TRIGGER WARNING; Contains depictions of mild violence.
Valentine didn't want to be there, but she wouldn't dare leave Umbridge and Potter alone together. It seemed to be like asking for trouble. She looked around at the other students, all sitting silently. She caught Meriton quickly looking away as her head turned. They were all waiting for her to do something again.
After the first day of school, it had circulated quickly that Valentine Lestrange and Dolores Umbridge did not play well together. The atmosphere that enveloped the class was a mixture of worry and anticipation. No one had ever objected to her hatred of Professor Snape even though he was her house leader and was constantly favouring his own house. Lockhart had been hardly any different and neither had Mad-eye for that matter. People didn't like Snape. People didn't like Valentine. Few people liked Lockhart and Mad-eye. It didn't matter who was on the losing end, someone out there was enjoying the scene. Valentine's open hatred of the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was similar. No one liked Umbridge and so they were inclined to sit back nervously and just try and stay out of harm's way themselves.
Draco leaned in close to her.
"Can you just...just..." His voice trembled slightly."...stay quiet?"
Valentine turned to face him slowly and he immediately seemed to regret his words.
"But you could get in big trouble!" Leah had turned around in her desk and whispered in possibly the loudest of ways.
"Since when did getting in trouble bother me?"
"We all know you're a super badass, but she works with the Minister." Blaze added. "She could have you booted from Hogwarts for good if she tried hard enough."
Valentine leaned forward in her chair slowly. Blaze leaned back in response.
"No one," Her eyes glowed viscously. "is expelling me."
"Right." Blaze swallowed thickly. "Forget I said that."
Valentine caught Liam looking at her next. He gave a weak smile, almost like he was attempting to comfort her.
She raised her brows at him, tilting her chin as if to ask 'what are looking at?'.
Liam's smile dropped and he turned back to the front.
"Val." Draco whispered again, this time in a pleading tone. "Father will be angry if he hears about what you did."
"That snivelling rat holds nothing over me." Valentine growled lowly. "He can get as mad as he wants. There's nothing he can do to me, or you."
"Quiet class." Umbridge's voice came from the back of the room as she entered. She came right over to where Valentine sat and smiled down at her almost pitifully. "I do believe you neglected to attend your detentions, my dear."
"Oh, did I?" Valentine battered her lashes and pouted mockingly.
"They will be doubled and you will have to make up for them." Umbridge told her in a clipped tone. "You will also no longer be permitted to sit with Mr Malfoy. I have a special seat all of your own in front, nearer to me."
You have got to be fucking kidding me...
Draco nudged Valentine's knee with his own when she didn't move. She suspected that if she refused Umbridge would have just thrown her out.
She could feel every eye in the room on her as she raised slowly, emotionlessly walked up to the front of the room and found the desk Umbridge had been talking about. It was a single desk, situated at least two metres away from the first row, where Chloe Connelly and Anna Henley sat.
"There. Very nice." Umbridge reached out to touch Valentine's shoulder but she immediately jerked away. Umbridge seemed annoyed by this but let it slide and walked to the front of the class. "Good morning everyone. If you could please take out your books and open to page twelve."
Umbridge then looked back over to Valentine whom she knew didn't have a book. She grabbed a textbook off her desk and dropped no Valentine's.
"There we go. You won't be able to deface this one."
She must have charmed it. Something so I can't rip or tear any pages or set it on fire again.
Valentine could have tested her theory, but wasn't about to risk trying and failing in front of Umbridge.
So she opened her book to page twelve and sat in silence doing her work. She didn't have to put much thought into it at all seeing how the tasks were incredibly rudimentary.
I can't go in too hard just yet or I'll be suspended within the week. Been there done that, no thank you. I'll let her think she's got me for now. Let her underestimate me, it's not like anyone's going to speak up and tell her that she should keep an eye out. If she thinks I've been knocked back for good then she'll let down her defences and that's exactly what I want.
--Pretending To Live--
Valentine could feel the pressure as Snape worked his way into her thoughts. They had been at it for hours in Snape's office and neither were in the best of moods.
"You're doing it again." Snape growled at her.
"Shut up." She snapped at him. "I'm trying."
