Hey guys sorry for the long wait between chapters, I have been pretty busy with work and I keep getting distracted with writing future chapters, oops. Anyways, this chapter picks up right after chapter three and Anna's Divination class.
By the time the girls had reached the Great Hall dinner was clearly well under way as some the plates and platters that would normally be piled high with food were already growing sparse. Anna noticed that many of the students were sitting close together, whispering excitedly and glancing at the Gryffindor table every now and again. At first the girl thought they were talking about her and what had happened in her Divination lesson and she felt her cheeks grow hot, but when she and Ginny moved closer Anna realized that was not the case. No one was discussing Trelawney's prediction at all, instead they were talking about the newest Harry Potter gossip. Anna caught bits and pieces of what people were saying; apparently Harry had gotten into it with Professor Umbridge that afternoon, earning him a week's detention.
"There they are," Ginny said pointing towards the middle of the table where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were eating their dinner, a gap separating them from the rest of their classmates on either side. Harry looked ready to commit murder; his face flushed with anger and his cutlery was held upright in shaking hands.
Just as the two girls were about to make their way over, Hermione slammed her knife and fork down and stood up abruptly. She said something to the boys who got up along with her and the three of them made their way towards the exit, but not before Ron shot a forlorn look at his half eaten apple pie.
Hundreds of eyes followed the trio as they walked purposely towards the Entrance Hall, but slowed when they caught sight of Anna and Ginny.
"You guys okay?" Anna asked as Harry, Ron, and Hermione approached.
"We're going to the common room," Hermione said, her lips pulled into a thin line. "It's a little too… loud in here."
"We'll come with you," Anna piped up without missing a beat.
"No, you guys stay and eat," Harry said. "Don't worry about us."
"Come off it, Harry, we'll just grab some food and eat in the common room," Ginny said matter-of-factly. "Probably for the best, Anna might start a brawl if we stay."
The witch in question was currently glaring at the students closest to them who she'd caught staring. If looks could kill, Harry's onlookers wouldn't have had stood a chance.
"C'mon, Anna grab some food and let's go."
The redhead didn't acknowledge she'd heard her friend. Instead, she pushed herself between Pavarti Patil and Lavender Brown, who were both now looking heavily affronted, and leaned over the Gryffindor table. In one fluid movement she shoveled a few pork chops, potatoes and bread rolls onto a platter before standing up. "As you were," Anna said, still glaring and marched out of the room, her friends close behind. People stared at them as they left.
"…. You arrived back in the middle of the lawn clutching Cedric's dead body… none of us saw what happened in the maze… we just had Dumbledore's word for it that You-Know-Who had come back and killed Cedric and fought you."
"Which is the truth!" Harry said loudly.
The five students slowly climbed the stairs of Gryffindor tower, rain pounding on each of the small windows they passed. Hermione was in the lead with Harry, who looked beyond the point of frustrated.
Anna could see he was tired of it, and she couldn't really blame him, it must feel awful to have everyone whispering behind your back and questioning your sanity at every turn. At the same time however, deep down Anna was somewhat jealous of the boy and his fame.
The youngest Arendelle had never been the center of attention, in fact people tended to forget about her and she often felt as though she faded into the background. Elsa barely spoke to her anymore and her godparents were often so caught up in worrying over Elsa that they sometimes neglected the girl.
Once they had escaped the Great Hall Harry had begun ranting that he couldn't understand why everyone was so quick to listen the Ministry's lies when they had been more than willing to believe him and Dumbledore last year. As per usual it was Hermione who seemed to have all the answers – she didn't think anyone really had believed them then.
Hermione sighed wearily. "I know it is, Harry, so will you please stop biting my head off? It's just that before the truth could sink in, everyone went home for the summer, where they spent two months reading about how you're a nutcase and Dumbledore is going senile!"
They had reached the seventh-floor landing and before the Fat Lady could ask for the password Hermione said, "Mimbulus mimbletonia". The Fat Lady gave the girl a reproachful look before swinging open allowing the group to climb through the portrait hole and into the common room.
