Trapped

Chapter 7

"Unforgivable curses!" shouted Professor Moody. I flinched at the sudden yelling. Moody had been on our arses all week after the incident with Potter and wouldn't leave us alone. I found myself dreading Defense Against the Dark Arts, even though it was my best class.

Before each class with Moody we would all wait outside in the corridor until the last minute in our best efforts to avoid him, but lately he's been yelling at us for showing up so late.

"Is he allowed to teach us dark magic?" I whispered to Draco as Moody explained curses to the class. He shrugged and I turned back to Moody. 

"You know something I hate more than unforgivable curses?" said Moody, facing the board. "People talking over my lesson, Miss Rhowen!" he shouted again. I continued to look at him with a blank expression. "Care to share with the class?" he said slyly, turning around to face me. That stupid fake eye rolled around in his head.

"Yes, actually," I said, showing no sign of intimidating like he intended. I could see a slight shock in his facial expression as I spoke. "You aren't allowed to teach us dark magic until sixth year. We're fourth years," I said.

Moody only looked at me

He seemed like he was trying to find the words. "Yes, you are . . . technically . . .  correct, but Professor Dumbledore reckons you can cope. And I say, the sooner you know what you're up against the better. How our you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? Defend yourself from . . . people?"

"I would hope we won't need to defend ourselves from dark magic anytime soon--"

"Yes, you would wouldn't you?" he said quickly. It caught me off guard as he struck out. "But you already know all these curses, don't you? So I reckon we should even the playing field? How about, you share your favorite curse with the class, Miss Rhowen."

I didn't say a word. I just held eye contact as he looked at me with his real eye, his fake eye rolling around. 

Professor Moody spoke again, finally breaking eye contact, "It seems as though Miss Rhowen is a bit shy, how about someone helps her out? Who can name one of the unforgivable curses for me?"

Ron Weasley raised his hand, and explained the Imperious curse. Moody continued to perform the spell on a spider, throwing the bug around at students and hitting it against windows until he finally put the spider down. Then he asked for a second curse, putting that stupid fake eye on me.

Neville Longbottom raised his hand for the Cruciatus curse. Of course, Moody performed the torture curse on the spider and explained the horror behind that spell. Then, both eyes landed on me.

"Now, Miss Rhowen, I've given you time to think. How about you tell us about the last unforgivable curse – the worst one in the books."

I breathed in and out and looked at Draco. He gave me a look and I turned my attention back to Moody. I knew there was no getting out of this, so, I confidently said, "The killing curse."

"And, Miss Rhowen, what is the incantation for this . . . killing curse?"

"Avada Kadavra."

"Very good, Rhowen. AVADA KEDAVRA!" yelled Moody as the new spider dropped dead in front of the class. Every muscle in my body tightened, every thought gone. I could only stare at him as he shot me a grin before explaining the curse. Almost everyone was focused on Potter in the front row, but that eye . . .

He avoided all the Slytherins the rest of the lesson, only paying attention to the Gryffindors as we tested out the Imperius curse. I could tell it made a lot of people uncomfortable, and while some people were excited to learn dark magic, most of the people in the room couldn't wait for the lesson to end, myself included.