Chapter Seven: The Unforgivables
"Alastor Moody..." The large professor began, "...ex-Auror, and now your professor."
"Like we haven't gotten that much yet." George whispered to Lee who sat behind him and Fred. Next to him sat their blond friend who was immersed in the book that hadn't even been called upon to pull out.
"Miss Cotton, if you would please remove your book from in front of you, and pay attention to the lesson in which I am going to teach." Kellie flushed a deep crimson as she looked up, startled. The Professor had his back turned to the class and she was confused as to how he knew she was reading the book. "Mr Weasley, return facing frontwards." George tinted a light pink before facing forward once more. "Miss Corneal, no passing notes in class." He shot at a Ravenclaw girl.
Kellie glanced at Lee who gave her the same confused look. "You have all had unstable lessons in the Defense Against the Dark Arts, and the Ministry thinks I shouldn't be teaching you lot about the three unforgivables." Alastor Moody began, turning back to the class. "Does anyone know these curses by name?"
"Miss Johnson-" Angelina rose in her seat, "The torturing curse, cruciatus." She told the Professor who nodded.
He enlarged one of the spiders that was in a container, so that all in the class could see. "This is the torturing curse, and many dark wizards are most known to use this to get information out of their victims, or to cause them great suffering if they please to do so." he looked over the class, "Can anyone tell me how to use the cruciatus curse properly?" he waited a moment, "Miss Cotton, if you dare open that book again, I will give you weeks worth of the most painful detention you have ever had." Kellie closed her book once more and looked up.
"Since you seem to know what is going on, why don't you care to explain how the curse is used."
Kellie rose from her seat next to Lee, all eyes on her. "I- I believe I read somewhere that the use of the cruciatus curse is used by emotion-"
"Raw emotion." Professor Moody cut her off, "You must want to torture them inside. You cannot be weak or else the curse will be weak."
Kellie began to sit back down but Professor Moody started again, "Miss Cotton, I did not tell you that you could sit down!"
"S-sorry, sir." Kellie said, fully embarrassed now.
"Would you care to tell us another curse?"
"The imperius curse, sir?" Kellie asked.
"Correct." Professor Moody said, releasing the spider from the torturing curse and soon putting it under the mind-controlling curse, "Most of the witches and wizards that are in Azkaban right now are in because they claimed to be under the imperiuscurse and had no control over their actions. Of course, they are all lying, and have told the truth due to Veritserum."
"Mr Croft- do not pass jokes around the class unless you would like to share them with the restof the class." Kellie turned and caught out of the corner of her eye, Tommy Croft, a dark haired boy, tall for his age with dark eyes. He had grown from the geeky kid that Kellie had known with thick rimmed glasses and stripped colared shirts. Sitting next to him was his latest of girlfriend, Kristen Locke, a sixth year Hufflepuff like himself. "Would you like to tell us the third curse, Mr Croft?"
"The killing curse..." Tommy said nonchalantly, shoving his hands in his pockets as he let a smug smirk lie on his lips. "... the worst of all the unforgivables."
"That is correct, Mr Croft." Moody said turning his wand to the spider, "Avada Kedevra!" The spider fell, dead, in front of the class. Kellie let a small shiver show as she closed her eyes. Reading about the curse and seeing it were two different things. Tommy sat back down, the smug look still on his face. Kellie took the chance to sit, but Professor Moody's voice echoed to her, "Did I say you can sit, Miss Cotton? You too, Mr Croft!"
Tommy sneered and stood once more as Kellie slowly rose to her feet. "Now, if you two will come forth, in front of the class." Tommy and Kellie glanced at each other before both stepping to the front of the class. "Pull out your wands, pull them out!"
Kellie hesitantly pulled it out as Tommy did the same. "Now, I will be teaching you how to fight off the imperiuscurse this year, and I want to see where you stand so far." He looked at Tommy and then to Kellie. "Which of you is willing to preform the curse?" Neither raised their wand to offer. "Thank you for volunteering, Miss Cotton."
