Updated: September 27th, 2017

Chapter 11: Unforgivable

The next morning the storm had blown over. The ceiling in the Great Hall was still dark and gloomy but not as bad as it had been last night. At breakfast Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I examined our schedules. Like my entire fellow fourth years I had to take the core classes; Potions, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Astronomy, and Charms. My electives were Art, Care of Magical Creatures, and Music. To top that off we'd be getting a heavier work load to prepare for our O.W.L.s next year. Yippee…

On that Monday we had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins, and I had double Art with all the fourth year Houses. In Herbology we had to collect pus from Bubotubers. Absolutely revolting. After that, we traveled down to Hagrid's hut for our next class. We worked with shell-less lobster looking things called Blast-Ended Skrewts. Of course the Slytherins were little shits – especially Draco – all period long. Lunchtime came around and I was happy to fill myself with lamb chops and potatoes. Hermione surprised us by shoveling food in her mouth at the speed of light.

"I just –" she gulped down bits of lamb. "I just want to get to the library."

"What," Ron asked incredulously. "It's the first day back! We haven't even got homework yet!"

Hermione shrugged and continued to inhale her food as though she hadn't eaten in days. Suddenly, Hermione jumped to her feet and dashed out the Hall doors at a dangerous speed. When the bell tolled to signal the start of afternoon lessons, I left my two friends and headed for the Art tower. The professor was a thin woman with a nose un-proportional to her face. Seriously, it could give Snape's a run for its money. She was draped in maroon chiffons that were way too big for her body and her hair looked stringy and uncared for. Professor Mlynowski was like the female version of Snape. She was just nicer and louder.

"Welcome to Muggle Art, fourth years," her sweet voice boomed. "Please put away your things. Today we are going to free draw and then analyze your creations! How exciting!"

The next few days passed just as any other would. The only thing different was that John Haring had stopped bugging me! YES! SCORE! HUZZAH! Oh, and also, every time I saw Fred, he'd smile at me. Sure he's been doing that since I met him…but it was different this time. It was like…he wanted to say something but just smiled instead. It was really messing with my head.

Neville had already melted his sixth cauldron in Potions. I was his partner and even I didn't know how he managed to do that. I tried to help him fix it, but Neville must have put in a wrong ingredient. Professor Snape probably reached the Boss Level of meanness over the summer holiday. He gave both Neville and me detentions. Can you believe that!? Neville almost collapsed in nervousness when Snape said we were going to disembowel horned toads. I scowled at the Potions Master as I used the Scouring Charm to remove frog guts from my hair. I believed I was right in guessing that Snape's foul mood was because he didn't get the Defense job. It was obvious he hated our previous Defense teachers but for some reason, Snape didn't show his hatred around Moody. I bet it was because of the magical eye.

Thursday was our first class with said Professor. The classroom we were so used to when Remus taught us was completely different. It felt darker and full of mystery (but not the good kind). Harry, Ron, and Hermione shared a row while I sat between Neville and Jo. My three friends were sitting across from us and a row back. I took out my copy of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection and waited. The room was so quiet; one could've heard a pin drop.

Moody's distinctive clunking steps were soon heard coming down the corridor. When he entered the room, our new Professor looked just as strange and scary as he did the first time I saw him. He hobbled as quickly as he could to the chalkboard at the front of the classroom. He grumbled as he picked up the chalk, writing his name messily.

"Alastor Moody," he gruffly introduced himself. "Ex-Auror. Ministry malcontent and your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye, the end! Now, when it comes to the Dark Arts, I believe in the practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many Unforgivable Curses are there?"

The class remained silent for a few seconds. We were a little shocked at what he asked. Hermione, however, looked around and without raising her hand she said, "Three, sir."

"And they are so named?"

"Because they are unforgivable. The use of them will –"

"Earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban. Now, the Ministry says you're too young to see what these curses do. I say not," Moody turned around to face the windowsill. "You need to know what you're up against, you need to be prepared, you need to find somewhere else to put your chewing gum other than the underside of your desk Mr. Finnigan!"

