I'm soooooo sorry this is so late!
I can't tell if school's getting harder or I'm getting lazier but I've been really behind on everything lately :(
Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I'm watching my friend beat some guy in a Pokémon tcg match! Hope you enjoy the chapter and wish her luck! Wooooooo \(^▽^)/
"You look a little twitchy, Malfoy" Theodore teased on our way to our first Defense Against the Dark Arts class.
"Shut it, Nott" hissed Draco defensively. Theo let out a small smile but didn't push it.
"I don't like him" I mumbled frowning slightly. I wasn't referring to either of the Slytherins but about our new professor. Considering his behavior yesterday I knew whatever the case this class wouldn't go by smoothly.
"You've mention that" Daphne commented trying to hide her smile as she watched Draco. But I was still annoyed with Moody. He could've hurt Draco…
"Do we have to go?" Draco whispered quietly next to me. I sighed a little but gave him a small smile.
"Yes we do" I replied. He frowned and mumbled something to himself.
"Don't worry, Malfoy. If Moody gives you any trouble you always have Katerina to protect you" said Theodore looking away as Blaise laughed openly next to him.
"Shut it!" Pansy yelled in his defense. I rolled my eyes at them and kept a grip on Draco so he didn't try anything stupid, like pushing me away again. Apparently he'd learned his lesson yesterday because he just ignored them. We walked into class to find Moody was not yet there. I started heading forward but Draco stopped me.
"Where are you going?" he asked me a little nervously. I pulled away and sat down anyway. The seat was in the very front, middle row, and directly where Moody would be first to look. "I am not sitting here"
"Then don't" I replied with a shrug. "I don't blame you. But I'm not letting him intimidate me"
"You're mad, that's what you are" Draco grumbled but sat down on the seat next to me. I patted his head a little and smiled. He frowned in return.
A few minutes passed before Moody made his appearance, clunking into the classroom.
"Put your books away; we won't be using them." Moody began to take role. He scribbled on the piece of parchment as he called on the students of the class. There was a hint of curiosity as he saw who was sitting directly in front of him. Draco and I sat quietly as he looked at us. If he had a question he didn't word it. "Now, today we'll be reviewing some curses. From the letter I received from your previous teacher, Professor Lupin, you're a little behind on them. Otherwise you look to have a thorough understanding of Dark creatures, is that right?"
There was a muffle of general agreement amongst the class. Moody nodded and opened his mouth to speak. But he was interrupted by Theo.
"Mind being more specific of what curses you'll be teaching?" he asked over the murmur of the classroom. Moody looked to Theodore as if unsure whether to be content with his interest or annoyed by the interruption. "There are a lot of curses; I doubt you can get through teaching them all"
"Not all, but I will be dealing with the major ones. In the one year I'll have with you, I will be demonstrating that which wizards can do to one another"
"So you won't be staying then" I called to which I thought I heard Draco sigh with relief.
"No, I will not. I promised Professor Dumbledore I would teach one year, and then I will be back to my quiet retirement. But enough of these questions, let's get started," he called to bring the attention of the entire class back to him. I smiled a little at his annoyance but remained quiet. I would only have to deal with him for one year, after all. "While some might know a thing or two about them, others are far behind on dealing with curses. According to the Ministry I'm not supposed to show you this yet, not until your sixth year, but you need to know this stuff if you want to protect yourselves. A dark wizard is not going to tell you what curse they will be using against you"
"Not a good one anyway" Blaise mumbled to Daphne behind me. Moody's eye went to him. I smiled again.
"While Nott is right in saying there are far too many curses to cover them all, there are three that are most punishable by wizarding law, and the ones we will be first discussing. Now, who can tell me of such a curse?" A couple of hands went up around the room. "Zabini"
"The Cruciatus Curse" Blaise called out to him. Moody nodded and moved to his desk drawer. He opened it and pulled out a glass jar containing three large black spiders. The professor reached into the jar and grabbed one of the spiders in his hand. It thrashed around a little not wanting to be contained. He placed it on his desk where it twitched slightly, trying to decide whether to run away or stand its ground.
