Disclaimer: Harry Potter will never belong to me. I can only wish.
Reminder: Review! I want to thank Hana-Liatris for her amazingly long review, and all those who gave me constructive criticism.
"All right, Unforgivable Curses. Who can tell me about them?" Carrow asked, demandingly.
Draco quickly shot his hand up. Hermione looked like she was tempted to do the same but was too repulsed to do so.
"Unforgivable Curses," Draco recited. "Three of the most powerful curses, require great willpower and great skill from the castor to bring about the wanted results. There's three – the Imperius Curse, the Cruciatus Curse…" – here Draco grinned – "and the Killing Curse."
"Wonderful. Five points to Slytherin," trilled Carrow in an unbelievably high-pitched voice. "Theodore Nott, will you tell me the incantations?"
"Imperio, Crucio, and Avada Kedavra."
The second and last incantation hit Harry like icy water.
Those were the exact curses Voldemort had used to torture and kill Ollivander. Harry could hardly believe it – they were expected to learn curses that could hardly be viewed as moral.
The castle was infested with sick-minded deatheaters.
They'd be dreaming if they thought anyone, even the Dark Lord, would be able to make him learn those.
"Perhaps one of you Ravenclaws would like to tell me what the Unforgivable Curses do?" Carrow smiled chillingly.
Harry turned in his chair and looked towards the back of the room. The majority of the Ravenclaws looked aghast; one even looked like he was about to vomit.
A few looked completely blank. Harry couldn't decide whether they were fortunate or unfortunate.
It was obvious none of them was going to answer anytime soon.
It looked like Hermione, today, would be the saviour.
"The first, the Imperius Curse, strips the victim off his or her will and forces the victim to obey every command of the castor. The second is the Cruciatus Curse, even worse than the one before. It strikes the victim with excruciating, unbearable, pain. It is said nobody who has not been under it would know what it feels like. The Cruciatus is often used during torture sessions…"
Harry could tell Hermione was trying to maintain her professional air. He had to say he was impressed by what she managed to achieve.
But her calmly maintained voice was slowly beginning to let in more and more disgust.
"And the last and worst is simply known as the Killing Curse. It causes instant death, and cannot be blocked by any magic. There is no known survivor who has actually been struck by it. When cast, a jet of green light shoots out of the wand."
Carrow smiled disturbingly, showing two rows of teeth. "Five points to Ravenclaw. Nicely described, Miss Granger. Can anyone tell me why they are named the Unforgivable Curses?"
This time, Harry could see that Hermione was looking visibly relieved as she volunteered her hand again.
"Because they are unforgivable. The barbarically awful nature of these curses caused them to be considered 'Unforgivable' in 1717 by the Ministry of Magic; meaning the use of any one of these curses is a one-way ticket to the wizard prison Azkaban," recounted Hermione.
Harry saw Alecto Carrow's face darken distinctly as her lip curled in Hermione's direction.
"The Unforgivable Curses were unforgivable," she corrected. "The laws restricting the Unforgivable Curses were lifted in 1988 by the Ministry of Magic. Now, in the time of a new era, the free use of Unforgivables is permitted."
Hermione paled. Malfoy smirked.
"In fact, it is a tradition in the past three years to treat severe transgressions with the Cruciatus Curse at Hogwarts. This area of discipline has proved itself to be beautifully effective. And that, the Unforgivables, is what I'll be teaching you today."
Harry himself felt ill.
Voldemort and his filthy deatheaters were turning the school into their playground. Torture sessions? It was unbelievable.
Beside him, Hermione stood up suddenly with a mixture of poise and conviction in her posture. Harry stared after her, not registering what she was doing.
"Yes, Miss Granger?" Carrow said, smiling. "Though standing up really isn't necessary. Sit down."
Harry was horrified to see Hermione didn't. She looked the picture of calmness. "I prefer standing, Professor."
Carrow's face distorted into one of cold anger. "What is that supposed to mean, Miss Granger? Students obey the teacher."
Horror-struck, Harry looked wildly around the room. His eyes met with Astoria Greengrass', whose eyes, for some reason, gleamed apprehensively at him.
Draco Malfoy, who sat next to the Greengrass girl, sat back into his seat with a smile and entwined his fingers on the desk as if preparing for an enjoyable show.