The common room was nearly empty, three third-years were chatting in the corner but jumped up and scrambled to their dorm when they caught sigh of Harry.
Ginny and Anna sat on the floor in front of the fireplace and started eating, Ginny had to swat her brother's hand when he tried to sneak a roll. Harry, Hermione and a disgruntled Ron sat in the nearby plush armchairs looking exhausted from their eventful first day back.
"So," Anna said trying to break the tension. "I hear you made friends with the marshmallow peep, Harry," Anna said not looking up from her food.
"Yea, she and I are best mates now. In fact, she wants to spend the next week getting to know me after class," he chuckled.
Anna and Ginny laughed.
"What's a marshmallow peep?" Ron asked.
Anna waved her hand dismissively. "It's a muggle sweet. Fluffy, pink sugar candy muggles eat during Easter. Not important." She took a bite of potato and looked up at Harry. "So what did she do, call you a lunatic in front of the entire class or something?" Anna giggled sarcastically.
"Pretty much, yea."
Anna and Ginny both stopped eating in perfect synchronization and looked at the three older students incredulously.
"She didn't?" Ginny gasped.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione nodded.
"And she isn't going to teach us magic either!" Ron exclaimed suddenly, flinging his arms up in the air dramatically.
"What?!" Anna and Ginny cried in utter disbelief.
"Please tell me you're joking," Anna said.
Hermione shook her head sadly. "She has it in her mind that as long as we have studied the theory enough we should have no problem performing the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions."
"That's ridiculous!" Anna said loudly. "How are we supposed to defend ourselves with theory?"
"According to her, we will never have to worry about being attacked because 'there is nothing out there'," Ron said in a high-pitched voice in imitation of Umbridge. "And we will all live long, happy, carefree lives free of any danger what-so-ever," he said, voice dripping in sarcasm.
Anna was speechless, could someone really be that clueless? She couldn't imagine going through the whole year of Defense Against the Darks never casting a single spell. If everyone at the Order was right and there really was a war coming, they all needed to be prepared. She felt a knot of fear tighten in her chest, how would she be able to protect her family if she didn't have a clue how.
Anna shook her head slowly and sighed. If their first day was anything to go by it seemed it was going to be another eventful year at Hogwarts…
"We have something to tell you guys too," Anna said looking over at the girl sitting next to her. For a few moments it looked as though Ginny had no idea what she was talking about, but understanding quickly replaced the girl's confusion and she nodded enthusiastically.
"Oh yeah?" asked Harry curiously.
Anna then began to relay the story of her and Ginny's first Divination lesson. The young witch had no trouble repeating Trelawney's prediction; the whole thing had been so shocking that it was imprinted in her mind.
"One, born of cold and winter air
And mountain rain combining.
This icy force both foul and fair
Has a frozen heart worth mining.
"I literally have no idea what that part means, how can cold air and rain have a baby?"
The other, made of warmth and light;
Though sadness taints the soul.
A little button that longs for flight
With an open door as her goal.
"Ok so Kai calls me button all the time, do you think it's talking about me? But I'm pretty sure my soul is not tainted – can you get tested for that – I do like flying though."
Joined by blood, divided by fear;
The serpent and the lion shall form a pact.
So cut through the heart cold and clear,
And rebuild the bond through true love's act.
Split the ice apart,
Beware the frozen heart."
"That part about the lion and snake, do you think she was talking about Elsa… you know because she is in Slytherin and I'm in Gryffindor? I think it might. But what about that part with the frozen heart what do you think that means?" Anna asked eagerly.
The redhead watched Hermione carefully for her reaction; Hermione had been the one person she was most impatient to tell. If anyone would be able to make sense of this, it would be Hermione.
The fifth-year Gryffindor looked thoughtful and was quiet for a long time, or at least it felt like a long time to Anna.
"I don't know," Hermione deadpanned.
