Chapter Fourteen
"I can't believe you just did that."
"I can't believe you took out both Crabbe and Goyle." Marcus smiled and popped his knuckles.
"What? You expected me to let you have all the fun?" Adrian replied and whipped the blood off the corner of his busted lip. "I just can't believe you were the only one who hit Malfoy."
Both of them laughed and Snape turned around.
"Did I give either of you permission to talk?"
"You didn't tell us not too." Marcus replied with a smirk.
Adrian blinked and tried to hide his smile while Snape turned and threw the door of his office open angrily.
"Sit down!" He roared as he slithered of towards his desk.
Marcus and Adrian exchanged looks and did what they were told. Snape paced back and forth furiously and cast them a glare every time he turned.
"Now that we're all here and away from the rest of the school, please tell me what in god's name were you thinking when you attacked Mr. Malfoy?"
Marcus pretended to think for a moment. "Well, I don't recall, but I think I was wondering how loud I could get that little prat to scream."
Adrian chuckled but quickly covered it with a pretend cough.
"Flint, I have had enough of your attitude lately. First the quidditch team, then your little ramp through the dark forest with both Mr. Wood and Mr. Weasley and now this! You do realize that this is grounds for expulsion."
Adrian gave his friend a confused look but Marcus's gaze was on the Potions teacher.
"So what, you've threatened me with that line three times now. It's not working."
An evil smile came to Snape's face. "Oh, don't worry Flint. It's not a threat this time. Attacking another student is something not even the headmaster could ignore."
A weight dropped in Marcus's stomach. From the way that the potions teacher was smiling at him, he wasn't kidding.
"As for you Mr. Pucey. I expected better of you."
"Oh please, you're just pissed off because Flint decked your golden boy. If you ask me it's about time someone knocked him on his ass for once."
"That's enough! Both of you!"
Both boys exchanged looks again, this time slightly nervous. Flint honestly couldn't believe Adrian was sticking by him like that. He made a mental note to tease him about his Hufflepuff qualities later.
"You both wait here." Snape instructed and strode through his office door and slammed it shut behind him.
They waited for the sound of his footsteps to die away before the sighed and turned towards each other.
"Where do you think he's going?" Adrian asked.
"I don't know. Probably to make sure there's no scaring on Malfoy's precious face."
Adrian gave a half smile and rubbed the his right hand. "So, why did you all of a sudden decide to strangle Draco?"
Flint debated for a moment wither or not to tell him, but then remembered that Adrian already knew about Terence's heritage.
"Malfoy knows about Terence."
Adrian froze and jerked his head towards him. "What?"
"He knows Higgs is muggleborn."
"And how the hell did you know?"
If they weren't in their current situation, Marcus would've found the look on Adrian's face priceless.
"He told me." He shrugged, innocently. "Right after your lovely little spat the other day."
For once in his life, he actually saw Adrian blush.
"Oh, that. Well, the thing was–"
The door pushed open roughly and in walked Snape with Dumbledore behind him, looking very confused.
"Ah, good evening boys."
Both Marcus and Adrian muttered a response and remained quiet. Snape walked over towards his desk and sat down, glaring at both of them while Dumbledore stood on the side.
"Now, I'm aware that you two were involved in an altercation earlier. Care to tell me about it?"
Marcus had no clue how the headmaster could speak so care free like that to them but he knew better then to question it.
"Well, I was just heading into the common room–"
"Malfoy called one of our friends a mudblood."
Dumbledore blinked and looked over at Adrian.
"I'm sorry Mr. Pucey, what was that?"
Adrian rubbed his right hand again. "Draco called one of our friends a mudblood to Flint's face."
"And that justifies striking him!"
"Severus please." Dumbledore interrupted politely. "Mr. Pucey, please continue."
Adrian gave Snape an evil look before he smiled. "Thank you sir. As I was saying, Malfoy rudely insulted one of our friends and we had enough."
Marcus grunted approvingly, resisting the urge to high-five Pucey. If they were going to be expelled, they might as well go out fighting together.
"So, you brutally attacked Mr. Malfoy simply because he made a few comments about one of your friends? That hardly justifies what you have done."
Marcus finally had enough and turned his head towards Snape. " Why don't you keep out of it. You're no better then that prat. Does the headmaster know that you openly call your own students that horrible name?"
Snape nearly turned his desk over.
"How dare you address your head of house like that! If I had the power you'd be packing your trunk this instant."
"But Severus, you do not." Dumbledore calmly replied and turned back towards the boys. "Mr. Pucey, you may go back to your common room, if you promise to behave yourself."