Everyone turned to stare at Seamus who had frozen, a piece of used gum in his hand. "No way, the old codger can see out of the back of his head!"

Moody spun around, throwing the chalk at Seamus's head, "And hear across classrooms!" He's batshit crazy. "So which shall we see first? WEASLEY," Moody barked.

"Yes…" Ron squeaked, his face going pale.

"Give us a curse," our crazy professor urged my ginger friend.

"Well…my dad did tell me about one…the Imperious Curse."

"Ah, yes. Your father would know all about that. Gave the Ministry grief quite a few years ago. Perhaps, this will show you why."

Moody thumped over to his desk, which had various jars on it. I craned my neck to see him gently lift the lid off of a jar with something black moving around inside it. He cooed as he held it in his hand lovingly. I looked at Ron as Moody turned around, a big spider in his hand. Ron recoiled in his seat. He hated spiders. Moody took out his wand, pointing it at the spider.

"Engorgio," the spider suddenly enlarged. My eyes widened as flashes of Aragog's children danced before my eyes. "Imperio!

The spider leapt from Moody's hand and danced around the classroom like a trapeze artist. Its legs stretched out menacingly. Noticing how unsettled we were, Moody told us the spider was harmless. Unfortunately, he also joked about how lethal the spider's bite was. Draco began laughing and Moody sent the spider hurdling towards his face.

Everyone laughed except for Crabbe and Goyle, who were swatting at the spider, trying to get it off Draco's face. Moody chuckled too, "Talented isn't she? What shall I have her do next? Jump out the window? Drown herself?"

Moody flung the spider at the window, making me wince. It was when he had it dangling above a bucket of water when I turned away in disgust. It wasn't funny anymore. No one was laughing and the class went silent.

"Scores of witches and wizards claim that they only did You-Know-Who's bidding under the Imperious Curse. But here's the rub: how do we sort out the liars? Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act and who was acting on their own free will. The Imperious Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how. It takes strength. Avoid it when you can because not everyone can fight it. CONSTANT VIGILANCE," he barked. I jumped. Suddenly, his demeanor changed from serious back to playful. "Another curse. Come on, come on, class. Longbottom. Up."

Neville's eyes widened. He looked at me and I gave him a weak smile of encouragement. Moody told Neville that Professor Sprout told him that Neville was talented in Herbology. To everyone's surprise Neville's voice pierced the silence, "There's the – the Cruciatus Curse…"

"Correct! Correct! Yes, yes…particularly nasty. The torture curse," Moody placed the spider in front of Neville. "Crucio!"

Suddenly, the spider's legs bent at horrible angles. It rolled over and twitched horribly, rocking back and forth. Where others couldn't hear the scream…Neville, Jo, and I could. High pitched and pleading. Moody's face had a darkened as he stared at the spider. The arachnid shuddered and jerked more and more violently. Tears welled up in my eyes, I wanted to look away but I felt as though I couldn't. My fingernails, clutching the edge of my chair, beginning to sink into the hard wood. If I were to look next to me, Neville's facial expression was horrified and his knuckles were white in his lap.

"STOP IT," a voice cried out. "Can't you see it's bothering them!? Stop it!"

Moody finally stopped the torture. The spider's legs fell to the table, unmoving. It was still alive, but only just. Without any regard for me or Neville or even Jo who was now whimpering, Moody lifted the spider, carrying it away. I stared at the blackboard as Moody asked Hermione for the last curse. The voices mixed together as I stared at the blackboard, not really seeing. My heart was beating a mile a minute as I tried to compose myself.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the flash of blinding green light and hear the rushing sound. Several of the students, male and female alike, gasped in horror. The bell rang. I gathered my things and ran at top speed out of the room. I had to get out of that classroom. As I pushed passed the crowds of students on the staircases I felt the hot tears rolling down my face. When I got to the common room, I locked myself in the dorm, not letting anybody in. I did not talk to anyone else that day. I did not do my homework and I certainly did not go to dinner.