Chapter 14
Severus Snape sat in his Defense Against the Dark Arts class. It was relatively empty, considering he came to the class early, just to avoid the Marauders.
Just thinking about the group of boys made his blood boil. He’d like to overpower them once again, sending them to their demise, but he knew it would draw unwanted attention to him. He needed to lay low and act the same as the past, to avoid Regulus’ suspicious gaze. He’d be able to free himself from them once he disappears.
People began pouring into the room, but no one took the seat near him, not even his fellow Slytherins. He saw Lily sitting in the front of the class, happily chatting with a group of girls. It made him reminiscent of the times where it would be him and Lily sitting together and laughing. His eyes then followed a boy with wild hair, who swiftly took the seat right next to Lily, despite her protests.
Severus gripped his quill tightly, but didn’t say a word. He wanted to dissolve into the shadows, and drift aimlessly. That was all his existence was worth in the end; he was nothing without Lily.
“I can’t wait to see the new professor,” Severus’ ears perked up, and listened to the Gryffindor girl in front of him and her friend. It was Marlene McKinnon and Alice Fortescue, one of Lily’s many friends. He completely forgot about how their last DADA teacher, Professor Greenmellow, had somehow accidentally fallen out of the window and broke several bones. It had taken weeks for them to find a new replacement, due to the rumours about the position being cursed, with Dumbledore substituting as a temporary teacher.
“I hope it’s a guy,” Alice Fortescue giggled. “Preferably a cute and young one.”
Marlene’s lips turned upwards, and she leaned close to her friend. “I heard we have two teachers this time. A professor and their assistant, who is rumoured to be a Hogwarts’ graduate. That’s what Mary said; she said she saw the two of em when she went to drop off something at the Headmaster’s office a few days ago.”
Severus cringed internally. He forgot how lovesick teenagers actually were, since all he did was dock points from anyone who dared to make inappropriate acts or talks. Fitting in with other students would be a major challenge. Not like he even fit in the last timeline, so it didn’t matter.
Severus stilled as the two girls continued talking. Two teachers this time around, one a professor and the other an assistant? That hadn’t happened in his last timeline. Maybe he was just confused-
The doors opened with a loud bang, and two familiar figures strode in, with absolute elegance. A tall brunette girl, with wide lips that were as red as salamander blood raised her wand, and the door slammed shut behind her. Beside her, was a lean blonde who had a look of indifference plastered across his face.
Severus’ blood froze cold, and his dark eyes fixed onto the two.
The woman stood tall, behind the desk in the front of the room. She had an intimidating air to her, even with a smile plastered. “Hello, I am Professor Bouchard,” her voice echoed in the room, as she surveyed the room. She gestured a hand to the boy beside her. “And this is my assistant, Mr. Malfoy.”
The Slytherins erupted into cheers, and the Gryffindors grumbled- well, not all of them. Alice looked like she was just struck by cupid’s arrow. Tabitha smiled at the mixed reaction. “Whether you like it or not, we are your new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher.”
Severus looked at the two with a neutral face- a skill developed after years of being a spy, although he felt like screaming internally. Lucius Malfoy and an unknown but skeptical woman as their defence teacher? The past was screwed once again, but he knew it wasn’t because of him. Lucius had already been there before he even regressed, since Severus met him in the Slytherin Dorms. This meant that Regulus was the one messing with the past.
Severus took a deep breath in, and reorganized his thoughts, using Occlumency. Although he was frustrated that he was in the dark about Regulus’ plans and goals, he could fix that by finding out later on. After all was a spy master, that managed to even fool Voldemort.
“Well, that’s it for introductions,” Tabitha ended with a thundering clap. “We’re quite behind in this class, so we need to be choppy. Mr. Malfoy, get today’s lesson.”
With a wave of Lucius’ wand, a coffin-like box appeared in the front of the room. Ignoring everyone’s leery gaze, Lucius sat on top of it, not letting whatever was shaking inside, come out.
An anticipating atmosphere enveloped the room, wondering what would come out of the coffin. Severus could tell what it was, even with his eyes closed. It was a boggart.
