2nd September, 1994

Mallory's grave mood is reflected in the ceiling above her as she barely eats her cereal the next morning. The sky is gloomy following the previous night's storm and Mallory's only comfort is that none of her dormmates, Amara included, have mentioned anything about her screaming. And, still feeling the fear she had felt during her sleep, deep down Mallory suspects that she had screamed.

Their first lessons pass by with only a few warnings of taking this year seriously, since in the summer the fifth years would be taking their OWL examinations. Though, Mallory suspected, with quiet confidence, that Narcissa and Lucius' impromptu lessons throughout the summer had been rooted in preparing her for them. In fact, the only lesson that Mallory really had looked forward to, came at the end of the first day on the 2nd September. Their first lesson with Professor Moody.

Moody is waiting inside the classroom when the Slytherin and Ravenclaws enter the room, and Mallory sits beside Amara feeling quietly confident.

"Don't know why you're feeling so chirpy," Amara whispers, trying to sour Mallory's good mood. "One look at our second names and he'll have judged us as bad as those wizards he's chucked into Azkaban. Same with all those hero folk."

His one eye scans down the register, even as Amara says this to her but his magical, creepy eye continues its examination of the room, and Mallory shudders when it lands on her just as she had last night.

"You won't be needing those things." Moody gruffly says as all of the students begin to pull out their textbooks.

"But sir, our education has been… sketchy to say the least," A Ravenclaw, Marietta Edgecombe with reddish-brown hair immediately says, and though her hand is in the air, she doesn't wait for Moody to call upon her. "We only have a couple of months to-"

"And seeing how my position is just for this year, I'd hope, Miss Edgecombe, that instead of interrupting me I could get you up to speed."

Marietta blushes bright red as Moody uses her surname without even asking for it.

"I know your Mother." Moody answers, as if reading her mind. "And you're incorrect, Miss Carrow. I shan't be judging anybody for their surnames. Except for you."

Amara immediately blushes, as both girls realise that somehow he had heard their conversation and even as he addresses Amara, his bright, blue eye focuses on Mallory.

"So. Let's learn some dark curses. Who can tell me what the unforgivable curses are?"

A shudder creeps up Mallory's neck as a few hands rise, and she immediately remembers the curses that Lucius had told her about. Her hand rises and though Moody notices it, he calls up Cho Chang, a Ravenclaw.

"There's the imperius curse, Sir."

"Ah, the imperius curse." Moody smirks at the mention of it, writing it upon the blackboard in front of him with rushed, scrawny handwriting. "This gave us folk at the Ministry a particularly hard time following the fall of the Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, as many suddenly remarked that they only followed the orders of his and his many supporters, due to being beneath the spell of the imperius curse. Chang, what does it do?"

"When under the spell, you're required to do whatever the caster bids you to." She answers quickly, blushing under his gaze.

Moody, however, quickly moved on, putting his hand into a jar filled with spiders and immediately engorged it with a charm.

"Imperio." He casts, and suddenly the spider is dancing upon all eight legs, darting across the table untill Moody's wand orders it to fly onto the table in front of Amara, who screams at its close proximity, digging her fingernails into Mallory's arm as she squeezes it out of fear.

"Get that thing away from me!" Amara screeches, practically climbing into Mallory's lap in order to put as much limited distance between herself and spider as it's furry, spindly legs continue to pretend to tap dance upon their table.

"Who can tell me another?"

Mallory's hand raises more confidently this time, knowing that the imperius had been just one of three curses that Lucius had told her about.

Another Slytherin answers the avada kedavra, causing a knowing smile to grow on Moody's disfigured face.

"Of course. We all know so much about that one due to there being only one individual to ever resist the effects of the avada kedavra, meaning death. This, of course, is Mr Harry Potter. But… there are fates worse than death," his smile grows wider, "And I believe we are missing one of the three."

Now, Mallory's hand is one of few that rise, including Amara's who's shakes beside her.

"Black." He orders, smiling widely at the student who had raised her hand first.

"There's also the cruciatus, Professor." Mallory answers, feeling confident in herself.

"And this does?"

"Causes tremendous, torturous pain on the victim.

"Yes, very popular back in the day, too. Many uses; for causing pain… extracting information…" Mallory watches the caster as he begins to cast the cruiciatus curse upon the spider.. Moody, with half of a nose and scars embedded into his skin, smiles at the sight of it, but… his gazing eye wanders around the classroom, watching as the students grimace, shudder and cringe away from the sight, until he lands on Mallory and watches her curious, studying gaze.

"The Cruciatus curse, often, is forgotten. Since You-Know-Who's slimy followers pretended to be acting beneath the imperius and everyone fears death at the hand of the avada kedavra, often it's forgotten that the cruciatus ruined many great witches and wizards. People been driven mad by that one, let me tell ya." His eye remains fixed upon Mallory. "And why am I showing these to you? Because you must always be ready to face them. CONSTANT VIGILANCE."

