XVIII. Judgmental

Daphne found Muggle Studies very, very odd. She had never wanted to take it (why should she care about muggles at all?) so she couldn't quite force herself to understand the fact that she was sitting in the Muggle Studies classroom. She also couldn't bring herself to understand the fact that the woman teaching them was a Death Eater, that Professor Snape was the headmaster, that the Dark Lord was back or that half her classmates were missing, possibly dead.

Slytherin hadn't changed much. Tracey Davis was the only one from their year who'd fled back to the muggles when they realised that war was upon them. Millicent Bulstrode was the only other half-blood, and her behaviour hadn't changed at all; it would have been impossible for the hag-like girl to become any quieter than she already was.

Professor Carrow was ranting about the uncleanness of muggles again. Daphne privately wondered whether the Death Eater thought that they were all stupid; this was the third time they had done this exact same lesson. Theodore Nott appeared to have grown bored of Carrow's ranting as well, as he had an Arithmancy textbook on his table and was filling out impossibly complicated diagrams. Daphne wondered what Carrow would have done to him by now if he weren't a Slytherin.

"Muggles are not human!" Carrow shrieked across the room, her voice like nails scraping down a blackboard. Daphne couldn't help but flinch. "They are disgusting animals who sometimes, unfortunately, trick witches and wizards into breeding with them. Their filthy blood is more dangerous than amortentia."

"Judgmental, much?"

Daphne wasn't surprised to find that it was Seamus Finnigan who'd spoken. The sandy-haired Gryffindor had always been rather loud and stupid (Gryffindors generally were) so he would have been the first one to speak, wouldn't he?

"No, Finnigan. Not judgmental." Carrow spat out the word as though it were a particularly venomous curse, leaving Daphne in no doubt as to what she was going to do next time the Gryffindor spoke out. "Truthful. The fact that you think otherwise is proof that your filthy muggle blood has addled your brain."

"Not as much as inbreeding's addled yours, Professor."

The next thing they knew, he was screaming.

Most of Daphne despaired for the Gryffindor's outspokenness (he'd be dead before Christmas at this rate), but there was still a small part of her that couldn't help admire him for his bravery – and his freedom to be brave.