Ew. Gross.

For a Slytherin Ruby wasn't much a fan of the dungeons, but that was partly because she'd spent so much time down here last term. Different cell this year! SO yay! Or whatever. Ugh.

She walked in and steeled herself, resolved not to let Bellaire break her. Never again after that first time.

And she'd just get it done and get out. And maybe Bellaire's obsession with her would finally stop.

Sophia was waiting with her big box of letters, thank you letters, Durmstrang business and other random things she needed to send out. Ruby had just won herself a spot as a letter licker.

"Leave your wand on the desk Miss Banner." She said without looking up. "And next time..." She finally looked up to catch the girl's eyes. "It would make life a lot easier for you if you had come forward with your problem. Do not make an enemy of an ally. Don't be stupid." Why did she have to find out about the student's problem from a memo?

That annoyed her.

"I have letters that need licking and sealing." She pointed to the seal on the table. It was the Bellaire seal...very old and very official. "Put your mouth to good use."

.....an ally? Had someone slipped something into her morning cup of I'm-so-obsessed-with-Ruby-Banner-that-I-should-start-a-fan-club tea? Like honestly, what head the woman ever done that would make Ruby trust her? She managed not to roll her eyes, instead following directions and putting her wand on the desk. Then she eyed the letters doubtfully. Lick them? So that Bellaire could collect her DNA or something? Wouldn't shock her at this point.

Whatever, she got started. In silence.

Sophia stared back at Ruby. She was sure the girl had not lost her hearing. "Did the cat get your tongue Miss Banner?" Did she? Because she was completely coherent in her statement just now



She had enough of this child's insubordination.

Ugh. What now? Bellaire hadn't asked a direct question and she was doing what she was told. Ruby resisted the urge to respond with 'no, David got it', and instead looked up at her.

"What do you want me to say? I'm doing what you told me to do. "

"I want to know why you neglected to tell me you were having..problems with my instruction in our first detention last term."

She spent the time thinking the child was being cheeky misspelling the words, though with her horrible attitude she wasn't sure she felt any sort of regret at how that detention penned out.

Ruby learnt nothing.

Ride and whistle though Ruby...ride and whistle.

Why was this relevant to kissing David?

.... She answered all the same. Honestly too.

"Because I don't trust you, Professor." She had zero reason to trust Bellaire. Not just that though. Ruby hadn't known what it was, just heard her whole life that she was dumb and that she was an underachiever. And Gabriel had been helping her since they were small, helping her to cover for it. Back to licking and sealing, right?

Sophia laughed dryly and shook her head. See this was a prime example of how stupid and silly teenagers could get. They were always in their feelings and everyone was out to get them..even when they were the ones hurting themselves.

She sat back in her chair and eyed the girl.

"It's not about trust. I don't want your trust..." What was she going to do with it? "It's about self preservation...and you failed."

That was that. Back to licking and stamping Miss I know it all.

For Ruby it was a different kind of self-preservation actually, the kind where you didn't show someone what made you vulnerable, the kind where you didn't give that information up no matter what, especially to someone who could hurt you with it or make you feel even worse about things. Which was like Trollaire's specialty or something.

Again she didn't say anything. Did something else NEED to be said? She licked some more envelopes, getting a good pile of those first before sealing and stamping with that Bellaire seal.

Ruby needed a seal. Mhmm.

Funny how quiet one Miss Banner was without an army of delinquents behind her. But that was all good and well. It was best that she kept her mouth shut if she wished to avoid adding any more detention time.

Sophia looked away from the girl and continued writing her letters.

The envelope glue was gross. It was lucky she had strawberry chapstick on or the bad taste in her mouth would be hard to ignore. After some time doing this she began covertly watching the professor, wondering something. Nothing new, just... wondering.

Well that was that. Her last pile of letters. The transfiguration professor dropped them on the desk that Ruby was sat in front of and returned to her seat without sparing a glance at the child.

"I do not wish to spend all evening in here Miss Banner." In other words, lick quicker.

..... that actually almost wanted Ruby to go slow just so that Bellaire would have to suffer too, but she didn't. She kept up a decent pace. Still kept silent too. What kind of person had so many letters to send anyway? Maybe they were invitations to some club especially for harassing teenaged girls. Trollaire would naturally be president.

....Blech, the glue tasted gross....

...... the seals WERE cool though. Mmm. She wanted her own...

Finally she reached that last pile and made her way through that too. Even if she was inclined to be nosy at the addresses she wouldn't have easily been able to read them, so Ruby didn't bother. Just wanted it over with really.

... done? Done.

"....Are there more, professor?"

Sophia Bellaire looked up from her papers when Ruby addressed her. Well look at that, the child could speak.

"No Miss Banner. That is all unless you'd like to write apology letters to your school mates apologizing for your poor behaviour." That was a suggestion.

Was.... that optional? Because no? No she wouldn't. And like they wouldn't care anyway, they didn't care, only Bellaire cared about why she was here. Like nobody else was effected by what happened, right?

"No thank you, professor." Ruby said, all honesty, no sass.

.... did that mean she could go?