An Alternate Punishment

Marietta had managed to avoid any further complications with running into wizards doing absolutely inappropriate things to witches, but her clothes either appearing or disappearing always seemed to get people's attention. She wanted none of it, to be sure, since she needed her revenge to come as a surprise and it was bad enough that she was being punished in the first place, but the teachers had already started to try to talk to her about it. McGonagall was first.

Apparently a concerned Gryffindor by the name of Parvati Patil thought it was simply dreadful, that was, her habit of flaunting the uniform regulation. She knew- Marietta did not know how, but she knew that she was not wearing underthings, but had replaced them with a thinner, second uniform. According to those who knew the Transfiguration teacher, technically the proper thing would have been to go to Professor Flitwick, but he would only have asked her to take care of it. So much as bringing up a female student's approach to the dress code was a good way for a male teacher to get fired.

"As it should be," she had muttered to herself as she found the office where she was to have her pointless talk. Her objective was simple. She would lie as much as necessary, and get out of there.

"Miss Edgecombe, have a seat." She did. "I do not know how it came to the attention of one of my fifth-years, yet she reported to me that you have come up with an... interesting interpretation of the uniform."

"That's true, Professor. I see no sense in denying it. I would like to note that nothing in the letter of the ruling bars a witch from wearing two identical uniforms simultaneously."

"I am aware that your mother and father have had some issue with the uniform in the past."

"I am aware that Parvati Patil decided to escalate this matter for no apparent reason," she responded. She could confirm for the teacher that she was acting in protest, but then there was the chance that her parents would be informed. "Her sister let it slip in the Ravenclaw common room."

"Ah. Perhaps, you will find there are rules that do not have no apparent reason for being in place."

Marietta instantly knew she was cornered.

"It seems you would allow me to continue. Very well; it was I who wanted to have this discussion. I recommend going forward that you refrain from drawing attention to yourself with additional layers of uniform."

"That was not my intention, Professor," she decided, faking a bit more respect than before. While she truly appreciated Professor McGonagall's devotion to the rules, they were the entirely wrong rules, not the ones her mother and father had suggested, or the ones that Headmistress Umbridge enforced. "I have actually undertaken this measure to draw attention away from myself."

"I see. Ordinarily, this is accomplished by mimicking one's surroundings, or perhaps becoming a registered Animagus. Perhaps you could shed some light on your more controversial strategy."

"It has been suggested for years, and recently floated by the current head of the school, that our uniform should be designed to more effectively shield us from the wizarding gaze," she started. The older witch across from her let out the tiniest of sighs. "I decided that it was best to be ahead of the curve."

"Whatever your intentions," the teacher started. "The result has been more attention. None of my students so much as mentioned you before yesterday. If I did not remember every name I called out for the Sorting in all my years of teaching, I might not have remembered you myself."

Marietta resisted the urge to hang her head. She could simply not believe the Transfiguration teacher had not noticed her exemplary efforts- but then again, she was one of Dumbledore's people, and it stood to reason she would go along with whatever his army wanted. Her urge to hang her head was replaced with an urge to squint with incredulity, but she resisted that as well.

"In that event, they should be forbidden from staring."

"Miss Edgecombe, every other witch complies with the uniform without complaint or otherwise issue. You will obey the rules as they do or face consequences. Is it possible for me to assume you will change your costume if you lose points?"

"I am afraid that would be correct."

"Then I must ask you to accompany me for a detention after classes for the week. My hope is that you will learn a lesson about rule-breaking."

Marietta found herself fighting ever more furiously against the urge to scowl as she walked out. It was the others who needed to, and had yet to, learn a lesson about rule-breaking! She counted herself lucky no part of her uniform disappeared while in the Deputy Headmistress's office, but it would have at least explained her predicament without her having to say anything. It was already her suspicion that if she tried to get around the rule in any way, the result would be the same- that was what the incident in the library taught her.

She decided to spend her spare time around the Slytherins. A few of them had made up the entirety of the High Inquisitorial Squad, an admirable position and one she would have selected had it not been for Cho getting her to join the enemy. She reminded herself that her friend would be getting a lighter punishment, but a punishment nonetheless. There were lessons she needed to learn and there was no excuse for not having learned them yet. Spending time with Malfoy and his friends would likely keep her tormentors away, and they were unlikely to believe any rumors that could be traced back to the Defense Association.

"Edgecombe?" one of them asked as she approached the table. "You're the one who ratted out the blood traitors. Good show." She did not know the witch's name, but joined her all the same.

"Is there anyone in this House who associates with any of them?" she asked. "I rather like to avoid their sort."

