Thursday afternoon, the Gryffindors were to have their first ever Defence Against the Dark Arts with Professor Lupin. Hari was buzzing with excitement, curious as to what he would be teaching them first. They so far had a very poor track record of Defence teachers in Hari’s years of Hogwarts with his first teacher turning out to have Lord Voldemort on the back of his head and his second year teacher being a fraud that ran away as soon as he was tasked with doing his actual job.

“I hope Professor Lupin is better than the other crackpots we’ve had so far,” said Ron as they made their way through lunch. “Can’t be any worse than the rest, can he?”

“He definitely won’t be,” said Hari confidently. “He’s brilliant. He has actual experience with working against the Dark Arts, so he’s bound to know loads already.”

“Remember when he got rid of that dementor on the train? That’s not an easy task at all,” pointed out Draco. He took a bite of his sandwich. “What do you think we’ll be doing today?”

They were soon to find out as, a few minutes later, they started making their way upstairs to the Defence classroom with the rest of the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. When they got to the classroom and made their way inside, their new professor was nowhere to be found.

They were in the middle of unpacking their Defence textbooks and taking their seats when the door to the classroom burst open and in walked Professor Lupin, dressed in an old sleeveless jumper, a scarlet red tie and a dark brown cape. He smiled at the students warmly as they stared back in surprise and interest.

“You won’t be needing your textbooks today,” he said. “Today’s lesson will be a practical one.” The students shared excited glances. The last time they had a practical lesson was a year ago and the prospect of getting to try out proper magic instead of just reading from a textbook intrigued and excited them greatly. “Follow me, please. And leave your things, you just need a wand.”

The students followed Professor Lupin across the school and down a couple of flights of stairs until they were interrupted by Peeves the poltergeist trying to shove gum into the lock of a door. He swung himself upside down and blew raspberries as they approached.

“Why it’s loony, loopy Lupin!” sang Peeves, giggling to himself.

“It’s a pleasure to see you too, Peeves,” Lupin deadpanned, putting his hands on his hips. “I assume you’ll just be staying here, then?” Peeves replied by blowing more raspberries and gesturing his middle finger at Lupin. The class giggled.

Lupin sighed and pulled his wand out of his pocket. “Watch closely, please,” Lupin said over his shoulder to the watching students. He cleared his throat and pointed his wand at the wad of gum in the lock and said, “Waddiwasi!” At once, the gum was dislodged rather violently out of the keyhole, zipping through the air to jam right into one of Peeve’s nostrils.

“Nice one, sir!” exclaimed Dean excitedly, grinning up at Professor Lupin. Harry thought he saw a very faint flush in his cheeks as Remus turned back to thank him.

Once Peeves shrieked and flew away, swearing loudly, Professor Lupin continued to lead them along the corridor until they reached the door to the staff lounge. He opened the door and held it open to allow the students to file inside. The only other person there was Severus Snape, sitting reading a book and eating an apple. He looked up when they entered and rolled his eyes, shutting his book and getting up.

“Do try not to let your students destroy this room, Professor,” Professor Snape said coolly as he exited the classroom swiftly, shutting the door behind him.

Lupin stared at the door for a brief moment, looking slightly resigned. Then, he swiftly moved the tables up against the wall to clear the floor. “Right. Let’s get right to business, shall we?” He turned to the students. “Professor Dumbledore has kindly allowed me to take advantage of this room for me to teach you all about boggarts. Now, can anyone tell me what a boggart is?”

As usual, Hermione’s hand was the first one to shoot into the air.

“Yes, Hermione?”

“A boggart is an amortal, shape-shifting creature which takes the form of the greatest fear of the person encountering it,” she said, word perfect from a textbook.

Lupin grinned. “Precisely. I couldn’t have put it better myself,” he replied. “Five points to Gryffindor.”

Hermione smiled sheepishly, bowing her head in embarrassment. Draco snorted and patted her back with amusement.

“As Hermione put it so well, a boggart will take the shape of whatever it thinks is the biggest fear of the person it encounters. However, you all currently have a large advantage over this. Can anyone think of why?” said Lupin, twiddling his wand in his hands. “Hari, what do you think?”

“Well there’s so many of us in the room, which would just confuse the boggart trying to decide which form to take, wouldn’t it?” Harry said.

