Extraordinary (Sign it Series; BOOK 2)

Chapter 39

Maddy skipping merrily into the Hogwarts Library seemed to interrupt the stark silence, but she didn't particularly care.

Madam Pince sent a disapproving look in her direction, but was met with only a toothy grin as Maddy made her way to the bookshelf on Defence Against the Dark Arts, and pulled a book off the shelf, not even hesitating or reading the cover. She flipped the book open to about the centre, and made her way to an empty chair in the corner of the room, and began to read.

Did she have homework to do? Of course. Was she planning on doing them? At some point. Probably in the morning during breakfast.

"Maddy?"

Maddy looked up slowly at the sound of her name, finding herself looking at Rose and Sam. The two Hufflepuffs pulled up chairs and sat down beside her, pulling out their own assignments and set them gingerly on the table.

Maddy gave them a small wave, before returning to her book.

"You did the Transfiguration homework?" asked Rose.

Maddy propped the book on her lal, and responded No without looking up. Next class isn't until Thursday.

"When do you even do homework? Every time I see you here, you're reading some Defence book that has nothing to do with our classes."

Can't concentrate well, Maddy admitted. Homework is boring. Defence Against the Dark Arts is not.

"Can you help me with my Defence assignment then?" asked Rose quickly, stashing away her Transfiguration book in exchange for her Defence one. "I don't understand how ghosts become ghosts."

I didn't do my own Defence homework, but I guess I can help.

Sam glanced at her oddly, confusion etching itself onto his face. "Why don't you just do your own now? I know we're in different classes, but Professor Umbridge probably has us all at the same point."

But Maddy had already taken out a piece of parchment, knowing that some signs would be too complex for Sam and Rose, and scribbled down: I have full marks in Defence, I can afford to procrastinate a little. Though, Professor Toad hates my guts, and I have detention with her later anyway.... Whatever, I don't have the mental capacity to do it now.

Rose and Sam glanced at each other, but didn't reply, instead let Maddy explain the homework by scribbling down an explanation, sliding the paper across the table, reading about a page of her own book while Sam and Rose read through what she said, and answered the questions accordingly.

They went like this for over an hour, a simple assembly line of Defence answers, until Maddy begrudgingly admitted she had to leave for detention.

She slipped the book back on the shelf, and dusted her leather jacket out of habit, before waving a small adieu to Sam and Rose.

She skipped out of the library, once again ignoring the looks of Madam Pince, and made her way down the hallway, doing cartwheels and flicks on her own accord.

Professor Umbridge stood outside her office as if she were the guards at Buckingham Palace, still as a statue. Maddy had almost convinced herself it was a statue, though that thought scurried away as quickly as it had come, because who in their right mind would make a statue of the small toad-like Professor.

Even when Maddy stood right in front of her, her head cocked slightly to the side, spinning her right plait idly between her fingers, Umbridge didn't budge. Only when Maddy went to poke her with her left hand did she finally move.

She didn't speak, or attempt any means of communication. Nor did she attempt to enter her office; the door was closed, and by the looks of it, locked. Umbridge instead sauntered slowly down the hallway, not looking behind her.