( October '93 )

"Intriguing, isn't it?" Remus Lupin asked his class. "Would anyone like to venture a guess as to what's inside?"

"That's a boggart, that is." Dean answered.

"Very good, Mr. Thomas." Professor Lupin replied. "Now can anybody tell me what a boggart looks like?"

"No one knows." Hermione answered.

"When did she and Cas get here?" Ron asked Harry.

"Boggarts are shapeshifters. They take the shape of whatever particular person fears the most." Cassandra continued.

"Suck up!" Draco Malfoy yelled.

Cassandra rolled her eyes at him.

"Luckily, a very simple charm exists to expel a Boggart." Professor Lupin announced. "Let's practice it now. Without wands, please. After me - Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" The class repeated.

"Very good! A little louder and more clear. Listen - Riddikulus."

"Riddikulus!" The class exclaimed once again.

"This class is ridiculous." Draco muttered.

"Very good." Professor Lupin said, ignoring Draco's comment. "Well so much for the easy part. See the incantation alone is not enough. What really finishes a Boggart is laughter. You need to force it to assume a shape you find truly amusing. Let me explain. Neville, will you join me please?"

Neville nervously looked around as if Professor Lupin was calling on another person named Neville. He sheepishly stepped up in front of the class, facing Professor Lupin.

"Neville, what frightens you most of all?" Professor Lupin inquired.

"Professor Snape." Neville answered.

The class laughed at Neville's reply. Cassandra thought it was awful that a kid could be that scared of a teacher, especially her father. She knew the good side of her father but that also meant that she sees the bad side of her father as well.

"Yeah, he frightens all." Professor Lupin replied. "And I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Yes but I don't want it to turn into her either." Neville answered, feeling more confident.

Once again, the class laughed at his response.

"No, it won't." Professor Lupin assured. "I want you to picture her clothes - only her clothes, very clearly in your mind."

"She carries a red handbag."

"We don't need to hear, as long as you see it, we'll see it." Professor Lupin stated. "Now when I open that wardrobe, here's what I want you to do. Imagine Professor Snape in your grandmother's clothes. Can you do that? Wand at the ready - one, two, three."

Professor Lupin opened the wardrobe door with a flick of his wand. Out of the wardrobe, came Professor Snape. Professor Lupin whispered in Neville's ear, encouraging him. Cassandra watched carefully. She knew how hard it must have been for Neville to face his greatest fear.

A pit of guilt grew in Cassandra's stomach. She felt guilty for being Professor Snape's daughter - the professor that many hate. She felt as though it was her fault her dad was that way. Maybe he had always been that way.

"Riddikulus!" Neville said, not so confidently.

Although Neville didn't seem confident, the spell had worked. Suddenly, the Boggart was wearing Neville's grandmother's clothes. Cassandra chuckled at the fact that her dad was wearing some old lady clothes. Cassandra wasn't the only one in the class laughing at the fact that Professor Snape was wearing old lady clothes.

"Wonderful, Neville, wonderful, incredible." Professor Lupin smiled. "Okay, to the back Neville. Everyone form a line."

Cassandra stood behind Harry and Hermione was behind Cassandra. Ron's boggart turned out to be a spider. He muttered the incantation and the spider was now wearing roller skates. Parvati was next. Her greatest fear was a snake. She then turned the snake into a Jack in the Box. While everyone else was conquering their fears, Cassandra wondered what hers could be. She thought it could be Voldemort or that it could be a dementor. Both were scary, in her opinion.

Now Harry was next. He stood in front of the Boggart and waited for it to change shapes. When it did, the Boggart took the form of a dementor. Harry looked shocked as did Professor Lupin. Professor Lupin stepped in front of the Boggart and the Boggart shifted into an image of the moon.

"Riddikulus!" Professor Lupin exclaimed.

The moon turned into a balloon which deflated and flew back into the wardrobe.

"Alright everyone, class is dismissed." Professor Lupin announced. "Miss Rose, I'd like a word with you."

Cassandra followed Professor Lupin into his office.

"What did you want to talk about?" Cassandra inquired.

"How are you adjusting here?" Professor Lupin inquired. "Are you liking it here?"

"It's going good, Professor Lupin." Cassandra replied.

"Remus." Professor Lupin corrected.

"Right, Remus." Cassandra nodded. "I find your class to be very interesting. Hogwarts isn't as hard as I thought it would be. It's fairly easy."

"I'm glad you're adjusting well." Remus said. "Now, I'd like to give you something."

Remus reached for a picture frame that was sitting on his desk. He passed it to Cassandra and she took a look at it.

"This is Dumbledore's Army." Remus stated. "It was founded shortly before you were born."

"Who is that standing on the left of James Potter?" Cassandra asked, looking at the unfamiliar woman.

"That is Brooklyn." Remus answered. "She was my best friend. And Sirius Black's lover. Nobody knows what happened to her. Many reckon that she's dead but I still have hope that she's alive somewhere."

"Who's standing on her left?"

"Jack Dawson. He's in Romania right now, studying dragons."

"Like Charlie Weasley?"

"Exactly like Charlie Weasley." Remus nodded.

"Why are you showing me this?"

"This picture will hold answers that you may need in the future. Now you better head off."

Cassandra took the picture out of the photo frame and put it in her bag. She gave Remus a hug before dashing off. She hoped to find out what answers she might need from that photo. She met up with Ron who was waiting outside the classroom for her.

Today was Friday and that meant that tomorrow was the first Hogsmeade trip. Cassandra didn't end up getting her form signed and it was due tomorrow before the trip. Cassandra sighed as she made her way up to her dorm room which led to her sitting on her bed and looking at the picture. She noticed that she looked a lot like James Potter but that could just be a coincidence.