The Other Potter: Book One

Chapter Twenty Four: Vindication and Detention.

[Chapter Twenty Four: Vindication and Detention. Edited.]

I tried to keep to my dormitory or in the depths of the library (with Hermione, Harry and Ron) to escape the evil glares and the cruel comments. Not only were they from Gryffindor, but the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuff gave me dirties too.

I sat as silent as possible in transfiguration, never meeting McGonagall's eyes. I couldn't stand the disappointment, or that look she kept giving me that was like 'don't be sad' because I really wasn't, for once. I tried to do my work; I tried to ignore the daggers that were staring into my back. Even Ron couldn't find anything comforting to say to us.

"Maybe if you hadn't failed to kill yourself, Gryffindor wouldn't be coming last," A fourth year student said to me in the Great Hall at lunchtime.

I may have punched him in the face so hard that he fell backwards off of his seat.

"Haha! Opps!" I said unapologetically.

"Jones, Willow, my office." McGonagall snapped. She was somehow on the scene within a second. We followed her, and Jones, or whatever his name was, was still clutching his face. I broke his nose. How terrible! "Explain yourselves." She said, as soon as she'd slammed the door behind herself.

"It was a misunderstanding –––" He started.

"Actually, it wasn't." I was taking Annabeth's advice. If I couldn't stand up for myself, I would fall for anything. "He said – and I quote – maybe if you hadn't failed to kill yourself, Gryffindor wouldn't be coming last – end quote – and I punched him." I said, watching him cower under her glare.

"Willow, are you okay?" McGonagall asked me, trying not to show the rage she felt on her face.

"I could be better."

"You may leave, while I give Jones his punishment."

I closed the door behind me, and heard her absolutely scream at him from the other side. I felt so vindicated.

Apart from the incident that wasn't my fault, technically. We all decided not to meddle in anything that didn't concern us so we couldn't lose further points. Harry and I were walking back to the library and we heard whimpering in the classroom ahead of us.

"No -- no -- not again, please --" It was Quirrell. It sounded almost as though someone was threatening him. We edged slightly closer. "All right -- all right --" Quirrell sobbed.

Then Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom, straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; I don't think Quirrell had even noticed us.

We edged closer, again, to the room before we remembered what we had promised about not meddling. We looked at each other and seemed to realise that Snape would be happy. Quirrell as it seemed, had just given in.

Harry and I half-ran to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on astronomy.

I threw myself in a seat – Harry following suit – and he told them everything that had just happened. They also informed me of all the other suspicious things that had happened.

"Snape's done it, then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell --"

"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry." The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered.