Chapter Fourteen: The Unforgivable Curses
Today was Thursday and the much anticipated first Defence class of the year with Mad-Eye Moody. The trio got there early to make sure they got good seats as though they were going to a show. Moody beckoned the class to enter, but not to bother taking out their books. Today's class was going to be a practical one.
Moody told the class that they were behind learning Curses and that he only had one year to get them up to speed.
'So, who here can tell me the Curses that are the most heavily punished by the Ministry of Magic?' Moody asked.
A few hands hit the air slowly as Moody looked around the class before calling on Ron.
'My Dad did tell me about one; it's called the Imperius Curse, or something?' Ron offered.
'Correct! Your father would know about that one. It gave the Ministry a lot trouble a few years ago …' said Moody.
The class watched as Moody pulled out a spider, enlarged it, then pointed his wand at it before saying, 'Imperio!' The spider began to dance along the table in front of them, to some laughter, though not from Harry, Ron and Hermione.
Moody told them all that the Imperius Curse would give a wizard total control of another but, it could be fought, telling them it required great mental strength. He then called upon the class for another Curse.
This time it was Neville who spoke up, normally he only offered information in Herbology.
'The Cruciatus Curse,' said Neville.
'Your name's Longbottom?' said Moody, but made no further enquiry as he pointed his wand again at the spider before saying, 'Crucio!'
The class watched as spider twitched and shook in what was obvious pain, if the spider could talk, it probably would be screaming.
'The Cruciatus Curse – pain, in other words. You don't need thumbscrews if you can do the torture curse, and the last one, who can tell me?'
Hermione put up her hand and Moody nodded to her and she said, 'Avada Kedavra.'
The class looked at her warily, as Moody spoke again, 'The worst one, the Killing Curse.' He pointed his wand once more at the spider and cried, 'Avada Kedavra!' A jet of green light hit the spider killing it instantly. Moody then told them that the Killing Curse was impossible to block and why he was showing them. He told them that the use of any of these Curses would earn someone a one-way trip to Azkaban. The class came to an end as Moody set them an essay about the Unforgivable Curses.
As they made their way to the Great Hall for lunch, the trio overheard different conversations, some of them reproachful and some of them tactless. Harry had seen how his parents had been murdered and the thought did not make him feel better.
Neville too, seemed subdued as they walked, but then Moody reappeared and took Neville to his office for tea.
A week later, Moody told them he was going to perform the Imperius Curse on each of them in turn. Eventually, it was Harry's turn. He heard Moody say the incantation and felt a most blissful feeling, until he heard a voice in his head telling him to jump on to the desk. Harry, however managed to fight it off, which Moody instructed the class to watch again as he did it three more times. But none of the class was able to throw off the curse until he tried Ron and Hermione. Both of them had managed to throw off the curse, too. They used their new Occlumency skills to aid them as they used their own mental powers.
A few days later, Professor Snape told Harry he would tell him about his mother. Harry thanked Snape for giving up his free time to talk to him. Harry later told Ron and Hermione the good news and they both happy for him.
Hermione, over the past few days had grown more curious about house-elves, so Ron and Harry took her to the kitchen.
After tickling the pear, they entered the kitchen, and then a voice squeaked out, 'Harry Potter!'
It was Dobby.
'Dobby, is that you? Are you working here now?' asked Harry.
'Yes, Harry Potter, it is Dobby, and Winky is here, too. Dobby found out that Winky had been freed too, and I had the idea to come to Hogwarts and Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs. Dobby is even getting paid!'
'Good for you, Dobby,' said Hermione.
'Thank you, Miss.'
'Please, Dobby, call me Hermione.'
'Thank you, Her-Her-my-oh-knee, yes, Professor Dumbledore pays Dobby one Galleon and one day off a week, he actually wanted to give me more, but Dobby beat him down. Dobby likes having time off, but likes to work even more.'
'Are you happy?' asked Hermione.
'Oh, yes, very much, thank you,' replied Dobby.
'And the rest of you, are you happy here?' said Hermione.
All the elves said that they were and Hermione took their word, all except Winky who was drinking Butterbeer, but the elves in general were very happy with their lot.
The rest of the day they spent in the Room of Requirement working on their Animagus project before going to dinner. The rest of the evening was spent doing their homework. When they were done, Harry went to bed, leaving Ron and Hermione alone.
Ron began to kiss her deeply as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The Common Room was empty as they snogged. Hermione lay back and took him with her. Ron was on top of her, trying not to crush her, but Hermione did not seem to mind at all. She hummed in appreciation as Ron covered her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. There was such passion in their embrace, pausing only for a few seconds to breathe, before resuming.
'Love you, Hermione, so much,' Ron murmured into her neck.
'Mm, Ron, love you too, don't stop …'
'Not gonna stop, love, I have to keep kissing you …'
The two of them were just so lost in each other before Hermione managed to remember where they were and told Ron to stop. She was worried that if they carried on much longer, they would start tearing off one another's clothes. Ron stopped and apologised, but Hermione waved off his apology as they sat up. They stood up, shared one more incredible, deep, satisfying kiss, before going up to their rooms.