The Cursed Ones

Chapter Eleven: By Our Own Choice

Hermione informs me that I can't just cast the Auctoro Curse out of the blue; it takes "years and years" of training. Apparently you need to do it perfectly. The slightest variation, and without the proper mental preparation and acquired strength and focus, the curse will backfire and you will be the one under the curse. It's as difficult as releasing a patronus for the first time ever whilst facing two hundred dementors alone. "Then double that," Hermione says. That's her metaphor.

Of course it can't be so easy. That could have solved all of our problems immediately. I'm just glad I thought to ask Hermione about how to perform the spell before I just tried recklessly.

So we're left to think up something else to solve the issue of Professor Umbridge. It's a bit more difficult when all she cares about in the world is herself; and she is more than capable of protecting herself. We can't just blackmail her with something she loves if it doesn't exist. Besides, we pretty much have one chance to get this right, or it's Narcissa that will have all hell to pay. But until we come up with the perfect plan, we wreak havoc. We're damn good at that, too.

So on Sunday morning, I find myself running away from the crime scene of her completely vandalized and robbed office with Umbridge right on my heels. She's falling behind, but she's definitely not shy with the spells she's trying to hit me with. Pansy wasn't kidding when she said Umbridge would have been more than happy to use the Cruciatus Curse on a student. I'm just barely able to focus on casting shields and running away at the same time.

My footfalls are even louder than usual when I'm using Darwin's towering body to pull this off. Since we had to use similar shoddy robes to the ones Darwin is now forced to wear, considering his completely demolished wardrobe at the moment, I feel as though I'm going to trip on the hems and face plant at any second. Good luck trying to escape from the stubby hag then.

Once I turn the corner at the far end of the corridor and continue trying to shake her, I begin to hear her shrieks fade just a little more every time she lets them loose. Just so that the real Darwin doesn't come along and ruin everything, I had Fred and George work on keeping him in the Gryffindor dormitories. Since that is where she'll expect Darwin to run, I only head back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom once I have successfully shaken her off my tail.

When I enter the abandoned bathroom, Pansy is grinning at me. My face is flushed and I'm sweating. At least Darwin has decent stamina and speed. That helped. I smile back at her sarcastically as I shut the bathroom door firmly behind me.

"How was the run for your life?" Pansy asks me sweetly. I don't answer right away and just pass her to get to the sinks. I turn the cold tap on and try to cool my face by splashing it with the water. Pansy is behind me, her reflection in the mirror watching me with her arms crossed over her chest in smug satisfaction.

Finally I speak. "Pansy, dear, I don't know what you did to struggle so hard, but I didn't have much trouble at all."

"Then you take it over full time," she suggests sadistically.

I hum cheerily. "Bite me."

"Be careful what you wish for, honey," she chimes.

"I'd choose my next move carefully, if I were you," I warn her. I can feel myself beginning to transform back into myself, and the robes feel as though they're growing in size as they begin to drape around me like heavy curtains.

Moaning Myrtle is thoroughly enjoying herself as she hovers, leaning over one of the toilet stalls with interest as I become less and less Darwin. For once, she isn't crying. I grin up at her. "Enjoying the show, Myrtle?"

Moaning Myrtle's silver face is alight with glee. "Nothing interesting ever happens in here," she declares. "This will probably be the only time this month that anyone visits me."