Chapter 8: Unforgivable Curses

September 5, 2001 – Wednesday

Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom

Moody took out a register, his grizzled gray hair cascading down, obscuring part of his twisted and scarred face, giving him an air of rugged mystery. As he began to call out names, his normal eye moved steadily down the list, while his magical eye swiveled around, fixing upon each student with an intensity that sent shivers down their spines.

"Right then," he said, his gravelly voice cutting through the tense silence, "Professor Summers and I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures—you've covered boggarts, Red Caps, hinkypunks, grindylows, Kappas, and werewolves, is that right?"

There was a general murmur of assent from the students, their faces reflecting various degrees of trepidation, except for Dawn, who felt a mix of curiosity and apprehension since she hadn't attended Hogwarts before.

"But you're behind - very behind - on dealing with curses," said Moody, his words carrying the weight of years of experience battling the darkest of wizards. His magical eye seemed to bore into the very souls of his students. "So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other."

A brave voice from the back of the class spoke up, a hint of skepticism in her tone. "No offense Professor, but why should we believe the Vampire Slayer is anything but a myth? All the books say there is no such person."

Buffy, with a look of determination in her eyes, turned her gaze to Moody, who, in his gruff way, gave her a subtle nod of approval. She took a deep breath, her voice tinged with the weight of her destiny as she revealed her secret to the stunned class. "Because I am the Slayer," she declared, her words resonating with a mix of power and vulnerability. "That's how I got this job. Now, that's all for another lesson. Today's lesson belongs to Professor Moody."

Professor Moody nodded, acknowledging Buffy's revelation with a mixture of respect and curiosity. His long mane of gray hair seemed to bristle with anticipation as he continued. "Thank you, Professor Summers. Now I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark -"

Ron couldn't contain his curiosity and blurted out, his voice carrying a hint of concern, "What, aren't you staying?"

Moody's magical eye spun around to fixate on Ron, his expression inscrutable. Ron felt a surge of apprehension, but after a tense moment, Moody's grizzled face twisted into a smile, accentuating his scars in a bizarre way. Ron visibly relaxed.

"You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh?" Moody said, his voice gruff but with a touch of warmth. "Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago.…Yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favor to Dumbledore.…One year, and then back to my quiet retirement." He gave a harsh, raspy laugh. "So - straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms."

Moody's tone turned serious as he continued, addressing the Ministry's regulations. "Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you countercurses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful."

Moody's magical eye suddenly caught Lavender and Parvati off guard. Lavender had been showing Parvati her completed horoscope under the desk, thinking she was being discreet. "You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I'm talking," he instructed. Lavender jumped, her face turning crimson. Apparently, Moody's magical eye could see through solid wood, as well as out of the back of his head.

Buffy listened intently, her eyes darting between Moody and Dawn. She had read about the Unforgivable Curses over the summer, as had Dawn, and she was eager to see what they could do.

Moody's grizzled features twisted into a half-smile as he surveyed the classroom, his magical eye still locked onto Lavender, who had hastily put away her horoscope.

"So… do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?" Moody asked, his voice carrying the weight of experience.

Several hands in the classroom rose tentatively into the air, including Ron's and Hermione's, displaying their eagerness to participate in the discussion. Buffy exchanged a glance with Dawn, silently conveying her intention. Dawn nodded, understanding the unspoken message, and slowly raised her hand.

Moody pointed at Ron, though his magical eye remained trained on Lavender, who was now the epitome of attentiveness. "Er," Ron began hesitantly, "my dad told me about one… Is it called the Imperius Curse, or something?"

Moody's gruff voice acknowledged Ron's response with approval. "Ah, yes," he said, his tone brimming with knowledge. "Your father would know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse."

Moody's gnarled frame rose heavily to his mismatched feet, the creaking of his boots adding to the eerie atmosphere of the classroom. He reached into the desk drawer, his scarred hand emerging clutching a glass jar containing three large black spiders, their ominous presence sending shivers down the students' spines.

With deliberate precision, Moody plucked one of the spiders from the jar, holding it firmly in his grasp. He pointed his wand at it, his gravelly voice uttering the incantation, "Imperio!"

The effect was immediate and astonishing. The spider, now under the spell's control, leaped from Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk, swinging back and forth as though on a trapeze. Its legs extended rigidly, and then it executed an agile backflip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk. To the students' astonishment, it began to cartwheel in perfect circles. Moody, with a flick of his wand, compelled the spider to rise onto two of its hind legs, and it commenced an intricate tap dance, its tiny movements oddly mesmerizing.

The classroom erupted with laughter as the spider's antics played out, with even Buffy finding herself unable to suppress a chuckle at the absurdity of it all. But Moody's stern demeanor remained unbroken, and he growled with a deep intensity, "Think it's funny, do you?" His one good eye swept over the students, his gaze unyielding. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?"

The laughter that had filled the room died away almost instantly, replaced by a sobering realization of the gravity of the curses they were about to study.

