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: Now, we all know Theo's insane, Draco's a kleptomaniac, and Cat's psychic ... here we see further evidence of all three of these.
daintress: Thank you.
Doublemint: Actually, I think Theo is much like Luna, we just see more of him. Thank you, I'm glad you like it.
Bob: Well, it seemed obvious if he got thrown around enough for him to be almost in tears (his eyes were watering with pain), there's at least be some injury. You're welcome.
Hrei-siesn: It wasn't American Sign Language ... this isn't in America, remember? You should be wondering how Theo knew sign language, though ... oh, well *evil grin*.
Elizabeth: I'd say insane, rather than brave - he'd take offence at being attributed with a Gryffindor quality.
Exodia Himself: It's not suitable for a PG-13 audience, that's why I didn't say what it was. Besides, imagination is better than reading in this sort of situation - I like to leave some things to the imagination.
Starre: I honestly have no clue what any of those abbreviations mean. Who says shadows don't exist though? Muggle scientists, that's who :P ... and what do they know about magic?
CTKelly (Devi): You're right, I figured the impostor deserved to be hated ... besides, Draco hates all his DADA teachers (that's giving you a hint for OotP *evil grin*). I think Theo's meant to be either loved or hated ... I am glad you liked his attack on Moody/Crouch, though. I did a project like that, when I was in school ... that's why I decided to use it as part of Theo's argument.
Princess of Darkness: Only when he wants to be. I dunno, I honestly hadn't planned on us meeting Milli's mom ... although the fact she's an Auror will become relevant.
Druscilla Black: Theo was deliberately trying to be a pain in the arse - I can do that too, when I feel like it.
dstrbd child: *proud grin* thanks ... I like it too, that's why I had Theo do that.
duochang97: Like I said to Hrei-siesn, you really ought to be wondering why Theo knows sign-language *evil grin*. As for Draco's response to Harry becoming champion, well I'm writing that chapter as I publish this - it's ch13.
"If it ain't nailed down, it's mine, and if I can pry it up, it ain't nailed down." -Jeremiah
Chapter 8 - Imperio
"Draco, what's this?" Theo asked, pulling a box out from under my bed.
I pounced on him, "Nothing." I said as I tried to pry the box out of his hands.
"It's something."
"It's nothing you need to worry about."
"Like hell." he threw me off, and opened the box. I picked myself up and glared.
"Give it back!"
"Nu uh." Theo said sifting through the contents, "Hey, this is mine!" he added, picking up a watch out of the box.
"If it's not nailed down, it's mine and if I can pry it up, it's not nailed down." I said coldly.
"You're a kleptomaniac?" Theo asked.
"A what?"
"A compulsive thief."
"Kinda ... I like expensive stuff whether it's mine or not." I muttered, still glaring.
"You've got a Hufflepuff Head Girl badge in here."
"They're rare."
"You had to have swiped that in first year. That's the last time we had a Hufflepuff Head Girl."
"So?"
"So you've been nicking stuff since you got to school?"
"No, it's been longer than that."
"This one's still wrapped ... and it has Crabbe's name on the card?"
"I took it right under his nose, and he didn't complain."
"When did you do that?"
"Christmas second year."
"When it wasn't really him."
"Yeah."
"You're evil."
"Thank you."
Theo took the watch, and a ring that was shaped like a snake that so wasn't his, out of the box, and put it back under my bed, "I'll not tell anyone, but you have a problem."
"I already know about it, and I don't really care." I replied, watching in amusement as he put the ring on.
* * *
"Draco, where's your spy ball?" Cat asked.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because I want to spy on someone."
"Who?"
"Our Defence teacher."
"Been there, done that." I replied calmly.
"I mean the one for this year." she said deliberately.
"You've not given me a name yet. The spy ball needs a name to spy on someone." I noted.
"You know something, I don't know his real name."
"Alastor Moody."
"Uh huh ... gimme the spy ball." Cat insisted.
"Fine, fine - I'll cast the spy charm on him tomorrow, and you can watch him undress all you want."
"Ewewewewewewewwww! Draco, you are perverted!"
"Thank you."
* * *
"Video. Constant vigilance, my ass." I said smugly as Moody passed me in the corridor.
"I thought he said he was keeping his eye on you?" Blaise asked.
"He's too busy paying attention to the Gryffindor with two left everything." I said smugly.
"You mean Longbottom?"
"Who else would I mean?"
"Potter?"