"Professor, I am sorry. I only wanted to ask a question," said Hermione politely.
With a predatory flicker in Carrow's eyes, she looked as if she had finally come to a decision. "All right then, Miss Granger. Speak up for the class to hear."
Carrow was humouring Hermione.
Harry blinked and clenched his teeth tightly. He had a feeling this was going to end badly.
"I was merely wondering… that after so many centuries of prohibiting the Unforgivables, it cannot possibly be logical to change it," stated Hermione.
A few Slytherins let out growls. Harry wished Hermione would watch her words.
It wasn't that he didn't agree fully with her – because he did – but trapped in a castle with three deatheaters and one Dark Lord who could come and go anytime he felt like; it was neither the time nor place for an outward speech of rebellion.
One look at Hermione's resolute face told Harry that shutting her up anytime soon was unlikely.
The possibilities of Hermione getting out without a detention was starting to look dimmer and dimmer, just as Carrow's expression grew frostier and frostier.
Harry just hoped to dear god that a detention would be all Hermione was getting.
"And after only three years of it being considered acceptable, surely it would be scientific to strictly ensue that under no conditions should it appear inside a school filled with thousands of children no older than seventeen," continued Hermione, cogently.
"Aside from that not being a question, Miss Granger, I'd just like to ask you a question: are you willing to go against the laws of the Ministry of Magic?" queried Carrow.
"I can assure you it'll guarantee you will be expelled from the school under heavy charges. The society we are in today is different to the former. The structure of government is different, the Minister for Magic has been changed… nothing is the same anymore."
"I was merely putting forward my opinion, Professor. I am sorry if it was inappropriate." She sounded perfectly sensible, to Harry.
But he was inwardly panicking. He wanted to join Hermione so that she'd have at least some form of support but he was afraid it would only make matters worse.
"Very well, Miss Granger, then I'll ask you another question. In a society where everyone is allowed to use the Unforgivable Curses, would you rather come out of Hogwarts knowing how to use and evade them or knowing how to endure them?"
"I'd work for the position of Minister for Magic or build a resisting campaign. I'd try to change the laws."
Harry had to suppress the urge to cry out. What Hermione had said was particularly daring. If a simple Hogwarts Sorting Hat song could put McGonagall down as treacherous, then what was Hermione?
It seemed like Professor Carrow had reached the same conclusion as he.
"Miss Granger, that can be considered a highly… dangerous thing to say. The Ministry takes precautions to ensure that they have a good reputation."
"I'm still a child, Professor, according to Ministry rules, a child cannot be legally considered a traitor to the state," said Hermione, still with the same respectful tone.
Her tone really didn't match the things she said, thought Harry. He was impressed, though, by how much Hermione knew about Wizarding laws.
"The Ministry has ordered Hogwarts staff to take into hand the younger children with rebelling tendencies and condition them through whatever means. Surely a delicate girl such as yourself wouldn't want that?" Carrow leered.
It looked like Carrow had finally lost her patience. It also seemed that she didn't have the wit to keep with Hermione's verbal probes while still keeping polite.
Despite that, Harry was now worrying about whether Hermione would get the Cruciatus for her lip.
It wasn't likely, he knew.
Because it couldn't possibly be considered one of those 'severe transgressions'. But he knew trusting a deatheater's word was like signing one's own death warrant. Regardless of how little experience he had with Voldemort's followers, it was obvious that they were as ruthless as their master.
If Bellatrix Lestrange's behaviour at Diagon Alley was anything to go by.
"Pardon?" asked Hermione, sounding shocked.
Harry could see that for the first time since she had stood up, Hermione was uncertain of herself.
It was oddly uncharacteristic of Hermione to behave like this. She usually reacted upon logic, not emotions – and if Harry hadn't seen it himself, he would not have known Hermione was capable of such a thing.
Perhaps the Sorting Hat should've sorted her into Gryffindor.
"Pardon, Professor," corrected Alecto Carrow, mimicking Hermione's voice.
By now, even Draco had stopped smiling. The Ravenclaws all wore looks of alarm.
That was it.
Harry didn't know what compelled him to join Hermione – but in a flurry of panic and fury, Harry slammed back his chair, making a harsh scraping sound; and stood up so that he and Hermione stood side by side, shoulder to shoulder.
