In August, the news broke that Scrimgeour was no longer minister of magic. Oma took that as a sign that the ministry fell to death eaters and was no longer willing to follow the ministry's laws. She had Ari practice his shield charm some more, convinced that he wasn't doing it fast enough to keep death eaters' spells from hitting him. Next, she began working on apparition.
"It's illegal to apparate without a license," Tatti reminded them.
"It's also illegal to kill people," Oma said, "And I don't trust the new minister enough to let Ari take the apparition test at the ministry. Death eaters are taking over, mark my words."
"You don't know that," Tatti said, "Scrimgeour decided to retire. After all, it's hard to be a minister during a war. Who's to say that Thicknesse isn't better?"
"If he's as thick as his name, I wouldn't trust him as far as I can throw him," Oma said.
It took many tries, but soon Ari was apparating from room to room in his house. Oma was a drill sergeant; Ari had to land exactly where she said, or he had to do it again. She taught him extension charms, although Ari didn't understand how that would help in a battle. At this point, he felt as if his tongue had permanent holes from being bitten so often.
Ari learned how to do a talking patronus. He still didn't see why it was necessary and his teeth once again found their familiar grooves in his tongue, as Oma made him practice repeatedly.
Expulso soon became Ari's next favorite curse. Of course, he could only explode walls that didn't connect to the outside of the house. As much fun as it was, Ari still couldn't see himself ever using it on a person.
It was nice to be able to paralyze his grandmother, although Ari knew he had to lift the curse every time he did it on her, or she would make him work extra. She also had him practice memory charms, but he didn't try it on real people for obvious reasons. Ari learned a tongue tying curse that also seemed useless. He learned the spell for revealing any people on a property.
Ari begged for a break from training. Tatti finally convinced Oma that Ari should really spend his mornings learning gemara and do his training in the afternoon. Oma reluctantly agreed.
"You don't even know that the ministry fell," Tatti challenged when Oma tried arguing.
"They want Harry Potter to question him for Dumbledore's death," Oma retorted. "That's enough proof that the ministry is controlled by death eaters. The whole muggle-born registry is proof that death eaters are in charge."
"Maybe we should take Ari out of school," Tatti said. "He could go back to yeshiva this year."
"Attendance is now compulsory," Oma reminded him.
"So let's move to America," Tatti tried again.
"Ari's a prefect," Oma reminded him. "It's his job to protect the younger students. He won't be able to do that from America. It's a good thing we can trace our ancestry to the time of Shaul Hamelech. Nobody will doubt that Ari is anything but magical. "
"What's going to happen to muggle-borns?" Ari asked fearfully.
"I'm sure it won't be too pleasant," Oma said. "You do your part and protect the school. You can't save everyone. I learned that the hard way."
Ari ordered his school books using owls instead of going to Diagon Alley. He tried convincing his family that it's worth going in order to see the Weasley's store, but they didn't agree. On September 1st, Ari found himself on the Hogwarts Express sitting with the other prefects.
After the prefects' meeting, Ari found Michael and Terry and told them how he spent his summer. They were torn between respect for his grandmother and questioning her sanity. When dementors came on the train, they all used their patronus charms to get rid of them. Ari was relieved when the train finally reached the platform.
Ari's relief vanished during the feast. Snape introduced himself as the new headmaster and gave a speech that sounded as if it supported the death eater beliefs. There were two new teachers, both Professor Carrow, who didn't look like people Ari wanted to mess with.
The first day of class, Ari was surprised to see Muggle Studies on his timetable.
"I don't need Muggle Studies," he told Flitwick, hoping to correct the mistake. "I was muggle raised."
"Muggle Studies and Dark Arts are now mandatory for everyone," Flitwick said. "Otherwise, nobody would choose to take a class with two under qualified professors."
Ari's first class was Muggle Studies.
"It's not possible for two muggles to produce a magical child," Professor Carrow began her lecture.
Ari raised his hand.
"Is there a question, Mr. Goldstein?" Carrow asked suspiciously.
"Is magic a dominant or recessive gene?" Ari asked.
"What are you talking about?" the angry professor asked.
"Well, for example, brown hair is dominant and blond hair is recessive," Ari explained. "Two brown haired parents could only have a blond haired child if both of them have a recessive blond gene. Two blond haired parents can only have blond haired children. If one parent has brown hair and one has blond, it depends if the brown haired parent has two brown genes or one brown and one blond. Either all the kids will be brunettes, or they could have brown or blond haired children. I want to know how it works with magic."
"Where did you hear that nonsense?" Professor Carrow asked.
"Muggle primary school," Ari said cheerfully. "I'm so happy to be learning science here too. That's why I want to know if the magic gene is dominant or recessive."
