Disclaimer: Alas me no owns Harry Potter. Me wished me owns but me doesn't…Oh well…
NOTE: I made some slight changes to my first two chapters. To tell you guys the truth you probably won't even notice it but I made them anyway. Well, with that said…read and review. Reviews make my day.
Chapter 3 – Dante's Inferno
Professor Dante cleared his throat in an attempt to obtain silence from the class in front of him, composed by 7th year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. He had to do it again before the students realized what he wanted and silence feel on the classroom. He left the desk where he had been sitting on and started scanning the room with slow and careful steps. Rosh was sitting with a fellow Gryffindor boy and Katherine was sitting with Jade as usual on the table right beside them. Suddenly Professor Dante stopped right in the middle of the two tables. He looked at the girls' table and then at the boys'. Without a single word he picked Rosh's book and opened it. Katherine knew he was reading 'property of Hogwarts library' and that meant trouble. Emanuel Dante was a responsible person and demanded his students were responsible as well.
"Mr. Lupin, tell me, is this book yours?" he asked in his deep voice even though he already knew the answer.
"No, sir." Rosh answered.
"And why do you have in your possession a book that is not yours?"
"I lost mine, sir."
"You lost yours?"
"Yes, sir."
By now Katherine could see Rosh was getting upset. She knew his temper rose without control during full moon days. Unlike his father Rosh didn't fall sick. He got out of control for the most trivial of things. So Katherine prepared herself for what was bound to happen.
"Mr. Lupin, what does losing your book make you?"
"An irresponsible person."
"And what do I do to irresponsible people?"
"I wouldn't know, Professor." Rosh's voice had assumed a defiant tone.
"Would that be because I never punished you for being irresponsible, Mr Lupin? Because as far as I remember this is not your first time."
"I think you are wrong."
"I know I'm right. Now get out of my classroom." Professor Dante ordered calmly.
"Professor, is this really necessary?" Katherine asked concerned.
"Miss Black, stay out of this. I absolutely despise when you interfere with my affairs. Mr Lupin is to exit this classroom immediately." Professor Dante practically screamed at Katherine.
"Don't yell at her." Rosh said in a menacing tone.
"You're still here, Mr Lupin? Get out this instance and only return when you find your book."
"Professor…" Katherine stepped in again.
"Miss Black, I've warned you. Do you wish to be thrown out my class as well?"
"Leave her alone." Rosh yelled, standing up, his eyes shining dangerously.
"Mr. Lupin calm yourself. And once you have accomplished that, leave. And take your obnoxious cousin with you before I lose my temper."
No one really saw what happened next because it was like a flash. What everyone saw was Professor Dante a few feet back from where he had been standing, the front of his robes shredded; Rosh standing, his eyes shining brightly and panting hard, and Katherine, also standing, her right hand on Rosh's neck.
"You! Headmistress' office immediately." Professor Dante said, his right hand over his beating heart and his left pointing at Rosh.
Katherine got hold of the back of Rosh's robe and dragged him outside. The hallways were empty and Katherine took the opportunity to try and calm him down. He was still panting and his eyes were still shining. Katherine pushed him against a wall and started caressing his head while whispering soothing words on his ear. Gradually his breathing went back to normal and his eyes lost their unnatural shine. After about five minutes he returned to normal.
"I'm doomed ain't I?" he asked calmly, looking Katherine straight in the eye.
"I don't know, love. I really don't know." She said sincerely.
He stepped away from the wall and made his way to the Headmistress' office on his own. Katherine had something else to do.
Rosh entered Professor McGonagall's office to find her waiting for him. He half expected his mother to be there but he figured the Headmistress wanted to talk to him alone first. A piece of parchment was in front of her and he knew Professor Dante had sent it.
"Have a seat, Rosh." Professor McGonagall said softly. Frowning a bit he did what he was told.
"I reckon you already know what happened, right Professor?" he asked, sitting on a chair in front of her.
"I have a note here that says you attacked Professor Dante. Care to elaborate on that?"
"Well…you see…I…tonight is a full moon." Rosh stammered.
"Rosh, dear, I can't accept that as an excuse anymore. For the past 7 years every month I had to punish you for something you did on a full moon day. They were always light punishments, but this time you went out of line. Attacking a teacher is very bad and you know it. I'm thinking of giving you detention until the end of the year."
"What? But…that's 8 months."
"Think of it as a way to skip these meetings every time you make a mistake."
"But Professor…"
Rosh was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Hold that thought dear." She told Rosh. "Come in."
The door opened and Katherine appeared from behind it.
"Excuse me Professor. I came to bring Rosh's medicine." She announced showing a fuming goblet.
"You forgot your medicine, Rosh?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"I had to go to the library to get a book and I was going to be late to class if I went all the way down to the dungeons to get it." he explained.
The Headmistress sighed deeply and nodded. Katherine gave Rosh the goblet and he pulled a face before drinking the fuming liquid. He pulled a worse face after he drank it.
