Roy's first Defence Against the Dark Arts class of the year was scheduled with Gryffindor, which meant he would be sharing the room with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest of their housemates.
The moment Roy stepped inside the classroom, he felt it — the heavy, watchful pressure of the new professor.
"Mad-Eye Moody."Or rather… Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise.
Roy recognized the subtle wrongness around him: the twisted smile, the forced growls, the oddly calculated movements beneath the illusion of ruggedness.
Roy didn't react.He simply took a seat beside Hermione while Daphne and the others sat near him, forming a quiet but watchful cluster.
Moody's Entrance
BAM!
The classroom door slammed open, making several students jump.
Moody stomped in with dramatic flair, staff hitting the floor like a hammer.
"RIGHT!" the fake Moody barked. "Let's see what we've got this year. Dark wizards won't wait for you to tie your shoelaces!"
He scanned the room theatrically… until his magical eye stopped on Roy.
It twitched once.Twice.Then locked onto him as if studying prey.
A smirk tugged at Moody's scarred lips.
"So. You must be Roy Valvas," he growled. "I've heard… stories. Let's see what you're made of."
The students turned toward Roy, expecting him to react.
He didn't.
Roy simply looked up at Moody with calm, unreadable eyes.
Moody Tries to Intimidate
Moody stomped closer — intentionally letting his staff smash into desks, making sparks fly. He towered over Roy's desk, his mismatched eyes boring into Roy as he whispered:
"You don't scare easy, do you, boy?"
Roy looked at him with the faintest hint of amusement.
Moody leaned even closer, trying to unleash an intimidating aura.
And then—
Roy released a tiny ripple of Conqueror's Haki.
Not enough to cause an incident.Not enough to alarm the class.
Just enough…to remind the imposter that prey can bite back.
Moody froze mid-breath.
A cold sweat broke across his forehead.His hands trembled.His knees weakened — almost giving out completely.
His magical eye spun wildly, trying to understand what hit him.But he didn't — couldn't — comprehend.
His instincts screamed:DANGER.STRONGER BEING.DO NOT PROVOKE.
Students blinked in confusion as Moody straightened abruptly, almost losing balance.
Hermione frowned. "Is he… alright?"
Ron scoffed, his tone sharp and irritated — the lingering effects of the diary still gnawing at him. "He's always weird. Doesn't matter."
Roy, seeing Moody's panic and trying not to laugh, simply leaned back and offered a neutral smile.
Moody backed away quickly and returned to the front.
He didn't look at Roy again.
The Lesson Continues
The class went on with Moody demonstrating the Unforgivable Curses.
Students were horrified.Neville trembled.Hermione argued.Harry stared in shock.Ron watched with narrowed, tired eyes — the coldness in him lingering, a sharp contrast to the boy he used to be.
And through all of it, Roy listened quietly.
No fear.No surprise.Just silent understanding of the role this imposter was meant to play in the upcoming events.
Each time Moody scanned the class with his rotating magical eye, it avoided Roy like a frightened animal avoiding a predator.
And Roy found it… mildly entertaining.
A Crack in Friendship
After class ended, students poured out discussing curses and Moody's madness.
Harry jogged after Roy. "Roy! That was… insane. Did you see how Moody looked at you? Like he was scared—"
Ron cut in harshly. "Moody scares everyone, Harry. Stop exaggerating."
Harry winced — Ron's tone had been sharp lately. Too sharp.
Hermione leaned toward Roy and whispered, "Ron is getting worse again… colder. Ever since the diary incident, he hasn't been the same."
Roy nodded silently.
He already knew.
The diary, even destroyed, had left residue. Black magic stains the soul, and Ron was carrying the weight of it — the guilt, the influence, the emotional fractures.
Harry and Ron were friends again…but the friendship had cracks, thin but painfully visible.
Roy didn't interfere.But he understood.
And unlike others… he knew Ron's pain would resurface again soon.
For now, Roy simply clapped Harry lightly on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about Moody," he said calmly. "He's more scared of me than I am of him."
Harry blinked. "Why?"
Roy smiled faintly.
"Instinct."