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had once again raised a false alarm。 Mr。 Weasley was forced to modify several memories before he could escape from the policemen； but refused to answer Daily Prophet questions about why he had involved the Ministry in such an undignified and potentially embarrassing scene。
〃And there's a picture； Weasley！〃 said Malfoy； flipping the paper over and holding it up。 〃A picture of your parents outside their house…if you can call it a house！ Your mother could do with losing a bit of weight； couldn't she？〃
Ron was shaking with fury。 Everyone was staring at him。
〃Get stuffed； Malfoy；〃 said Harry。 〃C'mon； Ron。。。〃
〃Oh yeah； you were staying with them this summer； weren't you； Potter？〃 sneered Malfoy。 〃So tell me； is his mother really that porky； or is it just the picture？〃
〃You know your mother； Malfoy？〃 said Harry…both he and Hermione had grabbed the back of Ron's robes to stop him from launching himself at Malfoy…〃that expression she's got； like she's got dung under her nose？ Has she always looked like that； or was it just because you were with her？〃
Malfoy's pale face went slightly pink。
〃Don't you dare insult my mother； Potter。〃
〃Keep your fat mouth shut； then；〃 said Harry； turning away。
BANG！
Several people screamed…Harry felt something white…hot graze the side of his face…he plunged his hand into his robes for his wand； but before he'd even touched it； he heard a second loud BANG； and a roar that echoed through the entrance hall。
〃OH NO YOU DON'T； LADDIE！〃
Harry spun around。 Professor Moody was limping down the marble staircase。 His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret； which was shivering on the stone…flagged floor； exactly where Malfoy had been standing。
There was a terrified silence in the entrance hall。 Nobody but Moody was moving a muscle。 Moody turned to look at Harry…at least； his normal eye was looking at Harry； the other one was pointing into the back of his head。
〃Did he get you？〃 Moody growled。 His voice was low and gravelly。
〃No；〃 said Harry； 〃missed。〃
〃LEAVE IT！〃 Moody shouted。
〃Leave…what？〃 Harry said； bewildered。
〃Not you…him！〃 Moody growled； jerking his thumb over his shoulder at Crabbe； who had just frozen； about to pick up the white ferret。 It seemed that Moody's rolling eye was magical and could see out of the back of his head。
Moody started to limp toward Crabbe； Goyle； and the ferret； which gave a terrified squeak and took off； streaking toward the dungeons。
〃I don't think so！〃 roared Moody； pointing his wand at the ferret again…it flew ten feet into the air； fell with a smack to the floor； and then bounced upward once more。
〃I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned；〃 growled Moody as the ferret bounced higher and higher； squealing in pain。 〃Stinking； cowardly； scummy thing to do。。。〃
The ferret flew through the air； its legs and tail flailing helplessly。
〃Never…do…that…again…〃 said Moody； speaking each word as the ferret hit the stone floor and bounced upward again。
〃Professor Moody！〃 said a shocked voice。
Professor McGonagall was ing down the marble staircase with her arms full of books。
〃Hello； Professor McGonagall；〃 said Moody calmly； bouncing the ferret still higher。
〃What…what are you doing？〃 said Professor McGonagall； her eyes following the bouncing ferret's progress through the air。
〃Teaching；〃 said Moody。
〃Teach…Moody； is that a student？〃 shrieked Professor McGonagall； the books spilling out of her arms。
〃Yep；〃 said Moody。
〃No！〃 cried Professor McGonagall； running down the stairs and pulling out her wand； a moment later； with a loud snapping noise； Draco Malfoy had reappeared； lying in a heap on the floor with his sleek blond hair all over his now brilliantly pink face。 He got to his feet； wincing。
〃Moody； we never use Transfiguration as a punishment！〃 said Professor McGonagall wealdy。 〃Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that？〃
〃He might've mentioned it； yeah；〃 said Moody； scratching his chin unconcernedly； 〃but I thought a good sharp shock…〃
〃We give detentions； Moody！ Or speak to the offender's Head of House！〃
〃I'll do that； then；〃 said Moody； staring at Malfoy with great dislike。
Malfoy； whose pale eyes were still watering with pain and humiliation； looked malevolently up at Moody and muttered something in which the words 〃my father〃 were distinguishable。
〃Oh yeah？〃 said Moody quietly； limping forward a few steps； the dull clunk of his wooden leg echoing around the hall。 〃Well； I know your father of old； boy。。。 You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son。。。 you tell him that from me。。。 Now； your Head of House'll be Snape； will it？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Malfoy resentfully。
〃Another old friend；〃 growled Moody。 〃I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape。。。 e on； you。。。〃
And he seized Malfoy's upper arm and marched him off toward the dungeons。
Professor McGonagall stared anxiously after them for a few moments； then waved her wand at her fallen books； causing them to soar up into the air and back into her arms。
〃Don't talk to me；〃 Ron said quietly to Harry and Hermione as they sat down at the Gryffindor table a few minutes later； surrounded by excited talk on all sides about what had just happened。
〃Why not？〃 said Hermione in surprise。
〃Because I want to fix that in my memory forever；〃 said Ron； his eyes closed and an uplifted expression on his face。 〃Draco Malfoy； the amazing bouncing ferret。〃
Harry and Hermione both laughed； and Hermione began doling beef casserole onto each of their plates。
