Chapter Twelve
Professor Black
Harry woke up easily this morning. He didn't sleep very well and wake up was just a matter of rolling onto the floor. He walked with Neville, Ron and Mark down stairs where they met Hermione and Ginny. All six of them sat down and started eating their breakfast.
"I still don't know why anybody would want Trawnley." Ron said after swallowing a mouthful of eggs.
"I don't either. Kind of odd, but if he wanted a fortune teller, why didn't he just take Angel. I mean she was kinda down for the count." Hermione said.
"Good Morning." Miley sat down next to Ron and started piling food on her plate.
"You're suppose to be at the Slytherin table!" Mark said.
"I talked to Dumbledore. he said that I should spend as much time as I can avay from them." Miley answered before shoving mounds of food in her mouth.
"Makes sense." Neville piped.
"SCHELDUELS!"
"Yuck, I wish they just forgot to give them to us." Ron said nastily.
"Here you are Harry." Harry turned around to see Angel. She had piles of parchment in her arms and had a single sheet extended for him. She smiled and winked. "Might find it interesting to your liking."
"Professor McGonagall normally passes out our schedules." Ginny said sweetly.
Angel looked over her shoulder and leaned in closer to the group. "She at the Order this morning."
"For what?" Harry asked, turning his head to look at her.
"Come off it Harry, what would she be there for?" Angel rolled her eyes, passed Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Mark and Miley their schedules and stalked off to the next group.
"WOW! I have every class with Hermione!" Neville said merrily looking from his list to hers.
"How's that?" Ron snatched both up and glanced from one to the other. "What did you all decide to be?"
"Healers." Neville and Hermione said together, turning an odd shade of pink after they said it.
"What about you Miley?" Ron asked, looking at her schedule
"Auror." She said plainly.
"Me too!" Ron said excited.
Harry glanced down at his list.
Mr. Harry Potter - Gryffindor - Sixth Year - Auror
Monday:
10 o'clock - Defense Against the Dark Arts
Lunch
4 o'clock - Charms
Tuesday:
8 o'clock - Potions
10 o'clock - Transfiguration
Lunch
2 o'clock - Private
Wednesday:
10 o'clock - Private
Lunch
4 o'clock - Defense Against the Dark Arts
Thursday:
10 o'clock - Charms
Lunch
2 o'clock - Potions
4 o'clock - Transfiguration
Friday:
8 o'clock - Auror DADA/Charms
10 o'clock - Auror Potions
Lunch
2 o'clock - Private
"WOW! What's with all the Private classes mate? And you don't have the Auror Transfiguration with us Friday." Ron had his neck over Harry's shoulder.
"I don't know." Harry said, rereading the list.
"Well, Neville and I have Herbology at eight, we better be going." Hermione pushed her plate in front of her and left the great hall, Neville at her heels.
Ron shrugged and went back to studying the parchment. "Hey, Miley, will you be in all our classes? I mean since you're in a different house?"
"Yeah, Angel was explaining it to me. After you take the ovls, all 6th years take classes together and all 7th years take classes together. Ve'll have Hermione and Neville for Dark Arts, Charm, Potions and Transfiguration if I'm not wrong." Miley said matter of factly.
"Oh," Ron muttered, turning back to his breakfast. "We could sleep in then Harry."
"Yeah," and Harry smiled at his friend.
"Harry, could you walk me to class?" Mark was standing up behind him. "I'm not very sure were Potions is."
"Well..err." Harry looked around. Ginny was already gone, so was Neville and Hermione. Ron and Miley were talking to each other. He had nothing better to do. "Sure Mark."
Mark gave a toothy grin and pulled Harry to his feet. People eyed them as they left the Great Hall, but Mark was too into describing what someone in his dorm room told him and how they called him a liar when he told them he knew Harry Potter.
"Really Mark?" "Wow, that's great Mark." "Yeah, I agree." Harry just muttered when ever the 11 year old took a breath.
"It's just down here." Harry pushed open the door the Dungeons and led the way down stairs.
"Mark, you weren't lying were you?" Said a mossy like headed boy. "So, you're Harry Potter, huh?" The boys said again.