"I- wait what?" Anna said jerking back in surprise.
Everyone was looking at Hermione in complete shock. She could have just as easily told them that she was going to skip class and go play Quidditch and it would have been no less jarring. Hermione had an opinion on everything, from the way Ron pronounced the word bagel, to the colour of the curtains on her four-poster bed. Nothing escaped the girl's scrutiny and besides that, Hermione loved puzzles. Anna had once caught her doing ultra-advanced Ancient Runes… for fun!
The brunette shrugged her shoulders non-committedly. "I'm sorry, Anna I wish I could be more help. I wouldn't give it too much thought though, Divination is wildly inaccurate and I am not convinced that Trelawney has any clue at all," she said.
Anna narrowed her eyes at the girl, giving her a suspicious look. Something in Hermionie's expression made the redhead think that she wasn't entirely telling the truth. She looked as though she wanted to say something but for whatever reason was holding it back. Before Anna could press her for answers Hermione stood up.
"I think I am going to bed. See you," she said quickly, swinging her bag over shoulder and walking in the direction of the girl's dormitories. Leaving everyone to watch her go in disbelief.
xxx
"Do you think it's true, that she isn't going to let us use magic?" Tabitha whispered to Elsa across their shared desk.
It was the second day of classes and the fifth-year Slytherins were waiting for their first lesson to start. All around the room students whispered to each other, each wondering if what they had heard about the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor was true.
"I certainly hope not," Elsa said. "We are going to have to perform defensive spells in our O.W.L."
The sound of clicking heels was their only warning before Umbridge marched into the classroom smiling cheerfully. The chatter had died away at her entrance, and everyone was watching the woman with a distinct air of apprehension.
Elsa took a few moments to study her teacher. Umbridge had swapped the fluffy pink cardigan she had been wearing at the start-of-term feast for an equally pink wool dress, made complete with a black velvet bow on her head. She stood next to her desk with her hands firmly clasped in front of her, an abnormally short wand held between them. The woman was smiling down at them but Elsa thought there was something off about it, like she was holding back a sneeze and it almost seemed as if the action pained her.
"Good morning, everyone!" Umbridge said.
"Morning," a few people mumbled sleepily.
Professor Umbridge wagged a pudgy finger at them. "Tut, tut, I expect a little more than that," she reprimanded. "The correct response is, 'Good morning, Professor Umbridge'. Now let's try that again shall we? Good morning, everyone!"
"Good morning, Professor Umbridge," Elsa chanted blandly along with the rest of her classmates.
Draco and his possè spoke the loudest, clearly wanting to get in good with the new teacher. Elsa rolled her eyes.
"There, much better," she said nodding to Draco in particular before turning to the blackboard behind her. As she tapped her wand against it, the words Defense Against the Dark Arts; A Return to Basic Principles, appeared in white chalk. "Wands away and quills out, please."
Elsa frowned but tucked her wand into her robes regardless, pulling a quill and some parchment out of her bag.
"Now, since your previous teachers did not follow the Ministry-approved curriculum we will have to start from the beginning in order to-" Umbridge halted midsentence, her mouth still open slightly, when she turned to find several of her students had not taken out their writing materials but instead had their hands in the air.
Umbridge was no longer smiling, in fact she looked rather angry. Pursing her lips she turned to a Hufflepuff boy sitting in the front row. "Yes, Mr.-"
"Ernie Macmillan. Is it true we aren't going to use magic?"
All eyes turned to a now ridged Professor Umbridge. She seemed to collect herself and her mechanical smile returned.
"No, Mr. Macmillan. You will not be needing to perform defensive spells in my classroom."
A collective disapproving murmur rose from the students and few more hands lifted towards the ceiling.
"But what about our O.W.L's?" A Slytherin boy at the back of the class asked.
"Students must raise their hands if they wish to speak," Umbridge snapped.
His hand shot up but she had turned away.