〃He could have really hurt Malfoy； though；〃 she said。 〃It was good； really； that Professor McGonagall stopped it…〃
〃Hermione！〃 said Ron furiously； his eyes snapping open again； 〃you're ruining the best moment of my life！〃
Hermione made an impatient noise and began to eat at top speed again。
〃Don't tell me you're going back to the library this evening？〃 said Harry； watching her。
〃Got to；〃 said Hermione thickly。 〃Loads to do。〃
〃But you told us Professor Vector…〃
〃It's not schoolwork；〃 she said。 Within five minutes； she had cleared her plate and departed。 No sooner had she gone than her seat was taken by Fred Weasley。
〃Moody！〃 he said。 〃How cool is he？〃
〃Beyond cool；〃 said George； sitting down opposite Fred。 〃Supercool；〃 said the twins' best friend； Lee Jordan； sliding into the seat beside George。 〃We had him this afternoon；〃 he told Harry and Ron。
〃What was it like？〃 said Harry eagerly。
Fred； George； and Lee exchanged looks full of meaning。
〃Never had a lesson like it；〃 said Fred。
〃He knows； man；〃 said Lee。
〃Knows what？〃 said Ron； leaning forward。
〃Knows what it's like to be out there doing it；〃 said George impressively。
〃Doing what？〃 said Harry。
〃Fighting the Dark Arts；〃 said Fred。
〃He's seen it all；〃 said George。
〃Mazing；〃 said Lee。
Ron dived into his bag for his schedule。
〃We haven't got him till Thursday！〃 he said in a disappointed voice。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE UNFORGIVABLE CURSES
The next two days passed without great incident； unless you counted Neville melting his sixth cauldron in Potions。 Professor Snape； who seemed to have attained new levels of vindictiveness over the summer； gave Nevihle detention； and Neville returned from it in a state of nervous collapse； having been made to disembowel a barrel full of horned toads。
〃You know why Snape's in such a foul mood； don't you？〃 said Ron to Harry as they watched Hermione teaching Neville a Scouring Charm to remove the frog guts from under his fingernails。
〃Yeah；〃 said Harry。 〃Moody。〃
It was mon knowledge that Snape really wanted the Dark Arts job； and he had now failed to get it for the fourth year running。 Snape had disliked all of their previous Dark Arts teachers； and shown it…but he seemed strangely wary of displaying overt animosity to Mad…Eye Moody。 Indeed； whenever Harry saw the two of them together…at mealtimes； or when they passed in the corridors…he had the distinct impression that Snape was avoiding Moody's eye； whether magical or normal。
〃I reckon Snape's a bit scared of him； you know；〃 Harry said thoughtfully。
〃Imagine if Moody turned Snape into a horned toad；〃 said Ron； his eyes misting over； 〃and bounced him all around his dungeon。。。〃
The Gryffindor fourth years were looking forward to Moody's first lesson so much that they arrived early on Thursday lunchtime and queued up outside his classroom before the bell had even rung。 The only person missing was Hermione； who turned up just in time for the lesson。
〃Been in the…〃
〃Library。〃 Harry finished her sentence for her。 〃C'mon； quick； or we won't get decent seats。〃
They hurried into three chairs right in front of the teacher's desk； took out their copies of The Dark Forces： A Guide to Self…Protection； and waited； unusually quiet。 Soon they heard Moody's distinctive clunking footsteps ing down the corridor； and he entered the room； looking as strange and frightening as ever。 They could just see his clawed； wooden foot protruding from underneath his robes。
〃You can put those away；〃 he growled； stumping over to his desk and sitting down； 〃those books。 You won't need them。〃
They returned the books to their bags； Ron looking excited。
Moody took out a register； shook his long mane of grizzled gray hair out of his twisted and scarred face； and began to call out names； his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his magical eye swiveled around； fixing upon each student as he or she answered。
〃Right then；〃 he said； when the last person had 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…〃
〃What； aren't you staying？〃 Ron blurted out。
Moody's magical eye spun around to stare at Ron； Ron looked extremely apprehensive； but after a moment Moody smiled…the first time Harry had seen him do so。 The effect was to make his heavily scarred face look more twisted and contorted than ever； but it was nevertheless good to know that he ever did anything as friendly as smile。 Ron looked deeply relieved。
〃You'll be Arthur Weasley's son； eh？〃 Moody said。 〃Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago。。。 Yeah； I'm staying just the one year。 Special favor to Dumbledore。。。 One year； and then back to my quiet retirement。〃
He gave a harsh laugh； and then clapped his gnarled hands together。
〃So…straight into it。 Curses。 They e in many strengths and forms。 Now； according to the Ministry of Magic； I'm supposed to teach you countercurses 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 till 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。 You need to be alert and watchful。 You need to put that away； Miss Brown； when I'm talking。〃
Lavender jumped and blushed。 She had been showing Parvati her pleted horoscope under the desk。 Apparently Moody's magical eye could see through solid wood； as well as out of the back of his head。
〃So。。。 do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law？〃
Several hands rose tentatively into the air； including Ron's and Hermione's。 Moody pointed at Ron； though his magical eye was still fixed on Lavender。
〃Er；〃 said Ron tentatively； 〃my dad told me about one。。。 Is it called the Imperius Curse； or something？〃
〃Ah； yes；〃 said Moo