A/N: Thought I added lines between scenes a few chapters ago, but it appears when uploading and posting removes them, sorry for the confusion between scenes and all, gonna try something different in this one. Also, typing with a bandaged hand because my stupid self burned the three fingertip areas pretty bad when pulling a pan out of the oven, so bear with me.
James Castle
Chapter 18: Unforgivables
"James, you need to get up, it's time for class," Hermione shook the boy awake. "Get up," she continued as he rolled over facing away from her.
"Dun wanna, still hurt," he groaned into his pillow. He had been locked up in Hermione's room ever since he got back from Knockturn Saturday after the Quiddich game, Hermione was playing the idea that he got hurt a lot more than he let on in the Quiddich match, but that he refused to go to the hospital wing. They had got Tonks and the others to back Hermione up, so there were very little questions asked.
"You have to James, otherwise Dumbledore is going to have me take you to the hospital wing," Hermione sighed before pulling the blankets off the bed. "C'mon, go take your shower, then I'll rewrap your bandages," Hermione frowned as James limped over to the shower and closed the door behind him. She was laying out the bandages, potions, and salves she needed when she heard the water turn off and the door open back up.
"Where are my clothes?" he asked as he sat down on the bed, only wearing the fluffy pink towel from Hermione's bathroom.
"Sirius went to grab you a fresh set, now drink your potions and quit squirming," she scolded as she wrapped his black and blue torso, applying the healing salve from the Auror kit on the many cuts and gashes he had sustained. "You're not going out there alone again," she carefully wrapped the area where he had removed the shrapnel mid fight. "No arguing," she hit him in the arm before he could open his mouth. She worked quietly, finishing wrapping his arms as someone knocked at the door. "It's open Sirius," she waved her wand at the door.
"Hey there pup," Sirius frowned as he came in, carrying a small bag of clothes. "How's he doing?" he asked Hermione as the two of them turned, allowing James to get dressed.
"I'm right here," James frowned as he pulled his pants on.
"And you'd probably lie, so I'm asking her," Sirius chuckled.
"He really needs a couple more days, the cuts will keep opening up if he moves too much," Hermione frowned. "He's still weak from the Cruciatus exposure and we can't really hide that, if a medi-witch gets a hold of him, they'll know in a minute," Hermione's eyes watered as she explained.
"I'll take it easy Hermione, trust me," James grunted as he tried to finish dressing. "I still think I should take my guns with me," he frowned as Hermione helped him finish dressing.
James nearly fell when he got to his seat in the repaired Potions classroom. "Figures, they get the damn thing fixed now," James gripped his side, wishing they were still teaching the class in the Great Hall instead of down in the dungeons. "Damn stairs," he frowned and quickly scourgified a spot of blood on his shirt before downing a pair of potions.
"You don't look too good James," Ernie commented as he sat next to his partner. "Why don't you just go see Madam Pomfrey, she'll fix up whatever you hurt in Quiddich in a flash," Ernie pointed out.
"Hmm, who would I rather have treating me, an old woman, or my eighteen year old girlfriend?" James winced as he laughed. "It's not that bad," he shrugged as Snape entered the classroom.
"Now that we are back in a proper classroom, we can brew our potions safely again," Snape began to lecture and ordered the students to begin brewing. James smirked and chuckled a bit as Snape was watching all the students intently, not willing to risk damaging his lab again. "Something you find amusing Castle?" Snape glared at the boy before inspecting his cauldron.
"No sir, Professor Snape," James said carefully.
"Adequate," Snape snarled before rushing over to Draco's cauldron that was emitting a green smoke. "Stupid child!" Snape screamed at him before vanishing the contents of the cauldron.
James grunted as he left his table with Ernie as the class had mercifully ended, glad Snape had taken to completely ignoring him following his threats and the little conversation with Dumbledore. He stopped to rest against the wall after getting out, as his vision blurred. "James, you really need to go to Madam Pomfrey if you're hurting that bad," Ernie told him and caught him as he nearly fell down.
"I'll be fine, just need Hermione," James reached into his robes, pulling out a pair of potions. He coughed violently before managing to uncork the first and drink it, following it quickly with the second.
"James, how many potions have you been taking?" Ernie questioned him. James ignored him and straightened up, feeling much better, the pepper-up and pain relief potions doing the trick. "Must be some Quiddich injury," Ernie frowned as James shook him off.
"You have no idea," James grunted and started walking up to the Great Hall for lunch.
"James, are you sure about this?" Hermione asked as she and James entered the DADA classroom.
"Positive, Shack told us he knows, no idea why he hasn't told Dumbledore yet," James grunted as he took his seat next to Luna, with Hermione on the other side. "How are you doing Luna?" he greeted the seer.
"I am doing well James," Luna smiled as she read her copy of the Quibbler detailing the attack on Knockturn Alley. The Ministry had played it off as the Punisher attacking the three businesses and getting caught in a firefight between the Aurors and Death Eaters, naturally painting the Punisher as a villain and the surviving Auror as a hero. "You look quite tired," she eyed him smiling.