"Total control," Moody uttered quietly as the spider balled itself up and began to roll over and over. The classroom fell into a hushed stillness as Moody continued, his voice carrying the weight of a dark history. "I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats… Years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius Curse. Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act, and who was acting of their own free will."

Buffy nodded, her expression serious as she absorbed this grim knowledge. "Professor, can it be fought?"

Professor Moody, recognizing the gravity of Buffy's question, turned to her and nodded, appreciating her thirst for understanding. "The Imperius Curse can be fought," he replied, his gaze shifting back to the class, "and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"

Moody's shout served as a stark reminder of the dangers they were about to face, and the urgency of their training. He then picked up the somersaulting spider and returned it to the jar. "Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?"

Dawn and Hermione's hands shot into the air again, showing their eagerness to contribute and so did Neville's. The attention of Moody's magical eye zeroed in on Neville.

"Yes?" said Moody, his voice sharp and demanding, as his magical eye bore into Neville, urging him to speak up.

"There's one - the Cruciatus Curse," Neville spoke up in a small but distinct voice, his nerves palpable in the quiet classroom.

Moody fixed Neville with an intense gaze, both of his eyes now focused on the young wizard. "Your name's Longbottom?" he inquired, his magical eye swooping down to check the register again.

Neville nodded nervously, his anxiety evident, but Moody asked no further questions. Instead, he turned back to address the class as a whole, reaching into the jar to retrieve the next spider. Placing it on the desktop, the spider remained motionless, seemingly too terrified to move.

"The Cruciatus Curse," Moody explained, "needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea." He pointed his wand at the spider and incanted, "Engorgio!"

The spider swelled, growing larger than a tarantula. Ron, unable to conceal his discomfort any longer, hastily pushed his chair backward, putting as much distance as possible between himself and Moody's desk.

Moody raised his wand once more, pointing it at the spider, and muttered, "Crucio!"

Instantly, the spider's legs bent in upon its body, and it rolled over, beginning to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. Moody's wand remained steady, and the spider's convulsions grew more violent by the moment, a grotesque display of agony unfolding before the wide-eyed students.

Dawn's sharp eyes caught Neville's unsettling reaction, and she immediately understood his distress. She exchanged a quick glance with Hermione, and they both couldn't contain their concern. In unison, they shouted, "Stop it!" Their voices were filled with urgency as they stared at Neville, who was clearly disturbed by the demonstration.

Moody responded to their pleas by raising his wand, causing the spider's legs to relax. The twitching continued, though, even after the Cruciatus Curse had been lifted.

"Reducio," Moody muttered, and the spider obediently shrank back to its proper size. He placed it back into the jar, the room now filled with a heavy silence.

Buffy, sensing Neville's unease, took charge and moved to his side. "Come with me, Mr. Longbottom," she said gently, guiding him out of the classroom and into the office she shared with Moody, closing the door behind them to muffle the sounds from the classroom. She could see the distress etched across his face, and it tugged at her heart.

"Are you okay, Neville?" Buffy asked, her voice soft and comforting as she gestured for him to take a seat. She knew that witnessing the Cruciatus Curse was unsettling for anyone, especially someone as kind-hearted as Neville.

Neville hesitated for a moment, his gaze fixed on the floor, before finally looking up at Buffy with tear-filled eyes. "I just... I couldn't help but think about my parents," he admitted, his voice trembling. "They were... they were tortured with that curse, you know? It's why they... they're not the same anymore."

Buffy's eyes filled with empathy as she listened to Neville's words. She took a seat beside him, her expression gentle and understanding. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Neville," she said softly, her hand resting reassuringly on his shoulder. "Can you tell me more about what happened?"

Neville took a deep, shaky breath before sharing his painful story. "It happened when I was just a baby. There was this Death Eater, Bellatrix Lestrange, and she used the Cruciatus Curse on my parents. They didn't physically die, but... but they lost everything that made them who they were. They were sent to St. Mungo's, and now they just... they're just not the same anymore."

Buffy's heart ached for Neville and his family. She could only imagine the pain and sorrow they had endured. "I can't even begin to imagine how hard that must be for you," she said, her voice filled with compassion. "But I want you to know that you're not alone, Neville. We're here to support you, and we'll get through this together."

Neville managed a small, grateful smile through his tears. It was the first time he had opened up about his parents to someone outside of his closest friends, and he felt a sense of relief in sharing his burden with Buffy.

"Thank you, Professor," he whispered, his voice filled with gratitude. "I appreciate it more than you know."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Back in the classroom, Moody's voice broke the silence, still carrying the weight of the lesson. "Pain," he said softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse… That one was very popular once too. Right… anyone know any others?"

Hermione and Dawn, their hands still raised, exchanged a quick glance. Dawn nodded, indicating that Hermione could answer this time. Hermione, her voice barely above a whisper, said, "Avada Kedavra."

The mention of the Unforgivable Curse sent shivers through the room. Several students, including Ron, couldn't help but look uneasily at Hermione and Dawn, their expressions filled with a mix of curiosity and unease, as they dared to utter the name of one of the darkest curses in existence.

