𝗔 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟 𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗠𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥 [𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄] ✔️

TWO

Moody's classroom day. With a massive thud, Moody drops a textbook onto Neville's desk, the same textbook on everybody's desk.

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection.

"Alastor Moody".

He writes his name on the board, turning back to students.

"Ex-Auror. 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?"

Moody's blue eyes scan the silent classroom, and land on Harry. Harry stares back, willing himself to hold the old warrior's horrifying visage. Moody turns away. Take his flask.

"When it comes to the dark arts, I believe in a practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me..."

Moody takes a sour tug on the flask, snatches up a specimen jar and watches a spider scuttle within.

".... how many unforgivable curses are there?"

The students trade uneasy glances. Finally, Hermione's hand rises tentatively. As his real eye continues to stare at the spider, Moody's blue eye rotates onto Hermione.

"Three sir".

Moody's circling around the class.

"You're top of your class, correct?" Hermione nods, Moody stops, eye raking over the others. "Again, Granger. How many curses?

"Three".

"And they are so named?"

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

"Will earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban. Correct. Now the ministry says you're too young to see what these curses do. I say something 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!"

Seamus blinks., caught in the act. Whispers. "Aw no way, the old codger can see out the back of his head".

Mad-Eye throws the chalk in anger.

"..... and hear across classrooms. So. Which curse shall we see first? Weasley!"

"Y-yes.." Ron whimpers as his eyes look up at Moody.

"Give us a curse".

Ron watches uneasily as Moody returns to the specimen jar, reaches inside and lets the spider run up his hand.

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

"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 pops open a jar with a spider in it. "Hello. What a little beauty. Imperio!"

As Moody waves his wand and sends it around the class, the spider leaps from his palm onto Parvati's shoulder.

"Don't worry. Completely harmless". The class is unsettled.

As she shrieks, Moody flicks his wand and the spider bounds from Seamus to Dean on and on, the students howling with amusement if finally lands on a horrified Ron.

Moody grins, then summons the spider back to his palm, where slowly circles his wand over it.

"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. One by one, the students' smiles dry up.

"Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only 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".