How It All Goes Down
The Unforgivable Curses
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- Professor Snape is in a particularly foul mood because:
- (1) He really wants the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, and
- (2) He "seemed strangely wary of displaying overt animosity to Mad-Eye Moody" (14.3). In other words, Snape is scared of Moody.
- The Gryffindor fourth-years finally get to attend Moody's class.
- He walks in and tells them to put away their textbooks.
- Moody is "here to bring [them] up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other" (14.15) – curses.
- Even though it's not generally allowed before sixth year, Moody has Dumbledore's permission to show them illegal curses.
- Moody adds: "I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better" (14.20).
- Moody brings out a jar with three spiders.
- He demonstrates the first Unforgivable Curse on one of the spiders: the Imperius Curse.
- This curse gives the caster "Total control" (14.32) over his victims.
- Neville Longbottom – who never speaks up in class – volunteers the next curse.
- It's the Cruciatus Curse.
- When Moody shouts "Crucio!" (14.46), the second spider "rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side" (14.47).
- If you hadn't guessed, this curse causes agonizing pain.
- Hermione suddenly shouts, "Stop it" (14.48).
- Neville's "hands were clenched upon the desk in front of him, his knuckles white, his eyes wide and horrified" (14.49).
- Last but not least, there is Avada Kedavra – the Killing Curse.
- With a flash of green light, Moody kills the last spider without a mark or a sign of struggle.
- Moody continues: "There's no blocking [the Killing Curse]. Only one known person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me" (14.64).
- That person, of course, is Harry Potter.
- So now, Harry has seen a demonstration of exactly how Voldemort murdered his parents.
- He flashes back to what he knows of the night of their murder.
- He slowly pulls his attention back to Moody, who's insisting, "You've got to appreciate what the worst is. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're facing it" (14.71).
- When they get out of class, Hermione runs to find Neville.
- He's looking very strange – clearly upset.
- They can't figure out why.
- But Moody approaches Neville and reassures him: "It's all right, sonny [...] Why don't you come up to my office? Come on ... we can have a cup of tea ... " (14.87).
- Moody means to be kind, but Neville looks rather terrified.
- At dinner, Hermione scarfs down her food and heads to the library again.
- Harry and Ron do their Divination homework.
- They make up loads of disasters that are supposed to happen to them over the coming month – looks like Professor Trelawney still loves tragic predictions.
- Harry notices Fred and George sitting in a corner.
- They're talking very seriously about something, and Harry hears George say, "No – that sounds like we're accusing him" (14.125).
- Harry's curious about what the twins are up to.
- Hermione returns to the Gryffindor common room.
- She finally reveals what she has been doing.
- She has a box full of badges with the letters S.P.E.W. on them.
- It stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.
- Hermione wants Ron and Harry to join.
- Ron insists: "Hermione – open your ears [...] They like being enslaved!" (14.153).
- Hermione absolutely will not listen.
- She expects her friends to help her recruit members.
- At this tense moment, Hedwig suddenly arrives.
- She's carrying a letter from Sirius.
- Sirius informs Harry that he is "flying north immediately. This news about [Harry's] scar is the latest in a series of strange rumors that have reached me here" (14.164).
- Harry freaks out that Sirius is going to come out of hiding just because his scar is hurting.
- Harry worries, "Coming back, because he thinks I'm in trouble! And there's nothing wrong with me!" (14.171).
- In the boys' dorm, Harry lies awake worrying, not noticing that Neville is also not sleeping.