𝐸𝒸𝒸𝑒𝒹𝑒𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓈𝒾𝒶𝓈𝓉 (Harry Potter X Reader) [2]

The toad

After Arleigh Granger and Luna Lovegood spent almost the whole evening in the Forbidden forest with thestrals, the muggleborn sighed as she remembered she had to get back to her common room, where she had to share a room with those four brats. Hence, she decided to make her trip longer and headed towards the Astronomy tower, where she knew she would've felt better.
She trotted her way up the million steps of the staircase, then a soft smirk placed itself on her lips when she recognized the messy hair of the boy who lived.
"Fancy seeing you here, Potter" she recalled, approaching his side
Harry turned his head and smiled brightly at the sight of one of the few people who, not only believed him, stood by his side always.
"I could say the same for you, Arleigh" he replied and she chuckled slightly
"What brings you here, then?" Mumbled Leigh, resting her hands on the cold metal of the railing and looking at him.
"Needed to escape my dorm, this was the first place that came to mind"
"Everything's alright, Harry?" She worried, moving her hand on his cheek, making him face her
"I-I just feel so angry, all the time! A-and Seamus doesn't even believe us!" He exclaimed, pulling away from the witch's grasp and pacing back and forth, "Nobody believes us!"
Harry was literally yelling, letting all his anger out, though it actually scared Arleigh a little. She had never seen him that angry and she seriously would've never thought he could enrage that much, it worried her a lot.
The wizard must've noticed her reaction and glanced at her worryingly.
"I-I'm so-"
"It's alright, you needed to le-let it all out" Leigh forced a smile and carefully approached him again, "It's alright"
Potter gripped her hands in his gently and intertwined their fingers together, then he sighed.
"We're not alone in this, Harry," declared the Granger, squeezing his hands, making his glance meet with hers, "we've got each other and Hermione a-and Weasley"
"Then, w-why do I feel this lonely?"
His hands left hers suddenly and he didn't dare to meet her eyes while he gathered his belongings and walked away from her. On the other hand, Arleigh watched him leave and felt her eyes coming glassy. He doesn't deserve this! She told herself, covering her quivering lips with her even more shaky hand. None of us does.

Arleigh Granger was strangely on time for her first Defense Against the Dark Arts class with the toad Umbridge, who she had learnt worked for the Ministry of Magic and therefore came to Hogwarts to stop all the "rumors" about the Dark Lord's return.
Leigh sat herself beside Draco, the only slytherin who hadn't turned her back on her because of the accident with Voldemort the previous year.
"Hello, Granger" he greeted with a slight smirk, "Heard you argued with Alex and Clarance"
"Heard you couldn't keep you mouth shut" she spat
"Good morning, students!" An high pitched female voice pierced the air as a short, toad-like, woman dressed in all pink entered the class, "My name is Dolores Umbridge and I am here to ensure that you, lovely young wizards and witches, will learn this class well an-"
The door of the class bursted open and Harry Potter stood in the doorway, giving the professor and class an awkward glance.
"Sorry, professor.." he apologized and walked further inside, taking his seat beside Ronald
"Let's see," murmured Umbridge with an hideous grin, "five points from Gryffindor for coming in late"
Leigh rolled her eyes at that, herself and that new professor will not get on well.
Though the toad was still talking, Arleigh completely zoned out and didn't pay attention until she noticed her cousin raising her hand in the air.
"Yes?" Replied Dolores, looking at the older Granger
"I wanted to know something about your course aims" hissed Herm
"Well, they should be perfectly self-evident" faked a smile the professor
"Well, I don't they are. They say nothing about actually doing spells!"
"I can see no circumstance in my class where you would need to use spells, my dear!"
"But surely, the whole point of Defense against the dark arts is practical application?" Chimed in Leigh, gaining an harsh glare from Umbridge, "Everyone was thinking it, we simply said it"
"Miss Grangers, this class has been approved by Ministry experts. Are you two Ministry experts?" Scoffed Dolores
"No, but-"
"Then, you have to business challenging those who are." The toad cut Herm off, "We will be learning about spells in a safe, risk-free environment-"
"But we've got OWLs coming up!" Exclaimed Arleigh, "You expect us to do the spells with no practice? I apologize to break to you, professor, but what good can theory bring in the real world?!"
"This is school, not the real world, Miss Granger. There is nothing out there waiting to get you" explained the professor
"Because you would know, wouldn't you?" Loudly scoffed the younger Granger, standing up from her seat, "Because Lord Voldemort hasn't returned, right? Because Cedric Diggory dropped dead on the ground when Potter and I touched the cup, correct?"
"Silence!" The witch dressed in pink shouted, getting up from her desk and beginning to walk around the room, "Ten points from slytherin, Miss Granger. And let me set the record straight!"
Umbridge glanced around the classroom and fixed her eyes on first Harry and then Arleigh, who was glaring at the toad.
"Some of you had been told that a certain dark wizard has returned," she began, "that is a lie"
"It is not a lie!" Yelled Potter, standing up as well
"Mr Potter and Miss Granger, you had just landed yourselves in detention!"
"So, you made it clear that Arleigh was correct and you believe that Diggory dropped dead? Or are you calling us murderers?" Continued the raven haired, gazing sheepishly at Leigh
"The boy's death was a tragic accident" sighed Dolores
"It was murder!" Exclaimed the blue eyed witch
"We saw it happen!" Added quickly Harry
"You two have earned a week's worth of detention!" Warned the oldest witch
Arleigh laughed evilly, "Do I get points if I act like I care?"
"Voldemort killed Cedric and you know it!" Hissed the boy who lived
The light brown haired gathered her books and began leaving without permission.
"Please do make a stop at Snape's office on your way out, will you?" Snapped Umbridge

"So, you disrespected how Umbridge teaches, you shouted at her and then left without permission?" Listed Severus Snape, caressing his temples in frustration
"Yup" simply replied Leigh, "She already assigned me a week of detention-"
"Then, off you go" he cut her short
"You're not going to punish me as well?"
"I will be awaiting for something to come up and then, if anything, I will let you know"
Arleigh nodded and then excused herself, before trotting away from Snape's office.
Potter was right outside the door, waiting for the girl to exit and make sure her head of house didn't punish her too harshly.
"How did it go?" He suddenly asked, causing Leigh to face him with her hand over her heart.
"Blimey, Potter, don't you dare scare me like that again" she cursed and hit his shoulder with her backpack, "And it went well, Snape didn't punish me...for now"
"It's bloody unfair how nice Snape actually is with you slytherins" chuckled Harry, smudging his arm into hers slightly.
"She's going to torture us, I bet" groaned the witch as the duo kept walking side by side.
The boy who lived giggled a little, it was impressive how well and loved he actually felt whenever he was with Leigh, it was indeed strange. Though the two of them went through hell together and they were both extremely sure they would be the first on the death eaters' killing list, which made her stomach twist.
"I don't think it's legal for her to torture us with the Cruciatus curse" declared Potter
"I actually didn't mean using her magic" parted her lips Arleigh and then they both chuckled.
Once they arrived near the dungeons that took them to the slytherin common room, they stopped in their tracks.
"I'll be seeing you at detention, I suppose" forced a grin the light brown haired
"Yeah," nodded his head Harry, "goodnight, Leigh"
"Nighty night, Harry" winked Leigh before walking away.