Imperio (on hold)

1: Stupid School

(Hey guys! Welcome to Imperio. The first couple of chapters are quite slow and I admit might get a bit boring, but they're essential for the whole series. [yes, I am working on this as a trilogy] So even if you get a bit bored, remember the story only gets really interesting by chapter five [they are short chapters, don't worry]. So please don't think the story is going no where, I've actually got the whole trilogy planned and it's definitely not boring! Happy reading, Potterheads - Sydneygirll)

Melody Adams slouched against the wall, breathing heavily through her nose. "That bitch!", she thought. Once again she had been in Transfiguration when that girl, that horrible, annoying, disgusting girl took it upon herself to be the worst person alive. "Your hair looks like unicorn vomit!", she had shouted. Melody now twirled her artificially purple hair, feeling offended. She loved her hair. So, just like all the other times someone had pissed her off, Melody decided to jig class and hide out in the toilets.

She took out her bendy old wand, which was passed down from her late great-grandmother and twirled it in her fingers. Melody stared up at the ceiling and absentmindedly conjured sparks and she hit her head on the toilet with a shout as it burnt her.

"Jeez", she thought and held out her hand, which was covered in blisters. She'd have to go see Madam Pomfrey. Melody stood up and exited the tiny toilet cubicle she was in and left the bathroom. Strutting down the corridors, fuming, she felt nothing but hatred for this castle and everyone in it.

They were all against her, she just knew it. Even that crazy Potter boy, in the year below her, didn't like her. Everyone hated her, thought she was a trouble maker.

So what if she talked back to teachers? She only did it when they were wrong. So what if she didn't do her work? She didn't need any of it in life anyway. The only subject she enjoyed was Defence Against the Dark Arts, which she consistently received O's in. Many people said it was because she was evil and loved Dark Arts, but really, she despised the Dark Arts and wished to be an Auror when she grew up.

"You'll never be an Auror", her Mother had told Melody before she had run away from home two years ago, "you're too stupid and disobedient! Why can't you just behave at school, respect people!". Melody had shouted right back at her and left straight away, she now lived with her fellow Hufflepuff friend, Tiana Jones, in Ireland.

Soon Melody arrived at the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey didn't even bother to ask why she wasn't in class, everyone knew she jigged frequently. Melody couldn't remember the last time she went a full day without jigging at least once.

Madam Pomfrey just finished healing Melody's blisters when the bell rang, it was time for Defence Against the Dark Arts! Ignoring Madam Pomfrey's pleas to stay and make sure she was all right, Melody hurried off, not wanting to be late for her favourite lesson.

She ran up to the classroom, a grin spreading across her face at the prospect of another lesson with Lupin, or was it Moody? Melody's smile quickly faded and her spirits fell. That's right. They didn't have Moody, or Lupin. They had Umbridge.

The toad-like blob of pink was already inside and Melody reluctantly entered, not wanting to be there but also not wanting her grades to fall in her favourite subject.

"Your Sixth year of Defence Against the Dark Arts!", Umbridge greeted to the class while glaring at Melody to sit down. Melody pulled up a chair at the back of the room,put her feet up on her desk and crossed her arms.

"I'm afraid to say", Umbridge said with a sad expression, looking back at the rest of the class, "that your past education in this subject has been particularly, uneven. This has especially been reflected in your owls last year. But never fear, never fear, I will be doing my very best, under the guide of the Ministry, to make up for all the terrible mistakes Hogwarts has made in the teaching of this subject".

Umbridge looked around at all the students with a strange smile, it seemed hesitant but also threatening.

Melody flicked through the textbook that she just realised was on her and everybody else's desk and felt her face go hot with anger. The whole textbook was waffle on how to "safely and cautiously" use defensive spells "in theory". There was nothing in there about actually USING defensive spells.

The next few minutes went by in a blur and Melody soon fell asleep after trying but failing to listen to Umbridge preach about the importance of being safe with spells.

"Adams!", Melody heard and woke up with a start. She looked up dazedly into Umbridge's furious face. Melody quickly sat up and hurriedly wiped off the sticky drool on her cheek.

"How dare you sleep in my lesson", Umbridge hissed menacingly. Melody swallowed nervously. "I've heard plenty about you, young lady. A disgrace to Witches and Wizards around the world you are".

Melody felt as though she had been doused in boiling water and yet her heart felt as cold as ice. Every pair of eyes in the class was staring at her disapprovingly. In a rush of hysteria, Melody sprang up from her desk and flung her textbook at Umbridge's face.

The second after it smacked her on the nose and fell to the floor everything was silent, as though suspended in a spell. Then, suddenly, as though in a dream, the room erupted with shouting and laughter.

Melody, utterly horrified, spun around and ran out of the classroom, almost tripping over her robes as she flew out the door. She hurled down the stone corridor and didn't look back until she was at the other side of the school. Finally she stopped and turned around. No one had come after her.

Melody hunched over and leaned her hands on her thighs, panting from the run. The adrenaline rush was starting to subside now and the enormity of what she had done hit her like a troll.

She had thrown a book at a teacher's face. It was only the second week back of school and she had already broken a very big and obvious rule; don't throw things at teachers.

As though in a daze, Melody walked to her common room next to the kitchens and started packing her belongings. Many thoughts were spinning through her head but the clearest was that she needed to get out of there. She was going to run away from Hogwarts.