LOVE GAME
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vol one — losing game

˗ˏˋ CHAPTER TWO — UNFORGIVABLE CURSES 'ˎ˗

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          Mattheo had done right by what he said and walked Mickenna to her common room entrance last night, other Hufflepuffs that had arrived were whispering and staring as they saw the two, some concerned and some just confused on how the sweet Hufflepuff and Voldemort's son came to be remotely friends.

          But the two ignored the whispers and comments, Mattheo more than Mickenna but he'd reassure her and tell her to just ignore them, something that wasn't entirely easy for Mickenna.

It was the first day of classes, Mickenna had Defense Against the Dark Arts first thing after breakfast, a class she was never too fond of, even if she was incredibly good at it. "Mattheo? Mattheo Riddle being nice? I'm surprised he kept his word and walked to to your common room." Elora said as she and Mickenna walked to DADA which luckily for them, they shared together. "Don't be mean, El. Why wouldn't he?" Elora simply shrugged, "I don't know but he's never shown any interest in you or anyone other than to just snog them and move to the next, you guys talked all summer, it's just not something I expected from his kind." Elora added with slight distaste.

"His kind?" Mickenna questioned, they were early for class seeing no one in occupying the classroom they sat at the table they had the year before and continued talking, "Slytherins, you know I don't trust or like them." Elora said in a hushed tone, "You don't like anyone." Mickenna reminded with a small laugh, "That's not true, I like you, and Marjorie, and Luna!" Mickenna laughed again? "And Neville." Mickenna teased, "How is everything with Neville going?"

A smile crept into Elora's face, "Sometimes I definitely think he fancies me, and sometimes I think I scare him." Mickenna laughed, "You probably just make him nervous, I'm certain he likes you, just give it time." Elora nodded, "Fred and Marjorie a thing yet?" Mickenna smiled and shook her head, "He's going to be a 7th year next year and he hasn't asked her yet?"

"No he's asked you, they went on a few dates over the summer, but they haven't made it official yet, I'm waiting too, I ask Ron but he has no idea what's going on with them." Mickenna said in a lower tone as more students filed into the classroom, "Ron doesn't know much of what's going on unless it has to do with Harry nearly getting himself killed every year." Elora said with a sigh as the two sat a a short silence until the sound of a group of boys laughing caught their attention.

          Mattheo, Draco, Theodore, and Enzo walking into the classroom chuckling, Mattheo and Theo took the desk next to Mickenna and Elora, Mattheo sat in the aisle seat to be closer to Mickenna, sending the Hufflepuff and smile, Enzo sat beside Pansy right behind the two girls while Draco went closer to the front with Goyle.

Mattheo was about to say something to Mickenna when Professor Moody came down from his office and now stood in front of a chalkboard, "Alastor Moody." He says as he aggressively writes his name on the board, before turning to his now full classroom

"Ministry malcontent. And your new defence against the dark arts teacher. I'm here because Dumbledore asked me, end of story, goodbye, the end. Any questions?" When no one spoke or rose their hands the man continued, Mickenna was put off somewhat by how he was acting, but pushed the feeling aside as she continued to listen to the lesson, "When it comes to the dark arts, I believe in a practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many unforgivable curses there are?" Mickenna's stomach immediately dropped, tensing up at the thought of the curses, Elora noticed immediately and grabbed ahold of her best friend's hand giving it a squeeze to help her relax.

"Three sir." Hermione spoke, her voice slightly shaky, "And they are so named?" Moody asked, his attention strictly on Hermione who seemed to slightly squirm under his gaze and the topic. "Because they are unforgivable. Use of any one of them will..." Hermione was quickly cut off my Moody, "Will earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban. Correct. Now the ministry says you're too young to see what these curses do. I say different! You need to know what you're up against, you need to be prepared, you need to find somewhere else to put your chewing gum other than the underside of your desk Mr Finnigan!" Moody said facing the board again before yelling at Seamus who slightly jumped.

"Aw no way, the old codger can see out the back of his head." Mickenna heard someone say which cause Moody to throw chalk in anger towards the kid, the room ran silent again as Moody continued, "So, which curse shall we see first? Weasley!" Moody said calling on the boy who shifted in his seat awkwardly, "Yes..."

"Give us a curse." Moody said, Ron shifted again before speaking, "Well, my dad did tell me about one... The imperious curse." Ron said slowly with a grimace on his face, Moody nodded, a slight smirk on his face, "Ahhh yes, your father would know all about that. Gave the ministry quite a bit of grief a few years ago. Perhaps this will show you why." Moody said as he pops open a jar with a spider in it." Mickenna finally tore her eyes away from the man and looked towards Elora, DADA was Elora's favorite class but that didn't mean it didn't make her feel uneasy at times, and Mickenna saw the uneasiness on the girl's face, Mickenna gave Elora's hand a squeeze making her look towards the Grier and smile thankfully.

