Joke's on Me | George Weasley | Book 1

chapter 14 - restless

Things had gone downhill for Natalia since she'd told George. She avoided the seventh floor as much as she could, but she still wanted to continue with the DA so she tried to keep her head down in the classes as much as possible. Of course, she had friends there - not that they knew who she was, but Luna was there and was always welcoming to most anyone she met, so Nat fit right in with her there.

Umbridge was still a pain and constantly nit-picking with Natalia, finding any reason possible to give her detention and use the Black Quill on her; she supposed it was her own way of punishing Nat when the Minister himself had told her to stand down and not do anything. After all, Nat was just a child and posed no serious threat...
Or, at least, that's how Lucius had spun things, making it seem as though her father leaving was causing her to act out and make life difficult for those around her. And he was right, in a way. It was how Lucius got away with so much; there was always some truth in everything he was saying.

Natalia did not, however, help herself in the situation, constantly wandering the halls when she was "supposed" to be in History of Magic. Which inevitably led to Umbridge finding her one day and immediately giving her a week's worth of detention there and then writing lines with her torture device.
So there she was, sat at that god-awful table by the wall in Umbridge's office every night fr a week writing the same lines over and over for over an hour sometimes, usually turning up late for dinner with her hand bleeding.

Draco was bandaging it for her one night, jaw set, eyes blazing with rage."You need to let me write to my father." He growled, though Natalia could tell he would never do it without her permission. He was becoming warier and warier of her as the weeks went by, her seemingly calm demeanour to most things, her lack of outward fear or stress that she normally showed when it came to her family or even exams. Natalia wasn't sure if she liked it or not, but decided the power wasn't good for her.

"You can't. He's already done enough for me, I wouldn't want to cause him any more grief. Besides, she would know I said something. I don't want her to have that satisfaction of knowing she got to me, or even think that I'm too weak. I don't want her to make my life any more of a living hell than it already is."

Draco looked at her a little sympathetically, which was definitely new. Natalia wondered when he'd learned it and sniggered to herself. "Look, I know things didn't really go well with Goerge, but that doesn't mean you have to constantly put on a brave face in front of everyone. Come on, Nat, I know you."

She shrugged, pulling her hand away from his knee where she'd been resting it as he bandaged it. They'd yet to find any kind of healing spell for it, and Nat was starting to wonder if one even existed; it seemed to be full of powerful curses and dark magic to make it as strong as it was. She could feel the power in it every time she picked it up, but she'd never admit that. People were already cautious of her, wondering if she really was a ticking time bomb, and Umbridge would have her thrown in Azkaban if she suspected that Natalia was even remotely like her mother.

She wondered if she'd have the words 'I must attend class' scarred onto her hand forever, or if eventually, it would fade. She wondered what would happen if she had to write new lines, something different: would it replace the current line or go to her other hand? Would it cover the scar or would it be in another place altogether?

Draco would crucify her if he found out what she was thinking, but it was more curiosity than anything else.

"Natalia, I seriously don't get this." Lily dropped into the chair by the side of the sofa, slamming a Herbology textbook on the table. "I mean, there are too many plants to remember, too many different ways to harvest, when to harvest, what to harvest- I'm beginning to think I don't even know what 'harvest' means anymore!"

Natalia laughed, picking up the textbook and flicking to the paged earmarked, glancing over each one before realising what Lily's problems were. "For god's sake Lily, this isn't even the right damn book!" She accio'd her own copy from her room and laughed a little as she saw a few seventh years ducking out of the way without batting an eye, handing her the book. "Here, use mine. I already have my notes anyway, no real use for it anymore."

Lily thanked her, finding it a lot easier to understand (especially as Natalia had written notes in the margins in class when she didn't have the parchment for it) and quietly sat there reading, occasionally readjusting her glasses.

Natalia settled back to watch the fire, trying to keep her mind clear, but she could hear the rain and feel the need to be out there rising in her. George wouldn't be there, he never was. Not anymore.