The Other Potter

Beauxbatons & Durmstrang

Ezra had eventually calmed down, but he kept muttering to himself throughout the week every time he saw Moody in the Great Hall. It was a little unsettling to see his friend like this, but he did his best to be there if the other decided he needed to talk. By their next Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson though, Ezra seemed to have sorted himself out.

Moody was stood at the front of the class, tables pushed aside to make more room. It reminded Elijah of the Boggart class Lupin had hosted last year.. He hoped it wasn't another Boggart class.

"Class," Moody called out, getting everyone attention, "Today we will practicing our restraint against the Imperius Curse."

"What the actual fuck?" Ezra muttered under his breath.

"But sir, didn't you say it was illegal to use the spells on other humans?" Felix asked.

The rest of the class broke out into nervous chatter.

"Enough." Moody called out loudly. "Dumbledore wants you all to know what it feels like to be under the curse, however, if any of you would rather find out the hard way - when someone's putting it on you to control you completely - fine by me. You can show yourselves out. Off you go."

Elijah looked to his friends wondering if any of them would make movement towards the door. None of them did. No student did. Ezra did look to the door for a long moment as if considering it before giving an exhausted sigh and staying put.

Moody began working his way down the register, beckoning students forwards in turn and putting them under the Imperius Curse. Elijah watched as both the twins fought the curse before giving in Jay started doing press-ups and Alix did cartwheels around the class, Felix hopped around the classroom three times, and Ezra put up a hell of a fight but ended up doing a hundred jumping jacks. Once the curse took a hold they didn't seem to be able to shake it off. Not until Moody removed it himself. By the time Elijah's name was called no one had managed to fight the curse completely though they all seemed to try their best.

"Pott- Lupin-Black," Moody growled, "you next."

Elijah let out a heavy sigh before moving to the middle of the room, staring at Moody as the Professor lifted his wand to him, and said, 'Imperio!'

It felt oddly like sinking into cold water, everything above the surface was muted and out of focus, his body feeling as though it was floating in the water. It was as if all his worries and concerns were wiped from his memory and in its place was a strange sense of happiness. His mind kept trying to tell him that this wasn't real - that he should stay focused, that he should swim to the surface, but the voice seemed to be quiet.

A louder voice was now inside his head, Mad-Eye Moody's voice. It echoed through the calmness, as if he were loudly announcing it over a speaker. Do a backflip. Do a backflip.

Elijah took a deep breath, his body twitching ever so slightly as he went to listen to the voice.

Do a backflip.

The voice that had once been a whisper trying to make him focus was getting louder though. No. Why would I do that? I need to stay focused.

Do a backflip.

No. Fuck that.

Do a backflip! Now!

No. I don't want to!

His body felt stiff as he tried to do anything other than what the voice was asking of him, but he shook his head, turning away from the Professor. It felt as though he had come to the surface of ice cold water, taking in a deep breath and feeling the calming fog leave his mind leaving a weird sensation of sharp pins and needles on his skull.