Her current problem was keeping her mind blank long enough for Snape to enter and exit without seeing anything. She'd be able to empty her mind at first, but then she'd think about how much she hated having someone else inside her head and would lose the emptiness she'd achieved. To top it all off, Valentine would have to fight against her own instincts to simply push him out of her mind.
"Need a break, Lestrange?" He sneered patronisingly.
"Only if you do, professor." She returned his sneer.
His eyes darkened.
"Legilimens!" He raised his wand again, only giving her seconds to clear her thoughts.
Nothing. Nothing. Silence. Blankness. Nothing.
Valentine stared at a single spot in the middle of Snape's chest. Whenever she had to look him in the face she couldn't help but think of several different things. About how annoying he was, overbearing, how arrogant, how self-important. And she couldn't stop thinking about how this annoying, overbearing, arrogant, self-important jerk had heard her think all these things while inside her head.
She fought to keep herself relaxed. She wasn't used to finding things difficult or challenging, but that only forced her to work harder. She refused the possibility that Severus Snape could do something she couldn't.
"Stop overthinking this." She could distantly hear him growl at her.
Nothing. Nothing. Just an empty space. Just blackness. Nothing inside. Nothing inside.
Valentine could feel everything fade away. There was nothing. Nothing in her mind for Snape to see. Once she'd reached that point she had just to withstand it.
Nothing. There is nothing...
She felt the pressure leave, as Snape pulled back.
"Finally." Snape sighed.
Valentine's eyes snapped open.
"Did I do it?"
"Just barely."
"Could it kill you to be a bit more supportive?"
"It might." said Snape. "But there's still a long way to go. You struggle with keeping your mind clear for an extended period of time and if you can't handle that, then you won't get far with other forms of Occlumency."
"I'm doing what I can." She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Occlumency takes years of practice and it hasn't even been two weeks."
"Oh?" Snape pursed his lips in a look of mock surprise. "I thought you were a prodigy?"
"I swear to you, you great greasy beast, I will-!"
Snape cut her off with a raised hand.
"Control, Lestrange. You need to control your emotions." He stepped closer, as though trying to goad her into a fight. "Did you even stop to think before you decided to anger Umbridge? Did you stop for a second and try to gain some semblance of self-control before you had your little tantrum? What about that display in Dumbledore's office the other day? You may have said that you bid 'all due respects' but we both know you didn't mean it."
Valentine clenched her fists tightly at her sides.
He's doing this on purpose, bringing up Umbridge and Dumbledore, trying to get me to snap at him. Egging me on like a two-year-old.
But when he mentioned Dumbledore she remembered something the Headmaster had said to her, not too long ago.
Thoughts are not emotions. Emotions are how you feel in response to those thoughts.
That's what he said. I'm allowed to get as mad as I want but not let it show. This shouldn't be so difficult. I pretend to not be upset, angry, happy, multiple times a day. If I can smirk at Neville like his tragic existence is all a joke to me and then walk away like it's nothing, then I can stand here and pretend that whatever Snape says has no effect on me.
She unclenched her fists, rolling her neck and shoulders to release the tension in her muscle.
Snape watched her with a critical gaze.
"What will you do if you can't master this? What will you do if you wasted all this time because you cannot take control?" Snape stepped closer again. "I suppose Dumbledore would have little use of you. Though what with how disrespectful you were towards him, I wouldn't be surprised if he tossed you aside either way."
Valentine stared back at him, as emotionless as ever. She refused to give in.
This isn't hard. I've been doing it for over five years now. Why didn't I see it before?
"And even if Dumbledore did throw you away and no longer needed or wanted your help, we couldn't just let you go." Snape started circling her like a vulture waiting for its meal to take its last breath. "You know too much. The only two choices would be to erase your memory or watch you closely until the Dark Lord is defeated. How would you like that? To sit and watch, knowing what's happening but not being allowed to help. You are something of an attention seeker, I doubt you'd manage to survive it."
Ignore it. Ignore him. You know why he's doing this. You don't need to listen because it doesn't matter. I will master this. Voldemort will be defeated and I can live however I please. All I have to do is carry on with this charade until the end.
Snape stopped to her left and she turned her head to look at him, expression dull and impressed.
"What are you waiting for, Professor? A hug?"
He took half a step away from her in disgust.
"Very good." He said as though the words pained him. "Now, prepare yourself."
