Walking into the...room, if one could call this a room of course, Josh tried to not to think about those thoughts that anger him or upset him since he already was not in a good situation. Yet on the other hand he was sure that he could deal with whatever Lafay was going to tell him to do in here without any hesitation, failure, or loss. Maybe it was even going to be easy for him though the woman had told him the otherwise a moment ago.

However Josh's confidence was a never ending one, so deciding and believing that i was going to be quite manageable and easy to deal with. Mistress Lafay would not hurt him anyway. Oooor maybe she would since she said she was disgusted with him. Well, he was going to see. Plus a bit of pain would never hurt. Bahahahaha....

Uncontrolably laughing the idea that 'pain do not hurt' the Gryffindor walked to the very middle of the room and waited for Lafay to show her beautiful face.

As Hecate came into the room she used her wand to hex him and shove the kid into a seat. "Wand." She said simply. No one kept their wand during detention. That was her policy.

As footsteps echoed in the creepy dungeon place, Josh quickly looked at that direction and smiled when his brown eyes spotted Mistress Lafay though the expression on her face showed that she was exactly the last person in the world to smile back or accept any smiles. She looked dangerous and the moment she stopped before him the boy's smile faded as he sensed the oncoming trouble.

When the woman directed her wand at him, Josh's right hand automatically went to his own for a moment to defend himself yet deciding against it, the next instant he did not even touch the hazel wand. Attempting to duel Lafay in detention was not a good idea plus he was in detention so the woman had the right to do whatever she wanted to him. So Josh did not move a muscle when the spell hit him except the sudden light made him close his eyes for an instant.

Then he was forced backwards and when he opened his eyes he found himself seated. Well...now it was harder to predict what was going to happen to him in this detention however the lion boy still had full confidence in himself so in order to express that to Lafay, he fixed his eyes into hers and obediently unholstered his wand presenting it to her without losing any time right after the deeply cold 'Wand' order.

''Professor...''

*stare*

She took the wand and made it disappear. He would find it on his nightstand back in his room. "And don't tell me you didn't lie to me. You told me you wouldn't try to hit anyone." She said angrily.

"I hope you didn't start without me," Madam Donovan stated as she entered the darkened room. "I came as soon as I received your message. Thank you, Hecate for keeping me informed." After the previous 25 points were lost, Kimber was keeping close tabs on young Mr. Carter.

Already she had her wand drawn and a nasty look on her face.

"I saw it as my duty, Madam Donovan..." Hecate said to the Gryffindor Head of House, though her eyes were very much fixed on young Master Carter.

As he was trying to predict what Lafay was planning for him, Josh watched the hazel wand dissappear with a rather uncorcerned expression. Meh. He had never been that sensitive about his wand anyway since he believed magic was always the last choice if someone needed to do...well...anything. So he never even thought he was weak or unable to fight when wandless. Haha. Probably Mistress Lafay did not know anything about that.

Hmm. When the angry woman spoke, the Gryffindor boy raised his eyebrows since it was hard to say that he agreed those words of the Potions Mistress. ''Well...professor. Tecnically, i did not hit Salander or tried to hit him anyway. What was about to hit him was a cauldron, not my fist. So, i did not lie to you. Plus, did not you hear what he said? It was impossible not to react it. No one can hold himself in that kind of a situation''

He figured the woman was probably going to be much more angrier over his words yet he did not care. That needed to be said and it was the truth not only the boy's attempt to defend himself.

Josh was still carefully watching Lafay, thinking hard to find some more words to utter and to, perhaps, soften her but upon hearing footsteps that apparently did not belong to Lafay, echoing again, he looked up and towards that direction only to see his own head of house and she definitely did not look happy. Gah! Now, maybe this was another factor that he could call this trouble.

''I am sure she did not even imagine that'' the lion boy said with a slight tone of sarcasm.

Maybe it was not a good idea to annoy them in that kind of a situaton...

Hmph

"Carter, stop treating me like I am an idiot. You threw the cauldron, it did not try and hit Salander on it's own, and what he said was prompted by another student, because he was testing her potion. Besides that, you do not seem to understand that Miss Shepard can very well take care of herself." She said and then looked at Kimber. "And from what you said in my office," She looked back at the boy, "She is no longer yours to protect."

... He did say he didn't have a girlfriend anymore.

Kimber could NOT believe her ears. Was he actually sitting here debating eith a professor? One of her own Gryffindors behaving as if their disrespect was acceptable.

The Librarian charged forward, a scowl firmly affixed to her features and stared down at him. "Shut up!" her voice rang through the walls. "I will not tolerate this attitude another second. When Professor Lafay addresses you, you WILL answer her directly and with the upmost respect. Do I make myself clear?!"