Lupin smiled. “Exactly. Five more points to Gryffindor,” replied Lupin, winking. “Now, the greatest defence against a boggart is laughter. The very opposite of fear. Along with this, there is a simple yet effective spell that may be used.” He tucked his wand away and said, “With me, please… Riddikulus!”

The class mimicked him together.

“I’ll tell you what else is ridiculous,” remarked Zacharias Smith to one of his friends near the back of the room. Several people laughed, though the majority of the room just rolled their eyes.

“Yes, yes, very funny,” Remus replied lightly, looking over at the sneering teenager.

“Now we’ve got that covered, I am now going to open this closet here to let the boggart out,” he explained once they all tried out the spell a few times without wands. “Can I get a volunteer for the first person? Draco? Would you come help me?”

Draco’s eyes widened in fear, but he reluctantly stepped forwards. Hari could see his hands were shaking slightly at his sides, but he had a falsely confident and stoic expression on his face. The wardrobe rattled loudly, making several people jump in surprise.

“So, Draco. Can you please tell me what your greatest fear is?” Lupin asked Draco kindly, giving him a supportive smile. Draco mumbled something under his breath which no one could hear, even Lupin. “Sorry? I didn’t catch that?”

“Do I have to?” Draco asked dully, chewing on his bottom lip. Only a few people nearby heard.

“If you really don’t feel up to the task, that is perfectly okay,” Lupin replied softly, turning to the rest of the class. “If anyone else doesn’t feel up to it, you are allowed to go to the library or to the Defence classroom instead to read up about the boggart instead. There is no pressure or judgement here.”

Nobody moved, even Draco. Apparently, the thought of admitting they couldn’t face their fears and the potential embarrassment that could ensue was of a greater importance.

Draco rolled his shoulders. “No, I’ll do it,” he said, setting his jaw, determination in his grey eyes as he gripped his wand tight. Nobody would have known that a moment ago, he had been afraid. Classic Gryffindor.

Lupin grinned. “Alright then, if you’re sure,” said Lupin. “Can you please tell us what your greatest fear is, then, Draco?”

Draco took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Then, he barely whispered, “My father.”

There was an uncomfortable, tense silence following this statement. For a moment, nobody seemed to even breathe, not even Smith. Hari felt his heart crumbling to pieces and he shared worried glances with Ron, Neville and Hermione. Draco’s face was unreadable, blank, watching the rattling wardrobe in front of him.

Lupin cleared his throat. “Okay… I believe you have an aunt? Bellatrix?” Lupin said.

Neville stiffened beside Hari. Draco nodded. “I don’t want that hag coming out either!” Draco snapped, looking affronted.

Lupin seemed to hold back a small laugh at Draco’s statement. “I was actually going to suggest that you imagined him dressed like her. I recall she has a rather interesting taste in style choices.”

“Well, she always wears really tight black dresses with lace and a lot of dark makeup… and her hair is really wild and curly… and her boots have alarmingly high heels…”

Lupin hummed thoughtfully. “Perfect. I want everyone else to please think of your own fears and how you can turn them into something funny.”

Hari’s first thought was of Voldemort. That would be the most likely option, of course. He killed Hari’s parents, had tried to kill him on three different occasions and almost killed some of his friends. Hari knew that’s who he should have thought of…

But then he remembered the dementor. Its decaying, gasping mouth and the freezing air and the creepy, long fingers reaching out and the distant screams from nowhere as he fell into darkness… Hari shivered at the memory.

“I am going to open the wardrobe now and I want you to focus very clearly on what your aunt dresses like,” Lupin said, moving over to the wardrobe and putting his hand on the knob. “Ready?” Draco nodded and Lupin opened the door at once.

The class held their breath as a pair of long, pale fingers appeared outside the wardrobe, gripping the sides. A moment later, the imposing figure of Lucius Malfoy stepped slowly out of the wardrobe, glaring pompously around the room. His long, platinum blond hair was tied neatly back in a low ponytail and he was dressed in expensive looking black robes.

Draco stiffened but held his guard as the boggart-Lucius stepped towards him.

“You are no son of mine, Draco,” said the boggart-Lucius, sneering cruelly. “You are not deserving of anything. You have failed me and your family.”

“Think of the clothes, Draco!” Lupin urged.

“I wish we never had—”

“Riddikulus!” Draco shouted somewhat frantically as he pointed his wand at the perfect replica of his father.

