Scratches (Fred Weasley)

(133) Booted Out

Florence was at the very edge of her patience, she knew, as she watched Olivia's jet black hair swishing in the wind at her retreat. She, for what felt like the nth time in that day, had been taunting Florence endlessly about their final Quidditch match. Instead of Florence perceiving her as an admirable captain, as she had put Hufflepuff in the lead after being constantly placing last for decades, Olivia was nothing more but an annoyance to her.

"You need to watch her, Xan. I don't know how more of that I could take." Florence huffed, the lanky blonde looking apologetic, "Flo, I'm sorry. You have to understand she's just excited."

"There's a fine line between excited and bragging. They haven't even won yet! It's like she's blatantly underestimating my team and our capabilities. And with how hard everyone's been working, I absolutely won't stand for it."

"You know, for a Hufflepuff, that girl sure does have a knack for pissing people off. I mean, pissing Florence off is a feat that only a numbered few could do." Nicolai stated, "She's a bit of a..."

"Cunt?" Florence quipped in.

Alexander frowned, "Watch it."

"Yeah. Cunt. That's the word I was looking for."

"I think you two are forgetting that we're talking about my girlfriend."

"No, no we didn't." said Florence, "I feel like she was put in Hufflepuff as a stereotype breaker. She's too angry for a hufflepuff."

"Right? Her and that Zacharias bloke. They're bloody pricks for Hufflepuffs."

"Nic..." Xander sighed, "Can we stop talking shit about my girlfriend, yeah? Thanks"

Nicolai and Florence stopped at this request, switching the topic to their upcoming N.E.W.T.s. After the last Quidditch game (Ravenclaw hopefully taking home the trophy), Florence promised that she would pour her undivided attention in to studying.

Ultimately, she was also worried about Fred and George. The two have seemingly taken their slacking off to a higher level as they started to skip classes over the past few days. Florence understood that they were in the midst of mapping out their entire Joke Shop plan, but they shouldn't let this be a reason for them to stop caring about school.

She was about to make a mental note of giving the two another one of her pep talks when she felt Nicolai tug on her arm slightly.

There was a great number of students huddled around what looked like Umbridge, doing Merlin knows what. Being the nosey students that they were, the three pushed their way past the thick crowd just enough to get a glimpse of the scene.

Professor Trelawny looked like she was in absolute distress, her hair even more frazzled than usual, and her eyes were red and puffy. Florence reached a pretty unfortunate conclusion of what was happening, based on the trunks sitting not far from the seer. Umbridge was standing directly in front of her, an emotionless expression on her face as Trelawny quivered with what seemed to be anger and desperation.

"You can't sack me!" she shrieked at the pink-cladded woman, "I've b-been here sixteen years! H-Hogwarts is m-my h-home!"

"It was your home," said Professor Umbridge, showing no signs of remorse as she and the crowd of students watched Trelawney sink, sobbing uncontrollably, onto one of her trunks, "until an hour ago, when the Minister of Magic countersigned the order for your dismissal. Now kindly remove yourself from this hall. You are embarrassing us."

"This is absolutely horrible," Xander muttered under his breath, sharing the same sentiments as the other students who were present, "I didn't like her subject very much, but she doesn't deserve this."

"Umbridge is such a fat cow, I swear." Nicolai replied, her face holding sympathy for Professor Trelawny.

A woman in dark robes broke away from the crowd. It took a few seconds for Florence to identify Professor McGonagall, who started to comfort the weeping Professor Trelawny, stating that she did not, infact, have to leave the castle. Umbridge cocked her eyebrows at this, seeing as her authority was being challenged.

"Oh really, Professor McGonagall?" said Umbridge in a deadly voice, taking a few steps forward. "And your authority for that statement is?"

"That would be mine."

It was such a rare occasion for anyone at all to see Dumbledore out of his office. There was something so grand and majestic about his arrival, as though his timing could not be more impeccable. Leaving the oak doors, he strode forward through the circle of onlookers toward the place where Professor Trelawney sat, tearstained and trembling, upon her trunk, Professor McGonagall alongside her.

"Yours, Professor Dumbledore?" Umbridge repeated incredulously, "I'm afraid you do not understand the position I have here!" she pulled out an official Ministry scroll from her robes, Florence wondering what kind of madwoman would casually carry around official documents in their pockets.

Umbridge started ranting off about Educational Decree Number twenty-three, and how it justifies her authority to boot out teachers who do not meet the allegedly set Ministry standards.

Dumbledore, calm as ever, continued to smile at Umbridge. looked down at Professor Trelawney, who was still sobbing and choking on her trunk, and said, "You are quite right, of course, Professor Umbridge. As High Inquisitor you have every right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to send them away from the castle. I am afraid," he went on, with a courteous little bow, "that the power to do that still resides with the headmaster, and it is my wish that Professor Trelawney continue to live at Hogwarts."

"Yikes," Nicolai snorted, looking at the enraged expression of Umbridge as Professor McGonagall helped Professor Trelawny up and back to her quarters, Professor Sprout stepping up to help retrieve her possessions. The short woman began to argue her way through it, but, in the end, Dumbledore had gotten his way.

"He should make it a daily thing, you know, someone should always put Umbridge in her place. Merlin knows she needs a reality check, and Dumbledore gives one like no other." Nicolai smiled, walking with her friends to their next class as the crowd dissolved.

Upon arriving to their potions class a minute before they were to be marked late, Florence had noticed that the Weasley twins were yet again absent from the class. Nicolai paired up with Florence for a lab activity, since both of them were partner-less, however Florence couldn't quite focus on the task at hand.

"They're fine Flo, you know that. Probably just cooped up somewhere working on another one of their little projects."

"I know Nic, it's just that N.E.W.T.s are fast approaching. Skipping classes isn't exactly the most ideal thing right now."

"Oh Flo," Nicolai chuckled, "Fred and George, they aren't like us, you know. Their lives don't depend on getting out of here with decent marks. Their dreams are bigger than this place. Fred's probably just sticking around for you but if you ask me? They're right about ready to get out of this place, passing N.E.W.T.s or not."

"You're right," Florence sighed, "I shouldn't be forcing them to study just because I care about grades. They don't, and haven't, for as long as I have known them," she said.

"They'll be alright, Flo. They may be dunces from time to time, but you have to admit, they're pretty smart themselves."

"Right," Florence chuckled, setting aside her worries, "So, what do we need to do for this potion?"

/////
a.n: terribly sorry for the short chapters, this one is just a filler. The next ones will be longer I promise

-Denise