"Longbottom!"

I nearly fell out of my seat. Alecto Carrow strode heavily up to my desk. She slapped me across the face. Pain blossomed where she had struck my cheek.

"Detention, Longbottom."

"What?" I squeaked.

"DETENTION!"

She whipped out her wand, but thought better of it. Alecto continued, with forced calm.

"It is a known fact that you are friends with, not only the blood-traitor Weasleys," she stopped for breath, "but also the Mudblood Granger." She spoke the word with ferocious distaste.

"Don't you dare use that word!" cried Parvati Patil from the back of the room.

This led to a massive uproar. Everyone was shouting at Alecto, and even Lavender Brown, who was known for rather disliking Hermione, was on her feet, shouting insults at the pudding of a woman who called herself a teacher.

"Enough! Enough!" bellowed Alecto. "ENOUGH! Crucio!" She pointed her wand at Seamus Finnigan, who fell to the floor, screaming.

"No!" shouted Lavender. She pulled out her own wand. "Expelliarmus!"

Alecto's wand went spinning off to the side and Seamus got up, still whimpering. Alecto snarled and turned on Lavender, who had ran to Seamus and was now trying to comfort him, but before she could do anything, the bell rang. Class was over. The entire Muggle Studies class stampeded out the door, me with them.

I sat at lunch with my friends talking animatedly. We had been at Hogwarts for four days now. I had just come from Herbology, which had cheered me up quite a bit and was dreading Defense Against the Dark Arts or, as my friend now called it, Dark Arts.

"It's horrible." Lavender said, shivering.

"The whole point of the class... it's so disgusting." Seamus grumbled.

I gulped.

"Oh wonderful, that's my next class." I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm, and let me tell you, I am not a very sarcastic person. The bell rang and I got up. The walk to the DADA classroom took what seemed to be ages. I slid in just before the bell and took a seat.

"Order!" Amycus called, he was a unkempt man with a rough voice. The class immediately fell silent. "Today we will be praticing the Cruciatus Cruse." He said, a hideous grin on his face. There were several gasps in the crowd.

"These people," he said indicating the three third years stand in a corner, "have been accused of misdeeds and resistance against the new regime. It's your job- -no, privilege to punish them." Amycus said. I hated him already, and hate is such a strong word, but I can use it here.

"Who wants to go first?" He asked scanning the room before focusing on me.

"Longbottom, is it? Of course, you look so much like your mother, but your father too. I remember them, they fought well but not well enough, eh Longbottom?" he said. I clenched my teeth, there were murmurs of confusion.

"Now, you try. Let's see you can have Burke." he said grabbing the smallest boy and pushing him roughly towards me, fear showing in the boys eyes.

"No." I said calmly. A few gaped at me.

"No? No, you little blood traitor? Ok then, I'll demonstrate on you. CRUCIO!"

I fell on the floor, shouting. My parent's faces swam before my eyes, once young and full now dead and hollow. Pain spread through my body.

"Now," Amycus said as I got to my feet slowly, "IMPERIO!" The spell hit me squarely in the chest.

"JUMP!" Amycus roared. I felt myself jump.

"The Cruciatus Curse! Now!" I felt my wand fly up. It was pointed at the frightened little boy's chest.

"NO!" I yelled. I shot the cruse but it missed.

"Detention!" Amycus screamed. "How dare you defy the Dark Lord and his orders? OUT! Now! All you blood traitor scum and half blood freaks! OUT!" he bellowed. I got out of there as quick as I could and ran down the hall.

"Omp." I said as I collided with someone. "Sorry." I said and help them to their feet.

"It's OK, are you all right?" she asked her dreamy voice reaching my ears.

"Luna!" I exclaimed.