Chapter thirteen: The three unforgivable curses
"Alright, Snape?"
Lucy was sitting outside the great hall on the front steps and wanted to cry her heart out. Even though Snape had promised her she wouldn't die, something inside of her told her she wasn't going to have too much longer on this earth. She looked up and saw Shona, she had a sympathetic smile on her face as she sat down next to Lucy.
"Fine unless you exclude the fact I'm going to die, you?"
"I'm good. You won't die by the way, if vampires can't tear you to shreds neither can the tri wizard tournament"
Lucy looked at her friend worriedly, "people die in the tournament! I've heard there are the most brutal tasks and someone like me to face them? I don't think so"
"You've got your friends though" Shona said poking Lucy's arm, "you've got a couple of gingers, one that's your boyfriend, a shiny toothed weirdo whom you go fan girl over, you've got Snivels and you've got me the girl who's fluent in sarcasm"
"Thanks, Shona, but do you think I'm going to survive?"
" 'Course you will, I'll even help you out - if I have to" This caused Lucy to laugh as usual, "so where did the greasy git go?"
"He went to Dumbledore's office to discuss me and Harry - oh I do feel sorry for Harry, he doesn't have any family, no one to fall back on"
"He's got Ronald and Hermione"
"Only Hermione now" Lucy sighed and Shona looked at her confused, "Ron took envy to the fact Harry got his name drawn out of the goblet of fire and think he wants all the glory and fame it's because Ron always has his family to compete with and Harry always gets attention as he's the boy-who-lived"
"That sucks, well I just came to fetch you because Skeeter's prowling around the castle looking for some unfortunate to interview"
"Where should we go? I can't go to the common room I'll be attacked"
"Why don't we go down to the dark side of the castle, also known as your dad's dungeons, c'mon - "
The two of them headed down to the dungeons and when they arrived Lucy unlocked the door so they could go to Snape's quarters so Shona could destroy the place. Lucy sat in Snape's usual seat and picked up the prophet and flicked through the page, careful not to rip it.
"Does Snape ever clean this place?" Shona wrinkled her nose as she dragged her finger along a shelf of books then sneezed.
"No but I take pleasure in doing it, I only cleaned that shelf yesterday but I guess I'll have to re-do it tomorrow" She sighed sarcastically
"Fair enough..." She muttered
Shona moved herself over to another shelf and saw the little figures she had asked Snape about in her third year and he had begrudgingly told her. She was tempted to pick one up but thought it was best not to as they could easily break, or so they looked like they were.
Shona looked at Lucy, her eyes were scanning the prophet and she looked rather angrily at the small print as though they were communicating with her and trying to win some sort of battle. The way she looked at the moment made her look almost a bit terrifying, her long brown wavy hair had turned to coal black, much like Snape's. Her eyes had turned a light brown yet her skin colour was the same. She was obviously angry and Shona wasn't surprised.
"Why black hair?" Shona asked
"What?" She snapped looking up, "oh, right - I didn't realise that" and Lucy desperately tried to return her hair to it's orginal colour and with a bit of encouragement it did, her eyes returned to their usual green giving her back her usual look.
"What you angry about now?"
"How the Prophet dishes out so many lies and makes everyone look bad and you get these journalists like Skeeter who think they can do whatever the hell they want"
"That's the daily prophet for you, it's always been like that and I don't think it's going to change. If you want something better read the Quibbler"
"The what?"
"The Quibbler, the bloke who writes it is a nutter but there's some pretty funny stuff in there" Shona opened her bag and thrust a copy of the Quibbler into Lucy's hands, it landed it on top of the dull prophet making the bright colours on there stand out even more, "that's the latest issue, you can keep that copy if you want"
"It's yours though" Lucy said as she picked up the Quibbler and began reading the headlines which were totally un-real
"I can but another one but make sure nobody sees you with it, you'll be the un-popular of the most un-popular. Poor Luna..."
"Who's Luna?"
"Oh, Luna Lovegood she's a Ravenclaw and she's in Ginny's year and her dad writes the Quibbler but she doesn't mind, she's very laid back"
"Wish I was laid back in times like these..."
Shona returned to looking at the little figures just as Snape stormed through the door to find the two girls there, he muttered something about Shona and started to pace. Something was definitely up with him.
