The Potter Twins: Book 4

Defense Against The Dark Arts

He laughed some more as Ron was clearly terrified. I felt outraged as Ron whimpered, his fear of spider's bothering him. Malfoy's laugh ran out even louder at Ron's fear.

"What are you laughing at?" Moody growled. He quickly moved his wand and the spider like creature moved right onto his face with a squeal. Malfoy whimpered and students laughed even harder. "Talented isn't she? What should I have her do next? Jump out the window?" He flicked his wand and the spider smacked the window with a thwick. "Drown herself?" He hovered her above water.

The spider squealed and desperately tried to get away from the water, to no avail. The laughter in the room quickly subsided and he brought the spider back to his own hand. We all stared. Some in shock, some in disbelief, some angrily and disgusted, like Hermione and I.

"Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only did You-Know-Who's bidding... Under the influence of the Imperius Curse! But here's the rub: How do we sort out the liars?" He growled. "Another, another." He asked quickly. A few students raised their hand cautiously. "Up, up. Come on." Neville slowly raised his hand in the air. "Longbottom, is it? Up. Professor Sprout tells me you have an aptitude for Herbology." Neville nodded slowly.

"T-There's the, um, The Cruciatus Curse." Neville stuttered out at first, until he stated the name of the curse with distaste.

"Correct!" Professor Moody's eyes went wide. "Come, come." He ushered him from behind his desk and to the front of the classroom. "Particularly nasty. The Torture Curse. Crucio!"

The spider on the desk began to squeal and scream in pain. I cringed at the sight, but that was nothing compared to Neville. Professor Moody was so immersed in torturing the small creature he wasn't paying attention to what Neville was clearly experiencing. His face contorted to one of pain and misery, almost like he was experiencing the same pain as the spider. Like he'd seen it before.

"Stop it!" I screamed after having enough of watching Neville suffer too.

"Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering him! Stop it!" Hermione shouted.

The Professor looked up at us and then Neville, immediately removing his wand. The horrible screaming stopped and Neville stood by the desk with his eyes closed. Moody grabbed the little spider and came walking directly over to our desk. He placed her right in front of Hermione and gave us both a menacing look.

"Perhaps you can give us the last Unforgivable Curse, Miss Granger." He asked and she nodded her head. Not looking down at the poor defenseless creature. "And how about you Miss Potter?" I immediately shook my head and he sighed. "No? Avada Kedavra!"

Tears filled our eyes as he said the Killing Curse, right in front of us. A flash of green light coursed out of his wand. Flashing inside my head as well. Watching my mother fall to the ground with a scream. I pressed my fingernails into the palms of my hands and shut my eyes tightly. Breathing in and out to keep the panic away. I took another breath and looked back up too see him staring right at me. I avoided his gaze and looked over towards my brother. He too look horrified and Ron looked concerned at us.

"The Killing Curse. Only two people have been known to have survive it." Moody spoke after a moment. "And they are sitting right here in this room." He looked over me and Harry both from where he stood. Professor Moody quickly took out his flask and began to drink from it as his face appeared to contort slightly.

When class was over I rushed from the class room for air. I've been through so much in the past four years, getting over many of my own fears. But, the killing curse? Right in front of me, in the classroom? That was utterly ridiculous. I stayed quiet as we walked down the stairs. Harry's hand found it's way to mine giving it a quick squeeze and pulling away. I looked up and met his green eyes that appeared to be pleading to see if I was okay. I gave a slight nod and did the same to him, earning a nod back.