"Well I guess this works for your advantage Rosh. I'm reducing the detention to 3 months. But next time remember to take your medicine first thing in the morning. Go get it the night before if you have to. Now the two of you can go." Professor McGonagall said tiredly.
Rosh got up and got hold of Katherine's elbow, dragging her out of the office before she could say anything. Once back on the hallway he released her.
"3 months of detention?" she asked in awe.
"Yeah, and it was supposed to be 8 if it wasn't for the Wolfsbane."
"And why did you drag me out of there? I was going to say something on your defence."
"Oh really? And what would that be?" he asked interested.
"I would come up with something."
"Just forget it. I wonder who she's going to put me with."
"You know exactly who it's going to be."
"I am doomed. 3 months of detention with my mother. I'm so dead." Rosh said and covered his face with his hands.
Katherine approached him and embraced him tightly. He hugged her back and they stayed like that almost until the bell rang announcing the end of classes.
It didn't take long before the whole school knew what happened. Of course the story of what happened inside the Transfiguration classroom differed from floor to floor. Of what Katherine had heard so far no one knew what had happened exactly. What everyone did know for a fact was that Rosh had been punished with 3 months of detention with Professor Sarah and Professor Dante. His detention had been scheduled and the result was worst than expected. 3 days with his mother and 3 days with Professor Dante. Fortunately he had Sundays off. Not that Katherine saw any good in that. It was going to be 3 months in hell. Or would it?
Katherine was making her way to the Great Hall for lunch when she heard her name. Turning back she saw Jacob approaching her with a smile on his face. She rolled her eyes and sighed in exasperation.
"What do you want, Jacob?" she asked annoyed.
"Don't cut my head off without listening to what I have to propose." He said playfully.
"And what would that be?" She asked raising her eyebrow.
"I can make your cousin's detention go away." He announced calmly.
"How?"
"I got a bit of influence. I can change the whole story and Lupin goes free."
"I so doubt that."
"Doubt all you want. But I can make it happen. As long as I get a payment that is."
"Why didn't I see this coming? What do you want, Jacob?"
"A date. Three dates in fact. One from each month."
"You expect me to go out with you as a payment to save Rosh?"
"Exactly. You go out with me and I save Rosh's sad behind."
"With that attitude you'll get nothing."
He raised his hands in mock surrender and Katherine glared at him. Did she want to do this? Was she willing to go out with Jacob just so that Rosh was freed from his detention? She knew his detention was going to make their meetings impossible and she also knew she wouldn't be able to stand it. That made her decision easier.
"I'll go out with you. But don't even think about touching me." She warned him.
"Touching is not a part of the deal. You made the right choice you know?" he said smiling.
"Whatever, Jacob. Now go do what you have to do."
"Yes, my dear. Excuse me." He said still smiling, took hold of her hand and kissed it softly. She forced her hand away from his and glared. She was in so much trouble now.
Jade almost fell from her chair when Katherine told her what had happened earlier with Jacob.
"You accepted to go out with him? Are you insane?" she asked in pure shock.
"Yes, I am. Completely insane. But I have to do this. It's for Rosh."
"I understand, Kat. But it doesn't make it the least bit less insane." Jade said taking a sip from her drink.
"I just hope he understands too." Kat said a bit sadly.
However her mood got higher when she saw Rosh entering the Great Hall grinning madly. He stopped the girls and practically ran to them.
"You are not going to believe this." He said panting.
"What?" asked Jade.
"My detention has been eliminated. Apparently Professor Dante went to Professor McGonagall and told her I had ripped his robe because I had seen a huge bug on them and was just trying to save him from the fierce beast. It was all a misunderstanding. And then Professor McGonagall told me I was no longer serving detention. How great is that?" He explained excited.
Katherine smiled, showing she was happy for him and mumbled a response. Then she looked at the entrance of the Great Hall and saw Jacob with a smirk on his face heading towards his table. Watching him walk to his table Katherine started thinking how she was going to tell Rosh about the whole situation.
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Wow! This story is getting more reviews with 2 chapters than the previous one. Cool! Thanks you guys. You rock.
To Aria-wolfstar: Are you trying to mislead me by saying that you are thirteen? shakes head Anyway I'm glad you don't see them as cousins cause things are bound to get hot around here. ;) About Kat turning into a wolf? That is for later and I'm thinking you guys get to decide on that. But that is more towards the end…no wait, make that for the last chapter…:D Thanks for reviewing and keep doing it ;)
Amilin: I'm fine with you liking Professor Dante. He's not a bad guy, he's just picky. I hope you did well on your exams. I know how hard they can get no matter what country you do them in. Read and review when you can ;)
Snuffles2984: Once again, what would I do without you? Thanks for pointing out the whole 'cookies'/'cakes' situation. I fixed it already and I think all is well now. Thanks again. ;)
Cheers people…keep reading and reviewing.