DADA was the class Harry feared the most, because sooner or later they would have to train in combat with a Boggart, and it usually took the form of whatever you feared most, just like Pennywise the clown changed to scare his victims.
And, oh fate, today they were going to cover Boggarts, which Harry realised from the cupboard placed in front of the students.
The students lined up, and Harry wanted to be last, but because of the crowd of kids who also wanted to be last, he ended up being one of the first.
"The main thing to remember," Professor Lupin raised his hand. "Riddikulus!"
The students began to practise in turn. That's how Harry learned that Ron was afraid of spiders and his doppelganger was afraid of heights. When it was his turn, Harry just shrugged nervously. Now he was afraid that his fear would reveal his true identity.
He stood in front of the Boggart, which was still wearing Professor Snape's disguise in women's clothing. After a few seconds, the Boggart turned into a black cloud and began to flicker.
"Hmm, interesting," Professor Lupin said, scratching his chin.
But then everything changed, and the Boggart finally took shape. His shape. The shape of the Reverse Flash, whose face was hidden by vibrations, but whose red, burning eyes were clearly visible.
"Flash," Boggart drawled, flying forward with a vibrating hand toward "Harry."
"Riddikulus!" the boy shouted almost immediately, before Boggart could touch his chest.
Bogart "Thawne" immediately began to twitch comically, then squeal like a girl. This suddenly made everyone laugh. Harry wiped away a barely visible tear, noticing Lupin looking at him in confusion.
***
"What was that creature, Harry?" the professor asked when they were alone.
"I don't know," he lied. "But I know that it often appears in my dreams, and the dreams are usually nightmarish."
"Well, that's interesting... So you're most afraid of fear, that's commendable.
"Can you explain what it was?"
"I'm not very good at interpreting dreams," the man scratched the back of his head. "Most likely, it's a collective image of all your fears...
"To be honest, I'd like to know how to deal with it...
"Well, I can teach you. But only after the holidays.
***
Thank God no one understood the trick in the fact that Harry had a different Boggart, no one paid any attention to what Harry Potter was afraid of. Only Remus Lupin had been walking around with a puzzled expression on his face lately, even though he pretended that he didn't care either. However, that was exactly what Barry was afraid of, afraid that sooner or later he would be exposed, even though in principle it shouldn't have bothered him, unless he was worried that the Dark Lord's minions might find out, and then it would be all over. But in any case, the longer the cover-up went on, the more difficult it became...
...The holidays began, and Harry stayed at Hogwarts with his stepbrother, but his parents promised that they would go back to the United States to visit relatives in the summer.
Harry sat in front of the fireplace, reading the latest news. Sirius Black had not been found, but he didn't really care, and he was just reading to pass the time.
"Harry!" Hermione's sudden voice startled him a little.
"Damn it! Don't scare me like that," the boy threw the newspaper into the fire.
"Sorry," the girl shrugged guiltily and sat down next to him. "I just had a strange thought... It's about your Boggart.
"What's wrong with him?" Harry squinted, though he knew deep down that there might be something more to it.
"When I saw him, his face was kind of hidden, but his features were recognisable... Anyway, when I started looking for that face, I stumbled upon something... There's a man named Harrison Wells, and as far as I know, he's currently the headmaster of an American school of magic called Ilvermorny, where Felicity came from... The face of your godfather is the face of Wells. Doesn't that seem strange to you?
"Not at all," the guy wanted to reply. He knew that Thawne liked to wear Harrison Wells' face specifically to remind Barry of Eobard's betrayal. And when the Boggart took his form, it wasn't really surprising. After all, how could Hermione know that a multiverse existed, and that if Wells was real on this Earth, then on another there was a man who wore the face of his doppelganger?
"Perhaps there is something like that," replied "Harry."
"I'm really sorry, but I'm actually curious... How are you connected to Harrison Wells, and why are you afraid of a monster with his face?
Harry exhaled loudly, relaxing in the back of the chair, and began to stare into the fireplace. It was beginning to burn out, the fire no longer as strong. The guy didn't even notice Hermione tossing some coals on it; he was lost in his thoughts.
"Anyway, Hermione," the boy cleared his throat. "Call Barry, we'll meet in an hour at the clearing by the thunder tree. I have something to tell you."
The girl nodded and went to look for her friend. Meanwhile, "Harry" hoped he wasn't making a huge mistake by sharing his deepest secrets with them.
***
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