Harry and Amelia Potter

4.4

"Alastor Moody." He writes his name on the board. "Ministry malcontent. And your new defence against the dark arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye, the end. Any questions?" The class shakes our heads. "When it comes to the dark arts, I believe in a practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many unforgivable curses there are?"

"Three sir." Hermione raises her hand.

"And they are so named?"

"Because they are unforgivable. Use of any one of them will..."

"Will earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban." He finishes for her. "Correct. Now the ministry says you're too young to see what these curses do. I say different! You need to know what you're up against, you need to be prepared, you need to find somewhere else to put your chewing gum other than the underside of your desk Mr Finnigan!"

"We no way, the old codger can see out the back of his head." Seamus whispers to those of us around him. Then Professor Moody turns and throws a piece of chalk in anger.

"So, which curse shall we see first?" The Professor looks around the room and his eyes land on Ron. "Weasley!"

"Yes..." Ron looks terrified and looks to Harry and I.

"Give us a curse."

"Well my dad did tell me about one..." he trails off. "The imperious curse."

"Ahhh yes, your father would know all about that. Gave the ministry quite a bit of grief a few years ago." He pauses for a moment. "Perhaps this will show you why." Mad-Eye pops open a jar with a spider in it. "Hello. What a little beauty." He enlarges it with his wand and sends it around the class. "Don't worry. Completely harmless." The whole class is unsettled. "But if she bites... she's lethal!"

Malfoy laughs. "What are you laughing at?" Mad-Eye send the spider to his face. He begins to whimper like a little baby. I can't help but smirk at the sight. "What should I have her do next?" He brings the spider to the window. "Jump out the window?" Then brings it to a bucket of water. "Drown herself?" It struggles over the bucket.

"Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only did you-know-whose bidding under the influence of the imperious curse. But here's the rub, how do we sort out the liars? Another.. another..." he walks over to Neville. "Come on come on. Longbottom is it? Up." Neville stands and gulps. "Professor Sprout tells me you have an aptitude for herbology."

"There's the umm..... cruciatus curse." Neville states.

"Correct! Correct! Come come." He guides Neville up to the front of the room. "Particularly nasty. The torture curse." Mad-Eye begins torturing the spider. It squeals and you can see how upset Neville is. I can't take it anymore.

"Stop it! Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering him! Stop!" I exclaim.

Mad-Eye stops. Neville is disturbed. Mad-Eye picks up the spider which is still making a noise.

"Perhaps you could give us the last unforgivable cure, Miss Potter." I shake my head and he casts a spell and the spider stops moving. "The killing curse. Only two people are known to have survived it." He looks to Harry and I. "And they're sitting in this room."

After the class, Ron, Harry, Hermione, and I walk out of the room after he dismisses us. I don't know what to think of him as a teacher. I agree that we should know the dangers out there, and there's no better person to show us then Moody. But his methods, poor Neville.

"Brilliant isn't he! Completely demented of course. Terrifying to be in the same room with, he's really been there you know." Ron tells us.

"There's a reason those curses are unforgivable, and to perform them in a classroom. I mean did you see Nevilles face." Hermione states. Then we approach Neville on the staircase, looking out the window.

"Neville?" I say, gently placing my hand on his shoulder. Then Mad-Eye approaches him.

"Son. You alright?" Neville nods. "Come on. Well have a cup of tea. I want to show you something."