HARRY POTTER and the Prisoner of Azkaban CHAPTER 7
Chapter 6
THE BOGGART IN THE CLOSET
Malfoy comes back to school a few days later. He walks into Professor Snape’s potions class late. His arm has bandages. He acts like his arm hurts a lot. The other Slytherin students give him attention. Malfoy likes the attention. Harry and Ron think he is lying about his injury.
Malfoy sits near Harry and Ron. “You know, Potter,” Malfoy says in a mean voice, “The Daily Prophet says Sirius Black was seen.” “Really?” says Harry. “Where?” “A Muggle saw him near the school. When the Ministry of Magic came, he was gone.” “They saw him near the school?” Ron asks, scared. He looks at Harry, worried.
“If I were you, Potter, I would go after him,” says Malfoy. “I would want revenge.” He wants to make Harry angry. “What are you talking about, Malfoy?” Harry asks. “Are you scared?” Malfoy laughs. “You’ll let the dementors find him first?” Harry whispers to Ron, “Why would I want revenge? Black hasn’t hurt me… yet.”
“Ignore Malfoy,” says Ron. “He’s lying.” Before Harry can ask more, Snape starts yelling. Snape is yelling at Neville. Potions class is hard for Neville. He is afraid of Snape. He always makes mistakes. Today, they must make a shrinking potion—a potion to make things small. Neville’s potion should be green. But it is bright orange!
“Will you ever do anything right, Longbottom?” Snape says meanly. Neville turns red. “At the end of class, we will test your potion on your frog,” Snape says. “If it works, your frog will become small. If it’s wrong, your frog will die.” Neville is scared. But Hermione helps him when Snape isn’t looking.
At the end of class, Snape calls everyone to Neville’s table. “Let’s see what happens to Neville’s frog.” Snape takes a spoon of Neville’s potion - the potion is now green - and puts a drop on the frog. There is a small “pop!” The frog becomes a tiny tadpole. The Gryffindor students cheer!
Snape uses another potion, and the frog is normal again. “I take five points from Gryffindor,” Snape says. “Miss Granger helped Longbottom. Class is over.” Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave together. They walk upstairs to their next class. “Hermione, why didn’t you say something to Snape?” Ron asks.
But Hermione is gone! “What?” says Ron. “She was just here!” “There she is!” says Harry. Hermione is coming up the stairs. She holds her bag in one hand and puts something in her robes with the other. “What happened?” asks Ron. “You were here, then at the bottom of the stairs!”
“What?” says Hermione. She looks confused. “Oh, I forgot something.” Ron points at her bag. “Why do you have so many books? You don’t have that many classes today.” “Oh… right,” says Hermione. “I hope Defense Against the Dark Arts is better than potions,” she says, trying to change the subject.
They arrive at their next class. Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin is their teacher. Harry remembers how Lupin helped them on the train against the dementor. “Good afternoon,” Lupin says. “Today is a practical lesson. You only need your wands.”
The students are excited. They take out their wands. “Look behind you,” says Lupin. They turn around. There is a big, old closet. Suddenly, it shakes and jumps! It is like something inside wants to get out! “Don’t worry,” says Lupin. “There’s a boggart in there.”
“Does anyone know what a boggart is?” Lupin asks. Hermione raises her hand quickly. “It’s a magical creature that changes shape. It becomes the thing that you fear the most.” “Correct!” says Lupin. “In the dark, it has no form. But when it comes out, it takes the shape of your fear. It’s better to face it with many people.
Why is it better to face it with other people, Mr. Potter?” “Um, because it will be confused. It won’t know what to become,” Harry answers. “Very good,” says Lupin. “There is a simple magical charm to defeat a boggart. It is laughter. You must force the boggart to take a shape that is funny to you. Let’s practice the magical charm without our wands first. Repeat after me…riddikulus!” “Riddidulus!” the class repeats together.
“Good! Now, Neville, come here. What scares you most?” Neville is too scared to speak. Then he says, “Professor Snape!” Everyone laughs...
