"Alastor Moody. Ex-Auror, Ministry malcontent, and your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Moody introduced as he took a chalk and wrote his name on the blackboard. "I am here because Dumbledore asked me. End of story. Goodbye. The end! Any questions?"

The students stared at him in silence as Moody continued to talk. "When it comes to the Dark Arts, I believe in a practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many Unforgivable Curses there are?"

"Three, sir." You answered, inhaling sharply causing Draco to look at you.

"And they are so named?" Moody asked.

"Because they are unforgivable," Hermione answered too. "The use of any one of them will..."

"Will earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban. Correct?" Moody interrupted as he wrote the words on the blackboard. "The Ministry says you are too young to see what these curses do. I say different!" He threw back the chalk on his desk as he exclaimed.

"You need to know what you're up against! You need to be prepared..." As Moody turned to the blackboard again, Seamus secretly placed his gum under his desk. "You need to find another place to put your chewing gum besides the underside of your desk, Mr. Finnegan!"

Everyone looked at Seamus except for you. You were looking down at your book, your chin was resting on your hand.

"No way. The old codger can see out of the back of his head." Seamus whispered.

Suddenly, Moody threw a piece of chalk at him. Students ducked, including you, afraid that the chalk might hit all of you. "And hear across classrooms!"

Students looked back at Moody as he stepped forward to Harry and Ron. "So, which curse shall we see first?" He looked down at Ron. "Weasley!"

Ron jumped a little. "Yes?" Ron asked.

"Stand!" Moody exclaimed. Ron obliged and gulped. "Give us a curse."

Ron looked around then looked back at Moody. "Well... my dad did tell me about one. The Imperius Curse?"

Moody nodded. "Oh, yeah, your father would know all about that one. Gave the Ministry quite a bit of grief a few years ago. Perhaps this will show you why."

Moody went back to his desk and opened a jar with a spider inside.

"Hello!" Moody greeted the spider as he took the spider out. "Lovely little beauty."

Moody pointed his wand at the spider. "Engorgio." The spider grew into the size of his hand. "Imperio!" Moody cast the spell on the spider. The spider suddenly flew towards Dean and Neville's desk with Moody's control.

The spider went to Crabbe's forehead causing him to whimper. Everyone starts laughing. "Don't worry. It's completely harmless." Moody reassured.

You smiled for a bit as you watched the spider hopping to Padma's hand. Draco was just behind her and observed the spider on her hand. She started panicking when the spider climbed up on her shoulder.

Moody floated the spider above Ron's head. "If she bites... she's lethal!" Moody laughed with everyone as he placed the spider in Ron's head causing him to whimper.

Moody noticed Draco snickering. "What are you laughing at?" You saw the spider jumping out of Ron's head and landing on Draco's face. And for the first time, you chuckled, a big smile forming on your lips. You watched as Draco started panicking and slapped Goyle, squirming, and not knowing what to do. Everyone laughed harder.

"Talented, isn't she? What should I have her do next? Jump out the window?" Moody flicked his wand to the side to make the spider flew toward the closed window, slamming into the glass. Everyone slowly stopped laughing.

"Drown herself?" Moody asked. The spider jumped to a pail of water and poised on the rim, ready to dive. Then he brought it back to his hand. "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?"

Moody sighed. "Let's have another curse. C'mon, c'mon."

Everyone shot their hands up and you didn't bother to volunteer to tell the answer. Neville's hand slowly goes up, and Moody calls on him. "Longbottom, isn't it? Up." Neville obliged and stood up. "Professor Sprout tells me you have an aptitude for Herbology."

Neville nodded. "Th-There's the um... the Cruciatus Curse."

Moody gasped. "Correct! Correct! Particularly nasty." Then he led Neville up to his desk and placed the spider down in front of him. "The Torture Curse. Crucio!"

The spider began to squeak and writhe in pain. Neville flinched, almost unable to watch as the spider continued to curl itself up in agony. You widened your eyes and tugged Hermione's sleeve.

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

Moody looked at Hermione until he lifted the curse and again placed the spider in his palm. Neville was left standing at the desk, looking, shocked, and hurt.

Moody walked to your desk and places the spider in front of Hermione, clearing his throat. "Perhaps you could give us the last curse, Ms. Granger?"

With tears flowing in her cheeks, Hermione shook her head vigorously. "No?" Moody asked causing him to turn to you. "How about you, Ms. Stark?"

Hermione stared at you and shook her head, gesturing to you to not tell him. You glanced at her and shakily sighed. "The Killing Curse." You answered, feeling the tears forming on your eyes and a lump on your throat. Draco started to furrow his eyebrows and clenched his fists in worry for you and annoyance for Moody.

