The Unforgivable Curses
No one was smiling when they heard the title of the next chapter. Why would that be the title? Just what had happened for that to be the case? The teachers exchanged confused looks. It couldn't be related to school work. The unforgivables were not even discussed until seventh year. They were mentioned briefly in relation to the need for more than protective shields in a duel. The need for movement, using your environment for cover and also the use of offensive transfiguration to create physical shields. So, just how had a fourth year been exposed to them?
The next two days passed ... a barrel full of horned toads.
Augusta sighed. She wasn't impressed. Neville had made a promising start at potions before Hogwarts, and every summer his tutors praised him. And yet, in Professor Snape's classroom, he failed miserably. It was clear where the blame belonged. At least to her.
"You know why Snape's ... "Moody."
Both Moody and Severus exchanged a look. That was surprising. They weren't close but they had certainly treated one another with respect. Even if Moody still felt a little suspicious of Severus's motives from time to time.
It was common knowledge ... whether magical or normal.
Severus rolled his eyes at that. Something fishy was going on. He didn't shy away from anyone.
"I reckon Snape's a bit ... "and bounced him all around his dungeon. . . "
Severus glared at the boy in question. Although his glare softened when he noticed Sirius laughing softly.
"I think you'd make a better bat," Sirius said quietly, his words without malice.
Severus shook his head. Silly Gryffindors. And what was worse, he was clearly spending too much time with one particular silly Gryffindor because he actually found the man's words humourous.
The Gryffindor fourth years ... "C'mon, quick, or we won't get decent seats. "
The teachers were surprised by the eagerness. The children were never this excited for their lessons. They presumed it was because the ex-auror was something of a novelty.
They hurried into three chairs ... The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection,
Moody nodded at his choice of text book.
and waited, unusually quiet ... You won't need them."
Tonks frowned at that. Moody might be a lot of things. But he rarely let recruits do any magic before a good grounding in the theory. Although she admitted, not all the theory he taught them came from books.
They returned the books ... and werewolves, is that right?"
That seemed accurate enough. The first two years they had learned next to nothing. Only Lupin had taught them anything at all.
There was a general ... on dealing with curses," said Moody.
Minerva groaned. She could guess where this was going, especially since she knew just who was teaching that class. This was going to be explosive.
"So I'm here to bring you up ... "What, aren't you staying?" Ron blurted out.
"Ronald!" Mrs Weasley tutted. "Where are your manners?"
"Sorry," Ron muttered.
Moody's magical eye ... a very tight corner a few days ago...
Arthur blushed. Especially because he noticed Amelia Bones giving him a disapproving look.
Yeah, I'm staying ... my quiet retirement."
Moody still struggled to believe that. Why would he have agreed to teach in the first place?
He gave a harsh laugh ... countercurses and leave it at that.
"According to the OWL syllabus you mean," Lucius said sternly. He had a sinking suspicion that he wouldn't like what this lesson held. He'd heard plenty of rumours after this year. Mostly from the minister himself. And of course, the Dark Lord.
I'm not supposed to show you ... deal with it till then.
"More like seventh year," Remus said, taken a back. "And even then, you should be cautious about what images you share with them, memories of the curses being used are strongly prohibited. You are to give the basic description, show a couple of images that point out key effects of the curse and that's it."
Many of the adults nodded their agreement with that. Especially the teachers.
But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves,
Albus wondered at that. He didn't think he'd willingly agree to a lesson on illegal curses for a fourth year class. But then again, a lot of his older self's decisions made little to no sense to him.
he reckons you can cope ... You need to be prepared.
Sirius sighed. That was true enough. And Harry could use all the help he could get, learning to defend himself.
You need to be alert ... when I'm talking. "
Several people jumped in shock.
Lavender jumped ... punished by wizarding law?"
Amelia grimaced. What was Alastor doing?
Several hands rose tentatively ... Imperius Curse, or something?"
"Terrible curse," Flitwick said, shaking slightly.
Harry wondered what everyone would think of him when they realised he had used it during the war.
"Ah, yes," ... took out a glass jar.
The adults all gasped. It didn't take a genius to work out what Moody planned to do.
"Alastor!" Amelia said sharply.
Moody himself looked utterly baffled. And perhaps slightly sick. He'd used the unforgivables, of course. During the war. But even when training recruits, he hadn't actually... shown them the effects of the curse, like this. It just didn't make sense. He wondered if his older self really was past it. A well and truly spoiled potion.
