Disclaimer: I do not own either "Harry Potter" or "Avatar: The Last Airbender."
What happened during detention shouldn't be kept from the Headmaster or the rest of the staff at Hogwarts.
Not for now, at least.
It wasn't until she woke up in the morning and ate breakfast that she decided to keep her time in detention to herself until later. She might be able to use this time she has with the plump Professor to do some digging around. That so-called 'professor' and Toph are the only ones inside the Defense classroom, so sneaking and digging through her things will be easier. There aren't other preying eyes waiting for some excitement to appear before them. They would take notice of certain actions the earthbender would be doing. All the Slytherin needed to do is give a distraction that would make Umbridge leave the room momentarily. After that, it will be up to her to do some snooping.
The Old Man need not know of this little information gathering she will be doing. The man is the Headmaster and his number one priority is to his students. (That and the fact that the old man gives off this weird 'I know everything' vibe, so telling him is just a waste of her breath). Whether allowing Umbridge to continue with this sort of sick punishment could become beneficial for the Order, the price would be the safety of the students. Though the likelihood of this to actually happen is quite low, Toph would rather do this whole thing on her own anyways. She doesn't need permission from a geezer to do her job, and as long as he doesn't say 'no' she could do whatever the hell she wants.
The long night detentions begin and end around the same time. Toph was surprised to find herself able to do her planning and homework assignments for all of her teachers.
Unfortunately, the earthbender found herself having a difficult time concentrating. Her bedtime may be later, but the time for breakfast is still the same. It was stressful trying to do her assignments (majority of which are speeches). She had to skip her meals to do all the assignments and then sneak into the kitchens to grab some food from the house elves.
It surprised her to find them happy to serve, but it didn't take long for her to snap out of it and went on with her life.
She found herself hungrier each day and the elves would find the girl sneaking to the kitchens after the long detentions with Umbridge.
She needs to be replaced.
No...it needs to be worse.
She needs to meet her right fist.
Then she may go on her merry way.
The woman was pushing her limits with these long night detentions. Toph may not be able to see herself (she can't see anything, duh!), but she swears on her earthbending that her eyes must look all pouchy. Iroh and Sokka told her that after Toph experienced several long days of dead tired and short nights of sleep. Though that time may not feel as bad as the night now, but hell, it was close. (Luna later commented the same thing as Iroh and Sokka had said in the past.)
Friday is finally here.
What a good day to be alive.
She took that back, and with good reason, too.
This (possibly) ugly and putrid woman did her usual routine of greeting her and giving her that stupid quill, but this was like no other from this week. Oh no, this was worse than any night she had experienced with this infuriating woman.
It was longer.
Toph swore that the woman was doing this on purpose to break her into little bitty pieces that even ticks such as herself would need billions of them just to have a small snack. The earthbender's patience and temper breaks more and more after each minute.
She was tired.
She was tired of being in the same room of this woman. She was tired of cutting herself open and writing those ridiculous words all over her.
'I must know my place,' Toph repeated in her head and tried to hide the urge to laugh. I should know my place? Well you piece of turtle duck dung, I know at least one of us doesn't.
After many hours this night is spent with Umbridge, Toph felt drops of blood dripping on the parchment she is writing on. Her hand was trembling from the constant ripping of skin night after night. She knew that if Katara were to find anyone cutting up their own wounds, she would be in hysterics. Toph would mind the waterbender ripping the door to shreds and freezing Umbridge only for her to be defrosted with that crazy Azula's vicious flames. That would be a show Toph would love to see.
She would then ask her little junior lily metalbenders to avenge their master and give that plump woman hell. Toph might even cry after seeing how much they care. They love her so much!
Toph knew, however that it was not the time to unleash her wrath and waste it all right this second. She may not have taken anything useful (she honestly wouldn't know) while Umbridge went outside for her distraction, but it was fun having Umbridge frustrating for not being able to find some of her books and documents. She had lay her head over her crossed arms that were on her desk to stifle her little giggle fits from the entertainment. That was only possible the day after she took her books and the fact that she had the class first period that day. Umbridge had to buy some new books after that.
