HARRY POTTER DOESN'T BELONG TO ME
50: blood quill
Dolores Jane Umbridge was an irritating pest of a woman. Harry had told them how the woman had that little clearing of her throat and a sickly sweet voice—she would have fluttered her eyelashes if she thought that she looked good doing so but that wasn't her signature thing. She had been completely on board of having his wand taken away and being expelled from Hogwarts.
She sounded like a horrible woman in Luna's opinion.
So when she entered the Great Hall for the welcoming feast Luna was greeted with a woman sitting next to Professor McGonagall with a pink dress suit on and a pink bow on the side of her curly hair. She really did look like a toad and she had her hands clasped together in front of her as she looked over the students—though Professor McGonagall looked as though she would rather the woman go anywhere else, since she seemed to not be a fan of the Undersecretary.
"Ugh, she does look like a toad," Mandy suddenly commented, earning nods and agreements from the students that were around them. Luna nodded her head as she sat there and studied the woman—watching as Dolores Umbridge turned her head and noticed Luna sitting there, she had a look of knowledge in her eyes—as though she knew that Luna was sort of in a relationship with Harry but not really.
It did not surprise Luna that the woman cleared her throat and spoke immediately when Professor Dumbledore went to greet everyone. Professor McGonagall looked as though she was going to slap the woman across the face for even thinking of interrupting Professor Dumbledore.
Luna was also not surprised to hear the woman talk about how she wanted to be here to teach them correctly and that they needed changes in the school and that they were having teachers in the past that weren't listening to the Ministry. It was almost as though she was expecting them to tell her that she was going to be Headmistress and that Professor Dumbledore could basically be pushed off the highest tower that Hogwarts had to offer.
It would not be until she was having her first class that Luna knew that things were turning to as Mandy liked to say 'shit' and she knew that Mandy was probably right when it came to this professor.
If the devil was a woman and enjoyed the color pink and toads along with kittens he would have taken the form of Professor Umbridge. She was ready when they entered and commented, "hello, everyone. Please sit in alphabetical order—left to right and no talking. Do not speak while I am speaking and do not speak unless you raise your hand or you will get a warning. If you continue to be rude you will have detention."
Professor Umbridge had an almost gleeful look on her face as though she was expecting them to act out. "I normally do not make an example out of people and say their names but Harry Potter just got detention earlier for his lies against You-Know-Who and how he is—"
Luna raised her hand quietly, and Professor Umbridge gave her a tight lipped look as though she had tasted something that was sour. She still spoke though, since Luna had raised her hand.
"Yes, dear, what is it that has made you interrupt my introduction?" Professor Umbridge kept her hands clasped in front of her and she kept her back straight and looked as though she had been raised in a pureblood family—and that it had been stuck to her brain to act like a proper lady.
"I am Luna Lovegood and I was present during the tournament. I believe that Voldemort did come back—"
"You are wrong, Miss Lovegood. Harry Potter is nothing more than a rude boy and is nothing more than an inconvenience for us and Minister Fudge in the Ministry," Professor Umbridge spoke a little louder than before and she waved her hand. "Not that anyone cares about you, my dear. You will not have anyone believe you since you and your father are a bunch of loons."
Everyone froze, the Hufflepuffs that were in the classroom with her (none of them dared to speak in fear that they would have her wrath thrust upon them) looked at her as though she had started speaking in tongues or proclaiming that she was a follower of Satan himself.
"I am not a loon; do not call me a loon. If anyone is rude and an inconvenience to the Ministry—"
"YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO ME IN THAT MANNER! YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN TOLD THAT HARRY POTTER TELLS NOTHING MORE THAN LIES! YOU WILL HAVE DETENTION WITH ME EVERY FRIDAY UNTIL I SAY YOU CAN STOP!" Professor Umbridge screamed, making everyone stare at her now with both shock but also hatred at the fact that she had screamed at Harry's Luna—because they knew that she was going to face the wrath of Harry Potter for messing with his love.
Luna merely stood up and gathered her things, "I see no reason to be in here anymore. I am leaving; I will not have you lying to everyone."
Luna spun on her heels with her leather messenger bag and walked out of the classroom—ignoring Professor Umbridge claming that she was going to make sure that Luna was going to be suspended from her classes.
As the door shut behind her Luna couldn't help but feel hot tears wash down her cheekbones—she had never had anyone talk to her in that manner. She also didn't like how the woman had given Harry detention for proclaiming the truth.
She hadn't expected though to be heading back to her tower and hear the sound of someone calling her name. She turned her head, seeing that Draco was the one who was behind her. She stayed where she was—finding that Draco looked tired and that he was going to have death take him any moment.
He reached her and he took her hand before he dragged her to an alcove. He dropped his hand and shook his head, "you told him, didn't you? They know I'm your cousin, don't they?"
Luna knew she could not tell him about the headquarters but she nodded her head, "I told them, they will not tell anyone. I promise you that. Harry loves me too much to tell anyone, along with everyone else."
