"This imposter really is a Death Eater."
Amanda, who had just finished History of Magic Class, was looking down and eating her steak for lunch when a limping Cho Chang and a hopping Marietta Eckmore sat down to her right.
She and Hermione stopped chewing their food at the same time and looked to the side.
Her gaze lingered on Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore for a few seconds, and relevant thoughts flashed quickly through Amanda's mind.
The two older students had no obvious external injuries, and they didn't seem to be under a long-term curse. This meant that the oddness about them was a side effect of a spell.
"Imperius Curse?"
Based on the comprehensive analysis in her mind, Amanda spoke the name of the most likely curse in a flat voice.
"Yes," Cho Chang picked up the cup in front of her and took a large gulp of pumpkin juice. "That guy demonstrated the Three Unforgivable Curses in class, and then he made us try to resist Imperius Curse."
"Merlin's beard," Marietta Eckmore, sitting on the other side of Cho Chang, couldn't help but complain in a low voice. "How is Imperius Curse so easy to resist? I couldn't even realize I was being controlled."
"This," Hermione raised her hand and rubbed her brow, feeling a headache. "This is completely illegal, using Imperius Curse on people. But thinking about how he's a Death Eater in disguise, it becomes logical again."
Amanda took a bite of steak and made a fair assessment with no expression on her face. "According to an analysis of a Death Eater's personality and an evaluation of their methods, his malicious desire to make students look foolish accounts for sixty-five percent of his motivation. The remaining thirty-five percent is a deliberate attempt to provoke Headmaster Dumbledore and the Professors."
With their mouths twitching slightly, the other three girls felt somewhat speechless at this Death Eater's arrogance.
"However, repeatedly trying to be controlled by Imperius Curse and repeatedly trying to break free from it does indeed help in developing a complete defense against Imperius Curse."
Amanda put down her knife and fork. Her words, spoken without any emotional fluctuation, caused Hermione, Cho Chang, and Marietta Eckmore to exchange several glances.
Being put under Imperius Curse by someone else was very uncomfortable, but it could help them develop a complete defense against it.
Being publicly controlled after someone cast Imperius Curse on them was embarrassing, but it could help them develop a complete defense against it.
A complete defense against Imperius Curse!
For them, who were destined to face Death Eaters and Voldemort in the future, this was simply too attractive.
"Then let's practice," Marietta Eckmore bit fiercely into the pie on her fork. "Using a Death Eater as a whetstone—no one else in the Wizarding World has that opportunity."
"Amanda, is there any good way to resist Imperius Curse?"
Thinking about the first Defense Against the Dark Arts class of the school year they were officially attending tomorrow, Hermione turned to Amanda for help without hesitation.
Amanda nodded with an indifferent expression and answered Hermione's question mechanically. "Yes. First, stay alert at all times. This can effectively help you realize something is wrong immediately and make a corresponding resistance. Second, keep thinking. Imperius Curse makes the brain feel relaxed, causing one to give up independent thought and be controlled by the caster's behavior. Therefore, relatively speaking, as long as you can keep yourself thinking, you can prevent the caster's Imperius Curse from achieving its purpose."
Hermione nodded as she listened, silently calculating how she should achieve the second point.
The first point was a given. Knowing that the current Professor Moody was actually a Death Eater, she would definitely stay alert whenever she saw him; she wouldn't even have to try.
But the second point, to keep thinking constantly... could she really do that?
Not just her, but Cho Chang and Marietta Eckmore, who had been controlled for an entire class and failed to break free from Imperius Curse, also fell into deep thought.
By the time of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class the next day, Hermione was mentally prepared to put her whole heart and soul into resisting Imperius Curse.
Sitting next to Hermione, Amanda looked dully at Professor Moody as he walked into the classroom. At the same time, Professor Moody's gaze immediately shifted toward Amanda.
In his eyes, Amanda clearly analyzed hostility and malice.
The memory of her leading Headmaster Dumbledore and the various Professors to catch him had been erased, so his hostility and malice toward her likely stemmed from the only time she had publicly dealt with Death Eaters—the Quidditch World Cup Final.
Looking at it this way, Barty Crouch Jr. must have been present at the time and likely witnessed her controlling those Death Eaters with his own eyes.
