Stronger Together

6- Three Unforgivables

Harry walked into the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom with Ron, taking their usual seats. Their new professor had yet to arrive so the classroom was buzzing with conversation. Everyone was making speculations of what their first lesson would be like with Professor Moody. Personally, Harry was eager to see what the new professor would be like. From all the stories he had heard so far, he was sure he wouldn't be boring. He also sounded like a pretty solid teacher. He was a retired Auror, and the man had dealt with dark wizards his whole life. He was sure to know everything there was to know about DADA.

Harry and Ron were chatting with Dean, who was across from them. A large clunking noise startled everyone in the classroom. The room went quiet as everyone's heads turned to the front. The professor walked into the room, the clunking noise could be heard every other step. His expression was hard to tell behind all the scars and his odd bright blue eye buzzing about, but it was anything but delight.

He stopped in front of the chalkboard and turned to write something down while he introduced himself. "Alastor Moody. Ex Auror. Ministry of Malcontent. And your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I am here because Dumbledore asked me. End of story. The end! Goodbye!" He took a second to look around the classroom before asking, "Questions?"

When nobody dared to speak, Moody took this as his que to go on. "When it comes to the Dark Arts, I believe in a practical approach!

"But first, which one of you can tell me... how many Unforgivable curses there are?"

"Three, sir." said Hermione's tentative voice.

He turned around to write on the board. "And they are so named?"

"Because they are unforgivable. Any use of them
will—"

"—Earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban Prison!

"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, and you also need to find another place to put your chewing gum beside the underside of your desk, Mr Finnigan!" Next thing Harry knows, Moody has turned around in a flurry, and is now hurling a piece of chalk right at Seamus' head...

Of course the chalk didn't come flying toward Seamus before he could make a comment, "No way! The old codger can see out of the back of his head."

Nonetheless, professor Moody went on like he hadn't just tried to take out Seamus. "Now, which curse shall we see first? Weasley!"

Ron looks up with a terrified expression, managing a small "Yes?"

"Stand!" Ron cautiously stood up.

"Give us a curse."

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

"Yes, your father would know all about that. Gave the Ministry some grief a few years back. Perhaps this will show you why."

The professor went back over to his desk at the front of the classroom. He went over to a jar, unscrewed the cap and fished something out with his hands. He turned back to the class with a lively spider in his hands. Harry heard Ron whimper next to him. Digging into his pocket, he got his wand out. Pointing at the spider he said, "Engorgio!" The spider was suddenly as big as a golf ball. "Imperio." He said quietly, his wand still on the spider.

Moody flicked his wand and the spider ended up on Nevilles desk. Next, it was on Crabbes forehead, crawling creepily into his hair. He whimpered and the spider flew off of his head and onto Padma's arm. Moody made the spider do all kinds of tricks, but the best one to watch was when it landed on Ron's head. His eyes filled will terror and Harry thought that Ron was going to cry. Harry laughed the loudest when the spider was next placed on Malfoy's face. He shrieked like a girl. "Get it off me! Get it off!" He yelled, panic filling his voice.

Everyone in the class was laughing and cheering for the spider to do more. But the mood changed as soon as Professor Moody began talking again. "Talented one isn't she! What shall I have her do next, hm? Jump out the window?" the spider was dangerously close to the window sill. "Drown herself?"

The purpose of the lesson suddenly became severely clear. The class fully understood that Moody had full control of the spider. He could make her do anything.

"Scores of witches and wizards have claimed they only did You know-who's bidding under the influence of the Imperious curse, but how do we sort out the liars?"

"Alright, another curse?"

All hands shot up around the classroom. Moody peered at everyone, his bright blue eye staying fixed on one pupil. His other eye came to a stop.  "Longbottom, is it?" Neville nodded and stood up. "Professor Sprout tells me you have a knack for Herbology?" Neville nodded.

"There's the C-cruciatus curse."

"Correct! The torture curse."

Moody went over to where the spider was being held and pointed his wand at it. "Crucio!" He said, low and throaty. The spider began to contract and became squeamish under the spell. Neville's face scrunched up but he didn't look away.

"Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering him? Stop it!" said Hermione.

Moody lifted the spell. Neville let out a sigh of relief and his face relaxed a bit.

The professor lifted the spider into his hands and placed it in front of Hermione. She was staring straight ahead and looked close to tears. "Perhaps, you could give us the last unforgivable curse, Miss Granger." She shook her head, her eyes still fixed on a point in front of her.

"Avada Kedavra!"

There was a flash of bright green light and the once lively spider went limp on the desk. Harry's blood ran cold and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Hermione grimaced and looked away from the creature on her desk.

"The killing curse: only one person is known to survive it... and he is sitting in this room." Harry looked up to see both of Professor Moody's eyes fixed on him. 

— —
"Brilliant, isn't he? Completely demented of course, terrifying to be in the same room with, but he's really been there, y'know? He's looked evil in the eye." Ron exclaimed, as the trio was on their way to their next class.

"There's a reason those curses are unforgivable! To perform them in a classroom..." Hermione shook her head reprovingly.

"I'll be fine, Hermione." said Harry, sighing.

"Oh I'm sure you will be, Harry." replied Hermione. "But did you see Neville's face?"

Ron gave Hermione a nudge and pointed at someone. It was Neville. He looked like he was deep in thought. Hermione gingerly places a comforting hand on Neville. He flinched but did not move. "Neville?" She said softly.

Before she could go on, there was a loud clanking sound behind them. Professor Moody took Hermione's place as she moved aside. He roughly placed his scarred hand where Hermione's once was. "Alright there?" The trio didn't here whatever he said next, but next thing they knew, Neville was being escorted away by Moody.