After lunch we have Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid. As soon as I left the others in the Great Hall, I went and joined Hermione under the large beech tree on the grounds. We don't sit, as the ground is still wet from last nights rain, so we just lean against the tree. For the rest of the lunch period, Hermione and I just talk about our classes from the morning until it's time for Care of Magical Creatures.

When Harry, Ron, Bonnie and Amy come out, Hermione and I join them, with Hermione not speaking to Ron.

If they are already giving each other the silent treatment, this is going to be a very long year.

We make our way down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

When we reach Hagrid's hut, we see the all-too-familiar backs of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. I sigh, looks like another lesson with the Slytherin's. Fun fun fun.

Hagrid is waiting outside the door in his moleskin overcoat with Fang by his side, looking anxious but excited about the lesson.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" He calls, a few few more students hurry down. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

Hagrid seems just a bit too excited, but it is his first lesson. Although I'm worried about what he's got ready. With Hagrid, if something is 'great' that means it involves some form of large, dangerous creature that could potentially kill us all.

We follow Hagrid down the edge of the trees(thank Merlin we aren't going into the forest) and five minutes later, we find ourselves outside an empty paddock.

"Okay...I wonder what he's got planned." Amy whispers beside me.

I just shrug and wait for Hagrid to say something,

"Everyone gather round the fence here!" He calls, ushering us all near the fence. "That's it-make sure yeh can see. Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books-"

"How?" Comes the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. I roll my eyes, but I can't help to agree. How do we open our books without it biting our faces off?

"Eh?" Hagrid says, clearly confused.

"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeats, pulling out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he'd bound shut with some rope.

Everyone else takes out their books. Some had bound theirs with large belts, crammed them into tight bags or used large clips. Same as Malfoy, Bonnie and I bound ours with rope.

"Hasn'-hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" Hagrid asks, looking crestfallen.

We all shake our heads.

"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em." Hagrid says, as thought it's really obvious. "Look..."

He takes Hermione's copy and rips off the Spellotape binding it shut. He book tries to bite him, but he runs a giant finger down the spine of the book, it shivers, then falls open quietly in his hands.

"Oh look how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneers. "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"

"Shut up, Malfoy." I say coldly to him.

He just glares back at me.

"I...I thought they were funny." Hagrid says.

"Oh, tremendously funny!" Malfoy says. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

"I said, shut up, Malfoy!" I say again, louder.

I look at Hagrid and he looks down-cast. All he wanted was his first lesson to be a success, and so do I because he's our friend.

"Righ' then," Hagrid continues. "So...so yeh've got yer books an'...an'...now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on..."

Hagrid walks off into the Forest and out of sight.

"God, this place is really gone to the dogs," Malfoy says loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father will hear about this-"

I turn around to him.

"Malfoy, if it wasn't that I don't want detention, I would punch you in the face right now. Just shut your god dammed mouth before I do."

I sigh and turn away as I earn a few 'oohs'. I don't care.

After a moment of silence, Lavender squeals, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.

Trotting toward us are a dozen of really bizarre creatures. They have the bodies, hind legs and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings and heads of giant eagles, with huge steel-coloured beaks and brilliant orange eyes. Their talons are about half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of them have a thick p leather collar around their neck, which are attached to long chains and each held in the large hand of Hagrid.

I'm not sure if I like these. They're quite intimidating.

"Gee up, there!" Hagrid roars, shaking the chains and urging the creatures into the paddock, toward the fence.

I step back quickly. These things are quite scary, and huge. Others step back too.

"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roars happily, he turning toward the creatures. "Beau'iful, aren' they?"

No, they're horrifying.

They have gleaming coats, each a different colour: stormy grey, bronze, a pinkish roan, chestnut and an inky black.

"So," Hagrid says, rubbing his hands together. "If yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer..."

Amy is the only one who steps forward eagerly. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Bonnie follow her, cautiously. I'm staying behind.

"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is they're proud," Hagrid says. "Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh ever do."

I gulp. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy aren't listening. If something happens, who's fault will it be?

"Yeh always wait fer the Hippogriffs ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continues. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk towards him and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn't bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talon hurt.

Right, who wants ter go firs'?"

Everyone, including me, steps back hastily in answer. Even Amy seems cautious about it.

"No one?" Hagrid asks.

"I'll do it." Harry says.

I stare at him. He's going to go near that thing?

I hear Lavender and Parvati mutter behind me, "Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!"