Eh...

At that point, it sounded like Lafay was quite right and there was nothing he could say to defend himself. Okay. She can believe that Salander was forced to say that by the stupid potion or unction whatever it was, but Josh believed he had seen how he was looking at the girl before, even not for once. So, he still thought that Slytherin lad deserved much more than a mere cauldron thrown at him.

She is no longer yours to protect...?

That was another point Josh had to disagree. ''I am sorry, professor. I thought it was only me who could decide who i should protect.''

Well, that was right, was not it?

Then turning back to his angry head of house, the Gryffindor boy about to say adress him when she simply yelled him to shut up which he did at that very moment. It was hard to imagine what this angry woman could do if he had not obeyed that. And as she went on, Josh spent a great deal of effort to fight against the urge of objecting her by saying he always respected Lafay. At least he believed he did. ''Again sorry Madam, but how am i supposed to tell you if you make yourself clear when previously you have told me to shut up?''

Did not you think so?...

Madam Donovan's facial features held their angered look as she heard Josh ONCE again deliver a smart aleck answer. He seemed to have NO problem whatsoever spitting out his nonsensical comeback. Too bad the required, "Yes, ma'am" was too difficult for him.

"Oh, Josh, I'm so glad you're enjoying yourself," she said in a soft voice, fixing him with her glowering brown eyes. "I think we will too." She glanced over at Hecate and nodded her head. Well they HAD tried... "Carter, your refusal to accept responsibility for your actions is why you're here with us now. Professor Lafay and I intend to remedy that."

Hecate was ready to hex the boy into oblivion... but Kimber was here. "I don't need protection. If you forced your protective nature on me, I would not appreciate it. To say the VERY least."

She pointed her wand above Josh Carter's head and shot a hex over him. Curved glass walls rose from the ground to the ceiling, encircling him. He was in what looked like a glass pipe.

"Carter, I just cast the Flobberdung hex. If you are not familiar with this hex... let me explain it to you. Madam Donovan and I will be asking you questions. If we think you are lying, or we do not like your answer, we will say Flobberdung and... well..." she looked at Kimber with a mischievous smirk, "Shall we start."

Hah!

Actually he was more like trying to explain himself instead of enjoying the situation but of course, once again, he could not say that what Madam Donovan said was all wrong. He was half trying to enjoy himself, too. But that was because he knew there was no escape from this so it was pointless to be whining or worrying about it. Not to mention that he was the fighter type...against anything necessary.

Remedy his refusal to accept responsibility for those acts? Hmph. ''But i did not refuse anything. I was merely trying to explain the reason behind them'' Now see who was refusing things? They were the ones who were refusing to pay attention to his explanations. Pfff. So be it!

Eyeing Lafay back as she spoke again, the Gryffindor boy decided to avoid commenting on her words even though she seemed to cast something else on him and something he had not been expecting to happen...well...happened. Why was he in a class thingy? Why was this necessary? The boy curiously examined the glass around him until the Potions Mistress mentioned some hex.

Flobberdung hex? He had no idea what that was and her explanation for it was not so illuminating, either. What? WHAT? What was going to happen when they said that word? Meh. Who cared? He did not mind anything....whatever it was buuut....

''Questions?'' he repeated trying not to smirk at the two women ''This did not sound scary at all. Why don't you try Unforgiveables instead?''

Hecate's smile became wider as he spoke. "See, Carter? I don't like that answer..." She said and then said the word "Flobberdung."

Suddenly this horrible expelling noise, like... like a fart... came from the ceiling above Josh. A hole opened, and a warm, semi liquid, brownish fluid that could only be described as sewage, came rushing out, fell over the boy and settled at feet level. "It isn't supposed to be scary... except maybe if you become neck deep in it."

Even though the stench was already assaulting her senses, Kimber gave the boy a big, healthy smile. "Not only does the dear Potions Mistress dislike your answer but I'm POSITIVE that that constitutes as a LIE in my book," she sneered.

"Flobberdung," she chirped happily causing the chunky fluid to cover him once more. She could keep this up all week.

She looked at her handy work, noting the way his ankles were now submersed in the funky stuff and then smiled over at Hecate. "I wonder if Carter here can breath under... water."

"You think I should go to my stores and get him some gillyweed?" She asked Kimber and then tapped her own chin looking at the ceiling, "I wonder if the chucks would get stuck in the magically made gills..."

She did not like the answer? ''As if...''...i do care about that the Gryffindor began, yet could not complete his sentence since that horrible sound that echoed in the dark dungeon made him halt. Then there was some movement above him so he looked up to see what it was and...

