Purple Hair

Cressida sat quietly...intently...watching Professor Flitwick, every subtle movement of his hand as he motioned the spell.

"Who can tell me the name this of charm?" he squeaked enthusiastically, looking around for a response from the befuddled students. He locked eyes with Cressida, whose expression was curious rather than confused.

"Cressida?"

Her stomach lunged slightly, with everyone's eyes set on her. She knew the spell involved moving an object, but not really how, she was familiar with the movement...her Mother had perhaps performed it a couple of times.

"The movement...spell?" she guessed clumsily. The class snickered, but none as loudly as Grace, a pretty brunette girl whose piercing eyes caught Cressida's immediately. Cressida's face went an angry pink, which clashed with her purple hair.

"No..." Flitwick replied kindly, expecting more from her. Cressida went silent. "Come on," Flitwick urged, "you should know this one, it was part of last night's homework."

Cressida felt her embarrassment burn more intensely. She hadn't done last night's homework, as usual...there was always so much stupid homework to do!

She remained silent.

Grace raised her hand keenly. "It's the banishing spell, Professor," she said pompously. Cressida's left arm tingling angrily as she wished to turn and break her elegant neck...end of problem. She quietly replayed the fantasy over and over until the bell signalled escape.

Cressida was amongst the last to leave the class. She was followed by Grace and her angelic cronies. They spilled out into the corridors filled with people, their chatter and footsteps echoing against the stone walls. "Movement spell," Grace recited in a low, protracted voice, and concluded with a loud laugh.

A bolt of hot, angry lightening speared through Cressida's chest and exited through her back, leaving a searing tingling all down it. She turned quickly on her heel, and in three quick steps was face to face with Grace. Her expression changed from maliciousness to confusion and then was met by Cressida's clenched fist.

Grace stumbled back grasping her face, doubled over. Her friends stepped back, appalled, as if Cressida had vomited at their feet.

"You friggen *****! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Cressida froze. She couldn't think of what to do next. Usually you would follow a predetermined social custom, but there wasn't one for this. She looked around at the friends who were eying her cautiously. Who knows what she could do next?

"Furnunculus!"

Before she realized what had happened, Cressida felt a burning sensation spreading through her lower leg. She automatically clutched it. Her pants had ripped around her leg and calf. She peered under her comforting hands. Her leg was smattered with blisters. Rage built up in Cressida's chest, fueled by the painful blisters. She violently cast a non-verbal hives hex.

But before she could gauge the reaction-

"RELISHO!"

Cressida felt the overwhelming urge to drop her wand. Unable to resist, she let it fall to the floor with a quiet clatter.

The entire corridor was hushed in a deathly silence.

Cressida turned to see the stony face of Professor McGonagall.