I roll my eyes. They believe in that rubbish?

Harry climbs over the fence and stands next to Hagrid.

"Good man, Harry!" Hagrid says, clapping him on the back. "Right then-let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak."

Hagrid unties one of the chains, pulls the stormy grey Hippogriff from the others, and slips off its leather collar.

I watch nervously, as Harry takes a cautious step forward.

"Easy, now, Harry," Hagrid says quietly. "Yeh've got ter make eye contacts, now try not ter blink-Hippogrifffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..."

Buckbeak turns his great, sharp head and stares at Harry with a fierce look in its eyes.

"Tha's it," Hagrid says. "Tha's it, Harry...now, bow..."

Harry takes one more step forward and bows, lifting his head to look at Buckbeak.

The Hippogriff just stares at him. It doesn't move.

"Ah," Hagrid says, sounding worried. "Right-step back, now, Harry, easy does it-"

But to everyone's surprise, the Hippogriff suddenly bends its scaly front knees and sinks to a small bow.

As scary as this creature is, it's quite intelligent.

"Well done, Harry!" Hagrid says, ecstatic. "Right-yeh can pat him now, on his beak, go on!"

I smile a little as Harry moves slowly toward Buckbeak and reaches out to him. Harry pats the beak several times and Buckbeak closes his eyes as though he was enjoying it.

Everyone starts to applause, and I join in. Well, everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy, who just look disappointed.

"Righ' then, Harry," Hagrid says. "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him now!"

I see Harry's eyes widen. This is not what I thought would happen.

"Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint," Hagrid tells him, gesturing him toward the Hippogriff. 'An' mind yeh don' pull out any of his feathers, he won' like that..."

Harry steps slowly to the side of the Hippogriff, puts his foot on top of Buckbeak's wing and hoists himself up onto his back. Buckbeak stands up. Harry awkwardly puts his hands in Buckbeak's neck.

"Go on, then!" Hagrid yells, slapping Buckbeak's behind and the Hippogriff takes off, bending on its hind legs and pushing off into the sky.

It's quite magnificent. It's huge wings spread out and flap a few times, flying through the air. The Hipoogriff does a couple of laps around the paddock, before it heads back to the ground. I see Harry try to keep a hold as Buckbeak hits the ground with a soft thud of hooves.

"Good work, Harry!" Hagrid roars, clapping loudly as the rest of us cheer, well, everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy. "OK, who else wants a go?"

Everyone else cautiously climbs the fence into the paddock. I stay put, I don't like these things.

Hagrid unties each of the Hippogriffs one by one and soon everyone else is bowing nervously.

"Aren' yeh comin', Sarah?" Hagrid calls to me.

I shake my head.

"Come on," Hagrid says,waving his hand over. "They're not tha' bad."

I sigh as I reluctantly climb the fence and walk over to Bonnie and Hermione who are practicing on the chestnut.

"Sarah, this is amazing, isn't it?" Bonnie asks, as she steps up.

"I guess, but they're horrifying." I say truthfully.

"No they're not, here, have a go." She says, walking back to me after giving the Hippogriff a few pats on the beak.

I walk nervously up the the Hippogriff and it just stares at me. I try not to blink as I take a short bow. I lift my head up a bit to see if it bows back. And just as Buckbeak did for Harry, the Hippogriff bends its front legs and its head.

I smile a little as I walk up to it slowly and pat its beak. It tilts its head to the side and closes its eyes. Maybe they aren't as bad as I thought.

I walk away back to Bonnie.

"See?" She says. "Not that bad."

I shake my head and watch as some of the other Gryffindors practice on the Hippogriff.

I look around the paddock at everyone else. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy have taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who is now patting his beak.

"This is very easy," Malfoy drawls, loud enough for Harry to hear. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it..."

I glare at him. Does he always have to make a deal out of everything?

"I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" Malfoy continues, now talking to the Hippogriff. "Are you, you great ugly brute?"

I gasp as there's a flash of steely talons; Malfoy screams like a little girl and next moment Hagrid is wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get to Malfoy, who is laying on the ground, blood staining his robes.

"I'm dying!" Malfoy yells, as the whole class stares in horror. "I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

"Yer not dyin'!" Hagrid says, going very pale. "Someone help me-gotta get him outta here-"

I'm closest to the gate, so I rush over and open it for Hagrid, who picks up Malfoy easily. As the pass through the gate, I notice a long, deep gash in Malfoy's arm, blood splattering on the grass as Hagrid rushes him up to the castle.

