Before opening the wardrobe, Lupin paused, as if struck by a sudden thought, and turned to Neville. "You live with your grandmother, correct?"
Neville looked bewildered, not immediately grasping Lupin's intent. His thoughts seemed elsewhere, and then his expression shifted, a flicker of dread crossing his face. "Yes, but I really don't want the Boggart to turn into her."
It wasn't just Snape; Neville seemed equally terrified of his own grandmother.
Neville's words sparked a wave of laughter among the students. "Hahahaha..."
Even Lupin couldn't suppress a chuckle, though he quickly composed himself. "No, no, that's not it at all! I simply need you to picture what your grandmother is wearing. Focus! Concentrate on her clothing, and make sure you have a very clear image in your mind!"
"She usually carries a red handbag..."
"There's no need to say it aloud, Neville. As long as you can vividly imagine it, we'll all be able to see it."
With that, Lupin returned to Neville's side, bent down, and whispered conspiratorially, "Now, imagine Snape wearing your grandmother's clothes."
Neville recoiled, startled, and stared at Lupin with disbelief.
"Ready? Now, wand at the ready."
As if he hadn't just suggested the absurd, Lupin calmly stepped back toward the wardrobe.
Hearing Lupin's instruction, Neville frantically drew his wand, his right hand trembling as he pointed it at the ominous piece of furniture. "I-I'm ready!"
Lupin, wand held aloft, gently unlatched the door containing the Boggart.
Click...
The wardrobe swung open of its own accord.
Under the watchful eyes of the assembled group, Severus Snape slowly materialized, his voice dripping with disdain. "Longbottom, are you quite daft? To toss dragon nerve directly into the cauldron without grinding it first? Are you a troll?"
Neville's face froze. He instinctively believed he was facing the real Snape. The "hate everything" expression was simply too authentic.
Lupin, standing just behind Neville, offered quiet encouragement.
After a moment of visible internal struggle, Neville finally gathered his courage, pointed his wand at "Snape," and stammered, "Riddikulus! Riddikulus!"
A billow of white smoke erupted, and when it cleared, "Snape" was sporting an old-fashioned witch's green robe, a conical green hat perched atop his head, and a red handbag dangling from his arm.
"Hahahaha..."
Snape's bizarre attire triggered another round of boisterous laughter from the students.
As the mirth subsided, Lupin clapped his hands together. "Alright, alright. Now, everyone, come up one by one and give it a try."
For the next while, the Boggart morphed into a succession of "strange creatures."
There was Ron Weasley's enormous spider; after the spell was cast, roller skates appeared on its many legs, sending it tumbling in a comical mess.
One young witch faced a giant, constricting python; after the incantation, she transformed it into a ridiculous clown.
Unfortunately for her, the young witch was deathly afraid of clowns, but after reciting the spell, the clown deflated like a punctured balloon and lay flat on the floor.
When Harry Potter's time came, not only Lupin and the other students, but even Tom Riddle watched with undisguised curiosity.
The wardrobe creaked open, and two figures emerged.
"Hmm? What's this then?"
Everyone present immediately recognized the two figures: Tom Riddle and Malfoy.
"Tom Riddle" solemnly placed a hand on "Malfoy's" shoulder, his expression radiating satisfaction. "Draco, you are far superior to Potter. From this day forward, you shall be my second-in-command within the Death Eaters!"
"..."
Lupin's expression was indescribable.
What was this? He had considered the possibility that Harry might fear snakes, spiders, even Snape, but he had never imagined Harry's greatest fear would be...this!
Lily [Potter]! James [Potter]! I am so sorry!
They, the surviving adults, were all responsible for Harry turning out this way!
At least, that's what Lupin thought.
However, while Lupin was still lost in thought, Harry had already blurted out the spell, "Riddikulus! Riddikulus!"
A loud "bong" echoed through the room as a cloud of white smoke filled the air.
When the smoke cleared, Tom Riddle stood shirtless, as if he had been caught changing.
"Ooh la la~"
The young witches present couldn't help but make appreciative noises.
Tom Riddle wasn't particularly muscular, even a bit on the slender side, but his muscles were remarkably well-defined and aesthetically pleasing.
Cassandra Volle's attention strayed from the special lesson Tom Riddle was giving her, prompting Tom Riddle to lightly rap her on the head. "Ouch~"
Ignoring his apprentice's resentful glare, Tom Riddle shifted his attention to the image the Boggart had conjured.
Standing in front of the wardrobe, "Tom Riddle" clenched his fist and punched "Malfoy" to the ground.
This humiliating moment for "Malfoy" unsurprisingly inspired another round of laughter from the young wizards.
However, Lupin quickly shoved the Boggart back into the wardrobe, eliciting a collective sigh of disappointment from the young witches.
This, in turn, displeased many of the young wizards present.
"Hey, Lola, I'm in pretty good shape too, you know!"
"Come off it, your belly's big enough to be used as a swimming ring."
It seemed most of the young wizards were only fooling themselves.
Lupin was quite pleased with the cheerful atmosphere in his classroom. Nothing unexpected had occurred; none of his worries had materialized. Wasn't this a promising start?
...
However, after class, some imbecile somehow informed Snape about what had transpired.
This resulted in the young wizards who attended that class suffering terribly in the afternoon Potions lesson, Neville Longbottom in particular.
Tom Riddle recalled that afternoon in Potions; even Harry had momentarily fallen out of Snape's favor.
Out of the nearly fifty questions posed during the entire class, thirty were directed at Neville by Snape.
If Neville failed to answer correctly, Snape would sneer, "Oh, I was under the impression that Mr. Longbottom had become exceptionally gifted, otherwise Professor Lupin wouldn't have asked you to demonstrate, would he?"
Neville lost count of how many times he heard similar barbs, and Snape's reprimands whenever he made a mistake were even more scathing.
Coincidentally, due to Snape's relentless targeting, Neville's error rate reached an all-time high during this particular class.
So, in truth, facing this new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor who clearly disliked Snape but was undeniably capable, the students experienced a bittersweet blend of pain and pleasure.
Or rather, because Snape also loathed Lupin, the students caught in the crossfire suffered far more pain than pleasure.
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