Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.
Author's Notes: A big thank you to HiBob, because some random event in his Malcolm in the Middle crossover fic killed my writer's block in this chapter.
Devi: Oh ... well, there actually are real people like Luna, y'know - not witches, obviously, but nuts. I know several of them (although in all honesty, two of them are guys). Calm? Huh? He wasn't calm, was he? He was yelling random swear words, and making death threats ... that's what he does when he's NOT calm ... oh, well *sighs*.
Hrei-siesn: Thank you.
Starre: No what? It's always been my favourite part of this book, too. Hmm, you're right about Hermione ... but thing is, Draco doesn't see that.
dstrbd child: Y'know, technically you're not dissing Moody ... since that's not Moody ... I assume I've not spoiled the plot by saying that, since I assume you've all read GoF before. I like the real Moody, but I also hated the impostor, even before I knew it was an impostor.
Princess of Darkness: Don't bother explaining it, I don't mind being left clueless. As for the charm for paint not drying, it was just trying to be funny.
Dragona: Thank you.
Elizabeth: Yeah, I used that spell for a reason - I liked the ferret enough to make it his Animagus, so I had to do something like that.
Exodia Himself: A jackal.
Druscilla Black: Yeah, you also gotta remember that ain't Moody. But I do love the ferret scene, much as my muse (Draco) loathes it.
Vu: Thank you.
"I don't want to rain on your parade, I want to blow up all the floats" -Law and Order SVU
Chapter 7 - Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher - Take 4
As soon as Moody was out of sight, Snape pulled me into his office, "I think you've been punished enough for that little duel, don't you?" Snape said, at the same time casting a spell to re-enforce the anti-spying charms that always surround his office.
"Yes ... but why did you just drag me in here, then?" I asked.
"I wanted to talk to you. Have a seat." the fire suddenly flared into life in the grate. I took the nearest of two chairs that were next to the fire ... Snape sat in the other, looking at me. After a moment, he spoke, "Besides the incident at the World Cup, have you noticed anything unusual?"
"You mean Death Eater activity?" I asked bluntly. Snape nodded slightly, "Nope. Why do you ask?"
"Because ..." he paused as if unsure how to say this, "All the Death Eaters were branded with the Dark Mark ... it disappeared when He did ... but for the last couple of weeks, my Mark has started to reappear."
I blinked - Theo had mentioned something about his father's Dark Mark, too. "Do you think it means He's back?"
"I have no idea." Snape said honestly, "But at the very least he's not as dead as we would like to think he is."
"Why are you asking me about this?" I asked.
"I thought your father might have known something, and he might have told you if he did." Snape said, as if we weren't discussing anything more than the latest gossip.
"I doubt he'd tell me much." I said, "He didn't even admit to me that he was part of the riot ... even though I saw him in the bar where it started."
"Mmhm." Snape said thoughtfully, then winced slightly.
"Does it hurt?" I asked, looking at his left arm, which he was holding as if it was on fire.
"Yes. It always used to, but thirteen years has been enough time to half-forget just how much it hurt." Snape said.
"Do you trust me?" I asked quietly.
"Not really. Although I do think you would help our side, when it comes down to it." Snape answered.
"'Our side'?"
"Those against the Dark Lord."
"Yes. You see, when we're both sitting on the fence, it's not easy to tell what side you're talking about sometimes." I said, smirking faintly.
"True."
"So do you know anything else that might be considered suspicious?" I asked hopefully.
"Nothing of any relevance. The only other thing I've noticed at all, this year, is that Moody seems to be getting even more paranoid and eccentric."
"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you." I noted.
"True, true." Snape nodded, "Did he really transfigure you into a ferret?"
"Yes. The worst of it is I had big plans to become an Animagus ... but what's the point if everyone recognises me?"
Snape smiled slightly, "Indeed. Although it does surprise me he would use a curse that he couldn't predict precisely. It's not his style. I know, I fought both with and against him during the last war."
"You fought against him?" I asked surprised.
"Yes. He was the one who brought me in, and I nearly got sent to Azkaban before someone mentioned to the Ministry that I was a spy."
"Oh, that sounds fun." I said sarcastically.
Snape looked at me, "Perhaps you should get to dinner? All I really wanted was to ask if you knew anything about the Dark Mark. For Moody's benefit, I suppose I ought to give you a detention with me next weekend ... I'll just let you do your homework. Alright?"
