Life At Hogwarts And Beyond
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters they belong to JK Rowling.
Challenge: Week six, this challenge is a 'missing moment' challenge. Unlike challenge five, it is entirely character-oriented. We want you to write about a missing moment in a HP character's life.
Name: Dramione
House: Hufflepuff
Character: Marietta Edgecombe
Chapter 6 - I Had To Do It
I sat at the Ravenclaw table, pushing the food around my plate. My thoughts were focused on what I was planning to do later that evening. I had to do it, it was the right thing to do I reasoned with myself. I shoved the plate away from me. I was going to do this before I lost my nerve, I decided determinedly. I turned and stared at my friend, trying not to think of what the implications of my actions later would mean for her if she was one of the students caught.
"No." I whispered firmly.
The DA was illegal and if I didn't tell, we could all end up in trouble. Not to mention what could happen to my mother, she could lose her job. I was involved in illegal activity against the Ministry of Magic; I could end up expelled and my mother could lose her job, I told myself strongly.
I shook my head furiously against the conflicting thoughts. No matter how hard it was for me to betray Cho, I had to do it. It was for her own good and it was the right thing to do. I stared at my plate intently throughout the rest of dinner trying to hold myself together. I kept whispering over and over again in my head that it was the right thing to do.
I knew that Cho was looking at me strangely as I was deathly quiet which was unlike me, but no matter how many times she tried to catch my gaze, I deliberately avoided eye contact with her. The second dinner was over, I grabbed my bag and darted out of the Great Hall before Cho had a chance to catch me and ask what was wrong. I felt bad for leaving her so suddenly like that but I had to do this.
I turned the corridor and headed straight for Professor Umbridge's office but when I arrived at her office, I stopped still. I stared at her door for a few moments, suddenly feeling really nervous. I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and gather my courage. I had to do this I reminded myself out loud fiercely. I lifted my shaking hand to the door and knocked loudly. A few moments passed before I heard her high-pitched voice telling me to enter. Taking another deep breath, I pushed open the door and entered the room.
Once inside the room, I stared around me looking at my surroundings. Professor Umbridge was sitting behind her desk, wearing a hideous pink cardigan and keenly reading a letter that was lying on her desk in front of her. Hanging on the wall behind her were tons of china plates with moving kittens inside them. I cleared my throat gently to remind her I was in the room. "Yes?" I heard her say as she looked up from the letter and over at me. I gulped instantly, this was it. This was the moment; it was now or never.
I took another deep breath to calm my already frayed nerves.
"I have something important to tell you, Professor," I said timidly.
I saw her stare over at me, her curiosity at what I had to say obviously peaked.
I stayed silent for a few seconds.
"Well?" I heard her say impatiently. She was obviously wanting me to get to my point.
I wandered forward, going closer to her. I sat down on the chair opposite her.
"I have some vital information to give you Professor. If you go to the seventh floor and go to the room they call the Room of Requirement, you will find something happening that will interest you," I said. All the words coming out in a rush to finally get it out and off my chest before I chickened out again.
The professor leaned over towards me and looked at me gleefully.
"Tell me more please dear," I heard her say excitedly. I took another calming breath and stared over at her.
"There is a illegal meeting taking part in that room tonight," I continued. My stomach sunk with guilt and I looked down at my now shaking hands. This is the right thing to do. I whispered once more to myself to gather my strength.
I looked back at the professor ready to tell her the rest when I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror behind her desk. I shrieked suddenly as I stared at my now blemished reflection. I put my hands over my face hardly believing my eyes but then my fingers touched the all too real and unpleasant evidence on my face. Millions of purple spots now covered my usually perfect skin, and worst of all, the spots told the truth of what I had done to anyone that glanced at me.
Straight across my forehead in big purple spots the word sneak was visible. I cried sharply and looked over at the professor and saw that she was mortified at the sight before her eyes. I covered my face with my hands and cried harder, the tears now pounding down my cheeks. I couldn't believe that this was actually happening.
The professor started to speak again now getting over her initial shock.
"Never mind the spots dear, just tell me the rest of the story," I heard her say sweetly.
I kept my face hidden and shook my head back and forth.
"Come on dear," I heard her say in an impatient tone. I shook my head once more fiercely then I quickly got up from my chair and ran from the room. I heard her furious shouts of come back behind me but I ignored them as I ran down the corridor. I only stopped when I reached the girl's bathroom. I rushed inside.
I walked up towards the sink and stared in horrified silence at my reflection in the large bathroom mirror. I had to do it I reminded myself. It was the right thing to do. But as I stared at my now blemished reflection, I had trouble believing those words that I had determinedly thought earlier that evening.
I regretted it and wished now that I had kept quiet. Instead of telling and doing the right thing, I should have just kept my mouth shut. For once in my life I wished I had said nothing and that I had done the wrong thing instead of the right thing but I just had to do it. I had to do the right thing.
Author note: This is the sixth entry for the hpfc forum wide competition. I would like to thank Sarah3Noelle for betaing this entry for me. I hope you all enjoyed reading this. Reviews would greatly appreciated.