They were to have a practical Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson today, Lupin announced. The class had quickly stowed their books back in their bags, exchanging curious glances with each other. Harry was feeling fairly confident about this lesson. He had always excelled in Defence, and practical lessons were always more interesting than book work.

The class of third years giggled away and spoke to each other excitedly as they made their way through the castle. They walked through a deserted corridor and turned a corner, where they encountered Peeves. There was a rather amusing conflict between Lupin and Peeves, which ended with chewing gum shooting out of a keyhole and into Peeves's left nostril. The majority of the class giggled again.

Lupin then led them down another corridor, stopping directly in front of the staff room door. “Inside, please,” said Professor Lupin. The class entered the staff room cautiously. The staff room seemed to be empty at first glance, but as Harry looked around, he noticed Snape sitting in one of the low armchairs.

Professor Lupin made to close the door behind him when he entered the room, but Snape spared him the trouble. “Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this,” Snape said. After a few chosen insults, the potions master sneered at the students and then shut the door with a snap.

There was an old wardrobe at the end of the room. It made a violent wobbling sound, and some of Harry's classmates jumped back in alarm. Lupin assured them that there was nothing to worry about. “There's a boggart in there,” Lupin said. What on earth is a boggart? Harry wondered. He heard Lupin go on to state that they like dark, enclosed spaces. Harry's question was soon answered.

“It's a shape-shifter,” he heard Hermione inform the class. “It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us the most.”

Harry grimaced. He had never really been one to be afraid of anything they'd faced in a practical lesson of Defence, but he did not like the sound of a boggart at all. As Professor Lupin told the class more about boggarts, Harry felt himself becoming more apprehensive. What would his boggart be? He had no idea... maybe a dementor. He felt a sudden lurch of fear.

After what seemed like only a few moments, Harry heard Professor Lupin speak again.“Everyone ready?” he heard Lupin ask.

Harry wasn't ready. He still had no idea what his boggart would be... maybe it wouldn't be a dementor at all. Maybe it would be something even worse... though he couldn't really think of much else worse than a dementor. He felt another lurch of fear, more intense this time...

Neville went first, and the boggart turned into Snape. Soon enough, Neville was squeaking out 'Riddikulus!' and there was a noise that sounded like a whip cracking. The boggart became Snape wearing a lace-trimmed dress, a massive hat with a vulture on top of it, and it was clutching a large crimson handbag. If Harry hadn't felt so weak from fear, he probably would have laughed. Parvati went next... then Seamus...

“Excellent, everyone! Harry, you're next!” he heard Lupin call out. Harry felt nauseous, but forced himself to approach the boggart. He wasn't prepared, he wasn't ready... He was certain that he would feel the rattling breath of a dementor on his face any moment now...

Harry took another step forward, and something appeared on the floor in front of him. It was laying down, almost completely on its side. Harry had never seen a dementor in a position like that. He had only ever seen them glide... And dementors didn't even have hair, did they? The something that was on the floor right in front of him, it definitely had hair. Harry let out a gasp of shock. It had long, dark red hair... He took a step backward. He heard a few of his classmates gasp too. Understanding hit Harry like a ton of bricks. As he whimpered and took a few more steps back, he saw the brilliant green almond-shaped eyes, open wide. He felt like he was going to be sick, right there, right in the middle of class. And the eyes were facing in his direction... but they were unseeing...

It was too much. His head was spinning, and he couldn't stop the tears from falling now. Harry collapsed to the ground and curled up in a ball in the corner of the room. He heard someone say something... perhaps Professor Lupin, but Harry could distinguish nothing. Everything sounded as if it were coming through a tunnel...

He felt as if he was choking, but he had no idea whether he was actually even making a sound or not. Through his tears, he could only make out bits and pieces of the room he was in... most of it looked black to him and it was getting increasingly darker.. He had no idea if he was about to faint or if he was dying...

Harry felt arms encircle him. They lifted him up with ease, and now he was moving but he had no idea where, and no idea who was carrying him. Maybe he was imagining someone He still couldn't hear anything, and all he saw was black. He felt the tears that were still continuing to stream down his face. He couldn't breathe... he was gasping for air... it was all he could think about, all he could see in his mind was his mum, dead on the ground...

He had no idea if someone even was carrying him. He felt like there were arms around him and felt himself moving, but he didn't know what was happening. Maybe he was imagining all of this...