A lump formed in her throat as Tommy tried to hide his nerves. "Wands to the ready now." Moody said. "Everyone else, watch closely, take notes on his behaivor under the curse."
"I- I don't think I can, Professor." Kellie said, "The use of any one curse is a one way ticket to Azkaban..."
"This is for learning purposes, and you will not be sent to Azkaban." Moody asured her. "Now, focus on taking control over his mind, and Mr Croft, try and fight off her taking over you."
A whistle came from the back of the class. One that would impose something that was not related to the topic at hand. "Pro-professor, I don't think this is right." Kellie spoke against the teacher.
"You will do as I say, Miss Cotton." Moody shot at her, "You first disrespect me by reading in my class when I am trying to give a lesson, and then you decide to go against the lesson which is being taught. Five points from Gryffindor."
"W-what?! That's an unfair reason to do such." Kellie said defiantly.
"And a weeks of detention." Kellie looked at Moody like he was crazy, more crazy than what most thought he was all ready. "Preform the lesson, and the detentions may be forgiven."
Fred and George exchanged a lot of shock. Kellie was not one to go against a teachers orders. "Fine..." Kellie said barely above a whisper as she turned back to Tommy Croft. "Im-imperio..." She said pointing her wand at Tommy, but dropped it almost immediately, "Sir, I cannot... I'll take the detentions."
"Mr Croft, preform the curse on Miss Cotton then." Moody said in his husky growl of a voice as Kellie looked down at her wand on the ground.
Tommy nodded hesitantly before raising his wand to Kellie. "Imperio." He said, the curse hitting Kellie.
She felt numb, like all worry left in the world, and whatever she did would not result in any harm or any form of punishment. A voice in her head told her she was a Muggle dancer, and that she loved to dance, told her to dance right then. She wanted to dance badly, although she had never danced in her life. She danced anyways, spinning, and twirling as she danced around the room.
She forgot what she was suppose to be doing until she spotted the front of the classroom where the professor stood with Tommy Croft who's wand was brandished in front of him. She had to fight off the imperius curse. Why would she want to do that though? Nothing could make her world horrid, she was dancing. She loved to dance.
She was in the back of the classroom, dancing between the isles, a smile on her face as she twirled around. She took a Hufflepuff boys hand and pulled him to his feet, and began to dance with him. He was embarrassed and didn't dance much, but it didn't matter, she loved to dance, and she would dance enough for the both of them.
Then it all went away, and she was falling onto the ground. The Hufflepuff boy grabbed her and helped her to her feet. "What happened?" Kellie asked looking around as one hand flew to her head, her head spinning with what had just happened. "Was I dancing?"
"Quite beautifully, love." George told her after class as they headed out for a break before dinner. She was leaning against Angelina, her head still spinning from the class ten minutes ago. "Didn't know you could dance."
"Normally I wouldn't be able too." She told George as she leaned off of Angelina. "I made a fool out of myself today."
"At least he didn't have you snog someone." Lee told her, "Imagine if it was Dylan Dwight of Slytherin. I don't think three tubes of toothpaste would help you there."
"I think I'd rather die that snog a Slytherin." Kellie spat with a gag at the thought.
"Who would you rather snog then, love?" Fred asked as he wrapped an arm over her shoulders.
"That Stevie guy... The Muggle." Kellie teased as George shot Fred a look. "I merely kid." She told George before Fred shoved her towards him. "I don't think I'd be able to survive with a Muggle nowadays anyways."
"And why's that?" Lee asked, "Uncle to bad of an influence?"
"Most definitely." She said as George pulled her to him as Fred took Alicia and Angelina under his arms, an arm each over their shoulders. "Although there's no Quidditch this year, does that mean you guys still can't use the pitch?"
"I'm pretty sure we can." Fred said with a shrug, "Angelina, you're suppose to be Captain this year, right?"
"That's right." Angelina said with a nod.