"That sounds fair."
"Get going, then, before I change my mind." he said in what seemed like a mock-stern tone.
I smiled, nodded, and stood up, "Thank you, Professor." and I left the office.
* * *
I skipped dinner, and as soon as I got back to the dorm - which was thankfully deserted when I got there - I took off my robes and shirt, and looked in the mirror. There were bruises starting to appear across my chest and up one side. There was also a cut that wasn't bleeding badly, but would have ruined my shirt given another few minutes, on that side.
Any living thing hitting the ground with that much force is bound to get wounded, let alone that often. I knew this before, because I've seen the same thing being done to house-elves - that's why Ferris wears bandages instead of a pillowcase.
I wasn't going to go to Madam Pomfrey. Although I could, and probably should. I didn't want to give Moody the satisfaction of putting me in the Hospital Wing. It did still hurt, though.
I gently ran my fingers over the bruises, wincing as I did so. I needed to see if he had broken anything. After I had carefully checked for any broken ribs - luckily there were none - I conjured some bandages to cover the cut. I didn't know any healing spells, and even if I did you can't cast them on yourself. I wasn't too badly wounded, it would heal itself.
* * *
Theo found me that evening in our dorm room, writing down what Snape told me in my scrap-book - I had already put cuttings from the Quibbler ('Rita Skeeter, Death Eater?') and the Prophet ('Further Mistakes At The Ministry Of Magic') into it, too. Theo tried to look over my shoulder, but the protection charms I felt it was necessary to cast on the scrap-book sent him flying across the room.
"I wouldn't try to read this if I were you." I said, smirking, "I cast a protection spell on it, so it only lets me read it."
"Paranoid." Theo muttered.
"No, Moody's paranoid, I'm just practical." I said.
"What're you writing, anyway?"
"None of your business."
Theo sniggered, "That's not a diary, is it?" he asked.
"I'm not that stupid." I replied. He had clearly been referring to Riddle's Diary from our second year.
"Hmm." after a minute, I closed the book, and Theo spoke again, "You're still gonna do the project, though, aren't you?"
"What's the point?" I asked.
"Well, even if you can't use it to spy on people, you can still use it to get into places normal humans don't fit." Theo said immediately. "Besides, I want you to help me do the same."
"You need to have been studying fifth-year Transfiguration stuff for the last two months." I noted.
"Done that."
"You scare me sometimes."
"Thank you."
"Fine, when you think you're ready for it, tell me and I'll be there to help, ok?" I said.
"Ok. Now what's in that book?"
"Notes."
"On ...?"
"On important events."
"Such as?" Theo persisted.
"If it ever becomes your business, I'll tell you."
"Fine." that didn't sound like he was upset ... funny, you'd think he would be ... but he's not normal, is he?
* * *
That Wednesday, we had Defence Against the Dark Arts class first thing. I made a point of sitting in the back of the class, with Crabbe and Goyle, while Theo and Blaise sat at the front, discussing methods of disrupting the class.
We could hear Moody hobbling down the hallway, a mile off. The false leg made a very distinctive clunking noise. I winced when he appeared through the door, and crossed my arms defensively - I still had the bruises from the bouncing ferret incident. I could feel his magical eye watching me, even though he was facing the other way. I shivered slightly, that man is creepy.
He turned to look at us, and saw we had our books out, "Put those books away. You won't need them." he said, that damned magical eye never left me for a moment - he wasn't kidding when he said he'd keep his eye on me, was he?
I put my book away, "In second year, this led to a pixie attack for the Gryffindors, and last year we met a Boggart - I'm not liking this one little bit." I muttered to Pansy who was sitting in front of me.
Moody, who had his back to me, said quite clearly, "I can lip-read, you know, Mr Malfoy."
I blinked, and stopped talking.
"And I can assure you, there will be no magical creatures in this class, unless you have something to tell us, Mr Nott?"
Theo squeaked, "What would I have to tell?" he asked innocently.
"That you were plotting with your young friend here to smuggle several Blast-Ended Skrewts into my classroom." Moody replied calmly.
"Oh, that ... I was kidding. Seriously, I'd never really want to carry those things anywhere." Theo answered also calmly.
Moody grunted, then began to take the roll, "Bulstrode, Millicent."
