...I know it's been too long...but here's the new chapter.
Chapter 9
The only light in the room came from the candles near Merrythought's desk, reflecting eerily off of the woman's glasses and casting menacing shadows onto the class.
"The Unforgivables." Professor Merrythought said, her face lacking her usual smile and sounding uncharacteristically solemn. "These are, as you may have guessed, the three worst spells known to our world." She tapped the chalkboard with her wand, where the names were written out.
"They are the Imperious Curse, the Cruciatus Curse, and the Killing Curse." Camellia's forehead started to ache. "First, we'll begin with the Imperious Curse. Does anyone know what this particular curse does?" Someone from behind Camellia answered.
"It lets someone control another person."
"Exactly, Mr. Brown. Now, with this spell, a person will do whatever the caster wishes, unless they are strong enough to throw it off. However, not everyone is not able to do so." Merrythought stepped down from her podium.
"It may not seem like a wicked enough spell to be named an Unforgiveable—but have you thought about it? One person is in complete control of the other—imagine feeling as though you've just woken up, and then seeing a dead body at your feet, a wand in your hand. Imagine the guilt someone would have for not being strong enough to fight it off, to spare someone's life. Even though that person would be innocent in court, their actions under the Imperious would haunt them for life."
Camellia shivered. "Can anyone tell me about the Cruciatus Curse?" A timid-looking boy raised his hand.
"It's…it's torture, innit?" Merrythought nodded.
"The Cruciatus Curse is indeed torture—the worst pain, far beyond what you can imagine." A rough, gravelly voice echoed in Camellia's ears.
"Pain…you don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse…"
"Not only that," Merrythought continued. "but—although this hasn't been proven given the difficulty of doing so—it is theorized that prolonged exposure to this curse would likely drive a person insane."
"Can you die because of it?" A girl in the front row asked tremulously. Merrythought sighed.
"As I said before, testing is difficult—not to mention immoral—and so we don't have all the facts. However, we do know that the Cruciatus weakens people, so it may be that people die as a result of being exposed to the curse…due to the aftereffects, not to the spell itself. However, that's all guesswork." The professor adjusted her glasses. "Last of all, the Killing Curse. I doubt you need to be told what it does." Merrythought stared at the faces of the students. "This curse cannot be blocked by spells. The only way to protect yourself from it is to dodge, or hide behind heavy objects. If a person is hit with the Killing Curse—" A high, menacing laugh echoed in Camellia's ears. "—there is no hope for them."
Camellia sat frozen, feeling as though a thousand emotions were running through her.
"That will be all for today, class." Professor Merrythought said, her speech becoming more brisk as she opened the curtains, glad to be rid of the oppressing darkness. "For next time, I want an essay on the Unforgiveables and why they need to be classified as such."
Camellia hurriedly packed up her bag and left the classroom. She wasn't sure where she was going, letting her feet guide her. Coming out of her thoughtless haze, Camellia found herself at the Astronomy Tower. Shutting the door behind her, Camellia sank to the floor, letting her emotions wash over her. Anger, grief, confusion, shock…and yet no answers as to why she was feeling such things.
Nonsensical images flashed through her mind. A frail, lost-looking man and woman in a hospital ward with a boy holding a gum wrapper. A boy lying spread-eagled on the ground, lifeless eyes staring at Camellia. An archway with curtains that swayed in a nonexistent breeze. A man and a woman standing in a mirror, smiling proudly. More images came to Camellia, faster and faster. A man turning into a wolf—a family of redheads—doorways of fire—a—"
"Camellia?" The black-haired girl looked up, noticing for the first time the tears on her face.
"Margaret? What are you doing here?" Margaret sat down next to Camellia.
"Quidditch tryouts are in an hour or two. This place helps me clear my thoughts…what about you?"
"I just needed to be alone for a while…you never told me you were on the quidditch team."
"We have to try for a spot on the team every year—there's no guarantee that I'll be picked. But what happened to you?" Camellia picked at her sleeves.
"I—I just started getting flashbacks all of a sudden…" Margaret arched an eyebrow.
"What triggered them?"
"…I just had Defense." Margaret's eyes widened in realization.
"Wasn't today the Unforgiveable Curses?" Camellia nodded, not making eye contact. "But why? I mean, have you seen those curses used or something?" Camellia picked a bit of lint off her robes.
"Do you think I remember?"
"Sorry." The two sat in silence for a minute or two.
"You like flying, right?" Margaret asked. Camellia nodded warily. "Brilliant." Margaret stood up, brushing the dust off her robes. "Let's go to the quidditch pitch. You can help me warm up."
Camellia agreed, hoping to keep her mind from wandering back to those images. They'd been so strange. She'd felt anger, fear, sadness, loneliness…and happiness and love…but how sad had her past been to make her feel that way? Part of her was scared to find out. As the girls made their way down to the quidditch pitch, however, one image continued to haunt Camellia's thoughts, one that she didn't want to see—a pale, skeletal man with a snakelike face and eyes as red as blood…a man that Camellia just knew wouldn't think twice about killing anyone…a man who, for some reason, must never be named.
Ta-da! Hope you guys liked it, even though it's a bit short. I've had way more homework than I was expecting, and little time to write, if you couldn't guess. But I've already started working on the next chapter, so hopefully that one won't take too long. Thanks for sticking with me, everyone. I really appreciate it.