"There's no need to call Hermione Professor, Headmistress," said Harry, his voice cold.
Harry's words caught Carrow off guard. Her jaws fell down, leaving an astounded look on her face.
"She's right though," he continued in a loud voice, "about the Unforgivable Curses."
By now, all his fears had been swept, almost magically, away and his full cold rage was focused on Carrow.
Hermione glared at Harry disapprovingly, but he thought he saw a relieved sparkle in her eyes.
It was almost as if Harry's words were a cue for the Ravenclaws. From behind Harry, came a chorus of murmured agreements.
At that point, Carrow's eyes narrowed, and she recovered from her surprise. Gathering all her composure, she tossed back her long ponytail and said grimly, "Thirty points from Slytherin, Mr Potter."
Angry voices broke out. The Slytherins looked like they would very happily strangle Harry right then and there.
"Way to go, Potter!" Draco yelled out, scowling.
"Silence!" shouted Carrow, snapping her wand out.
The room instantly fell silent.
Harry eyed that piece of wood in her hands cautiously. If there was anything that could do any damage, it had to be her wand.
"Okay, class, we have already wasted more than enough time," said Carrow softly in a gentle voice that Harry did not trust. "If you, Miss Granger, and Mr Potter would take your seats…"
Harry found himself dragged down by Hermione who shook her head meaningfully at him.
"Thank you," said Carrow, with a glance in their direction.
She then lifted her wand and pointed it…
At Harry.
He immediately felt the pulses of his heartbeats racing.
"Since we're learning about the Unforgivables, why don't you give us a demonstration, Mr Potter?" she said, triumphantly. "Come on up to the front of the class and face your classmates." She flicked her wand impatiently, gesturing at the spot beside her.
Harry swallowed nervously. No spell came shooting out of that wand towards him. He had been paranoid, as usual.
But he couldn't help but think Carrow had scared him on purpose.
"And you, Miss Granger, since you're both so involved with our currant subjects."
Hermione did as she was told, joining Harry at the front.
Carrow cleared her throat as if to prepare herself for a big announcement.
"First Years, I'd like you to appreciate our two volunteers, for they'll be helping me a great deal," Carrow told the class.
Harry blinked.
Carrow then slowly turned to him and Hermione.
"Mr Potter," she pronounced each word unmistakeably, "I'd like you to draw out your wand and cast the Cruciatus Curse on Miss Granger."
Harry froze like a deer caught in the headlights. "Sorry, Professor?" he asked, thinking he had misheard.
"Yes, Mr Potter. The Cruciatus. You know the incantation," proclaimed Carrow impatiently. "Go on."
Harry quickly opened his mouth to refuse when he saw Hermione shaking her head desperately.
"Do as she says," Hermione mouthed at Harry. "Trust me. I've a plan."
He hesitated.
Carrow looked warningly at him. "Do it, Mr Potter."
Harry instinctively opened his mouth to decline, again.
But one encouraging stare from Hermione made him reach reluctantly into his sleeve for his wand. She had said she had a plan.
Feeling the cold and smooth wood that felt like another part of Harry calmed him down a little. But it did little good to throw off the panic he could feel gripping his throat with its icy fingers.
The whole classroom was silent. One would be able to hear a pin drop.
The Ravenclaws sat with dangling jaws, looking as if they couldn't believe the barbarity of it all. In all honesty, Harry couldn't either.
His hand clenched so tightly on his wand that he was surprised there was not yet a dent in the wood.
The Slytherins looked on with emotionless masks… although Harry could see Malfoy's goons, Crabbe and Goyle, nudging one another and grinning like a pair of fools.
"Mr Potter," came the cruel voice of Carrow again, "please don't keep the whole class waiting."
…
"Professor Carrow?"
Carrow whirled around to glower at the person who had dared to interrupt.
Harry was coherent enough to register it was a Ravenclaw boy.
"You can't make him do this, Professor," the boy said timidly, voice trembling and gaze down.
"You speak of this as if I intend to torture them both." Carrow laughed harshly. "I'm only doing my job – teaching a lesson. Besides, I doubt Mr Potter will have the willpower needed to complete the curse anyway."
The boy shrank back as Carrow advanced towards him.
"Would you like to join them?"
