Slytherin's Heir

Chapter Thirty ~ Knock 'Em Out

It was another dreary Defence Against the Dark Arts class and Marcus was slumped against his desk, quill in hand. He'd long since finished the task Professor Umbridge had laid out for the class and instead took to resting his head on his desk, staring sideways at a certain faded green-eyed boy. When Zaiden noticed Marcus staring at him, he offered a bright smile before returning to his work. It was that moment a hand slammed down on his desk and Marcus flinched heavily and bolted upright, heart beating furiously in his chest.

It was Umbridge. She stood above him with a raised eyebrow, looking down on him.

"I finished," he said bluntly.

"That's no reason to slack off in my class, Mr. Ingram. Read the next chapter of the book if you must entertain yourself."

"Yes Professor," Marcus muttered as he pulled out his book to continue reading.

"And stay behind after class, I need to have a word with you." Umbridge turned on her heel and strutted back down the row of desks to her own.

Marcus frowned, wondering what he'd done wrong this time when Zaiden cast him a worried glance. He was quick to return a quiet thumbs up before getting back to reading before the uptight professor could call him out on anything else.

Once class was over, as per request, Marcus lingered behind. He ignored her disapproving glare as he plunked his books on her desk. "You called for me?"

"Ahem. Yes..." She stood up and straightened her ugly pink vest before plucking a piece of paper from her desk. She handed it to Marcus. "Effective immediately. Now shoo, off you go."

Marcus took the paper, flipped it over and frowned at the ridiculous cursive writing. It was his father's.

"Thanks..." he trailed off and stepped outside of the classroom in a daze, staring at the words blurring together. He blinked rapidly to clear his vision. He almost tripped over Zaiden, who had decided to wait for him. "What are you-?" He shook his head. "Come on, your gonna be late for class." He tugged Zaiden's sleeve in the direction of their next class, ignoring the older boy's inquiring look.

Before they'd left the castle on their way to Care of Magical Creatures, Marcus stopped. Zaiden looked up at him questioningly.

"Uh... I've got to use the restroom," he lied. In truth, a letter from his father couldn't be ignored. Even if Marcus put it off until the end of the day, his mind wouldn't be able to be put at ease. What if Umbridge had received the note ages ago, in time for a deadline soon to pass? He had to find out. Now.

"Meet me in class?" Marcus asked. He gave the older boy what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

Reluctantly, Zaiden nodded and walked out into the field. He caught sight of Percy, already outside the hut and waved, jogging over.

Marcus turned back into the castle halls, concealing a dark look on his face as he paced towards the Room of Requirement.

Percy's bloodline is nothing but trouble, he thought.

When the call went through, Marcus breathed a sigh of relief. His father seemed to have been expecting such a call, meaning he couldn't have been waiting long and Marcus was in the clear.

However the relief was quick to fade as Marcus took the initiative to begin the call. "You called for me, Sir?"

The piercing eyes of his father snapped up and Marcus couldn't help the chill that ran down his spine.

"Yes. What delayed you?"

So I was still late after all...

Marcus told the same white lied he'd earlier used with Zaiden. "I uh... had to go to the bathroom. Apologies for my negligence."