She's A Champion ~ II | d.m.

10. Mad-Eye

The sun was shining through the windows and all the students had found their seats. Defense Against The Dark Arts seemed to be a class where the teacher changed every year. So we were hoping for better.

"Alastor Moody, Ex-Auror. Your new defense against the dark arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me. End of story. Goodbye. The end. Any questions?" he waited a moment as the class stayed silent.

"When it comes to the dark arts. I believe in a practical approach." his glass eye twitched as he eyed the classroom.

The class was dead silent and I leaned back in my chair whilst drawing on Draco's hand to stay awake. We sat in the back of the class and Draco didn't seem to mind my drawing.

"Now who can tell me how many unforgivable curses there are?"

"Three, sir." Granger leaned forward frightened as she answered.

"And they are so named?" he spoke as he began to write on the board.

"Because they are unforgivable. The use of any of them will land you in.." she froze. I scoffed and sat up.

"Azkaban. Granger, azkaban."

Ignoring my interruption he nodded, "Correct. Now the ministry says you're too young to know what the curses do. I say different!" he turned to face the class once more as his voice became louder.

"You need to know what you're up against, and you need to be prepared. You need to find another place to put your gum, Mr. Finnegan." We all turned to see Seamus Finnegan removing a piece of gum he had stuck to the side of his desk.

"No way, the old codger can see out the back of his head." his Irish accent echoed the classroom as he ducked from incoming chalk.

"And hear across classrooms!" Moody was getting mad and fidgety. He walked forwards and stopped before Potter and Ron's desk taking a sip from a small canister. "So, which curse shall we see first?"

At this remark, I sat up head elevated by my arms, elbows on the desk. I was intrigued by this professor and he now had my full attention.

"WEASLEY!" he barked as Ron fell back in his seat.

"Yes.." Ron stood and held his head down.

"Tell me about one," Moody stood as he waited for an answer.

Ron was now shaking but stood tall nonetheless, "Well, my dad did tell me about one. The Imperius Curse."

Mad-Eye narrowed his eyes, "Your father would know all about that, did some damage a few years ago at the ministry. Correct." he then turned to his desk. He pulled out a spider and pointed his wand at it.

He held the spider out even further in his hand, "Imperio."

He hovered the spider in the air, bouncing it about as he wished. "Don't worry completely harmless," he moved the spider across the desks and onto Crabbe's head as Crabbe shivered in his spot. "Unless she bites, then she's lethal."

Draco began laughing as the other students were cowering in their spots. The professor was too laughing maniacally as he scared the students.

Draco's laughter grew and Moody caught attention bringing the spider before Draco's head. Draco's eyes widened in panic as he reached down and grabbed my left hand.

With my right, I plucked the spider out of the air, "Are you just going to sit there and scare students, Professor Moody? Highly unprofessional, don't you think."

His eyes narrowed at me as he tried to bring the spider back to him, but I had other plans.

I non-verbally took over with the imperio spell, as I made the spider do tricks in the air just by watching it. Moody watched me in delight as he soon walked up to my desk. Turning back to him, the spider returned to my hand before I dropped it in his.

"Non-verbal aye? Impressive. Miss?"

"Duval, sir." I met his eyes as he studied me before turning back to his desk, spider in hand.

No one was really shocked that I had done something like that, but they were now intrigued by the lesson.

"Well, Miss Duval. I propose a challenge." He pulled out another spider and motioned for me to stand.

I stood and walked to the front of the class, stopping just before his desk taking the spider from him.

Turning to Longbottom he motioned for him to speak, "The second curse. Boy, the second curse."

Longbottom stood slowly before speaking, "The- the- there's the Cruciatus Curse, sir." he stood frozen in his place as the professor turned back to me.

"Engorgio," he cast the spell on both our spiders then met my eyes.

"You know what to do. Now, whichever spider is loudest will be rewarded points. I'll be on behalf of Gryffindor. Now grab your wand." I nodded and stood as he motioned for me to grab my wand.

I turned to Draco who smirked and stood handing me a plain wooden rod. Satisfied with believing it was my wand, he proceeded. The rest of the class however knew it wasn't my wand as they watched with widened eyes.

The professor stood tall before flicking his wand. "Crucio!"

His spider began to writhe and scream in pain as it twitched under the spell. He watched me happily thinking I was too scared, "Well, go ahead."

I made no movement but within seconds, the pain of my spider was louder than his. My spider was twitching and screeching as if it was being pulled apart.

"STOP! Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering him?!" Granger yelled stopping the professor and me.

He turned to face Granger, "Well then, ten points to Slytherin. Now wouldn't you like to provide the last curse, Miss Granger." He placed the spiders before her as a tear slipped down her cheek.

I returned to my seat but not before stopping beside her, "Don't be a wuss Granger, do it." I sneered and smirked but not before thinking of the worse spell created.

I leaned to her ear and whispered, "Avada Kadavra Granger, that's the spell."

She gasped as the spider dropped dead before her and she quickly turned to face me. "You- you."

I scoffed, "I- I what Granger. Killed it?" she nodded, "It's only a spider, relax. Besides, I did Ron a favor." I pointed to Ron as he was quivering in his seat.

"I don't like spiders," he muttered before the rest of the class directed their attention away from him and to the professor once more.

"The Killing Curse, only one person is known to have survived it. And he's sitting in this very room," His eyes narrowed at Potter as the rest of the class turned, "Now, well-done boys and girls, you all did great in today's class. Class dismissed."

The students began to pile out as his voice beckoned once more, "Miss Duval, do you mind staying back a moment?"

I smirked and didn't bother facing the man, "No thank you, professor. I'm okay."

Without turning for his reaction I walked out the door following Draco to the Great Hall.