IMPERIO // Draco Malfoy X Reader

Chapter 5: Defense Against The Dark Arts Class

As expected you left Potions class without the luck potion, and listening to Draco complain about who had won it.

"And since when is he any good at Potions anyway?" Draco prattled on. "He was lost without Granger in class last year."

"Maybe he practiced." Blaise offered, deadpan.

Draco scoffed. "Practiced?" He said. "More like cheated. You'd think goody-two-shoes Granger would have turned him in for it too."

"What would you have even used the luck for anyway?" You asked.

Draco glanced at you. "You know very well what."

Your lips quirked up into a little smile. "Ah yes, your top secret mission that you totally didn't make up to try and impress everyone."

Draco mockingly smiled at you. "Oh wow, look at me, I'm Y/N and I think I'm so clever."

You snickered to yourself, conspiratorially trading glances with Blaise.

"It could have been nice to have for Quidditch." Blaise said. "Probably could have bagged us a match against Gryffindor."

"Hopefully their teams' shit this year." Draco said.

"With Potter as the captain? Not likely." Blaise said. "As much as I hate to say, he's good."

"Whatever." Draco brushed off Blaise's comment. "What's next for us?"

Blaise pulled out both his and Draco's schedules from his bag, glancing over the papers. "Charms with Flitwick."

You pulled out your own schedule, checking your next block. "I've got Snape."

Draco turned to Blaise. "I bet you Flitwicks gotten shorter."

"That would make him, what, two feet tall?" Blaise's mouth twitched up into a small smirk.

You tucked your schedule back away and adjusted your bag over your shoulder. "I'll catch you guys later." You said, heading off toward Snape's new room.

The boys went their own way, Blaise tossing a little wave over his shoulder as you left.

You made your way through the halls, gliding through the crowd. It seemed that even though it was only the first day, even the first years had caught on to who you were, as as soon as you were in sight they moved to the sides of the hall. You smiled to yourself. As much as your friends could be annoying, being in Draco's posse had its perks.

You reached Snape's room quick enough and made your way inside. As soon as you opened the door, you were hit with a blast of freezing air. It seemed that while the dungeon classroom had gotten a nice makeover, this one had too.

You stepped inside, surveying the room. It certainly looked like Snape. Long black curtains covered all of the windows, and the candlelight around the room was dim. Skeletons of various magical creatures were strung up around the room, all posed like they were about to strike. The seats were arranged in neat rows, all facing the front of the room.

You spotted two familiar heads of curly hair near the back and hurried over.

Lyre looked up when you set your things down next to her. "Oh, long time no see." She grinned.

You sat down, leaning forward to wave to Leo as well. "I didn't know you guys would be in here."

"Theo should be in this class too but he'll probably be in just before the bell." Leo said. "I guess we should save the other seat in the row for him." Leo moved a stack of books onto the other desk.

"How was Potions?" Lyre asked. "Is the new guy any good?"

"He's..." You trailed off, trying to think of a word that could apply to Slughorn. "Something." You decided. "He kind of reminds me of someone's very rich grandfather."

Lyre hummed. "Well, it should be easy to get on his good side since he already invited me to lunch."

The door opened again, and Theo bustled in, zeroing in on the seat beside Leo. Leo moves his books back and Theo plopped down, slumping in the seat.

"Thanks." He said. "Thought I was gonna be late for a second."

"How?" Lyre deadpanned. "You were literally just down the hall for Transfiguration."

Theo never got a chance to snap back as Snape walked in then, the door closing intimidatingly behind him. He breezed through the room until he got to the front of the room, leaving a trail of cold air in his wake. He hadn't changed a bit, it seemed.

"You'd think he's be happier since he finally got his dream job." You whispered to Lyre.

"I don't think he has the emotional capacity." Lyre whispered back.

Snape cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "Welcome." He drawled. "To Defense Against the Dark Arts." Pulling a list from his desk, he paused. "When I call your name, please respond with 'present'."

"Adelby."

"Present."

Lyre leaned back over to you. "At least he'll be better than Moody."

You wrinkled your lip at the mention of the man. He'd terrorized you and your friends during fourth year, seemingly only because of Draco's antics and the fact that you were all Slytherins. You were glad that he was long gone.

"Benoit."

"Present." Leo and Lyre responded in unison.

Snape looked up for a second before glancing back down at his parchment. "I've collected the set it seems..."

"Hopefully he sticks around for next year too." You whispered to Lyre.

Lyre hummed. "We'll see."

It was common knowledge that the teaching position for Defense was cursed. None of the teachers had lasted longer than a year since Quirrell back in first year, for various reasons of course. Still, maybe since Snape wasn't technically new, he would break the cycle.

"L/N."

The call of your name broke that train of thought. "Present." You replied quickly.

Snape continued on down the list until the whole class had been called. He snapped the parchment back together and placed it on his desk, tapping the blackboard behind him with his wand twice. Words bloomed across the surface.

"We'll start with something simple." Snape said. "Turn to page 314 in your books and read the following chapter. After you've completed the reading, you and a partner will practice the jinx described." He paused. "Any questions?"

The class was silent.

"Good. You may begin." Snape said.

Flipping open your book to the proper page, you began to read. Simple temporary blinding jinx, something you had learned back in third year with Lupin.

You glanced over at Lyre. She was already three pages deep in the chapter.

You turned back to your own book and began reading.