Chapter Two: Auror Class
The Astronomy Tower was infamous for it's large space, open sky ceiling, and seclusion. Draco had a lot of fond memories in the Tower. It would make sense for him to spend a Saturday night inside — but to listen to a paranoid old man go on about vigilance was not his most favorable reason.
"The Auror is trained to be aware of his surroundings," croaked Professor Moody, who was pulled out of retirement again to teach the Auror class. "He can sense what is impossible, and act in the best way." He paused and swivelled his magic eye around to look around at everyone, while his regular eye stared intently at Harry. Draco faintly smiled in amusement as he saw Harry fidget around nervously.
"An Auror is trained to deflect most curses and defend themselves when magic cannot be used in battle." At this, Moody picked up a long sword that was leaning against the wall. "Magic can only take you so far. An Auror is trained to not only strengthen their magical abilities, but themselves as well. Their senses heightened, their skills refined, and their intellect sharpened." He made a quick and fluid movement with his arm and brought the sword down on an empty table. There was a quick pause and with the slightest creak, the table had split in two.
From a table to Moody's right, Hannah Abbott of Hufflepuff drew in a sharp intake of breath. Moody paid it no mind. He stood there, examining the blade of the sword and biting his tongue. There was a small movement to his left as Ron shifted in his seat uncomfortably.
Draco, however, was transfixed on Moody's face. His expression was of one that Draco was all too familiar with. He was reluctant and hesitating. Like Moody was just itching to tell them all something, but was holding it back.
He seemed to be doing a good job of it though, for the next second his eyes shot up (his regular eye did; the magical eye remained on the sword). He made a harsh noise with his throat and walked to the center of the room.
"Partner up," he said. "I want to see how you all can handle a sword."
Draco watched as Hannah Abbott and Padma Patil scooted their chairs closer, while Ron, Harry, and Hermione looked around at each other with conflicted faces. Draco made no movement, nor did he think of doing so. He sat back with his arms folded across his chest and waited.
Moody had walked up to Harry's table, spoke quietly, and motioned Harry towards Draco. Ron's eyes had swelled and said something that sounded a lot like "that's mad!" Moody waved his hand impatiently and prompted Harry to move to Draco. Very reluctantly, Harry got off his seat and walked rather stiffly to Draco's table.
"Malfoy," said Harry as a greeting.
"Potter," Draco returned.
They looked at each other with hard gazes, both willing themselves not to blink. They were only relieved of this when Moody cleared his throat to call for their attention. Very quickly, Draco shut his eyes to blink the sting away.
Moody was motioning them to stand, and right after they did so, he magicked the tables away. In it's place, was a large blue mat that covered most of the floor. Draco felt the mat through his toes and he glanced down to see that Moody had also magicked away their shoes. He felt a pang of annoyance; those shoes were expensive. Moody began to pass out swords to everyone, taking his time to show them the correct stance. Draco smiled inwardly as he and Harry faced each other, both gripping their swords like it was a lost love. It all reminded him vaguely of the Dueling Club they had in second year. But as quickly as he had smiled, he scowled. That was when they discovered that Harry was a Parselmouth. He had beaten Draco to that as well.
"Nice look for you, Malfoy," said Harry, knocking Draco out of his thoughts.
"Sod off, Potter," Draco muttered back, tightening his grip on his sword.
"You first," countered Harry.
"Oh, that's original," sneered Draco. He was vaguely aware of Moody speaking somewhere behind them.
"Like you are," said Harry. He made a face that suggested that he didn't think his counter was good enough and said, "Fascinating how you got chosen, Malfoy. No one could believe it."
"Then perhaps you all shouldn't doubt," spat Malfoy. Moody's far off voice was droned out by a faint ringing in his ears.
"What I doubt," said Harry airily, "is whether you can handle that sword or not."
Malfoy smirked. "I can manage. I apologize for future reference if ever I cut you open — oh wait, I don't apologize."
"Do Malfoys ever?" grinned Harry, and in an instand held up his sword to block Malfoy, who had suddenly charged at Harry. Their faces were inches apart and their arms were shaking — Malfoy's with rage, and Harry's with struggle. Draco could hear Moody again, and this time he was shouting something. His voice now joined by others came closer and closer and Draco was able to make out a few words.
" — get 'im, Harry!"
" — oh, Harry, be careful!"
" — that's ENOUGH!"
And Draco felt his body whoosh backward, hit the wall, and landed sprawled over the floor. He felt something wet trickle down his neck and figured his head was probably cut. He looked up to see if the same thing had happened to Harry, but — to his great disgust — Harry was still standing where he had originally been. Although now everyone crowded around him; the girls worried and Ron ecstatic. Draco let out a low growl and quickly got up to his feet. Moody was standing a few feet in front of him with a very stern look on his face.
"Mister Malfoy," he spat. "I thought you'd have learned your lesson by now. I had no idea you liked being a ferret."
Draco resisted the urge to throw a punch at him. Why couldn't anyone ever forget that? He had been punished while Harry — who he was certain was in the wrong — was being praised. Draco clenced his fists so hard that his nails cut into his palms.
"Detention," said Moody, "for both of you."
Draco stared. So did Harry.
"What?" they asked in unison, too shocked to even notice.
"You heard me," said Moody. His normal eye was fixed on Draco, but his other eye had rolled into his head — Draco suspected that Moody was looking at Harry as well. "Malfoy only attacked Potter because he provoked him. An Auror never provokes when their opponent clearly has the bigger advantage."
Draco smiled weakly. Was Moody actually paying him a compliment?