"Err. yeah." Harry answered, nodding his head.
"Well, my mum thought you were off your rocker last year. Now she thinks Fudge is. I don't know when to believe her anymore but after that statement about the committee having Fudge suspended till he is over looked kinda made everyone think Fudge was crazy . I never really thought you were crazy though, maybe a touch in the head, but not crazy." The boy said, as he accompanied them down the stairs.
"Err. thanks." Harry stuttered.
"By the way I'm Adam. Don't like the name, dirtily boring if you ask me. But than I guess Harry is a pretty ordinary name isn't it?" The boy named Adam said. "I couldn't believe I got Gryffindor. My mums threatened me with in an inch of my life that she would hunt me down and kill me if I got Slytherin. She's a loony old bat I tell you."
"Oh," Harry said messing with his hair.
"Potter." Snape stepped outside his class room and leaned against the wall. "I'd like to have a word with you if you don't mind."
"Bye Harry!" Mark waved and dashed into the Dungeon.
"See ya Potter." and Adam followed him.
"Potter, I guess you've noticed you made my Potions class." Snape sneered directing Harry to another dungeon.
"Yes sir I have." Harry really didn't know what else to say.
"Well, I'd like to congratulate you." Snape said, pacing in front of Harry.
"Err. thank you sir." Harry messed with his hair, not really understanding what was going on.
"Don't do that!" Snape said, trailing off loudly. Harry brought his hand back away from his hair and shoved in it his pocket. "Why do you have to do that?"
"I don't know. nervous habit maybe." Harry stuttered slightly.
"Oh, I see. you saw you God awful father do that. You thought it was cool. You thought your father was a hero." Snape said, stepping toward him, his mouth pushed into a smile.
'No, I thought he was a bit of an idiot.' Harry said to himself, but he couldn't let Snape know that he really thought that about his father and Sirius. "Yeah, I do!" Harry said strongly.
"Pitiful. Potter. Pitiful. After everything you've been though I thought you would realize how immature your prefect father was." Snape clucked his tongue.
"Actually, I wanted to be him. All he had to worry about was how to hex you, not about Voldemort braking into the school and killing him." Harry said, a snarl in his throat.
Snape eyes widened and then narrowed. "This isn't what I wanted to talk about anyway. I wanted to tell you that your private lessons will be in this class room. Be here at two o'clock or I will personally take points away from you. Now get out of here. I have class." Snape whip around and snapped the door shut behind him.
Harry stared after him for a bit till he heard Snape yelling in the class room at someone. He made his way slowly up stairs and down the corridor to the fat ladies picture. "Squib" and the portrait opened.
"HARRY! Where did you go? I thought you disappeared or something." Ron jumped up.
"Oh. I. er.I walked Mark to class." Harry said, sitting down on the couch.
"Oh," Ron said shortly sitting back down.
"What were you and Miley talking about?" Harry asked after a moment of silence.
"About Angel mostly." Ron said, reclaiming his seat. "Did you hear how Lestrange called her Seri?"
"Yeah," Harry said shortly, "That's what Wormtail called her at the Ministry."
"I don't like her." Ron said shortly.
"Why not?"
"Too many secrets. It's like she hiding something. She never told us she was Sirius's daughter. And how do we know he even had a daughter. What if she's just trying to worm her way into the Order and put claim on the Black's gold? She's a stinkin' Malfoy if there ever was one."
"That does fit, parts of it I mean."
"And her room. I wonder what she's got locked up in there."
"It's not what you think." Harry answered plainly.
"How do you know?" Ron raised an eye brow.
"She showed me."
"What was in there?" Ron raised himself up on his hands.
"It's Sirius' old room, exactly how he left it. There are pictures of my dad and mum all over the wall, even some of me and Angel when we were real little."
"Why wouldn't she want anyone to see that?"
"Because Sirius didn't know she was his daughter." Harry said softly again, leaning back deeper into the couch.
"Okay, Harry. but it still doesn't make sense. I think she's feeding you a cock and bull story to help her with something." Ron said matter of factly.
"She already has saved my life three times. I have to give her trust for that." Harry shrugged.
