The Daughter of Black

The Unforgivables

Recommended:

Way Down We Go - Kaleo
Blood in the Water - Grandson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

September 2, 1994

It was the next day after lunch when we had our first Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Professor Moody walked in and started writing his name on the board.

"Alastor Moody. Ministry malcontent. And your new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye, the end. Any questions?"

Nobody dared to ask one.

"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?"

Draco shifted a little in his seat.

"Three sir." Hermione answered, as always.

"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. Correct."

"Only if you're caught" Draco mumbled bitterly.

"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!" Moody said as he threw his chalk at Seamus.

"So, which curse shall we see first? Weasley! Give us a curse." He continued.

Ron looked like he was going to throw up.

"Well, my dad did tell me about one... The imperious curse."

"Ah yes, your father would know all about that. Gave the ministry quite a bit of grief a few years ago. Perhaps this will show you why."

Moody grabbed a spider out of a jar and used the imperious curse on it. Ron looked even more terrified, if that was even possible.

He sent it around the class landing on people and causing terror.

"Don't worry! Completely harmless.. unless she bites!" He said with a wild look about him. He was enjoying this.

Draco laughed and he made the spider land on his face. I tried my best to keep my laugh in, I did not want that thing on me.

"What shall I have her do next? Jump out the window? Drown herself... 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?" He stared at Draco.

"Another.. another.. Come on come on. Longbottom is it?"

"There's um.. the cruciatus curse." Neville said quietly.

"Correct! Correct! Particularly nasty. The torture curse." Moody said as he performed it on the spider.

I didn't miss Draco's flinch as he cast it. I looked over at him and he wouldn't meet my eyes. Neville was crying and looking at his feet.

"Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering him, stop it!"

"Perhaps you could give us the last unforgivable
curse Miss Granger."

She shook her head no, that was the first time Hermione Granger wouldn't answer a question.

He cast the killing curse on the spider.