Elysian Potter: The Forgotten Queen.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor do I own the original idea for this story. All rights for the characters go to the magnificent J. K. Rowling and the original idea belongs to CharmedMilliE-Karry Master.
Elysian's Theme Song: You Should See Me In A Crown, Billie Eilish– Castle, Hasley – The Devil Within, Digital Daggers – Don't Make Me, MALINDA – Doll House, Melanie Martinez – Prom Queen, Molly Kate Kestner – Everybody's Fool, Evanescence.
Chapter Thirty-Five: The Unforgivable Curses
Draco was turned into a ferret.
Moody had turned Draco into a ferret.
Elysian had never laughed so hard in her life than when Draco, Crabbe and Goyle had come sprinting into the common room crying about how Moody was a mad man – his nickname was 'Mad-eye Moody,' mad was in his name – and how Lucius would be suing for such blatant disrespect. When Hermione appeared at eleven – making the excuse that she was getting tutoring in potions (which she may have needed due to her inability to put down a book) – she informed everyone of what had actually happened and soon everyone was laughing on the ground.
"It's not funny!" cried Draco, smoke billowing from his ears.
"Your right," said Blaise, who was clutching Elysian's waist to stop her falling, "it's hilarious."
He grumbled and sat down, pouting, as Hermione gently kissed his cheek and smiled. Once everyone had stopped laughing people began asking if he was okay. Draco, of course, perked up immediately with all the attention – the Buckbeak incident sprang to mind – as Hermione was walked out of the common room by Professor Snape, who handed her some of his rarer potion's books.
Everyone had been shocked the first time Professor Snape had offered to do such a thing for Hermione, he was very protective of his books. It soon became clear, though, that Professor Snape saw some potential in Hermione and wanted to help her grow, especially after it was revealed that Snape was Draco's Godfather. That made things a lot clearer.
Professor Snape soon ushered them up to bed. Blaise gave her a peck on the cheek and grinned before disappearing towards the male dorms. Ginny and Astoria glared at Elysian as she passed and Elysian just smirked waving 'politely' at them before going to bed.
~EP~
The Slytherins had Defence Against the Dark Arts the following day and Elysian was looking forward to it. Sure, she assumed Moody was going to be incredibly biased towards them and would probably be very cruel towards them but that didn't matter. Draco wasn't happy at all and was attempting to get out of the lesson but Professor Snape made it impossible for him to do so.
Elysian winced as the knocking that had been going on in her mind became louder with each step she made towards Moody's classroom. Blaise and Daphne stood on either side of her but neither noticed her discomfort as she subtly rubbed her temples and tried her best to continue ignoring it. The knocking had become more persistent than ever and seemed to grow even stronger when she was near Mad-Eye. At first, Elysian assumed it was Moody who was knocking at the door in her mind but since he had never made an attempt to talk to her, she dismissed this idea.
Entering the classroom, Elysian and Blaise took their normal seats at the front of the class as Daphne took a seat behind her. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were cowering at the back, which made Moody smirk and his eyes gleam with predatory intent.
Moody didn't even speak and instead, he took the register. His normal eye slowly went down the list while his magical eye spun around and scanned the students as they answered.
The knocking in Elysian's head grow louder and she debated whether or not to open the door. Blaise, noticing her discomfort, gently took her hand under the desk and rubbed it, trying to soothe her if only slightly. Moody didn't seem to notice – or didn't care – as he finished the register and began speaking.
When his mouth opened, everyone winced. The scars that littered his face in constellations twisted and seemingly mutated, growing larger and looking as if they were about to rip open. His exposed teeth were black and yellow and Elysian could practically smell the rot that must have taken residence in the Professor's mouth.
"Right then," he said as the last person declared themselves present, "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures – you've covered Boggarts, Red Caps, Hinkypunks, Grindylows, Kappas and werewolves, is that right?"
There was a general murmur of assent.
"But you're behind – very behind – on dealing with curses," said Moody. "So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark Arts."
There were whispers all around the classroom but Moody, once again, didn't seem to care.
"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 counter-curses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it 'til then. But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared.
"So ... do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"
Several hands were raised but Moody's eyes fixed themselves on Draco. The Malfoy Heir went pale upon noticing but chose to speak anyway, though the tremor in his voice clearly betrayed his fear of the crazed Professor.
"The-The Imperius curse..."
"Ah, yes," said Moody, a cutting edge to his tone that sent shivers down the spine of each student. "Your father would know that one."
