tell me what's in here?"

"That's a boggart, I think, sir."

"Very good, Ms. Bulstrode. And do you know what a boggart looks like?"

The group of third years looked amongst each other before they all shook their heads in the teacher's direction.

"That's because no one has seen a boggart's shape. When we are exposed to a boggart it takes on the form of our deepest, greatest fear. Boggarts are fond of dark, dank places such as wardrobes, under sinks, in pantries, and under stairs. There is a simple, sure-fire way of banishing them. Repeat after me - Riddikulus!"

There was a pause before the students repeated, slightly out of sync. He motioned for them to do so again. They did, much louder.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful. Now, this charm will transform the boggart into something you find amusing. After doing so the only way to truly defeat it is laughter. So... Shall we give it a try? Mr. Zabini, how about you? Come, come."

Blaise broke from the group and stood before the cabinet, which was trembling violently. "Yes, Professor?"

"What scares you, Mr. Zabini?"

"I'm not all that fond of vampires, sir."

"Ah yes, quite a common fear. Well, how about picturing the vampire with false teeth, hm? They'll fall out and smash on the floor."

Blaise gave the teacher a wary look before nodding his head. "Alright."

"Wand at the ready! And..."

The door to the wardrobe clicked open and two pale, almost translucent hands emerged from the blackness. Slowly a long black haired woman stepped out, her face was gaunt and her eyes dark and soulless. Her mouth was a gaping maw filled with razor teeth and Blaise backed away slowly.

"Now, Mr. Zabini!"

Blaise gripped his wand tight and parried with it. "Riddikulus!"

The vampire reared back, her hands clapping over her mouth as her fangs fell to the floor as a set of dentures. She whimpered and kept one hand clapped over her mouth as she took chase but her fangs kept skittering away. The class burst into laughter.

"Excellent work! Form a line. Good good, next please!"

A girl in front of Pansy stepped after Blaise and the boggart burst into smoke, writhing as it transformed. A large spider slammed down into the floor and she shrieked. Closing her eyes she turned away and waved her wand. "Riddikulus!" The spider rolled over and over before turning into a turtle stuck on it's back.

Pansy advanced and the boggart started transforming again. It finally settled into a giant snarling dog. She drew in a shaking breath as the dog drooled and slashed with conviction. "Riddikulus!" The dog gave a startled yelp before it changed into a stuffed chihuahua.

There was a boy in front of Draco who stepped forward. The boggart exploded into black smoke and it wrapped around the boy who let out a pitiful whimper and thrashed. He struggled for a long moment, sounding utterly terrified before there came a cry of 'riddikulus!'. A flash of light shot out and the blackness became a shining, technicolor disco ball.

Harry shoved Draco forward eagerly. The boy scowled but stepped forward. Harry half expected it to turn into Buckbeak or maybe a werewolf. Instead, a woman with very golden yellow hair in wide, bulky curls appeared. She was wearing horrid eggplant shaded robes and had horn-rimmed glasses. She held a quill in her hand and brandished it like a weapon. Harry had no idea who she was but heard someone behind him murmur - "isn't that Skeeter?". Draco took a deep breath and flicked his wrist. "Riddikulus!" In a puff of smoke, the woman turned into a raggedy looking voodoo doll and dropped to the floor.