Brave for a Slytherin

Detention

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter or any other referenced works

Y/n's Pov:

"You were incredible", "showed that toad what she had coming to her". "Oh my god it was hilarious". Praise showered Harry and I when we sat down at the Gryffindor table that evening, even those who had actively ignored us since out return to the school seemed pleased that someone had stood up to Umbridge even if they still blindly denied the truth of Voldemort's return.

Even after the crowd surrounding us dispersed Fred and George continued to rave about how they had raised me right and would make a fine trouble maker out of me yet. Fred even went so far as to put me in and 'affectionate' head lock but stopped quickly when he spotted Dumbledore giving him a disapproving, if slightly bemused, look. 

Over at the Slytherin table it was a different story for Mattheo as many of the Slytherins liked Umbridge, or rather the power she gave them. He and Enzo has three empty seats on either side of them that no one seemed willing to fill. I felt awful about it but knew there was very little I could do, they wouldn't be any more welcome at our table than theirs and my friends and family were justifiably weary of both of them.

Over dinner Harry told us about the events that had transpired once he had left the class room. It seemed Mcgonagall had been rater nice to him especially when you took into consideration that the scroll of parchment had held Umbridge's punishment for Harry's outspokenness (a week of detentions). She had given him tea and biscuits and warned him about the ministry interference and to not cross Umbridge.

I was half way through my steak and ale pie when  two frilly pink scrolls arrived at out table one for me and one for Harry. They were deviled by a shaky Hufflepuff  first year who I gave a comforting smile to before she scuttled off to a huddle of her friends waiting at the end of the table. It didn't take a genius to tell who the messages were form and when we opened them they displayed information about when and where our detentions be. Mine was 5:30 this evening and Harry's were consistently that time until the following Friday. 

Checking my watch I saw that it was already 5 o'clock so I pushed away my plate, feeling a little wrench in my gut as I did so, and stood up from the long table Harry following behind me as we made our way to the defense against the dark arts office which was currently occupied by Umbridge. When we arrived Mattheo was already standing outside. I hadn't noticed him receiving his scroll but perhaps that was why the first year had been so shaky. I doubt he was particularly kind to her. 

We stood in silence outside the room for a few more minuets before a sickly sweet voice called for us to "come in" 

I had to pause for a second after opening the door. I had seen this office under many teachers in my time here yet it seemed completely transformed from the cozy room I recall. The walls were painted an eye watering shade of bright pink and cat plates were mounted at regular intervals behind her desk. Her desk was a large mahogany beast drowning in frilly handkerchiefs and the draped too had been replaced and were now consumed by muted pink flowers. Umbridge herself was perched behind the desk her toad like smile suggesting that we were three particularly juicy flies that she would enjoy playing with.

"Well come it" she  simpered her smile growing wider as we crossed the threshold. "Sit" she continued indicating two desks one with two seats the other with one. Harry and I made to sit on the double but Umbridge seized his arm and shook her head tutting softly. "No Mr Potter I want to keep a very close eye on you. You will sit here" she said pulling him over to the single desk which was closest to her own. 

I glowered at Umbridge but knew there was nothing else I could do so sat straight backed with Mattheo beside me. On the table in front of each of us was a sharp jet black quill and a piece of parchment. "you two will be writing 'I must obey the rule of the ministry'" she said once again swishing her hand in out direction "and you Mr Potter will be writing 'I must not tell lies'. Do you understand" Yes I understood. I understood that the ministry was scheming its way into Hogwarts like an obnoxious pink oozing slime. I nodded and turned to begin writing but instantly noticed a problem.

"Professor theirs no ink" I said looking over my shoulder to see her grin widen further still.

"There is no need these are very 'special' quills of mine" 

Still a little confused I turned to the parchment and began to write. I must obey the rule of the ministry. To my great surprise the letters formed in deep crimson ink on the page, then a sharp pain in the back of my hand caused me to sharply exhale. I stared in horror as the words I has inscribed on the parchment carved themselves into my hand; a second later I realized that the ink wasn't ink at all but my own blood. 

My sharp breath had caught Mattheo's attention beside me. He hadn't yet started writing but looked disgusted as he watched the words heal so my skin appeared untouched. I met his eyes for a second then looked back at the parchment and wrote again this time determined not to show weakness refusing to give Umbridge the satisfaction of knowing she had got to me.

The three of us sat there for hours carving out out assigned words onto the back of our hand refusing to make a noise to show our pain. The hands on the clock seemed to drag painfully slowly perhaps she had enchanted them to go slower surely we had been here longer than that. At 8 o'clock she stood from behind her desk and waddled over to me taking my bloody hand and smiled. The cut had stopped healing as soundly about an hour ago and a slow stream of blood was dripping from my index finger. 

"Very good Miss weasley. I think that should be enough to let the message sink in" She checked Mattheo after me and dismissed him as well however she decided that Harry's message hadn't properly 'sunk in' declaring she would keep him for another half an hour. I had to hold my tongue at her words knowing it wouldn't help anyone but still my face blanched with the injustice of it. 

Once we were outside I quickly found two large plaster in my bag and handed one to Mattheo. "Filch will have our necks if we bleed all over his floors" I told him and he nodded putting his on that helping me with mine. I looked down at his hands gently cradling mine as he did so and smiled. It felt special for someone who can be so harsh to be so gentle with me.  

"What are you smiling about?" he asked looking up at me once he was done. 

"Nothing" I said it was amazing the way he could change my mood this morning I had wanted to kill him and this afternoon we were helping each other out as if it had never happened. We began to walk the same way down the corridor, there was no destination in mind we were just walking.  

"She won't get away with this you know. Not if we speak out. Not if we tell Dumbledore." I said "I mean we have proof" I held up my hand. 

He smiled at me and took the hand I was holding up in his own "and what would that do but make her angrier Darling? You really think Dumbledore chose to appoint her? No the ministry is playing games at Hogwarts. I would know my father had spies in the ministry" he said his face set. 

I stopped and a second later he did too. I was burning to ask a question but didn't want to anger him as I had last time. With no one around to stop him if this went wrong I would no doubt find myself in the hospital wing due to a fist to the face. Regardless I steadied my self and said "Can I ask you something?" he looked at me heard the trembling in my voice and gently rested a hand on my shoulder centering me. 

"Anything you want sweetheart" 

I bit my lip a little then took a deep breath and went for it. "Do you like your father Mattheo" I asked tentatively he turned his face away from mine then, incredibly slowly, turned it back. 

"No" he said and now his voice was shaking "He prefers my brother ,Tom. I was never brutal enough for him and..." He paused looking straight into my eyes "He gave me these he said taking my hand once again and moving it to the silvery scars that textured his face. 

"I'm so sorry" I whispered tracing the delicate lines with my fingers still captivated by the marking. I didn't want to move my hand away from his face but the clicking of boots sounded from the other end of the hall and we quickly jumped apart. Madam pumpry walked past her eyebrows raised a little. I glance down in slight embarrassment and could feel myself ever so slightly blushing. 

"I should really get back to the Gryffindor commonroom" I said once she'd left "I'll see you tomorrow" 

"We don't have lessons tomorrow" he shouted after me.

"Meet me in the library then" I said before running back to the common room in a slight daze. I had decided somewhere deep inside myself that Mattheo Riddle deserved a second chance.