As the discussion in the classroom continued, Professor Moody's focus shifted to the final, and undoubtedly the darkest, curse of them all – the Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra. The tension in the room rose as Moody reached into the glass jar, his fingers closing around the last spider, which, sensing danger, scuttled frantically around the bottom of the jar in a desperate bid to escape.

With a steady grip, Moody captured the spider and placed it onto the wooden desktop. It began to scuttle frantically, as if sensing the impending doom that hung in the air. The students watched in anxious anticipation, their hearts racing.

Moody raised his wand, his voice resonating with a powerful intensity as he roared, "Avada Kedavra!"

A blinding green light erupted from his wand, accompanied by a rushing sound, as if an invisible force had torn through the air. In an instant, the spider lay motionless on its back, unmarked but undeniably dead.

Dawn's gaze remained fixed on the lifeless spider, her thoughts drifting to the terrifying possibilities of the dark arts. She couldn't help but hope beyond hope that she would never have to face Glory or any other formidable adversary and have that curse used on her.

Moody swept the dead spider off the desk, his demeanor unchanging. "Not nice," he said calmly. "Not pleasant. And there's no countercurse. There's no blocking it. Only one known person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me."

The entire classroom turned to look at Harry, including Dawn. It was a sobering reminder that their world was filled with dangers beyond their imagination, and Harry was living proof of the unforgiving nature of the Killing Curse.

Professor Moody's words echoed through the classroom, leaving a palpable sense of unease in their wake. The revelation of the Unforgivable Curses had cast a heavy shadow over the lesson, reminding the students of the darkness that lurked in their world. Moody's emphasis on constant vigilance resonated deeply, and the whole class jumped once more as he roared the phrase.

"Now… those three curses - Avada Kedavra, Imperius, and Cruciatus - are known as the Unforgivable Curses," Moody explained, his voice stern and unwavering. "The use of any one of them on a fellow human being is enough to earn a life sentence in Azkaban. That's what you're up against. That's what I've got to teach you to fight. You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practice constant, never-ceasing vigilance. Get out your quills… copy this down…"

The rest of the lesson was spent in solemn note-taking, each student grappling with the gravity of what they were learning.

As the class concluded, Dawn passed Neville as she entered the office. She couldn't contain her fear, her voice trembling as she whispered, "Buffy, I'm scared."

Hermione entered the office right behind Dawn, her inquisitive nature getting the better of her. She looked between her sisters, wondering what had prompted Dawn's sudden rush into the office. "What's going on?" she asked, concern etched across her features.

Buffy held up her hand, signaling to Hermione that she would handle the situation. She turned her attention back to Dawn, her voice filled with reassurance. "Why are you scared, Dawn? You can talk to us about anything."

Dawn's anxiety was palpable as she explained her fears to Buffy and Hermione, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "I'm scared because of those curses Professor Moody showed us. With the Imperius, I could literally be forced to open the portal. With the Cruciatus, I could be tortured until I agreed to open the portal. And Avada Kedavra, well, it is the killing curse. What's to say I might not be killed once Glory or whoever had what they wanted?"

Buffy let out a sigh, her protective instincts kicking into high gear. "Dawn, neither Hermione nor I will let anything happen to you," she assured her sister, her voice filled with determination.

Hermione nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with sincerity. "Buffy is right, Dawnie. I just found my twin sister this summer, and I so don't want to lose you. I'd rather die than lose you."

Buffy's gaze met Hermione's, and she saw the depth of love and commitment in her sister's eyes. "So would I, Dawn," she added, reaffirming their bond.

Dawn's smile grew as Buffy and Hermione pulled her into a warm group hug. "Thanks, guys," she said, feeling the reassurance of their presence.

Buffy proposed a plan to lighten the mood. "How about we have dinner in my rooms tonight, just the three of us?"

Dawn and Hermione readily agreed, their spirits lifted by the idea of spending quality time together. They began to make their way towards Buffy's suite, a sense of unity and sisterhood stronger than ever.

As the three sisters made their way to Buffy's suite, a feeling of togetherness and comfort settled over them. The concerns of the classroom and the weight of their responsibilities began to fade, replaced by the simple joy of being together.

Once inside Buffy's room, they settled in, the warm ambiance of their surroundings providing a sense of security. Dawn couldn't help but smile, feeling truly grateful for the family she had in Buffy and Hermione.

Buffy had the house elves prepare a cozy dinner with all of their favorite dishes. The room was bathed in soft candlelight, creating a serene atmosphere. The sisters sat around the table, sharing stories, laughter, and the occasional inside joke.

As the evening wore on, their bond grew even stronger, reinforcing the unbreakable connection they had forged over the summer. They were not just sisters by blood; they were a family, bound by love, loyalty, and the shared determination to protect each other from whatever challenges lay ahead.

The night passed with the trio reveling in each other's company, finding solace in the presence of those who understood them like no one else. They knew that, no matter what the future held, they would face it together, as a united front, because that's what sisters were for.