𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 44

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR
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-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH THE HOURS 
COME TO AN END

. . .

As much as Aviana would try and deny it, her pain tolerance wasn't as high as her emotional control. Harry knew that she had shed some tears - there were blots on the parchment in several rows - but he would ignore them. 

Darkness had soon fallen outside of Umbridge's office, and yet both teens kept writing in utter silence, the only noise coming from the scratch of those awful quills and the plates decorated in moving kittens meowing in their ears.

The message was etched into their hands, healed and then marked out again, over and over, the words on the paper written not in red ink but their own blood. Neither even dared looked over to the teacher; she was obviously watching them for signs of weakness and both were just as determined to not give her that satisfaction. They were far too stubborn for that.

Finally, after what seemed like ours of writing, Umbridge put down her own quill. "Come here." She ordered, voice not quite as girlish as it had been when they walked in. Simultaneously, the pair got to their feet.

Aviana gritted her teeth. Her hand was stinging and was incredibly painful to move. The skin was red, but there was no mark to be seen and she tried to hold it as still as possible as they walked over, coming to a stop in front of her desk. 

"Hands." Umbridge demanded, the both of them extending their arms and trying not to recoil as she took it in her own. Avian repressed a shuddered as she touched them with her thick, stubby fingers onwhich she wore a number of ugly old rings. 

"Tut, tut, I don't seem to have made much of an impressionyet." Umbridge said, smiling in a sick sort of fashion. She looked over to Aviana. "Perhaps in a month - or tomorrow evening, that might change. You may go." 

The corridors were deserted when they left; it was almost certainly past midnight. Neither spoke a word until they turned the corner, and Aviana exploded with what Harry knew was coming.

"What the fuck does that pink-wearing, frog-faced cow of a woman think she's doing?" Aviana couldn't help it, the pain in her hand was shooting up her arm. 

"I don't know." Harry stared blankly down at the red mark. "You've got a month of it as well." His gaze drifted over to her hand, and without really thinking he reached for her arm and lifted it, eyes grazed over the pale etching of words. "You can see your's a little more than mine."

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me." Aviana snatched her arm back and cradled it gently, she sniffed and turned away from Harry. "Don't touch me dickhead." She sniped, walking away from him. "And don't follow me." 

"Aviana-" Harry attempted to step towards her, but she turned back around, tears welling in the corner of her eyes. 

"Are you deaf as well as blind, Potter?" She snapped. "I said to not follow me - that means you don't fucking come after me, okay? I don't need comforting, I don't need you to wipe my tears, I'm far more qualified in doing that myself. I've done it all summer, I've done it all my life. So fuck off Potter. Leave me the hell alone and I swear if you breathe a word of this to anyone - specifically Sirius - then I swear I'm not going to hesitate in making sure Voldemort doesn't get the chance to kill you." 

The Potter boy was speechless as he watched Aviana turn back around and stalking off down the hallway. He didn't move until she had long disappeared, and when he did finally, he ran his way back to the Gryffindor tower, knowing that whatever strange support and friendship he had recieved from Aviana was gone. 

The Rosier girl was fuming. Both because of what had happened in Umbridge's office, but also because of letting her emotions show to Harry Potter of all people. 

Her hand was clutched to her chest as she stalked through the corridors, hoping she didn't bump into anyone on her way. But they were all empty, thank god, and she continued down into the Entrance Hall.

But just as she reached the stairs, footsteps appeared behind her and she froze, using her spare hand to wipe away the tears as she turned around, looking up to meet Professor Snape's scathing gaze. 

"Miss Rosier, what are you doing out of bed at this time?" He asked, adjusting his robes around him, staring at the hand she very quickly hid around her back. 

"I was returning to the Common Room, sir." Aviana swallowed. "I've just finished my first detention with Professor Umbridge."

"It is fifteen minutes past twelve o'clock, Miss Rosier." Snape drawled. "At least come up with some plausible explanation for your misdemeanours." 

"It's true, Professor. If you go up to Gryffindor Tower, Potter will be returning as well, and I'm assuming that Professor Umbridge is still in her office cleaning up the evidence of the literal blood we spilt during that detention." Aviana retorted, not seeming to care about keeping up her appearances in front of the professor. 

"Blood, Miss Rosier? What are you inferring about Professor Umbridge's chosen punishments?" Snape had to remain professional, but even in his greasy-haired, drawled position as a teacher, he was curious. 

"All I can say is she goes for more medieval methods." Aviana gritted her teeth as another shot of pain spread through her arm. "You must excuse me Professor, I do wish to get some sleep tonight however I need to get ready to having no rest for the next month because I have so much homework I need to complete before that."

Aviana clearly had no filter at all, and it was that which had lead to her to recieving a month of quite literal torture with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

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