''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.

...