AB kept her mouth shut as they shuffled along. She didn't much like wizarding healing. She'd gotten used to wearing her bruises. The ache she would feel for the next few days was a good reminder not to get into another fight. She didn't want most of it taken away, even as her throat started to hurt.
She took a seat on the edge of an examining table and kept her eyes anywhere but in the direction of Adelaide as she was examined.
After the nurse had given them the all clear, Professor Fortis escorted both girls to the Headmistress' office. Both of them were yet to say a word, or offer any kind of explanation or apology.
Once in front of the headmistress' desk, Adelaide flopped into one of the chairs. They'd been in there so much the chairs should have their names inscribed on them already.
"Ladies. I hope your summer was fun?" Headmistress Pendragon stood looking out of the high arched window in her office. She signed mentally at the fact that it was the very first day of school and here were two of her top ten troublemakers already. Marissa had been thinking all summer about just what to do with these two, and she thought she had a solution.
"I'm happy you find it so comfortable here, Ms. Legaux and Ms. Ford. Almost like home. Are you having a good time already? Like your new dorm rooms? Seeing friends who you haven't seen and having a great time catching up?" The Headmistress of the Crescent City Institute turned to look at the two young miscreants in front of her desk with a smile on her face and waited for an answer from each of them.
Abby didn't know how to reply to the line of questions. Clearly this was some kind of trap. "This wasn't the start to the semester that I imagined," she answered carefully. She'd never gotten in trouble this early in the year. She had hoped to skirt around without causing so many waves, at least for the first week.
Adelaide simply pursed her lips and stared dead ahead, trying not to scowl. It was that dumb redneck's fault she was in here so quickly; and here she was pretending like this was some kind of shocking consequence? Maybe she really was that stupid.
She just wanted to get her punishment and go. Revenge could wait until another day.
"I understand that it wasn't the start that you wanted, Ms. Ford. be that as it may, I really hope you've been having fun here and that you like it here at CCI. Because you're not going to be here for much longer." The smile slid right off of her face, as Marissa Pendragon stared at the two girls.
"Both of you ladies will have detention, starting tomorrow, and going for five days afterward. You will be writing new labels for potions ingredients under the watchful eye of Professor Fortis. As a further word of warning to you, if I see either of you in here for anything other than to bring me flowers for the next three months, you will find yourselves expelled. Is this clear, ladies?" She looked at the two young women again with an icy stare.
Abernathy didn't know if she could make it three whole months without getting in trouble again. She knew when they started fighting that they were going to be in a good deal of trouble, but this wasn't the sort of ultimatum she ever imagined hearing.
Aunt Veruca would have her ass for this. There was no way to smooth this one over with her usual charm. She'd never let AB live it down if she got expelled. Her dad would have a different approach, happy to have his daughter home and probably enrolled in muggle high school before she even made it back on the floo network and the train home.
AB's stomach started to sink at the thought. What would Sam think? How would her best friend deal with this punishment and the possible repercussions of this stupid, stupid mistake.
Ordinarily she'd think that having detention with Professor Fortis as the worst punishment ever, but the lingering threat behind it all was so much worse. "Yes headmistress," she replied in a voice that was hollowed out and pale.
Addy couldn't swallow her scowl this time. That was a totally unfair ultimatum; she was in here all the time and it was hardly ever her fault.
"Yes ma'am," she groused, knowing that there was no way she would be able to negotiate a shorter probation at this point. Not even if she volunteered a whole month's detention. This was all Abernathy's fault, she'd probably go and start a fight tomorrow just to get her expelled. Like some muggle-born hick would even care about getting kicked out of wizarding school.
She looked away from Adelaide immediately. She didn't need to invite any more scrutiny from the headmistress. This was clearly not over between them, but they couldn't finish it here (or anywhere else where they might get caught).
AB rose from her chair on unsteady legs. She had to hold her hands together to keep them from shaking and then decided it would be better to tuck them into the straps of her backpack.
She was going to try to get through this, but she had no idea how to even start. She followed her escort to class and took down sketchy, distracted notes. There was no way she'd be able to focus today, no matter how hard she tried.
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