Toph had stopped since she was too tired to create any distractions. She had to continue with the stupid detention.
The only good thing about this one in particular is that it is the last one.
After a while of more cutting and blood dripping, Umbridge called her up to the front once again to examine her hand. The earthbender placed the quill down on the desk. While she made her way up, she made sure to accidentally knock the quill over. That sharp piece of trash was now on the ground.
Umbridge took her hand and Toph tried not to groan aloud. The woman touching her scarred hand was creepy and disgusting just like the first time. Are you done, yet?
Umbridge must be satisfied and said, "Your hand must hurt now, doesn't it?"
Toph sneered. Well now, when did you get so smart?
"Alright then, at least you understand. You may be on your way."
Toph nodded silently.
She made her way to the door, and stretched her arms out as high as she can. The girl was lucky the woman was paying attention to her right now and not in the area around her desk. Toph then put her right hand down, so now it is her left arm that is being stretched out right now. She then stretched her left hand and with a swift movement that looked like more hand stretching, Toph heard the impact of a sharp object hit the blackboard. Umbridge shrieked and fell backwards, falling on her bottom.
"Wha-what just…"
Toph turned around and pretended to look concern. "What's wrong?"
"The...the quill...it moved!" She was pointing at the stuck quill pathetically with a trembling arm.
"Professor, I'm dead tired and so must you be," she said with a bored and drowsy tone. "You must be imagining things."
Umbridge continued to stare at the quill and nodded. She was trembling. "Y-yes…"
"Then good night, Professor." Toph left the Defense classroom. Once the door of the classroom was shut, she lift up a hand and swooshed it up and down then side to side. Excruciatingly irritating and cringe-worthy sounds of scratching the blackboard from within the classroom were audible. The high pitched shrieks of fear soon overtook those scratching sounds. Toph couldn't help but have her lips form a grin as large as Aang's.
"Music to my ears."
Knowing that there was no more detention or any classes to bother with sounded almost as nice as getting a mudbath. Almost.
There were some things she had to sort out with the Old Man before readying herself with the next week of classes and homework. She was the first one to wake up in the Slytherin dorm, and so she made her way to the Headmaster's office. It was nice to roam around the corridors when there isn't anyone around. She preferred to be in the presence of any familiar beings or people looking for a fight but, it was nice to know she could find some peace and quiet once in awhile.
When she made her way to the office, she went on to speak of some important things that needed to be shoved into whitebeard's head. "First off, drop me out of astronomy," were her first words. The Old Man insisted that she might as well learn as much as possible of magic if she will be staying in this weird place for a while.
Magic? Please.
All that class is is looking at constellations up in the sky and doing stuff with star maps and identifying things in the sky. In other words, it was a class that needed eyes. Tonks is smart and thought of using rocks and pieces of stones to her with making out different constellations, but did the Old Man honestly think she could use any of that knowledge? Nope. After a concise speech of astronomy's uselessness for a blind girl, the Old Man reluctantly agreed.
The Headmaster did explain why he thought it would be good for her to take this class. He said that the that he and some of the staff would have to explain to the other fifth year students of why she is taking less classes than her. Toph only made a retort saying that the students needed to learn how to suck it up and that at the very least they could actually see. The Old Man only responded with a light-hearted and amused laugh. The earthbender rolled her eyes before showing a grin.
No Astronomy, check.
"Is there anything else you need?" asked Dumbledore.
Toph nodded. "I know I'm not exactly an 'official' member of the Order and all, but I was thinking that I could be of some use to you during the weekends. Not to mention that I have two less classes compared to all the other students in my year."
"Ah, but you already are," said the Old Man. "You are keeping tabs on Harry, aren't you not?"
That's true. She's been making sure Harry isn't out of her range except when their classes are a very far distance apart. Other than that, she's keeping an eye on him-whether she meant to or not. "True, but don't you think you might need some extra help from me? I could do some scouting?"