Three large black spiders ... Ron hated spiders.
"For good reason," Ron muttered.
Moody reached into the jar ... "Imperio!"
Several of the adults looked ready to murder Moody, while others were staring at the book in horror. Still more, were confused.
"Shouldn't the wards of the school prevent this?" Amelia asked.
"Er... I would have thought so," Albus said. Had his older self lowered the wards? "I suppose the wards could have been lowered for the tournament, given the number of beasts we'd require... Or my older self indeed knew about this lesson and condoned it."
That made him feel a little sick. And what's more he couldn't imagine his friend Alastor doing this.
The spider leapt from Moody's hand ... everyone except Moody.
"It's not a laughing matter," Sirius said when some of the children joined in. Everyone was shocked by the steel in his voice.
"Think it's funny, do you?"... throw itself down one of your throats. . . "
Several people shivered and young Ron looked ready to vomit.
Ron gave an involuntary ... who was acting of their own free will.
Moody's magical eye was glued on Lucius Malfoy. As much as he didn't like this lesson, he couldn't refute that his older self was right about that.
"The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how,
"AND JUST HOW DO YOU PLAN TO DO THAT?" Molly screeched.
Moody could only shrug. He had no idea.
but it takes real strength of character ... threw it back into the jar.
Luna looked ready to cry. Her younger self was crying. They might not like spiders but they were still living things and didn't deserve to be cursed. Young Ron surprised them all when he came over to sit next to young Luna and offered her chocolate frog.
"Anyone else ... Hermione's hand flew into the air again
Mrs Granger sighed. She wasn't sure she liked the way Hermione seemed to sometimes forget that lessons like this meant more to some of the other students than it did her. For her this was pure academia. But for some of the others, it was personal. Their families had been destroyed by these spells.
and so, to Harry's slight surprise ... over to fix on Neville.
Augusta smiled at her grandson. He was being so brave. By being the one to say it, he had some control over being exposed to it. He could at least say he faced it bravely. But still, she wished he hadn't been in that classroom at all.
"There's one - the Cruciatus Curse," ... check the register again.
Moody wondered at the logic of this. He couldn't help but think his older self was being needlessly cruel.
Neville nodded nervously ... "Engorgio!"
Both Rons moaned in unison.
The spider swelled ... "Crucio!"
Amelia couldn't believe what she was hearing. She just couldn't imagine Alastor doing such a thing. And if he had... Had she heard about it from Susan? She would have done something about it, surely?
"Susan, did you have the same lesson?" she asked suddenly.
Susan only shook her head. "Our first lesson he taught us counter jinxes."
That was suspicious. Alastor and Amelia exchanged looks.
At once, the spider's legs ... "Stop it!" Hermione said shrilly.
Everyone in the chamber looked suddenly sick. Especially the two Nevilles.
Harry looked around ... his eyes wide and horrified.
Augusta wrapped her arms around her grandson as her younger self did the same with her own charge. This was not right.
Moody raised his wand ... That one was very popular once too.
"Popular?" Sirius muttered.
"Right ... she raised it into the air.
The other gryffindors all glared at her. Many of them had known the answer too. But they hadn't wanted to see that.
"Yes?" ... including Ron.
"This is most unsuitable," Minerva said, eyeing Harry nervously. To think that he and Neville had been exposed to that... and in class of all places.
"Ah," ... the Killing Curse. "
"This is completely unnecessary," Moody said. "Why would I use the killing curse on a spider. What does that teach them?"
He put his hand ... "Avada Kedavra!" Moody roared.
There was a horrified silence in the chamber. No one could quite believe what had just happened, least of all Moody himself.
There was a flash of blinding green light ... he's sitting right in front of me. "
Harry grimaced. He hated it when people drew attention to him.
Harry felt his face redden ... but not really seeing it at all...
Minerva was crying. This wasn't the school she thought she worked at.
So that was how his parents ... life was wiped from their bodies?
Those pitying looks were back and Harry felt ready to scream at them. He didn't want their pity.
Harry had been picturing ... before turning his wand on Harry...
"How does he know so much?" Millicent asked the other Slytherins.
"The dementors," Blaise said by way of explanation before turning back to the book. "Third year."
Theo added, "He also dreams about it sometimes."
Harry knew these details ... powerless, in their own despair...
