Chương 14: The Teacher Always Has Favorites
Hogwarts
October 30th, 1972
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes down at the very regretful piece of slime that was bowing before her. "Bella!" The slime whined. "I just got out of Detention." He groaned as he cupped his groin, having just been the victim of a direct stinging hex. Secluded within the halls of Hogwarts, she and Andromeda had cornered Sirius as he was released from Detention, sending along his friends with nicely worded threats. They'd attempted to flee together, and for that Sirius' friends were currently petrified and shoved in the closet within very compromising positions.
Sirius, meanwhile, was saved that ignoble fate for the specific attentions of his older cousins.
"What did you do?" Bellatrix growled as she jabbed her wand into his cheek.
"Ah, it was. Fine, we fucked up! Okay! We get it! Shit!" The boy squealed as Andromeda hit him with freezing cold water from an Augmenti.
"What. Happened?" Bellatrix growled.
"We, we tried cursing Sniv-, er, Snape. Severus. Prof Kampf had his back turned, but his offhand snapped a projectile ward between our curse; it was wicked!"
"Go on." Bellatrix purred, "We, we got held back…" Sirius frowned, "We won't do it again, okay? We just had a talk. I'm not going to talk about it. It was private."
Bellatrix frowned and went to hex him again, only for Andromeda to elbow her, "Jeeze. Professor Ebb just assigned them a detention; no need for details."
Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at her cousin, "What was the detention, at least?"
Sirius paled, "Erm. We, uh, learned some stuff." He shivered.
"What stuff?" Bellatrix asked, wand pointed at her cousin's face.
"Sexual Education." Andromeda and Bellatrix jumped at the familiar voice, Bellatrix's wand lashing out at whoever had gotten behind them so suddenly. It was blocked by a raised hand, and she was briefly tugged off balanced, before another hand softly supported her ribcage. A bit lower and a curled fist would've taken her out like a light; right in the solar plexus. The hand on her wrist casually disarmed her wand, and it was promptly tucked away into his pocket. "Detention, Bellatrix, Andromeda. A week."
The woman paled as she stared up at the very unamused expression of her professor. And disappointed.
"Sirius, are you okay?" Ebon ignored the two girls and held a handout for the boy, with Sirius taking it.
"Arg, thanks Prof Kampf." Sirius smiled at the Professor, to which he smiled back.
"Stay out of trouble, kiddo." He ruffled the lad's hair and sent him on his way, "Your friends were stashed in the closet down the left hall." He called as he ran along.
"Thanks!"
As Sirius left, his expression turned for the worse. "On my six." He growled.
The two girls followed him obediently.
"I guess you two are going to be ruining my Hallows Eve tonight?" He asked blandly, "Truthfully, I've already assigned eight separate detentions tonight. For some reason everyone is on edge, and I'm half a mind to send you two to enjoy time with that nasty Squib. Tell him to enjoy his chains, or whatever that sick fuck gets off on." He muttered darkly.
"Erm, please don't." Andromeda squeaked.
"Polite, at least. That's better than most I've had today. Come along, into the classroom we go." He opened the door to his DADA classroom. "Fillius caught a handful of his Ravenclaws going at it with the Slytherins; they've been having a spat lately, some ideological movement that is really gaining ground. Then I had to stop a brawl of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors, also having a spat over a newly generated house-rivalry that has utterly splinted Hogwarts House politics. Thankfully, McGonagall decided to shoulder those responsibilities, but she'll likely be very unamused if I bring more. Nor do I want to trek all the way to her classroom."
Sitting in his desk, he opened his desk to a bowl of candies. "No, you may not have any." He stated as he divested a wrapper of sour candy and popped one into his mouth. "I've been experimenting with wizarding candies, and I've managed to create a few out of some…exotic materials." His shadow rippled at that, "They're horribly toxic to anyone without my altered physiology, so please treat them like highly toxic potions reagents." He glanced up at the two.
"Now, let's get to the brass tacks. Petrifying four students unprovoked, and then tormenting another student for information about detention of all things. And I caught that last bit about Sirius not wanting to share private information. Which should indeed remain private, or at least insofar as his friend group and trusted confidants. I gave them two weeks for a failed curse, but they gave me lip for it so I upped it to two; but here we have four students that have been successfully cursed. So, should the punishment increase with the crime committed?" He tittered in thought, holding a finger up to silence them, "There's also the consideration that you, Andromeda are a fourth year, and you Bellatrix, are twenty-fucking-years-old." He stared at her with utter disappointment. "Show some shame, woman. Jeeze, they're thrice damned third years. And no, I don't care that he's your cousin, we're going on based Hogwarts rules." He rolled the candy in his mouth and contemplated.
"I'd like to hear your motivation." He eventually decided.
Andromeda and Bellatrix glanced at one another, with Bellatrix's eyes widening in betrayal.
"Bella was curious about what your detentions were like, and she wanted to get to it at the source." Andromeda ratted.
"No integrity within the House of Black, hmm. Such betrayal, and so quick too. Five points from Slytherin for being a snitch, Andromeda."
The girl groaned and whimpered at the superior look that Bellatrix gave her. "But you can earn twenty whole points if you tell me why Bellatrix wanted to know what my detentions were like." He flicked a compulsion on her, the blatantly red spell splashing into her face.
Andromeda squawked in shock, and opened her mouth, only for it to move on its own, "She wanted to know if she should get punished on purpose to-" Andromeda slapped her hands over her mouth in horror.
