Nothing But You // N. Longbottom

Six: Detention

"Why did you do that?" Neville asked, looking very concerned for his girlfriend. Not only had she gotten into trouble with this new professor, she also did something that she had never done before. This really worried Neville.

"Sometimes doing what's right is more important." Norvina spoke, her arms crossed in front of her. Neville knew she was right, but at what cost?

X

"Hello, Miss Evergreen."

Norvina chooses not to speak, but watches her stand from her desk and point to a desk sitting across the room. Norvina silently makes her way to the desk, carefully observing the decor in the room.

Umbridge's office was a sickly color pink. Oddly enough, the walls were lined with hundreds of live images of cats. What a sick woman, Norvina thought to herself. This was going to be a long detention.

Norvina sat down at the desk, taking a deep breath. Umbridge's eyes never left the girl, and Norvina shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. It was as if this woman was Medusa, and Norvina was waiting anxiously for her entire body to convert to that of stone. Alas, she never did.

"You're going to be doing some lines for me today, Miss Evergreen." Her smile never seemed to fade from her face as she talked. It was her terrifying, evil smile that creeped Norvina out the most. Not to mention the cats that were eagerly watching her every move. Meow this, meow that.

Norvina began to reach into her bag to get her quill, but Umbridge stops her before she is able to do so. Norvina was left utterly confused. How was she supposed to write lines without a quill?

"I have a rather special quill for you." Umbridge smiled and began handing the girl the small, black quill. Norvina inspected it with curiosity. What kind of quill was this? It had no feather.

"I want you to write," The woman stopped and thought for a moment, "I must keep my mouth shut." Norvina shuddered.

"Well, go on then." She urged Norvina to start writing, so reluctantly, she did. The moment the quill touched the parchment, her hand seemed to burn. Norvina was growing uncomfortable and unsure of what to do. What was happening?

The words from the parchment began to carve themselves onto the back of her hand. She watched as the blood from the letters began to drip off of her hand and onto the parchment. That moment is when Norvina realized the severity of the situation; this is exactly what she wanted. Norvina was not about to give her the satisfaction of seeing her in pain.

"Has the message sunk in?" She stood over Norvina's shoulder, watching the words bleed on her hand. 

Norvina held back her tears, not wanting to give in.

X

"So how was detention with Umbridge? I hope it wasn't too bad." Neville joked as he picked up a pillow from the couch. Norvina laughed, knowing what was coming.

"I'm fine. I just wrote some lines." Norvina tried to speak as nonchalantly as possible. She didn't want anyone to know what was going on, especially Neville. It would only worry him more and she hated seeing him upset. 

Neville tried to cheer her up as he began to throw pillows around playfully as Norvina was studying for the OWL's. One pillow came down on her hand, making her hand burn violently with pain. 

 Norvina hissed as the pillow then fell to the floor. She had felt the words began to bleed once more, making her as nervous as ever. Oh no.

"Norvina? What's wrong?" Neville panicked, thinking he did something to hurt the young girl. But she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye. That's when he knew.

"It's nothing-"

"It's not nothing. You winced..." Neville spoke in a low voice, like he didn't want anyone to hear. Norvina sighed, not wanting to reveal the ugly truth. She couldn't hurt him. He walked towards his girlfriend and begged for answers. She couldn't think of anything else to say. How would she explain the words carved into her hand? They were a wrapped gift from Umbridge for misbehaving.

Norvina pulled her hand out, letting Neville see the words. Neville stood in shock, and held her hand in his with caution. He felt a piece of his heart break for her, knowing what that horrid woman had done to his girl.

"Oh, Nora..." Neville took her hand in his, "Who did this to you?" His eyes held his pain. Norvina looked away before any tears could slip from her eyes.

"Umbridge."

"I swear to God, next time I see her I will-" Neville shouted angrily, which shocked Norvina. She had never seen him this angry before. 

"Neville, you...can't say anything to anyone."  Norvina says, watching the boy pace the floors of the common room. She kept her eyes looking at the fireplace, as her vision became blurry and wet with her salty tears once again.

"What? You want to keep this a bloody secret? Norvina, that is against the rules! She hurt you. That is so wrong!" He spoke, not quite understanding that everyone, especially Dumbledore, had so much to handle and worry about right now. This was something she'd have to handle on her own.

"She works for the Ministry, Nev. She can do whatever she wants. This is what she does to people who defy her." Norvina explained again, letting out a pained sigh and she wiped the blood from her hand.

"Let's get your hand cleaned up," Neville thought out loud, grabbing some medicinal herbs that should help with the pain and the bleeding. Neville was ever so careful with her, making sure that she was still and comfortable.

"I'm not going to let her hurt you again." Neville sat down and hugged the girl, and she gripped onto his shirt with every bit of strength she had.