𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 | 𝐆𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

chapter eleven: detention.
date: september 2nd 1993.

IN THE GREAT HALL, THE ATMOSPHERE WAS AS LIVELY AS EVER. The clatter of cutlery and the hum of conversation filled the space as students dug into their meals. The enchanted ceiling above them mirrored the darkening sky, stars just beginning to peek through the clouds.

Stella and Jade sat at the Hufflepuff table, leaning in slightly toward each other, voices lowered as they gossiped between bites of dinner. Jade was animated, her hands flying through the air as she recounted something she'd overheard earlier.

"I'm telling you, I heard Pansy Parkinson was caught sneaking out after curfew last night," Jade whispered, grinning mischievously. "And not for something as innocent as a walk, if you know what I mean."

Stella raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress a giggle. "Do we really believe everything we hear about Pansy? She'd probably start her own rumours just for the attention."

"True," Jade chuckled, leaning back slightly. "But it's still fun to speculate."

Stella shook her head, her smile lingering as she stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork. But then, her expression faltered as she glanced at the clock on the far wall.

"Speaking of trouble, I have detention with Snape at seven," Stella sighed. Her appetite for eating suddenly disappeared.

Jade groaned dramatically, throwing her head back. "Ugh, I forgot about that! How could you let Snape of all people ruin your night?"

"Trust me, I'm not thrilled either," Stella sighed, pushing her plate away.

As the feast wound down, the Great Hall began to empty. The girls stood, following the steady stream of students heading out the door. Jade was still chatting animatedly when they accidentally bumped into Ginny Weasley just outside the hall.

"Oh! Sorry about that," Ginny said with a smile. "Where are you two off to?"

"Stella's got a lovely evening planned with Snape in detention," Jade teased, giving her friend a playful nudge.

Ginny's eyes widened in mock horror. "Detention? With Snape? What did you do?"

Before Stella could respond, a familiar voice cut through the chatter.

"I hear Snape's become quite the fan of giving detentions to beautiful witches."

Stella turned to see George Weasley approaching with that usual mischievous grin on his face.

"I was just on my way to find you," George added, his tone light. "Thought I'd offer to walk you to your doom."

Jade snickered, elbowing Stella as George came closer. "Oh, how noble of you, George. Walking her to detention? That's got to mean something."

Ginny, catching onto the teasing, immediately joined in. "You're so thoughtful, George. Who knew you were such a gentleman?"

Stella's cheeks flushed, though she rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. He's just trying to find out how miserable Snape is going to make me."

"You wound me, Ella," George says, placing a hand over his heart, pretending to be offended. "I'm just concerned for your well-being."

Jade and Ginny exchanged a look, both grinning as they watched the interaction.

"Sure," Ginny said, her voice laced with amusement. "We believe you."

As the group started walking, with Stella now beside George, Jade leaned in to Ginny and whispered loud enough for them to hear, "They're practically inseparable these days, aren't they?"

Ginny smirked, catching on. "Definitely. You'd think there's something more going on."

Stella shot them both a warning look but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "You two are impossible."

George, clearly enjoying the teasing, glanced down at Stella. "Well, if they're going to gossip, we might as well give them something to talk about."

"Don't give them ideas, George!" Stella chuckled, swatting his arm. Her heart skipped a beat, but she quickly recovered, shooting him a playful glare.

The third year and fifth year bud farewell to Jade and Ginny, who continued to giggle as they ran off down the corridor. Stella groaned dramatically as she slung her bag over her shoulder.

"I can't believe I'm going to detention. All because Malfoy can't keep his mouth shut."

George fell into step beside her, his usual grin lighting up his face. "And here I thought you were the perfect student. You've been hiding your wild side from me, haven't you?"

"Wild?" Stella asked, and she shot him a sidelong glance. "I stood up to Malfoy. Not exactly worthy of a 'wild' reputation."

"Depends how you look at it," George replied, eyes twinkling with amusement. "Standing up to a Slytherin prince takes guts. I'd say that's pretty wild."

