Having escaped famine, I was accepted into Hogwarts.

Chapter 184 Boggart [4K]

As is customary, the students gathered in the classroom in advance. As the bell rang, Lu Ping arrived at the classroom with a large, walking cabinet following behind him.

Putting everything else aside, this move alone stunned the young wizards in the classroom.

Although Professor Lockhart became slightly more human-like after being slightly enhanced by Dumbledore last semester, his Transfiguration was definitely not as skillful as Professor Lupin's.

A strange excitement grew in the students' hearts, and soon Lupin would prove to them that their excitement was not unfounded.

Unlike Quirrell, who followed the textbook for an entire semester, and Lockhart, who started off slow but progressed well, Lupin immediately gave them a genuine, yet harmless, dark creature.

"Boggarts, a kind of dark creature that inspires fear but poses limited danger... As for knowledge about this creature... do we have a Mr. or Ms. Smarty? I remember when I was in school, there was at least one in every grade."

.

As Lupin spoke, he also looked at Kane. After all, judging by appearance alone, Kane should have been the one to occupy the niche of the academic genius and exam king. However, unfortunately, he was wrong.

Kane shrugged at him, indicating it wasn't him, and then, like most people, looked in Hermione's direction.

Hermione was not at all intimidated by this scene. After all, she had always occupied the role of this all-knowing class representative for so many years, from Muggle schools to Hogwarts. She immediately cleared her throat and said, "Boggarts are dark creatures that can see into the minds of wizards and become the very thing they fear most."

"Very good, Gryffindor gets five points." Lupin readily added five points to his house and then continued to push forward with the course, for example... a simple little spell.

"Hilarious...this spell is really hilarious," Kane whispered, nudging Harry with his shoulder.

"Because that's exactly its effect. Perhaps that's the principle behind this type of spell: to evoke emotions through language and then achieve the effect that wizards want."

To be fair, Lupin's ears were very sharp. While explaining to Kane, he stood among the students and urged them with an expression that seemed to say, "Why are you all so obedient? Hurry up and do it!"

"What are you all standing there for? Go open the cabinet and face Boggart."

The young wizards were all staring at him intently. Although Boggart was not particularly dangerous, it was rather impolite for the professor to be standing further back than his classmates.

However, this is one of the few professors from the mortal realm they've had in such a long time, so they definitely have to coax him.

For example, if we were to nominate a representative, who would that representative be? There are quite a few brave young wizards this year, but some are brave yet also easy to talk to...

"Ron, let's go! We're from Gryffindor, we can't let him down!" Harry patted Ron on the back with a smile.

Ron's eyes widened suddenly, and he turned to Harry with a bewildered look. Something's not right, is it? Why did I get to be the first one here?

Unfortunately, before Ron could refuse, Kane nodded in agreement: "Indeed, if it were Ron, he certainly wouldn't let Gryffindor down."

"..." Ron, the words stuck in his throat, couldn't utter a sound for a moment.

Very well! I will be the bravest man in all of Gryffindor, and even in all of Hogwarts.

Watching Ron head straight toward the cabinet, the young wizards cheered him on, praising his spirit.

Even Ron, the person in question, was smug after hearing these words. He stood tall and proud in front of the cabinet, looked at the cabinet door wrapped with hemp rope, and clicked his tongue in disdain. Then he took out his wand and used a tiny cutting charm.

As the cabinet door opened, a giant spider emerged from inside.

The young wizards watching behind him learned for the first time what Ron was most afraid of.

Just as they were waiting for Ron to recite the mysterious incantation, a crisp click sounded...

Ron's wand fell to the ground, and perhaps because it was old and in disrepair, the impact seemed to cause a burst of stress, and the wand instantly split in two like a chopstick.

An awkward silence fell over the classroom. Lu Ping, fearing that Ron, now without his wand, would be hurt by Boggart, whose fighting power was roughly equivalent to that of a rooster, hurriedly waved his wand to lock Boggart back into the cabinet. He then went over, patted Ron on the shoulder, and picked up his wand.

Perhaps because Ron was the first, if others had gone up to try it before him, he might have been able to imagine what the so-called horror would be like and be able to prepare in advance.

Instead of being terrified of spiders and sweating profusely like this.

Back in the crowd, Ron looked at Harry and the commotion-stricken Kane with a resentful expression. But then he felt it wasn't good to take his anger out on his friends over something like this, so he looked down at his wand, which resembled a pair of chopsticks, and pouted a little aggrievedly.

Kane had a lot of experience watching this scene, specifically in that he knew how to make Ron happy again.

Just as he took off his hat to take out his mysterious Garuda bag, Harry stopped him and pulled him aside to whisper something.

"What's wrong?" Kane asked, looking surprised.

"Are you going to give Ron money?" Harry asked.

"What else? Am I supposed to find a bread machine in my hat and bake bread?" Kane looked at Harry like he was a lecher, somewhat puzzled as to why this seemingly clever friend would ask such an abstract question.

"No, that's not right. It'll look like you're giving alms, and Ron won't like that." Harry looked at Kane, who was completely bewildered and stiff, and knew that he hadn't quite grasped what was going on yet, so he continued to explain.

Kane, after being explained to, pondered for a moment... Isn't this crazy? If someone were eager to pay for him, he would definitely be friends with them, like Harry.

However, everyone has their own personality, and Ron's personality...

Kane thought for a moment, then quickly came up with a solution. He pulled out his wand and drew on the spot a loan agreement so abstract that even God wouldn't recognize it—an agreement that would make Gringotts goblins weep, break the hearts of demons seeking contracts, and utterly utterly devastated even the most heartless and corrupt landlords.

Harry frowned, trying to decipher the text... It's English? No problem? Is the problem with me?

I'm fine with it too...

