Unforeseen Consequences ☞︎ A James Potter Fan Fic

{7} Burn, Baby, Burn

As the pair reached Professor McGonagall's office, Holly stepped up to politely knock just as James went to open the door. Instead of the annoyed emotion plastered all over the boys face as they had walked there, his face now looked care-free and relaxed. He turned his head towards her and looked down.

"Relax. We don't need to knock... I'm a regular." He stated proudly. Holly retreated her hand from the door with a single brow raised high.

"Of course you are." She muttered as he just opened the door. He flashed her another grin as they walked in. Holly looked at the front of the room to see the kind Pomona Sprout and the very intimidating Minerva McGonagall. She gulped loudly. Loud enough that it caused James to glance back at her with a weirded out face.

The young girl and boy reached the older and wiser adults. While Holly looked guilty and nervous, James looked proud mischievous as he kept a grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

"James Potter... Holly Hutton... This is no surprise." Professor McGonagall said slowly. Holly looked down in shame. It was true. Holly was no stranger to the close friend she had called detention. Fire was her game and detention was her pain.

Pomona looked over at Minerva in surprise. To Pomona, Holly was always a more shy and sweet girl who spent too much of her time with her head stuck up in the clouds to pay attention. But Holly had always maintained good scores in Herbology so Pomona was kind enough to let the slight and small behavior pass.

"Holly in detention? She's always been a model student in Herbology." Pomona said, defending a student that belonged to her house. Minerva looked down at Pomona with a blank look. All that moved were the slight upwards movement of McGonagall's eyebrows.

"Holly Hutton has had much difficulty in refraining from..." Professor McGonagall trailed off, trying to think of the right word for it.

"Setting things on fire?" Holly suggest sheepishly. While McGonagall nodded, Professor Sprout only looked even more surprised.

"Why didn't I know about this?" She asked, demanding an answer. Minerva settled a hand on Professor Sprouts arm.

"It's always been accidental, Pomona. A single detention will usually set her straight... at least, for awhile." McGonagall explained. Professor sprout quickly calmed down. Holly had wanted to crawl in a deep hole during this whole conversation and as for James... he was enjoying this much more then practicing nonverbal spells he already knew how to do.

"Well... alright, then. I trust you to enact their punishment. I must get to my class." Pomona said as she nodded and Minerva. She moved down the aisle, placing a comforting hand on Hollys arm as she passed. When Professor Sprout had left the room, it was only two children and a slightly frightening teacher. Professor McGonagall lips were pursed as she slowly looked between the two. Holly was getting more nervous by the second as James thought of this as a game of chicken. He didn't dare look away from her.

"Today is going to be fairly easy," She started before turning around and making her way to some of the storage in the room. She opened up a cabinet and pulled out two very long rolls of parchment. "I want the two of you, to fill this entire roll of parchment with the words, class is not the time for doddling." Professor McGonagall said as she held out the two rolls to each student.

Holly was shocked to say the absolute least. She had set fire in a classroom. Again. Her punishments were never this easy. Her face twisted up, not being able to help the question from slipping her lips.

"B-but wait Professor, I set fi-" Holly started to say when James got really close in her personal bubble. He stood close to her with a finger against his lips.