And then, Harry was being lowered down onto a soft surface. He heard a gentle voice, but he couldn't distinguish what it was saying through his panic... he could barely hear... He felt another wave of nausea come over him, and choked out a few more sobs. He heard the voice again. It was a deep voice, a familiar voice... it sounded so soothing. He tried to focus, to hear the voice again. Where was he? What was happening to him? It was all wrong... this should have stopped by now...

He heard the voice again. “Harry,” it said. He felt the surface he was on shift slightly, and then arms were around him. An arm was stroking his back and whispering softly to him...”I need you to calm yourself just a little for me. Take a few deep breaths, and try to focus on my voice and touch...”

Harry still couldn't tell who the voice belonged to and had barely been able to understand what it was saying, but he knew he had to listen to it. He felt the hand rubbing his shoulder and his back slowly, comfortingly... He breathed deeply a few times, and tried hard to pay attention to the voice again...

“Harry, I need you to sit up and drink this potion for me. It's only a Calming Draught,” the voice said, still gentle.

Harry complied the best that he could. He was so dizzy that he didn't know which way was up, or left or right, but the person put an arm around Harry to help him up, and tightened their hold on him when he almost fell. Vision still spinning, he held out his right hand shakily. The other person's hand pressed a vial into Harry's. Harry felt the hand, which was rather cold, close around his and it guided his hand up to his mouth. He gulped down the potion, spluttering and feeling the choking sensation come back.

The hand touched the side of Harry's face, and then travelled up to his hair. Harry made another anguished sound. He felt himself relax slightly, though, as the hand ran through his hair and the voice murmured to him some more. He sniffled a bit. And finally... his vision was beginning to come back. He was in a rather large room. It was dimly lit, but he could actually make out the shapes of objects in it, and the blackness that had been obscuring his vision was finally subsiding...

Through the tears that were still falling quite freely, he squinted to see the person that was with him. He took in the long, black hair first... and then he realized, that it was Snape. He felt the man's arm come to rest on his shoulder. Snape had been holding him and whispering to him and trying to comfort him...

Harry moved back slightly, making a muffled sound of distress. And then the potions master spoke again. “Shh, Harry... it's alright,” he said. The man's arm was still on him and he made no move to withdraw it, even as Harry stared down at it.

“I-it was y-you?” the boy asked through his tears.

Severus nodded at the dark haired youth. “Yes,” he said simply.

The green eyes widened. “I... Professor Lupin, h-he was there... he could have...”

“I believe Lupin was nearly in as much shock as you were. He stood there for quite a period of time, staring back and forth between the boggart and yourself.” Snape said, sounding rather disdainful for the first time since he had taken Harry from the staff room.

“So, so... the class and Professor Lupin pretty much just watched me while I...”

“Yes. I happened to walk past the staff room, and it seemed oddly quiet for having a class of third years in it. I glanced in and saw you, curled up in a corner and sobbing. Once I saw... your mother, I deduced what was happening. After a few moments, I came to the realization that Lupin was at a loss and decided to intervene,” Snape said, an odd look on his face.

“Why did you do it?” Harry asked, his eyes downcast. The tears had finally ceased falling, but he still looked utterly miserable.

Severus hesitated. He forced himself to look at the boy. “Your mother... her body is what a boggart transforms into for me, as well,” he said quietly.

Harry gasped slightly, looking up at his professor. “You knew her?”

Snape's expression was strained. “I did. We were close friends for many years, and attended Hogwarts together,” he stated, with great effort. Instead of looking revolted, the boy's expression showed acceptance... and something that looked almost like relief.

“So you understand, then. That's why you decided to help me when I freaked out. Will you tell me about her, sometime?”

“Yes, I shall tell you about her, sometime,” the potions master agreed. He hesitated again. “I believe that I still have some old photographs... back from when your mother and I attended Hogwarts together. Perhaps you would like to see them?”

Harry nodded, his brilliant green eyes lighting up in precisely the same way Lily's had when she was excited about something. “I'd like that very much, sir,” he said.

The potions master patted Harry on the back awkwardly, and went to retrieve the photo album... the same photo album that he had not been able to bring himself to look at for years. It occurred to Severus that if Lily could see them now, she would have been immensely pleased. It was even possible that her eyes would have lit up. Satisfied by this thought, he made his way back over to Lily's son, and flipped the album open to the first page.