Raven (Fred x oc)

39. Something Not Right

"That wasn't right!" I fumed as we walked down the hall. "He can't just do that! That-that was..."

"I know," Angelina sighed. Before we could say anymore, shouts rose up from the door to the Great Hall.

"Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter!" Draco shouted.

"Keep your fat mouth shut then," Harry retorted, turning around. Malfoy raised his wand, but before he could do anything, Moody appeared, shooting a spell at Draco. He shrank down and changed into a ferret.

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!" Moody called. My eyes widened as I saw what he had done. Shaking my head, I moved forward to grab Draco. "LEAVE IT!" Moody shouted.

"Leave what?" Harry said, confused.

"Not you, her," Moody snapped. Draco began trying to get away, but Moody pointed his wand at him, shouting, "I don't think so!" Instantly, the ferret shot ten feet in the air and fell roughly to the floor again.

"Stop!" I shouted. "You're torturing him!" When he didn't listen, I turned to Angelina. "Go get McGonagall." She nodded and headed off.

"Never - do - that - again!" Moody shouted, still moving Draco around.

"Stop!" I shouted, rushing forward and managing to grab him from the air. Instantly, he curled up in my hands, shaking.

Moody raised his wand again, but McGonagall had finally arrived, crying, "Professor Moody!"

"Hello Professor McGonagall," he replied calmly, still glaring at the ferret in my hands.

"What are you doing?" she cried, looking between the trembling ferret in my hands to Moody.

"Teaching," he replied, causing me to scoff.

"Teach - Moody, is that a student?" McGonagall cried indignantly.

"Yup," he replied.

"No!" she shouted. "Miss Black, set him down." I did so, crouching down to set him gently on the cold floor. Next moment, Draco appeared again, lying in a trembling heap on the floor.

"Are you okay?" I asked, offering my hand to help him up.

"Like you care," he scoffed, ignoring my hand as he got to his feet.

"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment!" McGonagall shouted. "Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that!"

"He might have mentioned it, yeah," Moody admitted in a small voice. "But I thought a good sharp shock-"

"He's a child!" I shouted indignantly. "Yeah, he's a bullying coward, but he is just an idiotic boy!"

"Miss Black is quite right," McGonagall said. "We give detentions or talk to the student's Head of House."

"I'll do that then," he muttered.

As I was closest to Draco, I was perhaps the only one who could make out him muttering something along the lines of "if my father knew" before Moody interrupted him, shouting, "Oh yeah? Well I know your father of old, boy. You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son. You tell him that from me. Now, your head of house will be Snape, will it?"

"Yes," Draco said resentfully.

"Another old friend," Moody remarked. "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape. Come on, you." He grabbed Draco by the arm and began dragging him off. I sighed, looking after Draco worriedly.

"What'd you stop it for?" Ron demanded, rounding on me.

"He could have hurt him, Ron!" I cried. "He's a jerk, but no one deserves that."

"You're too kind for your own good," Fred remarked, coming up behind me.

"Whatever," I scoffed. "Let's just go eat lunch."

Once we all sat down, Fred turned to Harry and said, "Moody! How cool is he?" I rolled my eyes.

"Beyond cool," George said. "We just had him."

"Super cool," Lee agreed, joining us at the table as I rolled my eyes again.

"What was it like?" Harry asked.

"Horrible," I said.

"Never had a lesson like it," Fred said.

"He knows, man," Lee added.

"Knows what?" Ron asked.

"Fighting the dark arts," Fred explained.

"He's seen it all," George added.

"Amazing," Lee said.

Grabbing his schedule, Ron lamented, "We haven't got him til Thursday!"

"Oh he's knowledgeable enough," I snapped, viciously stabbing my fork into a bit of lamb.

"Come on, Val, why don't you like him?" Fred asked.

"I don't know, maybe because he turned some stupid kid into a ferret and tossed him around like a rag doll!" I cried, glaring over at Fred.

"Valerie," a voice behind me said, causing me to freeze in surprise. Harry and Ron instantly rolled their eyes.

"Draco," I replied indifferently.

"Can I talk to you a minute?" he asked. Grabbing a last bite of food, I grabbed my bag.

"See you guys later," I said, kissing Fred's cheek and leaving the Great Hall with Draco. Turning to face him, I asked, "What's up, Malfoy?"

"Why did you do that?" Draco asked, for once letting down his cold, unfeeling exterior. "Why did you stop him? You hate me."

"I don't hate you, Draco," I countered with a sigh. "I pity you. Can you honestly tell me that you aren't the way you are because of your father?" He stayed silent. "I don't know what it's like in that house, Draco, but I can tell that you're just trying to be who your father wants you to."

"W-What? No," he protested.

"Draco, you don't have to talk to me about it," I said sympathetically. "Just...maybe try and think about who you are and who your father wants you to be and make sure you know the difference. Bye, Draco." Turning around, I left Draco with a thoughtful expression on his face as if he was actually thinking for the first time in his life.