The Old Man stayed silent for a moment before responding. "What do you need Miss Beifong? It is unlike you to take the long route instead to going straight to the point."
Figures. "Can't help a blind girl from trying," she sighed. "I want to fight. I can't keep still for even a week. The only time I was able to release some of my stored energy was to scare Umbridge. As much fun I had scaring the hell out of her, it's not as fun as kicking my an enemy ass or at least a training room that gives off the same feeling."
"Hm…" The Old Man stroked his beard. "Well, I'm sorry to say that I can't help you with that, but if you need to release some of that energy, I would suggest you use the Room of Requirement. It is a room that is founded on the seventh floor corridor on the left side, but it will only show itself to witches and wizards who need it. If you need a place to fight and train, it will give it to you. In addition, not many know of this room, so it is a perfect place for you to earthbend as much as you wish."
"That sounds convenient. A room that gives you whatever you need," mused Toph.
"Though of course there is some limitations. You can't expect food to appear if you ask for it and other things," the Old Man added.
Toph nodded. "Got it. Thanks."
"You are more than welcome."
Before making her way to the exit, she said, "I'm ready, you know, anytime you need me to kick some butt. You might be powerful and all, but you're still old."
Dumbledore chuckled.
"I also wanted to add that I stole some papers and books from the annoying piece of dung while in detention. Don't worry, I stole with class, Old Man. She doesn't know it was me. Anyways, do you want me to give it to you?"
The bearded elder stroked his long beard eying the girl before him. He wouldn't know if the documents of Dolores Umbridge that she had stolen are of any use, but who is to say they aren't? The Headmaster thought on this for several more seconds before saying, "Very well, but give the documents to Severus and Minerva as homework. It is best not to attract any unnecessary attention with the exchange of papers and information."
Toph smirked.
This little mission of her's can be quite exciting.
Later that day she went outside and followed Harry and Ron (without them knowing of course) to the Quidditch Pitch outside. She didn't wish for herself to be revealed to them, so she made herself comfortable below the bleachers where she could still hear their voices and be as close to the ground as possible. There was no way she was going to make her way through that chunk of wood. The weather was nice and Toph was hoping that this was going to one relaxing day. That's until the rest of the Gryffindor team showed up and began practicing together. That wasn't the worse part. The worse part was when she heard the Slytherins coming in with their laughter and jeering. She even heard Malfoy, his goons, and the Little Missy.
She wanted them to shut up.
She wanted them to leave.
Toph took in a deep breath and sighed. She pinched the bridge of her nose with complete annoyance of the constant jeering her house is producing. Loud chants of "Gryffindors are losers! Gryffindors are losers!" are ringing like annoying buzzing mosquitoes in her ears. It is worse for her since her ears are oh so sensitive. Toph wondered if there was a spell for shutting these little skinny bones up. Alas, she has no knowledge of such useful spells and hexes. What a darn shame.
Then Toph remembered that the Granger girl has a good head and maybe she could find a way to shut her house up. That is quite a brilliant plan she thought of, only if the bright girl is sitting in the stands in the first place. Toph sighed. She might as well try. The ringing pesks are giving her a real headache.
She made her way up the stands as carefully as she could. There is no need for her to rush in this situation. The railing, steps, and flooring are all made of solid wood, material she could never use to see. Toph really hoped that Granger was amongst the onlookers. She made her way away from the loud jeering and called out her name. "Hermione!"
There is no reply, so she tried again.
"Hermione!"
Toph's hands were tight on the railing as she made her way farther away from the jeering. She let her hands guide her as she continued to call out the girl's name, but with no response to it. Toph muttered curses under her breath. "Don't tell me she isn't here."
"I am afraid she isn't," said a familiar dreamy voice.
Toph turned her body, but made sure she had at least one hand on the railing. "Luna?"
"That is my name, yes." Toph could feel a warm smile coming from the girl.
"I'm surprised you're here," Toph said. "I would like to talk, but I need Hermione to do something for me. Do you know if she is near the Quidditch pitch?"
