The Sins of a Father

Chapter Twenty

              School started up again and I continued to pay closer attention to Malfoy and I had come to notice that he hadn't been quite himself. I presumed it was because his father was caught being a Death Eater and sentenced to Azkaban but he also seemed distressed with something else, that made me think of what Voldemort could be making him do  but I then I would hit a bump in the road. I spent most of my days in my room studying and every so often I would take a break and walk with Dimitri  around the grounds or sometimes Hagrid would see me and invite me to tea and he would tell me about the different creatures of the Forbidden Forest and that would be the excitement of my life. In a few short weeks school would be out and I had only subbed once and Draco was feeling ill that day and then finally there was a day where I would subbing for Snape and I would try to find something about Draco. Everyone one of his classes would have to read a chapter in their book then write an essay about how the students could apply that chapter to their life in the future. I would actually be teaching the sixth years about the Locomoto Mortis spell, which would lock the opponent's legs together. It was a simple spell that would be easy enough to teach a group of sixteen year olds. My brother and a large group of other six years moved into the classroom but they all stood in groups and began talking amongst themselves until I brought them all to order.

"Good morning, as it is obvious Professor Snape isn't here today, he gave me the plans and I am to teach you a defensive spell, but that is all. This spell is called Locomoto Mortis and when casted this will - " my voice was cut off by Hermione, which was to be expected.

"Lock your opponents legs," she finished, there was a sound of quiet laughter.

"Thank you Ms. Granger," I smiled at her. " Miss Granger is correct, that is what we are practicing today, I would like to show you how it works, is there anyone brave enough to allow me to lock then unlock their legs?" I waited as students murmured to each other, each of their friends daring one another to do it finally a very unlikely person volunteered.

"I'll do it Miss Evans," Neville's voice came from the back of the classroom. I knew Neville had experience with that particular curse and I had really hoped that he wouldn't volunteer.

"Are you sure you want to do this Mr. Longbottom?" I asked him in a low voice. He looked me straight in the face and nodded with confidence then he moved to the middle of the floor. I pointed my wand at his legs. "Locomotor Mortis" I muttered, suddenly Neville was the floor with his legs locked, I quickly muttered the counter cruse and paired everyone up  and taught them the counter curse, for some it didn't really work and for others, like Hermione, it worked perfectly. I assigned Harry and Draco together only because I knew they would start a fight and I would have a moment to talk to both of them. About five minutes before the class ended Harry was yelling at Draco and Draco's passe couldn't stop laughing.

"Mr. Malfoy, what's going on?" I asked, after I spoke the counter curse to Harry who tried to hit Malfoy but I stopped him with Ron assistance.

"I don't know what you're talking about Miss Evans," he lied innocently.

"Oh I think you do, or did you all of sudden become mentally retarded?" my voice was polite but my comment, however was not.

"How dare you speak to me that way!"

"If you are going to act like a child, I shall treat you like one, you are going to come see me after your classes for Detention."

"You can't do that you have no right - " he snapped but I snapped louder.

"I have every right, for today I am your teacher, Professor Snape put me in charge, not you and you will come to detention or when Professor Snape comes back, the punishment will be worse. Do you understand?" Draco glared at me with eyes full of hate and deep down I had been enjoying giving him a little piece of my mind. "Class dismissed." All the students evacuated the classroom but Malfoy didn't move at first, then after a while he gathered his things then finally left the room. I released a sigh of relief then I put all the desks back in an orderly line for the set of students. Right before dinner Malfoy had come back in the class room and sat down at one of the desks in the very front.