I knew there was a reason I didn't like Hippogriffs-they're dangerous. I don't care that it was Malfoy, he had it coming, but that doesn't excuse the fact they they're dangerous. I understand Hagrid just wanted a good first lesson, but this can't be good-not when Lucius Malfoy hears about this.

I meet up with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Bonnie and Amy as they join the rest of the class making their way back up to the castle. The Slytherins are all shouting about Hagrid.

"They should sack him right away!" Pansy says, in tears.

"Oh shut up, Pansy," I say. "Malfoy had it coming."

"It was Malfoys fault!" Seamus snaps, as Crabbe and Goyle flex their muscles threateningly.

We climb the stone steps into the deserted Entrance Hall.

"I'm going to see if he's OK!" Pansy says, as she runs off up the marble staircase and out of sight. The rest of the Slytherins make their way down to the dungeons as us Gryffindors make our way to Gryffindor Tower.

"Guys," I ask. "Do you actually think Malfoy's OK?"

"I don't know," Hermione says. "But I just hope Hagrid isn't sacked for this."

"Yeah. But Malfoy did have it coming, like you said, Sarah," Ron says. "He wasn't listening when Hagrid said Hippogriffs get really defensive when offended."

"Hagrid won't be sacked," Amy says. "He can't be. Hagrid specifically told us not to offend them. Bad luck Malfoy didn't listen."

"This is quite bad for Hagrid's first class though," Bonnie says. "Trust Malfoy to mess it up..."

I do hope Hagrid isn't sacked for this. Malfoy wasn't listening, so that must count for something.

We're the first ones at dinner, hoping Hagrid would be there. He's not.

"They wouldn't sack him, would they?" Hermione asks anxiously, not touching her food.

"They'd better not." Amy says, who isn't eating either.

I watch the Slytherin table, as a large group, including Crabbe and Goyle are huddled together, deep in conversation.

"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting day back." Ron says.

After dinner, we go back up to the crowded Gryffindor common room to do the homework McGonagall had set for us. Harry, Ron and Hermione aren't focusing. They keep looking out the window.

"There's a light on in Hagrid's window." Harry says, which breaks my focus on the homework.

Ron looks at his watch. "It's still early. If we hurried, we could go down and see him before dark."

"I don't know..." Hermione says, glancing at Harry and I.

"Are you serious?" I say. "We're allowed to walk across the grounds. Sirius Black hasn't gotten past the Dementors, has he?"

So, we put our stuff away and make our way down the still wet grass to Hagrid's Hut, keeping an eye out for any teachers in case we aren't actually allowed out.

When we reach his hut, Bonnie knocks on his door and we hear Hagird say, "C'min."

Hagrid is sitting at the wooden table with Fang in his lap. I can tell he's drunk a lot. There's a huge tankard, probably the size of my head, in front of him, and he looks as though he's having difficulty in getting his eyes to focus.

"'Spect it's a record," he says, as he recognises us. "Don' reckon there's bin a teacher who's on'y lasted a day before."

"You haven't been sacked, Hagrid!" Hermione gasped.

"Not yet," Hagrid says miserably, taking another swig of drink. "But 's only a matter 'o time, i'n't, after Malfoy..."

"How is he?" I ask.

"Madam Pomfrey fixed him up best she could," Hagrid says. "But he's sayin' he's still in agony...covered in bandages...moanin'"

"He's faking it." I say. "Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in a second. She mended half my bones last year!"

"School gov'nors bin told 'o course," Hagrid continues. "Reckon I started to big. Shoulda left Hippogriffs fer later...done Flobberworms or summat...jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson...'s all my fault!"

"It's Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!" Amy says.

"We're witnesses." Harry says. "You said Hippogriffs attack you if you offend them. It's Malfoy's problem he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened."

"Yeah, don't worry Hagrid, we'll back you up." Bonnie says.

A tear leaks from Hagrid's beetle-like eyes, and pulls both of them into a bone-crushing hug.

"I think you've had too much to drink, Hagrid." Amy says, and she takes the tankard from the table and goes outside to empty it.

"Ar, maybe she's right," Hagrid says, letting Harry and Bonnie go. Hagrid then heaves himself out of the chair and follows Amy out the door unsteadily. We hear a loud splash.

"What's he done?" Bonnie asks, as Amy walks back in and puts the tankard away.