"I'm afraid she isn't. She is most likely in the Gryffindor Common room or in the Library I believe," she supplied. "If you would allow, my I ask what it is that you need?"
"I need a way to shut my house up," Toph replied immediately. "My ears and head cannot take it. If this continues, I'm gonna end up doing some damage if I were to put it lightly."
Luna nodded in understanding. "I see. I can't help you since the only spell I know that will help would be to block sound coming into your ears, but I know that won't do you any good. Your ears are what help you see faces after all."
Toph nodded.
"You could just leave the stadium, you know, or do you have some task you need to do?"
Toph blinked, and then she gave out a chuckle. This girl is sharp, she mused at the thought. "Something like that, more like finding a place to relax, though. I didn't think my house would waste their pleasant morning taunting their rival borderline enemy. Honestly, it's a bunch of bear dung."
"It's quite sad isn't it," Luna agreed.
They continued to hear the jeering and found it targeting the Gryffindor Keeper, a Weasley it seems. Toph wondered if it is the same Weasley she first met on the train. It could be, but she didn't feel too much of anything involving the best friend of Potter. He is narrow-minded, an idiot, quick to judge, and a whole lot of other things. While the earthbender shrugged indifferently, Luna held a different reaction towards the jeering.
"Please don't listen to their words," are Luna's words. "You can do it!"
Toph cocked an eyebrow. "Luna?"
"He may have done a lot of wrong, but no one deserves the jeers and lies of others. It is not something I want, anyway," Luna simply said. She continued to cheer the Keeper on, but Toph doubted he or the other Quidditch players could hear with how loud the jeers are.
Toph sighed. She asked for a way to silence her house of their annoying and out of tune voices, and she could very well do it on her own. She is honestly becoming too much of a softly thanks to her pupils. She tried to face Luna. "Do you have something that I could throw?"
"I do," Luna took her hand and placed a rock. The rock is rough and it is roughly the size of her palm. "I thought I could try to earthbend before you teach us, but it seems that it is a lot harder than I thought. What are you going to use it for?"
"Shutting the snakes up."
"Oh."
"I'm not going to hurt them," she added. "Maybe."
Toph could feel a look of curiosity coming from the younger girl.
"The thing about a rock is that it is a very stubborn element. Think of it like an old man. Even this piece of rock is stubborn like a boulder, but of course the bigger guy is more troublesome," Toph began and explained the element. "Just like with a boulder, you need to push and break the immobile earth to make it move. Watch."
Toph threw the rock up in the air, and positioned her arms out. She waited a few seconds and brought her palms together with a loud bang as the impact crushed the rock into smaller pieces. One by one the remnants of the rock fall and landed on the wooden flooring. If Toph did it right, then the size of each piece should be the size of a sickle coin. From the sounds of the rocks landing there are about eight pieces. Eight is just enough for her.
"This is an exercise I would start with complete noobs, whom I don't know of their talents. Best be watching, Luna."
"I understand, Sifu Toph."
Toph cracked a grin. She's glad that the girl remembered the name used for a teacher. She had forgotten how amazing it felt for one of her pupils to call her that. Sifu...there is such a pleasant ring to that word.
"You better!"
Toph got into a standard, but firm stance with her feet shoulder-width apart, toes and torso forward, one foot in front of the other and fists down in front. She lifted one fist up slowly and stepped forward with a punch. The jeers coming from the Slytherins ceased and out came shrieks instead. Toph would have grinned and laughed, but knowing that those folks are in the same house as her meant that she's in a house full of weak pansies. Her house is indeed a pathetic bunch.
Toph continued to her next movement and broke out of her stance. Her feet are still shoulder-width apart, but one foot is not farther than the other. Her tight fists are now open and she continued to make fluid gestures using only her hands, as she maneuvered all eight rocks. The area filled with her housemates are in a panic and they made a run for it trying not to get hit by the rocks. Toph asked Luna the positions of the rocks and where they are heading. As annoyed she is with the taunts and jeers coming from the mouths of her house, those of the younger years did not do much wrong. They are influenced like the upper years, but the thought of scaring some random brat doesn't sit well in her stomach. She continued on with the flying rocks.