"I will be teaching you the theory behind each of these spells and there is no reason why you will not be able to perform them adequately during your examinations," she replied.
Umbridge had now turned to face Selena's raised hand "Yes?" she said sweetly.
"It's just," Selena paused. "I'm a little confused. How are we supposed to be able to protect ourselves if all we learn is theory?"
Umbridge's smile somehow grew wider. "What on earth do expect you will need protection from dear? Surely, you don't think you would need to defend yourselves here at school?" she asked as though addressing a small child.
"That is exactly what I think."
The older woman raised an eyebrow and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly. The other students turned to look curiously at the Slytherin girl. Malfoy was scowling in her direction.
Elsa felt the ends of her lips curl up in a knowing smile. Selena was often very outspoken and had no qualms about poking holes in a teacher's logic.
Selena gave her professor a challenging look. "Didn't a troll break into the school in our first-year?"
Umbridge blinked down at the girl several times, she seemed to have been rendered speechless for the moment. Clearly she had not been expecting that.
"Hey yeah," said a Hufflepuff girl in the center of the room. "Then, in second year someone opened the Chamber of Secrets and a basilisk went around petrifying a bunch of muggleborns," she said in an almost accusatory tone.
"Not necessarily a bad thing." Elsa heard Draco whisper behind her, provoking laughter from his friends.
Umbridge's face had turned a bright shade of red, her smile gone. She looked like an animal that had been backed into a corner and was preparing to attack its assailant.
"That's right!" Ernie said loudly, clearly the hand-raising rule had been abandoned. "And in third year Sirius Black, a bloody murderer, got past the dementors and walked right into the castle! And didn't Harry and Dumbledore say that-"
"ENOUGH!" Umbridge shrieked causing a few people to jump in their seats.
The woman took a few deep breaths through her nose and fixed that awful smile back on her face, though now it seemed a little maniacal.
"The practices at this school have been lax and questionable for far too long and the Ministry has now made Hogwarts' gross lack of leadership its top priority," she said as though reading from a script. "The alarming fall of standards at this school is being taken very seriously to ensure the events like ones you have just described do not repeat themselves. As such, there is no longer any threats that you need to worry yourselves about encountering here. Cornelius Fudge himself has decreed that any and all dangers that may have befallen you in the past have been eliminated." She looked pointedly at Ernie Macmillan. "Your Minister assures you there is nothing to worry about and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying."
Elsa couldn't believe what she was hearing. Amish had told her the Ministry was vehemently denying that You-Know-Who had returned despite what Dumbledore told them and as a result was using every opportunity to convince everyone all was well. But Elsa hadn't thought they would attempt to try and claim that there weren't any dangers at all. Was the Minister so naïve as to think You-Know-Who was the only threat to witches and wizards? Was he really that daft?
Umbridge, who had been standing next to Elsa's desk, suddenly rounded on the blonde with murder in her eyes. Had she said that last part out loud?
Tabitha slapped a hand to her mouth and began to quietly snicker behind it.
Elsa made herself as small as possible while she looked up at her teacher's furious expression, waves of mortification rolling off of her. She was very much regretting her choice to sit at the front of the class as she felt the embarrassed flush crawl up her neck. The air grew thick and the room was suddenly stifling, her face had become so hot Elsa was sure no amount of magical ice would have been able to cool it.
It seemed no one other than Umbridge and Tabitha, who was not helping, had heard what she'd said and was looking at the two witches in utter confusion. Elsa had always been a quiet, hardworking student – a clear favourite among all the teachers - but Umbridge was now glaring down at the girl as if she had just snapped her wand in half.
"Watch yourself, girl," Umbridge growled low in her throat. Tabitha stopped laughing. It was a warning, one that told Elsa she would need to tread exceptionally careful around her professor from now on.
The small witch slowly redirected her acidic glare back to the rest of the class. "Open your copies of Defensive Magical Theory and thoroughly read chapter 1," Umbridge snapped before sitting down at her desk. "There will be no need to talk."