The remainder of the lesson is spent in total silence, apart from the clunking of Moody's leg against the stone floor. The students make notes on the effects of the Unforgivable Curses, though Mallory realises gloomily that she had always known about these curses, but never knew that collectively, they were known as the unforgivable curses. How many times had Lucius made jokes about using the cruciatus curse upon someone he found unpleasant? 'How I'd love to just put him under the cruciatus for a few minutes. Or, I could just cast him under the imperius and then he'd see reason.' Did Lucius know that he was making jokes about unforgivable curses when he made them?

"Black. Can I see you for a moment?"

It is exactly as Mallory had feared, when Moody walked by her desk seven times in as many minutes towards the end of the lesson. By the time that everyone was able to leave, whispering excitedly about the dark arts that they have witnessed, Mallory is singled out.

Amara gives Mallory a confused look, but she easily leaves the classroom instead of staying as a witness, as Mallory hangs around, looking at a particularly interesting piece of graffiti upon the desk in order to avoid looking into either of Moody's eyes.

"I just wanted to check, Black, that you weren't bothered with anything that happened with the spiders. Wouldn't blame you if you did. CONSTANT VIGILENCE. It's to prepare you."

"Well, I obviously didn't like seeing it right in front of my face," starts Mallory, looking now at the still-dead spider, left abandoned on Moody's desk. "But I don't know why you'd think I'd be any more bothered than anybody else in the room?"

He shifts his weight, so that the fake leg clunks against the weight, clearing his throat.

"Well, your family for starters. With a surname like Black…"

"Sirius Black isn't my dad." She huffs, wondering if fourth year is about to repeat itself all over again. "I don't know him and I've never met him. He's not my family. My surname is Black because Narcissa Malfoy was Narcissa Black when she agreed to take care of me."

"So your parents?"

"I don't know them. Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy have warded me since birth." She responds, still feeling annoyed that the Professor couldn't just ask the other teachers about her familial situation. "Is that all you wanted to ask, Professor?"

"Yes. Off you go, Black."

Somehow, Moody doesn't seem satisfied by their conversation and mutters to himself in a low voice that makes his words indistinguishable to Mallory. Though, before she can wonder why Moody cared about her wellbeing, her living situation or even her biological parents, Amara clasps onto her hand, dragging her down to dinner in the Great Hall.

"Mal. Mal!" Draco calls Mallory over, in one of those rare occasions that the two have anything to do with one another. He holds an edition of the Daily Prophet in his hands, which he is waving towards her. "Have a look at this!"

He hands over the paper, smirking proudly with Crabbe, Goyle and (oddly) Blaise surrounding him.

FURTHER MISTAKES AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

It seems as though the Ministry of Magic's troubles are not yet at an end, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Recently under fire for its poor crowd control at the Quidditch World Cup, and still unable to account for the disappearance of one of its witches, the Ministry was plunged into fresh embarrassment yesterday by the antics of Arnold Weasley, of the Misuse of Muggle Artegacts Office. Arnold Weasley, who was charged with possession of a flying car two years ago, was yesterday involved with a tussle with several Muggle law-keepers ('policemen') over a number of highly aggressive dustbins. Mr Weasley appears to have rushed to the aid of 'Mad-Eye' Moody, the aged ex-Auror who retired from the Ministry when no longer able to tell the difference between a handshake and attempted murder. Unsuprisingly, Mr Weasley found, upon arrival at Mr Moody's heavily guarded house, that Mr Moody had once again raised a false alarm. Mr Weasley was forced to modify several memories before he could escape from the policemen, but refused to answer Daily Prophet questions about why he had involved the Ministry in such an undignified and potentially embarrassing scene.

Beneath the article, there's a picture of the Weasley house; a narrow but tall building that rather resembles a shack, but smoke billows from the chimney and Weasley's mother, a short, rather dumpy lady holds her hand to stop the picture being taken of her husband, a taller man, beside her.

"How pathetic," Mallory barks with laughter upon finishing the read. "Thanks for the entertaining read, Draco."

"And here they are, just in time." Draco smirks even wider, dimples indenting pale cheeks as he looks beyond Mallory and Amara. Mallory turns to look, though is not surprised to see Ron Weasley and Harry Potter walking towards the Great Hall for their dinner.

"Weasley! Hey Weasley!"

"What?" He replies, looking rather annoyed to even look in their direction. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle push past Mallory to walk closer towards them, though Blaise lingers beside Mallory.

"Your dad's in the paper, Weasley!" Draco holds up the paper now, having swiftly taken it from Mallory's hands upon seeing Potter and Weasley. "Listen to this!" He announces to the audience that had begun to slow down as a showdown appeared to form.

