After SnapeÆs warning about Neville, Lupin got them ready to face the boggart. While waiting her turn, Hermione thought of how well Harry had recovered from the incident with the Dementors. She always knew that schoolwork was the best medicine!
Which goes to show HermioneÆs never read ReaderÆs Digest.
Then things went horribly wrongà
RonÆs spider had lost itÆs legs, falling over and rolling in front of Lavender, who squeaked and kicked it in front of Harryà
ôHere!ö Lupin cried, running forward.
CRACK!
The boggart became a silvery orb. Lazily, Lupin waved his wandà
CRACK!
And Harry stepped forward.
He was wearing his ædo-your-worstÆ grin as he strove confidently towards the cockroach the boggart had turned into at LupinÆs spell, his wand raised and readyà
CRACK!
Hermione knew something was wrong as people in front began to scream. It was only when her eyes caught up with the rest of her senses that she realized why, and fought the sudden urge to vomit. Others werenÆt so capable, as the air suddenly filled with the sounds of people retching and the smell of breakfast being reexamined.
Lying on the ground before Harry was a young boy. Hermione barely recognized him as Naruto. He was on his back, badly beaten, his right leg bent at an unnatural angle. One hand was barely more than a mangled lump, every bone broken and stomped on. His eyes were slashed, bloody hollows staring sightlessly at the ceiling, and his hair was almost crimson with blood. The body twitched, and blood gurgles out of his mouth. ôOni-chanàö
CRACK!
Sasuke lay there now, looking barely seven. A sword anchored him to the floor, and every square inch of his body seemed to have been stabbed, even as flamesû black flamesû consumed him. ôOni-chan!ö he cried in agonyà
CRACK!
A thin, old man lay on the floor, his white robes stained with blood from the cut across his throat, a red and white headdress lying next to him. ôHarryàö
Everyone watched in horror as the macabre parade continued. Hagrid, one arm chewed off, covered in burns, his whole body torn, muscle and bone poking out through mangled fleshà CRACK!à the old man Hermione recognized as Jiraiya, riddled with knives, his hands torn off, blood gushing from between his legsà CRACK!à a little girl with soft blue hair, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth as her white eyes stared lifelessly upwardsà CRACK!à Ron, jaw dislocated, neck brokenà CRACK!à a pretty young woman with long brown hair, her clothes torn, leaving her nearly naked, her throat cutà CRACK!à Ginny, lying still, a diary in her handsà CRACK!à Hermioneû
Hermione tore her gaze away as she saw her face through a layer of blood, not wanting to see other details. She stared as Harry. His eyes were wide and panicked, pupils dilated as his jaw clenched tightly, the muscles standing out through the skin. His wand trembled in his hands as a whimper rose from his throat. Tears leaked down his cheeksà
ôRiddikulus!ö he screamed, his voice high with hysteriaà
CRACK!
Another body lay on the stone floor, wearing an unusual chest plate. It had long, almost feminine black hair, a band with a metal plate similar to HarryÆs on his brow underneath, two strange wrinkles on his face. His expression was one of greatest pain, his stomach torn, body burned, crushed, stabbed, brokenà
The person screamed in purest agony, and everyone covered their ears. It was soul wrenching and heart breaking, a melody from a nightmareà
Harry threw back his head and laughed, and Hermione knew both sounds would forever haunt her dreamsà