"How did they take it?"
Draco looked as though he was winging his hands together and he was expecting her to tell him that they were mad at her for even being related to him but she softly smiled at him and placed her hand against the side of his face, "they were surprised but they know that I am not like you, nor the others. I know that you are different, Draco but I like to think of when I first met you. You have done nothing to hurt me and yes I wish your beliefs are different but I love you, Draco. You'll always be loved by me."
She hadn't expected though for him to lunge forward and wrap his arms around her, tears falling from his face at the fact that she loved him and she did not look at him with disgust and hate him because he treated her love like he was dirt. She ran her fingers through his hair and hummed her mum's lullaby as he cried against her—she knew that he must have been skipping class (she expected this much from her cousin).
She stood there for who knows how long, letting him cry into her shoulder. She kept humming and rocked him side-by-side before he pulled away from her. Tear rimmed and red—his eyes were letting her know that he had just cried his heart out. She reached into her messenger bag and brought out a handkerchief so that he could blow into it and wipe away the remaining tears.
Once he was done she reached out and touched his cheekbone again. She knew how hard his life was. He wasn't raised by loving parents that were loose and free. He was raised by parents that probably loved him but cared too much about their image and parents that were strict with him.
"Remember that I love you, and that I'm always here for you. Let me know if you ever need to vent to me." Luna pulled her hand away and walked out of the alcove before she headed towards the tower.
Word spread fast in Hogwarts and before Luna knew it she was sitting in Professor McGonagall's office and Professor Flitwick was next to her. "Are you telling me that you told Professor McGonagall that she was saying that Harry Potter was a liar and that you and your father are not loons?"
Luna nodded her head, "yes, professor. I will not have anyone degrade my Harry nor am I going to have them tell me and my father that we are loons."
Professor McGonagall thought for a moment before she nodded her head, "would you like a biscuit?" She pushed the plate towards Luna and the fourth year picked one up before she began to eat it.
"Professor Umbridge went to Professor Dumbledore after your class and told him what had happened. Professor Dumbledore said that he cannot do anything more than suspending you for two weeks. I think that is fair, sadly, because of the fact that you spoke out of term to that toad—I mean professor," Professor McGonagall added on, making Luna digest what she had said.
"I do not mind being suspended from her class. I know enough D.A.D.A. from other professor. May I be allowed to go and read some books from the library? I would at least be caught up when I go back." Luna nibbled on her biscuit and Professor McGonagall turned to Professor Flitwick.
"I must apologize to you Filius; I know that I am not the Head of her House. What is your opinion and verdict towards her being allowed to get textbooks from the library?" Professor McGonagall patiently waited for the verdict that the short man would tell both of them.
"I believe that you are allowed to go and use any of the D.A.D.A books. I will go and meet Madam Pince later today and tell her of your situation. Of course you cannot leave the library with them," Professor Flitwick spoke and Professor McGonagall absorbed all that he had said before she nodded her head.
"I agree completely with your verdict, Filius. Now, I must admit that you should go to the detentions with Professor Umbridge, at least the first two. She will probably allow you to stop your detentions when she finds out that you are suspended but if she says that you must come back then we can all sit down together with Professor Dumbledore and revisit the entire discipline agenda she has. Not only with you, Miss Lovegood, but a good agenda that she should consider with her other students," Professor McGonagall finally finished and Luna thought for a moment before it was her that was nodding her head this time.
"Of course, professor, thank you. I should get going now," Luna agreed before she got up from her chair and left the office that Professor McGonagall had for situations that happened like this one.
As soon as classes were over everyone was talking to Luna—most of them telling her that they never thought that she would talk to a professor like that, even Professor Umbridge. It wasn't until she saw the Golden Trio heading in her direction that Luna saw that amusement appeared on Ron's face at the thought of Professor Umbridge having a look of shock at being told she was wrong, while Hermione knew not if she should congratulate Luna for standing up for Harry or tell her that she didn't want her to get detention again.
Harry on the other hand jogged up to her and checked her over. He even grabbed her arms and rolled the sleeves up before he pulled them back down. "I'm quite all right, Harry. She just yelled at me. I am certain that if she thought that she could hex me that I would be able to give her more complex hexes than she knew I would be able to target someone with."
Harry allowed himself to slump his shoulders but pulled her forward and she wrapped her arms around him before she submerged herself in the hold of his arms. She could feel him lean his cheekbone against the top of her head and just hold her for a moment before he kissed the top of her head and pulled away from her—keeping them locked together by holding hands.
"Come on, I'll walk you back to your Common Room." Harry felt her lean her head against his arm and hum softly under her breath as they made their way in the opposite direction of where Ron and Hermione were going.