Adrian looked over at Flint for an answer and the other Slytherin simply nodded.
"Yes sir." He rose from his seat and slowly walked out of the room.
"Mr. Flint. You are to come with me to my office."
A chill traveled down Marcus's spine as the headmaster stared him down. Despite his discomfort, he swallowed and nodded.
"Yes, sir."
Dumbledore nodded back and motioned for him to follow. Marcus did, after casting a cautious look over in Snape's direction. The potions master was giving him the ugliest glare he could muster and if not for the situation, Marcus would've laughed in his face.
"This way Mr. Flint." Dumbledore chimed happily and held the office door open for him.
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"Hey Harry, guess what?" Ron yelled loudly when he dashed through the portrait hole.
Oliver finished the few lines on the parchment in front of him and looked over towards the fireplace were Harry was standing, talking very quickly with Ron about something.
"What do you think's going on?"
Percy didn't answer and kept his face in the book in front of him. Oliver's question was answered when Harry walked over towards him.
"Hey Wood, guess what? The Slytherins are on probation."
"What?" Oliver blinked.
"The whole team is banned from the pitch until January and guess what, Malfoy's in the hospital." Ron yelled happily and started bouncing happily.
"Why, did he fall off his broom again?" Percy mumbled, not even looking up from his book.
"Well, maybe." Ron stopped bouncing and pretended to think. "Or it might be due to that fact that Flint's fist connected with his jaw."
Both Harry and Oliver's eye's widened.
"What?"
"There was a fight right outside the Slytherin common room about an hour ago. Draco apparently was shooting his mouth off again and I guess Flint heard enough because he decked him. And that's not even the best part. You know their chaser Adrian Pucey, he took out both Crabbe and Goyle."
Harry blinked a few times, letting all of the shock settle in. Hermione got up from her chair by the fireplace and walked over towards them, a frown on her face.
"Wait a minute, are you saying a member of Draco's own house attacked him?"
"Yup. I guess not everyone in Slytherin is a git like Draco and Snape."
Oliver cleared his throat, trying to hide his shock. "Why did Flint hit him?"
"Don't know. But I think I heard something about Draco calling Flint a coward for sticking up for a mudblood – er muggleborn I mean." Ron corrected, with a wary glance over at Hermione.
Oliver almost snapped his quill in half. He turned his head and Percy was looking just as shocked as he was. Flint started a fight by sticking up for a muggleborn? That could only mean one thing and suddenly Oliver started feeling sick.
"I guess we're going to have to start rooting for Flint nowadays." Ron mused happily as he walked over towards the fireplace. "I mean, if he took a swung at Malfoy, he can't be all that bad."
Harry and Hermione followed him and the second they were out of earshot, Percy leaned forwards over the desk and whispered angrily.
"You said you didn't tell him."
"I didn't." Oliver replied and lowered his head. "I don't know how he found out."
"Well he did, and he started a fight because of it, typical Slytherin." Percy snorted irritated and went back to his book.
Oliver gulped and started twirling his quill between his fingers nervously. Flint knew. Those two words echoed inside of his head over and over again. Marcus knew about him and knocked Malfoy's lights out because of it.
How?
How did Flint find out? He was always so careful with what he said when he was near the Slytherin and he didn't think he gave that many obvious hints.
How did Marcus know?
He raised his head and looked over at Percy. "Did you say anything to him?"
"No. Honestly Oliver, you have that little trust in me?"
Oliver lowered his head silently and tried in vain to focus on his school work. He wrote down a few more sentences before it became perfectly clear that he was too upset to study and packed his stuff up.
He rolled up his Transfiguration paper and just as he was sealing it an idea came to him. He reached back into his bag and pulled out a spare piece of parchment and dipped his quill into the ink vile once more.
"What are you doing?" Percy raised an eyebrow as he watched Oliver scribble out something on the parchment.
He didn't answer and for a moment, Percy was going to ask again but Oliver raised his head.
"Perc, can I borrow Hermes?"
"Why?"
"Because I need to talk to Flint."
"About what?"
"Why do you think." Oliver growled.
He singed the letter and rolled it up, ignoring Percy's confused look until the redhead replied.
"Sure, but the owlry is closed. It's after hours."
"I don't care." Oliver said as he pushed his chair away from the desk and started heading towards the portrait hole.
"Dammit Oliver." Percy grumbled behind him as he got up and followed his friend out into the outside halls.
Wood ignored him and stored the letter safely in his pocket as he set across the cold hallway and towards the main stairs. He could hear Percy grumbling quietly behind him and sped up his pace, not wanting to listen to the prefect's constant groaning about breaking school rules.