Ebon smiled innocently, "An altered Compulsion charm, trading power for a lack of subtly." He then raised an eyebrow at the horrified Bellatrix, "And also paints an odd image, but I don't judge. I'll have you know I just let my younger students watch a recording of me teach about male and female anatomy, sexual education, sexual diseases, while sitting on chairs enchanted with compulsion charms to make them pay utmost attention."
Andromeda opened her mouth and tested, "What, hello, the fuck."
Ebon shrugged, "How does it feel to be on the reverse end of things, Ms. Black? Not fun giving out your secrets."
The two had their eyes widened in enlightenment.
Bellatrix groaned, "It's always a lesson." She muttered.
"Someone catches on quick! Ringa-ding, we got a winner." He waved a finger in the air as small and soundless fireworks popped around them. "Now, I'd like to make something clear, Bellatrix. While I'm disappointed, know that your chances of obtaining an apprenticeship won't be revoked. Just keep in mind that as my apprentice, you will reflect on me. You are the shinning symbol of my reputation, my credence as an educator, and so on. As you are not yet my apprentice, your actions today reflect entirely on you, and do not show an enticing image as a prospective apprentice who can maintain their own and their master's reputation. Am I being clear on this?"
"Yes, sir." Bella meekly nodded.
"Good. Not to make a mountain out of a mole hill, and I'm sure that Sirius deserves a come-uppance for some other unpunished mischief, if you explain what hinges on your vested interests in finding out about potential punishments your future Master will dole out, he may be receptive to forgiveness. I do expect an apology. It won't be done under any of my supervision, and instead you will need to find Sirius and his friends, issue an apology, explain yourself, and during classes I'll pull them aside and have them judge your sincerity. Considering James and Sirius are pranksters, do be assuaged that I'll be throwing whatever they say within a salt-lake; but I do still expect an apology, half-hearted as it may be."
The two girls nodded.
"I would like to make clear that this apology is to be issued to all four of the boys. Not just Sirius, although as he was the subject of interrogation, well you get the idea. Perhaps a gift of reconciliation would be advised? A bag of candies, or pranking supplies? Perhaps as a bribe to get them to not unleash their willies upon your persons?"
The two laughed and nodded.
"Glad we understand." Ebon muttered. "Now. Punishment. I'd say three-weeks of detention for assault. Andromeda, you'll be regulated with the lower years, watching sexual education. Don't dispel the seats, I'll know if you did. Besides, its educational." The girl groaned.
"As for you, I haven't any problems with my upper years, at least not yet, and I'm ever a fan of cruel and unusual punishment." He tapped his chin in thought.
"Perhaps grading?" Bellatrix offered.
He waved that off, "That's a reward for the Ravenclaws. They find some sick and twisted joy in holding power over others, however limited their homework assignments being graded is considered 'power'."
The two couldn't argue against that.
As Ebon thought, he froze. "Hmm, I…hmm. Shit. Well, I could…" He clicked his tongue.
"Erm, Professor?" Andromeda questioned.
Ebon sighed, "I've been working at a rather grueling pace for the past two months, and Albus has himself convinced I'm some monstrous creature called a Workaholic. The workload I handle is rather insane when put into the perspective of higher management, with the ever-expanding Physical Conditioning Club, the Remedial lessons that I have scheduled on the weekend for the slackers, and my own lesson and homework plans. If you all think you have it rough reading a few chapters and writing a short few paragraphs; I have to read seven hundred of those papers every week. Most professors use students and prefects as junior professors to deal with the slogs, but with my requirements for readable essays, I have to be the one to grade each paper, which takes me until morning usually." Ebon rubbed the knot in his neck and sighed, "He encouraged me to schedule some time off. Not for any classes, but for the weekend and from my remedials."
"And my detention…" Bellatrix uttered.
Ebon shrugged, "Not too bad of an issue. I can just schedule it with Flitwick or McGonagall. Although, with midterms coming up, they'll be swamped, and your detention is ungodly long by their standards…" He leaned back and stroked his chin. "Eh, fuck it, I wanna go on my break. I guess I could get Flitch…"
"Please not him." Bellatrix grimaced.
Ebon grimaced himself, "That man really does need to have an accident. He has no business being around children." Tapping his fingers on his desk, Ebon rubbed at his forehead. "Fine. I'll schedule out my break to be at the tail end of your Detention, and the last few days I'll be 'gone', but you'll still technically be in detention. Call it a lucky break, but you'll be left in the DADA classroom. Just don't leave and hide a nice book in the classroom, and it'll be fine and dandy."
"Lucky…" Andromeda
"What will I be doing during detention, Professor?" Bellatrix asked.
"I dunno, what do you brits usually do for Detention. I never went to one."
The sisters blinked. "What about other students, in ah, America, right?"
"Pretty sure they just sat in a room staring at a wall, being bored." Ebon shrugged. "What, do you want me to drive nails into your hands or something? Sexual Education is important anyway, so no matter how much you might not like it, it does teach some rather important information." He shrugged, "I never really minded the class when I took it anyway."
"But you didn't have detention?"
"It wasn't detention, just a mandatory class they pulled kids in every other year." He frowned in memory, "Whatever, this is making my head hurt. Just show up to DADA and watch me grade papers all night, I guess. Go enjoy Halloween, or whatever you Brits practice, and make sure to apologize to Sirius."
The girls bowed their leave, thanking him for his leniency, and walked off. 'I'm soft around those girls.' Ebon reflected.
Watching them walk, his eyes drifted, and he shook his head; turning back to his paperwork.
Another boring night.
He smiled for it though.
…
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