"Hmm... I believe some of us will talk to Ravenclaws as I talk to you, so there may be someone who would talk to Chang or Luna. Do you have anything against them?"

"The former, only a little, the latter, a great deal- suffice to say I do not like the group in general, but there are better and worse members." The witch nodded.

"I'm Daphne Greengrass," she said. "You may have heard of me."

"I believe I have," Marietta said. "I haven't heard much about you, though. Perhaps you can fill me in."

The Slytherin witch looked somewhat snubbed.

"The point, Edgecombe, of a reputation is that it precedes you. I shall have you know, however, that I am quite reproachful and my heart is cold as ice."

"Interesting." She nodded, not understanding. If all she did was turn down wizards, how was that not the standard? Her mother and father both admitted that children were only born out of lapses in judgement. She should think that most reasonable witches would have good enough sense. "Do you like to conduct independent research?"

"Of course. I already know the most likely pairings of every witch and wizard over the age of fourteen. Did you know that your friend Cho will soon break it off with Potter?"

"I... suspected as much."

"It truly is destiny, but I shall do nothing to intervene." Marietta blinked. If it were destiny, would she not be powerless to intervene?

She spent the rest of the time studying quietly before she had to turn in. At one point her outer layer disappeared, which might have made her feel naked a week ago, but her inner layer was equally serviceable, and was bolstered by the time she returned to Ravenclaw Tower. Her clothes disappeared again as she went into the shower, but that was no particular issue, and she set about washing herself. She had many theories as to how the curse might not actually be random, since randomness itself could not be proven to actually exist, but it seemed as inclined to convenience as inconvenience, so that could hardly be the explanation.

Deciding to start timing her appearances and disappearances, in case there was some time interval or some specific hour, she could eliminate most of the likely causes if proven wrong there. She had done more reading on a few different subjects and decided she had a substantially better understanding of the theory that went into most of the spells she was trying to cast.

It would have been a perfect night during which she would sleep in perfect tranquility if she could not plainly hear one of the witches playing with herself. Marietta could lie there and be appalled that no one else was saying anything, but perhaps they were all asleep. Either way, the sound was unmistakable. She could only wonder what could drive a witch to hurt herself so, to put her through such discomfort and suffering that she would moan like that. Her parents had advised her in no uncertain terms at the age of seven that she was not to touch herself except in the event of a medical emergency, and under those circumstances they would most likely be there to give her permission. Additionally, they could imagine no medical emergency that would require her to touch herself, so she might as well write it off entirely.

The following day, after classes she reported to her detention. Professor McGonagall would not know whether she had changed her uniform or not, and there was no decorous way of checking, so she would simply go to her assigned punishment as long as it was scheduled. She brought her books with her, and it gave her the opportunity to be alone in a classroom, so it was really not all bad. Officially, whoever assigned the punishment was supposed to watch her, but she delegated the Gryffindor Prefects, since she had other responsibilities as Deputy Headmistress.

"Granger," Marietta said. She had not slept properly, so she expected to find herself more peeved than normal.

"Edgecombe," the other witch replied. She took a seat on the opposite side of the room in the back row, where she had chosen the front row, the better to avoid being seen too clearly by passing students. Her cloak disappeared. "I hope you don't intend to make a habit of that."

"That wasn't my doing and you know it. I won't even be telling you anything-" she started, turning around. There was a ghost next to her, that of Sir Nicholas. She clammed up. Out of all the ghosts in Hogwarts, despite the fact that he represented Gryffindor, she actually respected him the most. He always seemed so proper.

"Apparently, our Head of House knows I have something against you, and decided not to have me watch you alone. I expect there will be no need for him to interfere, though. I only intend to do my work here."

"Of course," she sneered. "You know perfectly well that I obey the rules. I would never leave during detention and you know it."

Granger squinted back at her as she turned around again.

"Edgecombe, when one rule contradicts another, you have to pick which one to follow. That was something I learned in first year. I don't blame most people for not knowing it; most people don't have Harry or Ron for friends."

"Well, of course, the difference is, Granger, some people have no business making up rules because it's not their job, and they have no business making up punishments for their violation because that's also not their job. Our job was to study the approved material-"

"I was not finished. The rules I chose to follow were the rules I believed to be more important, not those handed to me by the most powerful governing bodies. And the rule I chose to follow before all the others is that you have to stand up for what's right, even when everyone else tells you it's wrong. I was right in believing that rules were what held everything together, but I've lost a lot of faith in the people making the rules over the years."

Marietta rolled her eyes again. For the record, she never had faith in Dumbledore's ability to make rules, but whilst he had been Headmaster, she had treated him with the proper respect. She just wished everyone else would do the same for the current administration.