"Yeah, but when you heard her talking to Krum, her trust wasn't very strong with you mate." Ron said, an once of sarcasm in his voice.
"Ugh!" Harry slammed his fists down on the padding of the chair and stormed off up stairs. Why does Ron push things? Why doesn't he just trust people? Why can't Harry just tell him the truth?
Ron didn't follow after him. Harry laid face in his pillow for sometime. All his thoughts surrounded on idea. Sirius. If Angel was telling the truth, some part of her must hate him. It was Harry's fault Sirius wasn't here. The only father he ever knew vanished right in front of him. Sirius died. Sirius is dead. Bellatrix Lestrange killed Sirius Black. No, any way Harry told himself this, it just didn't settle right. He couldn't make himself except that Sirius was gone. I mean, he couldn't be. Strong, laughing, Sirius Black couldn't be knocked down and out with one blow. Yet, perhaps that wasn't the only blow. Sirius's best friend dieing, his fiancé being killed, one of his friends turning on him, Harry not being able to live with him, being locked in the house he hated for over a year. Yeah, Bellatrix Lestrange's hex was not the first blow; it was the last of many. Sirius is dead. But if he truly is, then why does Angel hold onto the fact that he's not? Does she know something Harry doesn't? Or maybe it's her way of dealing with it. that if she was just a couple months earlier she would have seen the father she always wanted. but she was too late.
"Harry," Neville entered the room, "We have Defense Against the Dark Arts in ten minutes." Harry grunted and rolled over onto his back. After what he was thinking, the last person he wanted to see was Angel, but he had to. He collected his supplies and followed Neville, Ron and Hermione to class.
"Seats." Everyone sat down. Angel made her way to the front of the class room. She jumped on her desk and sat there, her legs hanging off the end. "Right, so." She began to flip through a folder in front of her. "Right, first year didn't you much good. might as well have skipped this class second year."
Harry grinned and Ron and they both turned away before they burst out laughing. "Remus did a very good job and so did Crouch. Umbridge. oh lord don't get me started."
"She did everything she was supposed to do under the Ministry. better than the werewolf did."
"Keep you tongue Mr. Malfoy or let me cut it out! I have had enough of your mouth. One more out burst and you may leave my class room without 50 points to your house and a detention for tonight. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes mama." Draco muttered before sinking down lower into his seat.
"Very well." Angel went back through her notes, smiled slightly and straightened up. "Though my accent might not yield it, but I grew up in Bulgaria and went to school at Drumstrang." So people gasped, other laughed and others made sickening voices at the word Drumstrang. "There, we didn't learn Defense Against to Dark Arts, we actually learned the Dark Arts. Now forgive me if I wake some of you up to reality, but sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. You won't get rid of Voldemort and his death eater by using simple shielding and disarming spells."
"You mean you are actually going to."
"Hand Granger!" Angel barked.
Hermione made a confused face, but raised her hand. Angel nodded toward her. "Sorry Professor. you mean you are actually going to teach us the Dark Arts?"
"Yes I do Ms. Granger, but it's not as easy as it seems. You have to concentrate, want what you are going to do and as bad as it sounds, enjoy what you are doing to someone. Righteous hatred and anger will not hurt or even kill a death eater." Angel's eyes transfixed on Harry. Harry pressed his lips together and nodded as though he was the only on in the class room.
"Right then," Angel jumped down off the desk and laid her notes down where she sat. "We are going to start off with simple discussion, and if you fall asleep, you might be used for demonstration so I suggest you stay awake." A few people smiled, but mostly people laughed. Angel's eyes twinkled and she worked her way down the room.
"Now, who can describe to me the result of an Unforgivable Curse when not used correctly?"
A few people raised their hand. "Malfoy."
"Err. it doesn't work properly. sometimes it could feel really good instead of bad or it could just ware off quickly." Malfoy said uneasily.