Snape shifted back to his original place and readied his wand.
"Legilimens!"
Valentine cleared her mind once more, but kept her body relaxed and breathing steady. The pressure was there, but her thoughts were not. She held on for as long as she could. She felt like she was floating in a sea that wasn't there. She could feel the prodding as Snape tried to elicit a response.
He dug further than he'd been before, as if trying to lift up the surface level of her mind and she hadn't been ready for it. On a reflex she panicked and pushed back. She felt Snape cling on for a moment and she just pushed back harder, ejecting him her mind.
"You didn't tell me you were going to do that!" She snarled accusingly, panting out around her words.
"In the real world, people are not going to give a warning, you stupid girl!" Snape was panting equally as hard.
"Shut up. Let's just go again." She planted her feet strongly.
"No." He shook his head.
"What? Why?"
"It's already hours past how long this should have taken." He told her. "Go to bed. You have classes to attend tomorrow and I have classes to teach."
"But I was just getting somewhere." Valentine groaned in frustration.
"And maybe I'd take that into account if you didn't look like you were about to collapse." Snape shot her a look. "Now do as I say."
Valentine wasn't ready for it to be over. Tonight she'd made her first real progress in Occlumency. Whenever she trained or practised in anything, she didn't give in until she was satisfied, but she wasn't working alone in this. She could sit in the Room of Requirement for hours and attempt the same spells over and over again until she got it right because she refused to fail.
But tonight wasn't a fail. I made more progress than I expected. I should just accept that. If I burn myself out now, I'll be useless.
Valentine didn't bother to say goodnight or thank her Potions Professor. She pulled a hand through her unruly curls and left the room with a stomp.
--Pretending To Live--
It wasn't so much the spell that was giving Valentine trouble as it was the process of casting it. Non-verbal spells weren't even in the fifth year curriculum and for all her talent, she'd never attempted one before. They could make spelling casting very difficult and unstable and with the strength she had behind her, accidents were the last thing she needed. Sitting on the floor of the Room of Requirement, she was able to study in peace and should any such accidents occur, she was the only one at risk.
McGonagall had been teaching them this particular spell in Transfigurations since the term started and thus far only Valentine and Hermione had made any progress. McGonagall had said that it was a difficult spell and successfully performing it would be the difference between achieving an 'Outstanding' and a 'Exceeds Expectations'. So, you could imagine that Hermione was very determined to master it.
The spell itself, Valentine could manage. She wouldn't say that she had mastered every aspect but she could certainly perform it. But she wanted more than that.
She pointed her wand at the empty goblet sitting on the floor a few feet in front of her and cleared her voice.
"Evanesco." With a flick of her wand, the goblet vanished into thin air. That was the easy part of an easy subject.
Valentine picked up a quill sitting beside her and tossed it over where the goblet had been. She pointed her wand once again and this time, instead of speaking the spell aloud, she thought it clearly in her head.
Evanesco.
The quill sat there the same as ever. She sighed and tried again.
Evanesco.
There was a crunching noise as half of the quill did disappear this time, but only half as it seemed like it had been snapped in two strong hands.
Valentine pursed her lips, dissatisfied. She wasn't there yet but it was something.
--Pretending To Live--
Valentine waited until the Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson after the next. By then even some of the students were starting to think that she really would sit there and do her work. Maybe if she didn't have her cousin or one of her friends to back her up, then she would be more hesitant to rebel. Of course, some knew better than that, especially the Slytherins who'd seen the way she'd treated those same friends over the years.
During dinner Valentine took a steak knife from the table, smuggling it in her robes. Everyone else had been too busy teasing Liam for asking to sit at the Ravenclaw table with Jane Philips to notice what she'd done.
Her plan was an opportunity to practice the spell McGonagall had been teaching them and that wasn't all she'd be testing today. While she didn't have any formal training in non-verbal spell casting, Snape's house had an abundance of useful books on things other than potion-making. It didn't just rely on skill. It also was affected by one's concentration and mental discipline. Valentine knew she was able to concentrate on a single matter for hours, it was her mental discipline that would be put to the test. She knew she could achieve it on some level, if her Occlumency progress was anything to go by. But being alone while casting and being in front of a class full of nervous students and a tyrannical teacher were two very different things.