"Here." Milli answered.
"You should say 'present', Miss Bulstrode." Moody growled, "I know your mother - she was an Auror, wasn't she?"
"Yes, sir."
"Crabbe, Vincent."
"Present." Crabbe said dumbly - Moody glared at him, but didn't say anything.
"Feral, Catarina."
"Present." Cat said from the front row.
"Your father was an Auror, too, wasn't he?" Moody asked. Cat squeaked, and looked at the table. Moody sniggered and continued the roll, "Goyle, Gregory."
"Present." another glare, just as he'd glared at Crabbe.
"Malfoy, Draco."
"Present." I said, not meeting his gaze. He was smirking smugly. Go do obscene things with a Blast-Ended Skrewt, why don't you?
"Nott, Theodore."
"Present, Miss Bulstrode." Theo said happily.
"Watch your mouth, Mr Nott - we wouldn't want you to mysteriously lose the ability to speak, would we?" Moody asked maliciously. Theo bit his lip, and crossed something off on a piece of parchment he had in front of him ... which Moody immediately snatched, read, and ripped up. "I don't think you will be disrupting my class, Mr Nott. I am sure Mr Malfoy can give you a good reason for that." he noted, smirking.
Theo pouted as if his favourite toy had just been taken away. Moody ignored this and continued to the last name on the list, "Zabini, Blaise."
"Present." Blaise said promptly. Moody gave her a mildly disgusted look - I guess he knew that her father was a Death Eater.
"Now, on to the lesson." Moody announced. "Today, I will be telling you what the three most dangerous and illegal curses in existence are, and how to avoid them."
"You're talking about the Unforgivable Curses?" Blaise asked, raising her hand.
"Yes, I am." Moody snapped, in a 'don't interrupt me' tone.
"But you can't block them." Blaise said.
"I didn't say block - I said avoid." Moody snapped again.
"Why are they illegal?" Theo asked, also raising his hand.
"Because they could ruin you, torture you and kill you." Moody answered, very annoyed.
"But so could a pocket knife, in the wrong hands, and they're not illegal." Theo noted.
"That is not the point!" Moody all-but-yelled, "We are not looking at pocket knifes today - although I could tell you in detail some gruesome things I have seen done by pocket knives - we are talking about the Unforgivable Curses!"
"What if, someone was going to kill someone, and someone else cast the Imperius curse on them to stop them killing the victim - is that still illegal?" Theo asked.
"Yes!" Moody snapped.
"Or, what if someone was dying a slow and painful death and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it, and someone cast AK on them to put them out of their misery?" Theo persisted.
"Even Muggles do not endorse euthanasia!" Moody growled.
"Ok, what if someone transfigured someone else into a chair - that's not illegal, but it's still murder." Theo insisted.
"What are you getting at, Mr Nott?" Moody growled.
"How do you define 'Dark Arts'?" Theo asked simply.
"Illegal magic." Moody replied equally simply.
"Theoretically, that's not true." Theo noted.
"How is it not?" Moody snapped at me.
"Dark magic draws its power from shadows, light magic draws its power from the sun. The most basic vanishing spells that we're going to learn in fifth year are dark magic ... and the Killing Curse itself is light magic." Theo said, smirking at Moody's reaction. "Ever read about Muggle near death experiences?" he asked grinning, "'I see the light!'" and he pretended to faint. Half the class started sniggering.
Moody looked livid. "Enough!" he yelled angrily. Silence ... Theo sat up, no longer grinning. "You don't think you're going to get away with this sort of disruption in my class, do you, Mr Nott?"
"I was just asking a question." Theo muttered.
"This class is not a debating session, I am here to teach you, not to argue with you." Moody growled.
"Same difference." Theo noted, regaining some of his earlier cheerfulness.
"Detention." Moody said simply.
"What?" Theo asked, surprised, "I thought you turned people into animals for pissing you off."
"A week's worth of detentions - and watch your language." Moody amended.
"Drat." Theo muttered - it seemed to me he deliberately avoided saying 'damn' instead, "I had plans if you'd turned me into a bird - you know pigeons are out to get humans? It says so in the Quibbler." he asked, grinning.
"A month, Nott - detention for the next month - one more word from you, and it will be for the rest of the year!" Moody snapped.
