When Neville heard Sherlock say he didn't know what he feared most, he immediately became dejected.
After three years as classmates with Sherlock, experience had taught Neville that Sherlock only needed to look at him once to know everything.
But how could he not know?
Just then, Sherlock's voice rang out again, "But I know now."
That's more like it!
Neville immediately brightened up.
Remus also looked at Sherlock with interest and said: "Let's hear it."
"What Neville fears most is our Potions professor, Severus Snape."
The entire class laughed.
Neville also grinned sheepishly.
Remus now had a clear picture. But to be safe, he asked, "Neville, is that right?"
"Y-yes."
Neville first looked gratefully at Sherlock, then quietly gave an affirmative answer.
Remus showed a thoughtful expression, then asked,
"As I understand it, you live with your grandmother, correct?"
"Y-yes."
Neville first nodded, then realized what this meant and quickly said, "But I don't want the boggart to turn into grandmother either!"
The entire class burst into laughter again, filling the classroom with cheerful atmosphere.
Remus's face also broke into a smile.
"You misunderstand, Neville. Don't worry—I won't have Professor Snape turn into your grandmother."
Next, Professor Lupin guided Neville to carefully recall his grandmother's usual attire.
Then he asked everyone to step back, leaving an open space for Neville to face the boggart alone.
Once Neville was ready, Remus flicked his wand.
A stream of sparks precisely hit the spherical door handle of the wardrobe.
The next moment, the wardrobe burst open.
When the boggart, transformed into Professor Snape, emerged from the wardrobe, the entire class gasped.
So similar, too similar!
The greasy black hair, pale skin, fierce eyes, the signature hooked nose, plus that all-too-familiar black robe.
It was almost enough to make one suspect that Professor Snape had cast some spell after leaving and crawled back into the wardrobe.
Even more surprising was that upon seeing Neville, Snape's eyes gleamed menacingly as he walked directly toward him.
Professor Snape pressed forward step by step while student Neville retreated continuously.
Soon, Neville found his classmates behind him, he could retreat no further.
He trembled as he raised his wand, but no sound came from his mouth.
Hermione, standing right behind Neville, couldn't help but reach for her wand upon seeing this.
Professor Lupin noticed this and was about to speak when someone beat him to it.
Sherlock pressed down on Hermione's hand.
Hermione trembled all over, as if struck by lightning.
Sherlock hadn't expected such a strong reaction from her.
He looked at her with some surprise, then said, "Let him handle it himself."
Hermione nodded and slowly lowered her hand.
Seeing this, Professor Lupin showed an approving expression.
Meanwhile, Snape also reached into his robes.
However, the moment he drew his wand, the courage hidden deep in Neville's heart was finally triggered by the pressure.
"Riddi—Riddikulus—Riddikulus!"
As Neville successfully recited the spell, Professor Snape suddenly stumbled.
The next moment, with a "pop," his appearance changed.
The black robes that had earned him the nickname "old bat" disappeared, replaced by a lace green dress and a woman's tall hat.
The hat bore a moth-eaten vulture specimen, and he carried an enormous handbag.
When clothing completely at odds with his character appeared on the cold, harsh Professor Snape, the contrast was immediately apparent.
Not to mention that such a scene appeared directly in front of everyone.
Without any surprise, the entire class erupted in cheerful laughter.
Cross-dressing Snape stopped in his tracks and began looking around, very much like someone taking in the scenery.
Successful Neville's little face flushed red with excitement, and he was momentarily unsure what to do next.
"Next, Parvati, go!" Professor Lupin called out while reminding the others: "Other students should also prepare—think about what you fear most and how to make it ridiculous."
When Parvati stepped forward, the cross-dressed Professor Snape disappeared and directly transformed into a bloody, bandage-wrapped mummy.
Clearly, it was the result of watching too many horror films.
When the mummy's eyeless face turned toward Parvati and it dragged its heavy steps toward her, Parvati proved to be much more decisive than Neville.
"Riddikulus!"
As she unhesitatingly recited the spell, the mummy's bandages suddenly snapped.
The next moment, it tripped over itself and fell to the ground with a "thud."
"Very good," Professor Lupin nodded with a smile, watching Parvati's excitement. "Next, Seamus!"
What Seamus feared most was a female ghost.
She seemed to have just crawled out of a well, with wet black hair covering her face, making her features indiscernible.
But when she raised her head, her eyes had no pupils, the entire eyeballs were white.