I'll never know until I try and Umbridge is the perfect toad to practice on.
She had no intention of spending another lesson sitting there being bored out of her mind because the Minister was scared of Dumbledore raising a juvenile army against him.
Why do we have to suffer because of Fudge's paranoid delusions?
She kept the knife hidden with her wand so if anyone noticed a form in her robes she could show them the wand instead of the three-inch blade.
Before class began, she leaned against Leah and Blaze's desk. Liam had moved into her original spot beside Draco.
"Look, I'm just saying I look good in orange." said Leah.
"You look like an orange, you mean." Draco scoffed.
"Nuh-uh!" Leah whined. "Blazie!"
"What?" Blaze frowned with a shrug. "Don't look at me. I was going to say pumpkin."
"You're supposed to be on my side idiot!"
"What does it matter how orange you look?" Blaze rolled his eyes, glancing down at his desktop. "I mean, you look great in blue and purple and other colours and stuff."
Draco imitated the noise of a cracking whip and Liam slapped a hand over his mouth to hide his laughter.
"Excuse me!" Blaze exclaimed in embarrassment. "Could you not?"
"Huh?" Leah scrunched up her face in confusion. "I don't get it."
"And you don't need to!" Blaze clapped his hands over her ears. He then turned to the other threateningly. "Another word and there will be bloodshed."
"Good afternoon, students." Umbridge announced as she entered and everyone settled into their seats including Valentine who had to walk back up to the front of the class.
"Please open your books and continue where we left off last lesson." Umbridge gave that girlish giggle and moved behind her desk to sit down. She flicked her wand at the book beside her that floated over to Valentine. She wasn't allowed to take the book from the classroom. Umbridge had said she'd lost the privilege.
Valentine opened the book to the desired page and inked her quill. Then she waited almost a full ten minutes before she couldn't take the itch on her fingertips anymore. She stealthily slid the knife from her pocket, setting it on her thigh. She glanced up at Umbridge, who was busy reading something on her desk. So, Valentine brought the knife out, it clenched in her fist and started carving at the surface.
She did it lightly at first, no one seemed to notice or hear the faint scratching. She watched the varnish and wooden shavings curl and chip away. Then she got bolder. She dug the tip into the wood as far as she could and pulled the knife towards her, leaving a large deep scar on the desk. This one could be heard from across the room.
Valentine saw Umbridge's head snap up from the corner of her eye but continued scratching away with a bored expression.
"Miss Lestrange." She stood from her chair, her voice teetering on the edge of a squeak. "You will stop that immediately."
Everyone had to stop what they were doing, watching her cautiously. A Lestrange with a knife wasn't a matter to be taken lightly.
"Excuse me?" Valentine looked up with the most unassuming look she could muster and just continued to carve harder. "Can you repeat that? I couldn't hear you."
"Miss Lestrange!" Umbridge stormed over to her. "I demand you put down that knife at once."
"Hmm?" Valentine tilted her head at her as if trying to hear that better. "Speak up?"
Valentine knocked the textbook from the desk as she ran the knife from one side of the desk to the other.
Umbridge reached out to stop her arm and Valentine quickly snatched her hand back, pulling her hand to up to her chest, the knife now pointed towards the Professor.
Umbridge took a shaky step back, the apprehension on her face was clear.
"If you do not put down the knife this instance, I will have no choice but to use force!" She warned with a squeal.
Here goes nothing.
Valentine reached into her pocket with her other hand and pulled out her wand. She willed her mind to still and focused on a single goal.
Evanesco.
The knife vanished from her hand like it had never been there at all.
"Knife?" Valentine frowned. "What knife? Oh, you mean this? It's just a wand, Professor."
I...I did it!
Her chest filled in a triumphant breath of air.
"I am appalled!" Umbridge gasped. "Your behaviour ever since the term started has been disgraceful. You will stay after class and serve detention with me until I am soundly sure you have learnt your lesson!"
"Oh, of course." Valentine nodded insistently. "I would never disobey a teacher!"
"Sarcasm is not appropriate for the classroom, Miss Lestrange!"
"That's nice." Valentine tucked her wand back into her pocket and crossed her arms on the desktop. "I'll just be taking a nap if anyone needs me."