"He can fly straight ... much as I wish he couldn't."
* * *
Cat sat down next to me, in the boys' dorm ... Theo was hanging upside down from my Nimbus 2001, which he had hovering over his bed, trying to look like a vampire - the blood-pop helped that image a great deal - but he was actually watching us.
"You put the spy charm on him?" Cat asked.
"Yes." I answered.
She tapped the spy ball and said, "Alastor Moody." the spy ball made a sort-of honking noise and flashed red before going clear again. "What was that?" Cat asked surprised.
"The name's not stored ... that's weird - I know I put the charm on him." I said, frowning.
"Can't you search the stored names for him?" Theo asked, his eyes appeared to be closed, but I still know he was watching us.
"Actually, I can." I muttered, tapping the spy ball, and saying, "Next. It'll go in chronological order of casting the spy charm." A pile of dust in a deserted room - I'm guessing that's what's left of Quirrell. I tapped the spy ball again and repeated, "Next." The third floor corridor, which was no longer forbidden and had many students walking up and down it. "Next." Cat ... sitting right next to me ... with the spy ball, repeating the image into infinity - cute. "Next." the second floor corridor outside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom - which was, as usual, deserted. "Next." Hermione, who was sitting in the Library, with a book open in front of her, and transfiguring bottle caps into badges that said 'SPEW' on them.
"Why is she making those?" Cat asked confused.
"I have no clue - maybe she wants everyone to vomit?" I suggested, dismissing it as unimportant, and tapping the spy ball again, "Next. There, that's him." I said, as Moody appeared, sitting in the staff room, talking to Sinistra about something to do with grading practical work.
"Can you ask the spy ball what his name is?" Cat asked.
"I don't think so."
"Well, I was right." Cat said triumphantly.
"About what?" I asked. Theo had now given up all pretence of sleeping like that, and was paying close attention to us.
"It's not Moody." Cat said simply.
"Looks like him, though." I noted.
"There were two people in second year who looked like your thugs, Draco." Cat noted.
Theo suddenly fell off the broom, landing headfirst on his bed. The broom flew over and landed next to me - if it had been able to, I feel sure it would have stuck its tongue out at Theo. "Why'd you think it wasn't him?" Theo asked, sitting up.
"I just had a bad feeling about him - he's got a black aura, Aurors don't have that much evil around them. Even Quirrell had a more confused aura, not pure black." Cat said, looking worried.
"So who is it?" I asked, hoping she knew - what with her visions, I'd not be surprised.
"I have no idea." she said, shrugging ... damn it.
* * *
The rest of the week went by without incident - I watched Moody with as much vigilance as he keeps saying to watch everyone with, but he didn't do anything suspicious. Cat continued to use my spy ball on a regular basis, but never caught him doing anything suspicious, and she eventually stopped spying on him when my prediction came true and she caught him undressing - she claimed to be traumatised, and said she sincerely hoped what she had been traumatised by was the result of a really nasty hex during the war, and that not all men were like that or she'd become a lesbian. That sounded really bad. I spent the rest of the day laughing because of it. Thankfully, I hadn't seen whatever she was talking about.
Our next Defence class was quite interesting ... "Today, I will be casting the Imperius Curse on each of you, to show you what it feels like, and see if any of you can fight it." I raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't say what was on my mind ('it'll make a nice change from the Cruciatus').
"Um, sir ... that's illegal." Blaise noted.
"Yeah," Milli said, "You can't use those on humans."
"Technically ..." Pansy said nervously, "According to my Defence book - you can use Imperius if you have the victim's consent."
"I'm not giving anyone consent to have complete control over me." Blaise said coldly.
"If you want to learn the hard way, you can leave now - I'll see you next class." Moody said as if he didn't care. "If you want to know what you're facing, you can stay." Theo looked like he was considering walking out, but seemed to think better of it. No one left.
I made a point to be last in the line to be cursed ... and I watched as Blaise did an elaborate tap-dance on the table ... Cat sang 'Holding Out For A Hero' (Bonnie Tyler is a witch ... all the best singers and bands are) perfectly in tune - something she's never been able to do before ... Pansy slow-danced with thin air ... Crabbe ran around the room barking and chasing his imaginary tail ... Goyle impersonated a gorilla - not much difference there then ... Milli recited the A section of the Latin dictionary, word for word ... Theo did nothing "It didn't work, sir - you sure you said it right?" Theo asked grinning.
"How the -?" Moody asked confused.
