Moody's voice grew sombre as his magical eye slowly swept over the students below the lectern. His low, rasping voice gradually drew everyone present into those brutal memories:
"You sit here in this warm castle, listening to your professors teach you. To you, Death Eaters and the Dark Mark are nothing but cold words in textbooks, or stories told in the common room to scare first-years. Of course, some despicable vermin consider them a badge of honour—but I've seen those damned Dark Wizards with my own eyes. I've fought those ruthless, disgusting bastards."
He paused, then continued hoarsely, "Back then, plenty of shops in Diagon Alley kept their doors permanently locked. Those villains had thrown the entire wizarding world into chaos."
His magical eye lingered on Malfoy for a moment before moving on. "You may have heard people say, 'St. Mungo's was full.' But do you know what that meant? Even the corridors were lined with hospital beds. The healers worked until their eyes were bloodshot, until they barely had the strength to hand a patient a cup of warm water.
"At the worst of it, they even took control of St. Mungo's. The place was full of Death Eaters, and injured wizards couldn't go there for treatment at all. Plenty of good people died during that time."
"Do you think death was the only damage they did? Some Aurors refused to submit after being captured, even under threat of death, so they were tortured with the Cruciatus Curse. Would any of you like to find out what that feels like, hmm?
"Some Aurors are still receiving treatment at St. Mungo's today. There was a Muggle-born witch, an exceptionally talented Auror, who was tortured by Death Eaters. Even now, she doesn't dare use a wand. She starts shaking at the