The Squib and the Werewolf

9. Detention Buddies

That evening, Raya sat in the Transfiguration classroom, inbetween James and Sirius, who were looking at her with huge smiles on their faces, like two proud dads at a football game.
They were the only ones in the room, as McGonagall had decided it wasn't a good idea to put Alex Bulstrode into a detention with 3 Gryffindors, who would not treat him very well. So, she had rescheduled his detention for the following evening.
"I didn't think you had it in you" admitted James.
Since McGonagall hadn't arrived yet, they felt free to talk as loudly as they liked.
"Yeah, I was worried you were going to be too much like your brother, to get into any trouble" agreed Sirius.

Raya frowned, "But I thought Remus has got detentions in the past".
"Oh he has, so has Peter. But not nearly has many as me and James" explained Sirius.
"I'm glad you decided to follow us down our path, and not go the goody-two-shoes route" added James.
"Same, although I have a feeling Remus isn't going to be too happy when he learns that you got detention" admitted Sirius.
"No, he's not going to be very happy with me" mumbled Raya.
"That doesn't matter, because we are very proud of you" replied Sirius.

"So, what did you do to end up here? Make a rude remark during a lesson? Have a prank backfire? Fail to hand in a piece of homework?" Questioned James.
"No, I got into a fight after Transfiguration" revealed Raya, as she looked down at her bruised knuckles, which were coloured in a mix of purples and greys.
Despite the pain her hands were in, she hadn't wanted to go to Madam Pomfrey, because she didn't want the Slytherins to know that she had also gotten hurt during the fight.
"Did you start the fight?" Asked James.
"No exactly. A Slytherin boy named Alex pushed me into a corner and challenged me to a duel. I had no choice but to fight my way out" explained Raya.

"Why did he want to duel you?" Quizzed Sirius.
"Because him and the rest of the Slytherins have figured out that I have no magic. He wanted to duel me to prove that I was a Squib. I wanted to leave without starting a fight, but he pushed me into the wall and wouldn't let me leave. So, I punched him in the face, and continued punching him until McGonagall intervened. She then sent him to the hospital wing to get patched up, and gave me a detention for fighting" answered Raya.
"Nice one. Well done for sticking up for yourself. You gave him what he deserved" grinned James.

Sirius didn't smile, instead his face looked grim, "Does that mean that everyone in the school is going to figure out that you're a Squib?".
"Yes. That's why I didn't go to dinner today. I couldn't face everyone, knowing that they are going to be whispering about me... I'm really not looking forward to classes tomorrow" admitted Raya.
"We'll be there to support you" promised Sirius.
"But that's just it, you won't always be there to have my back. We will never have classes together. So, there will be no one to defend me in my lessons tomorrow. And when you finish school after your 7th year, I will still have another two years to go, without you"
"We will stick up for you now, and let everyone know that if they pick on you, they will have us to deal with. We won't let them bully you".

"I don't think Raya needs us to protect her. She proved today that she can stand up for herself. And I think that Slytherin boy will think twice before messing with Raya ever again" said James.
"I hope you're right. All the Slytherins in my year saw what happened, so I hope I did enough to deter them all from picking a fight with me in the future" replied Raya.
"Was Regulus there?" Questioned Sirius.
"He was at the back of the group, yes" answered Raya.
"He should have tried to defend you" frowned Sirius.
"I wasn't expecting him to leap to my defence. In his shoes, I probably wouldn't have stepped in either. Besides, even if he had been on my side, we still would have been outnumbered. Regulus didn't join in with the name-calling, or the laughing, so I'm just thankful for that".

"Did you get hurt during the fight?" Asked Sirius.
"I'm fine" lied Raya, as she attempted to hide her hands.
Sirius stopped her, and took a hold of the hand closest to him.
"That looks painful. You should have gone to Madam Pomfrey, and she would've fixed it in a heartbeat" Sirius said softly.
Raya shook her head and pulled back her hand.
"I can't have anyone knowing that I went to the hospital wing. I need people to know that I can get through a fight like that, without sustaining any injuries. And that I could do it all again without hesitation. It's the only way I will be able to keep the bullies from starting anymore fights with me" insisted Raya.

Suddenly the door swung open and McGonagall entered the room, ending the trio's conversation.
"Absolutely not, this is not a social club meeting, this is detention. Potter, Black, move" instructed McGonagall.
"But Professor, this is Raya's first detention, so she needs our support to get through this" said James dramatically.
"I'm sure Miss Lupin will be just fine without you sitting next to her. Now move, or I'll tell the Quidditch captain to pick a new Chaser" threatened McGonagall.
"O.K, O.K, I'm moving".

Sirius and James picked up their stuff and moved to two tables at opposite ends of the room.
McGonagall then sat down at her own desk, and took out a stack of marking that she had to get through.
"You are all going be writing lines, so get out your quills, ink, and parchment" instructed McGonagall, causing the trio to groan.
"Enough of that, thank you. You're lucky I've only given you one evening of detention each. Since we are so early in the year, I was feeling generous. I also didn't deduct any house points, as I would quite like to win the house cup this year" continued McGonagall.
"Thank you, Professor, for not taking any points from us" replied James.

"You're welcome. Right, well Miss Lupin, you will write I will not fight my fellow students, and boys, you will both write I will not set off a dungbomb in the middle of a lesson. And this will be done in absolute silence" announced McGonagall.
Sirius and James looked over at each other and sniggered, remembering the prank they had pulled on Snape earlier that day, involving a dungbomb.

"How many times must we write these lines, Professor?" Asked Raya.
"Let's start with 200. But if there is still time left once you've reached that goal, you will keep going until the timer has run out" answered McGonagall.
She then took out a sand timer from her bag and turned it over before placing it onto the table.
"You may begin" informed McGonagall.
The trio all dunked their quills into their ink pots, and prepared themselves for what was going to be a very long and boring evening.