AN: Hello everyone! This is not an actual chapter - both due to its size and content - but more of a short scene that wasn't actually necessary for the story progress, but that I wanted to include anyway. I hope you enjoy it and don't hesitate to let me know if you do. (; A big thank you to dsi user for the review, you are fantastic!
Intermezzo
'…often enough how very disappointed I am in you, miss McCalman. Truly, I had expected you to know better!' McGonagall finally finished her very long and very undeserved rant.
Ever since she had been escorted to her Head of House's office by professor Vector ten minutes ago, Daisy had not been able to get a single word in. What with her history and record, professor McGonagall had immediately assumed the worst. Telling the Head of Gryffindor that she had never wanted to fight had not even been one of her options.
A heavy silence, full of spoken and unspoken disappointment, fell over the room and Daisy realised that now she might finally defend herself. She was about to open her mouth when a knock sounded on the door and Bryan Ackerly entered the office.
His face turned a bright red at seeing another student already seated and he started stuttering something about being sorry and having to leave – and some more sorrys. Doing a quick scan, Daisy noticed that he sported some small bandages on his right forearm, indicating where the burn wounds were. Apart from that and a few odd spots on his head where his hair was shorter than the remainder, he looked no worse for wear.
'Yes, Mr. Ackerly?' The older woman spoke, successfully halting his ongoing stuttering.
'I w-was wondering, professor.. Well, I-I wanted to ask about the letter you'd send my Father about the a-accident..'
Professor McGonagall threw Daisy a quick glance, as if assessing the chance of her running off, and then followed Bryan Ackerly to the door. Before she stepped over the threshold, she threw another stern look to the girl still seated in one of the red, velvet chairs. 'I expect to find you here when I return, miss McCalman. I will be but a moment.'
As the door closed behind them, Daisy let out a sigh of relief. Although it was clear that they were not done yet, at least she had some time to build up her defense. Surely she wouldn't be able to deflect all punishment – fact remained that she had been about to duel, even if it was only in self-defense – but it would be nice to not be in detention for the remainder of her school career.
Glancing around her, she took notice of the office's interior for the first time. It was only a small room, fitted with a large fire in one of the walls. The window behind the desk looked out on the Training Grounds and the Quidditch Pitch, both of which were abandoned. Even if Quidditch would not have been canceled due to the Tournament, it would still be too early for Quidditch training. Most students were probably still at dinner, enjoying the roasted potatoes she had overheard some of the second years talking about earlier that day. Her stomach gave a painful lurch at the prospect and Daisy mentally cursed Pansy Parkinson for what must have been the hundredth time since she had entered McGonagall's office.
The door to the office burst open at that moment and, having had no warning at all, Daisy let out a shriek of surprise.
Two heads, both with a mop of fiery red hair on top of them, peaked around the door. At noticing her form in the velvet chair, a wide smile spread over their faces and the door opened further, allowing entrance to the two identical boys.
'George, you don't think..' The first of the two started, the smile on his face growing bigger still. It was a most frightening sight, a promise of no good.
'Oh yes, Fred, I think this is indeed..'
'the Daisy McCalman,' both of them said theatrically and bowed deeply in front of her.
'It is an honor to finally meet you officially,' Fred said – or was it George?
Daisy raised an eyebrow, though she couldn't help but smile back at them. Of course she knew who they were – even if she couldn't tell them apart. Fred and George Weasley were legends in their own right, causing mischief wherever they went. Rumour had it that even Peeves respected them for that. Despite being in the same house as them, however, Daisy had never really spoken to them before.
'As am I,' she replied, 'Although I am not sure whether I should be worried.'
'Worried?'
'Nonsense!'
'Besides,' the first one continued, of who she was now quite certain that it was George. 'You're already in McGonagall's office, what else could happen?'
'Get expelled?'
'She's quite right there, Fred. Although even we haven't managed that – yet.'
Fred chuckled at this, almost as if he had no doubt that they would some day. 'Anyways, we heard some first years at dinner talk about a duel between a Slytherin and a Gryffindor. You don't happen to know anything about that, do you?'
'It wasn't a duel,' Daisy shook her head, though finding herself unable to not smile in the company of the two troublemaker twins. 'Parkinson probably would have enjoyed hexing me, though..'
Both of the boys chuckled at this and once again Daisy couldn't help but laugh along. After all, if she were to forget the punishment that was no doubt still hanging over her head, it was rather funny.
'I suppose we should congratulate you.' Fred said finally, when their laughter had subsided.
'Congratulate?'
'Apart from us, you must be the one costing Gryffindor the most points,' his brother continued.
'Well, that is without counting Harry of course.'
Daisy snorted at this 'The only difference is that he also actually earns them.'