𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐁𝐋𝐄 || 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘

➳ TWENTY FOUR

XXIV. LET IT SINK IN

Mondays usually went quite slow for Ruth, with double potions in the morning, followed by theory Herbology and Transfiguration, but this Monday seemed to melt into Tuesday like ice cream on a summers day. Tuesday moved at the same lightning speed and without warning, Wednesday was thrown upon Ruth.

"I never thought Ruth Ash would earn a detention," Casper commented as they sat in the Great Hall for dinner.

"Neither did I," Ruth admitted. Dessert had just been served, chocolate cake. Ruth wasn't in the mood for it.

"Stop looking at him," Casper snapped as Ruth's eyes drifted down the Gryffindor table. "He's the reason you're in detention!"

Ruth glared at her friend. "It wasn't his fault."

Casper scoffed and leaned back from the table. "He brings you out of the common room when curfew is in 10 minutes. He knew the chances of you getting caught would be high."

"Well maybe I distracted him in the kitchens," Ruth argued. "And he lost track of the time. Maybe he actually thought we'd get back before curfew."

Casper's face twisted with disgust. "You distracted him?"

Ruth tutted, irritated. "You're blowing this way out of proportion Casper."

Casper sighed. "I just don't want his bad influence to affect you."

"He's not a bad influence, Casp," Ruth said, unsure as to why she was defending Fred. "He's my friend."

Casper fell silent after that, and Ruth knew they was no way to continue a conversation. Casper was the type of person who needed time to cool down after a confrontation, and Ruth had plenty of experience with that. With no intention of finishing her dessert, Ruth stood from the table and left the hall.

Fred caught her just before Ruth climbed through the portrait hole. "Hey Ruth."

"Hi," Ruth mumbled back, her little argument with Casper bringing her mood down, as they always did.

"What's up?" Fred asked her. "You left the hall in quite the hurry."

Ruth sighed, entering the Gryffindor common room with Fred following. "Casper and I just had a little argument."

Fred looked surprised. "Really? You two always seem like the best of friends."

"His temper is short," Ruth said with a forced laugh. "This happens all the time."

Fred gave a short nod. "Well, our detention's in two hours. I'll meet you here before it?"

Ruth agreed before making up way up to her dorm. She had just taken a quick shower when Poppy and Katrina entered their room. The sisters greeted each other cheerfully.

"Fred told us you two have detention tonight," Poppy said to Ruth. "He didn't tell us why, though."

"We were -uh- caught in the entrance hall after curfew," Ruth explained nervously as she dried her hair with magic. She didn't know if Fred wanted them to know.

Poppy scoffed in amusement. "You and Fred snuck out together?"

"Because they're in love," Katrina said in a sing-song tone, causing Ruth to scowl.

"Stop that Katrina," Ruth scolded, her cheeks turning pink. "And we didn't sneak out, we just didn't get back to the common room in time for curfew."

"If you say so," Katrina shrugged, looking completely unconvinced. "Now can you help me with the Defence homework, Ruth? I know you're good at it."

Ruth spent the next hour and a half helping Katrina with her homework. It felt strange to Ruth, helping someone with their homework when she's usually the one receiving the help. Once they finished the essay, it was time for Ruth to meet Fred down in the common room.

"Good luck," Poppy smiled as Ruth left the dorm.

Fred was waiting by the portrait hole when Ruth reached the common room. Without a word, they both left the Gryffindor House. They didn't engage in a conversation throughout their trip to Umbridge's office, which Ruth considered to be a complete eye sore.

"Come in and sit down," Umbridge ordered as the two Gryffindor's entered the pink office, it's walls covered in pictures of kittens.

Ruth and Fred sat down in front of Umbridge's cluttered desk, where two pieces are parchment and quilts were waiting for them.

"This evening, you two will be writing lines," Umbridge announced. "Please write 'I will not stay out past curfew'."

"How many times?" Fred asked, his voice rough.

Umbridge smiled brightly. "Until the message sinks in."

Ruth didn't like the tone Umbridge used during that sentence, but she followed Fred's lead in picking up the quill and beginning to write.

There was no ink, but the little nod Umbridge gave her made Ruth start writing anyway. The quill —magical, Ruth assumed— wrote with ink of red and Ruth wondered where it stored its ink.

Pain suddenly shot through her left hand and Ruth dropped the quill in surprise. Ruth examined her hand, which showed no signs of harm. Umbridge was smirking weirdly at her, so Ruth picked up the quill again and continued writing.

I will not stay out past curfew.

Ruth felt more pain in her hand but tried to ignore it. The satisfied look of Umbridge's face told Ruth that the professor wanted this to happen, and that's why Ruth kept her mouth shut, to avoid giving Umbridge that satisfaction.

I will not stay out past curfew.

Ruth wrote furiously, little squeaks of pain leaving her lips without her permission. The pain grew too great at one point, so Ruth took another glance at her hand and couldn't stop her mouth from dropping open.

Her left hand had turned red, the words I will not stay out past curfew clearly engraved into her skin and shinning red. Ruth looked between her parchment and her hand, realising at that moment that she was writing with her own blood.

Ruth looked over at Fred, who's hand was in the same state as hers. He didn't seem fazed, however. His body remained tense and rigid, only his writing hand and eyes moving.

After 20 minutes had passed and Ruth's skin had burst open, the young girl felt the urge to scream in pain. Her eyes had begun to water, and she was silently begging the pink clock on the wall to move faster.

"I think we've done enough for today," Umbridge whispered happily, looking from Fred to Ruth. "I do hope the message has sunk it. You may leave."

Ruth instantly dropped her quill and stood up, but made sure not to sprint out of the room, even though her mind was urging her to. The air outside the office seemed fresher and Ruth felt like she could finally breath again.

Tears threatened to escape her eyes as she clutched onto her wrist. Fred appeared beside her. As soon as Umbridge closed the door to her office, Fred took Ruth's damaged hand and examined it.

"I'm sorry Rue," Fred whispered, staring into Ruth's watery eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Ruth couldn't find any words to reply, but she didn't need to. Fred's eyes took one scan of Ruth's scared and tearful frame, and then pulled her into a warm hug.