Theo shut up ... but there was a glint in his eyes that said he wasn't finished yet.
"Now, where was I?" Moody asked, "Ah yes ... CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he hit the table violently with his palm ... everyone jumped. "You never know where or when you could be attacked ... remember ... CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" everyone was watching him now like he was the one who was going to attack, who we had to be 'vigilant' of, "Now, who can tell me what the three Unforgivable Curses are?" he asked.
Cat raised her hand first, "Cruciatus."
"And what can you tell me about it, Miss Feral?" Moody asked.
"It causes unbearable pain if used with the intent to harm - people have been known to go insane from over-exposure to it."
"Seriously?" I asked out loud without thinking. That sounds bad - I'm not insane, am I? ... Don't answer that.
"Yes." Cat said, not taking her eyes off Moody.
Moody shook his head as if to break a sort-of trance, and nodded, "Yes, that has been known to happen." Cat smirked and sat back in her seat. "Can anyone else tell me another curse?"
"Imperius." Pansy said, raising her hand. Moody nodded to her in a way that asked for her to tell us about it, "Total mind-control." she said simply.
"Correct." Moody answered, smiling at her, "A very accurate and concise explanation of what it does. Although it is possible for the strong-minded to break the control, such an occurrence is quite rare. That's two - someone tell me the last one." Theo raised his hand. "Yes, Mr Nott." Theo spelled something out in sign-language. "What was that?" Moody asked, confused.
"You told him one more word from him and he'd have detention for the rest of the year." Blaise said calmly. "And he spelled out in sign language A-V-A-D-A-K-E-D-A-V-R-A."
Moody's normal eye twitched, "I see." Theo then signed something else - I don't know any sign-language beyond 'F off' and 'bullshit', so I don't know what he said. "What was that?"
"He said, 'and it kills people'." Blaise said, smirking. Theo scowled at her - it seems to me he said more than that, but Blaise edited out the rude comments.
Moody growled, "Mr Nott, you are allowed to speak, if you are answering my question - but no more smart-ass remarks, or else." Theo shrugged, and didn't say anything. Moody's normal eye twitched again.
If Theo has anything to do with it, this class is going to be fun.
* * *
End of chapter 7
Author's Notes: A big thank you to HiBob, because some random event in his Malcolm in the Middle crossover fic killed my writer's block in this chapter.
Devi: Oh ... well, there actually are real people like Luna, y'know - not witches, obviously, but nuts. I know several of them (although in all honesty, two of them are guys). Calm? Huh? He wasn't calm, was he? He was yelling random swear words, and making death threats ... that's what he does when he's NOT calm ... oh, well *sighs*.
Hrei-siesn: Thank you.
Starre: No what? It's always been my favourite part of this book, too. Hmm, you're right about Hermione ... but thing is, Draco doesn't see that.
dstrbd child: Y'know, technically you're not dissing Moody ... since that's not Moody ... I assume I've not spoiled the plot by saying that, since I assume you've all read GoF before. I like the real Moody, but I also hated the impostor, even before I knew it was an impostor.
Princess of Darkness: Don't bother explaining it, I don't mind being left clueless. As for the charm for paint not drying, it was just trying to be funny.
Dragona: Thank you.
Elizabeth: Yeah, I used that spell for a reason - I liked the ferret enough to make it his Animagus, so I had to do something like that.
Exodia Himself: A jackal.
Druscilla Black: Yeah, you also gotta remember that ain't Moody. But I do love the ferret scene, much as my muse (Draco) loathes it.
Vu: Thank you.
"I don't want to rain on your parade, I want to blow up all the floats" -Law and Order SVU
Chapter 7 - Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher - Take 4
As soon as Moody was out of sight, Snape pulled me into his office, "I think you've been punished enough for that little duel, don't you?" Snape said, at the same time casting a spell to re-enforce the anti-spying charms that always surround his office.
"Yes ... but why did you just drag me in here, then?" I asked.
"I wanted to talk to you. Have a seat." the fire suddenly flared into life in the grate. I took the nearest of two chairs that were next to the fire ... Snape sat in the other, looking at me. After a moment, he spoke, "Besides the incident at the World Cup, have you noticed anything unusual?"
"You mean Death Eater activity?" I asked bluntly. Snape nodded slightly, "Nope. Why do you ask?"
