𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐝 {𝐇. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫}

56

Professor Moody had announced that he would be putting the Imperius Curse on each of them in turn, to demonstrate its power and to see whether they could resist its effects.

"But - but you said it's illegal, Professor," said Hermione uncertainly as Moody cleared away the desks with a sweep of his wand, leaving a large clear space in the middle of the room. "You said - to use it against another human was -"

"Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like," said Moody, his magical eye swiveling onto Hermione and fixing her with an eerie, unblinking stare. "If you'd rather learn the hard way - when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely - fine by me. You're excused. Off you go."

He pointed one gnarled finger toward the door. Hermione went very pink and muttered something about not meaning that she wanted to leave.

Moody began to beckon students forward in turn and put the Imperius Curse upon them. Johnny watched as, one by one, his classmates did the most extraordinary things under its influence. Dean hopped three times around the room, singing the national anthem. Lavender imitated a squirrel. Neville performed a series of quite astonishing gymnastics he would certainly not have been capable of in his normal state. Not one of them seemed to be able to fight off the curse, and each of them recovered only when Moody had removed it.

"Grindelwald," Moody growled, "you next, I'm right in saying you can speak multiple languages, yes?"

"Yes sir," Johnny said. "Spanish, French, Italian, Bulgarian, English, Welsh, German and Russian."

Moody looked impressed.

"Well that won't matter in this case," the Professor said. "Imperio!"

It was the most wonderful feeling. Johnny felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in his head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. He stood there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of everyone watching him.

And then he heard Mad-Eye Moody's voice, echoing in some distant chamber of his empty brain: "Tell us your darkest secrets... your darkest secrets..."

Johnny's mouth opened obediently, preparing to talk.

"Tell us your darkest secrets..."

"Why, though?" Another voice had awoken in the back of his brain. "Stupid thing to do, really," said the voice.

"Tell us your darkest secrets ..."

"No, I don't think I will," said the other voice, a little more firmly...

"Talk! NOW!"

The next thing Johnny felt was considerable pain. He had both talked and tried to prevent himself from talking - the result was that he'd smashed his head into the desk and, by the feeling in his nose, broken it.

"Now, that's more like it!" growled Moody's voice, and suddenly, Johnny felt the empty, echoing feeling in his head disappear. He remembered exactly what was happening, and the pain in his nose seemed to double.

"Look at that, you lot... Grindelwald fought! He fought it, and he damn near beat it! We'll try that again, Grindelwald, and the rest of you, pay attention - watch his eyes, that's where you see it - very good, Grindelwald, very good indeed! They'll have trouble controlling you!"

"Can you fix my nose first?"

"The way he talks," Harry muttered as he hobbled out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class an hour later, "you'd think we were all going to be attacked any second."