Chapter 69: The Unforgivable Curses
The next day, as Neal greeted them as usual, Tracey whispered to Daphne, "he looks alright to me. I think he was over it". Later, after the Potions class is over, they went to D.A.D.A. class and sat while waiting for Moody.
A while later, Moody entered the class and scanned everyone with his magical eye and spotted Harry and then Neal. But unlike what Ron and a few others expected him to treat Neal like how Snape snarls at Harry the moment he enters the class, Moody didn't focus on him at all and started his lesson.
"Forget about what Lupin taught you. We won't be doing that and follow the textbook. Close them and listen to me carefully. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you a few countercurses according to the textbook and leave it at that.
You are not supposed to be taught about the Dark curses until you reach the sixth year, but Dumbledore thinks otherwise. He wants you to know what you are up against in the outside world, the sooner the better.
So, first, let me ask you. Do any of you know which curses are heavily punished by law?". While a few lifted their hand, he asked, "Ron, how about you?". Ron stood and said, "well, my father did tell me about one. The Imperius curse".
Moody nodded, "your father would know that one. Gave him a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius curse". Then he opened the glass jar on the desk and pulled out a small spider and increased its size with "Engorgio" and then whispered, "Imperio". As he controlled the spider, he said, "total control. I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself or make it attack someone.
Many years ago, several witches and wizards were controlled with this spell by you-know-who. This curse can be fought and I'll be teaching you how but not everyone can do it. It needs strong willpower and absolute confidence in yourself. It's better if you just avoid being hit. Constant vigilance is necessary.
Ok, then, the next curse, who is going to name it", as students raised their hand, "you, Longbottom is it?", Neville nodded and said, "the Cruciatus curse". Moody nodded, "yes, you would know about that. It's very familiar to your family, after all". Then he pointed his wand at the Spider, "Crucio".
As he began to torture it, Neville clutched the desk tightly while Hermoine screamed while looking at Neville, "stop it".
Then, Moody asked her, "so, Ms. Granger, give us the final curse". As she shook her head while tearing up, Moody shouted, "Avada Kedavra", pointing his wand towards the spider and killed it. Then, he looked at Harry, "the killing curse, not pleasant. No countercurse. There's no blocking it. Only one person known to have survived and he's sitting in the class".
While everyone looked at Harry, Neal thought as he frowned, "but Dumbledore blocked Tom Riddle's killing curse with some defense spell, didn't he? How come the best Auror of the Ministry doesn't know that? Strange indeed".
In the next couple of weeks, Moody trained the students to increase their resistance by putting the Imperius curse on them. Neal saw that students were still prone to it and doing extraordinary things like dancing on the desk, crying like a bird, behaving like a monkey, etc... while he was just ignoring it and reading the books.
Then after Draco's turn is over, Moody called, "Slytherin, it's your turn". Neal sighed while closing his book and went and stood before him. As Moody pointed out his wand at Neal and said, "Imperio", Neal immediately reacted in time and stepped aside evading the spell in just a fraction of second.
Moody nodded, "good, you also passed in evading but it would better if you practice it without those shoes". Neal looked at the magical eye which was able to point his flying shoes' specialty with just a glance and nodded silently.
Meanwhile, Moody stared at Neal for a while. After a long silence, he replied, "okay, you are good until next month. You don't need to take the class for a while. How you use this time is your wish". Neal nodded and slowly went to his seat. After picking up his books, he stepped out of the class.
Moody then thought, "good riddance. I hope I will encounter him less. That's better for my identity. Just seeing him makes my blood boil. Master is the true heir to the Slytherin. How dare those betrayers even tried to poach me telling he will become the next DarkLord for sure and Master is too weak to lead them. Let's see those faces after Master resurrect".
Then, he looked at Harry with his magical eye, "let's forget him. Sooner or later, either he will bow down his head to Master or die. Harry Potter is the one that's important for Master's resurrection".
Until the following weeks, Harry and Ron felt strange as Malfoy is behaving and not bothering themselves. They liked Moody even better for scaring him to such extent. As for Neal, since he doesn't have Quidditch practice in school and has 1 year of rest with the National team too, he keeps on spending his free time inside the suitcase training his animagus form.
On the morning of the 28th of October, Neal and Daphne saw the entrance hall was packed with students near the notice board. As Daphne was about to go, Neal grabbed her hand, "don't bother. We can see it later or ask someone else. Let's go". Daphne nodded and followed him to the Great Hall.
As both of them sat at the table, Neal heard people are whispering excitedly, "they are finally here". "At last, it is starting. I'm waiting forever". Neal said, "it might be the Triwizard Tournament". Daphne then looked around and called one, "Hey Zettie".
The second-year Slytherin who was just staring at Neal from the distance and giggling with her friends turned towards Daphne. When Daphne gestured her to come, She scuttered towards them with an excited face and asked, "what is it?". As Daphne asked what's going on, she replied, "students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are arriving on 30th of this month". Neal nodded, "I see, no wonder the Castle is going through extra cleaning. I thought it was just Filch".
As Zettie began to squeal in delight and going into a fangirl mode, out of nowhere three to four girls joined and surrounded Neal asking him about nonsense things like his favorite things. Daphne then sternly kicked them away from there while muttering, "these flies".
On the day of their arrival, after all the classes are over, the Heads of the houses were ordering their students in lines. They filed down the steps and lined up in front of the castle. It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling and a pale transparent moon was already rising in the sky.
As Neal looked at his pocket watch, he mumbled, "nearly six". Then he asked Draco in a whisper, "did you know how they were coming. You told that your father knows Durmstrang well". Draco replied, "I heard that Dumstrang has this old ship used to transport people. Not completely sure about it".
Just then, Dumbledore called out from the back row where he stood with the other teachers, "Aha! Unless I'm very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!". Hearing him, students looked around but weren't able to find them anywhere".
Neal then pointed in the sky, "raise your head, Draco". As Draco raised his head, he saw something was pulling a large house while it is hurtling across the deep blue sky toward the castle, growing larger as it is near.
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