VERDANT - D.MALFOY

9

Detentions had fallen to an all-time low because none of the teachers wanted to send their pupils to Delores Umbridge and her blood quills. But Umbridge would hand out detentions for the smallest infraction, especially with the list of Educational Decrees she had put in place due to her being promoted to high inquisitor.  

Soon, almost everyone had ugly red scabbing on the back of their hands. Amelie had begun to grow murtlap in her dormitory before going through the process of straining and pickling them to create murtlap essence. 

She would hand vials to the older students who would then use the essence to tend to the injuries of students in their respective houses. 

An issue arose when Educational Decree Forty was passed, prohibiting Students from growing plants with magical properties without the express consent of Delores Umbridge. 

Amelie received a week's worth of detentions when word got back to Umbridge that she was still growing murtlap without her consent. 

︵‿︵‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿︵‿︵︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Amelie stamps her feet against the doormat of the Hogs Head in an attempt to get the snow off of her feet. Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Theo were in tow, expressly invited by Hermione. They walk through the dingy pub, ignoring the patrons' stares as they head towards the back room.

Silence falls in the room when the four Slytherins enter the room behind Amelie. Many of the occupants share angered glances and others shift uncomfortably in their chairs. 

"Sorry, we're late," Amelie huffs, reaching into her bag to produce vials of murtlap essence. "Bottling this up held me back."

Amelie begins distributing the vials, and people eagerly accept them, using pipettes to apply the soothing liquid to their inflamed scabbed injuries. Sighs of relief fill the room as the irritation gradually receded.

"Why are they here?" Zacharias Smith sneers, glaring at Amelie's companions.

"We invited them," Harry declares, gesturing to himself, Hermione, and Amelie. "They are just as welcome as anyone else."

"But their parents-"

"You all know who my biological father is," Amelie interjects, her gaze unwavering as she locks eyes with Smith. "Do you have a problem with that?"

Smith remains silent under Amelie's piercing stare. He eventually shakes his head, and Amelie nods in approval.

"Good, shall we continue?" Harry asks, steering the group back to the matter at hand.

"So you all know why we're here," Hermione begins. "We need a teacher. A proper teacher. One who's had experience defending themself against the Dark Arts"

"Why?" Zachariah Smith asks.

"Why?" Ron repeats. "Because You-Know-Who's back, you tosspot"

"So they say."

"So Dumbledore says," Hermione says.

"So Dumbledore says because he says. The point is, where's the proof? If Potter could tell us more about what happened- Or maybe Fournier could tell us about her coma"

Draco, Theo and Blaise stand up but Pansy is the first to react, a sneer on her face. "Her name is Murphy, dipshit. Also, if you try to make her relive one of the worst experiences of her life, I'll take a blunt knife and gut you like a fish"

"Okay, Pansy," Hermione clears her throat and the witch shoots Smith a final glare before huffing and taking her seat again.

"I'm not gonna talk about the night at the graveyard and Amelie isn't going to talk about her coma, so if that's why you're here, clear out now," Harry says before turning to Hermione. "Come on, Hermione. They're here because they think I'm some sort of freak."

"Is it true you can produce a Patronus Charm?" Luna asks.

"Yes. I've seen it."

"Blimey, Harry. I didn't know you could do that," Dean says.

"And he killed a basilisk, with the sword in Dumbledore's office," Neville pipes up.

"It's true," Ron says. "Third-year, he fought off about a hundred Dementors at once."

"Last year, he really did fight off You-Know-Who in the flesh," Hermione says.

"Wait," Harry says. "Look, it all sounds great when you say it like that but the truth is, most of that was just luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time. I nearly always had help"

"He's just being modest,"

"No, Hermione, I'm not," Harry says. "Facing this stuff in real life is not like school. In school, if you make a mistake, you can just try again tomorrow. But out there, when you're a second away from being murdered or watching a friend die right before your eyes and being powerless to stop it. You don't know what that's like."

"You're right, Harry, we don't," Hermione says. "That's why we need your help. Because if we're going to have any chance at beating Voldemort this is what we need to do"

"So why are they here?" Smith asks, jerking his chin towards the four Slytherins. "Their families are known to associate with Voldemort"

"We personally vouch for all of them," Harry says. "Anyone who has any issues with them being here is more than welcome to leave"