NEWS OF MY SMALL FEUD travelled fast. Words of it bounced around the castle and I found humor in the title they gave us : Lily and James Potter version 2. You have one argument with Harry Potter, and the entire school 'ships' you with him.

Oh yeah, I know all about that. I may be a muggleborn who has her one whole leg dipped in the wizarding pool, but I am still very much a muggle outside of school and have been for a majority of my life. 

Not to mention that I am a nerd who loses herself in worlds of fiction - so it was a familiar scene to me to be placed on a proverbial boat with Harry while others cheer on it to sail. I just never thought I would be paired with Harry, of all people.

Draco Malfoy, arm bound in a sling, holds a court before a clot of Slytherins. I could see them converse amongst themselves and I can tell just how dramatic the git is being. The four of us; Me, Harry, Ron and Hermione watch from the Gryffindor table.

"The little git," Ron growls, and I nodded in agreement. He is a git. "He's really laying it on thick, isn't he?"

"Yes. But I hear Malfoy's father is furious. I don't think we've heard the end of this. . ." Hermione frowns and I almost laugh because his father did hear about it.

Suddenly loud gasps are heard a few heads down the table, and then Seamus Finnigan poke loudly, "He's been sighted!"

The four of us turn. Seamus and the other Gryffindors are huddled over a copy of The Daily Prophet. That didn't sound good.

"Who?" Ron asks.

The photograph on the Prophet's front page provides a chilling answer : Sirius Black. Hermione reads over the shoulders of others and whispers to herself. I didn't get to hear her over the bustling crowd of Gryffindors forming.

"You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts, do you?" Neville asked nervously.

"With the Dementors at every entrance?" Harry asks.

A flicker of fear passes through Harry's face, and I reach out to pat his shoulder in an attempt to soothe him. It seemed to have somewhat worked when his tensed shoulder eased. He smiled at me.

"That's right. Black could be anywhere. It's like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands."

***

Potions. The subject I was looking forward to because I missed it yesterday being shown around but as we can all agree on, it was useless because I got lost anyway and now here I am sat waiting for the most 'hated' Professor in all of Hogwarts.

He did not disappoint with the long, greasy hair and strutted to the front of the classroom and demanded we brew the potion to utmost perfection. I opened my book like an obedient student and began to work on the potion.

He was not too bad in my opinion, until he forced Ron and Harry to do stuff for Draco bloody Malfoy. I found myself insulting his hair.

I began to crush the Beetle eyes on the mortar and pestle just as I let the potion boil for 10 minutes. Potions could take my mind off things. For a moment, I forgot about everything and everyone around me whilst I crush disgusting Beetle eyes.

I had my mind in cloud nine until I heard someone hissing under their breath and I turned to see Neville struggling with his Potion. I took pity on him because he's said to be terrified of the Potions Professor and something tells me that a cauldron exploding in his face will not help his relationship with Snape, so I subtly wrote instructions down and passed it to him.

He began to read the note, followed what I had written down, and smiled gratefully at me. I only winked as a response before turning back to my Potions to finish it. I was delighted to know I finished ahead of everyone else, and almost jumped when Snape appeared out of nowhere to inspect my potion.

I'm the most confident I did it right, and he lifted his eyes to glance at me. He stiffened, and I grew uncomfortable under the intensity of his eyes. I took note of how dark and dull they were, but for one quick second I saw them brightened up, but the light was as quick to die down as it appeared.

Huh?

"You must be the new student," He spoke slowly, and I nodded politely, smiling my sweetest to maybe, just maybe, get on his good side. Potions is my favourite, and I don't want it to be taken away from me just because I pissed an old man off. "Tell me your name."

Didn't Dumbledore tell him? "Lily, sir," I answered. "Lily Evans." I added in case I shared a name with someone else again. His already pale face turned paler, if it was even possible, and I questioned his health for a moment.