When she opened her mouth, the corners stretched all the way to her ears.
Her mouth was packed with dense rows of teeth, enough to disturb anyone with trypophobia.
Not just Seamus—many students were frightened by this sight.
Seamus, bearing the brunt of it, faced enormous psychological pressure.
He took a deep breath, drew his wand and shouted:
"Riddikulus!"
The female ghost had originally been letting out a piercing shriek, but the sound suddenly stopped, as if someone had grabbed her throat.
In fact, she had indeed been grabbed by the throat—by herself.
Just then, something unexpected happened.
Seamus hadn't left yet, and no one else had stepped forward, but the female ghost disappeared with a "pop" and transformed into a mouse.
This mouse was strange—it began chasing its own tail in circles.
After a moment, it transformed into a rattlesnake, also chasing its own tail.
When it bit its own tail, it changed again with a "pop" into a giant eyeball.
"Excellent, everyone's doing wonderfully—it's completely confused now!" Professor Lupin praised generously. "Next student, Dean, go!"
The remaining students watched this thrilling scene while frantically thinking about what they feared most and how to make it ridiculous.
As for those who had already completed the practical exercise, they could relax and simply watch the show without any psychological burden.
Although Sherlock hadn't yet taken his turn, he felt very relaxed, just like those who had already completed the practical.
When Lockhart had proposed using a boggart last term, Sherlock had already considered this question.
Unfortunately, after thinking for three days and nights, he still couldn't figure out what he feared.
It was precisely because of this that he was so interested in boggarts.
When Lockhart couldn't complete that lesson, Sherlock had regretted it for a long time.
When he finally encountered a reliable Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this term, Sherlock immediately offered his suggestion to restart the boggart training plan.
However, although Professor Lupin had adopted Sherlock's suggestion, Sherlock still didn't know what he feared.
So, at this moment, he felt more curiosity than fear.
Harry, beside Sherlock, was also thinking.
The difference was that he clearly knew what he feared.
At first, he thought of Voldemort—the one who had killed his parents, made him an orphan, and would likely become powerful again.
However, this thought lasted only a brief moment before being replaced by another image.
A hand.
A hand that seemed drenched and rotting.
That heart-stopping black robe, a creature that seemed capable of draining all warmth with a single breath.
It was them—the Dementors!
Just imagining it, Harry was already struggling and involuntarily shivered.
He quickly looked around, hoping no one had noticed.
Fortunately, he found that most people nearby had their eyes tightly closed, and Ron was even muttering "take its legs off, take its legs off."
Harry knew exactly what this meant, because Ron had said more than once that he feared spiders most.
As for those students who didn't have their eyes closed, they were all concentrating intently on the horror movie unfolding before them.
It seemed no one had noticed him.
Harry had just breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed Sherlock looking at him with an amused expression.
This made Harry feel embarrassed. He was sure Sherlock had seen his awkward state. But thinking that it was Sherlock who had seen him, the shame in his heart diminished considerably.
Being seen by Sherlock was still acceptable.
Just then, Professor Lupin called Ron's name.
Ron jogged forward, and then...
Several students couldn't help but cry out.
Because what Ron feared was truly outrageous.
A spider six feet tall and covered in hair appeared before everyone.
As everyone knows, most people in this world have trypophobia and megalophobia to some degree.
It's just a matter of severity.
The spider that the boggart had transformed into when facing Ron perfectly combined both phobias.
Most insect-like creatures, when magnified countless times, make people feel disgusted and afraid.
Not to mention arthropods like spiders with multiple legs, hair, and eyes.
When Sherlock saw several students instinctively backing away, he knew these people had been influenced by Ron.
Their greatest fears might well change from now on.
As for the giant spider, it aggressively approached Ron step by step, slowly extending its pincers.
For a moment, most people thought Ron had been scared senseless.
At this critical moment, Ron drew his wand and roared "Riddikulus!"
Immediately, all of the spider's legs vanished.
Without its thin legs for support, it immediately rolled to the ground.
Even so, it was still enormous, causing Lavender Brown to scream and dodge aside.
But the spider's huge body didn't stop—it continued rolling around on the ground.
Rolling and rolling, it happened to come to Harry's feet.
Harry knew that this time, without Professor Lupin saying anything, he had to step up.
But just as he raised his wand and prepared to step forward to face the boggart directly, an accident occurred.
You can read more than 40 chapters on:
patreon.com/MikeyMuse