There was an unmistakeable threat hanging in the air.
"No, Professor."
"No? Very well, then."
Carrow turned back towards them, her stubby back bent like a vulture's. "So? What are you waiting for, Potter?"
His wand nearly slipped from his sweating hand. He glanced at Hermione quickly, waiting for further instructions.
She nodded firmly at him.
So Harry raised his wand slowly and wetted his lips, mentally preparing himself for the very words Voldemort himself had uttered
Harry avoided Hermione's eyes this time as he faced her. He felt like a traitor.
However, he could feel Hermione's reassuring gaze. It reassured him – at least a little.
Harry squeezed his eyes tightly together until stinging tears came out, and then he said the unforgivable words.
"Crucio."
He didn't feel anything – no tinge of magic, no floating sensation… nothing. He didn't hear Hermione scream either.
Cautiously, Harry opened his eyes again. Hermione was looking at him soothingly. Nothing had happened. There was no effect whatsoever.
The curse didn't work.
Harry could feel a faint smile working its way across his lips. "It didn't work, Professor."
"Try again," said Carrow. "You actually have to mean it for the Cruciatus to work. You have to want to cause pain. With that in mind, you can try again."
"No."
"Pardon?" she asked incredulously.
"No," repeated Harry decisively. "I don't want to."
"It's not a matter of what you want, Mr Potter. It's for the sake of the whole class. Do be considerate, won't you?"
Ignoring Hermione's sharp looks, Harry stood his ground firmly. He wasn't afraid of Carrow. "I'm sorry, Professor. I've already tried, and it didn't work."
"Well, then. You'll have to try again."
"You can select another student, Professor," pointed out Harry.
"I do not have to explain my decisions to you!" she snapped viciously.
Harry jolted.
"You. Will. Obey. Your. Professor."
Harry could almost hear Carrow's teeth grinding as she forced the words out.
"No. I'm sorry, Professor, but –"
"Very well, Mr Potter. You may go back to your desk." Alecto Carrow took a deep breath.
Harry looked up in amazement at her, unable to believe that she had just given in. Somehow, she didn't seem like she was someone who would surrender so easily.
"Don't make me repeat myself, Mr Potter."
He didn't. Content, Harry scrambled back into his much beloved seat.
"Since Mr Potter has decided to de-volunteer himself, I will take his place," Carrow told the class as a whole. "I daresay this will be more exciting than Mr Potter's last failed attempt."
Any happy thoughts was instantly banished to the back of his head as Harry felt a shiver run down his spine. This was why Carrow had let him return to his seat.
Hermione was now facing a blood-thirsty deatheater who had not only performed the Cruciatus on dozens of people before but also enjoyed it.
His throat felt parched; he watched with a sick feeling as Carrow raised her wand without a trace of hesitation.
Like a cat that's got the cream, Carrow smiled satisfyingly. "This may hurt just a little, Miss Granger," she warned softly.
Harry flinched. Hermione was looking past Carrow and at him with wide, fearful eyes.
He knew he had to stop Carrow somehow.
"Cruci –"
"Professor!" Harry cried. "Ma – may I please try again?" He choked down the bile that rose up in his throat. "I want to try again, Professor."
Carrow had stopped. She slowly lowered her wand hand. "Are you sure, Mr Potter?"
"Quite," confirmed Harry pleadingly.
"Being a generous teacher, I will allow you the chance this time despite that rude departure of yours."
"Thank you!" Harry said as he jumped from his seat and raced towards Hermione.
"You need to want to cause pain, Mr Potter," reminded Carrow.
Harry carefully stored that in his mind. He knew he had to get the Cruciatus Curse working. It would hurt Hermione – but far less than if Carrow did it. He just had to make it work.
Harry bit his lip and glanced at Hermione who was looking shaken. "Sorry," he mouthed.
With his wand clasped tightly in his hand and his teeth gritted together, Harry once again faced Hermione with a determination of steel. He was sweating, but he didn't care.
This was his second attempt of the Cruciatus, and it had to be his last one for the day.
He had to hurt her.
He just had to.
Harry raised his wand and brought it down with an unsettling swish.
"Crucio!" he shouted.
A red light flew out of the tip and zoomed towards Hermione. It struck her right in the middle of her chest.