Stella rolled her eyes, though she was smiling. "Right. I'm sure that's exactly what Snape will say when I walk in there."

George nudged her playfully with his elbow. "If it makes you feel better, I'll personally craft a medal for 'Bravery in the Face of Detention.' Comes with a matching trophy."

"Tempting offer," Stella said, laughing. "But I'd rather not make a habit of this."

"Oh, come on, you've got to at least make it memorable," George tells her, giving her a mock-serious look.

"And what do you suggest? Summon a pygmy puff into the dungeon."

"That's not a bad idea." George uttered; he leaned in a little closer, his voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper. "Or you could claim it was all part of an elaborate plan to get more time with me. That way, Snape can't hold it against you."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "More time with you? How modest."

George grinned wider, eyes glinting mischievously. "I'm just saying, if I was worth getting detention over, I'd feel quite flattered."

She shook her head, but the blush creeping onto her cheeks betrayed her. "You wish, Weasley."

As they walked further down the hall, George's voice softened slightly. "But seriously, detention with Snape? You're tougher than I thought."

"I'm not sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult," Stella said, smiling up at him.

"Definitely a compliment," George replied, his eyes lingering on her for a moment longer. "Besides, if things get rough, you know I've got your back. Even if it's just in spirit."

Stella felt a warmth spread through her, though she tried to downplay it. "I'll be sure to think of your heroic offers of help while I'm sitting there with Snape."

"You'd better," George said with a wink, slowing down as they reached the door to the dungeons. "But, if you ever need some post-detention cheer-up, you know where to find me."

"I'll keep that in mind," Stella laughed, shaking her head.

As she reached for the door, George paused for a moment. "Good luck in there, Stella. Don't let Snape scare you too much."

She glanced back at him, the grin on his face softening into something warmer. "Thanks, George."

"Anytime," he said, giving her a playful salute. "And don't forget—you owe me a post-detention debrief."

She smiled, her nerves easing at the thought. "I'll take you up on that."

With one last grin, George turned and walked away, leaving her with a heart lighter than before. Stella faced the classroom door, and with a heavy sigh, she pushed the door open.

The Potions classroom felt colder than usual, the dim light from the candles casting long, eerie shadows on the stone walls. Stella stood at the entrance, hesitating as she saw Professor Snape hunched over a stack of parchment at his desk. The scratch of his quill was the only sound in the room. Taking a breath, she stepped inside, the door closing with a quiet thud behind her.

"You're late, Miss Martínez," Snape's cold voice echoed before she could even offer an excuse. He didn't look up from his work.

Stella frowned, glancing over at the clock on his wall. "By five minutes."

It wasn't her fault. Malfoy had been so infuriating, but she knew better than to argue with Snape right now. He gestured toward the far end of the room, where several cauldrons sat, still caked in old potion residue.

"Clean them. By hand."

She nodded wordlessly, moving toward the cauldrons and picking up the stiff brush. As she began scrubbing, she thought about her mother—how anxious she had been ever since Sirius Black's escape. Maria had been sick with worry, especially after the incident on the train with the dementor. But before Stella could stop herself, the words slipped out.

"She's been really worried, you know. My mum. Ever since Sirius Black escaped." Her voice was quieter than usual, but she couldn't help herself from sharing it.

There was a brief pause before Snape spoke, and when he did, his tone was sharp but controlled. "I imagine many people are, given Black's reputation."

"It's more than that. She's scared he might come near me. She won't say why exactly. Just that he's an old friend. I've never understood it," she trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging in the air.

Snape, still at his desk, had gone unnervingly quiet. His quill had stilled, and for a long moment, he said nothing. Stella glanced over at him, noticing the way his jaw clenched as if he was suppressing some deeper emotion. She had no idea that the mention of Sirius Black had struck a nerve—more than she could ever guess.

"Your mother," Snape said carefully, his voice low. "Always had a way of finding herself entangled with dangerous people."

