Delicate | James Potter

2.09

~

Professor McGonagall's office was a place of neutrality, or it very much seemed like it tried to be. Unlike Professor Slughorn's vast collection of Slytherin memorabilia that he had keenly on display, there was little to suggest house bias from McGonagall in anyway... but, little didn't mean none. There was a Gryffindor scarf hanging over a cloak pole in the corner, and a shelf of trophies all of which had little lions engraved upon them and student's names just underneath. They were little things, more subtle, the type you'd have to linger on to notice. In a frame on her desk was a moving photo, in which a group of teenagers were smiling and waving, all of them clad in what would have been red and gold if the photo were not black and white. 

It was this photo that Alice was observing when her Professor finally came in and sat down across from her, only the large desk separating them. Alice tore her eyes from the smiling students and let them instead fall to her feet, acutely aware of the questioning gaze she was now being subjected to.

"There are a few things I'd like to talk to you about tonight, Miss Winters," McGonagall began, accent thick yet with a hint of exhaustion. It was now near midnight, after all.

Alice nodded to show she was listening. Her fingers began fidgeting with her skirt, pulling it as far as she could across her knees before letting go and watching it fall back. 

"Firstly, there is the matter of the Gryffindor house, and why nearly everyone is awake at such a time as this. Do you happen to have any idea?"

Alice had to resist smirking as she thought of Sirius shaking his shoulders back and forth on the table. "It's Sirius's birthday Professor."

"I am aware." She replied, expression tight and unreadable. "But it is also Wednesday, Wednesday evening at that, and a great many students have lessons beginning at nine."

"...Sorry?" Alice wasn't really sure what she was supposed to say to that. She didn't choose the days of the week, and she didn't choose Sirius's birthday. Though, thinking that, perhaps she could have scheduled his surprise for the weekend, it would have been a lot more convenient for everyone.

Professor McGonagall nodded, mouth twitching. "There is also a more serious matter at hand, a report of aggressive behaviour towards another student, a report made about you."

Alice sighed, she knew this was coming. She should have known when Eve slipped away down the stairs earlier this morning, eyes flashing dangerously. "Professor I - "

"I must admit, Miss Winters, I was most disappointed to hear of it." She frowned deeply, and Alice felt a pit of guilt and disappointment build in her own stomach, despite knowing she hadn't done anything wrong.

"Professor I never - "

McGonagall cut her off again, still frowning. "You are perhaps the last person in this school I would have expected it from, Alice, for you have only ever been kind to your classmates and your peers. I do pay attention to my students you know, I've seen how much you care."