"Engorgio!" he called making the spider swell up in size. "This one will need to be a bit bigger than the others to get a better understanding of it. Crucio!"
Instantly the spider's legs curled upon against its body, filled with pain. It started to twitch, far worse than it had been when trying to decide its escape. Out of curiosity I looked around the room to see other's reactions to the scene. You can tell a lot about a person from the way they react to certain events. Some of the students were frowning with distaste. A few of the girls were making displeased sounds. The rest of us didn't seem to bat an eye. My father and brother had taught me about these curses long ago. So much so that I doubt I would actually learn anything from our professor. Moody raised his wand halting the curse's effects. The spider relaxed a little but it was still twitching slightly with pain. He shrunk it down to its regular size and placed it back in the glass jar.
"The Cruciatus Curse" he said in a morbidly calm tone, as if too familiar with it. "That was a very popular curse once. All pain, if you can perform it properly. Anybody know of another?"
"The Imperius Curse" Millicent mumbled, her hand in the air. Again Moody nodded and reached once into the glass jar and to some nervous looking spiders. Animal or not they had feelings too; one of them being fear.
"Imperio!" Moody called over the second spider. This one didn't cower back or cringe with pain. Instead the spider began to do some very creative stunts. It did backflips, cartwheels, and even danced all at Moody's command. Others laughed at the spectacle but I didn't like it. I frowned and leaned back against my chair. I never liked this curse, in theory or action. Moody's beady eye looked at the spider but his magical one turned to me. Unlike the rest my displeasure with the show was clear. "Do you not find this amusing, Volkov?"
"No, I find it irritating" I replied still leaning back against my chair. I heard Blaise snicker a little behind me. I had assumed he was expecting some kind of argument out of Moody and me, and now he was getting one.
"And why is that?" he asked still controlling the poor spider. I glanced at it in annoyance. It was as if he were continuing the action just to spite me.
"Having that much control over someone is not right" I answered but heard a sneer from behind. Pansy smiled cruelly as I looked to her.
"Should you really be one to judge on this?"
"There is a plain difference between the Imperius curse and manipulation, which is what I assume you're referring to" I added with a quick glance to Pansy but I kept my eyes on Moody. Something in his eyes told me he was enjoying the conversation.
"Oh please explain" Pansy scoffed again but I did.
"When you manipulate someone, whether it be through words or actions, they are given subliminal messages as to what the manipulator wants them to do" I began though I didn't understand how people didn't know this already. "The point is to make the manipulator's request seem the most reasonable if not the most attractive. That is how manipulation often works. The Imperius Curse, on the other hand, is absolute control of someone or something. They have no option; no say in the matter. With manipulation the person's subconscious can still be in control and if they are completely against the action the manipulation fails. With the curse they could be told to kill the one they love, or walk into an obviously dangerous path… They would have no choice but to do it. It is an irritating and disturbed curse and that is why I don't find it amusing."
There was silence in the room as others took in my words. Some were reconsidering their actions, having laughed towards the poor spider. However, I'm sure there were others who didn't care about the spider in the slightest and were wondering if manipulation was really that easy. In theory it was but actually executing it was a completely other subject. Draco was the only one that didn't seem to be thinking about either of those things. Instead, he looked cautiously at Moody expecting he'd do something to me for disobeying a professor again. But he didn't. Moody looked at me for a second then nodded grimly.
"That's right" he muttered starting to put the spider back in the jar. "Well, Volkov, I don't suppose you could tell us the last of these curses"
"Avada Kedavra" I replied glancing at the small spider he was pulling out of the jar. It had been caught just so it could die. I should've felt bad about saying the curse which would inevitably kill it but if I hadn't someone else would have. Even if I had refused to answer Moody knew the curses plain and well. Either way, I still felt a little bad it had to meet an end at the hands of this man.
