Change the Future

OOTP 10

As Rory reached detention she wasn't happy to find Harry there as well.

"What the hell Harry" She snapped.

"Rory what are you doing here"

"Detention I got two weeks worth not one now I thought you was meant to avoid getting more"

"I'm sorry I slipped up" He says as he knocks the door. The detention went the same way as all the others with Harry being allowed to leave a couple of hours before Rory. The cut on the back of her hand was now refusing to heal.

The following day Harry had left detention at the same time as Rory. It was nearly midnight when they entered the Gryffindor common room, the bandage Rory had placed on Harry's hand had nearly soaked threw with the blood as she kept her own hand in her pocket. They expected the common room to be empty when they returned, but found Ron and Hermione had sat up waiting for Harry.

"Here," Hermione said anxiously, pushing a small bowl of yellow liquid toward Harry as Rory started heading to her dorm, "soak your hand in that, it's a solution of strained and pickled murtlap tentacles, it should help. Wait Rory you too" Harry placed his bleeding hand.

"I'm fine Hermione I'm just going to head to bed"

"Rory it'll help I promise" Harry said.

"It's fine Harry, It doesn't really hurt that bad" 

"That's definitely a lie" Euphemia says looking at the screen.

Rory headed up to her dorm and into the bathroom to wash some of the blood from her hand. The words 'I am an abomination of nature and I need to respect the Ministry' now permanently scarred on the back of her hand.

"Oh my god. Rory that's so much worse than Harry's" Ron looks shocked.

"Why do you think I hid it"

Crookshanks curled around Harry's legs, purring loudly, and then leapt into his lap and settled down.

"Thanks" he said gratefully to Hermione, scratching behind Crookshanks's ears with his left hand.

"I still reckon you should complain about this" Ron said in a low voice. 

"No" Harry said flatly.

"Oh look you're both stubborn idiots" George says looking between Rory and Harry.

"McGonagall would go nuts if she knew" 

"Yeah, she probably would" Harry said. "And how long d'you reckon it'd take Umbridge to pass another Decree saying anyone who complains about the High Inquisitor gets sacked immediately?" Ron opened his mouth to retort but nothing came out and after a moment he closed it again in a defeated sort of way. 

"She's an awful woman" Hermione said in a small voice. "Awful. You know, I was just saying to Ron when you came in we've got to do something about her." 

"I suggested poison" Ron said grimly.

"I agree with Ron" Rory mutters making Charlie laugh slightly.

"No I mean, something about what a dreadful teacher she is, and how we're not going to learn any defence from her at all"

"Well, what can we do about that?" Ron said, yawning. " 'S too late, isn't it? She got the job, she's here to stay, Fudge'll make sure of that."