GAH!

Something...indescribably DISGUSTING, which was obvious from the smell and look, was poured on him in a great deal and worst of all that happened exactly when he was looking up resulting some even filling his mouth. At first the boy looked like he was about to throw up yet instead he spat all of the thing towards Lafay but of course it all hit the glass and slowly leaked down.

''I...'' then he tried to speak yet failed to do so when he began coughing loudly. Merlin! This was probably worse than the cruciatus curse. Breathing heavily despite the smell, the boy did not even look up when Madam Donovan spoke. No she was simply making fun of him. But no, despite their words and the anger that started to rise inside him, the Gryffindor kept his silence until Lafay spoke again mentioning gillyweed and making him breath under this disgusting thing.

No way! He was not going to let this happen.

''KEEP YOUR FILTHY GILLYWEED TO YOURSELF!'' he yelled at the two women, anger could be easily read on his expression ''I WON'T EVEN BRING IT NEAR MY MOUTH!''

"Hmmm I don't like that answer either." She looked at Kimber, "Do you?" She turned to the trapped boy, cocked her head and said "Flobberworm." Another awful sound and shower of the disgusting sewage came crashing onto him, filling the tubes to his calves. "I suggest you start watching what you say, Carter... I would hate to see you drown in the stuff... what with you not accepting the gillyweed..." And she smirked again.

Kimber watched in awe as the gunk fell down around him. "Eww!" she muttered. "Did that just drop in his mouth?!" she giggled; her mouth covered by her hand so only Hecate would see or hear. "A lesson perhaps on keeping that ever-loving mouth of yours closed, huh, Carter?" If word of this got around, not a single girl at Hogwarts would be crazy enough to kiss him. He'd be known the world over as Josh Carter, the Potty Mouth. Heh.

The fun ran out for her shortly after when she heard Josh actually SCREAM at them. Had he lost his mind?!?

"I am not a fan of your tone," Kimber said. "Flobberdung," she squeaked, holding back a giggle. The stinky liquid cascaded down his head again, this time burying him to his knees.

As the next shower of sewage hit him, the boy did his best to protect his handsome face from it, though it was kind of late. And once it was over, he simply glared at the Potions Mistress.

Of course he would not accept the gillyweed...


''I'd rather die than give you that satisfaction!'' Josh said this time with a calmer tone but the anger was still present. Yelling at them apparently was not going to work...heh...as he calmed a little bit finally he managed to start to think reasonably. Merlin. Somehow he needed to learn how to control this temper, as soon as possible, regarding how much trouble it had caused him so far. But he unavoidably failed everytime he tried to do so.

However when his own head of house kept making fun of the situation he was in, it became harder to fight with that anger. So breathing deeply, the Gryffindor closed his eyes for a moment or so to fight the urge inside him and did nothing this time when another flow of sewage came. No Josh Carter! Keep your smart words to yourself!


''Having so much fun, eh?'' escaped his mouth accompanied with the familiar cold tone of sarcasm.

No keep your words to yourself...

Avoiding using of words further, the boy opened his eyes and started to examine the stuff around himself narrowing them. Hah. Maybe he was not wearing blue robes, but these two women were making a huge mistake by underestimating his intelligence. Smirking inwardly, he quickly got rid of his robe and loosened his scarlet and gold tie taking it off as well.

Then he looked up, back at the women with a rather emotionless expression and began undoing the buttons of his shirt as quickly as he could. That was nothing they would claim to not to like. He was not using words, was he? Surely, not. Mwahaha. And once he was done with the buttons, he began searching his pockets for something sharp to help him break the glass. A pen or a key, for example, would work fine but everyone in this school had to use those stupid quills!

Quills....

The boy froze instantly when his right hand found a quill in his pocket. He never took notes in classes or elsewhere so this quill could be only the one...that Evelyn gave him years ago. He was always carrying it around with himself and now it was going to be ruined in that filth.

NO WAY!

Taking it out, he set his dark brown eyes on it. This was the only thing he had, now, that was the proof of the fact that all those good things had actually happened between them so it was IMPORTANT!

*deep breathe*

''Professor'' so he uttered this time looking quite worried ''Madam'' *another deep breathe* ''You have to take this out here for me! Please! Take it! I beg you! Do anything you want to me but take it out. Please''

...

He'd rather die?

"Dramatic much, Carter?" She said and then gave Kimber a look.

Merlin! The horrible odor was seeping out of the glass... She was use to foul stenches, but Madam Donovan was probably uncomfortable...

She was about ready to tell him she was yet to hear anything she likes, and douse him with another sewage shower when he pulled out a quill.