“Everyone, line up if you please. Oh, don’t get too close to the box, I don’t want you to get a heart attack, haha.”
With a flick of her wand, the desks disappeared, leaving the classroom empty and spacious.
“What is that?” A Gryffindor near the front of the line asked.
“You’ll know in a second,” Lucius answered curtly.
Severus made sure to line up in the back, not excited about the lesson. Contrary to him, James and his friends were near the front, boasting about how they’d subdue whatever laid in the box. Severus grimaced.
“Now, now quiet down everyone. I know you’re all excited about this hands-on lesson, but I need you all to pay attention.”
Everyone attentively observed Tabitha and Lucius. They were intrigued by whatever was in the box.
Giving a nod of her head, Lucius opened the coffin, and a figure immediately shot out of the box, right in front of Lucius.
Everyone gasped, grabbing for their wand. Seconds later, sounds of confusion were heard throughout the room and no wands were drawn.
“Why is it just Mr. Malfoy in the box?”
“No, there’s something different. Look- the clothes. They look like a potato sack.”
“Ew… There’s some dirt on his face as well.”
Severus almost chuckled as he came to a conclusion. Lucius’ boggart was poverty.
Amused by the disorganisation, Tabitha stepped up. “Does anyone know what this is?”
“It’s a boggart,” A voice spoke up from the front. “It becomes someone’s worst fear, and can be stopped with a simple spell, Riddikulus.”
“Oh, how impressive, Mr..?”
“Lupin.”
“How impressive, Mr. Lupin. Ten points to Gryffindor.”
Severus could tell Lucius’ lips almost curled into a sneer as the points were given to Gryffindor.
“As you can see, this is a boggart, in the form of Mr. Malfoy’s worst fear- poverty. Fear not, he can defend himself with a spell against a boggart.”
“Riddikulus,” Lucius swiftly twirled his wand, and aimed towards the boggart. It shrank back, turning into a piano with golden keys.
“As you can see, this spell is used to defend yourself against the boggart. You must think about something funny or non threatening, and then cast the spell Riddikulus, like Mr. Malfoy here. Everyone practice the spell.”
They had been practicing the spell for around fifteen minutes, and Severus almost yawned. He knew everything she was saying, and just wished for them to get on with the lesson. As if Tabitha read his mind, she gave another loud clap.
“Now that you know how to defend yourself against it, it’s time to face your biggest fear. First up, step forward!”
James was immediately pushed to the front by Sirius, with a smirk on his face. “You-” he cried as he tried to go back, stopped by Lucius who tapped his shoulder.
“You might want to pay attention, Potter.”
James looked at what Lucius was pointing at. The boggart was taking form, and suddenly, transformed into a limp body. Everyone gasped, seeing a lifeless corpse on the floor. It was Sirius Black- but dead.
James paled, and stepped back. “W-what? Sirius?”
He whipped his head back, and saw Sirius who was alive. His eyes alternated between the boggart and the real Sirius Black.
“Potter. The spell.”
“Oh- right- what was it?” he croaked.
Lucius shrugged. “You should’ve paid attention.”
“Lucius!” Tabitha sternly scolded.
“It’s Riddikulus,” Lucius muttered, with the motion of his wand.
The body then took into another form, a dead corpse of Remus this time. James trembled even more. “R-Riddikulus!” He cried and waved his wand.
Although James executed the spell correctly, the boggart didn’t turn into anything else. Severus was satisfied, knowing that James wasn’t able to execute the spell because of how shaken he was, seeing his friend’s dead body.
“Riddikulus,” Tabitha called out, turning the boggart into a pig holding a pan. “Next!”
James trudged back to his friends, looking defeated. Sirius gave him a firm hug, and whispered things into his ears, which seemed to reassure his friend.
Severus had been zoned out as the line grew shorter and shorter. Remus’ was a full moon- surprise right there. Sirius was himself, but seemed as if he was a darker version of himself. Peter pissed his pants before he could even go, being excused to Madam Pomfrey’s. Lily’s was Proffessor Mcgonagall telling her she failed all her classes. Severus made sure to note every single of them, ignoring everyone else’s boggart.
