𝙮𝙤𝙪 || 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐨𝐧𝐞: 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

You were correct in assuming that you were getting detention. Thankfully, only detention, as Professor Snape suggested a much crueler way of punishing you for harming a Slytherin. Hagrid wasn't in trouble as well, which made you feel better from being confronted.

Professor Sprout let you explain, but she expressed her disappointment that you would willingly hurt a fellow student like that. Although she understood why you went to such drastic measures. Nifty was your friend, a cherished companion as you put it, and if someone continued to hurt her despite your pleas to stop then you'd hurt them back.

She didn't approve of this mindset, but you luckily got off with just a one hour detention next week. You weren't allowed to take Nifty back inside the castle too, which you were completely fine with.

Snape had said that Adrian Pucey didn't need detention, seeing as he was the victim but Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout were against this. You were glad that he was getting punished for using an innocent creature to get a reaction out of you. When you left the office, you saw him not so discreetly giving you a harsh glare.

Justice was served, but you were still angry. And rightfully so. When the Weasley twins heard that you got your first detention, they congratulated you as if it was an achievement to be proud about. When you confronted them about Nifty, they tried to play it off as a joke, not even bothering to apologize. For the rest of the week, you gave them the cold shoulder.

Hermione was just as disappointed as Professor Sprout when you told her. Unsurprisingly, she went on a long lecture about responsibility, but after that she brushes it off to the side and stated that there was something else she'd like to talk to you about.

"Could you do me a favor and lend me your copy of Hogwarts, A History?" She asked. "I left mine at home."

You thought over all the books you packed before smiling apologetically. "Actually, Mione, I think I left mine at home as well. I'll check later, but why do you want it?"

"I need to read up on something," she replies quickly.

When in need of more knowledge on certain topics, hence the reason why she wanted to borrow your copy, her pathological urge to run straight to the library in such predicaments kicked in. She said a quick goodbye before she left you, and her trips to the library became more frequent ever since.

On Wednesday during lunch, you and Ron were at the back of the library while Hermione searched somewhere in the bookshelves. Ron was just measuring his History of Magic homework when Harry arrived.

"I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short," said Ron, infuriated as he let go of his parchment. "And Hermione's done four feet seven inches and her writing's tidy."

"Where is she?" Harry asked as he sat beside you and began measuring his own homework.

"She's looking for another copy of Hogwarts, A History," you explain, looking up from your Astronomy notes.

"Why?" Harry asked again, but you just shrugged in return.

"I don't know, honestly."

"I think she's trying to read the whole library before Christmas," Ron added.

Harry told you and Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from him.

"Dunno why you care. I thought he was a bit of an idiot," said Ron while scribbling on his parchment, trying to make his writing as large as possible. "All that junk about Lockhart being so great—"

"All the copies of Hogwarts, A History have been taken out," said Hermione as she appeared between the bookshelves, sitting down next to Harry. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."