Valentine settled her head onto her arms for the rest of class. Umbridge made no attempts to make her complete her work or even pick up the textbook from the floor. She didn't speak at all until the bell rang to change classes.
"Miss Lestrange, stay right there."
"Sorry, but I have a prior engagement that I just can't possibly reschedule." Valentine shot up from her seat.
"Miss Lestrange!"
Valentine could hear the clacking of her heels as she tried to pursue her. Valentine grabbed the closest person, Ron, and shifted him behind her and into the path of the furious teacher as she ducked out of the room unhindered.
And quite like the spell, she vanished from where Umbridge could see.
--Pretending to Live--
"This is serious." Draco paced back and forth across the grass.
Valentine and her friends were under the tree just outside the castle walls. Leah and Blaze were having a competition to see who could climb the highest the fastest, while Liam's form could be seen in the distance walking towards them with Philips.
"It is serious." Valentine agreed. "I am very serious about making life for Dolores Umbridge absolute hell."
"This isn't like Lockhart, Val. She works for the Minister!"
Valentine stuck out one foot from her place at the base of the tree and watched Draco nearly face plant as he tripped.
"Val-"
As he straightened, she grabbed a handful of his collar.
"And one day we will work for the Dark Lord." She hissed lowly, bright eyes glaring into his pale blue ones. "He will rule. The Ministry means nothing to me."
Valentine shoved him away hard enough that he almost tripped again.
"But..." Draco continued, nervously collecting him. "...but she's been taking points off Slytherin because you keep ditching her detentions. I just know father is going to write any time now, Val."
Valentine's gaze narrowed further and even Leah and Blaze had quietened at the mere presents of her anger.
Fuck. He really must be freaking out over this if he's willing to talk back to me like that.
"I told you not to worry about him." She spoke through gritted teeth.
"It's not me I'm worried about." Draco sighed in frustration.
"How sweet."
"I just don't see why you have to do anything. When she's not yelling at you, she's yelling at Potter. You should just sit back and watch the rest of us."
"Well, I don't like Umbridge!" Leah shouted down from somewhere up in the tree. "I think Val should set her on fire!"
"For legal reasons, you didn't hear that." Liam laughed with Philips as they reached the tree. He was only half-joking.
"Afternoon." Philips greeted them with a smile.
Draco completely ignored her and marched off towards the castle.
"That can't be good." Liam sighed and looked down at Valentine. "Are you having a fight?"
"The only thing he's fighting is himself." Valentine flicked a curl over her shoulder.
"No one expects you to back down, but...isn't going after someone who works with the Minister of Magic dangerous?" said Philips.
Valentine shot her an annoyed look. Someone who wasn't even in the group had no place speaking to her like that and Liam was quick to intercede.
"She just means that you should be careful." He said. "None of us want you getting shipped home, especially not so early in the year."
Valentine turned her unimpressed look on him. She got up and then walked off in the same direction as Draco.
She knew they were just worried about her and these worries weren't unfounded. This was a dangerous game she was playing, but she intended to see it through to the end.
--Pretending to Live--
Valentine counted the seconds as she waited outside the door.
Forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two...
Today she had decided to arrive at Defence Against the Dark Arts class exactly two minutes late. So, she stood there and counted to sixty twice.
Fifty-seven, fifty-eight, fifty-nine, sixty.
Valentine was never late if she could help it and the majority of the time she ever had been, were on purpose. She did it to Snape at least once a week and his hatred for it had never faded.
When Valentine finally entered, she didn't bother to knock and instead threw the door open hard. Hearing it hit the wall in such a loud, disruptive manner was incredibly satisfyingly.
"Ah, finally." Umbridge smiled at her, sickly sweet. "Take your seat, Miss Lestrange."
Valentine wanted to slap the calm and collected look off her face as she walked up to the front where her isolated desk was, textbook waiting for her. Valentine was used to goading Severus Snape of all people. He was easily angered and irritated. As she had to do was open a door without knocking or use a four-lettered word to gain some kind of reaction from him and their umpteenth argument of the week was born. Did Umbridge not realise that playing the unbothered, mature teacher would only make her destructive actions more so? Valentine was willing to bet she'd find out.
Valentine sat down at her desk and looked at the books cover that she'd grown to despise. She didn't open it. Instead, she lifted her head to look at Umbridge, standing at the front of the room, already looking back at her.
