Chapter 4: Receiving Detention
The first couple of months of school went smoothly. Malfoy made sure to insult the Gryffindors but not to make any physical threats, seeing how he had received one of his own from Ron. Hermione was excelling in the classroom as usual, while Harry excelled on the field. Vinnie was adjusting nicely and was enjoying Hogwarts, except for Potions. That was when Malfoy seemed to be the most vocal and, annoyingly, Professor Snape rarely did anything about it.
Today, Malfoy was holding Goyle's cauldron over his head, imitating Hermione's hair, much to his fellow Slytherin's amusement. Vinnie felt sorry for Hermione so she stupidly dared Lavender to throw something at Malfoy to make him stop.
"What are you doing?! I didn't think you'd listen to me!" Vinnie cried.
"What? You dared me to so I-"
"Who threw this?" Malfoy demanded, holding up a cloth with green slimy goop on it. He turned to Vinnie's table. "It came from over there."
"What's going on?" Snape asked.
"Professor, somebody thought it would be funny to throw this at me," Malfoy explained, turning to face Snape at the front of the room. Vinnie could see where the cloth at hit him on the back of the neck. She wondered where Lavender had found the cloth and tried to stifle a laugh.
"And what is so funny, Miss Sinclair?" Snape interrogated. "Perhaps you know who threw that disgusting thing at Mr. Malfoy."
"Nope. Didn't see a thing."
"Well, it came from your table," Malfoy said. "Are you so dumb you'd miss something flying through the air?"
"I'm not so dumb that people throw stuff at me."
Malfoy threw the cloth down. "Excuse me? Did you just insult me? I'm a Malfoy! You can't do that!"
"I just did!"
By now the classroom had gone silent and everyone was staring at Malfoy and Vinnie. Even Snape looked shocked. No students had blatantly argued that way in his class before. He rose behind his desk, unsure of what to do.
"Both of you sit! Ten points from Gryffindor." There, that always fixed things.
"For what?" Vinnie exploded. "For defending myself?"
"For disrupting my class. Now sit or I'll make it 15."
"What is your problem? You can't treat people like this! And you can't let him just walk around like he's king!"
"He can let me act however I want. I'm in his house, it's his choice," Malfoy said smugly.
"Why do you think you're so much better than everyone else?" Vinnie asked in a disgusted tone of voice.
"Because I am. My father-"
"Is a Death Eater. You think that's so great?"
"You - how - er - what's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean your father is a loser and a disgrace to the wizarding world! And I hope he gets what he deserves!" Vinnie yelled.
Malfoy was stupefied. No one had ever, ever dared to say anything like that about his father to his face. He took a deep breath and let out his worst.
"Yeah well, at least I know who my father is!" She probably did know but she had never mentioned him. Too bad for her. He smirked. Vinnie, on the other hand, looked like she might cry.
"Don't say things you don't know anything about." She was trying very hard to remain calm but felt her eyes watering anyway. How dare he? He had no idea what she had gone through.
Malfoy suddenly felt slightly guilty. He hadn't intended for her to react this way. Hermione got up to comfort her friend while everyone else sat there awkwardly. Malfoy opened his mouth to speak again but Snape cut him off.
"That is enough!" he roared. He was so shocked he wasn't sure what to do next. He couldn't just take away points; Dumbledore would have a fit. One of his students had reduced another to tears. This called for,
"Detention! Both of you! Starting Monday for a week! Now, everyone sit down and if I hear one more word out of anyone, for any reason, their house will lose 50 points!" Hermione went back to her seat as Malfoy and Vinnie sat down. Detention meant spending time after school in the same room as Malfoy, Snape's perfect little student. Great. Just what she needed. Luckily, it was Friday and she would have the entire weekend to prepare herself.
The first couple of months of school went smoothly. Malfoy made sure to insult the Gryffindors but not to make any physical threats, seeing how he had received one of his own from Ron. Hermione was excelling in the classroom as usual, while Harry excelled on the field. Vinnie was adjusting nicely and was enjoying Hogwarts, except for Potions. That was when Malfoy seemed to be the most vocal and, annoyingly, Professor Snape rarely did anything about it.
Today, Malfoy was holding Goyle's cauldron over his head, imitating Hermione's hair, much to his fellow Slytherin's amusement. Vinnie felt sorry for Hermione so she stupidly dared Lavender to throw something at Malfoy to make him stop.
"What are you doing?! I didn't think you'd listen to me!" Vinnie cried.
"What? You dared me to so I-"
"Who threw this?" Malfoy demanded, holding up a cloth with green slimy goop on it. He turned to Vinnie's table. "It came from over there."
"What's going on?" Snape asked.
"Professor, somebody thought it would be funny to throw this at me," Malfoy explained, turning to face Snape at the front of the room. Vinnie could see where the cloth at hit him on the back of the neck. She wondered where Lavender had found the cloth and tried to stifle a laugh.
"And what is so funny, Miss Sinclair?" Snape interrogated. "Perhaps you know who threw that disgusting thing at Mr. Malfoy."
"Nope. Didn't see a thing."
"Well, it came from your table," Malfoy said. "Are you so dumb you'd miss something flying through the air?"
"I'm not so dumb that people throw stuff at me."
Malfoy threw the cloth down. "Excuse me? Did you just insult me? I'm a Malfoy! You can't do that!"
"I just did!"
By now the classroom had gone silent and everyone was staring at Malfoy and Vinnie. Even Snape looked shocked. No students had blatantly argued that way in his class before. He rose behind his desk, unsure of what to do.
"Both of you sit! Ten points from Gryffindor." There, that always fixed things.
"For what?" Vinnie exploded. "For defending myself?"
"For disrupting my class. Now sit or I'll make it 15."
"What is your problem? You can't treat people like this! And you can't let him just walk around like he's king!"
"He can let me act however I want. I'm in his house, it's his choice," Malfoy said smugly.
"Why do you think you're so much better than everyone else?" Vinnie asked in a disgusted tone of voice.
"Because I am. My father-"
"Is a Death Eater. You think that's so great?"
"You - how - er - what's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean your father is a loser and a disgrace to the wizarding world! And I hope he gets what he deserves!" Vinnie yelled.
Malfoy was stupefied. No one had ever, ever dared to say anything like that about his father to his face. He took a deep breath and let out his worst.
"Yeah well, at least I know who my father is!" She probably did know but she had never mentioned him. Too bad for her. He smirked. Vinnie, on the other hand, looked like she might cry.
"Don't say things you don't know anything about." She was trying very hard to remain calm but felt her eyes watering anyway. How dare he? He had no idea what she had gone through.
Malfoy suddenly felt slightly guilty. He hadn't intended for her to react this way. Hermione got up to comfort her friend while everyone else sat there awkwardly. Malfoy opened his mouth to speak again but Snape cut him off.
"That is enough!" he roared. He was so shocked he wasn't sure what to do next. He couldn't just take away points; Dumbledore would have a fit. One of his students had reduced another to tears. This called for,
"Detention! Both of you! Starting Monday for a week! Now, everyone sit down and if I hear one more word out of anyone, for any reason, their house will lose 50 points!" Hermione went back to her seat as Malfoy and Vinnie sat down. Detention meant spending time after school in the same room as Malfoy, Snape's perfect little student. Great. Just what she needed. Luckily, it was Friday and she would have the entire weekend to prepare herself.