Moody swept the now dead spider off the table and onto the floor, "Not nice," he said calmly in his gruff voice, "Not pleasant. And there's no counter-curse. There's no blocking it."
'Not quite...' Lucifer thought to himself.
"Only one person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me," Moody's eyes were looking, obviously, at Harry.
Hermione saw his face redden slightly, and his eyes were looking past Moody at the blackboard.
"Avada Kedavra is a Curse that needs a powerful bit of Magic behind it, you could all get your wands out right now and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed," he paused and walked up to Lucifer.
"Well, except for maybe one of you," Hermione saw Lucifer now look up to their Defense Against the Dark Arts' Professor, "The blood of Merlin... the most powerful Bloodline to ever exist..."
Moody walked back to the desk.
She kept her eyes on Lucifer and saw brows frowning.
"Now, if there's no counter-curse then why am I telling you about this? Why am I showing it to you? 'Because you've got to know.' You've got to know the words and be able to recognize them if and when they get used against you. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" He roared again, startling all of them but Lucifer, again.
"Now those three curses, 'Avada Kedavra, Crucio, and Imperio, they are the Unforgivable Curses. To use them on a fellow human-being is enough to earn a life sentence in Azkaban. That's what you're up against, Witches and Wizards who aren't afraid of that punishment. That's what I've got to teach you to fight. You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practice 'constant, never-ceasing vigilance'... get out your quills and copy this down..."
They spent the rest of the lesson taking notes on Unforgivable Curses. Everyone seemed afraid to speak until the bell rang, letting them go for the day. When they had exited class, a torrent of talk burst through the students. Most of them talked about the curses in awe, like they were the most amazing thing ever.
It made Hermione sick to her stomach. "Hurry up!" She said tensely to Harry, Lucifer was keeping his eyes forward.
"Not the ruddy library again?" Ron asked, annoyance in his voice.
"No," She responded curtly, and pointed up a side passage, "Neville."
The round-faced boy was standing alone, about halfway up the passage, staring at stone wall across from him with the same horrified, wide-eyed expression he had when Moody had used the 'Cruciatus Curse' on that spider.
"Neville?" Hermione asked carefully as they got closer.
He looked over at them, "Oh, hello," he said, his voice much higher than usual, "Interesting lesson wasn't it? I wonder what's for dinner, I'm, I'm starving, aren't you?"
"Neville, are, are you alright?" Hermione's voice was quiet and gentle.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine," Neville said, but Lucifer could tell he was not fine, far from it, "Very interesting dinner, I mean lesson, what's for eating?"
"Neville, what---" She was about to speak again when a dull clunking sound was heard coming their way.
Alastor Moody was approaching them, looking as menacing as ever. When he spoke, his voice was much lower and gentle with the growl.
"It's alright, sonny," Moody then motioned the direction he came from, "Why don't you come to my office... I'll make you a cup of tea."
Neville looked down right frightened at the prospect of having Tea with him, didn't speak or move, and Moody turned his magical eye upon Harry.
"You all right, are you, Potter?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Harry answered quickly.
"You've got to know," Moody said quietly, "it seems harsh, maybe, but you've 'got to know.' No point pretending... well... come on, Longbottom, I've got some books you might enjoy as well."
Neville looked pleadingly at the four of them, but they said nothing as he motioned to walk with Professor Moody, one of his gnarled hands on his shoulder.
"Professor Moody," Lucifer said calmly, which made him stop, he was holding a potion out, "for your eye, I owe you for that day."
Hermione stared as Moody took the crystal vial curiously, then looked at her boyfriend in disbelief. She hadn't had the 'faintest' idea, he had some kind of remedy for their teacher.
Honestly, no one would have guessed.
"Morningstar, you're exempt from the homework," Moody returned the courtesy, his magical eye could tell whatever in the vial was, it was good stuff, "Teaching you would be a joke at my level. But I hope you won't influence the others too much. You're a genius, Merlin's child. They're not."
What seemed ordinary in a genius's eyes often looked like a miracle to everyone else.
In some prodigy's worldview, even the dullest kid should have mastered calculus by 'fourteen.' In another basketball legend's mind, if you ran into a block, you could just wait for the Defender to land before shooting. Or, if that was too troublesome, just switch hands midair and glide past.
Geniuses rarely make good teachers. Unless they're teaching other geniuses. Swap in someone average and it's misery on both sides. The teacher 'feels' constrained; the student feels lost.
Lucifer didn't refuse the offer. Not that he ever did all his homework by hand anyway, but this spared Hermione a 'fair' bit of effort. You could tell by the way her front teeth peeked out when she smiled. Harry and Ron looked outraged, and dumbstruck, was this world still fair to poor students?
"Professor Moody, what are you planning for the next lesson?" he asked, curious, Lucifer hadn't seen any lesson plans, this Auror had been improvising 'from' start to finish.
