The Purist / DRAMIONE (COMPLETE)

As Unforgiving as a Curse

They had their first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson with Moody on Thursday after lunch and she was attempting to finish her Potions essay before the bell went, so that she could take a walk after the afternoon's lessons. She just wanted to clear her mind. Draco's uncaring attitude as he'd said 'I couldn't care less' made Hermione wonder if he'd meant it but then she rethought it: this was Malfoy they were talking about; the vicious and cruel son of the horrible Lucius Malfoy. What did she think would happen? She was so absorbed in thoughts regarding Malfoy that she didn't hear the bell, and only arrived shortly before Moody.

It seemed Moody was more sadistic than she'd thought. Starting their first lesson with the Unforgivable Curses. Ron, easily identified as a Weasley, was first to be told to name one and he did: the Imperius curse or as Moody said it "Imperio!" And the Imperius curse made one of Moody's spiders do a tap dance across the desk. Hermione believed Moody's favourite phrase must be "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" as he roared it at varying times. Next, to Hermione's surprise, Neville raised his hand and said very quietly,

"There's one – the Cruciatus curse," and Moody stared at him with both eyes, then looked down at the register.

"Your name's Longbottom?" Moody inquired. Neville nodded but Moody said no more. He made the spider bigger than a tarantula ("Engorgio!") and then pointed his wand at it.

"Crucio!" He muttered and the spider twitched horribly, its legs bending back in horrific ways, and it began to jerk more violently, but then she saw Neville and she made her decision.

"Stop it!" She said shrilly.

The whole class looked at her, but then seeing what she was staring at, watched Neville, whose hands were clenched and white upon the desk before him and his eyes wide and horrified. Moody continued with the lesson.

"Right... anyone know any others? Yes?" Moody was looking at her as she raised her hand and Hermione felt a sudden urge of dislike for the man who had frightened Neville out of his wits and then proceeded to ignore him.

"Avada kedavra," she whispered with revulsion.

After watching the spider's death unfold before her eyes and let Neville be hauled away rather viciously by Moody, Hermione was feeling most definitely downcast. She hurried back to the library and had selected a book on house elves when she was struck by the most inspirational idea. She grabbed some parchment and began to write...