"Forget the muggle nonsense," Carrow ordered. "If you bring up anything you ever learned in muggle school again, that would mean detention. Do you understand?"
"Does that mean I can't read or write?" Ari asked. "I learned how to do both in muggle school."
"Congratulations," Professor Carrow said. "You have just earned the first detention of the year."
"But I asked a serious question!" Ari protested. "I learned to read and write in muggle primary school. Am I allowed to read and write for this class?"
"Of course," Professor Carrow said. "Now shut your mouth and pay attention."
Ari fumed quietly the rest of class.
Ari was disappointed that he had Dark Arts in the afternoon.
"I hear one of our students already has a detention," Professor Carrow said gleefully. "Come here, Mr. Goldstein. Let me show you what happens to people who get detention in this school."
Ari reluctantly made his way to the front of the classroom.
"Does anyone know any good curses to try on our friend?" Professor Carrow asked, not even trying to hide his joy.
Ari quickly realized that all four houses were together for this class. A few Slytherins raised their hands eagerly. Ari looked pleadingly at Michael and Terry. Terry reluctantly raised his hand. When called on, he came to the front of the room, pointed his wand at Ari, and said, "Stupefy!"
Ari lost consciousness, blissfully unaware of all the other curses and hexes he will soon have to face. He remained oblivious as Slytherins tried a variety of hexes.
"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Carrow said, "I believe you know a curse that is perfect for punishment."
Draco hesitantly went up to the front of the class and said, "Crucio!"
Ari woke up from the pain. He felt his muscles twitching involuntarily and managed not to scream out. He quickly realized that Malfoy was not putting his strength into this curse, as Oma described it as unbearable pain, and Ari was able to bear it.
"Ten points to Slytherin," Professor Carrow said, clapping his hands. "Does anybody else want to try it?"
When Crabbe and Goyle each took their turn, earning Slytherin another ten points each, it was obvious they were trying. This time, Ari couldn't help screaming as he flew in the air and twitched horribly.
"Class dismissed," Professor Carrow finally said.
Ari lay on the floor as most of the class filed out. A few Slytherins managed to kick him or step on him as they exited. Finally, just Ari, Michael, Terry, and Neville were left.
"We'll take you to the hospital wing," Michael told him.
"You have class," Ari said. "McGonagall will give you detention if you're late."
"I don't take Transfiguration," Neville said. "I could take you to the hospital wing."
"Are you sure you can manage yourself?" Terry asked. "Anthony here is a big solid boy."
"Let's ask McGonagall if we could take him and then go to class," Michael suggested.
They levitated Ari and brought him to the Transfiguration classroom.
"Professor," Terry said breathlessly, "Can we take Anthony to the hospital wing and come a few minutes late to class?"
"What happened?" McGonagall asked suspiciously.
"Dark Arts class," Terry answered.
"And why was Mr. Goldstein the unfortunate victim?" McGonagall asked.
"He asked questions that were above our idiot professor's head," Terry said.
"And when told not to do that, he played dumb and acted smart," Michael continued.
"Five points to Ravenclaw," McGonagall said suddenly. "In the future though, it's better that you don't mess with either Professor Carrow. They both have nasty tempers."
Professor McGonagall conjured a stretcher and instructed the three boys to take Ari to the hospital wing. She said that Neville could wait with him, but the other two should come back immediately.
"What do we have here?" Madam Pomfrey asked.
"Dark Arts class," Terry said as if that explained everything.
Terry and Michael left while Neville sat with Ari. Madam Pompfrey cancelled all the hexes currently in place and offered Ari a pain potion to help with the aftereffects of the cruciatus curse.
"I don't need a pain potion," Ari said, remembering that not all the ingredients are kosher.
"You don't need to be tough," Neville said.
"Actually, I do," Ari said. "You never met my grandmother."
"Oh, you have one of those too?" Neville asked sympathetically.
"I think most people have two sets of grandparents," Ari commented, "although my father's mother is a tough cookie. She saved many people during World War II and she expects me to follow her footsteps."
"My parents were aurors during the last war," Neville confided, "And my grandmother always tells me I will never live up to them."
"My grandmother was training me all summer," Ari told Neville.
"My grandmother doesn't do training," Neville said, "She just tells me how I'm not as brave as my father was."
"Well, now is our chance to prove her wrong," Ari said cheerfully. "Are we doing the DA this year?"
"I think we need to," Neville said. "I'll discuss it with Ginny and Luna. Keep your coin with you just in case."
When Madam Pomfrey let Ari go, the two parted ways, thinking about how they will fulfill their grandmother's expectations.