"Because ..." he paused as if unsure how to say this, "All the Death Eaters were branded with the Dark Mark ... it disappeared when He did ... but for the last couple of weeks, my Mark has started to reappear."
I blinked - Theo had mentioned something about his father's Dark Mark, too. "Do you think it means He's back?"
"I have no idea." Snape said honestly, "But at the very least he's not as dead as we would like to think he is."
"Why are you asking me about this?" I asked.
"I thought your father might have known something, and he might have told you if he did." Snape said, as if we weren't discussing anything more than the latest gossip.
"I doubt he'd tell me much." I said, "He didn't even admit to me that he was part of the riot ... even though I saw him in the bar where it started."
"Mmhm." Snape said thoughtfully, then winced slightly.
"Does it hurt?" I asked, looking at his left arm, which he was holding as if it was on fire.
"Yes. It always used to, but thirteen years has been enough time to half-forget just how much it hurt." Snape said.
"Do you trust me?" I asked quietly.
"Not really. Although I do think you would help our side, when it comes down to it." Snape answered.
"'Our side'?"
"Those against the Dark Lord."
"Yes. You see, when we're both sitting on the fence, it's not easy to tell what side you're talking about sometimes." I said, smirking faintly.
"True."
"So do you know anything else that might be considered suspicious?" I asked hopefully.
"Nothing of any relevance. The only other thing I've noticed at all, this year, is that Moody seems to be getting even more paranoid and eccentric."
"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you." I noted.
"True, true." Snape nodded, "Did he really transfigure you into a ferret?"
"Yes. The worst of it is I had big plans to become an Animagus ... but what's the point if everyone recognises me?"
Snape smiled slightly, "Indeed. Although it does surprise me he would use a curse that he couldn't predict precisely. It's not his style. I know, I fought both with and against him during the last war."
"You fought against him?" I asked surprised.
"Yes. He was the one who brought me in, and I nearly got sent to Azkaban before someone mentioned to the Ministry that I was a spy."
"Oh, that sounds fun." I said sarcastically.
Snape looked at me, "Perhaps you should get to dinner? All I really wanted was to ask if you knew anything about the Dark Mark. For Moody's benefit, I suppose I ought to give you a detention with me next weekend ... I'll just let you do your homework. Alright?"
"That sounds fair."
"Get going, then, before I change my mind." he said in what seemed like a mock-stern tone.
I smiled, nodded, and stood up, "Thank you, Professor." and I left the office.
* * *
I skipped dinner, and as soon as I got back to the dorm - which was thankfully deserted when I got there - I took off my robes and shirt, and looked in the mirror. There were bruises starting to appear across my chest and up one side. There was also a cut that wasn't bleeding badly, but would have ruined my shirt given another few minutes, on that side.
Any living thing hitting the ground with that much force is bound to get wounded, let alone that often. I knew this before, because I've seen the same thing being done to house-elves - that's why Ferris wears bandages instead of a pillowcase.
I wasn't going to go to Madam Pomfrey. Although I could, and probably should. I didn't want to give Moody the satisfaction of putting me in the Hospital Wing. It did still hurt, though.
I gently ran my fingers over the bruises, wincing as I did so. I needed to see if he had broken anything. After I had carefully checked for any broken ribs - luckily there were none - I conjured some bandages to cover the cut. I didn't know any healing spells, and even if I did you can't cast them on yourself. I wasn't too badly wounded, it would heal itself.
* * *
Theo found me that evening in our dorm room, writing down what Snape told me in my scrap-book - I had already put cuttings from the Quibbler ('Rita Skeeter, Death Eater?') and the Prophet ('Further Mistakes At The Ministry Of Magic') into it, too. Theo tried to look over my shoulder, but the protection charms I felt it was necessary to cast on the scrap-book sent him flying across the room.
"I wouldn't try to read this if I were you." I said, smirking, "I cast a protection spell on it, so it only lets me read it."
"Paranoid." Theo muttered.
"No, Moody's paranoid, I'm just practical." I said.
"What're you writing, anyway?"
"None of your business."
Theo sniggered, "That's not a diary, is it?" he asked.
"I'm not that stupid." I replied. He had clearly been referring to Riddle's Diary from our second year.
"Hmm." after a minute, I closed the book, and Theo spoke again, "You're still gonna do the project, though, aren't you?"
