The OC Alana: Some people hate OCs that are related to a main character. I'm one of them. This is just a ridiculous idea I'm hitting you in the face with.
Disclaimer: I'm an idiot that can't keep days straight. I recently recieved some very inspirational reviews from a reader, so hopefully I'll be working on this more often.
The real Tuesday.
Dumbledore's trained eye read over the document again, checking for any 'between the lines' subtext he may have missed in his first reading. His mouth was stuck in a blank line, refusing to frown and having little reason to smile.
The legal rights of gnomes was an inconsequential matter to the Wizengamot, but all the same, they had asked Dumbledore to review this new law. It was a step in the right direction for non-wizard rights. That they had not put any derogatory terms in the document was also a plus.
His clock chimed for the eighth hour. Dumbledore gathered the files together and set them aside, his grandfatherly smile returning to his face. Right as his clock chimed for the eighth time, a sharp knocking came at the door. Making little effort to hide his amusement, Dumbledore greeted the student with, "Come in, my boy."
One of the foreign students walked in, posture straight and hands tucked behind his back, giving an appearance of power. "You asked to see me, sir?"
Dumbledore gave a nod for him to take a seat. "Yes, I actually wanted to inform you of a location of interest. The students tend to avoid it because of rumours surrounding the place, but it has the capability to hold a dangerous creature from being released on the students."
Dumbledore watched the student's body language and facial expressions carefully. He could have talked to a different member of their group, but he couldn't expect them to tell their ringleader when the Houses barely had any time to get together and discuss. Another possible problem was if the secret wasn't shared within their group. They had a strict sense of loyalty between them. Why risk tearing that apart by revealing a secret that wasn't even Dumbledore's to tell?
"The entrance is guarded by the Whomping Willow. By touching the knot of roots at the base of the tree, the branches will stop long enough for someone to run in." Dumbledore paused for a breather. Old age and all that rot. Death the Kid's expression did not change, although his gold eyes were no longer focused on the headmaster. A sign that he was thinking about it.
"A locking spell on the door will prevent any dark creatures from escaping, granted that they can't use a wand. It's long ago been warded to be a powerful cage."
There. Something in his eyes had changed. Dumbledore relaxed, knowing he had gotten his point across. "The students call it the Shrieking Shack, since long ago strange sounds would come from it, and that a malicious ghost haunted it. Lemon drop?"
They both took a candy from the tin, Kid with a polite thanks. Dumbledore didn't break stride with his offer.
Dumbledore smoothly ended the conversation there. He said what felt like a repeated order, "Keep a close eye on Harry," and sent him on his way.
Dumbledore did not know how to deal with that alias; Death the Kid. He refused to call a child any name relating to death. The rest of the teachers had similar problems, no doubt.
When Professor Umbridge walked in the classroom, she did not say "wands away" or start lecturing, or even ask if everyone had the required textbook. Instead, she rapped on the blackboard for silence, her midget wand sending out angry red sparks. Her teeth stomped down on her every word.
"I have had enough of this nonsense!" The Hufflepuffs cringed under her seething anger.
"First it was Death! Ridiculous, inane; what kind of freak calls himself Death? There'd be a law if I could help it! Next was Blackstar! Honestly!" Umbridge continued ranting, unaware of the Hufflepuffs turning to stare at the one student that committed such a crime as having an out-of-place name. The culprit ignored them and stared at Umbridge as she listed of his friends' names, his stare composed of bewilderment.
"Now. Now, I have to deal with a Soul Eater! Wands away!" she finally snapped, and the few students that still had wands out scrabbled to put them away.
"You," Umbridge sneered, pointing at Soul with her free hand, picking out his out-of-place hair and skull crest, "must be Soul Eater. I've had enough of your friends."
She took a deep breath, and her voice turned into an attempt to sound sweet and persuading. "You know what? I've had enough. Choose a name, a normal name, and that will be your name in this class. Choose something."
Soul said the first name that came to mind, off of a movie poster he once saw in passing while on an assignment: "Johnny Depp." A few students nearly fell of their chairs in laughter, but Umbridge didn't seem to notice. Her smile did not relax.
"Thank you." Umbridge turned back to the blackboard, tapping it to start her lecture on the OWLs. "Oh, and Mr Depp?" A few students giggled. She waved her wand, and a quill wrote out a letter and it sealed itself in a pink envelope. The bright paper floated over to land on Soul's desk. "Take that to Professor Sprout."
Soul left before any more was said, happy for any chance to get out of Defence early.
He took three left turns and went down a flight of stairs before he realized he had no idea where Mrs Sprout's office was, and that he was lost. Soul wasn't overly concerned. Instead, he finally unsealed the letter - which in his mind, should have been done a staircase and three turns ago - to read the note, all of it in so much pink it was frightening.
"I have detention for 'disrupting the class'?"
I'm starting to skip a bit of time in the books. Not days, just scenes of classes. This might mess me up, might mess you up, might be non-detrimental to both of us. I'm negecting Alana in this chapter. I forget what I was going to do with her, and how.