He didn't elaborate. He didn't need to.
All of Slytherin House knew of how Lord Malfoy had cried Imperius curse when he was caught in Death Eater robes and was released. He wasn't the only Death Eater to have done so, though, and Moody's magical eye was zooming all around the room, glaring at the other students whose parents had done the same.
The knocking in Elysian's head grew louder, more urgent. She continued to ignore it but it was getting harder and harder.
"Do you need to go to the Infirmary?" whispered Blaise, seeing her wince once again.
"No. I'll be fine," grunted Elysian, not daring to show weakness in front of anyone.
Moody's eye zoomed in on them and Elysian was fully prepared to be yelled at, but he didn't. Instead, his eye just zoomed off towards the next student in the row.
"Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?" said Moody, gaining their attention again.
Elysian's hand slowly raised and Moody nodded towards her.
"The Cruciatus curse," said Elysian.
Memories of Neville's parents popped into her mind and Elysian was thankful that they would soon be healed by the philosophers stone once Flamel was finished.
Moody nodded in agreement and demonstrated the curse on a spider. Almost everyone winced – everyone but Elysian who had experienced the curse first hand... a long time ago.
"Right ... anyone know any others?"
Blaise raised his hand and, with a stone-cold expression, stated: "The Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra."
Moody's eyes gleamed like a kid on Christmas as he pulled out the last spider. This time the students were ready for it and didn't flinch as the spider died to the curse. Many students internally flinched, however, as memories of family members dying to the green curse popped into their minds. Elysian felt Blaise grip her hand tighter and this time it was Elysian giving him comfort but Blaise never showed any sign of being disturbed.
"Not nice," said Moody. "Not pleasant. And there's no counter-curse. There's no blocking it. Only two people are known to have survived it, and one is sitting right in front of me."
Moody's eyes locked with Elysian's and for a few moments, they just stared at each other. Finally, Moody broke eye-contact and continued teaching but Elysian was no longer in the right headspace to listen.
~EP~
The lesson ended and everyone was rushing out of the classroom as fast as their feet could carry them. Blaise and Elysian waited until the majority of people had left before getting up but Moody stopped them before they could leave fully.
"Miss Potter," he said, "Please remain behind."
Elysian nodded, never one to disobey a teacher, and told Blaise she'd meet him in the common room. Once Blaise was gone, Moody waved his wand and the door closed as Elysian walked back to her desk, her face completely impassive.
Moody's magical eye zoomed up and down her as he took a swig from his flask. The two were once again locked in a staring match.
The knocking in Elysian's head increased to the point where it was unbearable and Elysian threw her mental door open in hopes of relief. Once the door was open, Elysian suddenly felt as if someone – or something – had entered her mind and a feminine voice soon followed.
"Do not react, Elysian. Not even slightly."
Moody clambered his way around the classroom, casting wards and scanning every crevasse and crack for anything that could allow someone to overhear their conversation.
"Who are you?"
"I have gone by many names... though I suppose you would be aware of my current title: Hogwarts."
"WHAT?"
Elysian's face was impassive on the outside but internally she was freaking out and Hogwarts could sense it.
"Relax child. As Lady Slytherin and possible heiress to Gryffindor, you hold two halves of Hogwarts. This allows me to speak with you, if only in times of great need."
Moody returned to his place in front of Elysian and began to speak, his lips twisted in a snarl of some sort.
"Now, Miss Potter, it has come to my attention that you have been associating with... former –" he spat the word like it was poison, "—Death Eaters. The Malfoy's for example."
"Yes, their members of my house."
"Is that the only reason? After all, with the hostility between you and your parents... it wouldn't be too hard to believe..."
"Child, this is not Professor Alister 'Mad-Eye' Moody, this is Bartimus Crouch Jr. He is an imposter."
Elysian recognised the name as the Death Eater who tortured Neville's parents into insanity alongside the Lestranges. Immediately his questions made sense: since the Dark Lord was still alive, Barty must have been sent to find out if Elysian was truly loyal to him or not. It made sense... but what to do.
"Miss Potter? Do I need to inform Dumbledore of your loyalty to the ... Dark Arts?"
And suddenly her mind was made up.
"Well, Barty, do I need to inform Dumbledore of your ... deception?"
Moody's/Barty's eyes widened and he was about to speak when there was a knock at the classroom door and Elysian was free to escape... for now.