"So, dear Captain, are we able to use the pitch?" Fred said with a devilish smile.
"Most definitely." She said as the six headed to the pitch for their free period.
"Go ahead and jump in as keeper, Kellie." Angelina teased tossing Kellie a broom.
"I think Lee should do that one." Kellie laughed nervously, handing off the broom to Lee.
"Aw, c'mon, Kellie. Lee's a commentator, you know that." Alicia told her, "Are you scared you might be good?"
"N-no, it's just I don't want the chance of getting knocked off a broom." Kellie shot.
"Well, then you'll be a chaser. It'll be three on three. The twins and you versus the two chasers, and Lee." Alicia said, "We'll play with no keeper."
A mere hour later, Kellie was found on the grass on the pitch, groaning about being sore from being hit with the Quaffle one to many times. "You get use to it over time." Alicia told her. "At least you didn't fall off the broom this time."
"Yeah... this time." Fred teased as he helped her onto her feet. "Dinner's all ready started, let's just go eat."
"Sounds like a good plan." Lee said with a grin as he seemed to be hungrier this year than any other.
Fred spotted Ron and Harry just as Hermione got up and left them. He took her seat, the others filling around the two. "Moody! How cool is he?"
"Beyond cool!" George said with a grin.
"I think I might drop the class." Kellie scowled as she sat down between George and Harry.
"He's super cool!" Lee said sitting on the other side of Ron.
"We had him this afternoon." Alicia explained.
"Why is it that Kellie, who normally adores any teacher, hates the class, and the twins, who adore mischief, and not teachers or school, seem to love Moody?" Ron and Harry put together.
"It's so stupid, the way he teaches." Kellie sighed as she grabbed some casserole.
"What was it like?" Harry asked, looking to the two eager Weasley's around him.
"Never had a lesson like it." Fred told them.
"He knows, man," said Lee excitedly.
"Knows, what?" Ron asked leaning to Lee for a better explanation.
"Knows what it's like to be out there doing it," George commented, grabbing Ron's attention.
"Doing what?" asked Harry.
"Fighting the Dark Arts," Fred replied.
"He's seen it all,"
"And that's why he's mad! Making students do such a thing in class!" Kellie shot at George and Fred who kept going on as if Moody was a great person. "I'm going to the common room. I have homework to finish."
"Hermione's in the library if you want to go there." Ron offered.
"I'm fine, thanks." Kellie shot before leaving the table.
"To bad we don't have Moody till Thursday, Harry." Ron sighed disappointed.
"What happened with Kellie?" Harry asked the twins, knowing that they would spill the gossip.
"Just wait till you have the class, and then ask Kellie about it." Fred said as he piled food onto his plate, "She can tell you all about it."
A loud scream echoed through the common room that evening after dinner as Fred and George jumped over the couch, startling Kellie out of it, nearly losing her book to the fireplace. She hit them both respectfully before sitting back down, "How many times do I have to remind you not to do that?!"
"At least once more." Fred said with a grin.
"Until it sinks in," said George, matching Fred's grin.
"Why are you two grinning?" Kellie said suspiciously. "What did you do?"
"Nothing love." Fred said as he looked up at George. "It's what your going to do."
"What am I going to be doing?" Kellie asked suspiciously.
"You're going to help us find a way to make a sufficient aging potion," said Fred most proudly.
"Ah- no."
"And why not?" George pressed curiously as he received a glare from Kellie.
"The judge will have your birth record. He'll be able to know if you've turned seventeen or not."
She shot down their hopes and went back to the book and parchment she was working on, "Now let me be. I have a Potions essay I have to complete."
"Snape didn't give us an essay," George told her.
"I know, but I all ready know he'll be making us do on Veritserum next week." Fred and George exchanged a look while Kellie continued to talk. "And I'll be busy next week with-" Fred had pulled her parchment out from under her quill.
"Some essay this is." Fred smirked delighted, "Writing love notes are we?"
