ALULA (VOL. 3)

17- taking action

taking action

{1995}

The Great Hall

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　　 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

The cut on the back of Alula's hand had barely healed and, by the following morning, it was bleeding again. She did not complain during the evening's detention; she was determined not to give Umbridge the satisfaction; over and over again she wrote 'My blood is worthless' and not a sound escaped her lips, though the cut deepened with every letter. Beside her, Harry scribbled his own statement with a Black Quill.

The very worst part of this second week's worth of detentions was the fact that Alula could not attend her Alchemy sessions with Snape and she felt terrible for it. Harry also did not have a good time due to, just as George had predicted, Angelina's reaction. She cornered him just as he arrived at the Gryffindor table for breakfast on Tuesday and shouted so loudly that Professor McGonagall came sweeping down upon the pair of them from the staff table.

'Miss Johnson, how dare you make such a racket in the Great Hall! Five points from Gryffindor!'

'But Professor - he's gone and landed himself in detention again - '

'What's this, Potter?' said Professor McGonagall sharply, rounding on Harry. 'Detention? From whom?'

'From Professor Umbridge,' muttered Harry, not meeting Professor McGonagall's beady, square-framed eyes.

'Are you telling me,' she said, lowering her voice so that the group of curious Ravenclaws behind them could not hear, that after the warning I gave you last Monday you lost your temper in Professor Umbridge's class again?'

'Yes,' Harry muttered, speaking to the floor. "Black did too."

"Hey!" Alula exclaimed. "Don't bring me into this!"

'Potter, you must get a grip on yourself! You are heading for serious trouble! Another five points from Gryffindor!'

'But - what - '? Professor, no!' Harry said, furious at this injustice, 'I'm already being punished by her, why do you have to take points as well?'

'Because detentions do not appear to have any effect on you whatsoever!' said Professor McGonagall tartly. 'No, not another word of complaint, Potter! And as for you, Miss Johnson, you will confine your shouting matches to the Quidditch pitch in future or risk losing the team captaincy! Miss Black, I'm going to write to your godfather.'

Professor McGonagall strode back towards the staff table. Angelina gave Harry a look of deepest disgust and stalked away, upon which he flung himself on to the bench beside Ron, fuming as Alula sat opposite.

'She's taken points off Gryffindor because I'm having my hand sliced open every night! How is that fair, how?'

'I know, mate,' said Ron sympathetically, tipping bacon onto Harry's plate, 'she's bang out of order.'