"Very good, 10 points to Slytherin." Angel patted him on the shoulder as she passed. "When ever an Unforgivable Curse, or any curse for that matter is not willed properly, it will do the opposite of what it is meant to do or simple end quickly. On the contrary to this, when a curse or hex is done extremely well, a simple tickling charm could end someone in the hospital wing." Everyone bust of laughing, even Angel managed a grin. "I'm serious! I got mad at Victor on day, and even though he doesn't seem it, he's very ticklish. Well, I put a tickling charm on him; he got knocked out and was in the hospital wing for two nights." Harry, Ron, Hermione and Miley all rolled with laughter.
"Victor Krum?" everyone gasped. The laughter died down as everyone was looking from Ron, Harry, Hermione and Miley to Angel and then back again.
"Yes, we graduated together." Everyone's mouths dropped open, with the exception of some. "It's not that big of a deal. He came here, he's really down to earth even if he is on that damn broom stick most of the time." Angel rolled her eyes. "Anyway," And the class went on talking about how you should properly will a hex and curse, what kind of curses are forbidden to use besides the unforgivable ones and finally, when they had around 5 minutes left of class.
"Any questions?" Professor Black asked, taking her seat on her desk.
Hands shot up all over the class room. "Thomas."
"What does the Cruciatuse Curse feel like. or should feel like?" Dean Thomas asked, is hand still in the air.
"Well it should feel like." Angel started.
".knifes piecing your flesh all over your body." Continued a dreamy Malfoy.
".your head splits open and all you can think about is making the pain go away no matter what.." Harry said without thinking.
".even death is more tempting then going though it.." Malfoy said.
". and images of you life passes in your eyes.." Harry went on.
".. Not good images though." Draco added.
".bad memories, the worst.." Harry said dreamily.
"..images of people dieing.."
"..of people crying and screaming.."
"..it's like knifes tearing your flesh off your bones.."
"..it's all the pain you ever felt comes rushing back to you and you want to cry but you can't." Neville said, his eyes rolling back slightly.
"..it's like dieing a hundred times.." Draco said.
"..and the pain never really stops." Harry finished
"Draco, Harry, Neville.." Angel said softly. They shook their head and looked at one another. The class was silent and was starring at them. Draco's eyes went from disbelief to hatred and he transfixed his snake like eyes on Harry, loath swimming in their pits. Harry glared back, feeling his eyes narrow to slits.
"Pro.Professor B-B-Black. have you ever had the Cruciatus Curse put on you?" Neville stuttered. Harry broke his stare down with Malfoy and looked at Angel. Malfoy turned to look her.
Angel heaved a great sigh and closed her eyes. "When I was four." Everyone brought their hands to their mouths and tears even came to Draco's eyes. "There was nothing else like it. Nightmares even seem more welcoming than it. and the worst of it is seconds before you are put under it. you start to recollect what it felt like the last time and your body aches. and then watching someone you love deary being put under it." This time Angel was looking at Malfoy.
Neville heaved himself onto the desk and buried his head in his arms giving loud whimpers. "When it. happened to me. it was by Lestrange. and it didn't hurt too much. I almost felt proud.. Because it. happened. to my." He couldn't finish. Great sobs broke his speech and he was only muttering.
Angel knelt down beside him and whispered in his ear. Neville nodded and wiped his eyes. Angel walked back to the front of the class room.
"But you've got to know. You have to know it's not true. the Imperius Curse and the Cruciatus really isn't a curse at all. It's a brain tease! Once you've learned and know it's not real, that's it's just in your head you can throw it off!" Angel wheeled around and stood in front of the class. She threw her arms open and stared down at Malfoy. "Put the Cruciatus Curse on me Draco!" She said excitedly.
"I couldn't do that Angelica." Draco said softly.
"DO IT!" Angel shouted.
Draco was shaking. He took his wand in hand and pointed it at her. "Crucio!"
A shot blew and made Angel stagger back a few steps. Her face winced slightly, then she smiled. "SEE!" Draco dropped his wand on the floor and flopped back down in his seat. "I learned to throw it off. discipline! That's what it is. discipline! If you discipline yourself enough to know who you are and what can and can't hurt you!"
The bell rang, but no one moved. "Wednesday night there will be a meeting in the great hall. I'm continuing a club for Dumbledore; Wednesday at 7 o'clock." Angel winked at Harry, "Class dismissed."
