Just a Speck of Gold - Severus Snape

Chapter Four - Notes and the Past

Chapter 4 – Notes and the Past

M.G

Throughout the day, Maya overheard many things about Professor Moody. People said he used the killing curse and the Cruciatus Curse all in one day. Maya couldn't believe it; she simply couldn't. It was a Doubting Thomas moment for her, she had to see it before she genuinely believed it.

Maya and Charlotte made their way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and looked around. There wasn't much to the dull room, except for three spiders in jars upon his desk. Maya only imagined that they were merely an intriguing yet disturbing collection.

When all the students sat down, Professor Mood started writing on his chalkboard. In bulky, sloppy letters, he scribbled his name: MOODY. The swivelling eye was twitching convulsively like a roach right before it crosses into roach after-life; Moody took a mighty swing from a bronze flask and the eye stopped twitching. Something about this man-made Maya very uneasy, her stomach fastened itself into knots. Not like the intricate knots for friendship bracelets, but the knots you get in your hair after not brushing it for days on end—just like Professor Moody's hair. Maya smiled at that thought, but only for a minor second because the bright-blue eye had landed on her.

"Maya Gold. I recognize that name," Professor Moody grunted.

Maya's heart jumped into her throat. Her anxiety heightened, and she worried that he knew. All the students turned toward Maya, her face turning cherry-red. Her thoughts bombarded her brain, and that's all she heard.

He knows. He knows. He knows.

"Your noble father, Otis Gold, the one clever man who could withstand the Cruciatus Curse. The man with great power and then disappeared off the face of the Earth."

Maya let out a calming breath of evident relief, he didn't know after all. She tried calming her heart to respond.

"Yes, sir, that is my father," Maya confirmed. Many students gasped, even Charlotte seemed bewildered, "I've only seen him once, but even then I was very young. Now, he's only in pictures and fond memories."

Maya was willingly lying. Although that was indeed her dear father, she saw him regularly and he wasn't off the face of the Earth. Otis Gold had a simple reason for not being among the public. He was possessed. That demon would haunt her dreams.

"There are three Unforgivable Curses. I've already named one of them," Moody nodded in Maya's direction, "but first, let me show you how it works."

Moody picked up a spider from one of the jars and let it scuttle onto his hand. He muttered a spell and the spider became twice his size. Moody licked his lips and cast the curse, "Crucio!"

Maya's whole body flooded with warmth, but her eyes remained on the "screaming" spider. Did she have her father's power? Surely she didn't...maybe she could ask Professor Snape later. The spider squirmed and made cries of agony. After a few more seconds, Moody stopped and set the exhausted spider back into the jar. Everyone let out a breath of relief and the warm feeling Maya had subsided.

"Nasty curse the Cruciatus Curse," Moody almost looked somber but then whipped his head around to look at the student, "there are two more, and does anyone know them?"

Everyone looked around the room, even though they all knew one. Nobody rose their hands but Moody's swivelling eye landed on Quinn Everglot, a moody, quirky blonde.

"Miss Everglot, would you mind answering my question?" questioned Moody smartly.

"The Imperius Curse," she said dully.