"You know how it is, Hermione keeping me up all weekend," James laughed as Hermione hit him lightly.
"Don't think I won't hit you, no matter how hurt you are," she frowned at him.
"Good afternoon class," Moody said loudly as he stomped into the room. "Today we are going to cover the Unforgivables," Moody grunted and went over brief explanations of what the three of them did. "I'm sure you all know about them and what they do, but that is not what we are going to focus on today," Moody grabbed a piece of parchment from his desk. "Today we are going to learn how to defend against them," he smiled as he pocketed the parchment. "How would you defend yourself from the Imperius curse, Miss Granger?" he looked at Hermione.
"You can fight it off if your mind is strong enough, usually meaning a wizard or witch must be fairly well versed in Occulmancy or have an exceptionally strong magical core," Hermione recited.
"Correct, five points for Gryffindor," Moody nodded. "Miss Lovegood, how would you defend yourself from the Cruciatus curse? And leave out the parts about the creatures in your father's newspaper, please," Moody commented making most of the class chuckle.
"The curse causes all the body's nerve endings to open in pain for as long as the caster can keep his concentration," Luna replied. "The only defense is to wait until the spell is lifted," Luna finished before mumbling something about a kind of fly that was said to help defend against the curse.
"Correct, you either wait until the caster lifts the curse, or fight through the pain," Moody nodded. "Mr. Castle, how about the Killing Curse?" Moody noted Hermione shooting him an evil look.
"Don't get hit, or be me," James glared at the man.
"Very good, we can't go testing you lot on how to defend yourselves from the last one, but we can teach you to defend yourselves from the first two," Moody pulled the paper from his pocket. "This is a Ministry form allowing me to use the Unforgivables on you with your permission, all I need is a signature," he slammed the paper on his desk. "So who wants to learn to defend themselves?" Moody glanced over the room.
No one moved the majority of the students terrified of their professor when he wasn't asking them to let him cast Unforgivables on them. Hermione paled when she watched Moody's eyes sweeping the room before focusing on James. "No," she whispered, grabbing his hand tightly.
"What? You're all afraid, I didn't expect any of you to be strong enough to fight them off, I was hoping I would be surprised though," Moody glared at the boy.
"James, no!" Hermione said loudly as he got to his feet, trying to pull him back down to his seat.
"It's okay Hermione," he forced her to release him, smiling weakly. "I'll give it a go Professor Moody," James walked up and signed the parchment. Hermione glared at him, shaking in her seat until Luna moved over and gave her a hug.
"Don't worry Hermione, he'll be fine," Luna comforted the crying Hermione.
"We'll start with the Imperio, unless you want to back out boy," Moody growled pulling his wand.
"Just make it quick," James clenched his fists, preparing for the attack.
"Imperio!" Moody shouted, casting the spell on James. James stood still as the light washed over him and his eyes lost focus. "Jump up and down boy," Moody commanded. James stood completely still, not reacting to the command. "I said jump up and down boy!" Moody yelled, focusing all of attention on James.
"Let's see how you like it," James' head snapped up locking eyes with Moody. "Imperio!" he shouted back at the teacher. Moody stood deathly still like James had earlier, both men pointing their wands at each other. James finally started coughing violently and lowered his hand to grip his ribs.
"Not bad there Castle, shook mine off and managed to do one of your own," Moody grinned at the boy. "One moment while I alter the form here so you don't get in trouble from the Ministry," the man laughed as James paused to catch his breath. "There, you ready for the next one?" Moody asked as James took a moment to rest his hands on his knees.
"How hard are you going to do it?" he grunted and pushed past Moody so he could be in the open.
"Just hard enough so that Pomfrey has to give you Cruciatus recovery potions, since you obviously need them," Moody whispered under his breath to the boy. "Come to my office once you are well enough to talk in a couple days," he smiled at the boy. "Ready boy?" Moody grunted, acting like the tough old Auror again.
"Yeah, make it quick," James smiled at Hermione as he felt the curse hit him and dropped to the floor in pain immediately.
"James!" she screamed, pushing Luna away and running to her boyfriend who was being helped to sit by Moody. "Stay away from him," she glared at Moody, pulling her own wand on the old man.
"Best not be pulling that if you don't plan to use it girl," Moody glared at her as they helped James to his feet. "Go take him to the hospital wing, tell Madam Pomfrey what I used on him so she can give him the right potions," he ordered Hermione as James shivered in their arms. "Lovegood, help them," he motioned at the blonde girl. "The rest of you lot, I want two feet of parchment on how to avoid and fight the Unforgivables by the end of class, get to work!" he stomped at the remaining students, getting their attention.
A/N: Okay, think I have the rest of the story planned. I believe there will be 4 more chapters in this story, then I will begin work on the Cap. and Iron Man X-overs. Sometimes I want to write longer and more in depth chapters and all for this story, but overall I'm happy in the way this and the other stories will be, quick reads, good action, good story, fluff where appropriate, and not taking more time to read than the actual books they are based on. Anyway, back to work writing, I might have the story finished this weekend, but will stagger the final chapters over next week.