The Seventh Year

The Carrows' Lessons

A week had passed since the term started, and Ginny showed no signs of having found an ingenious way to notify the D.A. members that they would begin meetings again. 

Classes with the Carrow Professors were terrible, as expected. Defense Against the Dark Arts was slowly transforming into dark arts lesson. Professor "Pig" Carrow (the new nickname for their D.A.D.A. professor) gave no interest in teaching defensive spells. Contrasting what he was hired to teach, he preferred lecture about using dark spells when on offense. 

One week after the students arrived, he began to teach what he considered simple jinxes. The first lesson was about trying the Oppugno Jinx. In Carrow's classroom, Lavender Brown was seated next to Neville. The jinx was not hard, as Lavender had learned her previous year when Hermione sent birds after Ron; however, several students had never tried to use it before, making it all the more difficult. 

Professor Carrow was most displeased with what little experience they had in casting jinxes. What angered him most was that several of the seventh-years were powerful; he was sure of this. Severus Snape created a list of students to keep a closer eye on because they organized secret gatherings to practice defensive spells during their fifth year. 

"No, no, no," he said impatiently. "I expected better from every one of you. You're seventh-years and can't do this simple bloody jinx, eh? Detentions for all of you!" Angry whispers echoed around the room as he said this.

"Professor Carrow," Neville spoke loudly. "We're just learning it! Detentions are given when someone's broken a rule or done something wrong, not when we don't get a spell right on the first try!" Heads nodded in agreement. Few murmurs were audible among the students, but the room fell motionless as Professor Carrow marched up to Neville with a wild glint in his eye. 

"That will be detention for the rest of the week, Mr Longbottom," Carrow growled. "As for the rest of you, if you agree, then feel free to join him! Be here in my room, at eight o'clock on the dot. Don't. Be. Late."

Just then, the bell rang, and both the Gryffindors and Slytherins hurried from their seats and left the classroom. Lavender quickly rose from her seat, hastily grabbing her books. Neville, though, was in no rush to leave. Professor Carrow was using fear as a tactic to discipline the students. He did not want to give in to Carrow's attempts. Being fearful makes you feel alone; it hinders everyone from getting hopeful impulses to take a stand. Neville began to leave his seat when Professor Carrow walked up to him. 

"If you try anything, I will know, boy. Don't be as stupid as your parents." His tone was full of warning. Neville just glared and clenched his jaw, stopping himself from reaching for his wand. "Don't play the hero, because I assure you, you'll lose. I know spells far more powerful than you could imagine."

"Are you threatening a student?" Neville shot back, carefully deciding his next move. 

Before Professor Carrow had a chance to reply, his eyes wandered to the back of the room to find Snape standing in the doorway. "Longbottom, leave us." Neville, who still feared Snape (but not as much as he had in earlier years), gathered his things and quickly retreated to the door. 

----

As Neville had his D.A.D.A. lesson, Ginny was in Muggle Studies with the Ravenclaws. Professor Alecto Carrow's beliefs were explicit: Muggles were filthy and should be subservient to magic folk. Carrow also thought anyone who wasn't a pure-blood was foul and didn't belong in the wizarding world. However, she had to make an exception for half-blood students because Snape allowed them to continue attending the school (although she was not pleased with his decision).

Professor Carrow conveniently sat Luna and Ginny next to each other. Luna could make the process of brainstorming a way to get several secret messages slightly easier. Racking her brain and spending an undesirable amount of hours at the library, Ginny had come up with nothing. Not one idea had popped into her mind. Turning to ask Luna, Professor Carrow began her lesson.

"We learned last week about the qualities of a pure-blood. Can anyone tell me what a few of those qualities happen to be?" Her eyes darted across the room, waiting for a volunteer. "If no one prefers to answer, how about..." she looked down at a piece of parchment in her hands, "Ms Weasley."

"I—" Ginny stammered. She had not paid attention to her lessons that first week; all her focus was on starting up the D.A. "Well, er, pure-bloods just happen to descend original wizarding families. There are no qualities that make them great, though." 

"DETENTION!" screeched the stout woman. "As a pure-blood yourself, Ms Wealey, you of all witches should see and understand these qualities!" Professor Carrow's face had become flushed with anger. Composing herself, she proceeded with her lesson. "Take out your quills and parchment. You'll want notes, I'm sure," she said impatiently. 

Without waiting for the class to catch up, she began the lesson. "Pure-bloods," she croaked, "are the only true wizards and witches. Retaining blood status was crucial. Mudbloods are either related to traitors, or they are the traitors themselves. Either way, blood purity is what today's lesson is all about. 

"But first, let's discuss why the new Ministry should condemn Mudbloods. I know several of you wanted to discuss muggles. After all, this is Muggle Studies lessons, but you shall learn blood purity before you study rubbish." Ginny turned to Luna as she spoke, looking as though a jinx would fly at Carrow any second. But as she reached for her wand, Luna widened her eyes and reached over to stop her. 

"Detention, Ms Lovegood!" yelled the professor. 

"WHAT?" Ginny yelled at her. 

"You heard me, detention! As for you, Ms Weasley, that'll add a week for speaking to me in that manner." Luna looked stunned, and she was unsure of what to say next. Ginny's face was red with fury; a fist clenched under her desk. The class broke out with whispers from their classmates, sharing Ginny's anger. 

"Back to blood purity," said Professor Carrow. She raised her left arm to point to the chalkboard, and Luna thought she saw the Death Eater mark; was positive it was there. Turning an upset Ginny, she nudged and discreetly pointed to Carrow's left arm. Ginny sat upright immediately and almost fell out of her seat.

"Is there an issue, Ms Weasley?" Carrow asked without turning around. "Because I certainly hope not. You've gotten yourself into enough trouble as it is." Ginny did not reply but continued to scribble on her parchment as the lesson progressed.

The class took notes for the full block—an hour and a half—having nearly two parchment rolls scribbled with words by the end of the lesson.  

As the bell rang, Carrow announced, "I expect a five thousand word essay containing what is wrong with pure-bloods mating with Muggles by next week. Make sure you measure your parchment so it is twelve inches per roll. You will serve detention with the Amycus if it is not completed."