"You alright dad?" Lucy asked hiding the Quibbler
"Yes, fine, I tried to get you out of the tri wizard tournament but I'm afraid that you have to compete"
"It doesn't matter, it's not like I had a choice anyway. Whoever put my name in the goblet of fire will have my fist to answer to..." Lucy snarled and before she realised it she had ripped the prophet in half, "oh...Er sorry dad"
"Never mind, I was finished with that anyway" Snape said taking the shredded paper and putting it in the bin, Lucy nervously fiddled with a lose thread in her cardigan thinking she had let her temper get the best of her again.
"I'd like to see you in a temper with ol' Kingston" Shona chuckled finally swiping a figure from the shelf
"MCGUIRE, PUT IT BACK!" Snape yelled making Lucy jump, Shona nervously put the figure back and Snape relaxed slightly but opened the door and shoved Shona out then locking it. Her muffled squeaks could be heard from outside:
"Don't make me use my paper clip again like I did in first year!"
"I suggest you head off to bed while I sort McGuire out" Snape sighed
"Alright" Lucy sighed, she got up and grudgingly made her way to bed.
She didn't sleep well that night, constantly haunted with the tasks she thought she'd face. And every task there was she was killed...
* * *
The next day Lucy sat next to Shona, last lesson, in defense against the dark arts waiting for Professor Moody. Lucy hadn't got a wink of sleep last night, her face was paper white and it looked as though she had lost weight over night.
Professor walked into the classroom, well not walked he stomped more than anything, and stood in front of the blackboard and grabbed a bit of chalk. He scribbled down his name then faced his students who all looked terrified.
"Moody, Alastor 'Mad-eye' Moody" he said introducing himself to his pupils
"Mad-eye" Shona grunted like a caveman, pointing at Professor Moody's eye making Lucy giggle but immediately stopped when Moody rounded on her.
"We'll see who's laughing at the end of this lesson, McGuire" he growled
For once Shona shrunk down in her seat. Moody made his way back to the black board and grabbed his chalk.
"Ex auror" he continued scribbling it down then faced his pupils, "your new defense against the dark arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye! The end" he paused, "any questions?"
The room was silent.
"When it comes to the dark arts, I believe in a practical approach. First which one of you can tell me, how many unforgivable curses there are?"
"Three, Sir" Hermione said
"And they are so named?"
"Because they are unforgivable and the use of anyone of them will - "
"Give you a one way ticket-to-Azkaban!" he snarled, again, scribbling down on the blackboard, "correct. Now, the ministry says you're too young to see what these curses do - " he slapped down the chalk, "I say different! You need to know what they're up against! You need to be prepared! You need to find another place to put your chewing gum besides the underside of your desk, Mr Finnigan!"
"The old codger can see through the back of his head!" Seamus muttered
And Moody threw his board rubber at Seamus. Everyone ducked and luckily Seamus did too.
"So, which curse shall we see first?" Moody approached Ron, "WEASLEY!"
"Yes?" Ron whimpered
"Stand!" Ron stood up, "give us a curse"
"Well, my dad...Did tell me about one...The i-imperious curse"
"Yes, your father would know all about that. It gave the ministry quite a bit of grief a few years ago. Perhaps this will show you why..."
Moody stomped over to his desk and opened a jar, he pulled out a spider like creature. He pointed his wand at it, muttered an incantation and it enlarged as though suddenly someone had put a magnifying glass over it.
"IMPERIO!" He yelled at it and with his wand he threw it towards Dean and Neville but he still had complete control over it with his wand.
Then he threw it towards Crabbe then to Pavarti and Padma Patil who were freaked out by it. Then onto Ron's head and as he had a fear of spiders he went mental. Draco laughed at Ron but then Moody threw it on Draco's face, Goyle frantically tried to whack the creature with his textbook. Then Moody moved his wand and it landed on Shona's hand yet this didn't bother her she just laughed along with her classmates. This didn't satisfy Moody so he threw it towards the closed window in anger.
He then drew it back to him and placed it in his palm. He lifted the creature from the curse so it sat relaxed there.
"Scores of witches, and wizards, have claimed they only did you-know-who's bidding under the imperious curse. But here's the problem!, How do we sort out the liars?" It was as though it was a rhetorical question.