Harry woke up easily this morning. He didn't sleep very well and wake up was just a matter of rolling onto the floor. He walked with Neville, Ron and Mark down stairs where they met Hermione and Ginny. All six of them sat down and started eating their breakfast.
"I still don't know why anybody would want Trawnley." Ron said after swallowing a mouthful of eggs.
"I don't either. Kind of odd, but if he wanted a fortune teller, why didn't he just take Angel. I mean she was kinda down for the count." Hermione said.
"Good Morning." Miley sat down next to Ron and started piling food on her plate.
"You're suppose to be at the Slytherin table!" Mark said.
"I talked to Dumbledore. he said that I should spend as much time as I can avay from them." Miley answered before shoving mounds of food in her mouth.
"Makes sense." Neville piped.
"SCHELDUELS!"
"Yuck, I wish they just forgot to give them to us." Ron said nastily.
"Here you are Harry." Harry turned around to see Angel. She had piles of parchment in her arms and had a single sheet extended for him. She smiled and winked. "Might find it interesting to your liking."
"Professor McGonagall normally passes out our schedules." Ginny said sweetly.
Angel looked over her shoulder and leaned in closer to the group. "She at the Order this morning."
"For what?" Harry asked, turning his head to look at her.
"Come off it Harry, what would she be there for?" Angel rolled her eyes, passed Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Mark and Miley their schedules and stalked off to the next group.
"WOW! I have every class with Hermione!" Neville said merrily looking from his list to hers.
"How's that?" Ron snatched both up and glanced from one to the other. "What did you all decide to be?"
"Healers." Neville and Hermione said together, turning an odd shade of pink after they said it.
"What about you Miley?" Ron asked, looking at her schedule
"Auror." She said plainly.
"Me too!" Ron said excited.
Harry glanced down at his list.
Mr. Harry Potter - Gryffindor - Sixth Year - Auror
Monday:
10 o'clock - Defense Against the Dark Arts
Lunch
4 o'clock - Charms
Tuesday:
8 o'clock - Potions
10 o'clock - Transfiguration
Lunch
2 o'clock - Private
Wednesday:
10 o'clock - Private
Lunch
4 o'clock - Defense Against the Dark Arts
Thursday:
10 o'clock - Charms
Lunch
2 o'clock - Potions
4 o'clock - Transfiguration
Friday:
8 o'clock - Auror DADA/Charms
10 o'clock - Auror Potions
Lunch
2 o'clock - Private
"WOW! What's with all the Private classes mate? And you don't have the Auror Transfiguration with us Friday." Ron had his neck over Harry's shoulder.
"I don't know." Harry said, rereading the list.
"Well, Neville and I have Herbology at eight, we better be going." Hermione pushed her plate in front of her and left the great hall, Neville at her heels.
Ron shrugged and went back to studying the parchment. "Hey, Miley, will you be in all our classes? I mean since you're in a different house?"
"Yeah, Angel was explaining it to me. After you take the ovls, all 6th years take classes together and all 7th years take classes together. Ve'll have Hermione and Neville for Dark Arts, Charm, Potions and Transfiguration if I'm not wrong." Miley said matter of factly.
"Oh," Ron muttered, turning back to his breakfast. "We could sleep in then Harry."
"Yeah," and Harry smiled at his friend.
"Harry, could you walk me to class?" Mark was standing up behind him. "I'm not very sure were Potions is."
"Well..err." Harry looked around. Ginny was already gone, so was Neville and Hermione. Ron and Miley were talking to each other. He had nothing better to do. "Sure Mark."
Mark gave a toothy grin and pulled Harry to his feet. People eyed them as they left the Great Hall, but Mark was too into describing what someone in his dorm room told him and how they called him a liar when he told them he knew Harry Potter.
"Really Mark?" "Wow, that's great Mark." "Yeah, I agree." Harry just muttered when ever the 11 year old took a breath.
"It's just down here." Harry pushed open the door the Dungeons and led the way down stairs.
"Mark, you weren't lying were you?" Said a mossy like headed boy. "So, you're Harry Potter, huh?" The boys said again.
