Protected Ivory [2]

Twelve

"I refuse," I repeated, crossing my arms and meeting Minerva's eyes. "I will not meet with that man outside of class, unless I need help with the material. And we both know that will never happen."

"You were supposed to meet with him a week ago," she sighed, shaking her head. She was looking at me over her glasses. "He told me what happened. He's trying to extend an olive branch, Iv."

"I don't trust him. I didn't before the incident," I exclaimed, taking a deep breath. "He knew about Neville and me. Yet, he proceeded."

"It was necessary."

"That's what Dumbledore thinks," I pointed out. "Yes, people need to know, especially with everything going on. But..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"You never told me about your memory," she said after a few silent minutes. I looked up, finding her eyes glistening with tears. 

"Narcissa, Lucius and Severus all say I can't have that memory," I said, trying to fight back my own tears. "I wasn't supposed to be there. When I talked to Pops about it, he said Dad knew I was alive. The only way he could have known was if he took me from the house. Took me after Mom was dead."

"Ivy--"

"Mom would have hid me, especially if she didn't have any warning," I pushed. "It's one of the clearest memories I have, Minnie. It's not fake. It gave me nightmares when I was in the orphanage. I would get beat because I woke up screaming in the middle of the night. I know what it was." I looked away. "I told him why I wouldn't watch, and he did it in front of me."

"He smoothed things over with Neville, give him the chance to smooth it over with you," she pushed, giving me that look. 

"Severus doesn't like him," I pointed out, knowing I was beaten, but I still wanted to argue. 

"Alastor Moody put more Deatheaters behind bars then any other Auror," she explained, shaking her head. "He wanted to put Severus away, but Dumbledore implored he was working with the Order. There's a bit of a grudge there." She paused for a moment, watching me, seeming to think something over. "He was the Auror who actually arrested your father."

"Which one?" I asked, playing with my necklace. 

"Both, come to think of it," she snorted. "He was at the hearing that proved Barty Crouch Jr., was a supporter of You-Know-Who. Barty tried to run, but Moody caught him."

"I know what you're doing," I said, taking a deep breath. 

"Is it working?"

"Yes," I hissed, getting up. "I'm going to class now. Thank you for pulling me out of the Blaste-Ended Skrewts workshop."

"I figured you didn't need to be playing with fire," she snorted, shaking her head. 

I didn't retort as I walked out of her office, heading for Defense Against the Dark Arts. It shouldn't have surprised me he would go to Minerva. I had blown him off and then proceeded to ignore him for the two classes we'd had since. Draco thought it was hilarious. Neville thought I was tempting bad luck. 

"You a free woman?" Hermione asked, matching stride with me. I felt Neville at me other side.

"He went to McGonagall," I said, rolling my eyes in annoyance. "Looks like I'll be having that meeting with him."

"You should have just gotten it over with," Neville sighed, earning a glare. "Don't you dare give me that look."

"Which curse did you do your essay on?" Hermione asked in a ploy to distract me. It didn't help.