Reluctantly, the class resigned themselves to their fate and what was sure to be a very boring year. It seemed there would be no swaying their teacher.
Elsa felt her professor's eyes burning a hole in the top of her head and she found it extremely difficult to concentrate on the already unbearably dull reading material. She spent the rest of the lesson hunched over her book berating herself for being so insufferably stupid as to let something like that slip. Way to make a good first impression.
When the bell rang signaling the end of the class everyone hurriedly packed away their things, grateful for an escape and praying their next class would be less mind numbing, but none so more than Elsa. She was the first one out the door.
Xxx
The weather had turned chilly and the wind pulled at the hair and clothing of anyone caught outdoors. Elsa tugged her robe tighter around her shoulders as she and her friends walked down the path that lead to Hagrid's cabin, but it was more out of insecurity than from the cold.
Elsa had had a very difficult time concentrating in History of Magic as she was too busy fixating on the way Umbridge had looked at her after her little slip. Her embarrassment had not faded in the slightest and her lower lip was sore from her constant worrying at it.
"Relax, I'm sure she has already forgotten all about it by now. From what I've heard, ol'pouchy face is much more concerned with hushing up Potter and all the stuff he is saying about You-Know-Who," Selena told her in between classes when it was clear Elsa was still troubled by the incident. "Besides, it was kinda funny."
Selena and the others tried to ease Elsa's mind as best they could but it did little to quell the anxiety that settled in her belly. Something in Umbridge's expression told Elsa that she was not likely to forget the comment anytime soon.
By the time they had reached Hagrid's cabin, Elsa had managed to push her worries regarding Umbridge to the back of her mind and instead tried to focus on Professor Grubbly-Plank's lesson. Elsa had to sit her O.W.L.s this year so she didn't have the luxury of missing course material because she was distracted.
Professor Grubbly-Plank led the collective Slytherins and Gryffindor's over to a long table littered with what appeared to be small twigs. Standing next to the table was a tall, blonde Ravenclaw boy who Elsa recognized from her year. He was often seen hanging around Hagrid's cabin after classes and assisting the half-giant with odd jobs caring for the multitude of magical creatures that roamed the castle grounds. Elsa had never seen him help with lessons before and she wondered if he had perhaps been offered the position or if he was just volunteering during his spare periods.
"Can anyone tell me what these are called?" Professor Grubbly-Plank asked once they were all gathered in front of the table.
Hermionie's hand shot up into the air. Behind her, Draco started doing a cruel impression of the girl by showing off his front teeth in order to make him appear bucktoothed and jumping up and down. Elsa gave him a disapproving look while Pansy Parkinson shrieked with laughter beside him.
The girl's shrill voice must have woken the creatures because suddenly the twigs jumped up revealing them to be small pixie-like things with beady insect eyes that peered up at the students curiously. They looked to be entirely made of wood, with bark-covered little faces and lanky legs and arms, each of which sported two very sharp looking fingers.
"Oooooh!" cried Pavarti Patil and Lavender Brown simultaneously and causing Elsa to roll her eyes. She greatly disliked both girls as they were always interrupting the teachers and talking during class, it was very annoying.
"Kindly keep your voices down, girls," Professor Grubbly-Plank admonished before taking a handful of what looked like brown rice from a sack and throwing it on the table. Elsa wrinkled her nose in disgust when she saw the little rice grains were moving. "So – anyone know the names of these creatures? Miss Granger?"
"Bowtruckles," Hermione said. "They're tree-guardians, usually live in wand trees."
Elsa observed the Bowtruckles with renewed interest. She had read about them over the summer but her book had regrettably lacked any photographs. They were happily munching on the food Professor Grubbly-Plank had given them and making content little chirping noises, Elsa thought they looked nothing like what she had pictured in her head. She hadn't expected them to look so… innocent.
"Five points for Gryffindor," said the Professor. "Yes these are Bowtruckles, and as Ms. Granger rightly says, they generally live in trees whose wood is of wand quality. Anybody know what they eat?"
