Badgersoul

Chapter 8: I Missed It

Chapter 8: I Missed It

Something doesn't feel right. Lately, I've been feeling stronger and stronger as the days go by. Normally, that would excite me. Except for the fact that my Elementalist abilities seem to be acting on their own. Any time I grow angry or upset - a thing that has been occurring more often than not lately - I lose control and my powers try to lash out. According to Sirius, I froze Pettigrew to his bed this morning. I don't even remember doing it. What's happening to me?

**

Leo felt better when he headed off to Gryffindor tower after his talk with Fen. While the wolf hadn't spoken back or offered any sort of advice, he had listened. He had understood. At least, Leo thought so. Any time he had mentioned one of the Unforgivable Curses, Fen began growling, and his fur stood on end. When he brought up the Cruciatus Curse, he had outright begun snarling and it took quite a bit of time to calm him down.

He decided to write a letter to Sirius and Remus – letting them know both how his first week had gone and how Fen had reacted to it. He set out to the Owlery the following morning, the letter clutched tightly in his hand as he made his way up the stairs and across the straw-laden floor. He glanced around before spotting Apollo, who seemed to be conversing with Hedwig. Leo gave a sharp whistle and the owl gave a final hoot to Hedwig before swooping down onto the teen's head.

"You know where this goes. Try to be nice," he said, handing it up to the owl who grabbed the letter in his beak.

Apollo gave an indignant hoot, prompting Leo to roll his eyes as the owl took off through the glassless window. He followed his movement for a moment before he headed back down the stairs for breakfast. He was surprised when he ran into Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who stopped and stared at him after they had walked out of the portrait hole.

He wondered why they looked hesitant for a moment before he recalled class the previous day – and his reaction to Moody casting the curse. He frowned, not really wanting to talk about it. He'd talked about it to death with his guardians and Minnie and felt no need to discuss it any further with anyone else. But, given who these three were, he knew he had to give them something, their insatiable curiosity would keep them badgering him for the rest of eternity otherwise.

"Look, I know what you guys are wondering – or thinking or whatever," he sighed irritably. "I don't want to talk about it so I'll just say... yes. The answer to your question is yes."

Hermione gasped, clamping her hands over her mouth as Ron and Harry paled. Leo rolled his eyes before continuing down the stairs to breakfast.

He avoided them for the next couple of weeks until they stopped giving him pitying looks. He spent that time with Draco and the twins, working in the collapsed passage on the fourth floor on the potion for the Canary Creams. The rest of that time was spent either writing back and forth to his guardians, attending classes, or talking to Fen about what had happened in Defense. It only got worse (in his opinion) after the first lesson.

To his displeasure, Moody had announced that he would be putting the Imperius Curse on each of them in turn, to demonstrate its power and to see whether they could resist its effects.

"But - but you said it's illegal, Professor," said Hermione uncertainly as Moody cleared away the desks with a sweep of his wand, leaving a large clear space in the middle of the room. "You said - to use it against another human was -"

"Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like," said Moody, his magical eye swiveling onto Hermione and fixing her with an eerie, unblinking stare. "If you'd rather learn the hard way - when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely - fine by me. You're excused. Off you go."