"Avada Kedavra!" Moody growled. There was a flash of green light with a rushing sound and in that same second the spider fell onto its back, dead. There was no sound, no pain like the one the others had shown. Not a very pleasant death but it's not like death ever was kind. Moody swept the spider off the desk and it fell to the floor, lifeless still. "Not nice, with no counter curse. There's no coming back from this. Only one person has been known to have survived this."
"You mean Harry Potter?" Daphne called out for confirmation. There was a slight murmur around the classroom. Draco scoffed at the comment adjusting himself in his seat. The professor turned to him, his arm outstretched and his wand pointed at Draco.
"I suppose you don't think too much of that. Feel like trying it yourself?" Draco's expression remained serious but I could tell there was fear in his eyes. Not that I believed Moody would use the spell on a student, not with this many witnesses at least, but I put my arm between Draco and Moody's wand. Both turned to me.
"Are you done with your lesson or do you just enjoy toying with your students?" I asked trying to keep my voice from showing my irritation.
"CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he barked making all of us jump. Moody walked back to his desk as I lowered my arm and leaned back against my seat again. Draco's hand balled up into fists, annoyed Moody kept picking on him. I rubbed his arm a little to keep him calm. He sighed but didn't look to me.
Moody blabbered on about some other less interesting things for the rest of the class. For most of the remainder of class we took notes on the three Unforgivable Curses. Not just the incantations and effects but also the punishment; a lifetime sentence to Azkaban. He made a point to tell us he was not here to teach the "how" of these curses but rather the "what". If ever faced by them we should need to have some experience, considering the lack of countercurses. The way he said that made me think he expected some kind of war soon, like he was here to prepare us for it, and I didn't like it. But mostly I ignored him until the bell rang for lunch.
"Like most of us haven't seen at least one of those," Blaise scoffed our Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. He took the final bite of his sandwich wiping the corners of his mouth. We were all mostly done with our lunches by now. I hadn't eaten much still annoyed with Moody's behavior. Crabbe and Goyle on the other hand had finished more than enough of their meal and had left to take deserts from first years.
"Not all of us have" Daphne muttered into her glass of juice. Theo smiled at her expression
"He left some things out" I said looking up from my plate.
"Like what?"
"Well, he said that any one of those curses would get us a lifetime sentence in Azkaban but in times of war that rule was disestablished, legalized. In self-defense but still…"
"Like he'd tell us that" Draco sneered at our observation. "Afraid we'd use them ourselves if he didn't threaten us with Azkaban"
"Still at least he doesn't treat us like children" Theodore replied with a shrug.
"I still don't like him" I said, mostly to myself. Draco nodded in agreement.
"You two can really hold grudges, can't you" Daphne said smirking a little.
"He turned me into a ferret" Draco growled slightly leaning against me. Theo and Blaise laughed a little. Daphne tried to hide smile.
"Oh shut up" Pansy glowering at them. And also at us a little. My guess was she wasn't too happy with Draco's position. Pansy gave me scowl then stood and began marching out of the Great Hall. Millicent went quickly after her.
"And looks like she can hold one too" Daphne said looking at the two girls hastily walking out of the room. I smiled a little but was still upset. Theo was right in saying Moody didn't treat us like children but he should not be doing the things he's doing. If he was going to be my professor then I would needed a bit more information on him...
I pushed my plate aside and took out some parchment, a quill and ink to write with. Draco looked over curiously but didn't move away as I placed the ink between us. Hoping no food would stain the letter I started writing. Draco looked over my shoulder as I wrote, reading the small paragraph. He gave me a curious look as I turned around.
"Lev" I called and hoped my puppy could hear me.
"Wouldn't it be a better idea to have him threatened?" Draco suggested in a quiet tone. I rolled my eyes at him. I didn't want threats, I wanted information. "Know your enemy" and all that. It was a common saying but I considered it genuinely good advice. And this man could get me that information better than anyone.