"No!" Kellie shot snatching the paper back. "He's just wondering if we've found out about the Triwizard Tournament yet. I'm working on my Potions essay too."
"Tell Charlie that we say hello,and to stop writing love notes to you." Fred told her as he stood from the couch.
"It's not a love note." Kellie protested. "It's not my fault that I actually take the time to return letters to friends."
"Ah- you see, friends. Charlie's our brother, family- blood- not a friend." Fred pointed out with a smug smirk. "I reply to friends all the time."
"You mean Angelina when you say that, right?" Kellie poked fun at Fred who rolled his eyes and walked away, George jumping over the couch with him.
The next couple of days came uneventful, other than Kellie hearing from Ron and Harry about how May-eye Moody transfigured Draco Malfoy into a small white ferret, which got him the nickname in the Gryffindor Common room, "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret."
Kellie entered after dinner for a couple minutes with Lee Jordan and looked over to the twins who sat in the corner of the table working on the aging potion. She sighed and Lee let out a small chuckle. "What are you lot doing?" Kellie asked spotting Ron and Harry working on their Divination work. "Divination homework?"
"Yep." The two nodded, proud of their lying predictions.
"Did you get a put-in about having an encounter with The Grim, Harry?" Kellie teased, knowing about all of Professor Trelawney predictions of Harry and The Grim.
"Are you taking Divination's this year, Kellie?" Ron asked her.
"Nope," Kellie laughed, "I kicked the habit."
"To bad, you could probably help us loads," miffed Ron as he flipped the pages in his book. "What do you suppose the sound of this; on September twenty-ninth I will be drowning in the Black Lake?"
"Eh, not the best idea." Kellie shrugged, "Let me see your hand, and I can give you a prediction of sorts."
"Oh yeah?" Ron laughed as Kellie took Harry's hand in hers. "What do you see?"
"Dear boy!" Kellie said dramatically, as if she was Professor Trelawney, "I see something dark... terribly dark in your future! Pain, suffering, and hardship lies ahead, my boy, be warned to keep your friends close, before you lose them... They will turn against you soon, and you will be left in a twisted state, a horrid state." Ron and Harry were both laughing at this, "BEWARE! I see... THE GRIM in your hand!"
She could no longer speak clearly as she was laughing to hard with the two boys. "That was great, Kellie!" Ron laughed, "You sound just like her."
"Oh, do I?" Kellie mocked with a smile. "I think I might dress up as her this year for Halloween, what do you think?"
"You can pull it off." Lee said hearing the conversation as he came back from Fred and Georges' table, "Are you ready to go?"
"Where are you two heading off too?" Ron asked curious.
"I still have detention with Moody until tomorrow. Then I'll be freed for now." She rolled her eyes, "Lee just has prefect duty he must attend too."
"You have a detention and Fred and George don't?" Ron said shocked.
"Yeah..." Kellie rolled her eyes, "but that's what I get for not wanting to preform an unforgivable." she mumbled as she walked away, Ron and Harry not catching the reason.
She glanced over to the twins as Fred crossed something out dramatically rough on the parchment as George glanced up as Lee and Kellie left. Kellie gave him a small smile which he returned before she disappeared from his view.
"More detentions?" Fred said shocked as Kellie had slammed her books down on Freds' trunk in the boys dormitory. "When are you going to just give in to it all and just do whatever he asks?"
"I am not going to break the rules just for a stupid school subject." Kellie hissed as she crossed her arms, "Who does he thinkhe is?! I don't bloody care he was an Auror, he has no right to be forcing students to do unforgivables, and now, for detentions he has me doing defensive spells against him. It's cutting into my experimental time."
"Calm down, love." Fred said pulling Kellie onto his bed, "It gets you more practice than us."
"But why me?" I asked as I kicked off my shoes and crossed my legs, "Denise Weston from Ravenclaw wouldn't preform the curse either, and she didn't get detentions!"
