Boggarts, Riddikulus and laughter

[Grey Wolf]

No: HPFGUIDX 80907

Alshain wrote:
> Whatever became of the idea that the force that really destroys a
> Boggart is laughter?

And then continues to put examples:
> There's one Boggart in the maze during the third task in GoF and 
> Harry chases it off with a Patronus

Not exactly - he sees a dementor, thus uses the patronus, but then 
notices the patronus tripping over his own robes, which makes him 
realise it's a boggart (after which, IIRC, he uses the Ridikulus 
spell). What's the funny part? Well, I chuckled at the image of a 
dementor tripping over his robes, and I should imagine Harry did as 
well.

> Lupin finishes off the Boggart in the writing desk at
> 12 Grimmauld Place just with the spell.

Yes, exactly the same way he did at the lesson in GoF, if you notice 
(although thanks for pointing it out - I had never noticed that there 
wasn't anything funny about the ball when Lupin vanishes it).
 
> Or is Remus actually forcing his greatest fear (the full moon) into
> the shape of a crystal ball (harmless prop for fortune-telling)?
> 
> Alshain

I've been thinking about it, and I think that Lupin uses a much better 
trick - he imgines a moon eclipse, or maybe something as simple as a 
new moon (since he only fears the full moon, either would be enough). 
When he pictures either, the moon simply "isn't there" so he might find 
it funny, but above all forces the Boggart to *disapear* (IMO, of 
course).

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf, still chuckling at the mental image of a tripping dementor.