Bound

Chapter 7

After hearing the unfortunate news from McGonagall, the students started heading towards their first class of the day.

Daphne and Ron walked together to class, both in seemingly comfortable silence until Daphne broke it.

"Hey Ron, I need to go do something, would you mind saving me a seat?" Daphne asked.

"Oh, you can go, I'll do that, sure." Ron nodded and Daphne gave him an appreciative smile.

Daphne headed towards one of the empty corridors, her footsteps the only sound visible.

When she turned around the corner, she was surprised to find him already there.

"Daphne..."

***

Hermione thought that the prejudice nature that people usually treated the Slytherins with was finally non-existent.

But all of her assumptions came to a halt when she noticed the way Professor Alvaro treated the Slytherins.

"Mr. Zabini, is that your way of telling me that I am incompetent?"

"No sir, that wasn't my intention, I simply sa-"

"You can meet me in detention at the end of the week."

"Miss Parkinson, that is no way to talk to a partner."

"Professor Alvaro, Potter and I are acquainted with each other if you didn't know, practically locked to the hip, I see no problem with my treating him."

"I will not tolerate such disrespect in my class, you can join the rest of the Slytherins in detention at the end of the week."

"Mr. Nott, I hope this isn't the best of your abilities."

"It was my first try, sir. You can't expect perfection from the first try, can you?"

"I don't appreciate the attitude, Mr. Nott. Detention at the end of the week."

This went on and on until almost all of the Slytherins in the class were assigned detention at the end of the week.

Hermione thought it was a coincidence, but after a while, she realized that she didn't know Professor Alvaro as she hoped she did.

And she couldn't stop what was coming out of her mouth when he started reprimanding his new victim.

"Mr. Malfoy. You are making absolutely no progress, if you can't cast a patronus by the end of the class, I'll have no choice but to assign you detention as well."

Hermione scrunched her face in confusion.

Spells and spells like this particularly needed patience and encouragement, not threats and ultimatums.

The perfect picture of Professor Alvaro was slowly getting burned in her head.

Did she ever say he reminded her of Remus? Scratch that, he is Snape, flesh and blood.

"I expected a lot of patience from you professor, weren't you a Hufflepuff?" Draco asked through gritted teeth.

Hermione didn't blame Draco for his attitude.