"Page thirty-one." said Umbridge with that small high pitched giggle.
Valentine blinked at her like the woman hadn't spoken a word.
"Miss Lestrange." Umbridge stepped towards her. "Open your book and turn to page thirty-one."
Again Valentine simply blinked, unassuming and innocent.
"If you will not work, you will not be welcome in this classroom."
Valentine tilted her head slightly, eyes completely devoid of emotion.
"Pardon?"
"Do not be ridiculous. I know you heard me."
"What?"
There was scattered laughter about the room and Umbridge twisted sharply with a threatening glare. The laughter immediately disappeared but Valentine allowed a small triumphant smile to form on her lips. She wasn't the type of girl who got support of any kind from the student body. It reminded her of the laughter she and her friends got the day they'd turned Lockhart into a rainbow reject.
"No more!" Umbridge shrieked. "You have been given more than an appropriate amount of chances to correct your behaviour! It is absolutely appalling that your other teachers have put up with your disrespectful attitude!"
"She's not going to stop, Professor." Harry suddenly spoke up. "You're the only one who doesn't seem to understand that."
Umbridge's nostrils flared as she turned furiously on him.
Valentine's head snapped over to look at him as well, her face still as neutral as ever and masking her own annoyance.
Thanks for the help, but I could do without you jumping into open fire!
Umbridge was creeping towards Harry with a click-clack of her heels so during the brief moment her attention was elsewhere, Valentine leapt up onto her seat.
"Miss Lestrange!" Umbridge gasped.
Valentine jumped from her desk to Chloe and Anna's without warning, the two girls quickly stashing their fingers away.
"Get down! You will rue the day you crossed me!"
Valentine then made the step over to the desk behind Chloe and Anna's where Hermione sat there with Neville. They were also quick to move their hands away. By now the class realised what was happening and the students sitting on that side of the room scampered away from their places as Valentine ran toward the back of the classroom, desk by desk, Umbridge following behind with her stubby legs down the aisle shouting threats at her.
"Listen here, girl! You will never study at this school again! Never!"
When Valentine reached Draco and Liam's desk, they were already standing up against the wall and out of the road. Valentine shot a wink at them as she jumped down off the desk and headed for the door. She turned just in time to miss Umbridge's outreached hand as she threw open the door and bolted through it.
Valentine could faintly hear cheering coming from the classroom and it only spurred her onwards. She sprinted down the hall, her only indicator that she was being followed was the click of heels.
She flung herself around the first corner and kept moving. After the sleepless nights roaming the halls of Hogwarts, she would have been able to navigate with her eyes closed. She decided to aim for Gryffindor tower, hoping Umbridge would be fouled by the changing staircases, but she didn't make it that far when she threw herself around another corner straight into Flich's outstretched arms.
She immediately twisted in his grasp, trying to pry his hands off her. She slammed her foot down on his and ran off again, this time across the courtyard as he shouted cursed after her.
She didn't get far as this time it was Umbridge waiting for her.
Valentine turned to run again but Umbridge grabbed her arm, digging her nails in and wrapping one of her own arms around her chest.
"Get your fucking hands off me!"
"You must be punished!"
Valentine kicked back one leg and with Umbridge's lack of height, she struck her in the knee. She felt the woman buckle but her hold didn't loosen. She pulled back her arm to send an elbow into her gut when Flich appeared and grabbed her.
"Let go of me!" She growled at them, twisting this way and that, desperate to free herself.
"This is what you deserve!" Umbridge shouted back at her. "I told you, you would rue the day you crossed me!"
"Get the fuck off me!" Valentine screamed, slamming her forehead into Flich's and sending him stumbling backwards.
"Do not let go!" Umbridge hissed at him.
"What in the world is going on here!" Came the sudden and bewildered voice of McGonagall.
"This girl is a disgrace!" Umbridge exclaimed.
"And you will let go of that girl this second!" McGonagall marched over and with the interference, Valentine managed to finally wrench herself from their grip. McGonagall wrapped an arm around her shoulder gently and moved herself to stand in front of her. "We do not physically attack our students here at Hogwarts! You should be ashamed of yourself!"
"Surely you've seen her insubordinate behaviour!" Umbridge huffed, hurriedly smoothing out her clothing.
