𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆, cedric diggory ²

𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

HARLOW, RON, AND HARRY walked through one of the entrances of hogwarts. the floor was covered with students' luggage piled on top of one another. the three of them set their thinks down and walked towards the stairs.

"so, a house elf shows up in my bedroom," harry began as they made their way up the stairs. "we can't get through the barrier to platform nine and three-quarters, we almost get killed by a tree, clearly someone doesn't want harlow and i here this year."

when they made their way to the top of the stairs, they were greeted by filch and his cat staring at them.

"well, take a good look. this night might well be the last you spend in this castle. hm. oh, dear, we are in trouble." said filch.

ϟ

filch led the three of them to the dungeon, where professor snape's office was. filch creaked the office door open.

"well, what are you waiting for?" filch's erie voice said as he motioned for them to go through the door.

harlow heard ron gulp, none of them dared to move closer into snapes office.

"go on then," said filch.

harlow sighed and walked into the office, ron and harry trailing behind her slowly. the three of them stood in front of professor snape's desk. professor snape was reading the newspaper. harlow inspected it closer and realized what exactly was on the newspaper. it was the weasley's car, flying over london.

professor snape slammed the newspaper down on his desk, "you were seen by no less than seven muggles. do you have any idea how serious this is? you have risked the exposure of our world. not to mention the damage you inflicted on a whomping willow that's been on these grounds since before you were born."

"honestly, professor snape, i think it did more damage to us." ron quivered.

harlow elbowed ron, "ow!" ron let out.

"what he means to say is we're sorry." harlow apologized.

"both of you silence!" professor snape got up from his seat and approached them. "i assure you, that were you two boys in slytherin, and your fate rested with me, the both of you would be on the train home- tonight. as it is-" snape was abruptly interrupted.

"they are not." a voice said behind them.

"professor dumbledore. professor mcgonagall." harry said.

"headmaster, these three have flouted the decree for the restriction of underage wizardry. as such-" snape was cut off once more.

"i am well aware of our bylaws, severus, having written quite a few of them myself. however, as head of gryffindor house, it is for professor mcgonagall to determine the appropriate action." told dumbledore.

"we'll go and get our stuff, then." whimpered ron.

professor mcgonagall furrowed her eyebrows, "what are you talking about, mr. weasley?"

"you're going to expel us, aren't you?" he said.

"not today, mr. weasley." professor mcgonagall disclosed. "but, i must impress on both of you the seriousness of what you have done. i will be writing to your families tonight, and you will both receive detention."

a look of utter relief spread across ron and harry's face. that was when harlow realized, mcgonagall wasn't in charge of her, she wasn't in gryffindor. her fate rested in professor snape's hands.

"you may go now." said mcgonagall.

"you, however miss potter, must stay." snape chimed in.

harlow closed her eyes shut for just a moment and sighed.

"wait, but i thought we weren't getting expelled." said harry.

"you two are not, but seeing as miss potter is in slytherin, i get to decide the punishment for her offenses."

"that's not fair-" ron began.

mcgonagall cut him off, "let's go boys, this is out of your control."

despite the protests of harry and ron, mcgonagall left the room with the two gryffindors. leaving dumbledore, snape, and harlow standing in the dingy room.

"miss potter, will you step outside while i discuss this matter with professor snape."

harlow gulped and nodded, she left the room and closed the door behind her. she leaned against one of the walls of the empty. harlow's palms were sweaty, she felt nauseous. she couldn't possibly get expelled, she couldn't possibly go back to surrey, back to her aunt and uncle, and her pathetic cousin.

the door to the office opened. harlow couldn't tell how long she had been standing there, weather it had been five minutes or five hours. dumbledore was the one who opened it, he stood with a warm smile.

"you can come in now," told dumbledore.

harlow nodded and walked through the door. dumbledore, however, did not stick around to see the verdict. harlow assumed dumbledore went back to his office, doing god knows what. she could feel the tension in the air, she could cut it with a knife. in his office stood only professor snape and harlow.

"come." he ordered, motioning for her to walk closer.

harlow did as she was told and stood at the other side of the desk.

"now, miss potter-" snape began.

"please don't expel me." pleaded harlow, "i know what i did was wrong, but i genuinely didn't mean to cause any harm. i just wanted to come back to hogwarts. it's the only home harry and i got and i thought that if-"

"miss potter calm down," said snape, "you are not being expelled."

"i-i-i'm not?" stuttered harlow, her facial expressions softening.

"no, although i need to urge the seriousness of your actions."

"i know," she said, "but i thought you were going to expel me."

"as much as i hate to admit it, the weasley boy is right. it wouldn't be fair for you to be expelled and them to get off with a detention." snape told her. "i also know, that cutting you from hogwarts would do no service to anyone. your grades were extraordinary last year. that's why i'm letting you off with detention."

harlow squealed and snape covered his ears, "thank you."

"you can return to your dormitory now," he spoke in his monotone voice.

harlow left the office momentarily. snape sat there in his office, now empty, thinking of why he had let harlow off with only a detention. his mind flooded with memories of an auburn hair girl from his youth, who looked oh so much like harlow and then remembered exactly why he had let her get off so easily.