Atropos → george weasley

xxxviii. secret lab ii

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thirty eight

secret lab ii

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Fourth-year Slytherins had double Defense Against the Dark Arts on Friday morning and double Potions Friday afternoon. Which, in Ottilie's opinion, made it the best day of the week. She arrived early for Defense and was the first in the room.

Draco looked vaguely upset when he arrived later. It could have had something to do with being turned into a ferret, but it could have also had something to do with whatever Moody being old friends with Draco's father meant. Strangely, though, he seemed rather reluctant to outright say anything negative about Moody.

And it wasn't just Draco. Snape was treating Moody in an awfully similar way. Like every other Defense professor, it was clear Snape did not like the man, but he was doing much less glaring than usual.

Strange.

Ottilie sat down with Millicent at the back of the class, and they got out their textbook: The Dark Forces; A Guide to Self-Protection. Ottilie had already read the whole thing.

The hollow clunk of Professor Moody's false leg announced his arrival, giving Blaise and Daphne plenty of time to put away the Witch Weekly magazine they were reading. Everyone but Draco turned to watch Moody enter the classroom. The door closed by itself after him.

"Put away your books. You won't need them today."

His voice was just about what Ottilie would have expected—deep, though dusty and rugged. It was almost hard to listen to him.

Millicent shot Ottilie a nervous look. Both girls remembered what happened the last time the Defense professor asked the class to put away their books on the first day.

Moody went through roll call. His regular eye examined each student as they were called, but his magical one continued to spin wildly. It was very distracting. When he got to Draco's name, however, both magical and normal eye focused on the boy. Draco shrank back into his chair.

After calling on Blaise Zabini, Moody straightened up and pushed some of his grey hair out of his face. "Professor Lupin sent me a letter about your class. You seem to be well-versed in Dark creatures, but you are behind—woefully behind—on dealing with curses."

Ottilie straightened up in her seat.

"I have only a year to prepare you for what Dark wizards can do to each other. What they are capable of doing to you." Moody paused to allow it to sink in.

"So. Curses. There are many of them, and they come in a wide variety of strengths and forms. In this class, the Ministry expects me to simply teach you the countercurses and leave it there. They don't trust you'll be ready to see what Dark curses look like until your sixth year."

He hobbled forward, closer to the front row, where Blaise, Daphne, Pansy, and Tracey leaned away.

"Professor Dumbledore, however, has a higher opinion of you. I happen to agree; I think it foolish to wait. You should know what you are going up against as soon as possible. What good is knowing the countercurse to a curse you have never before experienced? A truly Dark wizard will not give the courtesy of forewarning. You have to be prepared for what it looks like. What it feels like. From today forward, I encourage you to remain alert. Heedful."

He paused to once again sweep the room, as though to ensure everyone was paying attention. A quick sideways glance told Ottilie that everyone in the room was listening carefully. Even Draco.