[on hold] 𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐓&𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍 → 𝑓. 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

viii . the perks of ruby rose

chapter eight
THE PERKS OF RUBY ROSE

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   DEFENSE AGAINST the Dark Arts had become an awful bad joke. Such as Aunt Murriel would tell after having too much of brandy on Christmas Eve. Not one to laugh about, but one that leaves you with the deepest discomfort of second hand embarrassment. While everyone used to love this class, even when it was taught by Fake-Moody, students now even preferred History of Magic over whatever this old toad was calling Defense.

   "Not using magic", Leilani scoffed. "That's the biggest piece of crap I ever heard since Lockhart tried to persuade us that it's wiser to try to talk some sense into a Grindylow, instead of cursing the shit out of it."

  "Someone might should course the shi— oh hello, Professor."

   "Miss Perks", the tiny little Umbridge chirped in her most disgusting girlish voice. "Miss Yamada. If you would use as much energy in actually studying Slinkhard's book as in criticising my teaching methods, I had one reason less to give you dentention."

   "Oh please, you can't give us dentention for criticism", Leilani snorted. "At least we're having the right of free speech!"

   "Then let it be a detention for spreading false rumours about the way Cedric Diggory died", Umbridge coldly replied. "Don't think I haven't been informed about your little conversation with a certain Zacharias Smith lately. I won't tolerate anyone spreading fear amongst my students with Potter's ridiculous lies."

   "Oh yes, of course", Ruby snorted, while her eyebrows automatically furrowed, as her blood started to boil underneath her skin. "This is what's ridiculous, I see. But having full grown witches and wizards reading a children's book in preparation for their N.E.W.T.s is absolutely normal."

   "If you study the book well —"

   "Holy Helga Hufflepuff, just name the time and place for detention", Ruby groaned, rolling her eyes.

   "Miss Yamada, eight o'clock tonight, you'll help Mr Filch", Umbridge said, before turning to Ruby. Her wide, toadlike mouth spreading into a satisfied smile. "For you, Miss Perks, I'll have a special task. My office, eight o'clock. For the rest of the week."

   "But —"

   "Miss Perks", a stern voice appeared behind her, and small steps echoed through the hallway. "A word."

   Professor McGonagall's lips were nothing but a thin line, when Ruby turned around to face her.

   "Excuse me, Dolores, there's an important thing I have to discuss with Miss Perks about her latest homework", the Transformation teacher told the pink ministry witch. "I assume you're finished here?"

   "Miss Perks", Professor McGonagall seethed about ten minutes later, when she closed the door to her office behind Ruby and herself. "Do you even know what you gotten yourself into?"

   "Detention with ol' Toadface", Ruby replied with a snort. "Unfortunately for a whole week, but someone just had to tell her that —"

   "You, amongst all the people, shouldn't be the one to tell her", McGonagall snapped. "You should keep your head down and your temper tamed! Miss Perks, the ministry isn't aware of this piece of artwork decorating your skin, and we want it to stay like that. You're already too involved in this, as you witnessed Barty Crouch jr's attempt to murder Potter. Fudge had been informed about this, before he showed his dimly lit mind. There's a focus on you, and we won't give them any sign that you having been with Potter that night was more than a coincidence."

   "Well, it wasn't more than a coincidence", Ruby replied with a shrug. "If I hadn't seen Crouch taking him aw—"

   "I know that", McGonagall hissed, her eyes narrowed. "The Order knows it. But the Ministry doesn't, and they won't believe anyone of us. What do you think will happen, if Dolores Umbridge detects the mark on your skin?" Without awaiting an answer, she replied to her own question. "Fudge won't be hasty, and he's out if his small mind lately. There's a ticket to Azkaban with your name on it, before you can even try to run away!"

   "That doesn't make sense, Fudge doesn't believe that You-Know-Who is back."

   McGonagall's face remained furious. "Use your brain, Miss Perks! He doesn't want to believe it, because he fears the truth! But he won't bat an eye to lock you away without asking question. Because he's scared! And scared people do dangerous stuff." She turned around to get to her desk. "I take twenty points from Hufflepuff", she then said, and Ruby's jaw dropped. "I'll make it a hundred, if I'll ever get note from you misbehaving in Dolores Umbridge's presence ever again."

   "But —"

   "There's no but", the professor replied, sitting down on her chair. She picked up long green quill and started scribbling on the parchments in front of her, obviously essays her students wrote. "Head down, temper low. And don't look at me like that, it's for your best."

   When the sun was turning the cloudy sky outside into a colourful painting of red, purple and gold, Ruby was still flustered about that injustice that did happen hours ago. While one half of her brain completely understood that McGonagall was right, the other half was coming up with every torturous spell she knew and would love to try on Umbridge.

   Her detenion was creeping closer, and she made her way to Umbridge's office with slurping steps, knocking on the old hag's door at exactly eight o'clock.

   "Come in", sounded the girlish voice through the door, and by giving her eyes a last roll, Ruby pulled down the handle. "Ah, Miss Perks", Umbridge greeted her, smiling awfully sweet. "You're in time, that's a first move in the right direction."

   The only move in the right direction would be the one of my feet up your arse, Ruby thought, but stayed quiet. "What will I have to do?", she instead asked.

   "Sit down, sit down", Umbridge commanded in a singsang voice. "Students like you and Potter require a special treatment. Cornelius is fully my opinion with that."

   "You'll write a few lines for me", Umbridge said, and Ruby cocked an eyebrow, as the professor placed a sharp quill on the table next to a piece of parchment.

   "What do you want me to write?", Ruby hissed through gritted teeth, taking the quill, wondering if it was the same kind of punishment that Harry had gone through the past weeks ...

   "What about 'I must not tell lies'?"

   "Not that creative", Ruby muttered under her breath, placing the tip of the quill on the parchment, now exactly knowing what was coming for her, and the muscles in her hand tensed. "Tint?", she then ask to not give away that she had any link to Harry at all.

   "You won't need tint."

   Ruby's eyebrow rose even higher, before she moved the pen. She awaited a lot; torn up skin, pain, blood, agony. Her hand automatically jerked, her eyes snapped to the back of her hand, before she looked up at Umbridge, who wasn't any less surprised than Ruby. But the girls shock swapped into an euphoria, the corners of her mouth lifted to a crooked smile.

   "Sure I don't need tint, Professor?", Ruby asked in a most innocent voice. "Isn't it rather pointless to write empty words?"

   Smirking she threw another gaze at the back of her hand. It was whole, unharmed, and the parchment remained empty.

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you are so down to earth
& I'm up in the stars ...