The new arrivals all looked horrified. Especially the Slytherins. They'd laughed at Potter for his reaction to the dementors.
Moody was speaking ... I'd get so much as a nosebleed.
"How reassuring," Theo muttered.
But that doesn't matter ... whole class jumped again.
Amelia grimaced. Nothing about how to deflect it with offensive transfiguration, nothing about using one's environment. One thing was certain, this was not Alastor Moody.
"Now ... copy this down. . . . "
"What notes did you make?" Amelia asked.
"Signs someone was under the imperius curse," Hermione said. "The fact that all three curses required specific emotions to cast. Er... the long term effects of exposure to the curses. And the physical signs of the killing curse. The trademark green light and the way the bodies remained unmarked. That sort of thing."
"Nothing about how to outmaneuver them in a duel?"
Hermione shook her head.
They spent the rest of the lesson ... "- and when he killed it - just like that!"
Harry grimaced. He couldn't understand how they could talk about it like... Like what they'd witnessed was some sort of entertaining show.
They were talking ... spectacular show,
His fellow gryffindors all blushed.
but he hadn't found ... "Hurry up," she said tensely to Harry and Ron.
Hermione's parents glared at her. Did she not care that one of her best friends had just seen how his parents died? Sirius looked equally unimpressed.
"Not the ruddy library ... "Neville?" Hermione said gently.
Her parent's eyes softened slightly.
Neville looked around ... what's for eating?"
No one laughed at Neville's slip of the tongue. The adults all wore grave expressions. Sirius looked about ready to curse Moody where he sat. The only thing stopping him, the explicit rules from Mother Magic about no violence.
Ron gave Harry a startled look ... we can have a cup of tea... "
Moody frowned at that. He would have invited the lot of them. Better to keep them together, especially since Heir Longbottom was clearly terrified. Either his older self had actually lost his gobstones or that was an impostor.
Neville looked even ... No point pretending...
Moody huffed at that. It was true, of course, but there were better ways to teach that. Less traumatic ways.
well ... "I don't know," said Hermione, looking pensive.
Several people looked at the girl in surprise. It wasn't every day she admitted to not knowing something.
"Some lesson, though, eh?" ... just snuffed it right -"
"RONALD!" Mrs Weasley shouted. She could not believe her son could be so callous.
But Ron fell suddenly silent ... since they would take hours.
Sirius sighed. Where was the kind compassion Hermione had shown Neville? Didn't her best friend deserve the same treatment?
Hermione did not join in ... seen the curses?" Harry asked as they approached the Fat Lady.
"Yes," Amelia said simply.
"Yeah, probably," ... look at his dustbins. Balderdash."
Neither Alastor or Albus knew what to make of that.
The Fat Lady swung forward ... His eyes were rather red.
Augusta looked close to tears herself. She was tempted to berate Neville for not telling her about this, but that didn't seem like a fair response, so instead she just pulled him a little closer. She wasn't usually very tactile. But right now, she just wanted to keep her grandson safe and away from anyone who might hurt him. And the way she saw it, that was exactly what Alastor Moody had done.
"You all right, Neville?" ... "He thought I'd like this. "
Professor Sprout smiled slightly. Neville was her best student. Her best in years.
Telling Neville ... Professor Lupin would have done.
Lupin smiled. Yes, it was something he would have done.
Harry and Ron took their copies ... "I think it's back to the old Divination standby."
Professor Trelawney and Mrs Weasley looked very unpleased.
"What - make it up?" ... just put in loads of misery, she'll lap it up. "
As much as she hated to admit it, Minerva couldn't fight that logic.
"Right," ... skrewts again on Monday.
Several people laughed lightly as they tried to put the DADA lesson out of their minds.
Okay, Tuesday, ... someone you thought was a friend?"
Harry paused at that. That had actually happened. Maybe not that Tuesday, but it had happened...
"Yeah ... I'll come off worst in a fight."
The Weasleys wondered if any of these would come true, given they all seemed to have a latent seer gift.
"Aaah, ... I'll win my fight... "
The children all laughed.
They continued to make up predictions ... doing their homework properly.
The adults joined in with the laughter this time.
Staring around the room, ... working silently;
Mrs Weasley eyed the book suspiciously.
they usually liked to be in the thick ... entering the Triwizard Tournament.
"Better not be!" Mrs Weasley huffed.