Thinking back to the Dark Mark fired into the sky by an unknown person over the campsite, Amanda felt she could now basically determine who had fired that mark.
Professor Moody's hostile and malicious gaze only lingered for a moment before moving away from Amanda.
He thought he hadn't been noticed, but he didn't realize that because of this one look, another piece of information about him had been deduced by Amanda.
"I will be your defense against the dark arts professor this year."
Professor Moody walked up to the podium leaning on his staff, his wooden leg making a series of dull thuds against the floor.
Harry and Ron sat next to Hermione, trying their best to make their gazes toward Professor Moody look more normal.
"You have previously studied various Dark creatures, some simple defensive Charms, and counter-curses, but that is far from enough."
"Far from enough!"
Professor Moody's voice suddenly grew louder, and the sudden shout made the students in the room involuntarily shudder.
Thinking of the real Moody she had seen coming out of the bottom of the trunk and his way of speaking, Amanda nodded inwardly, evaluating Barty Crouch Jr.'s performance with a calm heart.
He imitated the real Moody's tone very closely; except for a few minor details, he was basically identical to the real Moody.
He must have put in a lot of hard work.
While Amanda was analyzing the fake Moody's tone and intonation, he continued his energetic "performance" on the podium.
"You should also be exposed to more advanced, more complex, and more evil Dark Arts. Yes, true Dark Arts."
"Faced with them, you must learn how to combat them."
"Remember to stay alert at all times!"
Professor Moody's voice suddenly grew loud again, and the Young Wizards in the classroom were quite startled by his erratic tone.
"Alright, now who can tell me what the Three Unforgivable Curses are?"
After a few seconds of silence in the classroom, Ron took a deep breath and raised his hand.
"Very good, Mr. Weasley."
"I remember... Imperius Curse?" Ron said hesitantly, naming the curse he had once heard his father mention.
"Yes, yes, you would certainly know that one. It caused the Ministry of Magic quite a lot of trouble back then."
As Professor Moody spoke, he opened the jar beside him and poured out a large tarantula. Ron gasped and instinctively recoiled.
The Little Eagles and Little Lions who had seen Ron's Boggart last year all expressed their understanding.
However, before Ron could calm down, Professor Moody pointed the tip of his wand directly at the large tarantula, "Engorgement Charm."
The tarantula quickly began to swell at a visible rate, growing to nearly the size of a human head in just a few seconds.
Amanda looked past Hermione and Harry at Ron; his face was pale, and he looked as if he might faint at any moment.
"Watch closely. Imperio."
Professor Moody waved his wand gently. The enlarged tarantula's body stiffened slightly, and then it began to dance along with his wand, completely under his control.
After demonstrating Imperio to everyone, Professor Moody then showed them Crucio and the Killing Curse.
Neville was trembling all over during the demonstration of Crucio, until Hermione finally called for Professor Moody to stop.
At the same time, she couldn't help but turn her gaze toward Amanda, clearly remembering the foolish thing this girl had once done.
Feeling Hermione's gaze, Amanda turned to look at her. When she met Hermione's fierce yet cute look, Amanda blurted out instinctively.
"I promise I won't do that kind of thing again."
Hermione took a deep breath, having no intention of settling old scores. She crossed her arms and nodded with satisfaction.
"You'd better keep your word. If that happens again," she narrowed her eyes and leaned closer to Amanda, "I'll let you see what I'm like when I'm truly angry."
"I understand." Amanda nodded expressionlessly, though her heartbeat in her chest honestly quickened quite a bit.
When the Killing Curse was finally demonstrated, Harry was unsurprisingly called by name. He propped up his chin, listening boredly as Professor Moody used him as an example.
He didn't want to give this fake imposter any reaction at all.
He was using the Killing Curse to point at him and using Crucio to provoke Neville right in front of them—wasn't it just because he wanted them to look foolish?
He simply wouldn't give this Death Eater what he wanted.
Seeing that Harry gave no reaction whatsoever, Professor Moody seemed to find it uninteresting and hastily finished the demonstration and explanation of the Killing Curse.
"Next, I want you to feel it—feel Imperius Curse, and try to resist it."
"Miss Amanda! Please come up and give everyone a demonstration first."
