How Can You Tell? (Neville Longbottom)

Detention with Umbridge

I think I'm going to die. My heart is pounding, my head is spinning, and my forehead is consumed with sweat. I slowly trudged through the castle, on my way to Umbridge's office. Harry insisted I walk with him, but I said no. I didn't want him to see me silently freak out. I get extremely embarrassed when people see me when I break down. I reached Umbridge's office. I quietly thumped the door, waiting for it to open.

"Nice to see you finally made it, it's 5:01, you're late." Umbridge coldly greeted me. Harry gave me a small nod 'hello' and winked at me. Trying to convince me that I'll be ok. I nodded back and sat down.

"Today, you'll be writing me some lines." She stated is her sweetest tone. I reached down to get my quill, as did Harry, when she spoke again. "No, not with your quill, you'll be using a rather special one of mine." She gave Harry and I matching quills. They were quite peculiar looking.

"You will write : I must not tell lies." She stated.

"How many times?" Harry spoke"

"Oh, until the message seems to sink in." The pink snake replied.

"You haven't given us any ink." Harry bluntly said. You could tell he was annoyed.

"Oh you won't be needing any." 

And with that, I began to write. I got halfway through my second line when my hand started to burn furiously. I tightly closed my eyes, trying to get rid of the pain. I looked down at my hand, and there on the back of it ' I must not tell lies' was etched into my skin. I looked over to see Harry's hand the exact same. The both of us were moaning in pain as Umbridge came up in front of our desks. 

"Yes?" she queried.

"Nothing." Harry said.

"That's right, because you know, deep down, you deserve to be punished. Don't you Mr. Potter?" She said, and then continued to walk around her office admiring the cats. Harry and I continued with our lines and with each word we wrote, the message got deeper, and deeper into our skin.

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We walked out of her office at 7:00 that evening. Our hands were brutally marked, and my face was stained with tears. 

" It's okay Mary, we'll be ok. I promise." Harry said trying to comfort me during my time of pain.

"Can you help me back to the common room? I'm feeling particularly light headed." I whispered.

"Um, sure." Harry said as he put my arm around his shoulder and carried part of my weight. We trudged through the halls and (carefully) up the stairs and got to the common room. Harry said the password, but before the fat lady let us in, she spoke to us :

"She's looking quite faint, Is she alright?"

"She's just... tired." 

"Oh, I see."

The portrait swung open, and we went through into the common room. Harry layed me on the couch, and shouted up the stairs for Hermione. 

"Oh my goodness! Is she okay?!" Hermione exclaimed. And with that Neville cam thudding down the stairs.

"What's going o- Oh my God! What's happened to her? Is she ok? Does she need anything?" I heard all of these questions spilling out of his mouth like a dam thats just been broken."

Neville's POV

After Mary left for detention, I went to the library to read up on some plants. I was so worried about her. She has never done good in front of professors, she can barely speak to McGonagal. I hope she would be okay.

I went back to the common room, after I found my information, and up to my room. I layed in my bed dreaming about Mary, as I dozed of to sleep. 

"Oh my goodness! Is she okay?! I heard Hermione yell. I went down stairs to investigate.

"What's going o- Oh my God! What's happened to her? Is she ok? Does she need anything?" All of my queries were pouring out of my mouth in complete terror. I bent down beside Mary on the couch. Her skin was pale and she looked worried. She was holding her hand against her chest. I took one of her hands into my own and ran my thumb over the back of it. I felt indentations in her skin and as I looked down, I saw words punctured in her hand. It was bleeding, but not very severely. She must just be in shock of the whole thing really.

I ran to my room, and grabbed some of the candy I brought with me downstairs, and fed it to Mary, hoping that it would give her strength. She slowly chewed the candies.

"Tha-Thanks a load Neville." She uttered.

"You're welcome. Are you okay?" 

"Yea, I'm j-just a wee bit s-shaken, but I should be fine."

"Okay, that's good." I said.

"Ginny!" Hermione shouted

"What!" A faint voice called from upstairs.

"Come down here!"

Ginny stormed down the stairs and saw Mary on the couch.

"Wha-"

"I explain later, help me get her upstairs." Hermione pleaded.

And with that they were gone. I sat on the couch with Harry, staring blankly at the fire.

"So, you and Mary, Eh?" he asked.

"N-no, we're not together... I don't really-"

"Neville, yes you do."

"That obvious?"

"Totally."

A/N

Hey dudes, It's me! c: The song on the side is my favorite song, so give it a listen... If you want.

GIRL ON THE SIDE IS MARY C:

I really liked this chapter and put alot of work into it, so I hope you like it c: 

Comment, Like, and add to your LIbrary :3 

p.s there should be another chapter up before the New Year. But Happy Christmas!

-MaryLongbottom