"Pathetic, isn't it!" He laughs, repeating the word that Mallory had only used moments before after he finishes reading the article. "And there's a picture, Weasley! A picture of your parents outside their house - if you can call it a house! Your mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?"

Mallory looks at Ron, who is bright red and shaking with a silent fury as everyone waits for his reaction.

"Get stuffed, Malfoy." Replies Harry Potter instead. "C'mon Ron…"

"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter." Sneers Draco now as Harry attempts to pull his friend away. Mallory can't help but smirk at the argument that is beginning to simmer between them. Though, knowing Draco, he will always take it one step too far. "So, tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?"

"You know your mother, Malfoy?" Replies Harry now, and Mallory suddenly feels her cheeks begin to burn as bright as Ron's too. She watches as Ron and their muggle-born friend Granger, suddenly grab hold of Harry to hold him back, just as Amara senses Mallory's anger and grips onto her hand. Blaise, beside her, begins to hold onto her forearm. "That expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that or was it just because you were with her?"

"Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter."

Draco's cheeks turn pink too, just as Mallory considers hexing his backside back to that house the Weasley's call a home for even mentioning Narcissa in front of her.

"Keep your fat mouth shut, then," adds Harry, beginning to turn away, so that he doesn't see Draco pull out his wand, ready to strike. Mallory almost wants to punch Blaise in the face as his grip turns stronger, ensuring that she can't move to find her wand, adding to Harry's pain as he is cursed by the two of them.

BANG. Draco's first hex narrowly misses Harry's ear, as he begins to say the next hex, which echos across the entrance hall with another loud BANG.

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"

Professor Moody limps down the marble staircase, which causes the sound of his clunking leg to now echo across the now silent entrance hall. Everyone stares as Moody's wand faces Draco, but when Mallory looks back to the space that Draco had occupied, a small, white ferret remains.

"Wicked." Whispers Mallory at the impressive human transfiguration, as Moody begins to walk even closer, examining the scene.

"Did he get you?" Asks Moody with a growl at Harry.

"No. Missed."

"LEAVE IT!" Moody shouts as Crabbe leans down to grab onto Draco the Ferret.

"Leave - what?"

"Not you - him!" He shouts back at Harry, causing Crabbe to freeze.

"This is the best day of my life." Mallory whispers to Amara, no longer remembering her sudden anger towards Potter, but rather full of admiration for Moody and his remarkable magic. "Draco is a ferret."

"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back turned," continued Moody, who, with his wand, was causing Draco the Ferret to bounce up and down as he squeaked in pure terror. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do…"

"Never - do - that- again-" He growls out each word as Draco bounces helplessly, completely under the control of Moody, until-

"Professor Moody!" Professor McGonagall, with an armful of books, gasps as she bounds down the stairs two at a time.

"This should be interesting." Mutters Amara to Mallory, smirking as Draco the Ferret pauses in mid-air, Moody now looking at his co-worker.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall." says Moody, turning back to bouncing the ferret as if it is the most normal thing in the world to do.

"What - what are you doing?" She asks, following the bouncing ferret until the laughter of Weasley, Potter and the muggle-born Granger detract her from the scene.

"Teaching."

"Teach- Moody, is that a student?" She shrieks, whirling around and watching the Slytherins now, who are all watching with humour apart from Crabbe and Goyle. Even Blaise has a small smirk on his face. The books spill from her arms, darting closer towards the ferrets.

"Yep."

"No!" She cries, pulling out her wand and wordlessly producing a counter-curse, so that Draco re-appears. His blonde hair, usually slicked and styled (because he spends enough time working on it) is ruffled all over his pink face, and he winces as he pulls himself to his feet.

"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment!" She says quietly, aware of the students watching them. "Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"

"He might've mentioned it, yeah," says Moody, scratching his chin without a care. "But I thought a good, sharp shock-"

"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of house!"

"I'll do that, then." says Moody, staring with great disdain at Draco. Though, not much will be done by Snape when he hears who his favourite student had been trying to curse: his least favourite student.

Malfoy mutters to himself, scratching the back of his head as he begins to threaten Moody.

"My father is a governor of this school. He will be hearing about-"

"Oh yeah?" Moody limps forwards towards him, causing Draco to shrink into himself. "Well, I know your father of old, boy… you tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son… and ward." His blue eye wanders over to Mallory, who up until now hadn't felt the attention of others. But now, she even knows that Potter and Weasley stare at her. "You tell him that from me… now, your Head of house'll be Snape, will it?"

"Yes." Draco resplies, casting a look back at Mallory behind him.

"Another old friend," growls Moody. "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape… come on, you." He seizes Draco by the arm, yanking him towards the Great Hall as Crabbe and Goyle trail behind him.