"I'm thinking practical lessons, helping you fight ... one of the three 'Unforgivable Curses,' Moody bared his teeth in a grin as he poured the blue-coloured vial on his Magical eye.
It literally brightened. The lens gleamed more vividly than before, clearer and sharper.
Lucifer'd simply mixed a basic solution, more like eye drops. It was a professional habit. If you want to study something, you first learn how to keep the requested specimen in optimal condition.
"Got any more of that solution?" Moody asked immediately, having caught on.
The boy considered Gryffindor's current negative point balance and nodded, he wouldn't ask for the eye itself right now, "Fifty points for a bottle. Interested?"
"Fifty points to Gryffindor," Moody said without hesitation. "Reason... Morningstar did me a great 'favor." After that he took Neville away with a thump of vigour in his metal leg.
"....."
"What was that about?" Ron asked, watching Neville and Moody walk away from them.
"I don't know," Hermione said, looking quite pensive.
"It's just a concoction of Muggle eye drops, wouldn't Harry know better?"
"Lucifer's right, but hey, Can you eh, give me a 'few' too? I will pay."
xxxxxxx
"Some lesson though, wasn't it?" Ron asked them, moving on from Harry's glasses, which broke last year in the Quidditch final, "Fred and George were right. He really knows his stuff, Moody does."
Hermione glanced at his dazed face as they began walking again, and he looked giddy.
"So... would either of you use one of them? If it were a dire situation?"
"No," She said at once.
"Definitely not," Harry said, looking disturbed still 'from' the Killing Curse being used on that spider.
"Yes," Lucifer said, surprising all three of them.
"What?" Hermione asked, her mouth agape as she looked at him. He kept walking, so she grabbed his shoulder and turned him to look at her, "Why did you say yes?"
His look was fierce as he gazed at her with his eyes, "If you were ever being held captive, Hermione, and I needed to know where you were, I'd use the 'Cruciatus Curse' until the person's nerve endings were permanently damaged if it meant finding you. You are my girlfriend, Hermione, there's almost 'nothing' I wouldn't do for you."
Hermione could practically feel the conviction in his voice. She couldn't disagree with reasoning, and not just because he would do it for her, "Okay."
Harry and Ron were almost floored.
"Wh-What?" Ron stuttered his question.
They ignored him and continued to the Great Hall. When they were far enough away, Hermione spoke up, "You still want to go into Library tonight and search through the Restricted Section?"
"Yeah, no reason to speed eat at Dinner this evening," he smiled at her.
"Not this time," She laughed a little as they entered the Hall talking about how Moody carried an aura none of the previous 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' professors had possessed.
Rather than a class introducing Dark Magic, it felt more like legal education. Moody even shared techniques for beating opponents severely without landing oneself in Azkaban.
That was truly criminal. It also helped students understand the horrific consequences of cruel Dark Magic.
"I bet Malfoy and his lot are more interested in Dark Magic," Ron said to his friends as they passed the doors, "He's mentioned more than once how he nearly went to Durmstrang."
"What's wrong with Durmstrang?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"Durmstrang teaches Dark Magic," It was Hermione who whispered lowly.
Harry was totally shocked out of his mind, "But using Dark Magic is illegal, isn't it? Doesn't that apply at Durmstrang?"
"Just teaching it isn't illegal. Like Mr. Weasely, I'm sure he knows a few Dark spells himself." Lucifer countered with an eye-roll, to which Ron seemed unfazed, proving his words correct, "Those Slytherins probably know even more, they just don't dare use them."
"I wonder if the Durmstrang students will be really strong in this upcoming Tournament," Harry mused, feeling uneasy about the approaching competition. Though he couldn't participate, he still hoped Hogwarts would win.
xxxxxxx
The 'first' week of term was passing quickly.
Moody awarding points to Gryffindor caused quite a stir. Everyone knew the old Auror loathed dark wizards, and Lucifer had a mixed reputation after the Quidditch World Cup, especially when the Professor had made his entry, and during the class, how they behaved stoically.
Even Snape cornered Lucifer to ask how on earth he'd pulled it off, he didn't hide anything, told him outright and even handed over the task of brewing the eye solution to 'his' Head of House, whose own reality was whacked right now, in his mind, fifty points had gone to Slytherin, and left wearing an expression that suggested he'd just swallowed something sweet and disgusting at the same time.
Still, it was only gossip.
By now, though, Lucifer's year finally understood why fourth year was considered "upper level."
The material had taken a sharp turn into the deep end. Beginner texts were replaced with advanced volumes, Homework multiplied. Worse, what the professors covered in class wasn't nearly enough to 'finish' the assignments. You had to dig in on your own time.
xxxxxxx
They sat down at the Gryffindor Table and Harry and Ron eventually showed up, talking about Firenze's second Homework assignment for Divination and how they'd have to get it done tonight, let alone the first one.