"Maybe Moody's in love with you." Fred teased getting a hard hit in his shoulder from Kellie.
"Don't be mental," She gagged as she flopped back onto his bed. "How's the brew coming along?"
"Peachy," George told her with a smile, "Well, that's what it smells like."
"Does not, it smells like a rose garden!" Fred protested, "With a small hint of lemon."
"What potion is it now?" George asked, sending a glare to Fred.
"A love potion." Kellie explained, "I figured if I could make some form of a stronger love potion, you guys could sell it for your business."
"How do you know it'll work?" George asked, quite curious, "Are you going to test it on someone?"
"Well, to know exactly how long it last and how well it works, I'd have to try it on myself." She explained, "I'm a little nervous on how it'll come out..."
"Why do you say that?" Fred asked.
"I added a bit of frogs leg, which you wouldn't normally add, but it's suppose to add a lasting effect, and stronger scent," Kellie explained, "The downside of it is that it can also turn it into a poison that could be fatal...."
"Try it on an animal of sorts!" George said, "What if you die from it."
"Live and learn." She shrugged as both twins gave her a hard look, "Or die and have someone else learn."
"Run this by me again, love, why are you doing much more work this year? N.E.W.T.'s aren't until next year," Fred reminded.
"Because if I fall behind now, I won't be able to catch up next year!" She insisted, "I need to find something to please Moody... Something to make sure I don't fall behind... Or get any more detentions."
"Just do the spells." Fred said dismissively.
"I don't want too," Kellie sighed.
The next Monday, she found herself standing in the front of the class, Moody standing opposite of her. "Instead of having students doing it to other students, I will now be your opponent." He gruffed out, "Miss Cotton, try and defend or dodge my spells while trying to pull me under the imperius curse."
"R-right." She nodded gripping her wand tightly.
"Are you ready?"
"I- I think-" Kellie dodged behind the chalkboard as a spell was shot at her. "I didn't say I was ready!"
"Dark Wizards won't wait until you're ready, Miss Cotton!" Moody shot at her and she scowled, "Now fight back and defend!"
"Protego!" She yelled blocking a curse, but a second curse was shot at her and she was blown off her feet and over one of the tables between two Slytherins. She let out a couple profanities as she pulled herself back to her feet. Another spell was shot at her and she dropped to the ground. "Is there any surrendering here?"
"Not unless you want to be killed by a Dark Wizard, Miss Cotton!" Moody roared as Kellie crawled from behind the tables back towards the side wall.
"Fine..." Kellie said standing back up and raising her wand up. She flicked it as she deflected a spell, "Imperio."
She cursed to herself as all worry left her mind. She could hear Moody's voice, What should I make you do? Dance? no no- You've done that all ready... What about spill your darkest secrets? Ones made up of course...
Why would Kellie want to spill her secrets, even if they weren't her secrets? It didn't make sense.
Climb the wall, climb to the ceiling, Moody's voice came again.
Kellie could feel herself going towards the wall to climb it, to climb to the ceiling. This is stupid, she thought as she tightened her grip on her wand, stupid, stupid, stupid... She could feel a pain as she had began to hit her head against the wall before feeling the curse be lifted and she fell backwards after one last hit against the wall.
"Ma'am Pomfrey says you'll be out of the Hospital Wing in by dinner," George told her as he and Fred stood on either side of the hosiptal wing bed that Kellie was occupying.
"What happened?" Kellie asked as her head began to pound more than before.
"You were fighting off the curse," said Fred simply, "drink more up, it'll get you out of here faster."
Kellie sat up and grabbed the cup next to her, smelling it first. She scrunched up her nose, the smell retched. She told herself she had to do it, she had to drink it, so she plugged her nose before downing the cup in one gulp. "Disgusting!"
"Most are if they're to heal you," teased George as he watched her gag, a laugh held on his lips.
"I plan on coming up with something to change the taste of medicines... They have that in the Muggle world, you know that?"