"Insubordinate though she may be, she is only a child!" McGonagall snapped viciously. "Regardless of your feelings towards her, this is extremely inappropriate of you as a teacher and as an adult! And in all our years of teaching Miss Lestrange at Hogwarts, we have never once needed to inflict such physical barbaric methods!"
Damn...
Valentine was surprised by McGonagall's words although she did not show it. She had always been fair to a fault but Valentine had never expected this from her.
A mumbling reached her ears and she turned to find that they were standing outside of McGonagall's classroom, her students now spilling out of it to watch the scene. At the head of them stood Philips, observing with a severe, concerned expression.
"You can make excuses for her all you please, Professor, but I will see her expelled if it is the last thing I do!" Umbridge insisted.
"That is not your decision!" McGonagall rebuked her.
Umbridge was panting heavily and physically dishevelled in appearance. In her own anger, she looked as though she was ready to take out her wand and start cursing everyone in sight. Her face was so red Valentine thought she might pass out.
This did not turn out how I expected, but it's strangely satisfying all the same.
"Now, we will immediately take this matter to Dumbledore as he is still the principal power in this school!" McGonagall declared and started steering Valentine up the hall.
--Pretending to Live--
McGonagall stuck close to Valentine for the entire walk to Dumbledore's office, almost like she was worried Umbridge would attack her again.
Valentine tried not to think about what school could have been like if she'd been sorted into Gryffindor like the hat had originally intended. If McGonagall had been her Head of House all these years instead of the other jackass. It might have been a nice thought but ultimately useless in its impossibility. However grateful Valentine was for the Professor's intervention, she had also sent a student to collect that other jackass and it didn't exactly have Valentine jumping for joy.
Once in Dumbledore's office, Umbridge immediately released a torrent of complaints and accusations. She detailed every incident since the start of the term. Not a single thing was in a positive light, although that was to be expected.
"She is disrespectful towards myself and the Ministry by extent. She has no regards for the consequences of her actions. She refuses to accept punishment for her behaviour. She is constantly disruptive in class. She is destructive. She is impertinent. She has been tardy. She has risked harm to others. She has destroyed valuable Ministry property!"
Oh, fucking hell. Again with the Ministry property!
"Professor Umbridge," Dumbledore sat tall behind his desk. "I am well aware of Miss Lestrange's actions in the classroom."
"Then you should have no qualms about having her expelled immediately."
Valentine sighed, turning so only Dumbledore would see her eyes roll as she stepped up onto the raised platform to pet Fawkes on his perch. He seemed no more impressed by Umbridge's screaming than Valentine herself.
"You cannot expel a child simply because she is too much for you to handle." McGonagall objected.
"This is not a matter of handling, but a manner of principal." Umbridge stuck her nose up into the air as if that would make her more intimidating.
"What kind of principals would lead you to physically restrain a fifteen-year-old girl?" McGonagall shot back.
"I should warn you, I am not a woman to be trifled with."
"What a coincidence, neither am I."
It was at this moment that the door opened and Snape stepped into the room, immediately sensing the tension if the look on his face was anything to go by.
"If you value your safety you'll leave and take me with you." Valentine told him.
"I will see her expelled and that is final." Umbridge demanded.
"I'm afraid that is not within your authority, Professor." Dumbledore spoke up, his tone was uncharacteristically serious. "Severus, perhaps you have input on what you think is to be done with Miss Lestrange."
Umbridge and McGonagall looked to him expectantly.
"I believe expulsion is unnecessary in this particular situation." Snape spoke slowly as though his heart wasn't really in his words. "However she should have to serve the appropriate punishment for her disobedience."
Valentine gave a decidedly unsatisfied noise in the back of her throat at this. She was ignored.
"And she should apologize." Snape added.
Okay, he's definitely going to get some payback for that one.
"Do you agree with these terms, Professor Umbridge?" Dumbledore inquired.
"Hardly." She scoffed. "But seeing as how I currently do not have the power to terminate Miss Lestrange's enrollment, she must attend detentions with me until I am satisfied that she regrets her transgressions."
Did she just say 'currently'? I will mark the day this woman falls, I swear it. I will not live to see a day when she is in power over Hogwarts. I fucking refuse.