"Err. yeah." Harry answered, nodding his head.
"Well, my mum thought you were off your rocker last year. Now she thinks Fudge is. I don't know when to believe her anymore but after that statement about the committee having Fudge suspended till he is over looked kinda made everyone think Fudge was crazy . I never really thought you were crazy though, maybe a touch in the head, but not crazy." The boy said, as he accompanied them down the stairs.
"Err. thanks." Harry stuttered.
"By the way I'm Adam. Don't like the name, dirtily boring if you ask me. But than I guess Harry is a pretty ordinary name isn't it?" The boy named Adam said. "I couldn't believe I got Gryffindor. My mums threatened me with in an inch of my life that she would hunt me down and kill me if I got Slytherin. She's a loony old bat I tell you."
"Oh," Harry said messing with his hair.
"Potter." Snape stepped outside his class room and leaned against the wall. "I'd like to have a word with you if you don't mind."
"Bye Harry!" Mark waved and dashed into the Dungeon.
"See ya Potter." and Adam followed him.
"Potter, I guess you've noticed you made my Potions class." Snape sneered directing Harry to another dungeon.
"Yes sir I have." Harry really didn't know what else to say.
"Well, I'd like to congratulate you." Snape said, pacing in front of Harry.
"Err. thank you sir." Harry messed with his hair, not really understanding what was going on.
"Don't do that!" Snape said, trailing off loudly. Harry brought his hand back away from his hair and shoved in it his pocket. "Why do you have to do that?"
"I don't know. nervous habit maybe." Harry stuttered slightly.
"Oh, I see. you saw you God awful father do that. You thought it was cool. You thought your father was a hero." Snape said, stepping toward him, his mouth pushed into a smile.
'No, I thought he was a bit of an idiot.' Harry said to himself, but he couldn't let Snape know that he really thought that about his father and Sirius. "Yeah, I do!" Harry said strongly.
"Pitiful. Potter. Pitiful. After everything you've been though I thought you would realize how immature your prefect father was." Snape clucked his tongue.
"Actually, I wanted to be him. All he had to worry about was how to hex you, not about Voldemort braking into the school and killing him." Harry said, a snarl in his throat.
Snape eyes widened and then narrowed. "This isn't what I wanted to talk about anyway. I wanted to tell you that your private lessons will be in this class room. Be here at two o'clock or I will personally take points away from you. Now get out of here. I have class." Snape whip around and snapped the door shut behind him.
Harry stared after him for a bit till he heard Snape yelling in the class room at someone. He made his way slowly up stairs and down the corridor to the fat ladies picture. "Squib" and the portrait opened.
"HARRY! Where did you go? I thought you disappeared or something." Ron jumped up.
"Oh. I. er.I walked Mark to class." Harry said, sitting down on the couch.
"Oh," Ron said shortly sitting back down.
"What were you and Miley talking about?" Harry asked after a moment of silence.
"About Angel mostly." Ron said, reclaiming his seat. "Did you hear how Lestrange called her Seri?"
"Yeah," Harry said shortly, "That's what Wormtail called her at the Ministry."
"I don't like her." Ron said shortly.
"Why not?"
"Too many secrets. It's like she hiding something. She never told us she was Sirius's daughter. And how do we know he even had a daughter. What if she's just trying to worm her way into the Order and put claim on the Black's gold? She's a stinkin' Malfoy if there ever was one."
"That does fit, parts of it I mean."
"And her room. I wonder what she's got locked up in there."
"It's not what you think." Harry answered plainly.
"How do you know?" Ron raised an eye brow.
"She showed me."
"What was in there?" Ron raised himself up on his hands.
"It's Sirius' old room, exactly how he left it. There are pictures of my dad and mum all over the wall, even some of me and Angel when we were real little."
"Why wouldn't she want anyone to see that?"
"Because Sirius didn't know she was his daughter." Harry said softly again, leaning back deeper into the couch.
"Okay, Harry. but it still doesn't make sense. I think she's feeding you a cock and bull story to help her with something." Ron said matter of factly.
"She already has saved my life three times. I have to give her trust for that." Harry shrugged.
