Chapter 23
"Hallways"
Fortunately, Headmistress Howe was able to calm herself after a long conversation with Headmaster Dumbledore about the entire situation. Howe had volunteered herself to assist in the search for the students and sent an owl back to the SWI to let them know what was going on.
The girls were not being forced to be sent back home to the SWI, since Howe was assured that they would try and run off again. The girls were going to be staying at Hogwarts (at Dumbledore's suggestion, and under his supervision). This way they could be close by and receive information about the situation as soon as it reached Dumbledore. They were placed under a sort of probation, though. They were given schedules and forced to attend classes as usual, but they were under strict scrutiny by the faculty, any move that looked as if they were planning escape was noted and they were reprimanded.
Currently, the two were just leaving Herbology class, and were under the watchful eye of Professor Sprout as they walked back towards the castle.
"If we could apparate, trying to find the others would be much easier you know." Rory said as they trudged along with the members of Hufflepuff House.
"Even if we could, the school's pretty secure with spells and such, it wouldn't work if we tried." Tabitha murmured.
"Want to try and leave tonight?" Rory whispered.
"Our brooms were confiscated.It wouldn't exactly be practical to go on foot," Tabitha replied.
"True. but it's worth a try." Rory said, giving a small smile.
Tabitha smiled back in spite of herself, and they headed up the stairs into the castle itself, wandering down the hallways, trying to figure out where they needed to be. Rory looked around, after feeling a prickling on the back of her neck. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw that Filch was watching them from the other end of the corridor to make sure they went to class. There was no escaping the faculty's watchful eyes.
"Transfiguration," Tabitha murmured.
"What?" Rory asked.
"We're going there," Tabitha answered, gesturing at the schedule in her hand.
Rory sighed, nodding, "Even in a crisis, you're school focused."
Tabitha frowned, "Sorry, it's a force of habit."
By now the two had come to the classroom where Professor McGonogal taught the art of transfiguration. Ahead of them a class of 6th year Slytherins was just finishing classes.
"Stupid of them, ya know?" came a drawling voice in front of them. Rory perked up, listening intently. "They went and got themselves killed probably. Good thing too. One less Mudblood in the world to deal with."
There was a pause and Rory saw who was speaking. It was a thin, pale boy with very light blonde hair who was walking along with two ogre-like companions. "Besides," he was telling them, "I think the school will be much better off without Miss Know-It-All Granger, Ragged Weasley, and that Rotter of a Wizard, Potter." He broke into cruel laughter and his companions snickered along as well.
Rory's eyes narrowed and she stormed foreword, grabbing the younger boy by the collar of his shirt, hoisting him up and slamming him to the wall.
"How dare you!" she shrieked, not loosening her grip on the boy, who had paled noticeably and kicked his feet out from his new height.
Tabitha started at the sight, Rory was seething, and her arm muscles were tensed and ready to do almost anything if the boy made so much as an insulting gesture.
The boy started to speak and Rory jerked upwards, making sure the boy's feet remained off the ground. "State your name, you brat!" she hissed, glaring with fire in her green eyes.
The blonde boy choked out, "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." The boy, even though slightly panicked, still kept a smug smirk on his pallor face.
"Well.Draco.What gives you the right to say things like that about the missing three, hmm?" Rory demanded.
Tabitha stepped foreword, gently touching Rory's shoulder, her brown eyes were darting around nervously. She whispered, "A crowd's gathered." It was true. In fact, most of the hallway had stopped immediately in their tracks when they saw Malfoy being treated in such a manner, especially by a girl. Rory released her grip and let Malfoy fall to the ground, hitting the stone floor with a thud. The crowd watched with interest, whispering amongst themselves.
Rory continued to glare down at Malfoy who was rubbing his neck as he stood. "My father will most definitely not be pleased.I'll have you expelled!" He stated, smirking nastily.
Rory forced a grin back, "What's it matter, smart ass? I'm not even a student here."
Malfoy looked puzzled a moment and then sneered, "Oh, it's the outsiders, the ones who came to SAVE the trio." He extended the word 'save' annoyingly and started to laugh, following suite his comrades began to laugh as well.
"It would be wise for you to stop while you're ahead," Tabitha said quietly, but sternly.
"Since when do I take orders from a Mudblood, especially one related to that snot-nosed brat, Granger?" Malfoy said with a grin.
Tabitha's hand was very tempted to swipe across the boy's pale face, but she instead gripped her books tighter to her chest. She turned to Rory, who was looking ready to pounce on Malfoy and tear his throat out.
"We have to get to class now Rory." Tabitha said quietly, starting to walk past the Slytherins who hissed and laughed after. Rory started after Tabitha, but not before shouldering Malfoy into the wall.
His goons, Crabbe and Goyle, stepped over to help Malfoy but he shoved them away. Malfoy straightened himself up, dusting off his cloak, and snapped orders to his followers, "Come on." Then he went storming off in the opposite direction.