"No quick eating this time?" Ron asked.
"No, not this evening," That was all Hermione answered with.
"Have you given up then on whatever it is you're doing?" Harry asked.
"Oh, don't be silly, Harry, of course not," She laughed and continued eating. They both didn't talk to her or Lucifer the rest of Dinner, both being too busy muttering to themselves.
Once dinner ended, they made it back to Gryffindor Tower, spoke the password to the Fat Lady, and walked into the warm, cozy common room.
Harry and Ron had sat down on one of the sofas to get to work, while Hermione and Lucifer sat across from them, with her touching his thighs.
They didn't have a lot left to get through, and didn't know what Friday would bring in terms of Homework, but never complained about having any, "Quick question for the both of you," She got the attention of the two boys across from her.
When they looked up, She asked, "Does the way Firenze teaches it make you actually learn something, or is it the same as with Trelawney and you're both just going to guess at it all?"
"Somehow... it's not easier than Trelawney, but we've got a bit better understanding of how it works. And the way Centaur's read the planet's and stars, it's so different from Trelawney," Harry answered her.
"Why, did you want to take up Divination again?" Ron asked in a teasing tone.
"Of course not!" Hermione answered quickly and loudly, "'Honestly!" For the next twenty minutes, only she and Lucifer could be seen putting Quill to Parchment. When she looked up a while later, saw that Harry and Ron had made zero progress on their Divination Predictions.
"You know..." Ron got Harry's attention, and incidentally, Lucifer's too, "I think it's back to the Old Divination Standby."
"What--make it up?" Harry had asked him.
"I guess it doesn't matter who teaches it or how it's taught, you two just won't grasp it," Lucifer was fighting a smile from appearing on his face.
For next hour, the both of them voiced their predictions that would happen to both of them. The couple found it to be more amusing with each prediction they thought up.
They didn't dare interrupt, because they honestly didn't care about class, so if they weren't going to put in a lot of effort, both of them weren't going to on their behalf.
The Common Room slowly emptied of people and a pudgy faced cat appeared not long after.
"Hello, Crookshanks," Hermione acknowledged him as he leapt up onto the space next to her. He was staring at Harry for some reason.
In otherwise quiet room, the four of them heard George speaking.
"No, that sounds like we're accusing him. Got to be careful..."
None of them made any indication to ask what the Twins were talking about, but both soon said goodnight and went up the stairs.
Lucifer set down his quill, as did Hermione who then picked up Crookshanks onto her Lap.
He massaged his now cramped hand as he concluded that he was done with his work, "I'm gonna turn in," he said suddenly.
It was getting late, and Hermione looked at him carefully. She knew he was going to raid the Library for information.
"Alright then. Have a good night, Lucifer," She said with a kiss on his cheek, while he smiled and packed up his stuff.
"Yeah, have a good night as well, Hermione. Night Potter, Weasely," he took his stuff up the stairs and wasn't surprised to see Neville, Seamus, and Dean all already asleep. Rowena was in her cage, sleeping as well. The cage was open, as was a window just enough for her to get in and out of.
He smiled at her and drew his curtains on his bed and then used the 'Disillusionment Charm' instead of borrowing Harry's cloak. And, quietly crept back down the stairs.
Hermione was looking at Crookshanks, whose attention was drawn to stairs for Boys Dormitory.
Lucifer was standing there, Crookshanks could see him. She watched the cat whose head followed her boyfriend as he walked.
Before either of the boys across from her could acknowledge Crookshanks' behavior, they were distracted by a soft tapping on the window.
"Hedwig!"
Lucifer glanced over and saw Hedwig was in fact at the window. He'd have to ask Hermione what Sirius said when he saw her in the morning.
He used the arrival of Harry's Owl to make his way stealthily out of Gryffindor Tower, and made his way down to the Library. Palm held his wand, "Lumos Minima," he whispered and a small light appeared at the tip of his wand.
He had read up on this variation of the spell in one of the books, hadn't seen a reason for its existence, until right then in the Restricted Library.
The spell variation gave off a dimmer light, with a smaller radius, and it was a bit more directional than the regular 'Lumos.' Lucifer spent an hour searching and scouring the Library, and eventually found a book he felt like it would contain the answers he sought. Opening the book, finding immediately that this was he and Hermione had been in need of.
He did a brief search to see if there were any more books like this one, but after having no luck on the matter, he grabbed the book, and made his way back to Gryffindor Tower, speaking the password to the Fat Lady when he did.
Lucifer wasn't surprised to see that no one was in the room, not even Hermione. He decided to go back to his own private quarters, sitting on the bed, and opened the book, deciding to go ahead and get to reading, 'finding' different names, and years mismatched.
He felt his eyes eventually starting to get heavy, until a knock was heard on the door.
xxxxxx
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