The Astronomy Tower was infamous for it's large space, open sky ceiling, and seclusion. Draco had a lot of fond memories in the Tower. It would make sense for him to spend a Saturday night inside — but to listen to a paranoid old man go on about vigilance was not his most favorable reason.
"The Auror is trained to be aware of his surroundings," croaked Professor Moody, who was pulled out of retirement again to teach the Auror class. "He can sense what is impossible, and act in the best way." He paused and swivelled his magic eye around to look around at everyone, while his regular eye stared intently at Harry. Draco faintly smiled in amusement as he saw Harry fidget around nervously.
"An Auror is trained to deflect most curses and defend themselves when magic cannot be used in battle." At this, Moody picked up a long sword that was leaning against the wall. "Magic can only take you so far. An Auror is trained to not only strengthen their magical abilities, but themselves as well. Their senses heightened, their skills refined, and their intellect sharpened." He made a quick and fluid movement with his arm and brought the sword down on an empty table. There was a quick pause and with the slightest creak, the table had split in two.
From a table to Moody's right, Hannah Abbott of Hufflepuff drew in a sharp intake of breath. Moody paid it no mind. He stood there, examining the blade of the sword and biting his tongue. There was a small movement to his left as Ron shifted in his seat uncomfortably.
Draco, however, was transfixed on Moody's face. His expression was of one that Draco was all too familiar with. He was reluctant and hesitating. Like Moody was just itching to tell them all something, but was holding it back.
He seemed to be doing a good job of it though, for the next second his eyes shot up (his regular eye did; the magical eye remained on the sword). He made a harsh noise with his throat and walked to the center of the room.
"Partner up," he said. "I want to see how you all can handle a sword."
Draco watched as Hannah Abbott and Padma Patil scooted their chairs closer, while Ron, Harry, and Hermione looked around at each other with conflicted faces. Draco made no movement, nor did he think of doing so. He sat back with his arms folded across his chest and waited.
Moody had walked up to Harry's table, spoke quietly, and motioned Harry towards Draco. Ron's eyes had swelled and said something that sounded a lot like "that's mad!" Moody waved his hand impatiently and prompted Harry to move to Draco. Very reluctantly, Harry got off his seat and walked rather stiffly to Draco's table.
"Malfoy," said Harry as a greeting.
"Potter," Draco returned.
They looked at each other with hard gazes, both willing themselves not to blink. They were only relieved of this when Moody cleared his throat to call for their attention. Very quickly, Draco shut his eyes to blink the sting away.
Moody was motioning them to stand, and right after they did so, he magicked the tables away. In it's place, was a large blue mat that covered most of the floor. Draco felt the mat through his toes and he glanced down to see that Moody had also magicked away their shoes. He felt a pang of annoyance; those shoes were expensive. Moody began to pass out swords to everyone, taking his time to show them the correct stance. Draco smiled inwardly as he and Harry faced each other, both gripping their swords like it was a lost love. It all reminded him vaguely of the Dueling Club they had in second year. But as quickly as he had smiled, he scowled. That was when they discovered that Harry was a Parselmouth. He had beaten Draco to that as well.
"Nice look for you, Malfoy," said Harry, knocking Draco out of his thoughts.
"Sod off, Potter," Draco muttered back, tightening his grip on his sword.
"You first," countered Harry.
"Oh, that's original," sneered Draco. He was vaguely aware of Moody speaking somewhere behind them.
"Like you are," said Harry. He made a face that suggested that he didn't think his counter was good enough and said, "Fascinating how you got chosen, Malfoy. No one could believe it."
"Then perhaps you all shouldn't doubt," spat Malfoy. Moody's far off voice was droned out by a faint ringing in his ears.
"What I doubt," said Harry airily, "is whether you can handle that sword or not."
Malfoy smirked. "I can manage. I apologize for future reference if ever I cut you open — oh wait, I don't apologize."
"Do Malfoys ever?" grinned Harry, and in an instand held up his sword to block Malfoy, who had suddenly charged at Harry. Their faces were inches apart and their arms were shaking — Malfoy's with rage, and Harry's with struggle. Draco could hear Moody again, and this time he was shouting something. His voice now joined by others came closer and closer and Draco was able to make out a few words.
" — get 'im, Harry!"
" — oh, Harry, be careful!"
" — that's ENOUGH!"
And Draco felt his body whoosh backward, hit the wall, and landed sprawled over the floor. He felt something wet trickle down his neck and figured his head was probably cut. He looked up to see if the same thing had happened to Harry, but — to his great disgust — Harry was still standing where he had originally been. Although now everyone crowded around him; the girls worried and Ron ecstatic. Draco let out a low growl and quickly got up to his feet. Moody was standing a few feet in front of him with a very stern look on his face.
"Mister Malfoy," he spat. "I thought you'd have learned your lesson by now. I had no idea you liked being a ferret."
Draco resisted the urge to throw a punch at him. Why couldn't anyone ever forget that? He had been punished while Harry — who he was certain was in the wrong — was being praised. Draco clenced his fists so hard that his nails cut into his palms.
"Detention," said Moody, "for both of you."
Draco stared. So did Harry.
"What?" they asked in unison, too shocked to even notice.
"You heard me," said Moody. His normal eye was fixed on Draco, but his other eye had rolled into his head — Draco suspected that Moody was looking at Harry as well. "Malfoy only attacked Potter because he provoked him. An Auror never provokes when their opponent clearly has the bigger advantage."
Draco smiled weakly. Was Moody actually paying him a compliment?