Misunderstood | Cedric Diggory

i

"You're late." is spat from the mouth of Severus Snape, who hasn't failed to emphasise every single syllable precisely.

A shiver cruises through my spine, "Sorry, Professor, I was held up by some boys." I couldn't quite admit it was really as I was talking a walk, and besides, it was easy to make myself a victim in this scenario, which ultimately I could have been.

"Right." Snape sneers sarcastically, and a couple of boys at the front sniggered. I realised that their interpretation of being held up by boys was different from mine, and I didn't exactly have the reputation of being popular around anyone. "Detention Griffin."

"They were calling me a Mudblood!" flies out of nowhere, and I hold my mouth as I realise what I had said. Instantly the atmosphere changes, looks of disbelief changed into looks of pity.

Snape's snow-white face was flushed with ruby and scarlet, almost as if this insult mattered more to him than me. "Could you tell me who had called you this name, Miss. Griffin?"

I couldn't believe it. Professor Snape being... Nice? Yet I knew when I announced the name, things could go either way. As snape always had a soft spot for the boy of his house.

Snape struggled to contain himself, as he took deep breaths before concluding: "come back at lunch, I shall have a word with you and Mr Malfoy."

I now went to sit down and had two options. Usually, there was a spare desk where I could sit by myself at the back of the classroom; however, this was already occupied by none other than the golden boy himself, Cedric Diggory. He stared directly at me, smiling softly, gesturing for me to come and sit by him. I glared at him back, not understanding why he was being so suddenly lovely to me and took the seat at the front next to my archrival, Alissa Hodgkin.

She didn't seem too happy about this, yet, it wasn't like there was anywhere else I could have sat.

-

I returned to the dungeons for my meeting with Snape and Malfoy, and my heart was racing just approaching. The turnout was unlikely going to be bad for me somehow, no matter how badly snape reacted, would he still punish a Slytherin?

I waited outside, Draco already there, leaning against the wall with a permanent expression of bore stapled on his face. "Why did you snitch on me Huffle?" Huffle? Well, it's better than 'muggie'...

Only a few minutes passed until Snape finally saved me from the awkwardness and the lack of comfort that occurred around Draco Malfoy at this moment. We both take a seat on the other side of his desk. I sat upright, on the edge of my seat, ready to leave. Whereas Draco, on the other hand, edges his chair away from me and slouches back, his arms crossed, almost like a spoilt 8-year-old who had just been told off.

"Draco," Snape begins, "Do you know why we are here today?"

Malfoy, lacking in emotion, simply states "Because I called her a Mudblood." Draco just wants this session over, and in his mind, he's still not in the wrong.

"And why is this unacceptable Mr Malfoy?" a chuffed feeling runs through my veins - is Snape taking my side?

Draco answers cluelessly, does he not understand how wrong he is for using that phrase? "because it's not a very nice thing to say?" his reply is almost sarcastic.

"I will be deducting twenty house points off Slytherin for this behaviour, and if I get any more reports of this, I will not hesitate to take you off the Quidditch team. Do consider this a severe warning." Draco and I both stare at Snape, utterly shocked.

"You can't be serious!" Draco uproars, sitting up in horror.

"10 more points Malfoy." Snape responds, Malfoy aggressively slumping back down in anger. "and, you have to apologise to miss. Griffin."