Curses
The weekend passed too quickly and when Monday morning rolled in, it was dull and wet. Hermione signed, she didn't like the rain; it made her hair even more frizzy than usual. She entered the Great Hall to find only Ron sitting at the table. She sat down beside him.
"Morning Hermione," mumbled Ron round a slice of toast.
"Morning Ron," she replied, why he had to talk with his mouthful she had no idea, it was disgusting. "Where's Harry this morning?"
"Oh, ermmm," stuttered Ron, while he finished his mouthful, he knew Hermione didn't like him talking with it full, "Tabby said she wanted to show him something, so they went off together."
"Oh dear," said Hermione.
"What?"
"Well she hasn't even been here five minutes and she's still snared Harry in her web."
"No she hasn't Hermione. She's probably only showing him her Divination homework."
"Well then why isn't she showing you too?"
Ron considered this for a moment. He didn't have a clue what those two were really up to; it just bothered him that Hermione cared so much. "She showed me hers while Harry was in the shower last night."
"Oh," said Hermione snappily, and began eating quickly.
"Why does it bother you so much?"
"Why does what bother me so much," said Hermione distracted by the entrance of hundreds of owls.
"What Harry and Tabby are doing, why do you care?"
"I don't," said Hermione too quickly, "it's just I can't understand why some people have to be so, forward."
"She's not forward! She's only being friendly, don't you want her to make friends?"
"NO!" thundered Hermione, "I don't want her taking my friends, I was here first wasn't I?" Ron gasped, he had never seen Hermione this angry before, at least not over someone who she'd just met; she usually saved that kind of venom for Malfoy.
"Hermione." Ron tried to say something, but he could find no words. They finished their breakfast in silence. Harry and Tabby didn't turn up.
Hermione and Ron realised they couldn't wait in the Great Hall for them forever, so they slouched off to Defence Against The Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had been reinstated as teacher this year, a choice that even the Slytherins didn't seem to mind.
"Good Morning everyone," smiled Professor Lupin, "today we shall be studying something that I believe you touched on previously with Professor Moody. The Unforgivable Curses. I know that they are not pleasant but, it has been deemed necessary that each and everyone of you should learn to fight the first two curses." At that moment Harry and Tabby rushed into the room, muttering apologies.
"OK, settle down, I will speak to you two at the end of class. Now as I was saying, I will be teaching you how to resist the Imperius and Cruciatus curses. I am warning you now this will be hard, and for some of you very painful, if you don't feel up to it you have my permission to leave now." Nobody moved.
"OK then, I believe Professor Moody put the Imperious curse on you previously, so it is there we shall begin. When I call your name, please step forward and be prepared for me to curse you. A little word of advice, don't let the floating sensation distract you; focus your whole mind on not doing as I say. Miss Granger you first please."
Hermione stepped forward. The moment the curse hit her; a glazed look appeared on her face. Shortly afterwards she was dancing around the room, just as Lupin had told her to.
The rest of the class followed suit, some taking a little longer to carry out the tasks Lupin was making them do. Harry thought back to when he had done it in Moody's class. He had successfully fought the curse on his fourth attempt. He wondered if he could do it again this time.
"Mr Potter," said Lupin, breaking his thoughts, "over here please. Imperio." The floating sensation did take over Harry, but he focused on ignoring it. He willed it to leave his head. Then Lupin's instructions began to echo in his ears, telling him to pirouette like a ballet dancer. "I don't want to," Harry thought with all his might. His legs buckled underneath him and he found himself on the floor.
"Well done Mr Potter, you didn't quite break it, but you refused to do what I said, most successful well done. Now who's next, ah yes, Miss Christie." Tabby walked forward. She wasn't looking forward to this.
"Imperio."
Tabby tried to get herself to relax. "Just let yourself float away," she thought, "just listen to his voice and do as he says. You can't fight it." But she could fight it, if she tired. She battled against all her instincts. "I mustn't fight this, I can't let people see what I'm really capable of." It was no use. Her mind just would allow herself to pretend to be a frog, as Lupin was forcefully instructing. Her mind clicked onto autopilot. She straightened up, and used the power of her mind to cause the curse to backfire. Lupin hopped twice round the room, croaking. When he came back to himself he was as stunned as his class.
"Sorry Professor," muttered Tabby, hiding her face in shame. The bell went.
"OK class dismissed, Harry, Tabby a word about you punctuality please." Harry and Tabby went over to Lupin's desk.
"Sorry we were late Professor," said Harry quickly, "I was showing Tabby my Divination homework."
"Much as I am pleased that you are so concerned with your after school study, I would prefer it if you turned up to the lessons on time."
"Yes Sir," said Harry making to leave.
"Tabby may I have a private word?" Tabby nodded and Harry left her and Lupin.
"What was that?" exclaimed Ron, as Harry run to catch them up.
"She completely threw the curse off and pushed it onto him," explained Hermione, sounding the slightest bit impressed.
"How though? How could she do that?"
"I don't know Harry, you're the only one that's ever thrown the curse off before, what's it like?"