“Snape, it’s your turn,” Lucius curtly said.
Severus froze, not realising he was the last one, and that everyone else had gone.
“I can’t wait to see what Snivellus is so scared of,” Sirius snickered.
“Probably shampoo,” James whispered back.
Lily kicked him in the shins. “Ow!”
Severus didn’t let their words get to him. “Am I allowed to opt out?”
Tabitha seemed amused. “No. The purpose of today’s lesson is to get people to face their fears.”
Sighing, Severus stepped up in front of the boggart. Even he didn’t know what the boggart would turn into, and he was curious.
Severus watched as the boggart enveloped into a shape, anticipating for the worst. Maybe his boggart would be the snake that killed him, maybe it would be Voldemort himself, or maybe it would be something else.
Unexpectedly, the boggart finally shaped into human shape, a pale and thin young woman, with matted long hair. Severus’ eyes widened, as the body shrivelled, with wounds all over her body. It was a gory sight, as he watched her guts spill out.
“Severus… Please save me.”
A memory he had locked inside his head years ago. Coming home from his sixth year during winter break, and opened the little doors to his home, just to see his mother laying there, in a pool of blood, sobbing. His father never returned from that day on, and Severus was forced to clean up after the bloody mess, and dig a grave for her all by himself.
With Occlumency, Severus hid the memory deep inside, locking it as if it was a cursed treasure that should never see the light of the day. He forced himself to forget it, and eventually, he did. But now, that forbidden treasure was opened for the world to see.
The rest of the class was horrified at the sight, and some even covered their eyes. Even Lucius seemed taken back, and he could hardly be phased by anything.
“Bloody hell- what is that?” James whispered.
They didn’t know he sobbed the whole night, holding her dead body after he sewed her wounds back together.
Severus was shaking, but he used the method he always did to cope- Occlumency. The memory was locked away again, and the boggart decided to take another shape.
This time, it turned into a loomering, furry figure. The Marauders each stared at it in horror.
It was a werewolf.
It had a menacing glare, with a deep growl as it bared its sharp teeth. The same teeth that ripped at his clothes and skin.
Severus’ eyes widened, and he stepped back. Remembering the day he was almost ripped to shreds, just for it to be slid under the rug made him sick. The day his fear and disgust of any type of furry animal surfaced. It was a lifelong trauma that he had never been able to forget. It followed him, even in his dreams.
The werewolf lunged at him.
Severus immediately steadied his hand, and raised his thin wand. “Riddikulus,” he said, with a slight waver in his voice.
The boggart gurgled, resisting a bit, before it became a dancing teddy bear.
“Our first success on the first day. Congratulations, Mr. Snape,” Tabitha said, with a slightly shaken voice.
Severus didn’t bother to reply. He stared at the dancing teddy bear, with his thoughts all over the place. He was a grown adult, and couldn’t be shaken by a low tier dark creature. No matter what, even if he was currently inside his teenager body, he would always have his composure.
Whispers could be heard throughout the room, about how his boggart had suddenly changed forms, and about his peculiar fears. Most of the other boggarts turned into spiders, or a teacher, a dead family member, something silly or not entirely heavy. Severus’ boggart was an outlier, a fear on another level.
He turned around, his eyes devoid of any emotion. His eyes locked with Lily, and she seemed terrified. Lily knew his first boggart was his mother, and she seemed as if she was brimming with questions. Severus, of course, would never answer any of them.
“Snape, you can take an early leave if you’d like,” Tabitha had bent over and whispered in his ears. “Lucius can escort you to the dorms.”
Severus nodded miserably. “Thank you,” he murmured.
Severus was a grown adult; he shouldn’t be shaken over something like a boggart. He cursed at himself for his weak mentality as he followed Lucius out to the door.
“Severus!”
Snape paused, hearing Lily’s name from the crowd of people. He ignored her, and walked out the door, behind Lucius.