Discovery

25.

We filed into Defense Against the Dark Arts on Thursday afternoon. I took my usual seat next to Hermione.

After taking attendance, Moody began our first lesson.

"So— straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you countercurses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in sixth year."

"And for good reason," I whispered to Hermione.

"You will not talk when I am speaking, Miss Hart." I jumped and glanced back at the front of the classroom.

Professor Moody wasn't looking at me, but I noticed his magical eye was pointed in my direction.

"So...do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"

Several hands rose in the air. Moody pointed to Ron.

"Er," Ron said tentatively, "my dad told me about one...Is it called the Imperius Curse, or something?"

"Ah, yes," said Moody appreciatively. "Your father would know that one. Gave the Ministeu a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse."

Moody got to his feet and pulled a jar out from a desk drawer. Inside were three black spiders. He took one of the spiders and put it in the palm of his hand.

"Imperio!" Professor Moody muttered.

The spider lept from Moody's hand and began to do all sorts of tricks, such as backflips and cartwheels, respectively.

Everyone was laughing— everyone except Professor Moody.

"Think it's funny do you?" he growled. "You'd like it, would you, if I did that to you?"

The laughter stopped.

"Total control," said Moody quietly. "I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats..."

I shifted in my chair uncomfortably.

"The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he barked, and everyone jumped.

Moody asked for another curse. Hermione raised her hand, and so did Neville, which surprised the whole class.

"There's one— the Cruciatus Curse," said Neville in a small voice.

"Your name's Longbottom?" Moody said.

Neville nodded, and Professor Moody turned back to the jar for another spider.

"Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea," he said, pointing his wand at the spider. "Engorgio!"

The spider was huge now, and I saw Ron push his chair as far back as it would go.

Moody raised his wand again. "Crucio!"

The spider began to twitch horribly. It writhed in pain, and Moody did make any move to stop it.

Tears began to form in my eyes. I looked away from the spider.

"Stop it!" Hermione said shrilly.

I glanced back up at the front of the room to see that Neville looked horrified.

"Pain," said Moody softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse...Right...anyone know any others?"