They reached the ground floor and started down the wing before the sound of someone rounding the corner froze them in their tracks. Fearing that the footsteps belong to a teacher or worse, Filch, they ducked around the corner.
After a second look, Oliver realized the didn't need to. It wasn't a teacher, it was another student. He released the breath he was holding in and for once in his life, he was never happier to see Adrian Pucey.
Pucey walked through the foyer doorway, his eyes were on his right hand for some reason so he didn't see the two Gryffindors standing behind him.
For a moment, Oliver was keen to let him go but then realized that Ron said something about Adrian getting involved in the fight. He might know where Flint was.
Before he could rethink he called out.
"Oi Pucey!"
Adrian turned around fiercely and drew his left fist up. Apparently he must've thought the Gryffindors were someone else because he lowered his arm shortly afterwards.
"What the hell do you want Wood?"
Pucey's voice held no anger or resentment, just curiosity and Wood wanted to keep it that way. After all, Pucey was a lot bigger then him.
"Where's Flint?"
Adrian blinked and rubbed his right hand gently. "What's it to you?"
"Just curious, that's all." Oliver shrugged, trying not to look suspicious.
Pucey glared at him for a long time before he answered.
"Dumbledore's office, I think."
Oliver's heart sank. Flint was in Dumbledore's office?
"Why's he in there?"
"Why do you care?"
Oliver took a deep breath and gathered himself. How was he going to get information out of the Slytherin without giving anything away?
"We don't. We just heard about the fight." Percy spoke up casually. "I take it you made it out of Snape's office in one piece then?"
Adrian apparently didn't notice Percy's attempt to redirect the subject and nodded slightly.
"Yeah I did, can't say much for Flint though." He sighed and rubbed his hand again.
Oliver did a double-take when he saw that Pucey's right hand was heavily bruised and two of his knuckles looked broken. His lip was busted too and there were a few small spots of dried blood on his chin.
"Is that from Draco?" Oliver pointed towards his lip.
"No, his little cronies got a few lucky shots in when I jumped in. They know better now." Adrian mused happily and rubbed his bruised hand once more.
Both Oliver and Percy smiled slightly but were quick to hide it when Adrian looked up again.
"Anyways, aren't you two a long ways away from home? You're on Slytherin turf you know."
"We were just heading up towards the Owlry." Oliver pulled the letter out of his pocket a small ways so Pucey could see it.
Adrian looked at it and shrugged. "Whatever. Well, as much as I'd love to stay here all bloody night and chat with you two, I've got better things to do."
With that, Pucey turned around and headed down the staircase leading towards the dungeons. He gave the Gryffindors one more confused look before disappearing from their eyesight.
Oliver felt his resolve drift away. Flint was in Dumbledore's office? His insides coiled tightly. There was no chance now, Dumbledore wasn't going to let him off this time.
He could only pray that he'd see Marcus the next day,
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"Lemon drop." Dumbledore stated when he halted in front of a stone gargoyle.
The statue moved aside and the headmaster pushed the large wooden doors open. Flint stared at him for a moment, unsure what to do but then decided that running away wasn't an option so he entered the headmaster's office.
The large door shut behind him and Dumbledore walked over towards his large desk. The portraits scattered around the walls stared down at him and he looked away nervously.
"May I offer you something to drink?"
"No thank you sir." Flint replied, not wanting this to take any longer then necessary.
If Dumbledore was really going to expel him, he wanted to get it over with as quick as possible.
"Very well.' The headmaster sat down at his desk and motioned towards the large plush chair in front of it. "Please sit."
Flint did so and tried to keep his eyes affected away from the headmaster's.
"Um, sir. About what happened–"
"What did happen Mr. Flint."
"I thought Snape told you?"
"He did, and so did Mr. Pucey." Dumbledore lowered his glasses to look at him more clearly. "But, if you don't mind. I'd like to hear your side of the story."
Marcus blinked and swallowed nervously.
"Well, like Adrian said, Draco called Terence Higgs a mudblood and a few other names and I got tired of it."
The headmaster smirked slightly. "So then you decided to forcibly silence Mr. Malfoy?"
"I did, sir."
"And do you regret it?"
Flint thought deeply before he answered.
"No. It's about time someone told Draco that he doesn't own the world."
To his relief, Dumbledore continued to grin.
"Ah, I see. That's why you hit him then."
He nodded, trying not to look directly into the headmaster's eyes again.
"Flint, you do realize that in less then two weeks you've broken over ten rules."
"Yes."
"And you've disrespected professor Snape countless times in my presence."