"Well I just sort of get a voice in my head questioning why I should do what I'm being told. Nothing like that though."
The three friends wandered off, towards the dungeons. Tabby was outside the classroom waiting for them.
"How did you get here so quickly? Did you Apparate or something?"
Hermione opened her mouth to give her, 'no-Ron-how-many-times-you-can't- Apparate-in-the-school-grounds lecture, but Tabby jumped in first.
"No Lupin showed me a shortcut so I wouldn't be late."
"Oh." The conversation was stopped by the appearance of Draco Malfoy.
"Hello Kitty," he purred.
"Malfoy, you're finally loosing it, there's no Kitty here," snapped Ron. Tabby leaned over to Ron, "that's what he calls me silly," she all but whispered.
"Leave her alone Malfoy, she's friends with us now," said Ron, his temper rising.
"Isn't that up to her?" smirked Malfoy.
"She doesn't want anything to do with you," spat Ron.
"Well why don't you ask her where she went on Friday night after she left you and Potty stargazing. She didn't go straight back to her dormitory like a good girl."
"Why you." Ron lunged towards Malfoy. Tabby quickly moved in-between.
"Now now now boys, why can't we all play nicely," she said in her silkiest tones, "Draco stop irritating poor Ron here, and Ron, just cool down, I am more than capable of handling Malfoy." The fight was over, both of them knew it. The rest of the Potions lesson was spent with Ron throwing Malfoy evil glances. At the end of the lesson Ron rounded on Tabby.
"Well where did you go on Friday?"
"I was just walking back to the common room and bumped into Malfoy, who was on corridor patrol. That's all that happened Ron, he's trying to exaggerate so he can pick a fight with you."
"So nothing happened?"
"Nothing Ron, and I've told you I can handle him."
"Yeah, just like you handled Lupin. What did you do to him?" asked Hermione in an accusing tone.
"I did exactly what I was supposed to do Hermione. I fought the curse."
"Yes, but it backfired onto him.how, how did you do that?" Even though Hermione had growing feelings of resentment for Tabby she was too intrigued to leave the subject alone.
"I don't know, I just blocked out the floating sensation, and focussed on not doing what he said, and that's what happened, I didn't mean to, you know, make a fool of him or anything," said Tabby. "Another lie," she thought. Well it wasn't all a lie she honestly hadn't meant to make him look a fool, in fact she had tried very hard to not fight the curse, she couldn't help it if she followed her instincts, and obeyed the rules that had been drummed into her skull since she could remember.
The weekend passed too quickly and when Monday morning rolled in, it was dull and wet. Hermione signed, she didn't like the rain; it made her hair even more frizzy than usual. She entered the Great Hall to find only Ron sitting at the table. She sat down beside him.
"Morning Hermione," mumbled Ron round a slice of toast.
"Morning Ron," she replied, why he had to talk with his mouthful she had no idea, it was disgusting. "Where's Harry this morning?"
"Oh, ermmm," stuttered Ron, while he finished his mouthful, he knew Hermione didn't like him talking with it full, "Tabby said she wanted to show him something, so they went off together."
"Oh dear," said Hermione.
"What?"
"Well she hasn't even been here five minutes and she's still snared Harry in her web."
"No she hasn't Hermione. She's probably only showing him her Divination homework."
"Well then why isn't she showing you too?"
Ron considered this for a moment. He didn't have a clue what those two were really up to; it just bothered him that Hermione cared so much. "She showed me hers while Harry was in the shower last night."
"Oh," said Hermione snappily, and began eating quickly.
"Why does it bother you so much?"
"Why does what bother me so much," said Hermione distracted by the entrance of hundreds of owls.
"What Harry and Tabby are doing, why do you care?"
"I don't," said Hermione too quickly, "it's just I can't understand why some people have to be so, forward."
"She's not forward! She's only being friendly, don't you want her to make friends?"
"NO!" thundered Hermione, "I don't want her taking my friends, I was here first wasn't I?" Ron gasped, he had never seen Hermione this angry before, at least not over someone who she'd just met; she usually saved that kind of venom for Malfoy.
"Hermione." Ron tried to say something, but he could find no words. They finished their breakfast in silence. Harry and Tabby didn't turn up.
Hermione and Ron realised they couldn't wait in the Great Hall for them forever, so they slouched off to Defence Against The Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had been reinstated as teacher this year, a choice that even the Slytherins didn't seem to mind.
"Good Morning everyone," smiled Professor Lupin, "today we shall be studying something that I believe you touched on previously with Professor Moody. The Unforgivable Curses. I know that they are not pleasant but, it has been deemed necessary that each and everyone of you should learn to fight the first two curses." At that moment Harry and Tabby rushed into the room, muttering apologies.
"OK, settle down, I will speak to you two at the end of class. Now as I was saying, I will be teaching you how to resist the Imperius and Cruciatus curses. I am warning you now this will be hard, and for some of you very painful, if you don't feel up to it you have my permission to leave now." Nobody moved.
