Things were finally looking up. After a weekend of relaxation, and
no fear or guilt looming over my shoulders, I could begin to concentrate
on my schoolwork again. Monday went by well, without a hitch, and I
finished most of my homework that night.
"I feel good about this paper for Binns," I told Franco during dinner.
"I don't," said Franco glumly. He was picking at his potatoes with his fork. "I haven't started it yet."
"Franco, it's due on Wednesday! And it's quite long too."
"I know, I know… I just can never start reports, you know? I just sit there and stare at the big, blank piece of parchment for hours, hoping that something will come to me."
"Some people just have a hard time with words, that's all," I said, as we got up and left the Great Hall.
"Yeah, and some people are just stupid. You're a perfect example, Polley."
I spun around and saw a sixth year Slytherin by the name of Martin Malone.
"Leave us alone."
"No, I don't think I will, Cockerham," he sneered.
Martin was a large boy. His size and stature could scare not only first and second years, but seventh years as well. Even Professor Flitwick was afraid of him. He had dark brown hair and squinty blue eyes. His face and arms were covered with freckles and he had large sideburns going all the way down the side of his face.
"What have we ever done to you, Martin?" I asked, almost pleadingly.
"Nothing," he smiled.
"Then leave us ALONE!"
"No."
"You're such a bully. You've been bothering Franco and me since our first year. Haven't you got anything better to do?" I yelled.
"Yeah," he said slowly, "But I really need to brush up on my punching skills." He grabbed Franco by the collar and looked down at him menacingly. Franco was small and easily intimidated already, but next to Martin he seemed to shrink even smaller.
"Leave him alone!" I grabbed Martin's arm and tried to pull it off of Franco.
"What's going on here?" Snape was coming out of the Great Hall. "Go on, get to your Common Rooms," he said to the crowd which had begun to form. They slowly started to leave, rather unhappily. I'm sure most people enjoyed seeing a good fight.
Martin, meanwhile, had released his grip on Franco and was attempting to look cute and innocent, a very difficult feat for him.
"Oh, good evening, Professor," he said in a sickly sweet voice. "I was just telling some jokes to my pal Polley here," he slapped Franco hard on the back. "Isn't that right, Polley?"
"No," I said quietly. Then more loudly I said, "No, Professor. That's not the truth. Martin was harassing us. We were just minding our own business, Sir." I looked down at my feet. I felt awkward around Snape now. I wasn't quite sure to act whenever he was near.
Snape was silent for a moment, then spoke.
"Fifteen points from Slytherin, Mr. Malone," Martin's jaw dropped. "Now everyone back to their Common Rooms."
I looked up at Snape, but couldn't exactly read his face. Fifteen points! From his own house!
"Wow!" Franco whispered, as we climbed the staircase. "Snape NEVER takes points from his own house, especially not from Malone! I wonder what's gotten into him?"
"Hmm," I replied.
"I feel good about this paper for Binns," I told Franco during dinner.
"I don't," said Franco glumly. He was picking at his potatoes with his fork. "I haven't started it yet."
"Franco, it's due on Wednesday! And it's quite long too."
"I know, I know… I just can never start reports, you know? I just sit there and stare at the big, blank piece of parchment for hours, hoping that something will come to me."
"Some people just have a hard time with words, that's all," I said, as we got up and left the Great Hall.
"Yeah, and some people are just stupid. You're a perfect example, Polley."
I spun around and saw a sixth year Slytherin by the name of Martin Malone.
"Leave us alone."
"No, I don't think I will, Cockerham," he sneered.
Martin was a large boy. His size and stature could scare not only first and second years, but seventh years as well. Even Professor Flitwick was afraid of him. He had dark brown hair and squinty blue eyes. His face and arms were covered with freckles and he had large sideburns going all the way down the side of his face.
"What have we ever done to you, Martin?" I asked, almost pleadingly.
"Nothing," he smiled.
"Then leave us ALONE!"
"No."
"You're such a bully. You've been bothering Franco and me since our first year. Haven't you got anything better to do?" I yelled.
"Yeah," he said slowly, "But I really need to brush up on my punching skills." He grabbed Franco by the collar and looked down at him menacingly. Franco was small and easily intimidated already, but next to Martin he seemed to shrink even smaller.
"Leave him alone!" I grabbed Martin's arm and tried to pull it off of Franco.
"What's going on here?" Snape was coming out of the Great Hall. "Go on, get to your Common Rooms," he said to the crowd which had begun to form. They slowly started to leave, rather unhappily. I'm sure most people enjoyed seeing a good fight.
Martin, meanwhile, had released his grip on Franco and was attempting to look cute and innocent, a very difficult feat for him.
"Oh, good evening, Professor," he said in a sickly sweet voice. "I was just telling some jokes to my pal Polley here," he slapped Franco hard on the back. "Isn't that right, Polley?"
"No," I said quietly. Then more loudly I said, "No, Professor. That's not the truth. Martin was harassing us. We were just minding our own business, Sir." I looked down at my feet. I felt awkward around Snape now. I wasn't quite sure to act whenever he was near.
Snape was silent for a moment, then spoke.
"Fifteen points from Slytherin, Mr. Malone," Martin's jaw dropped. "Now everyone back to their Common Rooms."
I looked up at Snape, but couldn't exactly read his face. Fifteen points! From his own house!
"Wow!" Franco whispered, as we climbed the staircase. "Snape NEVER takes points from his own house, especially not from Malone! I wonder what's gotten into him?"
"Hmm," I replied.
