Chapter 5

Victoria, Eleanor, and Marcus sat at the Ravenclaw table, filling their plates with breakfast. Marcus idly toyed with his omelette, absentmindedly prodding it, his lack of appetite apparent as he aimlessly mutilated his meal with his fork, completely destroying it in the process. Eleanor was investigating the freshness of the fruits to add to her plate when she initiated the conversation: ”I have to admit that I'm quite curious about our next lesson, I heard that the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is quite the character.” Marcus chimed in, abandoning his breakfast as he seemed to perk up at the topic. “ Yeah, Moody’s reputation as an Auror is legendary. They say he has faced more dark witches and wizards than anyone else.”

Victoria took a pancake from the staple and nodded, her mind already spinning with questions. “I’ve done a bit of research on him. Apparently, his magical eye can see through invisibility cloaks and spells of deception. I wonder if he will teach us some techniques.”

Eleanor raised an eyebrow. “That would be wonderful,” she laughed ironically. “Considering he is known for his paranoia when it comes to security. I don’t want to break your spirit, Victoria, but if you ask me, he sounds quite… intense.”

Marcus couldn’t help but chuckle, “Intense might be an understatement. I heard he had a run-in with You-Know-Who during the First Wizarding War and -” Marcus's attention drifted, and his heart quickened as he saw Hannah Turner entering the Great Hall. In that moment, he forgot about all that had him worried just a moment ago.. He could only remember their last conversation on the train, when he had subtly hinted at his feelings for her. But now, as she made her way directly toward their table, his mind raced with excitement. Could it be that she felt the same way?

Victoria's lips curved into a subtle smile as she noticed Marcus’s gaze, and gave Eleanor a discreet nudge under the table, both silently acknowledging the shift in Marcus's mood.

Hannah approached them with a warm smile, her eyes meeting Marcus's briefly before she spoke. "Morning, everyone! Mind if I sit with you?"
Victoria, who managed to contain her excitement for her friend Marcus, smiled gracefully. " Of course not, Hannah. Your company is always a delight."
Eleanor offered a dazzling smile, her eyes reflecting genuine surprise. "What a fantastic surprise, Hannah. Please, join us."

Marcus's heart pounded in his chest as he hastily pushed his Quidditch newspaper aside to make space for her. Eleanor turned her attention toward Hannah, engaging her in conversation. "Hannah, it's such a shame about quidditch being cancelled this year.” Marcus flinched upon hearing the words, his reaction betraying his inner turmoil. “I can only imagine how much you enjoy playing."

Hannah nodded, her expression slightly disappointed. "Yeah, it's a real letdown. I was looking forward to it. Honestly, I don’t know what I will be doing this weekend. We are trying to organise a Quidditch practice on Sunday, even though we don’t have competitions to motivate us anymore. We’ll see how it goes. I’m still free this Saturday afternoon, though."

Victoria, ever perceptive, exchanged a knowing glance with Eleanor. ”Well, I have to go to the library”, said Hannah suddenly, ”to pick up a book for our next lesson. See you all later!" With that, she walked away from their table.
As Hannah excused herself and headed to the library, Victoria leaned toward Marcus and, once Hannah was out of earshot, she whispered urgently, "Marcus, do you realise what just happened? She practically handed you the perfect opportunity.” Eleanor exclaimed, “She's free this Saturday afternoon, Captain Oblivious!"

Marcus blinked in confusion, having missed the cues entirely. He looked at his two friends, realisation dawning on him. "Wait, you think...? Did I miss something?"

Eleanor rolled her eyes playfully and said, "Honestly, Marcus, sometimes you're as oblivious as a Niffler in a jewellery store. She practically spelled it out for you!"

Victoria added with a chuckle, "Don't worry, Marcus. We'll help you come up with a plan to make it up to her."

Marcus smiled appreciatively, his face turning a deep shade of pink. "I appreciate that, you two. Let's make sure we figure this out." The trio shared a laugh as they made their way to their first class of the day.

Professor Alastor Moody was already waiting in front of the classroom, his knuckles resting on top of his gnarled staff while his magical eye scanned everyone who dared to enter the room. The classroom was adorned with dark and ominous artefacts, probably collected from some notorious Death Eaters.
Victoria couldn't help but shiver as his eye's gaze passed over her. Eleanor leaned over and whispered, "He certainly lives up to his reputation as intense." Marcus nodded, a spark of enthusiasm rekindling within him. "I can't wait to learn from someone with his experience. Imagine the stories he must have!" They decided to not let the eerie vibes disturb them and continued to make their way to the front seats.

Moody cleared his throat, and the classroom fell silent. His voice was gravelly and carried an air of authority. "Welcome to Defence Against the Dark Arts. I am Professor Moody, and I expect nothing less than your best, as I do not tolerate laziness or incompetence."

Moody continued with a stern tone, "Constant vigilance, that's the key to surviving out there in the real world. In my class, you'll learn to spot dark magic from a mile away. You'll learn to defend yourselves against curses, jinxes, and hexes. But I won't coddle you; I'll push you to your limits."
The students exchanged nervous glances, his “warm” welcome could rival Professor Snape’s.

Victoria, not deterred by the uneasiness, held her composure and raised her hand. "Professor Moody, may I ask about the device against deception hanging in the middle of the classroom? I've noticed it, and I'm curious about what kind of detecting spell you’ve put on it."

Moody's magical eye focused on her. "Perceptive question, Miss...?"
"Ollivander, sir. Victoria Ollivander."

Moody nodded. "The device you see hanging there is a Sneakoscope, Miss Ollivander. It’s a dark detector that lights up, spins and whistles if someone nearby is doing something untrustworthy. It's designed to detect a variety of deception spells and charms, helping me to uncover the truth from falsehoods. Although, it seems to be acting up ever since I brought it here. Probably due to all of your creative explanations about missing homework."
"So that’s the thing that keeps zooming around the classroom? It's been quite distracting," whispered Marcus. Eleanor looked behind her and saw Marcus gazing at Hannah. She couldn't resist a playful remark. "Clearly, it's not the only thing distracting you."

As Marcus found himself momentarily lost in thought about Hannah, Professor Moody's gaze shifted, fixing on him for a brief moment. The intensity of that magical eye made Marcus feel like he was under a spotlight.
Moody continued his introduction, "Now, some of you may have heard tales of my career as an Auror, and while they may sound like stories, they are very real. The dark forces we face out there are cunning and ruthless. It's crucial that you're prepared, and that's what we'll be working on this year."
Eleanor leaned closer to Victoria and whispered with a smirk, "Looks like Professor Moody might have competition for our dear Marcus’ attention."
A subtle smile graced Victoria’s lips, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Indeed, such a shame though, it seems our Defence Against the Dark Arts class is shaping up to be quite interesting."