"I didn't do anything - you must have messed up sir." Theo said calmly.
"Imperio!" nothing happened - Theo just stood there grinning manically. "You ... you're immune?"
"I'm what, sir?" Theo asked still grinning.
"You're immune - some people are immune to mind-control spells, and don't even need to fight them off - there hasn't been a recorded case of total immunity in centuries." Moody said stunned.
"Cool." Theo said, still grinning.
Moody sighed, and beckoned me forward, "Imperio." I felt this sort of light-headed happy floaty feeling, like the real world didn't matter anymore ... it felt nice. Then I heard a distant voice in my mind, saying 'just say "I am a ferret" ... just say it'. This isn't real ... 'just say it' ... no, this is wrong ... 'say it!'
"I am ... not going to say that." I said. The floating sensation faded, but something still didn't feel right.
Moody seemed surprised, "Well done, Mr Malfoy - you resisted the curse." I heard some applause from the rest of the class (started by Theo), but it still seemed quite distant. "Tell me, how did you beat the curse so easily?" Moody asked.
"That was 'easy'?" I asked ... then answered, "I just knew it wasn't real. It was like a dream."
"Do you often have lucid dreams?" Moody asked.
"The ones I remember, yes." I said warily ... I was currently considering pinching myself in case I was still dreaming.
"That explains the analogy." Moody muttered, "Will you tell everyone what I tried to make you say?" he asked.
"No." I said smirking. I blinked, and the floating sensation was gone completely. Reality hit me almost painfully - the difference between the real world and the happy fantasy of the Imperius curse was so much that I could barely stay standing.
Moody smirked too, "Well done. You can sit down now."
* * *
"How come you're immune?" I asked Theo as we left that class.
"Reality's a nice place but since I don't live there he couldn't pull me out of it." Theo said smirking.
"Huh?"
"I'm out of touch with the real world enough already that trying to pull me away from reality to control me won't work." Theo reiterated.
"I still don't get it." I replied.
"I'm insane, so the curse wouldn't work on me." Theo said.
"Now that makes sense." I said.
"the Veela and Dementors didn't affect me for the same reason." Theo noted, grinning.
"You're weird."
"Thank you."
* * *
End of chapter 8
Author's Notes: Now, we all know Theo's insane, Draco's a kleptomaniac, and Cat's psychic ... here we see further evidence of all three of these.
daintress: Thank you.
Doublemint: Actually, I think Theo is much like Luna, we just see more of him. Thank you, I'm glad you like it.
Bob: Well, it seemed obvious if he got thrown around enough for him to be almost in tears (his eyes were watering with pain), there's at least be some injury. You're welcome.
Hrei-siesn: It wasn't American Sign Language ... this isn't in America, remember? You should be wondering how Theo knew sign language, though ... oh, well *evil grin*.
Elizabeth: I'd say insane, rather than brave - he'd take offence at being attributed with a Gryffindor quality.
Exodia Himself: It's not suitable for a PG-13 audience, that's why I didn't say what it was. Besides, imagination is better than reading in this sort of situation - I like to leave some things to the imagination.
Starre: I honestly have no clue what any of those abbreviations mean. Who says shadows don't exist though? Muggle scientists, that's who :P ... and what do they know about magic?
CTKelly (Devi): You're right, I figured the impostor deserved to be hated ... besides, Draco hates all his DADA teachers (that's giving you a hint for OotP *evil grin*). I think Theo's meant to be either loved or hated ... I am glad you liked his attack on Moody/Crouch, though. I did a project like that, when I was in school ... that's why I decided to use it as part of Theo's argument.
Princess of Darkness: Only when he wants to be. I dunno, I honestly hadn't planned on us meeting Milli's mom ... although the fact she's an Auror will become relevant.
Druscilla Black: Theo was deliberately trying to be a pain in the arse - I can do that too, when I feel like it.
dstrbd child: *proud grin* thanks ... I like it too, that's why I had Theo do that.
duochang97: Like I said to Hrei-siesn, you really ought to be wondering why Theo knows sign-language *evil grin*. As for Draco's response to Harry becoming champion, well I'm writing that chapter as I publish this - it's ch13.
"If it ain't nailed down, it's mine, and if I can pry it up, it ain't nailed down." -Jeremiah
Chapter 8 - Imperio
"Draco, what's this?" Theo asked, pulling a box out from under my bed.
I pounced on him, "Nothing." I said as I tried to pry the box out of his hands.