"I don't regret defending you, Harry. Dolores Umbridge does not deserve to be a teacher, nor does she deserve to even be anywhere near Hogwarts. I would defend you all over again if I had to. Professor McGonagall told me to eat a biscuit but I am suspended from classes—"
Luna was yanked back violently when she had gone to walk forward but he had stopped. She turned to him and saw that he had a look of hatred appear on his face at the thought of Luna being suspended from classes. "I know what you are about to say, Harry, but it was Professor Dumbledore that said that he would only have me suspended for two weeks. I am certain that if she could have her way that woman would have expelled me right then and there."
Harry sighed and shook his head, "what am I going to do with you, Luna?" He was showing nothing more than a tired amusement but it only made her love him even more that she knew that she could do things he could possibly question.
This was one thing that she knew for certain that he would have not questioned, because he knew he would have done the same thing if he was in her position and she was in his.
It would not be until Friday that Luna found herself heading into the D.A.D.A. classroom to have her detention with the horrid woman. She had left her office door open at the top of the intersecting staircase.
Luna made her way up the right side of the classroom staircase with her head tilted up and her chin pointed upwards as though to show that she was not ashamed to having been given detention from the woman for defending what had truly happened and that Voldemort really had come back.
She had barely stood in the doorway of the office before she saw Professor Umbridge sitting in a room that was completely covered with pink and white lace. There was porcelain plates hung up on the pink wallpaper that moved around and napped or played or stared at her with undying loyalty to their owner.
"Hello, Miss Lovegood. Please sit down. I have some parchment paper on the desk in front of you that I would like you to write on. I believe that you should do lines and those lines should say: I will still my tongue." Professor Umbridge reached into a drawer and pulled out a quill box from within the drawer.
She opened it and Luna shot up from her spot as she looked down at the dark magic that stirred within that contained box. Sitting there in that little wooden box—nestled in crimson silk was a blood quill. Luna looked up at the woman with complete anger, "did you expect me to not know what that is? It's a blood quill! I will not have you doing this to anyone else!"
Professor Umbridge on the other hand as though she had been told something that she had heard countless times before. "No one will believe you, my dear. Don't think that they will ever believe you."
Luna took a deep breath and knew that there must be some bravery that was in her, something that the hat had told her was going to surface. She lunged forward and grabbed the blood quill before she ran as fast as she could—behind her she could hear the screeching from Professor Umbridge yelling at her and casting spells at her.
Without even realizing it Luna was mindlessly casting off shielding charms in order to make sure that the woman couldn't grab her.
She fell forward onto the stone floor outside of the classroom—on her knees while adrenaline was still coursing through her veins. Behind her she could hear the loud clacking of the woman's pink heels. Knowing that she had to get rid of the blood quill, Luna pulled it out and put pressure on the quill—feeling the dark magic start to rise up and almost swallow her whole.
As it snapped and the shards fell onto the stone floor Luna could not help but feel warmth and happiness at the fact that she had managed to get rid of the quill without having her Harry have to go through the whole horrid experience of having some lines encrusted into his skin forever.
Behind her she heard gasping that let her know that Professor Umbridge saw the shards on the floor and the shards still embedded in her palms.
"You horrid wrench, I will make sure you will regret the day that you ever lived! I will find a way; oh I will find a way to get rid of you! I am sure of it!" Professor Umbridge screeched but they heard clearing of a throat down the hallway—making them look up and see that Professor Dumbledore was standing at the very end of the hallway.
As though she was caught red handed, Professor Umbridge straightened up completely and gave a sickly sweet look. "Hello, Professor Dumbledore, I—"
Professor Dumbledore reached his hand up and showed his palm towards Luna and Professor Umbridge. "Please know that I mean no—"
"Dolores, I will not warn you again. Please be quiet. I see that one of my students is on the ground and that she's distraught. You are also harassing my student and I wish to hear what she has to say."
He bent down to her and Luna looked up at him before she rapidly began to pick up the pieces of the quill and put them into his hands. "Professor Dumbledore, I came to my detention like you asked me to do so. She had a quill for me and she pulled out a blood quill! You can check the magic signature to make sure but I am certain that it is a blood quill!"
Professor Dumbledore stood up, and Luna stood up with him as he turned his attention completely towards Professor Umbridge. "Miss Lovegood, I would suggest you go back to your tower and get some rest. I will have some words with Ms. Umbridge."
It was apparent that things were going to escalate quite quickly, since Luna saw Professor Umbridge had a look of complete fear on her face (especially since Professor Dumbledore did not call her by her teaching title). A odd chilliness settled into the corridor and a little wind ruffled their hair from an unknown force—there was even a crackle of magic that stirred in the air, as though they knew that they were in the presence of a wizard that was trying to not unleash his complete fury while an innocent witch was standing next to him.
Luna spun on her heels and booked it in the direction of where the Gryffindor Tower was, wanting nothing more than the comfort and love from her Harry. She knew that Professor Umbridge's time here at Hogwarts was going to be completely gone—or at the very least reduced to her having just a little shrivel of independence.