"What's the point?" I asked.
"Well, even if you can't use it to spy on people, you can still use it to get into places normal humans don't fit." Theo said immediately. "Besides, I want you to help me do the same."
"You need to have been studying fifth-year Transfiguration stuff for the last two months." I noted.
"Done that."
"You scare me sometimes."
"Thank you."
"Fine, when you think you're ready for it, tell me and I'll be there to help, ok?" I said.
"Ok. Now what's in that book?"
"Notes."
"On ...?"
"On important events."
"Such as?" Theo persisted.
"If it ever becomes your business, I'll tell you."
"Fine." that didn't sound like he was upset ... funny, you'd think he would be ... but he's not normal, is he?
* * *
That Wednesday, we had Defence Against the Dark Arts class first thing. I made a point of sitting in the back of the class, with Crabbe and Goyle, while Theo and Blaise sat at the front, discussing methods of disrupting the class.
We could hear Moody hobbling down the hallway, a mile off. The false leg made a very distinctive clunking noise. I winced when he appeared through the door, and crossed my arms defensively - I still had the bruises from the bouncing ferret incident. I could feel his magical eye watching me, even though he was facing the other way. I shivered slightly, that man is creepy.
He turned to look at us, and saw we had our books out, "Put those books away. You won't need them." he said, that damned magical eye never left me for a moment - he wasn't kidding when he said he'd keep his eye on me, was he?
I put my book away, "In second year, this led to a pixie attack for the Gryffindors, and last year we met a Boggart - I'm not liking this one little bit." I muttered to Pansy who was sitting in front of me.
Moody, who had his back to me, said quite clearly, "I can lip-read, you know, Mr Malfoy."
I blinked, and stopped talking.
"And I can assure you, there will be no magical creatures in this class, unless you have something to tell us, Mr Nott?"
Theo squeaked, "What would I have to tell?" he asked innocently.
"That you were plotting with your young friend here to smuggle several Blast-Ended Skrewts into my classroom." Moody replied calmly.
"Oh, that ... I was kidding. Seriously, I'd never really want to carry those things anywhere." Theo answered also calmly.
Moody grunted, then began to take the roll, "Bulstrode, Millicent."
"Here." Milli answered.
"You should say 'present', Miss Bulstrode." Moody growled, "I know your mother - she was an Auror, wasn't she?"
"Yes, sir."
"Crabbe, Vincent."
"Present." Crabbe said dumbly - Moody glared at him, but didn't say anything.
"Feral, Catarina."
"Present." Cat said from the front row.
"Your father was an Auror, too, wasn't he?" Moody asked. Cat squeaked, and looked at the table. Moody sniggered and continued the roll, "Goyle, Gregory."
"Present." another glare, just as he'd glared at Crabbe.
"Malfoy, Draco."
"Present." I said, not meeting his gaze. He was smirking smugly. Go do obscene things with a Blast-Ended Skrewt, why don't you?
"Nott, Theodore."
"Present, Miss Bulstrode." Theo said happily.
"Watch your mouth, Mr Nott - we wouldn't want you to mysteriously lose the ability to speak, would we?" Moody asked maliciously. Theo bit his lip, and crossed something off on a piece of parchment he had in front of him ... which Moody immediately snatched, read, and ripped up. "I don't think you will be disrupting my class, Mr Nott. I am sure Mr Malfoy can give you a good reason for that." he noted, smirking.
Theo pouted as if his favourite toy had just been taken away. Moody ignored this and continued to the last name on the list, "Zabini, Blaise."
"Present." Blaise said promptly. Moody gave her a mildly disgusted look - I guess he knew that her father was a Death Eater.
"Now, on to the lesson." Moody announced. "Today, I will be telling you what the three most dangerous and illegal curses in existence are, and how to avoid them."
"You're talking about the Unforgivable Curses?" Blaise asked, raising her hand.
"Yes, I am." Moody snapped, in a 'don't interrupt me' tone.
"But you can't block them." Blaise said.
"I didn't say block - I said avoid." Moody snapped again.
"Why are they illegal?" Theo asked, also raising his hand.
"Because they could ruin you, torture you and kill you." Moody answered, very annoyed.
"But so could a pocket knife, in the wrong hands, and they're not illegal." Theo noted.