"Yeah, but when you heard her talking to Krum, her trust wasn't very strong with you mate." Ron said, an once of sarcasm in his voice.
"Ugh!" Harry slammed his fists down on the padding of the chair and stormed off up stairs. Why does Ron push things? Why doesn't he just trust people? Why can't Harry just tell him the truth?
Ron didn't follow after him. Harry laid face in his pillow for sometime. All his thoughts surrounded on idea. Sirius. If Angel was telling the truth, some part of her must hate him. It was Harry's fault Sirius wasn't here. The only father he ever knew vanished right in front of him. Sirius died. Sirius is dead. Bellatrix Lestrange killed Sirius Black. No, any way Harry told himself this, it just didn't settle right. He couldn't make himself except that Sirius was gone. I mean, he couldn't be. Strong, laughing, Sirius Black couldn't be knocked down and out with one blow. Yet, perhaps that wasn't the only blow. Sirius's best friend dieing, his fiancé being killed, one of his friends turning on him, Harry not being able to live with him, being locked in the house he hated for over a year. Yeah, Bellatrix Lestrange's hex was not the first blow; it was the last of many. Sirius is dead. But if he truly is, then why does Angel hold onto the fact that he's not? Does she know something Harry doesn't? Or maybe it's her way of dealing with it. that if she was just a couple months earlier she would have seen the father she always wanted. but she was too late.
"Harry," Neville entered the room, "We have Defense Against the Dark Arts in ten minutes." Harry grunted and rolled over onto his back. After what he was thinking, the last person he wanted to see was Angel, but he had to. He collected his supplies and followed Neville, Ron and Hermione to class.
"Seats." Everyone sat down. Angel made her way to the front of the class room. She jumped on her desk and sat there, her legs hanging off the end. "Right, so." She began to flip through a folder in front of her. "Right, first year didn't you much good. might as well have skipped this class second year."
Harry grinned and Ron and they both turned away before they burst out laughing. "Remus did a very good job and so did Crouch. Umbridge. oh lord don't get me started."
"She did everything she was supposed to do under the Ministry. better than the werewolf did."
"Keep you tongue Mr. Malfoy or let me cut it out! I have had enough of your mouth. One more out burst and you may leave my class room without 50 points to your house and a detention for tonight. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes mama." Draco muttered before sinking down lower into his seat.
"Very well." Angel went back through her notes, smiled slightly and straightened up. "Though my accent might not yield it, but I grew up in Bulgaria and went to school at Drumstrang." So people gasped, other laughed and others made sickening voices at the word Drumstrang. "There, we didn't learn Defense Against to Dark Arts, we actually learned the Dark Arts. Now forgive me if I wake some of you up to reality, but sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. You won't get rid of Voldemort and his death eater by using simple shielding and disarming spells."
"You mean you are actually going to."
"Hand Granger!" Angel barked.
Hermione made a confused face, but raised her hand. Angel nodded toward her. "Sorry Professor. you mean you are actually going to teach us the Dark Arts?"
"Yes I do Ms. Granger, but it's not as easy as it seems. You have to concentrate, want what you are going to do and as bad as it sounds, enjoy what you are doing to someone. Righteous hatred and anger will not hurt or even kill a death eater." Angel's eyes transfixed on Harry. Harry pressed his lips together and nodded as though he was the only on in the class room.
"Right then," Angel jumped down off the desk and laid her notes down where she sat. "We are going to start off with simple discussion, and if you fall asleep, you might be used for demonstration so I suggest you stay awake." A few people smiled, but mostly people laughed. Angel's eyes twinkled and she worked her way down the room.
"Now, who can describe to me the result of an Unforgivable Curse when not used correctly?"
A few people raised their hand. "Malfoy."
"Err. it doesn't work properly. sometimes it could feel really good instead of bad or it could just ware off quickly." Malfoy said uneasily.