Stella's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Snape's gaze remained fixed on his parchment, but his voice grew colder. "Sirius Black is a murderer, Miss Martínez. Whatever relationship your mother may have had with him in the past is irrelevant now. He is a threat to everyone, including you."

His words made Stella bristle. "But she knew him. They were close. She told me stories about him when I was younger. He can't be all bad."

Snape's expression darkened, his grip tightening on the quill. "Your naivety is astounding. Black is not the man you believe him to be."

There was something in Snape's tone, something almost personal, that Stella didn't understand. Why did he care so much? Why did it seem like he knew more about Sirius Black than he was letting on?

"Surely he wouldn't come after someone purely based on friendship," Stella muttered.

Snape's posture stiffened, and his voice, though steady, was laced with tension. "Your mother and I were acquainted during our school years, yes." He paused, glancing at her with a flicker of something in his eyes—something almost like regret. "She was different back then. Much like you."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

Snape's expression hardened again, as if he'd revealed too much. "Brilliant, talented in Potions—if you must know. But reckless. She often found herself in the company of people who would eventually bring her pain."

"What do you mean by that?" Stella questioned him; she stared at him, confused.

But Snape ignored the question, his gaze turning icy once more. "It means, Miss Martínez, that you should focus on the task at hand rather than indulging in pointless memories of the past."

Stella clenched her teeth, frustrated by his cryptic response. She scrubbed the cauldron with renewed vigour, trying to shake off the strange tension that had filled the room. Why had he spoken about her mother like that, with both respect and disdain? And what did he know about Sirius Black that she didn't?

Minutes of silence stretched between them, and just as she was about to dismiss the conversation entirely, Snape spoke again. "Your mother may have shielded you from certain truths, Miss Martínez. But rest assured, there are reasons for her fear."

Stella looked up from the cauldron; her curiosity piqued again. "What do you mean?"

Snape's eyes flickered with an emotion she couldn't quite place—concern, perhaps, buried beneath the layers of his cold exterior. But whatever it was, he quickly masked it, his expression turning stern once more.

"That is not for me to explain," he said curtly. "Your mother made her choices. You would do well to respect them."

Stella frowned, her frustration mounting. "She won't even tell me what those choices were," she muttered, more to herself than to Snape. "All I know is that she's terrified of Black."

Snape's lips thinned, and for a brief moment, she thought he might say something more. But instead, he stood abruptly, his robes swirling around him as he moved toward the window, his back to her.

"You need not understand everything," Snape said in a low voice, his words barely audible over the sound of her scrubbing. "Some things are better left unknown."

Stella paused, her brush hovering over the cauldron. There was something in his tone, something that made her heart race. What wasn't she supposed to know?

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Stella asked, her voice cautious but determined.

Snape remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the darkened grounds outside the window. When he finally spoke, his voice was back to its usual cold, detached self.

"Your curiosity will be your undoing, Miss Martínez. I suggest you finish your task and leave."

Stella bit her lip, frustrated by the cryptic nature of their conversation. There was so much she didn't understand—about her mother, about Sirius Black, and about Snape's role in all of it. But it was clear that she wasn't going to get any more answers tonight.

"Yes, Professor," Stella muttered, returning to the cauldrons, her mind racing with questions.

The silence stretched on, Stella couldn't shake the feeling that Snape knew far more about her family than he was letting on. And as she scrubbed the final cauldron, her thoughts lingered on her mother's fear of Sirius Black and Snape's strange protectiveness. There was something deeper going on, something just out of reach.

When she finally finished, she wiped her hands on her robe and glanced over at Snape. He was still standing by the window, his back to her, lost in thought.

"I'll be going now," Stella said softly, half-expecting him to stop her.

But Snape only nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Be careful, Martínez."

His words, though simple, sent a shiver down her spine. There was something about the way he said it—something that made her feel as though he was warning her about more than just reckless behaviour.

She left the classroom, closing the door behind her, Stella couldn't help but wonder: What did Snape know about her past that she didn't?

And why did she feel like her entire world was about to change?

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