"That is not the point!" Moody all-but-yelled, "We are not looking at pocket knifes today - although I could tell you in detail some gruesome things I have seen done by pocket knives - we are talking about the Unforgivable Curses!"
"What if, someone was going to kill someone, and someone else cast the Imperius curse on them to stop them killing the victim - is that still illegal?" Theo asked.
"Yes!" Moody snapped.
"Or, what if someone was dying a slow and painful death and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it, and someone cast AK on them to put them out of their misery?" Theo persisted.
"Even Muggles do not endorse euthanasia!" Moody growled.
"Ok, what if someone transfigured someone else into a chair - that's not illegal, but it's still murder." Theo insisted.
"What are you getting at, Mr Nott?" Moody growled.
"How do you define 'Dark Arts'?" Theo asked simply.
"Illegal magic." Moody replied equally simply.
"Theoretically, that's not true." Theo noted.
"How is it not?" Moody snapped at me.
"Dark magic draws its power from shadows, light magic draws its power from the sun. The most basic vanishing spells that we're going to learn in fifth year are dark magic ... and the Killing Curse itself is light magic." Theo said, smirking at Moody's reaction. "Ever read about Muggle near death experiences?" he asked grinning, "'I see the light!'" and he pretended to faint. Half the class started sniggering.
Moody looked livid. "Enough!" he yelled angrily. Silence ... Theo sat up, no longer grinning. "You don't think you're going to get away with this sort of disruption in my class, do you, Mr Nott?"
"I was just asking a question." Theo muttered.
"This class is not a debating session, I am here to teach you, not to argue with you." Moody growled.
"Same difference." Theo noted, regaining some of his earlier cheerfulness.
"Detention." Moody said simply.
"What?" Theo asked, surprised, "I thought you turned people into animals for pissing you off."
"A week's worth of detentions - and watch your language." Moody amended.
"Drat." Theo muttered - it seemed to me he deliberately avoided saying 'damn' instead, "I had plans if you'd turned me into a bird - you know pigeons are out to get humans? It says so in the Quibbler." he asked, grinning.
"A month, Nott - detention for the next month - one more word from you, and it will be for the rest of the year!" Moody snapped.
Theo shut up ... but there was a glint in his eyes that said he wasn't finished yet.
"Now, where was I?" Moody asked, "Ah yes ... CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he hit the table violently with his palm ... everyone jumped. "You never know where or when you could be attacked ... remember ... CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" everyone was watching him now like he was the one who was going to attack, who we had to be 'vigilant' of, "Now, who can tell me what the three Unforgivable Curses are?" he asked.
Cat raised her hand first, "Cruciatus."
"And what can you tell me about it, Miss Feral?" Moody asked.
"It causes unbearable pain if used with the intent to harm - people have been known to go insane from over-exposure to it."
"Seriously?" I asked out loud without thinking. That sounds bad - I'm not insane, am I? ... Don't answer that.
"Yes." Cat said, not taking her eyes off Moody.
Moody shook his head as if to break a sort-of trance, and nodded, "Yes, that has been known to happen." Cat smirked and sat back in her seat. "Can anyone else tell me another curse?"
"Imperius." Pansy said, raising her hand. Moody nodded to her in a way that asked for her to tell us about it, "Total mind-control." she said simply.
"Correct." Moody answered, smiling at her, "A very accurate and concise explanation of what it does. Although it is possible for the strong-minded to break the control, such an occurrence is quite rare. That's two - someone tell me the last one." Theo raised his hand. "Yes, Mr Nott." Theo spelled something out in sign-language. "What was that?" Moody asked, confused.
"You told him one more word from him and he'd have detention for the rest of the year." Blaise said calmly. "And he spelled out in sign language A-V-A-D-A-K-E-D-A-V-R-A."
Moody's normal eye twitched, "I see." Theo then signed something else - I don't know any sign-language beyond 'F off' and 'bullshit', so I don't know what he said. "What was that?"
"He said, 'and it kills people'." Blaise said, smirking. Theo scowled at her - it seems to me he said more than that, but Blaise edited out the rude comments.
Moody growled, "Mr Nott, you are allowed to speak, if you are answering my question - but no more smart-ass remarks, or else." Theo shrugged, and didn't say anything. Moody's normal eye twitched again.
If Theo has anything to do with it, this class is going to be fun.
* * *
End of chapter 7