"Very good, 10 points to Slytherin." Angel patted him on the shoulder as she passed. "When ever an Unforgivable Curse, or any curse for that matter is not willed properly, it will do the opposite of what it is meant to do or simple end quickly. On the contrary to this, when a curse or hex is done extremely well, a simple tickling charm could end someone in the hospital wing." Everyone bust of laughing, even Angel managed a grin. "I'm serious! I got mad at Victor on day, and even though he doesn't seem it, he's very ticklish. Well, I put a tickling charm on him; he got knocked out and was in the hospital wing for two nights." Harry, Ron, Hermione and Miley all rolled with laughter.
"Victor Krum?" everyone gasped. The laughter died down as everyone was looking from Ron, Harry, Hermione and Miley to Angel and then back again.
"Yes, we graduated together." Everyone's mouths dropped open, with the exception of some. "It's not that big of a deal. He came here, he's really down to earth even if he is on that damn broom stick most of the time." Angel rolled her eyes. "Anyway," And the class went on talking about how you should properly will a hex and curse, what kind of curses are forbidden to use besides the unforgivable ones and finally, when they had around 5 minutes left of class.
"Any questions?" Professor Black asked, taking her seat on her desk.
Hands shot up all over the class room. "Thomas."
"What does the Cruciatuse Curse feel like. or should feel like?" Dean Thomas asked, is hand still in the air.
"Well it should feel like." Angel started.
".knifes piecing your flesh all over your body." Continued a dreamy Malfoy.
".your head splits open and all you can think about is making the pain go away no matter what.." Harry said without thinking.
".even death is more tempting then going though it.." Malfoy said.
". and images of you life passes in your eyes.." Harry went on.
".. Not good images though." Draco added.
".bad memories, the worst.." Harry said dreamily.
"..images of people dieing.."
"..of people crying and screaming.."
"..it's like knifes tearing your flesh off your bones.."
"..it's all the pain you ever felt comes rushing back to you and you want to cry but you can't." Neville said, his eyes rolling back slightly.
"..it's like dieing a hundred times.." Draco said.
"..and the pain never really stops." Harry finished
"Draco, Harry, Neville.." Angel said softly. They shook their head and looked at one another. The class was silent and was starring at them. Draco's eyes went from disbelief to hatred and he transfixed his snake like eyes on Harry, loath swimming in their pits. Harry glared back, feeling his eyes narrow to slits.
"Pro.Professor B-B-Black. have you ever had the Cruciatus Curse put on you?" Neville stuttered. Harry broke his stare down with Malfoy and looked at Angel. Malfoy turned to look her.
Angel heaved a great sigh and closed her eyes. "When I was four." Everyone brought their hands to their mouths and tears even came to Draco's eyes. "There was nothing else like it. Nightmares even seem more welcoming than it. and the worst of it is seconds before you are put under it. you start to recollect what it felt like the last time and your body aches. and then watching someone you love deary being put under it." This time Angel was looking at Malfoy.
Neville heaved himself onto the desk and buried his head in his arms giving loud whimpers. "When it. happened to me. it was by Lestrange. and it didn't hurt too much. I almost felt proud.. Because it. happened. to my." He couldn't finish. Great sobs broke his speech and he was only muttering.
Angel knelt down beside him and whispered in his ear. Neville nodded and wiped his eyes. Angel walked back to the front of the class room.
"But you've got to know. You have to know it's not true. the Imperius Curse and the Cruciatus really isn't a curse at all. It's a brain tease! Once you've learned and know it's not real, that's it's just in your head you can throw it off!" Angel wheeled around and stood in front of the class. She threw her arms open and stared down at Malfoy. "Put the Cruciatus Curse on me Draco!" She said excitedly.
"I couldn't do that Angelica." Draco said softly.
"DO IT!" Angel shouted.
Draco was shaking. He took his wand in hand and pointed it at her. "Crucio!"
A shot blew and made Angel stagger back a few steps. Her face winced slightly, then she smiled. "SEE!" Draco dropped his wand on the floor and flopped back down in his seat. "I learned to throw it off. discipline! That's what it is. discipline! If you discipline yourself enough to know who you are and what can and can't hurt you!"
The bell rang, but no one moved. "Wednesday night there will be a meeting in the great hall. I'm continuing a club for Dumbledore; Wednesday at 7 o'clock." Angel winked at Harry, "Class dismissed."