"Hello. What a little beauty." Moody said as he casted the spell, using his wand to send it around the class. "Don't worry. Completely harmless." Moody said nonchalantly but the class was still unsettled, Mickenna looked towards Mattheo who was focused on Moody and the spider as it was sent around, "But if she bites... she's lethal!" Moody said capturing Mickenna's attention again just as she hears Draco laugh, earning Moody's attention, "What are you laughing at?" Moody then sends the spider onto Draco's face.l cause him to scream, a few of the students chuckle quietly, untile the atmosphere got tense, "Talented isn't she? What shall I have her do next? Jump out the window? Drown herself?" Moody has the spider over a bucket of water, it's wriggling.

"Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only do did you-know-whose bidding under the influence of the imperious curse. But here's the rub, how do we sort out the liars?" At the mention of his father a few students glance towards Mattheo, earning a glare from the boy as Moody continued, "Another.. another.. Come on come on. Longbottom is it? Up." Neville stands and Moody's request as the man speaks, "Professor Sprout tells me you have an aptitude for herbology.

"There's the um... The cruciatus curse."

"Correct! Correct! come come. Particularly nasty. The torture curse. Nasty curse isn't it, Miss Grier?" Moody says nonchalantly as he and Neville walk to the front of the classroom.

Moody begins torturing the spider with magic, it squeals. His eyes trained on Mickenna who's frozen in place staring at the spider, flashbacks flood her mind causing her breathing to pick up. "Mick." Elora says but Mickenna stay in the trance, tears threatening to fall, Mattheo stares over at the girl with concern, not knowing why she was in the state that she was, "Mickey, calm down." Elora whispers but no avail, Mattheo looks to Enzo who was sitting directly behind the froze girl, Enzo makes eye contact with the Riddle, the two seemed to communicate with merely just the eye contact.

            Enzo attempted to shake Mickenna out of the state she was in but it didn't work, she continued to stare at the screaming creature all whilst a tear finally fell, Elora tried one final time pulling her friend's face to face her own making her gasp, "Something the matter, Miss Grier?" Moody said as the curse continued on the spider, "I- " Moody cut her off, "The curse seems familiar doesn't it?" Many students turned to look at her with confused looks, Mattheo looked over at the girl and the two finally made eye contact, he had a painful feeling erupt in him when he saw the tears and slight fear in her eyes.

"Miss Grier, why don't you come up here with Mr, Longbottom?" Moody suggested but before Mickenna could reply Hermione spoke, "Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering them, stop it!" Moody's attention was now on Hermione as he stops the curse those the spider is still making noise the effects of the curse last even after the curse is no longer being casted, Neville quickly takes his seat silently as Moody places the spider in front of Hermione, "Perhaps you could give us the last unforgivable curse Miss Granger." Hermione shakes her head, he points his wand at the spider, flashes of green left his wand and the spider dies.

"The killing curse. Only one person is known to have survived it. And he's sitting in this room." Moody says, his eyes trained on Harry as he walks towards him, taking a drink.

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          The second Moody dismissed the class, Neville, Mickenna and Elora were the first ones out, Mickenna kept her hand intertwined with Elora's as they made their escape, a few students attempt to stop them and ask if Mickenna was okay it wasn't like Mickenna to be so quiet or not want to participate in class, but Elora would tell them to leave them alone, rather harshly in Mickenna's opinion.

          The girl we're making their way down the stairs when they spotted Neville looking out the window, complete distraught and out of it, Elora use her free hand to take ahold of Neville's hoping to help him relax a bit.

"There's a reason those curses are unforgivable, and to perform them in a classroom. I mean did you see Mickenna and Neville's faces?" Hermione said as she spots the three by a window, Mickenna was looking down as her and  Elora's intertwined hands, fiddling with their matching rings as Elora tried to pull Neville out of his trance. "Neville?" Hermione says trying to help Elora.

          Mattheo, Theo, and Enzo make their way towards the group as well, Mattheo's eyes strictly trained on Mickenna as Moody also approaches the two and pats Neville's shoulder, which manages to bring Meville back from his thoughts, "Son. You alright?" Neville nods, Moody then looks to Mickenna, "And you?" Mickenna looks up just as Mattheo gets beside her, snaking his arm around her waist, she absent mindlessly leans into him, enjoying the comfort that came with his warmth, "Yes, professor." Mickenna says with a nod, "Come on, we'll have a cup of tea. I want to show you something." Moody says to Neville who nods, Elora is hesitant to let the boy go, "Miss Jackson you and Miss Grier are welcomed to come as well." Elora looked to Mickenna and Mattheo.

           "I got her, you can go." Mattheo answers for Mickenna who nods in agreement, "Okay, but I'll find you after." Elora says sternly, "Of course."