"She will attend." Snape immediately agreed.
"Excuse me." Valentine frowned at this.
"Quiet." Snape scolded her harshly.
"Are you in agreement, Miss Lestrange?" Dumbledore turned to her.
What choice do I have? It's either this or expulsion. What kind of option is that? I can hardly protect Potter from Malfoy Manor.
"Whatever." She scoffed.
"Disrespectful." Umbridge shook her head. "I believe I was also promised an apology."
"I think I may be allergic to those." said Valentine.
"Lestrange." Snape growled. He walked over to her, glaring her down until she stepped away from the bird reluctantly. He grabbed her shoulders and forcibly placed her in front of Umbridge. "This is your doing, now fix it."
"You've got to be joking." Valentine groaned.
"Now." He shoved her forwards.
Valentine sent a sour look over her shoulder at him.
Reminder to me: Kick the shit out of Snape.
Valentine dragged her face back around to Umbridge who stood there expectantly with a smug smile.
Reminder to me: Also kick the shit out of Umbridge.
Valentine swallowed thickly. Even just thinking about apologising to such a horrendous person left an unsavoury taste in her mouth. She glanced over her shoulder again as if to ask 'do I have to?'.
Snape returned this with an arched brow as if to say 'did I stutter?'.
Valentine gave another loud groan, shuffled her feet in an agitated manner and clenched her hands into fists.
I had a parasitic creature removed from my brain and this still might be the most painful thing I've ever done.
"I'm sorry." Valentine ground out bitterly.
"What was that?" Umbridge tilted her head as if she couldn't hear her. "Speak up dear, I can't hear you."
"I apologize!" Valentine shouted back at her. "Did you hear that?"
Umbridge blinked, taken aback but smiled all the same.
"Crystal clear." She said with a giggle.
I want to vomit.
--Pretending To Live--
Valentine didn't return to the common room until long after long. She found Draco sitting in the common room alone. His brow was creased and his hands clenched together tightly.
Great. What a disgruntled pair we make.
He looked up at her as she entered.
"I got a note from my father. He said...he said I was incompetent because I can't control you."
Valentine scoffed at the mere notion.
"That's ridiculous. No one can control me."
"We both know that but try telling him." Draco muttered bitterly, glaring down at his hands.
Valentine sat down on the couch beside him, swinging her legs up into his lap with no hint of grace.
"Well, perhaps you are incompetent if you let his words affect you." She shrugged. At her coarse words, Draco almost seemed to physically cave in on himself. "Look. Your father is a good for nothing coward. You want to be like him? Sure. Go ahead. Do whatever he tells you like a good little lap dog."
"I am not a lap dog." Draco bit out.
"Good." Valentine answered quickly. "I won't have you pushed around by anyone, father or no."
"How is it so easy for you?" Draco shook his head at her. "We both grew up the same way. So, how can you just reject him so easily?"
"It wasn't always this easy." Valentine admitted. "There was a time when he intimidated me, but I've seen what a scared, tiny, insignificant man he is. Once you stop seeing him as some all-powerful figure, things will change."
Draco didn't answer, but he finally looked up from his hands and leaned back, facing the ceiling.
"I wish I was as smart as you." Draco sighed.
"Trust me. You don't. Then you'd have to deal with everyone asking you for help with their homework."
Now it was Draco's turn to scoff.
"Yeah. Blaze alone would be enough to do my head in."
"However else would he and Leah have found..." Valentine frowned. "...whatever the hell it is they have together?" Valentine frowned.
Suddenly Draco's head snapped forward, startled.
"If they had a child it would probably be the most annoying person to ever breathe."
"Oh God." Valentine's face twisted in disgust. "Could you imagine? Some little creature with Leah's energy and Blaze's inarticulateness?"
"They'd probably make you the Godmother, you know." Draco laughed.
"Not happening." Valentine shook her head firmly. "You can take that most honourable of positions. You'd look fantastic holding a screaming baby."
"Liam then." Draco decided. "He can be the God Father. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
I prefer it like this. When he can laugh and joke without worrying about disappointing his father.
It's strange. I know that at the end of the day, Draco isn't what you would consider a good person. He's barely even a decent one. He looks down on others simply because he believes he has that right. It's despicable and yet I'd kill for him. Friendship is a funny thing.