International Love | Fred Weasley

Chapter 35

After dinner, I bid goodbye to my roommates and make my way to the DADA classroom. I knock on the door of Umbridge's office and it opens after my second knock.

"Good evening, Ms Dubos," Umbridge says with her signature fake smile plastered on her face, "Sit down, please."

I step into the pink office and raise my eyebrows as I look around. All surfaces of the office have been draped in lacy covers and cloths. There are vases with dried flowers standing around. One of the walls was a collection of ornamental plates, each one decorated with a kitten wearing a bow around its neck. Umbridge is pointing at the small table also draped in lace. There is an uncomfortable-looking chair beside it.

Sitting down, I learn that the chair is as uncomfortable as it looks. In front of me are a single, blank piece of parchment and a black quill.

Umbridge smiles at me, "Your uncle won't be able to get you out of this detention, Ms Dubos."

I frown at her.

"Oh, you don't know?" Umbridge hums, "Your uncle prevented me from banning you from playing Quidditch as well since you, too, were involved in that little fight last weekend. It's not nice to say nasty things about others. I would watch your behaviour and tone, Ms Dubos, unless you want to get expelled from another school."

Before I have a chance to respond, Umbridge continues: "Now, you'll be writing some lines for me tonight. I want you to write, I must not doubt the Ministry. You see, I want you to learn to have respect for the Minister and the Ministry. They truly do know best."

"How many times?" I ask, suppressing the urge to argue with Umbridge.

"Oh, as long as it takes for the message to become clear," the woman smiles, "If I decide you haven't understood the message after tonight, you have to return tomorrow."

I nod and grab the black quill from the table. It has an unusually sharp point at the end and I frown.

"You'll find you don't need ink."

Maybe the quill is enchanted with a no-ink spell, I wonder as I study the sharp point. I sigh and write I must not doubt the Ministry.

I gasp at the pain shooting through my left hand and stare at the parchment. There, written in shining red ink, are the words I must not doubt the Ministry. At the same time, the same words have appeared on the back of my left hand. They seem to be cut into my skin and as I stare at the words, the wound slowly heals again and they disappear. The skin stays red.

"I would hurry if I were you, Ms Dubos," Umbridge remarks, and I snap my head up to her, "You don't want to be out after curfew. That will cost you another detention."

I grit my teeth and write I must not doubt the Ministry for a second time. The words appear on both the parchment and my skin again. The wound heals, the words disappear, and the circle repeats itself. I force myself to stare at the parchment and to not show Umbridge any signs of weakness.

After what seems like hours, Umbridge looks up from the papers she has been grading. The words in my hand have started to leave a lasting mark and I can now clearly read the words I must not doubt the Ministry on the back of my left hand.

"Hand," Umbridge orders, and I hold out my left hand. Umbridge examines the words in my hands, pressing them. I clench my jaws together, restraining myself from screaming out due to the pain shooting through my hand, and keep looking straight at the ugly ornamental plates on the wall.

"It seems like the message has sunken in well," Umbridge says, releasing my hand, "I suggest you behave in my class from now on, Ms Dubos. You may go."

As quickly as I can, I grab my bag from the floor and sprint out of the room. Numb, I walk back to the Ravenclaw common room. I answer the riddle from the knocker and enter the deserted common room. My roommates are already asleep and I quietly prepare myself for bed.

I crouch in front of my nightstand and open the small door. My fingers trail past the array of potions and I breathe out relieved when I spot the green bottle with the healing potion. I down it in one go and let out a relieved sigh. I wrap a bandage around my left hand and crawl into bed.

The following morning, when I remove the bandage in the bathroom, I see the words I must not doubt the Ministry still carved in my hand. My roommates have already left for breakfast after asking how detention with Umbridge was. I decided not to tell them about my hand, feeling slightly ashamed. I chug another healing potion and make a mental note to brew more before heading to Transfiguration.

"Hey, are you alright?" Fred asks when I sit down beside him. He scans my face for hints, "I didn't see you during breakfast. How was detention?"

"Fine," I answer but Fred frowns. I plaster a smile on my face, "I overslept this morning. Detention was nothing special, just writing lines for hours."

Fred doesn't seem reassured with my answer and keeps eying me throughout the class. After Transfiguration, Fred wants to grab my left hand to head to Potion together. I suppress a scream and jerk my hand back. With raised eyebrows, Fred looks at me, "Are you sure you are alright, love?"

Again, I nod and grab Fred's hand with my right hand.

Potions class is hell. We have to brew the Scintillation Solution and as I cut the ingredients, a sharp pain shoots through my hand. The girls at my table keep sending me worried glances but I try to act as normal as possible. Even my uncle sees something is wrong when I hand in a not-quite-perfect Scintillation Solution at the end of the class.

During our next DADA class, I don't say a single word. Umbridge smiles at me every time she looks in my direction and I ignore her gaze.

Harry pulls me aside after dinner. He stares at me and says: "You had detention with Umbridge last night, didn't you? What did she make you do?"

I cross my arms in front of my chest and answer: "Nothing special, just writing lines. What did she make you do?"

Harry's eyes shoot to my bandaged hand and he mutters: "She made you write with the black quill too?"

"For what felt like a century," I answer. Harry shows me his right hand and I can clearly read the words I must not tell lies. His words are deeper and Harry explains he had to serve detention for a week.

"Does anyone else know?"

"Only Ron and Hermione," Harry answers.

It takes Fred three days to find out what is wrong. We're practicing the impediment jinx during the next DA's meeting and the movement of my wand causes the wound to reopen again. The healing process takes longer than expected, even with the healing potions I have been taking, and I'm convinced Umbridge did this on purpose. I have been speaking up again in Umbridge's class but avoid getting detention or losing any more points.

Fred sees me wince every time I cast the jinx. I try to hide it but he has been eyeing me closely for the past few days. Fred puts away his wand and heads over. I step back but Fred grabs my bandaged hand. He carefully peels away the bandage and when he sees the words, Fred's eyes widen. 

"Writing lines?! Elena, do you call this writing lines?!" He hisses and wraps my hand back in the bandage. Harry notices our standing on the side and when he sees Fred holding my hand, he walks in the opposite direction.

"This is- Elena, she tortured you!" Fred whisper-shouts and I avoid his eyes, "You need to tell a teacher – no, you need to go to the Hospital Wing."

I sigh and shake my head, "I already took a healing potion, it just takes a couple of days to heal. There is nothing to worry about."

Fred lets go of my hand and wraps his arms around me. We stand there for a while before he lets go of me again. Looking in my eyes, he assures me: "I will get Umbridge for this, she will pay for what she did to you."

I smile at his behavior and he kisses my forehead.

"Let's continue with practicing, others are looking at us," I mutter and Fred chuckles, "Let them watch, I don't care. Umbridge tortured you and I want to comfort you. Next time, when something like this happens, you come straight to me, promise?"

"Promise."