Imperio ⇢ D.M

Chapter Fourty Three

Caught

Draco stood bored in front of a brick wall with the Inquisitorial Squad. The bunch of them were ordered by Umbridge to search for a large group of students sneaking around.

He sometimes questioned why he was in the Inquisitorial Squad. He knew that he greatly respected the Ministry, but the rules Umbridge were forcing seemed unnecessary to him. His least favourite rule was the rule that dictated boys and girls to not be closer than 8 inches from each other. Of course Draco broke this rule every day.

Draco sighed deeply. "What are we doing staring at a blank wall?" He asked irritably. "Do you really think there can be something behind there?"

"This is Hogwarts, genius." Cassius Warrington spat. "Magic is real, staircases move on their own, paintings have feelings, it wouldn't surprise me if a bunch of Gryffindor lowlifes found their way through a brick wall."

Draco furrowed his brow as he kept staring at the wall. It was driving him insane, how he could be with Arden but instead he's here with people he doesn't like staring at nothing. The Inquisitorial Squad was yes, a way to dock points from people he didn't like and have a bit of fun, but it was all for extra credit. He knew he had completely aced his O.W.Ls, but it couldn't hurt to go the extra mile for straight Os, even if it meant being completely bored out of his mind.

-

"Expelliarmus!"

Arden groaned as her incantation did nothing to the dummy in front of her. She was never good at defensive spells unless it was the Patronus charm, but such charm wouldn't win her a duel unless it were against a Dementor. Attacking spells were her specialty, although they were never fully effective each time. Potions were her true field of expertise, Arden is a witch who prefers to keep her wand away.

"Try harder." Harry ordered, as he stopped his pacing. "Your hand movement is all wrong."

"Do you not think I'm trying Potter?" She argued. Arden had convinced herself to avoid Harry Potter at all costs because of her great distaste for him, but she couldn't deny that she desperately needed his help when it came to defensive spells, even if his instructions were rubbish. "I've been doing this about a million times now and this-" Arden kicked the dummy to the ground. "Stupid wanker won't let go of his wand!"

Harry sighed. "It's not a real person Arden. And you aren't trying, since every time I show you the correct gesture you do practically the opposite."

Arden glared at Harry. "Maybe I don't have very quick fingers!"

"Oh well then maybe you should get Draco to help." He snapped. "I'm sure his fingers have gotten pretty quick from how often you two are skipping class."

Arden's face burned with rage. She's never done such things with Draco, and hasn't skipped any classes, but has only been sent outside for giggling too much at Draco's stupid jokes about the lesson.

Someone groaned from the back of the room of requirement.

"Can you two give it a rest?" A posh voice called out rather harshly. Lena Oxton scowled at the bickering pair. Arden's jaw dropped, she'd never seen Lena remotely annoyed before. "You guys have been non stop arguing since Christmas!" She whined. "So please just shut up!"

Arden looked at Lena apologetically. "Sorry..." She muttered. Lena put her usual smile back on her face, and started a practice duel against Luna Lovegood. Those two had become quite close over the past few weeks.

"You'd thing Cedric's younger sister would actually be good at this stuff." Harry muttered under his breath.

Unfortunately for Harry, Arden heard every word that he said. She didn't hesitate to slap him right across the face with all force that she could exert. Arden kicked Harry in the crotch, sending him down to the ground. She looked down at Harry with utter disgust in her eyes.