A Potter Secret

The Drawing

"Alastor Moody," Mad-eye calls out. He writes his name on the board, furiously. Ministry malcontent. And your new defense against the dark arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye, the end. Any questions? When it comes to the dark arts, I believe in a practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many unforgivable curses there are?" Moody says. His eye flicks around.

"Three sir," Hermione says.

"And they are so named?" Mad-eye asks.

"Because they are unforgivable. Use of any one of them will-"

"Will earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban," Mad-eye says, writing "Unforgivable" on the board in capital letters. "Correct. Now the ministry says you're too young to see what these curses do. I say different! You need to know what you're up against, you need to be prepared, you need to find somewhere else to put your chewing gum other than the underside of your desk Mr Finnigan!" His eye twitches and swirls completely around.

"Aw no way, the old codger can see out the back of his head," Seamus mutters.

Mad-Eye throws the chalk in anger. "So, which curse shall we see first? WEASLEY!" Mad-eye shouts.

"Yes," Ron replies, nervous.

"Give us a curse," Mad-eye instructs.

"Well, my dad did tell me about one. The imperious curse," Ron replies.

"Ahhh yes, your father would know all about that. Gave the ministry quite a bit of grief a few years ago. Perhaps this will show you why," Mad-eye smirks. Mad-Eye pops open a jar with a spider in it. "Hello. What a little beauty. Engorgio." He uses his wand to enlarge and send it around the class. Don't worry. Completely harmless. The class is unsettled. "But if she bites- she's lethal!" Draco laughs. "What are you laughing at?" Mad-Eye sends the spider onto Draco's face. "Talented isn't she? What shall I have her do next? Jump out the window? Drown herself?" Mad-Eye has the spider over a bucket of water, it's wriggling. "Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only do did you-know-whose bidding under the influence of the imperious curse. But here's the rub, how do we sort out the liars? Another. another. Come on come on. Longbottom is it? Up." Neville Longbottom stands. "Professor Sprout tells me you have an aptitude for herbology," Mad-eye notes.

"There's the um- The cruciatus curse," Neville mumbles.

"Correct! Correct! come come. Particularly nasty. The torture curse," Mad-eye says. He point his hand and mutters, "Crucio!" Mad-Eye begins torturing the spider with magic, it squeals.

Hermione looks at Neville and stands up, shouting, "Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering him, stop it!"

Mad-Eye stops. Neville is disturbed. Mad-Eye picks up the spider which is still making a noise. "Perhaps you could give us the last unforgivable curse Miss Granger," Mad-eye instructs. Hermione shakes her head. He casts a spell and the spider disintegrates. "The killing curse. Only one person is known to have survived it. And he's sitting in this room." He approaches Harry's desk and takes a drink.

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Ron, Hermione, Isabella, and Harry walk down the spiral staircase to their next class. "Brilliant isn't he! Completely demented of course. Terrifying to be in the same room with, he's really BEEN there you know," Ron asks.

"There's a reason those curses are unforgivable, and to perform them in a classroom. I mean did you see Neville's face," Hermione insist.

They stop short, seeing a boy on the stairs facing the window. "Neville?" Isabella asks. "Neville, maybe we should get you to the common room?" Isabella takes his arm and starts to gently lead him away.

Mad-Eye approaches Neville and pats him on the shoulder. "Son. You alright?" Mad-eye asks. Neville nods. "Come on, we'll have a cup of tea. I want to show you something."

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Older students are placing their names into the flame and others are applauding, Cedric is one of them. "Eternal glory, be brilliant wouldn't it? In three years from now we'll be old enough to be chosen," Ron complains.

"Yeah well rather you than me," Harry says.

Isabella smiles at hearing this. "I'm just glad that most of my friends aren't old enough to enter," Isabella replies, glancing nervously at Cedric. Harry smiles back at her and pulls her into a quick hug.

The twins come up cheering. "Thank you thank you, well lads we've done it," George runs in cheering.

"Cooked it up just this morning," Fred continues, holding up a vial.

"It's not going to work," Hermione says.

"Oh yeah? And why's that Granger," Fred says.

"You see this? This is an age line. Dumbledore drew it himself," Hermione explains.

"So?" Fred asks.

"So a genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by something pathetically dimwitted such as an age potion," Hermione assures.

"That's why it's so brilliant," George assures. They interlock their arms and hold up the vials. "Ready Fred?"

"Ready George?" Fred asks back.

"Bottoms up!" They both say, drinking the potion. They jump inside the age line, and cheer. They put their names in the flame and do a high-five. The flame fires up and they're flung across the room onto the floor. When they get up they have full heads of grey hair and beards.

"You said," George starts.

"You said," Fred argues. They roll around fighting on the floor and the crowd cheer. The room suddenly becomes silent as Viktor Krum walks in and puts his name in the flame. He looks at Hermione and she smiles.

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"Sit down please. And now the moment you've all been waiting for, the champions selection!" Dumbledore says as everyone gets seated in the main hall. Dumbledore approaches the blue flame and it glows red. A name comes out. Everyone looks on anxiously. "The Durmstrang champion is – Viktor Krum!" The Durmstrang crowd cheer. Another name comes out. "The champion from Beauxbatons- Fleur Delacour." The Beauxbatons girls cheer as Fleur walks up. Another name comes out. "The Hogwarts champion- Cedric Diggory." Hogwarts pupils cheer as Cedric takes the stage, taking hi-fives on the way up. Isabella watches in terror as he leaves the great hall. "Excellent! We now have our three champions! But in the end only one will go down in history. Only one will hoist this chalice of champions, this vessel of victory the tri-wizard cup!"

People cheer, but the goblet glows red once more and another name flies out. Everyone is silent. Dumbledore takes it and reads it quickly. After freezing for just a moment, he looks up. "Harry Potter." Everyone turns to Harry and see his shocked expression. "Harry Potter?"

"No- No," Hagrid mumbles.

"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore calls.

Isabella is quick to slip under the table at the back of the hall as Hermione grabs Harry by his shirt and lifts him, pushing him towards Dumbledore. "Go on Harry. Harry for goodness sake." Harry slowly walks up. Dumbledore gives him the paper. His head pops up and he looks at Dumbledore, shocked.

Voices in the crowd shout out. "He's a cheat! He's not even seventeen yet."

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