"Stuck his head in a water bucket." She says simply, coming back to sit down.

Hagrid comes back in, his long hair and beard sopping wet.

"Tha's better," he says, shaking his head like a dog. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really-"

He stops dead, staring at Harry and I as though he'd only just realised we're here.

"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" He roars, so suddenly I jump a foot in the air. "WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, YOU TWO! AN' YOU FOUR LETTIN' 'EM!"

Hagrid strides over to Harry and I, grabs both of us by the arm and drags us to the door.

"C'mon!" He says angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yeh walk in' back down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Malfoy hasn't appeared in classes, until today, when the Slytherins and Gryffindors are halfway through the Potions lesson. He swaggers in, his arm wrapped in bandages and held in a sling.

"How is it, Draco?" Pansy simpers. "Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah." Malfoy says putting on a brave grimace. When Pansy turns away, he winks at Crabbe and Goyle.

Git.

"Settle down, settle down." Snape says.

Rude. If any of us Gryffindors had walked in late, Snape would have deducted fifty points and put us on detention. Always favoured the Slytherins.

Today we're making a Shrinking Solution, a new potion. Malfoy sets his cauldron right up beside Harry and Ron, so they're working at the same table. I'm working with Amy and Bonnie, and Hermione is working with Neville and Seamus. I wish I could be at that table...

"Sir," Malfoy calls. "Sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm-"

"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him." Snape says, without looking up.

I shake my head as Ron snatches Malfoy's roots and starts to cut the pm up roughly. As add in, I notice Snape approach their table as Malfoy calls, "Professor, Weasley is mutilating my roots, sir."

"Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley."

I look at the roots Ron just cut up and they're all uneven with rough edges, compared to the neat and even ones Ron had for himself.

"But sir-"

"Now." Snape says in a dangerous voice.

Ron shoves his well cut roots across the table toward Malfoy who is smirking.

"And sir, I'll need this Shrivelfig skinned." Malfoy says.

"Potter, you can skin Malfoy's Shrivelfig." Snape says, giving Harry a look of loathing.

I sigh as I turn back to my potion. Stir three times clockwise. As I stir it, I can hear Malfoy, Harry and Ron talking in hushed voices.

I would move and listen to them, but I need to get this potion finished.

Over at Hermione's table, I hear her frantically say, 'Oh no!" To Neville, as Snape strides over. Instead of Neville's potion being acid green, it has turned,

"Orange, Longbottom," Snape says, ladling some up and allowing it to splash back into the cauldron. "Orange. Did you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one rat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?"

Neville's face turns pink as he starts to tremble. We all know his greatest fear is Professor Snape. He looks like he's on the verge of tears.

"Please, sir," Hermione says. "Please, I could help Neville put it right-"

"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," Snape says coldly. "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly."

Snape moves away, leaving Neville in fear.

"Hey, Sarah," Seamus says from behind me, making me jump a little. "Can I borrow your scales?"

I nod nervously as he takes them, but he doesn't go back to his table.

"Have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning-they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted."

"Where?" Bonnie asks from beside me.

"Not too far from here," Seamus says. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she 'phoned the telephone hotline. By the time the Ministry got there, he was gone."

I gape at him. "Not too far from here?"

Seamus shakes his head. "Anyway, thanks for the scales." He says as he moves back to his table.

"Sirius Black? Sarah, this is worrying." Amy says.

"Don't worry. We're safe here at Hogwarts. One, this place is sealed with a charm, and two, he cant just get past the Dementors-"

"But he's already done it once, Sarah," Bonnie says. "What's to say he won't do it again?"

"Well, I'll be fine here. Dumbledore will keep Harry and I safe from him." I say and I go back to my potion.

As soon as I finish, Snape calls, "You should all have added your ingredients by now. This potion needs to stew before it can be drunk; clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottoms..."

Crabbe and Goyle laugh, as Neville sweats as he stirs his potion. I notice Hermione muttering instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth. Snape had better not catch her, luckily he's busy looking at everyone else's potions.

After we pack everything away, we watch as Snape strides over to Neville who is cowering behind his cauldron.

"Everyone gather round," Snape calls. "And watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has failed, his toad will most likely be poisoned."

The Gryffindors watch fearfully, as the Slytherins watch excitedly. Snape picks up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dips a small spoon into Neville's, now green, potion. He trickles a few drops down Trevor's throat.