Everything happened in slow motion.
Hermione was instantly brought with a grunt to her knees. Her head was thrown back by the force of the curse.
But something was wrong. Harry told it immediately.
Her face never contorted in pain. She didn't scream. All the curse did was bring her to her knees.
"Hmm…" murmured Carrow. "Not bad for a second try, but…"
Harry froze, waiting. His wand accidently slipped through his fingers and dropped to the floor.
"One more try can't hurt," smiled Carrow. "No pun intended."
There was nothing that Harry felt less like doing at that moment than laughing at Carrow's sick joke.
"Okay," croaked Harry, body stiff.
He looked at Hermione who had defiantly clambered back on her feet.
I want to hurt her, Harry thought unwaveringly.
I need to hurt her.
No, I want to hurt her.
I want to hurt her.
Hurting her will solve everything.
I want to hurt her.
He repeated it mentally so many times that he almost believed it himself.
Hermione was a clever girl had had stuck by him ever since they'd met on the train. She was a loyal person. A good person.
But for now, just temporarily, she was his worst enemy.
He hated her. More than anything else in the world.
Harry Potter would get his revenge if he could just get at his wand. As soon as he touched his wand, he would be able to torture her.
Yes, torture the girl. Torture Granger.
Get his wand. Torture her. Carrow would finally stop pestering him.
Harry jumped for his wand and snatched it off the floor.
With eyes as hard as steel, Harry murmured the curse words.
"Crucio!"
As he said the words, flavours burst in his mouth. Bittersweet, tangy, tart, salty… all of them strong and delightful flavours.
Harry almost choked.
He wielded his wand, pressing on. He had to press on. Hermione was better off lightly hurt than severely by Carrow.
His wand felt so powerful in his hands, so light yet so heavy at the same time. The magic vibrated through his arm, through to his chest, and then it reached out to his pumping heart.
He suddenly felt so open, so free. He was so alive.
Perhaps he would be able to draw out the curse. Just one more minute, then Carrow would let both of them off.
"Crucio!" he said, again.
He was so focused on maintaining the curse that this time it was only anguishing screams that pieced his ears that tore him from his world of determination and brought him to his senses.
In front of his eyes, Hermione lay sprawled. She was right across, on the other side of the room. Harry didn't know how she had got there. Her head was bleeding against the wall it rested on.
Hermione's body was writhing, twisting, at impossible angles, as if it had a life of its own.
Harry was scared. It couldn't possibly be him that was doing that to her.
Hermione tossed her head back and screamed again. So ear-splittingly that Harry had the urge to duck for cover.
The curse stopped immediately, now that Harry had lost the will to keep it up.
Hermione stopped screaming straightaway, the shrieks falling into cries and then whimpers. Her body had ceased thrashing but it was still shaking uncontrollably.
Harry found himself washed over by waves after waves of guilt.
He ran over to Hermione and helped her onto her knees.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
Hermione didn't reply. She offered him a pained smile, though. He was surprised she wasn't too absorbed in the pain for even that.
Front behind him, came the sound of individual applause.
Carrow.
"Nicely done, Mr Potter." She threw her head neatly back and laughed. "I couldn't have done better myself."
Apparently he had overdone it. He had made Hermione suffer for more than what was needed. It had been his fault. He had been too fixated on maintaining the power of the curse.
It repulsed Harry that he himself even managed to achieve more at the Cruciatus Curse than what was expected of him by a deatheater. It was disgusting.
He shouldn't have been able to.
Didn't he have to want to hurt Hermione for the curse to work?
He couldn't possibly be a sadist, could he?
Harry turned around wildly like a beast and snarled at Carrow, throwing all caution to the winds. "She's my friend," he said, with a sneer worthy of Malfoy.
"Miss Granger is so fortunate, to have a kind friend like you," Alecto Carrow smirked.
The words stung. If they were physical, they would have cut welts all over his skin.
Carrow's lip curled as she glanced at Harry who was crouched over Hermione again. "You may have stronger magical talent than a few of your peers, but it is wasted in a pathetic shell. Mark my words, if you do not harden yourself, you will suffer like no other. Class dismissed."
Harry watched helplessly as the Ravenclaw students helped him carry Hermione all the way to the hospital wing.
He blamed himself for all of it.