As Harry watched, ... we're accusing him. Got to be careful. . . "
All four Weasley parents sat forward at that.
Then George looked over ... he was eavesdropping.
George grinned at Harry. He knew Harry could be trusted with their secrets.
Shortly after that, ... a very good month, are you?" she said sardonically
Multiple people laughed.
as Crookshanks curled ... I'm forewarned," Ron yawned.
More laughter. Trelawney was unimpressed. They were making a mockery of divination. Not to mention her teaching.
"You seem to be drowning ... trampled by a rampaging hippogriff."
Draco rolled his eyes.
"Don't you think it's a bit ... like house-elves here!"
Several people grimaced. They didn't want to talk about house elves again.
Hermione raised her eyebrows ... his own death by decapitation.
Sirius's eyes widened in horror at just how dark Harry's predictions had become.
"What's in the box?" ... S. P. E . W.
"Spew?" young Ron asked.
"Spew?" ... Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."
The chamber filled with groans as all the adults wished they could be somewhere else.
"Never heard of it," ... "Well - if you two join - three," said Hermione.
Harry sighed.
"And you think we want to ... heading of our manifesto. "
Lucius chuckled. He certainly respected her attempt. Even if she lacked any understanding of the topic.
She brandished the sheaf ... done anything about it before now. "
"That's because it's not enslavement," Neville said crossly.
"Hermione ... like being enslaved!"
Lucius sighed. That was not helpful. He wondered what sort of books Miss Granger had been reading that that was all she took away from her time in the library.
"Our short-term aims," ... they're shockingly underrepresented."
Amos frowned. Those were fair aims except for the fact that their work wasn't employment. It was a gift. Any laws protecting them would technically need to be considered domestic law, as it was more to do with how one treats family, than a servant.
"And how do we do all this?" ... a record of our first meeting."
"That's a little presumptuous," Mrs Granger said with a small chuckle. She loved how devoted her daughter could be when she saw injustice. But still, she really did rush in thinking she knew best.
There was a pause ... a snowy owl perched on the windowsill.
"Finally," Sirius muttered.
"Hedwig!" ... Harry read it aloud:
Sirius felt strangely anxious. He could only hope his older self would see fit to return to Britain.
Harry ... Sirius
Sirius nodded at that. It was somewhat good advice. And he was coming back. That was what mattered most. He shouldn't be out of the country if Harry was in danger.
Harry looked up ... "He's coming back?"
"Why is that a surprise?" the adults all asked. As Harry's blood adopted father and godfather he would want to be there.
"Dumbledore's reading ... "I shouldn't've told him!" Harry said furiously.
"It's not your responsibility to protect me," Sirius said softly, pulling his son closer.
"What are you on about?" ... Owlery if you want food."
Luna gave Harry a disapproving look. Harry himself looked sad. He should have been kinder to Hedwig.
Hedwig gave him ... a pacifying sort of voice.
Severus rolled his eyes. Patronising more like.
"I'm going to bed," ... keep it to himself...
Sirius sighed. "If I got caught, it would be my own fault. And I never want you to hide things from me because you're worried about me. Do you hear me?"
Younger Harry nodded quickly but his older self did so reluctantly.
He heard Ron ... not the only one lying awake.
The chamber was quiet when the book finished the chapter. No one quite knew what to make of what they'd heard. That DADA lesson was... well, there weren't words for it. Not to mention, no one had really bothered to check that Harry was okay after it. Hermione and Ron both looked thoughtful. Why hadn't they checked on Harry like they checked on Neville?
They were due to read another chapter but everyone just sat there taking it all in. No one dared say anything. The tension in the chamber was palpable and they were sure that even a small outburst would turn explosive. Moody himself was looking murderous. Something suspicious was going on and he'd get to the bottom of it.
Harry frowned. As much as he didn't want to influence people's opinion of the reading, he couldn't help but be concerned for Moody. If everyone's reaction to this chapter was anything to go by, they'd be horrified by what was to come. He was going to have to say something.
"Er... you should all know that not everything in these books is how it seems," Harry said. "I ask that you try not to pass blame until you have the whole story."
That caught the aurors attention. So, Moody was either under enchantment or he wasn't himself... An impostor perhaps. Moody let out a small sigh of relief, letting out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. Many of the others in the chamber didn't quite know what to make of the Prince's words. But they decided to follow his instruction regardless.