There's a moment of silence, in which Trevor gulps; then there's a small pop and Trevor shrinks to a tadpole in Snape's hand.

The Gryffindors burst into applause. Snape, turning sour, pulls out a glass phial, pours a few drops on top of Trevor and he reappears suddenly, fully grown.

"Five points from Gryffindor," Snape says, which wipes the smile of our faces. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed."

As we leave the dungeons, Hermione and I let the others go on ahead while we go to Ancient Runes. We step off to the side and wait for everyone to leave and we get out out Time Turners.

We've had Ancient Runes once before, and I'm finding it hard to memorise the runes we studied. They're quite complex.

Hermione and I race up to the classroom and sit through the lesson with Professor Babbling teaching us a few more runes. She sets us homework of memorising and writing the meaning of the runes.

"Right, let's get to Defence Against the Dark Arts." I say as we leave the classroom.

We make our way back down to the dungeons, so that Harry, Ron, Amy and Bonnie don't realise we were gone.

We hurry down the stairs to the dungeon, and some of the class is coming out.

"Where are they?" I ask, when we don't see them come out.

Hermione looks around. "There!" She point to the top of the stairs.

Panting, we make our way to the top of the stairs and join the others.

"How did you do that?" Ron asks us as we approach them.

"What?" Hermione says.

"One minute you were right behind us, and next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."

"Oh, we had to go back for something." I say, clutching onto my bag which is really quite heavy today.

"Oh no..." Hermione says, as the seam in her bag splits and a dozen of her books fall out and clatter on the floor.

"Why are you carrying all these books around with you?" Amy asks.

"You know how many subjects Sarah and I are taking." Hermione says breathlessly. "Could you hold these?" She says, handing Ron a few books.

He looks at the covers.

"But, you haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defence Against the Dark Arts this afternoon." He says.

"Oh, yes," Hermione says vaguely as she puts the books back in her bag, fixing the broken seam with magic.

"I'm starving," I say. "I wonder if there's something good for lunch..." I say, and Hermione and I walk of to the Great Hall, and as we walk I hear Ron mutter something to Harry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dad, well I should call him Professor Lupin here, isn't there when arrive to Defence Against theDark Arts after lunch, so we just sit down and take our books.

"Wonder where he is?" Amy says, leaning over to me.

I just shrug and I hear the door open at the back of the room. Dad smiles at us all, placing his tattered briefcase on the teacher's desk.

"Good afternoon," he says. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today we're going to have a practical lesson. You will only need your wands."

I look to Bonnie. What's he got planned?

We'd actually never had a practical Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson before, unless you count that time last year when Lockhart set those pixies out on us.

"Right then," Dad says when we're all ready. "If you'd follow me."

Puzzled, we all follow him out of the classroom. He leads us down a deserted corridor and around a corner where the first thing we see is Peeves the poltergeist, who is stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.

When Peeves sees Dad, he starts to sing, "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin-"

I look toward Dad, expecting him to show some sign on his annoyance, but he just continues to smile.

"I'd take that gum out if I were you, Peeves," he says. "Mr Filch won't be able to get to his brooms."

I smile, imagining Filch's face when he tries to open the door. Filch, the caretaker, was bad-tempered failed wizard who hates almost everyone and everything, including Peeves. Peeves pays no attention to what Dad said, and he just blows a raspberry.

Dad sighs and takes out his wand. "This is a useful little spell," he tells us. "Please watch closely."

He raises his wand and says, "Waddiwasi!" And points it at Peeves.

The wad of chewing gum in the keyhole, at the speed of a bullet, shoots out and goes straight down Peeves' left nostril; he whirls around and zooms away, cursing.

"That's so cool!" Dead says in amazement.

"Thank you, Dean," Dad says, putting his wand back in his robes. "Shall we proceed?"

He leads us down another corridor and stops right outside the staffroom door.

"Inside , please." He says, opening the door and letting us through.

The staffroom is filled with old mis-matched chairs, and has panelled walls. There's only one teacher here, Snape, who is sneering at us all.

As Dad walks in, he goes to close the door, but Snape says, "Leave it open, Lupin, I'd rather not witness this." And begets up and moves toward the door. He turns around. "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear."

Neville goes scarlet and I glare at Snape. It's bad enough that he bullies Neville in class, but doing it in front of other teachers...

"I was hoping Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," Dad says, making Neville go redder. "Which I'm sure he will perform it admirably."

