"Alastor Moody, former Auror, your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
Moody's magical eye swirled in its socket, the muscles around his mouth twitching with every word he spoke.
The Slytherin students were visibly uneasy. Wherever Moody's gaze landed, the unfortunate student would immediately lower their head, as if trying to avoid being noticed.
"Let me take a look at today's roster—Malfoy, Nott, Goyle, Crabbe..."
"Familiar names, old friends indeed. I know many of your parents. Of course, compared to them, I expect far more from you."
The classroom was so silent that even the faintest sound could be heard.
Even the flower-patterned snake coiled around Jane Yu's arm shifted uneasily.
Normally, she wouldn't bring it to class, but the snake had developed an unhealthy fascination with the Niffler cubs, drooling over them like they were snacks. For the sake of her beloved Nifflers, she had no choice but to bring the snake along to keep it away from the luggage.
"Now, can anyone tell me how many Unforgivable Curses exist in the world?"
The silence in the classroom grew heavier.
"No answers? Perfect disguise, as if none of you know," Moody said with a sinister grin, his magical eye spinning wildly. "A room full of Slytherins—don't tell me none of you have secretly studied them? I'd have thought you'd be quite familiar with these curses."
He opened the drawer of the podium and pulled out a glass jar containing three large black spiders, scuttling restlessly inside.
"Let me show you the first curse."
He picked one spider out of the jar, his face twisting into a maniacal grin, the kind a cat might wear while toying with a mouse.
"Come on... my little darling..."
"Imperio!"
The spider's body twisted unnaturally as it leaped off his hand. Dangling by a thin thread, it swung back and forth before landing on the desk, its legs stiffly extending as it flipped over.
"Look—look—"
Moody's magical eye rotated 360 degrees, scanning the Slytherins as if carefully selecting his next victim to intimidate.
The spider suddenly flew out, landing on Crabbe's head, eliciting a terrified "Ugh!" from him. It then leaped onto Goyle's arm...
And so it went, from Crabbe to Draco, to Theodore. Each of them turned pale as a sheet, their faces contorted in fear.
After every named student had endured the terror of the spider, Moody's mismatched eyes locked onto Jane Yu.
With a flick of his wand, the spider leaped, aiming straight for her face—
But neither it nor Moody got their way. The snake coiled in her sleeve shot out like an arrow, swallowing the spider in one swift bite.
"What a pity, Professor. It seems we've lost our teaching aid," Jane said calmly, pressing the snake back into her sleeve before looking up at Moody.
She clearly saw his pupils shrink in surprise, as if he hadn't anticipated encountering such a tough opponent in his class.
Although Professor McGonagall had spent a long time explaining Moody's methods and reputation, Jane still found it hard to maintain respect or kindness toward a professor who relied on intimidation and fear.
Honestly, resisting the urge to hit him with a Transfiguration spell was already a monumental display of her self-control.
Her actions, however, seemed to strike a nerve with Moody. He glared at her, his expression darkening as though he was deciding whether to hex her right then and there.
"Yes, the teaching aid is gone. How very unfortunate," he said slowly, before suddenly shouting, his voice filled with manic energy:
"Then you—step forward—give the class a demonstration!"
The entire class gasped in shock. Even the most oblivious students could sense that something was seriously wrong.
The desks around Jane rumbled and shifted, as if pushed away by an invisible force. The other students, along with their desks, were shoved toward the edges of the room, leaving Jane standing alone in the center.
"You, step into the middle and show everyone the power of this curse—"
"This is illegal, Professor!" Daphne and Theodore stepped in front of Jane, their faces pale as parchment. "You said—we're not allowed to use it on humans—"
Moody completely ignored their protests. His magical eye swiveled to Daphne, fixing her with a cold, menacing stare.
"Dumbledore wants you to experience this. It was supposed to be part of next month's curriculum—but your classmate couldn't wait—"
Jane Yu felt a wave of confusion.
Wasn't it overestimating her abilities to have her teach the class?
One of the three Unforgivable Curses, the Imperius Curse—could she really master it in one go?
And this Moody professor, who seemed so eager for her to cast the curse on him—was he entirely sane?
Was this really okay?
But since he insisted on her demonstrating the curse's power... surely he knew what he was doing and could handle it, right?
Under the anxious gazes of her classmates, Jane Yu raised her wand, pointing it at Moody.
"Imperio!"
"Ah—" Pansy let out a piercing scream. "She used an Unforgivable Curse on the professor!"
The classroom erupted into chaos. Students jumped to their feet in panic—some screamed, others shoved their way toward the door, and a few even dove under their desks, trembling.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Moody froze as if petrified, his body unnaturally stiff. It was as though some mysterious force had taken control of him. Suddenly, he bent his knee slightly, even causing his wooden leg to wobble awkwardly. The movement looked like an attempt to squat, but his resistance prevented him from completing it.
The next moment, he broke free from the curse's control. His expression shifted entirely as he glared at Jane with a mix of caution and intrigue. His booming voice filled the room:
"At your age, even if you used the Killing Curse on me, it'd barely give me a nosebleed!"
"Let alone the Imperius Curse. Look, everyone! This is how you resist the Imperius Curse—with your willpower and the strength of your character!"
But just as he was loudly instructing the class, Moody seemed to suffer another sudden mental episode. His wooden leg thumped heavily against the floor as he stormed toward Jane, grabbing her by the collar. His heavy breathing turned into a roar:
"But you—you reckless girl—this is the second time! The second time you've attacked a professor! You're coming with me to see your Head of House!"
"Snape—an old friend—I've been looking forward to a good chat with him—let's go!"
Jane Yu's confusion deepened.
Wasn't this professor just looking for trouble?
Didn't he ask her to demonstrate?
Why was he angry after a successful demonstration?
Truly baffling.
And why was he taking her to Snape?
Why not head to the Headmaster's office for a proper discussion over tea?
She'd even gifted him an Imperius Curse—surely that was worth a conversation about her expulsion with Dumbledore?
Too scared to face the Headmaster—this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was truly disappointing!
The most unprofessional one she'd ever encountered.
Sigh.
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