At once, boggart-Lucius seemed to twist as though in pain. And then, an instant later, he was suddenly dressed in a very tight black dress, high laced up boots and his long blond hair had turned into a wild mane of black and white curls. He was wearing very heavy dark makeup with black lipstick, looking horrified at his appearance. The class erupted into laughter and a few wolf whistles, Draco even forcing out an odd, choked laugh. It was rather ridiculous seeing the Malfoy father in such a strange get up.

“Parvati! You next!” Lupin called, ushering her over.

As Draco stepped away, Parvati took his place. Immediately, Lucius Malfoy disappeared, replaced by a giant, bloody mummy. It groaned morosely as it began shuffling forwards, arms reaching out. Parvati said the spell and the mummy unravelled like a roll of toilet paper.

“Hannah!”

With a crack, the toilet paper turned into a slender, pale vampire with bloody fangs. Sje shouted oyt the spell and all his teeth fell out.

“Seamus!”

A screaming banshee. “Riddikulus!” The banshee had lost her voice, choking and sputtering.

“Dean!”

A disembodied hand, crawling along the floor. “Riddikulus!” The hand was caught in a mousetrap.

“Justin!”

A single, bloody eyeball, rolling along the floor. “Riddikulus!” The eye began to bounce up and down like a rubber ball, hitting the ceiling.

A rat stuck in a mousetrap. A snake chasing its own tail. A skeleton falling to pieces on the floor. A shark flopping up and down on the floor, gasping for air.

Ron stepped forward and it turned into a massive, hairy spider. He trembled for a moment, stammering over his words before blurting, “R-riddikulus!” At once, the spider’s legs disappeared and it rolled around on the floor as everyone laughed.

After Fay’s wingless crow and Ernie’s dragon utrning into a lizard, it was Hari’s turn.

He stepped forward, bracing himself to see a dementor taking form in front of him, once again…

However, instead of facing the cloaked figure, Lupin leapt in front of Hari, wand raised. Ernie’s slimy lizard turned into a shiny, white orb hovering in the air, glowing silver. “Riddikulus!” he shouted, pointing his wand. The orb turned into a white balloon which blew around and around the room over their heads. “Draco! Finish it off!”

Draco stepped up and the balloon turned into Lucius dressed as Bellatrix once again. “Riddikulus!” Draco shouted confidently. And then, with satisfaction, “Ha! Take that, asshole!” The boggart vanished from existence with a loud crack.

“Wonderful! Fantastic job, everyone!” Professor Lupin shouted as the class erupted into cheers, congratulating each other for their work. Lupin looked down at his watch. “Five points to everyone who faced the boggart or answered a question and ten to Draco for facing it twice! Your homework for tomorrow is to read up on boggarts and summarize in a paragraph. Class dismissed!”

Hari was the first to leave the room, head bent down and arms crossed. He ignored the excited chatter of his peers as they talked excitedly about facing their fears and laughed about the ways they twisted their boggarts into something laughable. As he grabbed his bag, Hermione, Ron and Draco caught up to Hari, all smiling excitedly.

“That was the best Defence lesson we’ve ever had!” said Ron excitedly, slinging the strap of his bag over his shoulder.

“It was! I just wish I had been able to face my boggart!” said Hermione as she grabbed her own bag.

“Yeah? And what would yours have been? A failed exam?” said Draco teasingly, leaping away from her attempt to elbow him in the side. Ron roared with laughter at Draco’s joke and Hermione pulled a book out of her bag to hit him and Draco both over the heads.

“You guys are so annoying!” she snapped, following them out of the classroom with the others. “Honestly, why do I even put up with you?”

Draco wrapped both of his arms around her neck as they walked, almost knocking her down a flight of stairs as he messed up her dark hair and guffawed. “It’s because you looooove us, darling Hermione,” he cooed as she shoved him off her, straightening out her hair.

Hermione and Draco went slightly ahead of them, Draco still teasing Hermione lightly. Ron fell back into step with Hari, looking concerned and thoughtful.

Ron bumped Hari’s shoulder, cocking a ginger eyebrow. “What’s up, Hari? Didn’t you like the lesson?” Ron asked.

Hari shrugged. “I guess. I just don’t know why he didn’t let me face my boggart,” Hari admitted bitterly. “It’s like he didn’t think I could face it or something after I fainted on the train.”

