Rating:
G
House:
The Dark Arts
Characters:
Padma Patil Parvati Patil
Genres:
General
Era:
Multiple Eras
Spoilers:
Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix
Stats:
Published: 03/17/2005
Updated: 03/17/2005
Words: 739
Chapters: 1
Hits: 416

Her Idea of Fun

Night_Wanderer

Story Summary:
Padma brags to Parvati about pulling a fast one on Umbridge.

Posted:
03/17/2005
Hits:
374


Her Idea of Fun

Parvati was waiting for her when Padma came back from Quidditch tryouts.

"Well, did you make the team?"

Padma shook her head. Parvati looked at her intently for a moment. Padma was wearing a little smile as if her mind was somewhere else.

After a moment, Parvati asked, "Then why are you looking so smug?"

Padma turned to her. "Do you know what I've done to Umbridge?" She plunged on without waiting for an answer. "I was supposed to have detention with her this evening, at the same time as Ravenclaw Quidditch tryouts. So I fooled her into letting me go."

Parvati looked at her in horror. "But what if she finds out?"

"Even if she does, it was worth it."

Parvati said nothing for a moment, so Padma turned to her, looking both excited and petulant. "Don't you want to hear about it?"

"Sure."

"I thought I would get some real work done in Umbridge's class, so I turned some pages of the textbook into our reading for Transfiguration. I could use a worthless class to get some useful work done. Marietta was sitting next to me, and must have noticed that I was reading the textbook with real interest, because she looked over and saw what I had done, tattled, and I got detention Tuesday through Friday.

"I spent the time before I had to go to detention figuring out a way to get out of detention today. Umbridge didn't seem the type to let me go to Quidditch tryouts out of kindness, so I thought some brainwork was in order.

"So I went to detention that Tuesday evening, and said the following: 'Professor Umbridge, I wonder if you could help me with a problem?' She just looked at me. 'You see, Professor, Professor Snape has given me detention Friday at this time, and I was wondering if you could maybe talk to him, you know, and tell him I already have detention with you. I tried, but he just sneered. I think he thought I was lying. He said to ask you to discuss it with him.'

"Umbridge smiled widely. 'You seem very interested in getting out of Professor Snape's detention, my dear. Why?'

"I acted surprised. 'I just didn't want to miss your detention, Professor,' I said. 'I can hardly attend two detentions at the same time, can I?'

" 'What are Professor Snape's detentions like, dear? What is he going to have you do?' she asked, grinning widely.

"I said, 'I don't know what he's going to have me do. He didn't tell me. But one time he had Ron Weasley clean out the hospital bedpans without magic, and one time he had Neville Longbotton pickle horned slugs, and poor Neville came to Potions the next day on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Parvati felt so sorry for Neville. I don't know what he's going to have me do.' Here, I stopped talking and looked away.

"Umbridge said, 'I have a better idea, dear. You can go to Professor Snape's detention on Friday, and forget about mine. I'm sure Professor Snape is better at disciplining students than I am. Also, I think it would be good for you to go to the detention you would rather not go to.' Here, she smiled sweetly.

"I said nothing, and she took it as a sign that she had won. So I went to Quidditch tryouts when she thought I was in detention with Snape."

Padma smiled proudly, having finished her story, but Parvati was still staring at her in horror. "Padma, how could you be so reckless? The success of that hung on the edge of a knife!"

"What do you mean? It worked!"

"It's not over yet! You could still get caught. What if Umbridge saw you playing Quidditch? What if she asks Snape to describe what kind of detention he gave you? What if she's already gone to Snape and knows what you did, and is just waiting for you to come back from Quidditch?"

Padma shrugged. "Like I said, it was worth it."

"What are you talking about? You didn't make the team. All your work was for nothing!"

"Parvati, you don't understand! It was worth it just to fool Umbridge. Even if I get expelled, the fun was worth it." With that, Padma turned and headed off toward the West Tower, leaving Parvati to stare after her.