I frowned to show my concern, "Snape," I caught myself impolitely addressing him, but thankfully it came out as a whisper. "I mean, sir, are you quite alright?" he nodded and without another word walked away.

All I could do was frown at my potion in the perfect shade of crimson bubbling away before the class gladly ended.

***

I walk into D.A.D.A a bit late because I had to use the loo and I grimace at the tall wardrobe rattling violently. I have a few guesses of what kind of creature is inside the wardrobe but kept the thoughts to myself because they are rather unsavoury.

I was barely regarded by the Professor with how quiet I moved and I stood beside Harry who questioned where I was. "Calm down, HP, I was just using the lavatory." I teased and he narrows his eyes at me.

"Don't call me that," he complained, but his words were drowned by Professor Lupin's.

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

I lean towards Harry who is still a little annoyed at the nickname I gave him. "That's definitely a Boggart," I stifle a laugh at how clueless he looked.

"Very good, Ms. . . Evans." He smiles at me and I return it. "Can anyone tell us what a Boggart looks like?"

"No one knows." A voice answers and I turned to find Hermione. I didn't notice her there, did she appear out of thin air? Ron notices her as well and jumps.

He whispered something to Harry and I failed to catch it, only frowning at them.

"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." Professor Lupin cuts in.

 "Let's paractice it now, shall we? Without wands, please. . . Riddikulus!"

"Ridikulus." The class repeated in unison.

"This class is ridiculous." I heard the cockroach behind me mutter to his ugly goons, arms still wrapped in that very much not needed sling. I resist the urge to give him a reason to actually need the sling with the help of my nifty wand.

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

Neville looked stunned when I glanced at him. Concern blooming in me when he began to step up to the rattling wardrobe quietly.

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

"Prof. . .sor. . .sn. . .pe." Neville mutters under his breath.

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

"Professor Snape." He answers seriously and everyone laughs good-naturedly.

Lupin nods his head thoughtfully, "Hmm, yes. Neville, I believe you live with your Grandmother?"

"Yes, but I don't want the Boggart to turn into her either." Neville replied wearily.

I watched the rest of the exchange between Professor and student in amusement. I was a bit lost in my thoughts too, wondering what will my Boggart turn into. Even I have no idea what I fear the most. I am terrified of my mother as sweet as she looks, and I'm terrified of failing all my classes too.

I'm not sure that those will be acceptable enough for the Boggart to take the form of my fuming mother or Dumbledore announcing he's kicking me out of Hogwarts for failing. I was pulled from my thoughts when the wardrobe burst open. I jumped and almost lost my balance, had Harry not caught me and helped me steady.

"Thanks," I whisper and he mumbles a 'You're welcome' before our attention turned to the scene in front. Everyone except maybe the Slytherins roared with laughter, and I found myself smiling. The Professor isn't too horrible to me, but he's evidently been tormenting Longbottom if he is the poor boy's Boggart.

Ron was called up next, and I watched in silence as I get a peek at my schoolmate's identity. Their fears say a lot about them, and I was bouncing on my toes when it was finally my turn. I was dying to know yet afraid to find out.

The Jack-In-The-Box stared at me with its big eyes. It slowly morphed into the face of my mother - strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. Next to her is my father with his bright red hair and deep brown eyes.

"A freak, we have a freak for a daughter," My mother angrily spat out. Suddenly, my knees felt like they were jelly and all the air are cut off from my lungs.

Before they could say more hurtful things, I raised my wand and cast the spell. The image of my parents dissolved into calla lilies. My favourite flowers that reminded me of my parents. I forced a smile out of me, stepping aside to make way for Harry, who watched me go with uncertainty.

I watched Harry freeze before his Boggart next : A Dementor, but before he could fend it off Professor Lupin stepped up, and I frown at the moon shining brightly before him. 

I blinked in surprise at the moon being his Boggart, then the scars littering his face and - he does smell an awful lot like a dog -

Our Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor is a werewolf.

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