"OK then, I believe Professor Moody put the Imperious curse on you previously, so it is there we shall begin. When I call your name, please step forward and be prepared for me to curse you. A little word of advice, don't let the floating sensation distract you; focus your whole mind on not doing as I say. Miss Granger you first please."
Hermione stepped forward. The moment the curse hit her; a glazed look appeared on her face. Shortly afterwards she was dancing around the room, just as Lupin had told her to.
The rest of the class followed suit, some taking a little longer to carry out the tasks Lupin was making them do. Harry thought back to when he had done it in Moody's class. He had successfully fought the curse on his fourth attempt. He wondered if he could do it again this time.
"Mr Potter," said Lupin, breaking his thoughts, "over here please. Imperio." The floating sensation did take over Harry, but he focused on ignoring it. He willed it to leave his head. Then Lupin's instructions began to echo in his ears, telling him to pirouette like a ballet dancer. "I don't want to," Harry thought with all his might. His legs buckled underneath him and he found himself on the floor.
"Well done Mr Potter, you didn't quite break it, but you refused to do what I said, most successful well done. Now who's next, ah yes, Miss Christie." Tabby walked forward. She wasn't looking forward to this.
"Imperio."
Tabby tried to get herself to relax. "Just let yourself float away," she thought, "just listen to his voice and do as he says. You can't fight it." But she could fight it, if she tired. She battled against all her instincts. "I mustn't fight this, I can't let people see what I'm really capable of." It was no use. Her mind just would allow herself to pretend to be a frog, as Lupin was forcefully instructing. Her mind clicked onto autopilot. She straightened up, and used the power of her mind to cause the curse to backfire. Lupin hopped twice round the room, croaking. When he came back to himself he was as stunned as his class.
"Sorry Professor," muttered Tabby, hiding her face in shame. The bell went.
"OK class dismissed, Harry, Tabby a word about you punctuality please." Harry and Tabby went over to Lupin's desk.
"Sorry we were late Professor," said Harry quickly, "I was showing Tabby my Divination homework."
"Much as I am pleased that you are so concerned with your after school study, I would prefer it if you turned up to the lessons on time."
"Yes Sir," said Harry making to leave.
"Tabby may I have a private word?" Tabby nodded and Harry left her and Lupin.
"What was that?" exclaimed Ron, as Harry run to catch them up.
"She completely threw the curse off and pushed it onto him," explained Hermione, sounding the slightest bit impressed.
"How though? How could she do that?"
"I don't know Harry, you're the only one that's ever thrown the curse off before, what's it like?"
"Well I just sort of get a voice in my head questioning why I should do what I'm being told. Nothing like that though."
The three friends wandered off, towards the dungeons. Tabby was outside the classroom waiting for them.
"How did you get here so quickly? Did you Apparate or something?"
Hermione opened her mouth to give her, 'no-Ron-how-many-times-you-can't- Apparate-in-the-school-grounds lecture, but Tabby jumped in first.
"No Lupin showed me a shortcut so I wouldn't be late."
"Oh." The conversation was stopped by the appearance of Draco Malfoy.
"Hello Kitty," he purred.
"Malfoy, you're finally loosing it, there's no Kitty here," snapped Ron. Tabby leaned over to Ron, "that's what he calls me silly," she all but whispered.
"Leave her alone Malfoy, she's friends with us now," said Ron, his temper rising.
"Isn't that up to her?" smirked Malfoy.
"She doesn't want anything to do with you," spat Ron.
"Well why don't you ask her where she went on Friday night after she left you and Potty stargazing. She didn't go straight back to her dormitory like a good girl."
"Why you." Ron lunged towards Malfoy. Tabby quickly moved in-between.
"Now now now boys, why can't we all play nicely," she said in her silkiest tones, "Draco stop irritating poor Ron here, and Ron, just cool down, I am more than capable of handling Malfoy." The fight was over, both of them knew it. The rest of the Potions lesson was spent with Ron throwing Malfoy evil glances. At the end of the lesson Ron rounded on Tabby.
"Well where did you go on Friday?"
"I was just walking back to the common room and bumped into Malfoy, who was on corridor patrol. That's all that happened Ron, he's trying to exaggerate so he can pick a fight with you."
"So nothing happened?"
"Nothing Ron, and I've told you I can handle him."
"Yeah, just like you handled Lupin. What did you do to him?" asked Hermione in an accusing tone.
"I did exactly what I was supposed to do Hermione. I fought the curse."
"Yes, but it backfired onto him.how, how did you do that?" Even though Hermione had growing feelings of resentment for Tabby she was too intrigued to leave the subject alone.
"I don't know, I just blocked out the floating sensation, and focussed on not doing what he said, and that's what happened, I didn't mean to, you know, make a fool of him or anything," said Tabby. "Another lie," she thought. Well it wasn't all a lie she honestly hadn't meant to make him look a fool, in fact she had tried very hard to not fight the curse, she couldn't help it if she followed her instincts, and obeyed the rules that had been drummed into her skull since she could remember.