Elsa knew the answer to her teacher's question but didn't jump to respond as Hermione did. Instead, Elsa mumbled "woodlice" softly under her breath.
Where the other girl was eager to prove her knowledge and show everyone she deserved to be there despite being a muggleborn, Elsa had no desire to draw attention to herself. Amish always teased her saying that if she weren't so shy Slytherin would never get low on points.
"Woodlice, but fairy eggs if they can get them," Hermione said proudly.
"Good girl, take another five points. So, whenever you need wood or leaves from a tree in which a Bowtruckle lodges, it is wise to have a gift of woodlice ready to distract or placate it. They may not look dangerous, but if angered they will try and gouge at human eyes with their fingers, which, as you can see, are very sharp and not at all desirable near the eyeballs. So, if you'd like to gather close, take a few woodlice and a Bowtruckle – I have enough here for one between three – you can study them more closely. I want a sketch from each of you with all the body-parts labeled by the end of the lesson. One person from each group come line up and Mr. Bjorgman will hand out Bowtruckles to each of you."
Elsa's heart leapt with excitement when she heard the assignment. The blonde loved to draw; creating something beautiful instead of destructive. It was so gratifying bringing the images and ideas that buzzed around in her head to life with simple ink or graphite. Sketching was one of the few activities besides reading that Elsa used to calm herself when she felt overwhelmed. It often served to block out the dark thoughts that always prowled the edges of her mind like hungry animals, lying in wait for any cracks in her fragile defenses, and longing for the taste of her fear.
The rest of the lesson was spent sitting in the grass with her three friends and taking turns trying to persuade the Bowtruckle to stay still long enough that they could draw him properly. About half way through her drawing Elsa jokingly asked the Bowtruckle for its opinion on the picture and to her surprise the little stick creature chirped its excited approval and in its vanity began to actually pose for the small group of Slytherins. After that, it became much easier to complete the assignment, even if the silly creature kept changing postures every few minutes.
The class ended on a bit of a sour note when Draco started taunting Harry Potter and his friends again. The Slytherin boy had said something rather nasty regarding Hagrid's future at Hogwarts, and Harry, in his anger, somehow allowed his Bowtruckle to escape.
After Professor Grubbly-Plank dismissed them, the class split in two, Gryffindors to the greenhouses for Herbology and Slytherins back to the castle for their spare. Elsa couldn't have been more thankful that she didn't have any more lessons. Finally, time to think and wind down from everything that had happened in the last few days.
Xxx
Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up.
Elsa kept her gaze lowered as she skirted the Quidditch training field for fear of spotting Anna or one of her friends; this was their favourite place to haunt after all. She cursed herself for losing track of time, the book she'd been reading had held her attention a little too well, so now she was forced to take this particular short-cut in order to make it to the Defense Against the Darks Arts tower on time.
She had received a note when she'd returned to the common room with the message that Professor McGonagall wished to see Elsa in her office before dinner. Elsa had a feeling it wasn't to tell her she'd been made Quidditch captain.
"Professor?" Elsa called softly.
"Come in, Ms. Arendelle," McGonagall answered from the front of the room. She was seated at a large desk covered in important looking papers, all stacked in neat little piles. "Have a seat," she said not looking up from the parchment she was currently writing on.
Elsa sat down and occupied herself by looking around the study. There was a decently sized bookcase in the corner next to an equally impressive blackboard covered in complex looking diagrams and hastily scribbled notes. A few small pictures decorated the walls and a singular window next to Elsa's seat held a lovely view of the training grounds below.
When the blonde turned back to her Professor she was surprised to find the woman observing her closely over rectangular spectacles, hands folded on the desk. Elsa squirmed under her intense gaze.
"The Headmaster received an owl from Lucious Malfoy this morning."
Elsa froze and her mouth went dry.
"Is it true you used a slamming hex on Mr. Malfoy yesterday afternoon?"
