Chapter 3
The headmaster's office was a drab brown colour,brown leather couch ,bookshelves filled with leather bound editions,on the wall were several plaques,behind the mahogany desk was a leather chair.Peter sat on the edge of the couch nervously,he had never been in trouble before and he wasn't sure he liked the guilty feeling he was experiencing,though he was glad he had defended Chester,he hated when kids who were smaller and weaker were bullied .He could hear the headmasters shoes on the hardwood floor each step was like a beat of doom in Peter's ears.The door opened and Headmaster McLearton came in he sat down behind the desk,but didn't say anything for a while but instead sat back looking at Peter a look of disappointment in his eyes he gave a deep sigh before speaking; in short clipped tones he began his lecture.
"Fighting,no matter how noble you think your being will not be tolerated.For your conduct and involvement you will be punished along with the other four boys involved in this unseemly conduct.This is a respectable place of learning and if you can not uphold your self in a befitting manner,I will write to your parents for your immediate removal,is that understood"he asked .Peter nodded."Do not nod your head when I ask you a question respond with 'Yes,sir' or 'no,sir' is that understood" McLearton asked looking at Peter,"Yes sir" he said softly .Mclearton nodded in approval "Report to room eleven after dinner" he said dismissing Peter.
"Pevensie!" Charles Whitmore barked coming over to the younger boy,he was surrounded by his friends,Davison.Cecil ,and Martin,"You interfered, firstie,we were trying to teach the nerd a lesson and you interefered no one interferes with us,you're going to be very sorry,do you hear me " he threatened,before walking away his friends following behind him.
Peter stood there staring after them then walked down the corridor,he heard running footsteps behind him and someone calling his name,turning around he saw Chester run up to him
"I wanted to tell you thanks,you know for what you did back there on the playing field " Chester said pushing his glasses up .Peter looked at him for an eleven year old ,Chester was a bit small no wonder he got bullied a lot.
Peter shrugged,he hated being thanked for doing something any decent human would do.
Chester walked with him,"You didn't get into too much trouble did you" he asked worriedly
"No" he lied trying not to think of the punishment in store,hoping it wasn't too horrid.
That night at dinner he barely ate his food and was the first one out of the dining hall.
Room eleven was used for detentions ,Peter opened the door and walked over to a desk he sat down keeping eyes on a crack in the center of the desk,one of the teachers sat behind the desk,he seemed to be waiting for the other boys to arrive because he kept pulling out his pocket watch and looking at the clock on the wall.The door opened and Davison and his friends came in jostling each other and laughing ,each of them gave Peter a dirty look before sitting down.
Mr.Westler stood up; several sheets of paper in his arm and began walking down the aisle stopping at each occupied desk ,he placed a stack of paper in front of each boy "Two hundred lines"I will not fight" single spaced and written no printing and I want it legibly if I can't read it you start over again" he warned "No talking" he said before sitting behind the desk.
For the next several hours the only sound was the scratching of pencils against paper.
Finally when Peter thought his fingers would fall off, the teacher dismissed them "Report back here tomorrow" he said as they left the room.heading back to the dormitories
"Pevensie!" Davison yanked the eleven year old back "We're not done with you yet,firstie,you intefered therefore we need to teach you a lesson"
Peter waited for the punch but it never came ,instead Davison said "Tonight at midnight meet us in the third floor bathroom" he said before continuing on down the hall with his friends.
Peter wondered what they were planning ,half of him didn't want to find out,but the other half of him knew if he didn't his first term would be horrid.
Peter sat up it was exactly midnight,he pushed his covers aside and pulled his robe on over his pyjamas.half the students said the third floor bathroom was rumoured to be haunted
Peter opened the door to the bathroom,the light was on and Davis,Charles,Carrington ,Martin and Cecil were waiting for him each boy had a wicked grin on his face "Do you know what we do to firsties that interfere with us" Davison asked going over to the window and opening it .
Peter shook his head wondering why the window was open,he shivered slightly as a breeze wafted in
"We teach them a lesson your going to spend two hours on the school roof" Davison said .
Peter grew very pale"I'll get in trouble" he said weakly climbing a rope in gym was bad enough but being up on the roof was absolutely terrifying,it was dark and the roof slanted what if he fell?
"If you don't we'll make your first term here horrible" Davison threatened "Trust us you don't want to be beaten up every day now do you" he asked leaning in close,
Peter shook his head,he climbed up on the ledge"How will I know when two hours have passed" he asked
The other boys laughed "Don't worry you;ll know" they said before leaving the bathroom.
Peter 's heart was pounding as he climbed out of the bathroom and onto the roof ,the roof slanted but he found that if he placed his feet against one of the chimneys he wouldn't fall,that was hardly comforting considering the fact that he was at least twenty feet from the ground.
He closed his eyes praying for the two hours to pass quickly .
He shivered as the night grew colder,the longer he was up there the worse his fear became,cautiously he crawled to the edge of the roof and peered down ,to his horror the window was shut ,carefully he backed up,if he yelled someone was bound to come but then again who would hear him over this wind ,plus they'd want to know why he was on the roof,and Peter was not a tattler even if that person deserved it.
(Let someone come please,please,please) he pleaded .
For some reason he knew they weren't coming back,he wrapped his robe around him tighter and closed his eyes.
He must have fallen asleep,because when he opened his eyes again the sky was grey and he was staring into the green eyes of the groundskeeper,"What are you doing up here,lad" McDermot asked in rough Scottish brogue,Peter didn't answer he couldn't now that it was light he could see how high up he was .
McDermot was standing on a ladder,"e on,lad let's get you down on the ground ,then ,what's the matter,oh I see you're scared of heights aren't you,well I'll go down first and you follow behind me,just step where I step,there's a good lad,slow and steady, easy does it,almost there" finally they reached the ground
"I'd go back up to the school and into the dotmitory before you get in trouble" McDermot said shouldering the ladder.
"You're not going to tell" Peter asked when he could find his voice .
No,lad,just try to stay off the school roof"McDermot said with a wink.
Peter ran toward the school and up to the dormitory without being caught,he slid into bed and pulled the covers up over his head.