𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚗 𝚍𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎. fred weasley

𝚡𝚟𝚒𝚒. 𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎

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     Cress isn't surprised she gets detention. In fact, she is surprised Professor McGonagall lets her get away for breaking curfew and roaming the hallways — carefully because prefects are arseholes (Cedric included) and she does not have the time to deal — for as long as she does. When McGonagall finds her sneaking back to the basements, candle in hand, stern expression on her face, Cress isn't surprised.

She is surprised that she gets a week's worth of detention for it, though.

A whole week. Cress thinks maybe she should have seen it coming — hours spent curled up in the library, hunting and searching for anything that Cedric could possibly need for the first task was not her best option. Especially when Cedric himself warned her about it (You're going to get caught, Cress! Either by some prefect or a professor! Don't do this, stop walking away — Cress!"). Cress should have seen the warning signs then.

But she ignored it because a) Cedric needs fucking help, Merlin knows he can't go out there on the day of the task and just wing it (even though, if he did, he'd probably do outstanding) — he needs some assistance — and b) Cress wants to help because helping makes her feel useful and it eases the tight knot in her chest until she can breathe easily for once. Helping him helps her and she wishes he would just let her, dammit.

She supposes this is what she gets for trying to help her brother out, though. A week of detention — both with McGonagall and Snape (kill her). Cress is hoping that Axel will be a good best friend and help her out but when she asks him, he straight up declines because he has a record and he doesn't need detention tainting it. He says it in the most taunting voice ever so Cress thinks he's just being mean — which is so fucking rude, Axel, you're supposed to be her best friend.

Mallory tries to help her, however. Tells Cress that she would get detention if Cress really needs someone in there with here and Cress just about sheds a tear thinking about the kindness that is Mallory Ackerman. In the end, Cress declines — she does not need to make Mallory look bad, the girl is too pure — and heads to detention with a forlorn sigh and a heavy bag.

She hopes that McGonagall does not make her do lines or something else as equally torturous; Cress has things to do and they involve researching different breeds of goblins rather than write something over and over about how she shouldn't be out in the corridors after hours, it's troublesome and irresponsible, yada yada. Cress does not have the time.

When she reaches the classroom, it's dark out and Cress has to tug her brother's stolen hoodie around her more securely before she walks into McGonagall's room. The candles are barely lit — come on, give her something here — and there's three other people occupying desks in there too.

Cress snorts.

Figures this is her luck. Of course. McGonagall does want to torture her, just not with silly lines or boring lectures. Oh, no, good 'ole Minnie decided to reach down into the deep, dark crevices of her diabolical mind and find the most horrendous, utterly terrible way to make Cress weep.