"Mallory. Here." Just as Mallory thought that she had escaped without any attention directed towards her, even as Blaise continues to hold onto her forearm, Mallory grimaces at McGonagall who had addressed her.

Walking glumly away from her friends, dragging her feet in order to keep as much time away from McGonagall as possible, she stands before McGonagall. The Professor looks over her spectacles at Mallory, and though there is a warm look behind the brown eyes, her mouth is stern, annoyed.

"I didn't do anything, Professor." She says, holding up her hands in mock defeat. "I promise."

"Did I say that you did?" She asks, finally breaking out into a small, humoured smile. "I just wondered what you might have thought of that piece of human transfiguration. Though, to use it on a student," she begins to bristle at the memory, though Mallory laughs at the glorious memory of witnessing Draco transfigure into a ferret. "Is completely incomprehensible. I'm glad you, at least, were there to witness it."

"It was wicked." Mallory confirms, nodding with a smile. "Can you teach me something like that?"

"All in good time, Mallory." McGonagall presses her palm into Mallory's shoulder. "For now, shall we recommence tutoring on a Thursday evening? I'll make sure to bring in extra chocolate digestives for you."

Ever since Mallory had expressed her enthusiasm to McGonagall during a rare detention one evening, McGonagall had offered the tutoring, certain that anything Mallory could face during her OWLs would earn her an Outstanding. Even at the end of fourth year they were beginning to touch upon Transfiguration that is beyond the NEWT level. Though, McGonagall still wouldn't allow her to become an animagus.

I didn't until I was 23. You can at least wait until you've left Hogwarts to beat my record.

"Well, if there's no chocolate digestives you won't see me there!" Mallory jokes. McGonagall laughs too, even though her eyes narrow at the suggestion of her not attending. "Can we try vanishment again before we learn anything new? I hope I can make something living vanish now!"

McGonagall smiles at the suggestion, nodding warmly.
"I'll see you on Thursday, Mallory." McGongall bends down to pick up the textbooks which had been dropped in her earlier shock. Mallory scoops some into her arms, too, wanting to help her favourite Professor. "And if you're so interested in human transfiguration," adds McGonagall, who examines the spines of her books. "Perhaps this book may be of an interest to you."

Handing over a large book with a red, faded spine, Mallory can barely contain her excitement upon realising that McGonagall is handing over a textbook far beyond her comprehended knowledge of Transfiguration. To be able to transfigure a human is now something that Mallory will dream of doing.

"See you, Thursday. Professor McGonagall."

Though, even Professor McGonagall knows that her ultimate aim is to become an anigmagus herself, just like McGonagall.

"CONSTANT VIGILANCE." Moody repeats the words at least fifteen times in his opening speech to his class of OWL students. Everytime, though Mallory now expects it, she feels Amara jump beside her as his growling voice echos across the classroom. "To be able to resist the effects of the imperius curse, you must be on your guard at all times. Now, a volunteer." His eyes, magical and regular, scan the classroom but before he even looks at her, Mallory can almost predict the future. "Black. Up here."

"Remember, Black." He says, holding up his wand with a delighted smirk as Mallory slowly, with blushing cheeks, makes her way to the front of the classroom for the demonstration. "Constant vigilance. I've got a good feeling you can resist this. Imperio."

Whether she has the same good feeling or not, Mallory now feels entirely without feeling, for they all belonged to Moody. She is the puppet, able to move under his every whim. She would cough, sneeze, bark like a dog or even dance like a performer if he just tells her to.

Jump onto the table.

She braces her knees, bending and snapping upwards as, remarkably, Mallory lands onto the table without a wobble. The class whoop and cheer at the small sign of gymnastics, laughing as Moody tells her without a word to begin singing her favourite song. With gusto, she sings along to the tune of a Celestia Warbeck song, though there's no time to contemplate embarrassment as she begins to moo like a cow, then cartwheels off the table, then does an uncanny impression of Professor Snape, then Dumbledore, then Amara, all the while the class are thoroughly entertained and Mallory is thoroughly helpless.

It isn't until the spell is lifted, the haze that had covered her eyes unclears and Mallory's thoughts return. Yes, she could move her arm because she wills it, not from anybody else.

"Good try, Black." Moody says, though his eyes are filled with disappointment and it's clear to Mallory that he had misguidedly believed that she could resist.

But no, she is thoroughly helpless to the imperius curse.

And that scares her.

"Did you really have to do that snort I do when I laugh sometimes?" Amara mutters to Mallory, though there are still fresh tears in her eyes from those five minutes of entertainment.

"I can't believe I did all that." Mallory responds, watching as Moody calls up another Slytherin to practice being under the Imperius curse.

"I know. Hilarious." Amara says, while wiping tears from her eyes.

Though, her best friend has no idea that no, she is not amazed by the hilarity of it all, but how thoroughly helpless she will be if anyone ever decides to use it against her.