Written for the Ultimate Patronus Quest (rat: Write about someone betraying a friend)
Marietta paces nervously, wringing her hands together. It should be an easy choice. She doesn't care for Harry at all. He's nothing more than a nutter, just like Dumbledore. Besides, her mother's job could be in jeopardy. The longer Marietta continues with the stupid meetings, the more of a threat her silence becomes.
But then there's Cho. The meetings have had a tremendous impact on her best friend. It's the first time since Cedric's death that Cho has truly smiled, that she's had something to look forward to. She doesn't want to betray her friend and destroy her newly found happiness.
"Coming?" Cho asks. "I don't want to be late."
Marietta smiles, but it feels forced. "I don't think I want to go tonight," she answers quietly.
Cho frowns. "Why not? It's fun. And if Umbridge won't teach us-"
"Maybe there's a reason she won't. Did you ever consider that? It's not like some lunatic is waiting outside to kill us."
Marietta regrets the words the moment they leave her mouth. Cho's expression grows dark, and Marietta knows that she's thinking about Cedric. There had been a lunatic waiting to kill him, according to Harry. Whether Marietta believes him or not, Cho does. And now she's opened the old wounds.
"I suppose I'll go by myself," Cho says coldly, tucking her wand in her pocket and starting for the door.
"Cho, wait! I didn't mean-"
But she doesn't have a chance to apologize. Cho is out the door before Marietta can even try to explain herself.
Marietta bites her lip, swallowing dryly. She can still make things right. She'll show Cho how dangerous any affiliation with Harry Potter can be, and she'll ensure that her own mother doesn't face any trouble at the Ministry.
"Two birds, one stone," she mumbles.
And she wonders why she can't stop shivering even when she knows that it's the right thing to do.
…
She raps her knuckles against the office door, trying to steady herself. Her heart races painfully, and a thin layer of sweat beads her forehead.
Professor Umbridge opens the door, frowning at Marietta. "Miss Edgecombe? It isn't polite to show up without an appointment, dear," she says sweetly.
For a moment, Marietta considers apologizing and hurrying away. But she's made it this far, and she doubts that Professor Umbridge would take kindly to having her time wasted.
"I'm terribly sorry, Professor," she says quickly. "But I have something to tell you. It's about Harry Potter. I couldn't wait. It's urgent, you see."
The older witch's sour expression quickly lightens. A wicked smile stretches across her face as she takes Marietta gently by the hand and guides her inside. "My dear girl, sit. Would you like some tea?"
"No. Thank you," Marietta says, a tremor in her voice as she sits in the chair.
"As you wish," Professor Umbridge says, sitting across from her and leaning in eagerly like a young girl waiting to hear the latest gossip. "Now, what do you have to tell me?"
"Harry Potter has a group. They're meeting right now," Marietta says, and her stomach knots. "He's training them for… for something. It's best that you-"
Her sentence dies, replaced by a scream as pain erupts across her face. For a moment, she thinks that Umbridge has cursed her, but when she touches a finger to her skin, she feels the cluster of bumps and tries not to cry.
Umbridge stares at her with a mixture of disgust and pity. "Oh, dear. Quite a shame for such a pretty face," she sighs. "Never fear, dear. It's a noble sacrifice that we'll take care of."
Marietta doesn't understand until Umbridge guides her to her feet. She catches a glimpse of her reflection as she's lead along, at the hideous formation of the word SNEAK across her skin.