Snape's lip curls, but he leaves the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Now then," Dad says, beckoning us to the other end of the room where there is nothing but but an old wardrobe.

As Dad steps closer to it, it wobbles, banging off the wall making us all jump.

"Nothing to worry about," Dad says. "There's a Boggart in there."

I know what a Boggart is. Not only have I read about them, we've had a few Boggarts both at Godric's Hollow and Privet Drive. Dad has never let Bonnie and I get rid of them, since he didn't want them to frighten us with our worst fears. Boggarts take the shape of your worst fear. For Dad, it's a full moon, as he is scared about being a werewolf.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," Dad says. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks-I once met one that had lodged itself inside a grandfather clock."

I remember that. That was not long before Mum died, he told us to stay out of the room while he got rid of it.

"This one," he continues. "Moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the Headmaster if the staff could would leave it to give my third-years some practice.

So, the first question I must ask you, what is a Boggart?"

Hermione and I both raise our hands. Dad calls on Hermione.

"It's a shape-shifter," she says. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us the most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself." Dad says, and Hermione glows. "So the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not know what will frighten us the person on the other side of the door. Nobody k own what a Boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us fears the most.

This means that we have a huge advantage over Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"

I look at Harry who looks very off-put with Hermione bobbing up and down with her hand in the air.

"Er-because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?" He says, unsure.

"Precisely," Dad says. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake-tried to frighten two people at once and turned into half a slug. Not remotely frightening.

The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing.

We will practice the charm without wands first. After me please...Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" We all say together.

"Good," Dad says. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in Neville."

Neville shakily steps forward and stops in front of the wardrobe, which shakes-but not as much as Neville.

"Right, Neville," Dad says. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Neville moves his lips, but no noise comes out.

"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry." Dad says cheerfully.

In barely more than a whisper, Neville says, "Professor Snape."

Everyone laughs. I don't. It's not really funny what someone fears, even if it is just a creepy old Potions Master.

"Professor Snape...hmmm...Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Yes," Neville says nervously. "But I don't want that Boggart to turn into her either."

"No no, you misunderstand me," Dad says smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us the sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"

"Well...always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress...green, normally...and sometimes a fox-fur scarf." Neville says.

"And a handbag?"

"A big red one."

"Right then," Dad says. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville?"

"Yes."

"When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe it will see you and assume the shape of Professor Snape. And you will raise your wand-thus-and cry 'riddikulus'-and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into the vulture-topped hat, that green dress and the bug red handbag."

We all laugh and the wardrobe wobbles again. Interesting.

"If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to turn his attention to each of us in turn," Dad continues. "I would like you all to think of the thing that most terrifies you and think of how you can force it to become comical..."

Everyone goes quiet. What scares me the most? I think.

Voldemort? No, he can't be the thing that scares me the most, I've only met him once. Dementor? No. They aren't that bad either. I know there's a spell that wards them off.

A snake. One just like the Basilisk. The mere thought of one makes me shiver. Memories of last year when the Basilisk petrified me sends a rush of cold down my spine.

What would make one funny though?

"Everyone ready?" Dad calls.

I want to ask for more time, but everyone else is ready, rolling up their sleeves and taking out their wands.

"Neville, we're going to back away," Dad says calmly to him. "Let you have a clear field,all right? I'll call the next person forward...everyone back, no, so Neville can get a clear shot..."

We all move backward against the wall, leaving Neville completely alone. He looks terrified.

"On the count of three, Neville," Dad says, pointing his wand at the wardrobe. "One-two-three-now!"

A jet of sparks shoot from his wand to the wardrobe and it bursts open. The all-too-familiar, hooked-nose face of Professor Snape steps out, his eyes flashing at Neville.

Neville backs away, still pointing his wand at Snape. Snape gives Neville a malicious smile as he reaches into his robes.

"R-R-Riddikulus!" Neville squeaks. Theres a crack as Snape stumbles back;he's wearing a long, lace trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten culture, swinging a huge, crimson handbag from his hand.

We let out a roar of laughter. The Boggarts pauses, confused.

"Amy! Forward!" Dad shouts to Amy.

Amy stops laughing and steps forward nervously.

There's another crack and the Boggart changes into a two people; a woman with long blonde hair and cold blue eyes, and a man with jet black hair and stone grey eyes. Must be her mother and step-father. They step forward.

"You're coming home, Amy," the woman says. "And you're not coming back to Hogwarts."

Amy starts to shake, holding her wand out.

