This was wrong, all so wrong! This wasn’t Hogwarts at all! The magnificent and majestic ancient castle was now hell on a hill top. The opening feast had not been the usual joyous and happy affair that it normally was, re-uniting of friends who had not seen one another since before the summer. There was no song from the sorting hat; there were no celebrations as the students were welcomed to any house bar Slytherin. Everything in the castle was green and silver, Hogwarts was officially the Syltherin manor. Connie had very quickly learnt what happened when you protected one of your own, and as she walked down Dark Arts (no longer was it Defence against) she looked down to the large welt on her arm. “Fucking Carrow’s” Hissed Seamus from her side causing Connie to whip her head to the side.
“Don’t let them hear you say that” Neville said quietly, as they walked behind a group of Slytherin students.
“Bunch of cowards… attacking a little first year like that!” Seamus spat shaking his head.
“Nothing different there” Connie replied as she took out her wand, and wiggled it over the hex scorch mark. A timid little first year had been targeted by the Slytherin bullies, and Connie and her protective nature had rushed to her aid. In response, the female Carrow had hexed her in front of everyone and then forbidden her to eat. So not only did she suffer the scalding hex she was also exceptionally hungry. There wasn’t a lot she could do without a potion, but she was able to sooth the burning skin somewhat. Connie had not given the bitch the satisfaction of screaming or crying, she had managed to hold herself together and simply glare. But now, there was no denying she was in pain.
They walked into the classroom, and it was all dark and Amycus Carrow stood at the front of the classroom. He greeted the Slytherin students with a friendly ease, before looking at all the rest with contempt. Elsie curled her lip and she took a seat, before the teacher spoke up. “No no, Pettiwick” His voice snarled from across the room. “After your performance this morning, you’ll be working under the eye of Mr Zabini” He said with a cruel laugh. Connie froze and she eyed Carrow before looking to Zabini. She snatched her bag and moved to the desk where he sat. “And Zabini, you have my permission to keep her in line, shall we say” he finished with an amused smirk.
Connie stopped beside Blaise and she looked to him, her hex mark seemed to burn harder. Over the years, she had been fighting an attraction to the jumped up Slytherin. They had foolishly succumbed the year previous, sharing a kiss before screaming insults at one another. Connie almost hated herself for harbouring the feelings she had for him, and she looked away from him. The blonde took her seat and took her wand and book from her bag, wincing a little as the raw skin on her arm was stretched. She looked back over her shoulder to her fellow Gryffindor students and her friends; at least there was comfort in numbers. She had a horrible feeling that she would somehow be used in this lesson. She had been back at Hogwarts a week, and the Carrow’s regularly used students as dummies to perform spells and curses on, physical punishment was not beneath them.
“Now the Unforgivable curses” Carrow said with a laugh. “These curses shall be mandatory through the year, under our Dark Lords reign and against all filthy blood traitors, you will find these little spells a welcomed knowledge” he went on. He spoke of them with fondness, as they were mere charms. They were deadly and most brutal, and as were named they were unforgivable. But the minions of Voldemort were sick anyway, in her own opinion. This was to be their world now. With the death of Dumbledore and the fall of the ministry, hope was virtually non-existent. She sighed and pushed a hand through her hair, and tried to hide the disgust from her face.
. . .
Neville watched as Connie was called away to the front of the class and he looked down, this year was going to be hell. There had been no sighting or tale of Harry, Ron or Hermione, and without Dumbledore, Hogwarts had become a terrifying institute. He sat down with the other Gryffindor students, Seamus, and Lavender, Pavati and Ally. He offered the latter an awkward smile before fumbling in his bag and pulling out his wand and book. Ally, she had been his closest friend throughout the years, the one who had always been on his side. He had been a walking accident, and his magical capabilities were poor to say the least. But at the end of each bad lesson and failed spell attempt, she had always been there with a friendly ear and hand. Seamus often mocked him for it, but Neville did not have the confidence. Seamus didn’t tease him anymore, Dean had not returned to school this year and without his best mate his spark seemed to have gone. Everyone’s spark seemed to have gone, Hogwarts wasn’t what it used to be anymore, and by the looks of it, it never would be the same again.
The Carrow brother began to talk about the curses, and once again Neville froze. His parents had been tortured into insanity, and it had been because of one of these curses. His hands shook and he dropped his wand, and it clattered to the floor. Neville closed his eyes; bringing attention to yourself was one way to quickly become the example. “Aha!” Cried out Carrow, mid talk about the curses. “We have ourselves a volunteer” He said as Neville tried to get his wand quietly, and causing more noise than possible. “Longbum… if you please” He said loudly, and the Slytherin students all laughed. Neville flushed red and he slowly got to his feet, shaking from top to toe. “Longbottom” He whispered.
“What was that?” Carrow called, angry that someone had answered back.
“Longbottom” Neville said a little louder, holding his head higher.
From nowhere, confidence filled him, not bold and head strong, but a need to keep his head high and not be a coward. “Really now… Well, Longbottom, up here” Carrow grunted, that troll like quality evident in his voice. He walked to the desk, still shaking but not as trembling as he was before. He clambered to the front of the classroom and stopped before Carrow, and he swallowed, staring at the Death Eater in the face. “Maybe we should try the cruiatus curse on you, see if you last as long as mummy and daddy” He teased. Neville felt himself grow angry at the taunt, as he did when anyone mentioned his parents. Sparks flew out of his wand without intention, and luckily it went unnoticed. “And how about we try one of your little friends. Sabre! Here now!” He ordered, and Neville turned to look at Ally.
