Stay - Mattheo Riddle

Detention

At eleven o'clock that night, Kirra said good-bye to JJ and Maxine in the common room and went down to the entrance hall by herself, once again, as usual, she was wrapped up tightly in jumpers and long pants. 

Filch was already there — and so was Mattheo and Malfoy. Kirra had also forgotten that Malfoy and Mattheo had gotten a detention, too, especially when Mattheo had gone out of his way to give her detention.

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them but none of them said anything, the two Slytherins were in front while the Hufflepuff stayed a few steps behind them by herself as they walked. 

"Oh yes...hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me....It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out...hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed...Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do." Filch continued

They marched off across the dark grounds. Kirra was shivering horribly as the cold wind blew harshly against her face as she wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted. The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Kirra could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. 

Then they heard a distant shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started." Kirra's heart rose; if they were going to be working with Hagrid it wouldn't be so bad. 

Her relief must have shown in her face, because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, girl — it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece." At this, Mattheo kept a straight face, and Malfoy stopped dead in his tracks.

"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "We can't go in there at night — there's all sorts of things in there — werewolves, I heard." Kirra had read all about werewolves, they were hated by the wide majority but she supposed they were kind of like Slytherin students, stick together most of the time, have a bad reputation because there are quite a few bad ones, but misunderstood, as not all Slytherins were 'evil'.

"You can't seriously be sending students in there? There is no way that that is ethical, we are 11 years old for Merlin's sake, we could be killed in there," Mattheo said with a scoff as he looked at the old man

"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?" Hagrid came striding toward them out of the dark, Fang at his heel and Neville, Hermione and Harry behind him. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"Abou' time," he said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All there Kirra, you look freezin'?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all." He said as he turned around and sneered at the petite girl who was rubbing her hands up her arms trying to get warm

"That's why yer late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back toward the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness. Malfoy now turned to Hagrid.