Brave { Neville Longbottom}

Chapter Sixty Six

Kefira was looking forward to Defense Against the Dark Arts class, after last year, she liked to pretend that Lockhart never happened. She was quite curious about Professor Lupin, considering he seemed like a normal and nice enough fellow aboard the Hogwarts Express. She expected it to be a much better year, then again she also believed a hamster was far more capable of teaching than Lockhart.

She walked into the classroom to see Professor Lupin standing in the middle of the classroom getting ready to greet his incoming class.

"Hi!" Kefira greeted him first.

"Hello...Miss-"

"Kefira Walsh." she introduced herself.

"Ah right, Miss Walsh. By any chance, did you have any family that attended Hogwarts prior to you?"

"No, Sir." Kefira shook her head. "My parents are what they call muggles. Although, they normally respond very well to Cardel and Alana."

The man chuckled. "I'm sure."

Remus looked at the young teen that stood before him as she became distracted by other students walking in that seemed to be her friends. He saw the one called Neville Longbottom and swallowed as he remembered Alice and Frank. He rubbed the back of his neck as his focus fell back onto the red headed girl. There were obvious differences between the girl and his dear late friend, but he couldn't help be caught off guard every time he saw her.

Her red hair was far more unruly than what Lily had kept hers, but the red added with the bright green eyes made him do a double take each time. Then on top of that to see Harry walk in, it was like looking at miniature versions of former Order members.

To keep himself from staring, he decided to welcome the students and get started with the lesson.

In the middle of the room there was a wardrobe, that seemed normal, until it shook. Kefira was standing between Seamus and Neville when she felt Neville grab hold of her hand as his nerves got the best of him.

She gave him a comforting smile and squeezed his hand in return.

"Intriguing, yes? Would anyone like to venture a guess as to what's inside?" Professor Lupin said.

"That's a boggart, that is." Seamus said in a hushed tone.

"Very good, Mr. Finnigan. Can anyone tell us what a Boggart looks like?"

"No one knows." Hermione answered from the back of the classroom. "Boggarts are shape-shifters. They take the shape of whatever a particular person fears most. That's what makes it so ...."

"Terrifying, yes. Luckily, a very simple charm exists to repel a Boggart. Let's practice it now, shall we? Without wands,please... Riddikulus!" Professor Lupin lifted his hands to signal the students to try it out.

"Riddikulus!"

"Good. So much for the easy part. You see, the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a Boggart off is...laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Neville, come up here, will you?"

Neville looked to Kefira who nodded in encouragement. "Go on, you can do it."

"What would you say is the thing that frightens you most?" Professor Lupin asked him.

Neville mumbled some response.

"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry."

"Professor Snape."