Her wand hand twitched ever so slightly.

"No." She said with eyebrow raised, and looked at him. "That would be a favor Carter... and you have done nothing to deserve it."

"Having fun?!" Kimber repeated, obviously angered by his accusing words. "Do you think I ENJOY spending my time in this dungeon?! Do you think I ENJOYED watching our HARD EARNED points disappear because YOU couldn't hold your temper?! NO, Carter. This is not fun for me." she spat back.

She watched as his expression took on a worried look. "Carter, your plea would work MAYBE... if I had a soft side. But I do not." At least not one he would breach. "Now tell us WHY you are here. And for ONCE be honest with us. And yourself."

''Dramatic? I was serious!'' the Gryffindor boy murmured more to himself rather than the two women without looking up his sad, brown eyes fixed on the quill. It was not important if they heard after all, since it was most likely that they were going to experience it themselves very soon. Actually nothing was important right now, nothing but the quill, nothing but saving the quill...

Since the next shower of sewage had not come yet, though he expected it, the boy looked up at Lafay with a flow of momentary hope. She was going to take the quill! Yet....

''No?'' he repeated, eyes on Lafay, trying not to show the sudden dissappointment and grief that hit his heart by keeping his expression straight and cold. So she believed he did nothing to deserve this little favour which was nothing for them, perhaps the easiest thing to do in the whole world but for Josh almost as important as his cause to live. His chin slightly twitched when he heard these words but he managed to kept the same expression and after a moment or so he turned to look at Madam Donovan when she started to speak.

In his deep silence Josh looked down at the quill in his hand again as his head of house continued snapping her angry words at him. And the more Madam Donovan spoke, the more the Gryffindor boy began to tremble. Be honest for once? He was always honest. It was always them who refused to understand him and see the case from his point...for once. And now she was asking why he was there. All he wanted to get the quill out, he had said he was ready to face anything, had not he? Why they were that cruel to him? This, of course, reminded him of some painful memory which belonged to a few years ago. But that was physical pain which was endurable yet this one...

A little, shiny tear slowly made its way down to his dirty cheek and chin from one of the watery brown eyes, then more followed it dropping on the quill in his hands. Then still slightly trembling, Josh took a deep breath to answer the question without looking at the women. ''I am here because a threw a cauldron at a Slytherin boy, Salander, and i guess, for not being able to control my temper and causing my house to lose more and more points by that. Points. Those points. But everything i did was to protect my...friend and love. I had no other intention and will never have any other intention.'' he started to stop this crying thing because he was probably looking stupid and weak so he carefully kept avoiding looking at the Potions Mistress and Madam Donovan.


''I know my housemates work hard to gain those points and i respect their work. I really do! But what can and should i do when it seems a friend is going to be hurt in some way? Which one is more important to you; points or friends and love? I can guess that both of you, Madam and Professor, lost your loves in the past. Then, tell me; which one is more painful to you, losing points or losing love? If you say points, then i am sorry. I did not know that.''

*deep breathe*


''I'd do anything to protect my love or friend...from anything. I can do the same for anybody in this school if really necessary. Even for my enemies. I still love Professor Lafay though how much looking at me disgusts her now because at least for once she listened to me and tried to understand me. I want to love you, too, Madam Donovan, my own head of house. But you hate me for a few points losses. Merlin! Point losses! And ready to execute me for the sake of those oh-so-important, dear points''.

Then after another short silence the lion boy finally looked up at them once he thought there were no more tears and carefully put the quill back in his pocket. There was no hope left for it after all and maybe, with a slight chance, it'd be safe there. After that he took off his dirty, wet and stinking and shirt off and threw it inside the disgusting semi-liquid near the rest of his school uniform clothes.

''Now, if my words annoyed you, what was the word? Something-dung? Go ahead. Or if you are angrier than that, i want you to know that i have no trouble with seeing who is coward enough to attack a wandless and trapped boy. So, go ahead. And if not, i am ready for the next question. Go ahead.''

And Josh Carter leaned his back and patiently waited for their reaction.

...

He was doing so well... and then he interjected a but... and things went downhill...

"To quote my collegue... SHUT. UP!" She hissed. "You are what? Fifteen, Sixteen? You do not know what love is. And having your mate die is not the same than having someone say, under the influence of an unction, that they like your EX-girlfriend."

Hecate. Was. Angry. and embarrassed. The boy... loved her? And how dare he compare this to them...

In the tube things were getting warmer and warmer still, so much so the sewage began to bubble... Hecate's anger was causing it to do get warmer and boil...

"WHY. ARE. YOU HERE!?!" She repeated.