Professor Moody pointed at Amanda. Amanda stood up with an indifferent face. She had already expected Barty Crouch Jr. to target her, so it was perfectly normal for him to call her up first.
"Amanda." Hermione let out a breath and reached out to grab the corner of Amanda's robe.
Amanda turned her head slightly to look at Hermione's hand, shook her head with a still-calm expression, and her voice showed no hint of fluctuation.
"Don't worry, he won't do anything to me in front of everyone. Besides, if he casts Imperius Curse on me, I won't necessarily be the one who loses out."
After Amanda finished speaking, Hermione forced herself to let go, watching Amanda walk up to the podium step by step.
At the same time, almost all the Ravenclaw Eagles frowned in unison; they had all seen Hermione's action just now.
That was clearly a look of concern for Amanda, but isn't Professor Moody a Hogwarts Professor?
Even if he was going to cast Imperius Curse on Young Wizards to let them feel it and learn to resist, he should still ensure their safety, shouldn't he?
So why was Hermione so worried?
Unless... the Little Eagles immediately thought of Professor Quirrell from their first year, and their hands all reached into their wizard robe pockets in unison.
As long as Professor Moody showed any sign of something being wrong, nearly twenty spells would immediately hit him.
Standing before Professor Moody, Amanda looked at him with a gaze that was both hollow and somewhat indifferent.
"If you please, Professor Moody."
"Feel it well, Miss Amanda."
Facing Amanda's seemingly hollow eyes, Professor Moody nodded. He had called Amanda first because she had caught those Death Eaters at the Quidditch World Cup Final.
Although those Death Eaters were all damned fence-sitters who were disloyal to the Master, Amanda's actions were undoubtedly a provocation to the Master's authority.
As the Master's most loyal supporter, Barty Crouch Jr. felt he had an obligation to teach this young girl a good lesson.
Even if he couldn't truly hurt her due to the plan, he could still manage to make her look foolish.
"Imperio."
As Professor Moody waved his wand, Amanda's mind began to be rapidly enveloped by a blank space.
A sense of relaxation began to spread throughout her body. No need to think, no need to use her brain, just follow instructions... "Now squat down and walk around the classroom once."
"Squat down and walk around the classroom once."
Professor Moody repeated his command, his wand waving downward in coordination.
Below the podium, Hermione felt a surge of disgust as she listened to Professor Moody's words. Using Imperius Curse on Amanda... if this weren't in class, she would have already drawn her wand and fired off a bunch of spells.
Looking at Amanda, whose body seemed slightly stiff, Hermione silently cheered for her in her heart. You must break free, you must break free, don't let that Death Eater have his way.
The other Little Eagles and Little Lions were also watching Amanda with some tension. They were very curious now: could Amanda actually break free from the control of Imperius Curse?
Her mind forced into a blank state, her whole body relaxed—so this was what it felt like to be under Imperius Curse.
It seemed the descriptions in the books were not wrong at all. Her long-standing physiological habit allowed Amanda to maintain basic thinking ability in her mind even under Imperius Curse.
Thinking and learning were her absolute survival instincts, and even Imperius Curse could not erase them.
The only ones who could make her forget these two instincts and consider something else first were Hermione and her friends.
"Squat down and walk around the classroom once."
Professor Moody's command sounded again. However, Amanda, having already experienced what it felt like to be under Imperius Curse, clearly didn't want to continue cooperating with the Death Eater in front of her.
The blankness in her brain was quickly dispelled, and meticulous, machine-like thinking once again filled her mind. A slight curve slowly appeared at the corner of Amanda's mouth.
"Sorry, Professor Moody, I don't think doing that has any meaning. I refuse."
"Whoa!"
"Amanda is amazing!"
"So cool!"
Hearing Amanda speak, all the Young Wizards in the classroom understood that she had broken free from the control of Imperius Curse. Led by Hermione, the Little Eagles and Little Lions couldn't help but stand up from their seats to clap and cheer for her.
After all, this was one of the Three Unforgivable Curses. It had caused the Ministry of Magic so much misery in the past, and now Amanda had easily broken free from its control upon her first contact with it.
Didn't she deserve their cheers?
---------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the story has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 chapters in advance over on my Patreon: patreon.com/TLHimejima1
Every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone and let me know.