Minutes later, Toph thought playtime is over, and led the house of snakes towards the steps. The majority ran away from the pitch followed by several rocks following them. On the other hand, there are still two more being continued by Toph's left hand that are in control of a few Slytherins.
"Where are they?" asked Toph.
"The rocks are heading straight to their heads if they are to continue with that course," Luna answered.
Toph nodded and sent the rocks flying as fast as they could, missing the stranded slytherins by a few degrees. The rocks two holes on the floor according to Luna.
Toph relaxed both hands and cracked her fingers. Toph sighed and listened to her surroundings. There is nothing to hear. Silence filled the stands and Quidditch pitch. Toph smiled. This has always been one of her favorite sounds.
It surpasses even the shrieks and cries of Umbridge.
Harry and Ron headed back to the Gryffindor Common room through the portrait and was met with Hermione with a book in hand who asked, "How was practice?"
They both turned to each other, not sure what to say. Quidditch Practice was lousy, with all of those Slytherins jeering and chanting as loudly as possible. Harry tried his best to focus on Quidditch, but of course he was worried about Ron who couldn't focus at all. The more his friend messed up, the louder the snakes' jeers become. He wanted to grab on of the bulgars and plument Malfoy just to shut him up and hopefully the rest of them would follow suit. However, for once his mind did the right thing and continued with practice like normal.
But honestly, he wished he could have broken Malfoy's nose. He wanted to shut them all up and have them leave his team alone, but they're Slytherin. There is no way they would leave and not interrupt and distract them from their practice.
That all changed when he heard of startled cries. He didn't pay any mind at the time since he could only think that it might have been another trick of theirs to distract him with. It wasn't. The cries were genuine, and he only turned when he saw that Fred and George stopped and flown a bit closer to the stands with curiosity and delight all over their faces. They were sniggering and Fred (or was it George?) pointed toward the stand.
That's when he turned and saw the sight.
Terrifying was one word to put it. Rocks were flying and aiming at random Slytherins and sometimes those who weren't of that house. They flew and chased with various speeds and changed their velocity more than he could count. They dashed and made the third, fourth, and even fifth year Slytherins scream. Some older years got out their wands to destroy the possessed rocks, but even though the rocks turned into smaller pieces, those smaller pieces continued to chase them. Many went and escaped, but there were many rocks still chasing them. Malfoy and his goons remained as they were being targeted specifically.
The rocks then went into their maximum speeds straight towards Malfoy's nose. It was very unfortunate that it missed by a hair and left part of the stands damaged instead. He could hear the disappointment from the rest of his team, too, especially the twins and Ron.
The sight was terrifying as it was beautiful.
But its beauty surpassed the terrifying nature.
It was then that he noticed two familiar figures facing towards the stands of where the crowd of Slytherins had once jeered. Luna Lovegood with her curious and focused, dreamy eyes, and right in front of her was Toph Beifong, a Slytherin.
He remembered the Slytherin transfer telling him and his friends of her earthbending on the train to Hogwarts. He was skeptical as was his friends. When they asked around the school if others had felt the earthquake, they received many looks which added onto his own discredibility. They then thought the earthbending business was all a prank, but they could deny the shaken train car. All they know is that the cause of it was definitely Toph Beifong.
Neville and Hermione didn't know what to make of the girl as was Harry. Ginny is always on her guard, but she didn't express the degree of distrust and spite as Ron. In the beginning, perhaps, but she became as unsure as himself when he and Hermione told her of when the Beifong girl defended him against Snape. Not only that, she also asked help from Hermione, a muggleborn and Gryffindor of all people a Slytherin could ask! Ron continues to say that she is just planning something, but Hermione went up and defended her as soon as Ron started something. He…
He doesn't know what to think.