"Nope, didn't know at all," the twins both chimed.
"Cherry's the most common, but grape is out there too," Kellie told them as she sat up. Ma'am Pomfrey came over and checked her over before letting her leave the Hospital Wing with the twins.
Outside the Great Hall was a large crowd which prevented them from entering. "What's it say?" Lee's voice came to the three.
TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT
The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock on Friday the 30th of October. Lessons will end half an hour early. Students will return their bags and books to their dormitories and assemble in front of the castle to greet our guest before the Welcoming Feast.
The twins voice echoed in unison, "Sweet."
"We have Charms on Friday," Kellie sighed, "I personally like that class."
"Well, looks like charms is ending early that day," Fred said with a small laugh, "let's go inside. I'm starved."
"What's with the head wrapping, Cotton? Trying to set a new style?" Kellie looked over to see Abby Qantas, a sixth year Slytherin, and one girl that had grown to have a problem with Kellie since they met their first year, was sneering their way.
"Not trying, I'm pretty sure it's working, Qantas," Kellie said with a bright smile, "Hasn't you Muggle loving sister told you about it?"
"Don't talk about that sister." Abby Qantas sneered, pulling her wand out from her robes.
"Would you prefer I mention the squib sister of yours? Sad isn't it? Having to live to the expectations that neither of your sisters could meet," Kellie's eyes narrowed on Abby Qantas as Fred attempted to pull her away. "I feel sorry for you..."
"I won't be feeling sorry for you spending another week in the hospital wing-"
"Miss Qantas! Miss Cotton!" The two jumped as Professor Moody limped over to the two groups. Kellie groaned something that sounded much like, why me? but Moody apparently had not heard it. "If you two are going to go and duel something out so easily, do it for house points, not for the mere loss of points."
Abby and Kellie matched glares before Kellie turned and away, her eyes catching Angelina and Alicia from the table. Moody broke though, "Come tonight to settle this dispute. The winner will get house points added for a good win."
"Professor..." Kellie said, not looking at either Abby or the Professor that stood near them. "I will not be showing up."
Moody gruffed something inaudibly before limping away, "then no dueling in the Great Hall."
"I didn't think Gryffindor was full of cowards," Abby sneered once Moody was out of ear shot. "or is it a Mudbloodthing to do?" Before either twin could even react, Abby Qantas was letting out an ear retching scream as her hands flew to her nose as she had fallen backwards. A string of curse words soon following as her friends pulled their wands out.
"Do you honestly want to mess with us?" George sneered as he, and Fred had both pulled their wands out. The two comrades lowered their wands, sneers following as they helped Abby up to her feet and rushed out of the Great Hall.
"Bunch of gits, Slytherin has," Fred shot as the three took seats away from the rest of the table.
As soon as they had sat, their head of house had appeared almost instantly, her arms crossed as Kellie paled at the sight of her. "Pro-professor..."
"Miss Cotton, please come with me to my officer."
"I can explain, Professor." Kellie said as she stood and left with her head of house. Fred and George looked after their friend a little curious as Harry, Ron and Hermione all entered and sat down minutes later. The twins were talking in hushed voices, as to not let anyone else hear their plans. "It's a bummer all right," said George gloomily to Fred, "But if he won't talk to us in person, we'll send him letters non-stop. Or we'll stuff it into his hands, he can't avoid us forever."
"Who's avoiding you?" Ron asked as Hermione asked, "Where's Kellie?"
"Wish you would," Fred relied, looking irritated at the interruption.
"Punched Quantus in the face and is in McGonagall's office right now." George explained to Hermione who nodded and questioned it further.
"What's a bummer?" Ron asked George, dismissing Fred's comment, and butting through Hermione's conversation with George.
"Having a nosy git like you for a brother," George replied with a half glare.
Here's chapter seven! YAY! I got three chapters out all ready this weekend! TOMORROW I turn 18! YAY So excited! =) Well any reviews? Haven't gotten any in a while. =/