"Hallways"
Fortunately, Headmistress Howe was able to calm herself after a long conversation with Headmaster Dumbledore about the entire situation. Howe had volunteered herself to assist in the search for the students and sent an owl back to the SWI to let them know what was going on.
The girls were not being forced to be sent back home to the SWI, since Howe was assured that they would try and run off again. The girls were going to be staying at Hogwarts (at Dumbledore's suggestion, and under his supervision). This way they could be close by and receive information about the situation as soon as it reached Dumbledore. They were placed under a sort of probation, though. They were given schedules and forced to attend classes as usual, but they were under strict scrutiny by the faculty, any move that looked as if they were planning escape was noted and they were reprimanded.
Currently, the two were just leaving Herbology class, and were under the watchful eye of Professor Sprout as they walked back towards the castle.
"If we could apparate, trying to find the others would be much easier you know." Rory said as they trudged along with the members of Hufflepuff House.
"Even if we could, the school's pretty secure with spells and such, it wouldn't work if we tried." Tabitha murmured.
"Want to try and leave tonight?" Rory whispered.
"Our brooms were confiscated.It wouldn't exactly be practical to go on foot," Tabitha replied.
"True. but it's worth a try." Rory said, giving a small smile.
Tabitha smiled back in spite of herself, and they headed up the stairs into the castle itself, wandering down the hallways, trying to figure out where they needed to be. Rory looked around, after feeling a prickling on the back of her neck. Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw that Filch was watching them from the other end of the corridor to make sure they went to class. There was no escaping the faculty's watchful eyes.
"Transfiguration," Tabitha murmured.
"What?" Rory asked.
"We're going there," Tabitha answered, gesturing at the schedule in her hand.
Rory sighed, nodding, "Even in a crisis, you're school focused."
Tabitha frowned, "Sorry, it's a force of habit."
By now the two had come to the classroom where Professor McGonogal taught the art of transfiguration. Ahead of them a class of 6th year Slytherins was just finishing classes.
"Stupid of them, ya know?" came a drawling voice in front of them. Rory perked up, listening intently. "They went and got themselves killed probably. Good thing too. One less Mudblood in the world to deal with."
There was a pause and Rory saw who was speaking. It was a thin, pale boy with very light blonde hair who was walking along with two ogre-like companions. "Besides," he was telling them, "I think the school will be much better off without Miss Know-It-All Granger, Ragged Weasley, and that Rotter of a Wizard, Potter." He broke into cruel laughter and his companions snickered along as well.
Rory's eyes narrowed and she stormed foreword, grabbing the younger boy by the collar of his shirt, hoisting him up and slamming him to the wall.
"How dare you!" she shrieked, not loosening her grip on the boy, who had paled noticeably and kicked his feet out from his new height.
Tabitha started at the sight, Rory was seething, and her arm muscles were tensed and ready to do almost anything if the boy made so much as an insulting gesture.
The boy started to speak and Rory jerked upwards, making sure the boy's feet remained off the ground. "State your name, you brat!" she hissed, glaring with fire in her green eyes.
The blonde boy choked out, "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." The boy, even though slightly panicked, still kept a smug smirk on his pallor face.
"Well.Draco.What gives you the right to say things like that about the missing three, hmm?" Rory demanded.
Tabitha stepped foreword, gently touching Rory's shoulder, her brown eyes were darting around nervously. She whispered, "A crowd's gathered." It was true. In fact, most of the hallway had stopped immediately in their tracks when they saw Malfoy being treated in such a manner, especially by a girl. Rory released her grip and let Malfoy fall to the ground, hitting the stone floor with a thud. The crowd watched with interest, whispering amongst themselves.
Rory continued to glare down at Malfoy who was rubbing his neck as he stood. "My father will most definitely not be pleased.I'll have you expelled!" He stated, smirking nastily.
Rory forced a grin back, "What's it matter, smart ass? I'm not even a student here."
Malfoy looked puzzled a moment and then sneered, "Oh, it's the outsiders, the ones who came to SAVE the trio." He extended the word 'save' annoyingly and started to laugh, following suite his comrades began to laugh as well.
"It would be wise for you to stop while you're ahead," Tabitha said quietly, but sternly.
"Since when do I take orders from a Mudblood, especially one related to that snot-nosed brat, Granger?" Malfoy said with a grin.
Tabitha's hand was very tempted to swipe across the boy's pale face, but she instead gripped her books tighter to her chest. She turned to Rory, who was looking ready to pounce on Malfoy and tear his throat out.
"We have to get to class now Rory." Tabitha said quietly, starting to walk past the Slytherins who hissed and laughed after. Rory started after Tabitha, but not before shouldering Malfoy into the wall.
His goons, Crabbe and Goyle, stepped over to help Malfoy but he shoved them away. Malfoy straightened himself up, dusting off his cloak, and snapped orders to his followers, "Come on." Then he went storming off in the opposite direction.