Moody moved the spider in front of you. "Avada Kedavra!" With a flash of green light, the spider squeaked out one final scream, then stopped moving. Harry was watching from a desk across, surprised.

"If I don't make it back, know that I love you."

A sob escaped from your lips and you quickly covered your mouth with your hand, shutting your eyes close.

"I love you so much. You, your sister, and your mother are my world."

Professor Moody looked back to his students. "Ms. Stark is right. The Killing Curse. Only one person is known to have survived it. And he's sitting in this room." He stood in front of Harry as he drank his drink.

At last, the class was finished. You and your friends started walking down the stairs as Ron spoke up. "Brilliant, isn't he? Completely demented, of course, and terrifying to be in the same room with but he's really been there, you know? He's looked evil in the eye!" He praised.

Hermione glared at Ron. "There's a reason those curses are unforgivable. To perform them in a classroom..." She slightly scoffed. "I mean, did you see Neville's face? Moody doesn't even--"

Ron tapped Hermione's shoulder to alarm that Neville was just there, staring at nowhere. "Neville?" Hermione asked worriedly.

Moody came out of the classroom and tapped Neville's shoulder. "Son, you alright?" Neville looked at him and hesitantly nodded. "Come on. We'll have a cup of tea. I want to show you something." Neville sighed and followed Moody back into the classroom.

Moody stopped in his tracks and looked down to see you. "Ms. Stark?"

You glanced up at him before shaking your head. "No, thank you." You sighed and quickly went down the stairs without your friends. "(Y/n)!" Hermione called out but you ignored her.

You were out of the stairs and were about to turn to a corner but someone grabbed your hand and pulled you. You bumped into a chest causing you to look up and see Draco looking worriedly at you. "I saw you crying."

"I think everybody did." You said, looking down. "I-I guess I'm a crybaby now."

Draco shook his head and used his finger, lifting your head up so you can look at him. "Everyone cries, (Y/n). What happened to your father was horrible. Crying doesn't mean that you're weak or a crybaby."

You sighed and hugged him, leaning your head on his chest. Draco closed his eyes and hugged back, placing his chin on top of your head. "I'm sorry. Really sorry. He was a great man."

"No." You whispered. "He's better than that. He's a good one."

°•○●○•°

It was raining outside. You and Hermione are sitting on the bleachers in the Great Hall as some students started putting their names on the Goblet of Fire. Hermione was reading while you were just watching the students.

You saw Cedric being pushed to the Goblet of Fire. He entered the magic circle then looked up at the Goblet. He puts his name and the Hufflepuff students cheered. He looked at you with a smile causing you to smile in return.

Then you heard Fred and George yelling in victory as students cheered and clapped for them. "Well, lads, we've done it! Cooked it up just this morning!"

Hermione glanced at them and then looked at the Goblet. "It's not going to work." She replied and smirked. Students became quiet and the twins exchanged looks.

Fred and George sat beside you and Hermione. "Oh, yeah?" Fred asked.

"And why's that, Granger?" George asked.

"You see this?" Hermione pointed her finger to the glowing circle on the floor. "This is an Age Line. Dumbledore drew it himself."

"So?" Fred asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

Hermione scoffed and closed her book. "So," she scoffed again. "A genius like Dumbledore couldn't possibly be fooled by a dodge as pathetically dimwitted as an Aging Potion."

"Ah, but that's why it's so brilliant!" Fred smiled.

"Because it's so pathetically dimwitted," George added causing both of them to chuckle. Hermione looked at the twins as they stood behind you and her. "Ready, Fred?"

"Ready, George!"

"Bottoms up!" They started shaking the potion and drank it. They jumped and crossed the Age Line. "Yeeeeesss!" They both cheered and the students as well.

The twins looked at each other. "Ready?" They put their names on the Goblet of Fire. Once again, they succeeded but not for long.

Their names were thrown away and the twins were sent flying backward causing them to land on the floor harshly. They started growing beards and their hair started to become white, not to be confused with Draco's platinum blonde hair.

"You said!"

"You said!"

They started fighting and the students started chanting.

"Oh, right, you want a piece of me?!"

"I'll tear your ears off!"

"Now you're making me laugh."

"Take this! Come on!"

"Fight! Fight!" The students chanted including Ron and Harry.

You just watched them while Hermione rolled her eyes and continued reading her book again. The students stopped chanting while the Weasley twins continued fighting. You turned to see Viktor Krum approaching the Goblet of Fire.

Students watched as Viktor put his name on the Goblet and then glanced at Hermione. You looked at Hermione who was smiling a bit. When Viktor left, You slightly smirked at your best friend. "Someone's got a crush." You muttered but Hermione heard you so she looked at you and playfully hit your thigh. You smiled a bit. "What? Not true?"

"I just smiled, (Y/n)," Hermione said with a smile on her face.