Bedknobs and Broomsticks [HP fanfic; BNB Book 1]

Social Hour

September, 1977

Geoffrey was seated cross-legged on the floor of the trophy room, a plaque resting in his lap as he polished it. He had been able to see his reflection in the polished silver for the past several minutes, but was content to continue scrubbing at the now nonexistent tarnish while Filch was busy berating James and Sirius for the poor job they were doing on their assigned cabinet. He glanced at the watch on his wrist. Eight-fifty. The three Gryffindors had been polishing trophies and medals for twenty minutes; the Slytherins had yet to show up. Typical.

He heard a crash followed by a loud string of swears from Filch, and a bronze shield bearing the names of several students for Special Services to the School rolled past, Sirius crawling after it, wiping tears of mirth from his eye. Geoffrey listlessly retrieved the shield and handed it to Sirius.

"Why the long face, Mansfield? Upset your new girlfriend isn't here yet?"

Geoffrey gave Sirius a flat look. "Am I supposed to be happy about being in detention?"

"Oh, lighten up, Geoff. It was just a joke -- you know I hate those sons of bitches just as much as you do. Look, if it makes you feel better, James and I were thinking about maybe--"

"This is not social hour!" Filch barked. "This is punishment! Black, get back over here!"

Sirius mouthed the words we'll discuss later and gave Geoff a confidential wink before hurrying back over to the cabinet he and James were working at, leaving Geoffrey polishing his plaque in silence. A few more minutes passed by, and the silence (which had only been disturbed by a constant muttering from Filch) was broken by the sound of the heavy oaken door opening as the Slytherins entered.

"Well, it's about time you decided to join us, your majesties. We were beginning to wonder if you lot thought you were above punishment," Filch said. He tossed a pair of rags and a container of polish at the Slytherins. "Snape, you can get started on the bronze in that cabinet over there, and Delacroix, you can help Mansfield finish up the silver in his cabinet. God knows he's taking long enough to do it on his own."

The two Slytherins stalked over to their appointed stations. Emilie grabbed a medal from the cabinet and held it in one hand, looking at the rag in the other. "I don't see why we can't just use magic," she said loudly. "You'd think there'd be some kind of charm to keep these things from tarnishing."

"Is the Pureblood Princess afraid of getting her hands dirty?" Filch asked. "Shut it and do your work."

Emilie glowered and looked back at the silver. "You've been here twenty minutes and this is all you've gotten done?" she asked.

"Didn't want to have all the fun without you and Snape," Geoff said. He had finally replaced the shield and picked up a particularly dirty trophy.

"How thoughtful of you," she said. She replaced the medal in the cabinet, and Geoff noted that it still had quite a bit of tarnish around the edges. "But, really, it's our own fault for showing up late. You deserve all the fun for being so punctual."

Geoff opened his mouth to make a retort, but was cut off as there was a scuffling sound on the other side of the room, followed by a loud crash and Filch shouting. He and Emilie turned to see Sirius and James pinning Snape to the ground, landing several well-aimed blows on the Slytherin boy's face and chest before Filch managed to pull James away. Snape rolled away from Sirius and was scrambling across the floor for his wand, which had fallen out of his robes pocket and rolled across the floor.

Sirius was raising his own wand and opening his mouth to call out an incantation, but Emilie was faster. In a flash of light, Sirius's wand was flying through the air, leaving him disarmed. Before the girl could send a hex his way, she found herself on the floor, tackled by Geoffrey, and could only watch helplessly as her wand rolled beneath the nearest trophy cabinet, out of reach.

Filch had dealt with James and was turning his attention to the rest of the group. He turned in time to see Geoffrey launching himself at Snape as the Slytherin boy gained the advantage over Sirius, and ran from the room.

In a swirl of black robes, the four boys were suddenly upon each other, fists and feet lashing out at whatever surfaces were available. In the kerfuffle, a cabinet was knocked over, glass shattering and metal trophies and shields rolling every which way.

"That - is - enough! Stupefy!"

A series of Stunning Spells were sent out, and from their dazed places on the floor, the students saw McGonagall and Slughorn standing in the doorway, McGonagall's nostrils flaring and her eyes flashing dangerously from one guilty face to another. Slughorn's moustache was quivering as he panted from his sprint to the trophy room.

"What in God's name is going on in here?" McGonagall demanded. "Who is responsible for this?"

All at once, accusations began to fly.

"Silence!" McGonagall waited a moment as the students' chattering died down. "I don't know what has gotten into your two Houses lately, but this perpetual hostility needs to stop! Now, the five of you will continue your detention tonight in absolute silence under the watch of Professor Slughorn and myself, and if we hear so much as a whimper from any of you, you will spend the rest of the year personally assisting Mister Filch. Do I make myself clear?"

There were silent nods of affirmation.

"And as for this most recent indiscretion, the five of you will spend the rest of the week assisting Professor Slughorn organizing his ingredient cabinets in his office at eight o'clock sharp. Understood?"

More silent nodding.

After another disapproving glare from McGonagall, they returned to their cabinets and resumed polishing in silence.