“Don’t let them hear you say that” Neville said quietly, as they walked behind a group of Slytherin students.
“Bunch of cowards… attacking a little first year like that!” Seamus spat shaking his head.
“Nothing different there” Connie replied as she took out her wand, and wiggled it over the hex scorch mark. A timid little first year had been targeted by the Slytherin bullies, and Connie and her protective nature had rushed to her aid. In response, the female Carrow had hexed her in front of everyone and then forbidden her to eat. So not only did she suffer the scalding hex she was also exceptionally hungry. There wasn’t a lot she could do without a potion, but she was able to sooth the burning skin somewhat. Connie had not given the bitch the satisfaction of screaming or crying, she had managed to hold herself together and simply glare. But now, there was no denying she was in pain.
They walked into the classroom, and it was all dark and Amycus Carrow stood at the front of the classroom. He greeted the Slytherin students with a friendly ease, before looking at all the rest with contempt. Elsie curled her lip and she took a seat, before the teacher spoke up. “No no, Pettiwick” His voice snarled from across the room. “After your performance this morning, you’ll be working under the eye of Mr Zabini” He said with a cruel laugh. Connie froze and she eyed Carrow before looking to Zabini. She snatched her bag and moved to the desk where he sat. “And Zabini, you have my permission to keep her in line, shall we say” he finished with an amused smirk.
Connie stopped beside Blaise and she looked to him, her hex mark seemed to burn harder. Over the years, she had been fighting an attraction to the jumped up Slytherin. They had foolishly succumbed the year previous, sharing a kiss before screaming insults at one another. Connie almost hated herself for harbouring the feelings she had for him, and she looked away from him. The blonde took her seat and took her wand and book from her bag, wincing a little as the raw skin on her arm was stretched. She looked back over her shoulder to her fellow Gryffindor students and her friends; at least there was comfort in numbers. She had a horrible feeling that she would somehow be used in this lesson. She had been back at Hogwarts a week, and the Carrow’s regularly used students as dummies to perform spells and curses on, physical punishment was not beneath them.
“Now the Unforgivable curses” Carrow said with a laugh. “These curses shall be mandatory through the year, under our Dark Lords reign and against all filthy blood traitors, you will find these little spells a welcomed knowledge” he went on. He spoke of them with fondness, as they were mere charms. They were deadly and most brutal, and as were named they were unforgivable. But the minions of Voldemort were sick anyway, in her own opinion. This was to be their world now. With the death of Dumbledore and the fall of the ministry, hope was virtually non-existent. She sighed and pushed a hand through her hair, and tried to hide the disgust from her face.
. . .
Neville watched as Connie was called away to the front of the class and he looked down, this year was going to be hell. There had been no sighting or tale of Harry, Ron or Hermione, and without Dumbledore, Hogwarts had become a terrifying institute. He sat down with the other Gryffindor students, Seamus, and Lavender, Pavati and Ally. He offered the latter an awkward smile before fumbling in his bag and pulling out his wand and book. Ally, she had been his closest friend throughout the years, the one who had always been on his side. He had been a walking accident, and his magical capabilities were poor to say the least. But at the end of each bad lesson and failed spell attempt, she had always been there with a friendly ear and hand. Seamus often mocked him for it, but Neville did not have the confidence. Seamus didn’t tease him anymore, Dean had not returned to school this year and without his best mate his spark seemed to have gone. Everyone’s spark seemed to have gone, Hogwarts wasn’t what it used to be anymore, and by the looks of it, it never would be the same again.
The Carrow brother began to talk about the curses, and once again Neville froze. His parents had been tortured into insanity, and it had been because of one of these curses. His hands shook and he dropped his wand, and it clattered to the floor. Neville closed his eyes; bringing attention to yourself was one way to quickly become the example. “Aha!” Cried out Carrow, mid talk about the curses. “We have ourselves a volunteer” He said as Neville tried to get his wand quietly, and causing more noise than possible. “Longbum… if you please” He said loudly, and the Slytherin students all laughed. Neville flushed red and he slowly got to his feet, shaking from top to toe. “Longbottom” He whispered.
“What was that?” Carrow called, angry that someone had answered back.
“Longbottom” Neville said a little louder, holding his head higher.
From nowhere, confidence filled him, not bold and head strong, but a need to keep his head high and not be a coward. “Really now… Well, Longbottom, up here” Carrow grunted, that troll like quality evident in his voice. He walked to the desk, still shaking but not as trembling as he was before. He clambered to the front of the classroom and stopped before Carrow, and he swallowed, staring at the Death Eater in the face. “Maybe we should try the cruiatus curse on you, see if you last as long as mummy and daddy” He teased. Neville felt himself grow angry at the taunt, as he did when anyone mentioned his parents. Sparks flew out of his wand without intention, and luckily it went unnoticed. “And how about we try one of your little friends. Sabre! Here now!” He ordered, and Neville turned to look at Ally.