"It's something."
"It's nothing you need to worry about."
"Like hell." he threw me off, and opened the box. I picked myself up and glared.
"Give it back!"
"Nu uh." Theo said sifting through the contents, "Hey, this is mine!" he added, picking up a watch out of the box.
"If it's not nailed down, it's mine and if I can pry it up, it's not nailed down." I said coldly.
"You're a kleptomaniac?" Theo asked.
"A what?"
"A compulsive thief."
"Kinda ... I like expensive stuff whether it's mine or not." I muttered, still glaring.
"You've got a Hufflepuff Head Girl badge in here."
"They're rare."
"You had to have swiped that in first year. That's the last time we had a Hufflepuff Head Girl."
"So?"
"So you've been nicking stuff since you got to school?"
"No, it's been longer than that."
"This one's still wrapped ... and it has Crabbe's name on the card?"
"I took it right under his nose, and he didn't complain."
"When did you do that?"
"Christmas second year."
"When it wasn't really him."
"Yeah."
"You're evil."
"Thank you."
Theo took the watch, and a ring that was shaped like a snake that so wasn't his, out of the box, and put it back under my bed, "I'll not tell anyone, but you have a problem."
"I already know about it, and I don't really care." I replied, watching in amusement as he put the ring on.
* * *
"Draco, where's your spy ball?" Cat asked.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because I want to spy on someone."
"Who?"
"Our Defence teacher."
"Been there, done that." I replied calmly.
"I mean the one for this year." she said deliberately.
"You've not given me a name yet. The spy ball needs a name to spy on someone." I noted.
"You know something, I don't know his real name."
"Alastor Moody."
"Uh huh ... gimme the spy ball." Cat insisted.
"Fine, fine - I'll cast the spy charm on him tomorrow, and you can watch him undress all you want."
"Ewewewewewewewwww! Draco, you are perverted!"
"Thank you."
* * *
"Video. Constant vigilance, my ass." I said smugly as Moody passed me in the corridor.
"I thought he said he was keeping his eye on you?" Blaise asked.
"He's too busy paying attention to the Gryffindor with two left everything." I said smugly.
"You mean Longbottom?"
"Who else would I mean?"
"Potter?"
"He can fly straight ... much as I wish he couldn't."
* * *
Cat sat down next to me, in the boys' dorm ... Theo was hanging upside down from my Nimbus 2001, which he had hovering over his bed, trying to look like a vampire - the blood-pop helped that image a great deal - but he was actually watching us.
"You put the spy charm on him?" Cat asked.
"Yes." I answered.
She tapped the spy ball and said, "Alastor Moody." the spy ball made a sort-of honking noise and flashed red before going clear again. "What was that?" Cat asked surprised.
"The name's not stored ... that's weird - I know I put the charm on him." I said, frowning.
"Can't you search the stored names for him?" Theo asked, his eyes appeared to be closed, but I still know he was watching us.
"Actually, I can." I muttered, tapping the spy ball, and saying, "Next. It'll go in chronological order of casting the spy charm." A pile of dust in a deserted room - I'm guessing that's what's left of Quirrell. I tapped the spy ball again and repeated, "Next." The third floor corridor, which was no longer forbidden and had many students walking up and down it. "Next." Cat ... sitting right next to me ... with the spy ball, repeating the image into infinity - cute. "Next." the second floor corridor outside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom - which was, as usual, deserted. "Next." Hermione, who was sitting in the Library, with a book open in front of her, and transfiguring bottle caps into badges that said 'SPEW' on them.
"Why is she making those?" Cat asked confused.
"I have no clue - maybe she wants everyone to vomit?" I suggested, dismissing it as unimportant, and tapping the spy ball again, "Next. There, that's him." I said, as Moody appeared, sitting in the staff room, talking to Sinistra about something to do with grading practical work.
"Can you ask the spy ball what his name is?" Cat asked.
"I don't think so."
"Well, I was right." Cat said triumphantly.
"About what?" I asked. Theo had now given up all pretence of sleeping like that, and was paying close attention to us.
"It's not Moody." Cat said simply.
"Looks like him, though." I noted.
"There were two people in second year who looked like your thugs, Draco." Cat noted.
Theo suddenly fell off the broom, landing headfirst on his bed. The broom flew over and landed next to me - if it had been able to, I feel sure it would have stuck its tongue out at Theo. "Why'd you think it wasn't him?" Theo asked, sitting up.