Harry had never known a Slytherin to be as decent, as straightforward, and as demanding as the transfer. She wasn't like Snape who belittled him and straight up never gave him a chance. She wasn't like Malfoy and the rest of Slytherin who thought of themselves superior because of their blood. Most of all, she was the first person who didn't seem to one-hundred percent believe his claim of Voldemort returning, but she didn't deny it either. Instead, she made it seem as if it were a strong possibility worth considering. He would have never thought there was someone who could just say that it was a strong possibility. She wasn't even from Hogwarts until this year or from this country to begin with!
Harry honestly didn't know what to think considering the girl.
"Practice was...I really don't know."
Hermione cocked an eyebrow.
Ron on the other hand just gawked at him. "You don't know? You don't know? Mate, Slytherins were running and screaming from flying rocks! How could you not know what to feel about it?"
Hermione closed her book shut and sat up straight. "Wait what? Flying rocks? What exactly happened during practice?"
Ron and Harry explained the whole event starting with the flying rocks followed by the screams coming from the Slytherins. Hermione listened the whole time, but the girl couldn't help but shake her head full of disbelief. "So you mean to say that rocks just come flying out of nowhere to hurt the Slytherins?"
"No one was hurt, Hermione," assured Harry. He could see the horror in his friend's eyes. "There were two rocks coming at Malfoy, but they missed by a few centimeters."
"A disappointment I say," added Ron.
"Ron, please! As much as I dislike Malfoy and the way the Slytherins acted, people could have gotten hurt. Harry even said that some students from other houses got involved!"
"It was only for a while, and then they changed course," said Harry. "It seems the person controlling the rocks didn't know they were involving those from other houses and changed the course of some of the rocks towards the Slytherins."
"So it was just the Slytherins?"
"Just the Slytherins, Hermione? These Slytherins are all scum, and you know it…"
"Ron!" Hermione was beginning to lose her patience with the red-head.
"Actually, now that I think about it, the targets were only the middle and upper years. The first and second years were never targeted directly," said Harry.
"So what?" sneered Ron.
"Ronald!" Hermione yelled. "I swear to you that if you have one more comment the Slytherins with no argument behind it, I will hex you! And before you say anything, yes I know most are awful, and yes most have already called me that awful word, but contrary to popular belief Ronald Bilius Weasley, not all of them are evil!"
"Just because they are still brats, doesn't mean they aren't sly and evil, Hermione," argued Ron.
"Will the both of you give it a rest?" Harry almost screamed, but it turned into a steady loud voice. He was more irritated with Ron in this argument as he is still sorting out his thoughts surrounding Beifong. "There also something else I want to add, and Ron, just listen. You have your doubts, but I need time to think."
The redhead didn't anything more about the argument, but he was mumbling something under his breath.
"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I think this is the Beifong girl's doing."
Silent spread amongst the three.
"What!" Ron yelled and full of disbelief. "Mate, that can't be true. She's a snake!"
"Wait Ron let's listen to Harry," she shushed Ron. "Why do you think it was her...could it be…"
Harry nodded.
"What are you guys on about?" asked Ron. "Usually it's Hermione who knows everything."
"Ron, remember that earthquake we felt on the train to Hogwarts?" said Hermione. "Toph said that she used earthbending to make that earthquake that could only be felt by our train car. Could she have also done the same thing with the rocks?"
"Earthbending? It sounds cool and all, but I've never heard of earthbending," said Ron.
"None of us have, but what other explanation is there? Yes it could have been the work of a wand, but the both of you saw destroyed rocks still move and flying," Hermione reminded. "We should ask Toph about this. She did say that she would teach us how to earthbend."
Ron scoffed. "Right, we should ask the snake herself."
"I think Hermione's right, Ron," said Harry. Both of his friends blinked. Ron couldn't believe his ears, and Hermione was just surprised. "I want to know exactly who Toph Beifong is."
He really did.
Author's Note:
I was expecting myself to update in late May instead of late March. I'm not as busy right now due to some circumstances, but I will be again in the beginning and middle of April. So bare with me, and I will do my best with updating.
Anyways, thank you for reading and being patient with me.