A Sirius Matter [Harmione]

25. The Contest Begins

Time seemed to fly after that. In between classes and extra training, the days seemed to flow one into the next for Harry, although he made sure that he and his girlfriend took out time for snog breaks. Professor O'Brian was checking everyone for cheating at the beginning of every Potions class. She only caught Malfoy trying it one more time, but knew that he'd try again given the chance. Harry and Hermione kept at the top of their classes, earning many points from their teachers, especially Sirius Black.

The class after Hermione's birthday, Sirius chose an interesting topic to discuss. "Can anybody in class tell me why certain curses are called unforgivable?" Hermione's hand was up immediately. "Yes, Miss Granger."

"Because they are unforgivable. The use of any one of them will earn you a life sentence in Azkaban."

"That is correct. Five points to Gryffindor. Can anybody in the class name one?" Harry, along with a handful of others, raised his hand. Sirius grinned. "Mr. Potter?"

He took a deep breath. "The Avada Kadavra curse."

"Correct. Five points. The killing curse. There is no shield that can block it. The only known way to survive is to make sure it doesn't hit you. Although Mr. Potter here is the exception. He's the only person known to have survived it, and no one really knows how. Mind you, there are lots of theories about it, but none that I want to test. Does anybody else know a curse." He looked at the hands that had been raised. "Malfoy?"

He sneered. "The Imperius Curse, sir," he said proudly yet coldly.

"Yes. That's a curse that controls you. A strong enough mind can learn to fight it off, but it's difficult. Many witches and wizards, including Lucius Malfoy, claimed to do Voldemort's..." Most of the class shuddered at the name. "...bidding under its influence. Of course we now know he was lying. One point to Slytherin for providing such a fine example of a fake Imperius Curse. I wonder who else was lying about it back then," he said as he shot a quick glare at both Crabbe and Goyle, who gulped. "Anyone else know a curse?" He looked around and his smile faded. "Mr. Longbottom," he said kindly.

Neville was trembling, but forcing himself to speak. "The C-cruciatus curse."

"That's correct, Neville. Five points to Gryffindor. The torture curse." He took a deep breath. "This is the most painful curse in existence. Believe me, you don't want to be hit with this curse." He glanced in Neville's direction for a moment, which caused him to pale. "Anyone brave enough to stand up to this evil curse long enough risks loosing their sanity. It takes a truly sick individual to do that to someone." He then looked around the room. "What is it about these three curses that makes them so bad that you automatically get life in prison for performing them? There are other ways to kill and hurt people. Other curses to use. Why are these special?"

Harry thought back to what he'd read in the textbook and raised his hand along with a few others, including Hermione.

"Yes, Harry?"

"Because these curses require a very strong hatred to work properly. You have to really want to torture, kill, or control a person to use them. The ministry feels that if you are capable of using those particular curses, there is probably no hope of rehabilitation for you. Most curses only require the proper wand movement and incantation, and no emotion. But trying those curses without pure hatred inside you will result in the spell not working properly."

"Correct. Twenty points to Gryffindor."

He went on with the lesson, and about fifteen minutes before class was over, he assigned an essay and then said, "Starting the first week of October, every Wednesday after dinner I'll be hosting a dueling club." This got the class' attention. After he gave them the details, including the fact that Harry would be assisting him, he dismissed the class.