"You're never going back. You're never going to see those friends of yours again. Ever." The man says.

"R-Riddikulus!" Amy says.

The two parents start to tap dance, tapping their feet, holding hands.

Everyone laughs again as Dad calls on Seamus, who steps forward, a bit braver.

Crack! Where Amy's parents were tap dancing, stood a woman with floor-length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face-a Banshee. She opens her mouth and let's out a blood-curdling shriek which makes the hair on my neck stand up.

"Riddikulus!" Seamus shouts.

The Banshee makes a rasping noise and clutches her throat. She's lost her voice.

Dad calls upon Bonnie who steps forward.

Crack! The Banshee disappears and is replaced with a boy with short black hair. Tom Riddle.

I hear Lavender giggle "She's scared of a cute boy?"

I shoot Lavender a look which shuts her up. If only she knew what the boy was really like on the inside; pure evil.

"Riddikulus!" Bonnie says. Tom Riddle smiles and starts doing poses as though he were a model. I would laugh, but even though it's amusing seeing Riddle like that, I can't get it out of my head how evil he is.

"Sarah! Up!" Dad calls.

I'm dreading what is going to happen.

Crack!

Some people scream as Riddle is replaced with a huge snake, that looks exactly like a Basilisk; with its long body/tail and huge yellow eyes. I freeze, like when I was petrified-but I'm not actually petrified

"R-Riddikulus!" I say, terrified.

The Basilisk grows the head of a cat.

Some people let out a small laugh and the Bogggart keeps changing. It's confused.

Crack! A rat, which chases its tail in a circle-Crack!-a rattlesnake, slithering and writhing-Crack!-a single, bloody eyeball.

"It's confused! Dad shouts. "We're getting there! Dean!"

Crack! The eyeball turns into a severed hand which flips over and starts crawling along the floor like a crab.

"Riddikulus!" Dead yells.

"Excellent! Ron, you next!"

Ron steps forward.

Crack!

Again, some people scream as a giant spider, six feet tall and covered with hair, approaches Ron, clicking it's pincers menacingly. Ron freezes for a second before he shouts, "Riddikulus!"

The spiders legs vanish and it rolls over and over. It comes to a halt at Harry's feet. Harry raises his wand, but Dad leaps in front of him and shouts, "Here!"

Crack!

The leg less spider vanishes. For a minute there's nothing, but then I notice a silvery white orb above his head. The full moon.

"Riddikulus!" He says, almost lazily.

Crack!

"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" Dad says as the Biggart lands on the floor as a cockroach. Ew.

This time, Neville charges forward, determined. "Riddikulus!" He shouts, and there's a split second view of Snape in Neville's grandmothers' clothes agin before Neville lets out a great 'Ha!" And the Boggart explodes, bursting into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and is gone.

"Excellent!" Dad cries as we all break into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone. Let's see...five points to Gryffindor for every person who tackled the Boggart-ten for Neville because he did it twice-and five to each Harry and Hermione."

"But I didn't do anything." Harry says and I roll my eyes.

"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the started the lesson, Harry," Dad says. "Very well, everyone, excellent lesson. Homework, just read the chapter on Boggarts and summarise it for me...to be handed in on Monday. That will be all."

I go over to Bonnie who looks pretty shaken up, unlike everyone else who is talking excitedly.

"You okay?" I ask her.

She nods. "I'll be fine. It's just, he manipulated me, and I'm scared he'll do it again."

"I know. Come on, let's go." I say, and we join the rest of the class as we head back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Did you see me tackle that Banshee?" Seamus says.

"And the hand!" Dean adds.

"And Snape in the hat!"

"I wonder why Professor Lupin is scared of crystal balls?" Lavender says thoughtfully.

He's not scared of crystal balls, Lavender, I think, he scared of being a wolf.

That was the best Defence lesson ever!" Ron says excitedly as we climb the marble staircase.

"Yeah, because our Dad's cool, eh?" I say, happily.

"Yes, he seems like a very good teacher," Hermione says. "But I wish I could've had a turn with the Boggart-"

"What would it have been for you?" Ron says, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N

So, I think my chapters are getting extremely long. I remember back in Book 1 when I could only reach 500 words, and now I'm getting 5000 words...

Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter.

-oh, I thought of a new goodbye thing(I'm probably going to get them from books/movies/YouTubers, so they aren't really original...oh well)

Peace out guys, Love Ya!

~Elise