He looked around then spoke again:
"Another, another!" He encouraged waiting for a curse. Neville timidly raised his hand and Moody approached him, "Longbottom is it? Professor Sprout tells me you have an attitude for herbolagy"
He said as Neville arose from his seat. All eyes were on him now.
"T-There's the um...The cruciatis"
"Correct!, Come!, Come!" He beckoned and Moody and Neville mad their way to Moody's desk. "Particularly nasty" he added whilst scooping up the creature again, "the tourture curse - CRUCIO!"
The creature, or what sounded like it, was screaming. Neville wasn't enjoying it, he was wincing and desperately trying to look away. Lucy couldn't take it to see her friend in pain, she stood up as quick as she could.
"STOP IT!" She half yelled half pleaded, "CAN'T YOU SEE IT'S BOTHERING HIM? STOP IT!"
Moody looked up at Lucy and then he stopped the curse promptly. The creature relaxed once again and Neville seemed relieved but still disturbed. Moody took the creature, in his palm, then walked over to Lucy and Shona's desk. He put the creature on top of her textbook. Lucy's hair turned purple.
"Metamorphmagus, fighter of vampires, known as 'Lucky' by her friends, Snape's daughter and Miss Lucy Snape" Moody listed her titles, "perhaps you can give me the third and final unforgiveable curse?"
"Er..." Lucy's voice cracked, she coughed and tried to pull herself together, "the killing curse. It's the most unforgivable of them all." She shivered. She felt like crying.
"And the incantation?"
Lucy got out her wand. Everyone gasped. Yet she was simply placing it on her desk. Just in case.
"Avada Kedavra"
"Correct. Smart like your father - " Moody aimed his wand at the creature, "Avada Kedavra"
And the creature was dead.
Lucy looked away from it. She looked tearful. Mad-eye removed the creature from her desk then dismissed the class. Everyone arose from their seats, collected their things and made a swift exit...Well it was really a race to the exit.
When Lucy and Shona were outside of the classroom (finally) they looked at each other. Lucy looked even more (if possible) pale since they had entered the classroom.
"H-He made me say it!" Lucy sobbed at Shona
"I know he did. That wasn't nice as you're always in a nervous disposition anyway"
"Never again"
"Never again" Shona agreed, the two walked to the dungeons and were greeted by Snape whom has just made his way out.
"Good afternoon, girls"
"Hey, Snivs!, Don't upset Lucy she's disturbed"
"What happened?"
"Mad-eye Moody made her say the incantation for the killing curse - "
"He what?!"
"I'm not repeating myself! Even McGuire's disturbed!"
"I heard you" Snape sighed as Lucy looked at the floor in shame.
"Well I just came over to drop off Lucy in case she fainted along the way like she's prone to doing"
"You can stay, Shona" Lucy said softly, not looking up
"Sweet! Go make me some famous British brew, Snivels, I need it - don't forget the sugar!"
"MCGUIRE!"
Lucy and Shona walked into Snape's 'living room' while Snape walked into his kitchen and began making tea. Lucy sat down in her usual seat, leaving Shona the sofa. She sat down and spread herself out where as Lucy carefully sat down hoping she wasn't causing anyone too much bother.
Before long Snape had finished the tea, he begrudgingly gave a cup to Shona and offered a cup to Lucy and she only took it to warm her hands up. Snape sat down with his tea and down with his and took a sip.
"Good brew, Snapeadoodle!" Shona gave him a thumbs up.
"Thank you...So Mad-eye made Lucy say the killing curse?" Snape asked
"Yeah, he made her say it. And as Lucy didn't want to backchat a teacher she said it" Shona said
"So he was teaching you the unforgiveable curses?"
"NO! HE WAS TEACHING US ABOUT FLUFFY BUNNY RABBITS! WHAT DO YOU THINK?!"
"DETENTION!"
"Guys seriously shut up" Lucy sighed and Snape and Shona immediately stopped arguing, "that'll be nice to know when I'll be killed by one of the fellow champions. Especially Krum as I bet he's a whiz at defense against the dark arts as Durmstrang is all about the dark arts"
"Actually, Lucky, Krum has a thing for you" Shona piped up
"So does Cedric so do Fred and George, do you think that's new to me?"
"Hear this, Snivels?, Lucky's got a fan club of boys"
"Be quiet, Shona" Lucy whispered, she set her untouched tea down and headed up to bed leaving Snape and Shona to stare at each other.