Elsa suddenly became very interested in her gloves. "Yes."
"And why did you feel the need to teach Mr. Malfoy how to perform a cartwheel?" she deadpanned.
The Slytherin started wringing her hands together in embarrassment, she knew he'd deserved it but Elsa was a prefect and she was supposed to be above that sort of thing. "He called Anna and I, mudbloods," Elsa said with a little more bite than she'd intended.
McGonagall's lips pulled into a hard line and her nostrils flared. "I see."
Elsa watched as McGonagall toyed with the writing quill in her hands and looked at Elsa with that closed off, unreadable expression that she both admired and feared. Elsa braced herself for the incoming punishment and hoped it wouldn't be too time consuming – only the second day of classes and she had a mountain of homework to get started on.
"Have a biscuit, Ms. Arendelle."
Elsa jerked back in surprise, eyeing her Professor warily. Was this a trick or test of some kind?
"Relax, Ms. Arendelle your indiscretion does not warrant poisoning." McGonagall pushed the tray of ginger newts in the girl's direction. "Have a biscuit."
Hesitantly, Elsa reached out and took a cookie from the tray but McGonagall didn't look satisfied until she'd taken a bite. They were surprisingly delicious and Elsa felt her shoulders relax slightly, she hadn't even realized she'd been that tense.
Once Elsa was chewing, McGonagall nodded and sat back in her chair. "How are you, Elsa," she said suddenly, shocking Elsa for a second time.
Elsa swallowed. She knew McGonagall wasn't asking if she'd enjoyed dinner last night or if she was pleased with her class schedule, no her question delved a little deeper than that. The last time they'd spoken one-on-one like this, well it was mostly McGonagall who had done the talking, had been almost a year ago and had been under much different circumstances.
"Better," she said honestly. She couldn't help feeling embarrassed and looked away.
"I'm glad to hear it." McGonagall said seeming to sense Elsa's discomfort and deciding not to pry further. "I know you have your O.W.L.s to worry about this year, but I do hope you consider tutoring again, Ms. Arendelle. It is a good revision method and can be counted as extra credit."
Elsa thought for a few moments. She had enjoyed it before but she didn't want to stretch herself too thin. "I'll think about it," she said non-committally.
McGonagall nodded. "Well I won't keep you any longer, you are free to go Ms. Arendelle."
Elsa's eyebrows pinched together in confusion. "You mean– that is- you're not going to punish me for hexing Draco?"
The older witch gave Elsa an appraising look. "Since I am not your head-of-house your discipline does not fall under my charges."
Elsa's heart sank. "Oh. Is Professor Snape going to ask me to see him then?"
McGonagall shook her head. "I doubt it, considering he has no knowledge of the event at present. As it is, I sent Mr. Malfoy an owl assuring him that you will not be permitted to play Quidditch for a full season," she said, her face still not betraying a hint of mirth. "You are dismissed."
It took all of Elsa's strength not to let her mouth drop open. Did McGonagall just admit to going out of her way to make sure Elsa's wasn't reprimanded? Technically she'd been 'disciplined' with the banning of Quidditch, but considering Elsa detested flying she didn't really think it counted. Besides that, she had done all of this before asking Elsa why she had attacked Draco. Did McGonagall just assume Elsa had had a reason for doing it? Elsa decided not to dwell on the implications and instead stood up and made for the door.
Just as Elsa was reaching for the handle she heard McGonagall clear her throat.
"Oh. Ms. Arendelle, one more thing."
Elsa winced inwardly and turned, sure that her Professor had changed her mind and decided upon more appropriate repercussions. But the older woman shocked her yet again when instead she said, "My door is always open should you find yourself feeling… out of sorts again."
The genuine concern and sympathy in the older woman's voice made Elsa's chest tighten with emotion and she smiled. "Thank you, Professor… for everything," she said softly before taking her leave.
Alrighty, well there it is. Let me know what you think and as always review, review, review!