"What is a Boggart?"

The air in the classroom was thick with anticipation as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor spoke. He dug his hands deep into his pockets when nobody responded.

From the back of the room, a girl's hand shot up, slicing through the stillness like a blade. Professor Lupin raised an eyebrow.

Not waiting for his acknowledgment, she started speaking with immense confidence, "It's a shape-shifter. It will take the shape of whatever scares you the most."

The room stirred. Heads turned, and through the curls falling in front of her eyes, she noticed all the Gryffindor students eyeing her uniform.

"Very well, Miss-"

"Black. Marina Black."

"Miss Black," Lupin hurried, looking down at his shoes to avoid eye contact with her. "Could not have put it better myself."

Marina's laughter rang out, as she was unable to hide her amusement. She turned to her cousin Draco to find him watching the scene unfold with a smirk. Was the new professor afraid of the Black name?

"The Boggart does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door," Lupin continued in a thin voice, pointing a long finger at the wobbling wardrobe next to him. "But when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears."

A few gasps were heard in the classroom. Most of the students suddenly wore a terrified look on their face. Then, there was Marina, who held her head high and her arms crossed in front of her chest. She knew nothing could scare her...

"Who wants to go first?"

No one said a word. No one moved.

"Oh, please," Marina said after a moment of silence. "Aren't you Gryffindors supposed to be brave? I see nothing but cowards in here!"

"Miss Black," Professor Lupin breathed. "Do you want to go first?"

With a confident stride, she stepped forward, the sea of students parting for her. Lupin nodded, then turned to the wardrobe. His wand flicked, and the door swung open.

CRACK

In front of Marina stood a young man, his raven hair falling in front of his dark eyes. She lep out a yelp, recognizing him instantly. In front of her, stood her father, Tom Riddle.

"Marina, you have failed your purpose. You do understand that I have no other choice..." Tom pointed his wand at her, a smile forming on his face. "Crucio-"

"RIDDIKULUS!" Marina screamed, her voice a desperate burst of defiance as she lunged forward.

In an instant, the figure before her transformed. The menacing visage of Tom Riddle morphed into a ludicrous clown dressed in enormous shoes, bright clothes, and a red nose.

She stood motionless for a minute, her heart still pounding in her chest. Fear ran through her, coursing through her veins like ice, chilling her from the inside out.

The others couldn't see her anxiety... They couldn't see her like this... She forced a large smile, a fragile mask against the terror.

She turned around, meeting the eyes of no other than the famous Harry Potter. And in that moment, she realized that he knew who her Boggart was. He had met the young man before.

However, he did not understand why Marina's Boggart appeared to be the Dark Lord himself.