My puppy came running from a little ways down the Slytherin table. He liked taking other people's food even though I always offered him some. With a happy bark Lev jumped onto my lap. Draco leaned away as he always did when Lev came too close for his liking. I kissed my puppy's head as he pressed his cold nose against my cheek. I couldn't help but giggled.
"Alright Lev I need you to do something for me" I smiled down at him. Lev barked and sat still ready to receive his orders, but his tail continued to move about happily. I placed the letter in the green ribbon tied into a bow around his neck. It wasn't tight but I was sure the letter would hold. "This is for Papa. Take the letter to Zary—"
"Balthazar" Draco interrupted with a sigh, wondering why he even tried anymore.
"Take it to Zary so he can give it to him alright" I asked my pretty little pup. Lev barked happy to be of help and walked towards the door out of the Great Hall.
"Why didn't you just go up yourself" Daphne asked tilting her head a little to the side. I wasn't sure if that was an involuntary gesture or if she was trying to look cute.
"More like, why are you writing to your father?" Blaise asked with the same curious look as Daphne but without the head tilt.
"I had a few questions about something so thought I'd ask before I forget them" I shrugged.
"I still say a threat would've been better" Draco grumbled as he played with the small remainder of his food.
"You two need to let things go" Blaise said shaking his head and standing up from the table. He gave a sort of smirk our way and moved to leave the room. Theo looked at him for a second, took a drink from his juice, shrugged and followed him out of the Great Hall. Daphne frowned in their direction.
"You'd think they'd at least say goodbye"
"Why?" I asked her. "It's not like we didn't know they would leave soon anyway"
"Not everyone likes being as into other people's business as you do Greengrass" Draco said with a bored expression being sent her way. She rolled her eyes at him and stood up from her seat.
"It's polite, you know. Now, goodbye. And I just happen to be there when things happen is all" Daphne snipped at Draco and walked out like the rest of them.
"Guess it's just you and me" Draco smiled and patted my head. I smiled back since this time he wasn't doing it as a way to demean me but rather his own form of affection. I paused for a second then frowned.
"Oh, wait, no it's not" I muttered remembering what I had to do today. Draco frowned too.
"Who else is here? Are you counting that mutt of yours? Because I think you treat him too much like an actual person"
"First of all don't insult my puppy; I will hurt you" I warned him but he only smirked. "Secondly, I promised Fred and George I'd meet them after lunch today."
"Why are you bothering with them?" Draco grumbled frowning again.
"Because I like them" I sighed. "Don't start with me, alright. I see you every day almost all day. I only see them, at the most, an hour a week."
"That seems like more than enough for me" he insisted.
"I promise I'll spend time with you tonight." I stood up from the table and looked down at him. "For now I'm going to go to the courtyard to meet the twins, okay?"
"Do whatever you want." Draco stood up too and walked past me towards the Entrance Hall. I sighed and followed after him. Just before he reached the stairs to the dungeon I managed to stop him and pulled him closer to me.
"Are you seriously upset that I'm spending time with them?" I asked wondering if his mood was due to them or to the most resent encounter with our new professor.
"I'm just worried that you've been hurt" he muttered looking down so I couldn't see his face.
"What do you mean?" I asked confused by his tone. He looked back up to me with a smirk.
"Obviously you've had some form of head injury if you believe spending time with them will be enjoyable"
"That was actually a very creative insult" I giggled. He smiled a little, but otherwise kept his condescending attitude. "I told you I'll see you later today, both in class and after. I'm going to go meet Fred and George now. Oh, but if you see Lev in the dungeon, tell him where I am will you"
"Yeah whatever" he sighed rolling his eyes. With a quick kiss to his cheek I turned back to the Entrance Hall letting him stalk away to the dungeon. His footsteps sounded behind me but I chose to ignore them. Whenever he got this moody he expected me to baby him but I had made a promise to the twins to meet them outside and that's what I was going to do. But the thought of Draco when he was little was a very endearing image. I smiled though I knew he couldn't see it and headed for the middle courtyard.