Clara Black. Harry Potter's Cousin

Chapter 13

Things couldn't get worse.

Filch took Harry and I down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where we sat and waited with out saying a word to the other. Excuses, alibis, and wild cover-up stories, ran through my head, playing tag, but none would keep us from trouble. How were we so stupid as to forget the damn cloak?

Had I thought things couldn't get worse? Because they can. When McGonagall appeared, she was leading Neville. 

"Harry! Clara!" Neville burst out, the moment he saw us. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag-"

Harry and I shook our heads violently to shut Neville up, but McGonagall saw. She looked just as likely to breathe fire as a full-grown Norbert. She towered over the three of us.

"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up in the Astronomy Tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves."

I knew it would be stupid to say anything so I didn't. 

"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?"

 "With all due respect Minnie, your wrong." I said suddenly.

"Miss Black, if this is not the correct story of what happened here tonight, I suggest you tell me the right one." She snaps, turning her livid expression straight on me. 

"I only meant to say that Malfoy was the only one we wanted to believe the bullshit story about the dragon." I raised my hands peacefully. "That's all."

She fixed me with a glare, and I was sure my smart ass mouth had gotten me into more trouble, when her glare softened a little.

"My mistake, then, Ms. Black." she said, then addressed all of us again. "I'm disgusted, four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before (Yeah, you did, you've had five students out of bed before. The Marauders, remember them?)! You, Miss Black, I thought you had better sense than your father (That is easily disproved)! As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you that this. All three of you will receive detentions(Whatever, It won't kill me)-yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous-and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

"Fifty?" Harry gasped-we'd loose the lead, sure but we can always gain it back in time.

"Fifty points each," said Professor McGonagall, breathing heavily through her long, pointed nose.

NO! That's too much! We'll be in last. We won't ever get a chance to make that up! And what's the rest of the House going to do to us when they find out? They already despise me because I'm the daughter of the infamous Sirius Black. What are they going to do when they find that the girl they didn't even want in their House lost them the cup? I can't breathe. 

"Professor-please-" I pleaded. I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared.

"You can't-"

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students."

Did she have to rub salt into the knife wound on my back. What are they going to do to me? I closed my eyes. Don't cry, Clara. You've got, Harry still. He's on your side.