Chapter Eleven: Crucio

It was a week after he moved in and Harry sat in class reading a book when Tom brought Ron into the classroom, "Good morning class," Tom said sitting at the desk, "As many of you know Mr. Weasley here refused to follow the rules and harmed another student, well I decided instead of killing him I'd let you all practice some of the spells we've been learning on him."

Hermione gasped and bit her lip they had been taught nothing but Dark spells, ones that were meant for torture and she could see the color leaving some students faces. Yet when she looked to Harry to see what his plan was she saw his eyes were focused and calculating, just when she expected him to jump up and defend Ron he simply closed his book and sat back in his chair.

"Let's have a volunteer," Tom said, when no one raised their hands he saw Harry elbow Dean who murmured something and then realized that Harry had something going on and smirked, "Potter."

Glancing up Harry blinked before saying, "What?" he had his coffee in his hands now.

"Please demonstrate one of the curses we learned in class on or subject," Tom said wondering what the teen was going to do, if Harry did it the rebellion was likely to call him evil and if he did not then Tom would have to make an example of him and Tom did not want to do that.

Sipping his coffee Harry set the cup aside and frowned when he realized the cup was empty, "But I've never tried them, I could miss him completely."

"Then try a spell you know first and follow the magic line down to him," Tom said crossing his arms he would not let Harry back out of the task set before him, he had to know the teen could harm others, 'Well?"

"Hmm," Harry got something whispered in his ear by Dean and turned to whisper it back, suddenly Dean was whispering to Padma who was a gossip monger and she spread it quickly around the room. Standing up Harry tilted his head looking unsure for a minute before saying something under his breath and aiming directly at Ron who began to laugh before biting his lip and closing his eyes, "Crucio," and Ron screamed, holding the spell and staring at Ron now Harry looked shocked and actually held a very powerful Crucio for about five minutes before Dean took his wand away which broke the spell.

"Harry?" Dean said looking concerned, getting his friend to sit down he summoned him coffee and gave it to him.

After class Tom approached Harry who was still sitting, "Care to explain what that was in class?" he asked crossing his arms again.

"Hmm," Harry looked up at him before chuckling, "Dean spread a rumor that I was going to do as you asked simply because I could tell Ron had been tortured already and that if I didn't do as was asked then the rebellion would most likely be witness to my death at dinner."

"And the shock? The hesitations?" Tom asked feeling a bit better now that he knew what the whispers had been about.

"Oh an act, I wanted to see how long I could hold a Crucio up for, and the best way to do that was to act shock that it actually worked and completely freeze," Harry said before lifting his coffee up and breathing in the scent before drinking it down, "So when I act out of sorts at dinner don't mind it, I have to act like I could never do that again."

"You will," Tom said before chuckling, "At dinner I'm going to insist you show how to perform the spell on him again so the students can see it."

"I'll resist," Harry said before tilting his head, "Feel like using it on me a few times until I cave?" getting a nod he grinned, "See you at dinner," and he got up and walked from the room before turning at the door way and seeing Ron's bloodied form he rolled his eyes, "He's staining your floor with his blood," and left the room.

At dinner Harry looked shaken up and Hermione was trying to calm him down even though he kept pushing her hands away, Tom stood up halfway through dinner, "Today all of you practiced torture, and I must say only a few hold true talent…and only one student had enough power to do a successful Crucio."

"Uh oh," Harry said shifting down in his seat some.

"Harry Potter come up here," Tom said, when Harry slowly stood and walked up he summoned Ron and said, "Demonstrate the spell on him again."

"I…" Harry took a step away from Ron, "I can't do that again-"

"Crucio!" Tom hit Harry with the spell and the teen hit the ground in pain, stopping he asked, "Will you do it now?" getting a shake of the head he chuckled in a dark way, "Have it your way, Crucio!" and he held it longer this time.

"Just do it!" Hermione screamed at Harry when the spell ended, "Please!"

"Shut up," Harry said getting to his knees he shook his head, until a green light struck the ground beside him recognition froze him for a minute before he nodded, "Okay," standing up he turned his wand on Ron, and for a minute did nothing, "Crucio!" and watched as the teen shook and convulsed in front of him, dropping the spell he stepped back.

"Again," Tom said, he made Harry repeat it until the students were dead silent and the only noise was Ron screaming, "Good, you may sit down now."

The students all had a new respect for Harry he had denied them what they wanted and only gave in when he had no other choice, that night Seamus was rubbing Harry's shoulders which were bruising from him hitting the ground from the curses, "Good grief you did some serious damage."

"I'm fine," Harry said rolling his eyes, when Lucius and Tom saw Seamus trying to work out the kinks they chuckled, "Seam knock it off!"

"Fine but when you knot up tomorrow I'm not helping you out," Seamus said sitting back.

"I want to knot up," Harry said shaking his head, "The more pain I'm in the better, they can't g around thinking I was healed after that, it has to fade on its own or they will know something is up," he was flipping through a report on the rebellion while drinking a cup of coffee.

"You did good," Tom said moving he lay a hand to the teen's back, it was soothing to have the body heat on the aching muscles but would not take the pain away, "What you got there?"

"The rebellions ideas, most this crap wouldn't fool a third year Hufflepuff let alone you guys," Harry said with a sigh before relaxing back into Tom's touch. He did not catch Lucius's jealous glare, nor did he see Tom's satisfied smirk.