“I doubt it was that, mate. It was probably just because we were running out of time,” said Ron certainly. “Not everyone got to do one anyway. Hermione didn’t either and I doubt it was because he thought she couldn’t do it.” He nodded towards Hermione, currently hitting Draco with her bag as he shrieked.

Hari sighed. He still didn’t feel as confident about Remus’ reasons for not letting him face the boggart, but put on a fake smile and pretended it didn’t bother him as they joined the other two on their way down the stairs.

¤¤¤

Defence Against the Dark Arts quickly became the most popular subject across the board. Everyone was always talking about how fun the lessons were, bragging about getting a compliment or earning house points because of Professor Lupin. Not even Smith had a word to say against him after their first lesson. Only Theodore Nott seemed to have anything to say against him, though it was a weak argument at that.

“Have you seen how he dresses? You’d think he just got his clothes from the bin!” Nott would whisper loudly to Crabbe and Goyle when Lupin passed them.

On a particularly memorable occasion a few weeks into term, when Nott had been laughing about the scars on Lupin’s face, Draco ended up using the Knockback jinx on Nott, having recently learned it in class with Lupin. This resulted in Nott accidentally stumbling down a flight of stairs, almost taking out a group of terrified first years.

“Draco! You shouldn’t have done that!” Hermione reprimanded as they watched Nott stumbling to his feet, hissing angrily at the first years as he straightened out his robes. “That was really dangerous!”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Hermione,” Draco said airily, tucking his wand discreetly in his pocket as Ron and Hari snickered. “Although, I’d say Trelawney would just call it karma for being an asshat.”

“You still shouldn’t have used that on him when you knew what would happen!”

Draco gasped and covered his chest with his hand, mockingly offended and shocked. “How dare you accuse me of such things, Hermione! I would never! How could you think so little of me?”

No one else even cared about Lupin’s scars or his old, patched robes except for Nott. He was easily the best teacher they had had in the subject, telling them fascinating stories about the creatures they were studying, using volunteers to try out the different spells and work up their confidence. They next moved onto Red Caps, tiny goblin-like creatures which showed up on battlefields and graveyards, attracted to the scent of blood. He had Neville trying out a jinx to repel the creatures, making his cheeks go red with bashfulness as he successfully managed it in front of the whole class.

Hari was enjoying the subject thoroughly, finally getting some hands on experience that didn’t involve facing off a murderer. He still had the niggling doubt at the back of his head, planted by Remus not letting him face off the boggart, but pushed it aside in favour of learning more and more about the subject.

If he sometimes avoided Remus’ attempts to chat with him in the corridors, that was purely coincidence.

Hari’s other classes paled in comparison to the Defence lessons.

Professor Snape, though always a strict and slightly intimidating professor, was particularly moody this school year. He was less tolerant of people’s mistakes in their potions, barking out orders and reprimanding students quite harshly for ruining their potions. He even reduced Neville to tears one day over knocking his potion onto the floor, awkwardly sending Seamus after him when he scurried out of the room and ending the lesson early looking like he took a bite out of a lemon.

Meanwhile, the Divination lessons were continuing to be the very bane of Hari’s existence. Professor Trelawney was predicting his death almost every lesson, giving him tragic, tearful looks whenever she saw him. Trelawney even claimed to see the Grim in Hari’s cup once again, not knowing that he had actually swapped cups with Hermione to see if she would still predict his death. Furthermore, Parvati and Lavender kept giving him sympathetic looks, taking everything Trelawney told them at absolute face value and treating him as though he was dying every second.

Care of Magical Creatures was still relatively enjoyable, however. They spent the first couple of weeks with the hippogriffs, getting to pet them and more and more people getting a chance to ride them. They spent another lesson on the ground, sketching drawings of the horse-bird hybrids into their notebooks as Hagrid told them random tidbits about the individual hippogriffs.
Then, they moved onto fairies, which whizzed and fluttered around the grass and got caught in students’ hair. In one instance, Ron accidentally hit Hermione in the face with his elbow as he tried to avoid one of the fairies flying directly at his face.

“It’s not my fault you were standing so close!” Ron complained as he was made to walk Hermione up to the hospital wing with a nosebleed.

“Oh, but it’s my fault you didn’t see me standing right there?” Hermione could be heard snapping back, voice muffled behind her hands as she tried to catch the dripping red blood.

Hari and Draco laughed, exchanging smiles as they both wondered whether Hermione and Ron would ever stop bickering like a married couple.