Towers - Fred Weasley

24

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EBONY DIDN'T LOOK FORWARD TO THE DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS CLASS but she had no choice but to go. So, she stands next to George and Lee while waiting for an explanation. They were told not to bother to sit down and so they didn't.

"Still don't like our professor?" George asks, raising his brow at her. Ebony shakes her head. Especially after what Sirius had written in his letter. She had no desire to be here at all. 

"I want to see which one of you can successfully fight the Imperius Curse." Moody says, holding his wand tightly. "I will use the spell on all of you and you must fight against it." Ebony finds this the stupidest idea ever yet she wasn't going to say anything. 

Moody begins to beckon students forwards in turn and put the Imperius Curse upon them. Ebony watches in disgust as, one by one, her classmates did the most extraordinary things under its influence. Angelina Johnson hopped three times around the room, singing the national anthem. Lee imitated a squirrel. George 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 the curse off, and each of them recovered only when Moody had removed it.

"Black." Moody growls, "you next."

Ebony rolls her eyes and walks forward until she is standing in the middle of the classroom which is cleared from any desks. Moody raises his wand, points it at her, and says, "Imperio."

It is the most wonderful feeling. Ebony feels a floating sensation as every thought and worry in her head is suddenly wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. She stands there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of everyone watching her.

And then she hears Mad-Eye Moody's voice, echoing in some distant chamber of her empty brain: Roll over the floor . . . roll over the floor.

Ebony prepares herself to lay down onto the floor.

Roll over the floor ...

Why, though?

Another voice has awoken in the back of her brain. Stupid thing to do, really, says the voice.

Roll over the floor ...

Her consciousness is slowly slipping back to her. 

No, I don't see a reason to do so, says her own voice, a little more firmly ... 

Roll over the floor . . .

No

Roll! NOW!

I said NO!

She opens her eyes and glares at her professor who looks angry and impressed at the same time. Ebony is well aware of all the stares she is getting but decides to ignore them. Moody clears his throat.

"Now, that's more like it!" He growls. "Look at that, you lot ... Black fought! She fought it, and she damn well beat it! We'll try that again, Black, and the rest of you, pay attention – watch her eyes, that's where you see it – very good, Black, very good indeed! They'll have trouble controlling you!" He almost sounded happy.

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EBONY STUMBLES OUT OF THE DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS CLASSROOM. Lee, Fred and George are right behind her, asking her a million questions at the same time.