"He deserves it, he's just as bad as Malfoy."
"And you've led two of your friends into the dark forest–"
Marcus quieted and lowered his eyes to the floor, expecting Dumbledore to finally fly off the handle at him.
"Only to lead them out safely after rescuing Miss Weasley and preforming magic way beyond your normal level, one that would even rival your father."
At this, he moved his eyes back towards Dumbledore.
"You knew–"
"Yes I knew your father. Anthony Flint attended school here not that long ago." He paused and lowered his glasses once more. "It was very painful for me to read about his death in the Daily Profit."
Marcus's fingers dug into the armrests. Why did Dumbledore have to bring up his father? He hoped the headmaster would just leave it at that but he didn't.
"Completely devastating to read about the death of one of the Ministry's top Aurors. He was one of the best. Exceeded in every school subject and if I recall, he was in my office every other day because of rule breaking–"
"Sir, If your going to expel me please stop bringing up my father and just do it already."
A few portraits gasped around the office, but Dumbledore's smile didn't waver.
"I'm not going to expel you Mr. Flint. If I didn't when you entered the dark forest I surly won't do it now."
The hundred pound weight lifted from his insides and Marcus couldn't hide his sigh of relief.
"However, I'm giving you and Mr. Pucey detention."
"Okay." He mumbled "Can it please be with anyone else besides Snape sir?"
"I think that'll be wise. You'll serve your detention Thursday night with McGonagall then."
"Gotcha." Flint replied.
"You may leave."
Without another word, Marcus got to his feet and walked towards the door.
"One more thing Mr. Flint." Dumbledore waited for him to turn around. "Do behave yourself."
Marcus bit his lip and nodded. He gave the headmaster a forced smile and closed the door behind him.
The second the door clicked shut, he swung his fist as hard as he could into the stone wall. Pain shot through his whole arm and he heard the sound of a few bones breaking but he didn't care.
The only thing he cared about was removing his father's face from his mind before anyone could see how watery his eyes had become.
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After growling the password at the door and making sure all traces of tears were gone from his eyes, Marcus gathered up his nerve and entered the common room.
The small crowd gathered by the fireplace grew silent when they saw him enter and most of them kept their eyes firmly glued on his back as Marcus crossed the room.
"What the bloody hell are you looking at?"
A small third year in the group jumped slightly and huddled closer towards the older students who were looking at him nervously.
He growled at them and made his way across the room towards the stairs. A first year jumped out of his way on the staircase and hurried down as fast as he could when Marcus glared at him. He smirked slightly from the sight and pushed open the door in front of him.
Unlike the silence downstairs, his dorm room was buzzing with activity. Adrian was sitting on the foot of one of the beds, trying to wiggle his bruised hand away from Terence's grasp while Bole was sprawled out on his bed watching them.
The second Flint closed the door behind him, they turned their heads and looked at him.
"There's our man of the hour." Adrian said happily. "Dumbledore didn't toss you out then?"
He shook his head. "Nope. We both just got detention with McGonagall this week."
"Ha, bet that'll make Snape's day." Pucey laughed back. "Serves him right though, after what he told dumbledore– ow!"
Adrian let out a loud yelp when Terence pulled the cloth around his hand really tight.
"I can't believe you two did that." Terence said coldly, glaring at both of them.
"I know, neither can I." Pucey mused happily and then yelped again. "Ow, dammit Higgs, not so hard."
Terence tightened the knot again, forcing Adrian to with draw his arm.
"What the hell was that for? I thought you'd be happy someone finally knocked Draco down a peg."
"I would be, if it wasn't you two that did it." Terence replied angrily and hopped off the edge of Adrian's bed and stalked over towards his own.
"What the hell's wrong with you? Did you didn't honestly think that we were going to let Malfoy's little comment about you slide?"
Terence didn't answer and pulled the coverings shut around his bed, leaving Adrian throughly confused.
"Gee, you think he'd show us a little gratitude for sticking up for him. We almost got expelled for his sake."
"That's why he's upset you git." Flint groaned and collapsed on his own bed.
Adrian looked taken back by his statement. "What?"
"God you're thickheaded." Flint sighed and turned his head towards him. "The reason why Higgs is so damn pissed off at us is because we almost got expelled for his sake. You think he wants that hanging over his head?"
Adrian remained silent for a moment, thinking clearly about Flint's statement and without another word, he closed the curtains around his bed
Flint watched him for a few minutes and turned his head in the other direction. Even over the loud sounds of the wind tapping on the outside windows, he swore he heard the sound of a few muffled sobs coming from Terence's bed.