"I just had a bad feeling about him - he's got a black aura, Aurors don't have that much evil around them. Even Quirrell had a more confused aura, not pure black." Cat said, looking worried.
"So who is it?" I asked, hoping she knew - what with her visions, I'd not be surprised.
"I have no idea." she said, shrugging ... damn it.
* * *
The rest of the week went by without incident - I watched Moody with as much vigilance as he keeps saying to watch everyone with, but he didn't do anything suspicious. Cat continued to use my spy ball on a regular basis, but never caught him doing anything suspicious, and she eventually stopped spying on him when my prediction came true and she caught him undressing - she claimed to be traumatised, and said she sincerely hoped what she had been traumatised by was the result of a really nasty hex during the war, and that not all men were like that or she'd become a lesbian. That sounded really bad. I spent the rest of the day laughing because of it. Thankfully, I hadn't seen whatever she was talking about.
Our next Defence class was quite interesting ... "Today, I will be casting the Imperius Curse on each of you, to show you what it feels like, and see if any of you can fight it." I raised an eyebrow at that, but didn't say what was on my mind ('it'll make a nice change from the Cruciatus').
"Um, sir ... that's illegal." Blaise noted.
"Yeah," Milli said, "You can't use those on humans."
"Technically ..." Pansy said nervously, "According to my Defence book - you can use Imperius if you have the victim's consent."
"I'm not giving anyone consent to have complete control over me." Blaise said coldly.
"If you want to learn the hard way, you can leave now - I'll see you next class." Moody said as if he didn't care. "If you want to know what you're facing, you can stay." Theo looked like he was considering walking out, but seemed to think better of it. No one left.
I made a point to be last in the line to be cursed ... and I watched as Blaise did an elaborate tap-dance on the table ... Cat sang 'Holding Out For A Hero' (Bonnie Tyler is a witch ... all the best singers and bands are) perfectly in tune - something she's never been able to do before ... Pansy slow-danced with thin air ... Crabbe ran around the room barking and chasing his imaginary tail ... Goyle impersonated a gorilla - not much difference there then ... Milli recited the A section of the Latin dictionary, word for word ... Theo did nothing "It didn't work, sir - you sure you said it right?" Theo asked grinning.
"How the -?" Moody asked confused.
"I didn't do anything - you must have messed up sir." Theo said calmly.
"Imperio!" nothing happened - Theo just stood there grinning manically. "You ... you're immune?"
"I'm what, sir?" Theo asked still grinning.
"You're immune - some people are immune to mind-control spells, and don't even need to fight them off - there hasn't been a recorded case of total immunity in centuries." Moody said stunned.
"Cool." Theo said, still grinning.
Moody sighed, and beckoned me forward, "Imperio." I felt this sort of light-headed happy floaty feeling, like the real world didn't matter anymore ... it felt nice. Then I heard a distant voice in my mind, saying 'just say "I am a ferret" ... just say it'. This isn't real ... 'just say it' ... no, this is wrong ... 'say it!'
"I am ... not going to say that." I said. The floating sensation faded, but something still didn't feel right.
Moody seemed surprised, "Well done, Mr Malfoy - you resisted the curse." I heard some applause from the rest of the class (started by Theo), but it still seemed quite distant. "Tell me, how did you beat the curse so easily?" Moody asked.
"That was 'easy'?" I asked ... then answered, "I just knew it wasn't real. It was like a dream."
"Do you often have lucid dreams?" Moody asked.
"The ones I remember, yes." I said warily ... I was currently considering pinching myself in case I was still dreaming.
"That explains the analogy." Moody muttered, "Will you tell everyone what I tried to make you say?" he asked.
"No." I said smirking. I blinked, and the floating sensation was gone completely. Reality hit me almost painfully - the difference between the real world and the happy fantasy of the Imperius curse was so much that I could barely stay standing.
Moody smirked too, "Well done. You can sit down now."
* * *
"How come you're immune?" I asked Theo as we left that class.
"Reality's a nice place but since I don't live there he couldn't pull me out of it." Theo said smirking.
"Huh?"
"I'm out of touch with the real world enough already that trying to pull me away from reality to control me won't work." Theo reiterated.
"I still don't get it." I replied.
"I'm insane, so the curse wouldn't work on me." Theo said.
"Now that makes sense." I said.
"the Veela and Dementors didn't affect me for the same reason." Theo noted, grinning.
"You're weird."
"Thank you."
* * *
End of chapter 8