Aha~ Kane is the one with the problem!

Knowing the truth, Harry wished he could open Kane's head to see what he was thinking. He couldn't give Ron away, but he couldn't possibly try to turn Ron into his own house-elf, could he?

Ultimately, with Harry's guidance, Kane managed to create a legitimate and normal loan agreement.

Soon, Kane appeared leisurely beside Ron and nudged him lightly with his shoulder: "Ron, want to take a look?"

Ron glanced at the small note Kane had handed him. Hmm... Nine out of three... So Kane is short of money now and is starting to squeeze Gringotts' business? Does he think he's rich?

Even though I don't have any money, it feels so good to be looked up to like this!

So, can you pay back this money yourself?

Forget it, I can just borrow some money from the twins later!

In short, Ron signed the contract with the same unwavering resolve he had shown when he walked toward the Boggart cabinet.

"Let's go to Gringotts after class," Kane whispered to Ron.

"Let's go ride brooms, the three of us! One for each of us," Harry added quietly. After all, he had two brooms and could lend one to Ron so he could have some fun.

As for Hermione, since she was the top student in Gryffindor this year, she had taken all the elective courses available, so she basically had no free time and definitely couldn't go out and fool around with them.

The little incident between the three of them came to an end, and Lupin managed to coax most of the young wizards back to normal. This time, he didn't stand among the group of young wizards, but instead stood next to the Boggart cabinet.

That way, if another wizard is so frightened that they can't hold their wand like Ron, they can rescue the wizard as quickly as possible.

"Then next... Neville Longbottom! Go, Longbottom. I know your parents. They're fearless. I believe you can too." Lupin said, waving to Neville in the crowd. He knew Neville's personality beforehand, so he gave him a word of encouragement.

"Professor, I won't die, right?" Neville swallowed hard and stepped out from the crowd.

"Of course, I'll be right here, and I'll make sure nothing happens to you." After Lupin nodded, Neville finally made up his mind and took a step forward.

Lupin then opened the Boggart cabinet...and everyone saw Snape.

That's normal. More than half the people in this classroom are afraid of Snape, but Neville is unique in that he considers Snape the source of his fear, and even the thing he fears most is Snape.

Therefore, Lupin was not surprised or doubtful about Neville's source of fear, because his mind told him about the other side of the matter.

How exactly did Snape bully Neville to make Neville so afraid of Snape?

After class, I'll have to go ask Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall. If it's not because of Neville's personality... then I'll definitely go and make things difficult for Snape.

After confirming the schedule after class, Lupin quickly returned to the classroom, patting Neville on the shoulder with a smile: "Professor Snape is indeed very serious, but think about the spell I taught you! Funny, funny, just say it out loud."

Kane, still examining the loan agreement he had signed with Ron, which stipulated a nine-out-of-thirteen-out-of-return clause, was marveling at his own kindness and emotional intelligence when he heard the shouts and commotion around him.

He subconsciously looked up, then stared blankly at the figure standing in the center of the classroom.

Snape... in women's clothing?

Watching this scene, Kane felt a splitting headache; clearly, the impact of this scene on his sanity was more extreme and terrifying than anything he had ever experienced before.

No...no, he needs to eat something good, otherwise...

Okay, the Shadow Creature from the trenches has arrived.

Kane looked around helplessly. Great, the young wizards and even Professor Lupin's eyes were all focused on Snape in drag, giving him a chance to quietly take down those shadow creatures!

As the two plumes of black smoke dissipated, Mr. Shadow was gone.

"Alright, who's next?" Lupin urged, looking down at the group of young wizards. To be honest, most of their fears were rather boring.

Take Ron for example. His fear of spiders and wild beasts is normal and boring, but his fear of Snape is a bit ingenious and creative.

But these are still the usual fears.

Lupin was really curious about unconventional fears, such as Kane. He was very curious about what a little wizard like Kane, whose whole body seemed to be covered in secrets, would be afraid of.

The young wizards were all conformists, and each one of them was adept at reading the room and flattering. They glanced at Lupin, pondered for only a moment, and then followed his gaze to... Kane.

Kane, who had just defeated the Shadow Monster and stuffed two dark chocolates into his mouth, looked on with astonishment.

Something's not right! The atmosphere's off; look at the way these classmates are acting...

They wouldn't send themselves up to face Bogut, would they?

Clearly, he guessed correctly.

Years later, standing before Voldemort's grave, Kaneheath would still recall that distant morning when Lupin led him to confront the Boggarts...

This sounds romantic, but it's not so romantic for the people involved. For example, Kane doesn't really know what he's afraid of.

So when he stood before Boggart, he felt a little more fear of the unknown than Neville and Ron.

At this moment, most of the young wizards were curious about what Kane feared: poverty, which was a major headache.

Or is it an endless expanse of darkness? Or even a plain, unremarkable school uniform with no unexpected elements?

Among them, the young wizards of Slytherin were even more curious than Kane.

Because of the terrible thing Kane did to them on the Hogwarts Express, they still believe that Kane is not human, but a dark magical creature disguised as a human in wizarding society.

Now that we know what this monster is afraid of, if it attacks us normal people, we will have a way to retaliate.

Who says Slytherin has made no contributions to the wizarding world? That they only engage in infighting and exploitation? They simply don't know how much Slytherin has secretly contributed to the wizarding world!

The twenty-eight sacred families of the magical world bear the weight of purebloods! Not you!

As the Slytherin students celebrated in the sunlight, Kane finally stood before the Boggart's cabinet.

Honestly, how can this not be a strange feeling?

After all, it's really important for him to know what he's truly afraid of!

"Are you ready?" Lupin asked.

"Ready?" Kane nodded.

As Lupin waved his wand... Boggart's cabinet door opened.