(Le time skip to October, brought to you by one of the crazy YandereChips adventures)

Dipper's POV

It was that month of the year again, the month when paranormal activities are at their full power, the month when the Gates between Earth & the Underworld opens, the month when kids dressed up to get candies or make people's life miserable, the month when TV is filled with horror movies: October... On that time of a year, I always ask myself one question...

What am I doing?

I was in the Slytherin Common Room, being extremely bored. I literally had nothing to do while everyone else was doing something. The Quidditcht team was training hard. Thinking of victory filled them with determination. The other students were doing homework but I finished mine long time ago. Other students were getting exited about Halloween while I wasn't. Why? Well, let's just say it's because of the memories. Last Halloween, my kidney's were almost stolen; the one before, I was chased by a creepy cursed teddy bear; the one even before that, a bleach-white killer woke me up from my slumber just to tell me to 'Go to sleep' (earning him a knife in the face); the one 4 years ago, I was chased by a couple faeries of the Unseelie Court; before that, I was attacked by a pyromaniac with a bunch of personality disorders who's also a smoker & a singer. Heck, even when it's in summer & it's called Summerween, something bad still happens.

What am I doing?

Apparently, dying of boredom.

Where are the Ciphers? Well, Halloween is the only time of the year when we were not bound to each other anymore & their family was having a super important & boring meeting in another dimension, they were busy packing inside their mindscapes.

The Forbidden Forest? Not gonna happen since the school's security has gone from 0 to 100 because it's gonna be Halloween soon. Well that escalated quickly.

Oh, what am I doing?

Since I had nothing better to do, I decide to dozed off a little.

(Le short time skip, brought to you by Google Translate)

Harry's POV

I wandered dispiritedly toward the library, but halfway there he changed my mind; I didn't feel like working. I turned around and came face-to-face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors.

"What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously.

"Nothing." I said truthfully.

"Nothing!" Filch spat, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around on your own... Why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?"

I shrugged.

"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" Filch snapped and stood glaring until I had passed out of sight.

But I didn't want to go back yet. I was thinking vaguely of visiting the Owlery to see Hedwig. On the way there, I met Mason.

"Hey." He said. "Aren't you gonna go to Hogsmeade?"

"My abusive uncle & aunt didn't sign the paper." I sighed. "What about you?"

"I was bored so I dozed off & overslept." He responded.

We were walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms said: "Harry?"

We doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door.

"What are you two doing?" Lupin said, though in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?"

"Hogsmeade." I said in a would-be casual voice.

"Ah..." Lupin said as he considered something for a moment. "Why don't you two come in? I've just taken delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson."

"A what?" I said.

"Grindylow, another half sea creature, half human creature." Mason quietly told me. "But I consider sirens to be more dangerous since no one can resist their voice and we will enter a trance like state if we hear it & they can do whatever they want."

I simply nodded. Mason sure knows a lot about Magical Creatures.

We followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers.

"Water demon." Lupin said, surveying the Grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle."

The Grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in a corner.

"Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one."

"All right." I said awkwardly.

"Sure." Mason responded.

Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout.

"Sit down." Lupin said, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid -- but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?"

I looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling.

"How did you know about that?" I asked.

"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?"

"No." I said.

"Did something happen in Divination?" Mason asked.

"Wait you don't know?" I asked dumbfounded. "You haven't even heard of the rumors?"

"Deary, when it comes to rumors, I know nothing, unless they are blackmail material." He replied. "God! I'm starting to sound like Rumple!"

"It's about the Grim." I said, thinking for a moment of telling Lupin & Mason about the dog I'd seen in Magnolia Crescent but decided not to. I didn't want them to think I was a coward, especially since Lupin already seemed to think I couldn't cope with a Boggart.

Something of my thoughts seemed to have shown on my face, because Lupin said: "Anything worrying you, Harry?"

"No." I lied. I drank a bit of tea and watched the Grindylow brandishing a fist at him. Deciding whether or not I should tell them...

"Yes" I said suddenly, putting my tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the Boggart?"

"Yes," said Lupin slowly.

"Why didn't you let me fight it?" I said abruptly.

Lupin raised his eyebrows.

"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry." He said, sounding surprised.

I had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing so I was taken aback.

"Why?" I said again.

"Well..." Lupin said, frowning slightly, "I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."

I stared. Not only was this the last answer I'd expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. The only personI had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from myself) was Professor Dumbledore. Oh, and Mason, too. But he usually calls Him Voldy, Volde-smort, Voldemark(et), Death Flight or Flight of Death.

"Clearly, I was wrong." Lupin said, still frowning at me. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialize in the staffroom. I imagined that people would panic."

"I didn't think of Voldemort." I said honestly. "I... I remembered those Dementors."

"I see..." Lupin said thoughtfully. "Well, well...I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on my face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is... fear itself. Very wise, Harry."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I drank some more tea.

"What!? Those bitches again!?" Mason exclaimed. "I fucking despise them..."

"Profanity, Mr Pines." Lupin said.

"Sorry..."

"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?" Lupin said shrewdly, turning to me.

"Well...yeah." I said. I was suddenly feeling a lot happier. "Professor Lupin, you know the Dementors..."

I was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," called Lupin.

The door opened, and in came Snape. He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Mason & I, his black eyes narrowing.

"Ah, Severus." Lupin said, smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?"

Snape set down the smoking goblet, his eyes wandering between Mason, me and Lupin.

"I was just showing Harry my Grindylow." Lupin said pleasantly, pointing at the tank.

"Fascinating." Snape said, without looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin."

"Yes, yes, I will." Professor Lupin said.

"I made an entire cauldronful." Snape continued. "If you need more."

"I should probably have some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus."

"Not at all." Snape said, but there was a look in his eye I didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful.

I looked curiously at the goblet. Lupin smiled.

"Professor Snape has very kindly concocted a potion for me." He said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless." He added, taking a sip and shuddering.

"Why-?" I began. Lupin looked at me and answered the unfinished question.

"I've been feeling a bit off-color" He said. "This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it." (A/N: Off-colors! Padparadscha Sapphire is the most adorable!)

Professor Lupin took another sip and I had a crazy urge to knock the goblet out of his hands.

"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts." I blurted out.

"Really?" Lupin said, looking only mildly interested as he took another gulp of potion.

"Some people reckon..." I hesitated, then plunged recklessly on. "Some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

"Really?" Mason said in a strange mischievous tone.

Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face.

"Disgusting," he said. "Well, Harry, I'd better get back to work. See you at the feast later."

"Right." I said, putting down my empty teacup.

The empty goblet was still smoking.

I turned to Mason. He looked like he knows exactly what's in the goblet & wasn't worried at all.

"Do you know what's in the goblet?" I asked.

"It's related to one of Remus's darkest secret..." He said. "But I'm not gonna tell you because I need it to blackmail Lupin." He continued with a mischievous grin.

What does he know?...

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And that's gonna be it for this chapter! Hope you enjoyed!

If you're asking why Bill isn't interrupting me right now, it's because I blocked off his entrance buuut I think he will find another one soon.

Anyway, what am I doing? I'm supposed to be studying!

Well, I am but I'm doing this at the same time...

Welp. Chess_Cat is outta here! Later!