When the Roses Bloom Again by TheBlack'sResurgence

Chapter 15

Frequent Flights in Skies Above

The two months of detention had been a rather dull experience. For two hours every evening (minus weekends), Harry and Charlus were left to the whims of Apollyon Pringle who, as Harry quickly discovered, was much less pleasant than Filch could ever hope to be, despite his best efforts.

Often, he would have them scrubbing toilets by hand, sometimes the stone floors around the castle. Regardless, the man was always in a foul mood, and did not shy away from showing it.

'I don't hear scrubbing!'

The boys had not been put to task and left to carry out their work. No. Mr Pringle would watch over them, his arms crossed as he looked upon them with disdain, almost as though he wanted them to make a mistake or do something he did not approve of.

He had a habit of opening and closing his fists, and Harry suspected he fantasised about punching them both, or worse.

He didn't, though there was the same malice in his eyes that he had seen within Uncle Vernon's throughout his formative years.

What a man like Pringle was doing in a castle full of children, Harry knew not.

Worse than their 'child minder' as Charlus and Harry had taken to calling him, was the presence of McLaggen in the tower.

If he wasn't hobbling around the common room leaning dramatically on a cane, and groaning, he would shoot them smug grins when no one else was paying attention to him.

He only stopped doing so when he realised that he wouldn't be able to play in the upcoming Quidditch matches if he was still injured.

Oddly enough, he had made a miraculous recovery overnight, as had Blackburn who had been swanning around in a sling, using the undoubtedly healed shoulder as an excuse to do nothing.

Not that they garnered any sympathy from their housemates.

When the other Gryffindors had discovered what they had done, the seventh years had all but become pariahs with very few willing to associate with them.

They hadn't exactly been the most popular of people, but with their actions, they were now less so whereas Harry and Charlus had earned the respect of their peers and even the other houses, for the most part.

Neither would ever be considered friends of the Slytherins, but there had been no further unpleasantness from them, not even a comment uttered out of turn.

Despite their differences and the animosity between them, the two Gryffindors had helped one of theirs in their moment of need, and that was enough to warrant a clean slate, and even civility from some.

Arcturus Black appreciated what they had done, his nods of acknowledgement whenever he came across Charlus and Harry attesting to this.

Still, little within the castle had changed other than the dedicated time to cleaning the two Gryffindors spent, and even Professor Nott had accommodated this on Harry's behalf.

Instead of arriving at 6pm and finishing at 8, he would arrive later, and they would work together until 10pm.

That suited Harry well enough.