Chapter 8: chapter viii: wait, was this in the books?Summary:In which we (unknowingly) start to mess with the plot and have a minor breakdown.
Notes:Hello! This one is also a long one!
As per usual, thank you so much for all the comments! It's been a l o n g few days for me, and I'll have to put in more effort to write chapter 10 for next Wednesday, but damn all the comments- My heart goes auchie auchie. I just love the theories and opinions so much, urgh IT'S NOT HEALTHY BUT IDC I LOVE IT.
I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I'm extra excited about the next one, because I had to do research (RESEARCH) and bullshitery for it. I'm extra proud of it.
Anyways, here we go!
(ALSO SOMEONE PUT THE FIC IN A COLLECTION??? I'M JUST SO---- HAPPY???)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter TextRon looked at me exasperated.
"Do you have to spoil everything?" I coughed, trying not to choke on the piece of pie I had been eating and slamming a fist on my chest when Ron looked up as if asking for strength while Harry looked at us confused. "She said exactly that when I went to visit her!"
Drinking the cup Percy wordlessly pushed my direction, I grimaced at the table after downing the disgusting pumpkin juice. Nodding at the Prefect as I tried not to burst out laughing.
"Think I can take the Divination Professor's job?"
"Might as bloody well!" My snort at Ron stabbing his potatoes made Harry snicker around his food, and I smiled at the twins when they hurried over after they spotted the new addition to the team.
"Well done!" Twin 1 spoke in a low voice. "Wood told us, we're on the team too - Beaters."
"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch Cup for sure this year," I eyed Twin 2 suspiciously, noticing how close he was to my food and how his hand was wandering." We hadn't won since before Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant-"
"Shite!" My hiss caught Harry's worried attention as I cradled my hand to my chest after I slapped Twin 2's away from stealing my food. Biting my lip and trying to hold back a whimper as I curled in on myself, resting my forehead on the table and regretting my decision to exist.
Fuck.
So, whatever fuck essence Madam Pomfrey lathered my hands with had worn off.
Urgh.
"What happened to your hands!?" Twin 2 yelped, bending closer to me with a worried look on his face as I tried to regain my breath. Jesus. I allowed him to gently pull me back and away from the table, whining silently when Twin 1 rounded to flank my other side, looking equally worried.
"The Gods have forsaken me, I have been cursed to a hundred years of pain! I'll never be able to wield my wand again!"
"What?!" Flopping back, I looked up at the twins' horrified faces, both of them with their hands on my back and supporting me.
"Those are coming out Saturday, don't be a baby, you attention-seeking cretin." The boys' eyes flashed dangerously at the snake approaching, straightening up to glare down at Blaise when he stopped by Ron's side, across from me.
"I am in pain, Zabini. My hands were disfigured! I am not a baby!" The Slytherin rolled his eyes, and I hid a joyous smile when Ron and Neville slid to the side wordlessly to make space for him.
"You got bristle tearing, stop whining, hag." The twins bristled behind me when I gasped, staring him down until I couldn't hold my laugh back anymore, weakly patting Twin 2's hand on my shoulder. "You see this, Potter? I put myself in danger coming here and she laughs!"
Harry chortled before shaking his head, cocking it to the side adorably and I nearly melted when Twin 1 absently rubbed my back, seemingly too absorbed in the weird sight of a baby snake on our table and joking around to realize what he was doing.
"Why did you come here?" The Slytherin twisted his nose at the table, pushing away a cup with two fingers like the fucking snob he was before locking his eyes on Harry again.
"Daphne is too scared to come and Theo is Theo, he can't ask, but they're both worrying back there and Malfoy is gloating." There was a moment of silence and I pushed back against Twin's 1 hand when he stopped the motion, making him huff a quiet laugh and continue his rubbing while Twin 2 was gaping at the Slytherin.
"So… you came because… they're worried about me?" Harry's face was bright, a blinding smile that made Blaise grunt and if his skin wasn't dark I knew he'd be blushing. "I'm not in any trouble, they- they don't have to worry."
A smile was still in place on Harry's face, and I wondered what he was thinking, was it about how many friends he had? That someone was actually worried for him?
"Yeah, he's the new-" I made a loud shushing noise at Ron, who jumped and looked at me with wide eyes. "Wut? He's our friend!"
"I am?"
"Yes, and he's a Slytherin!" Blaise smirked at me when I narrowed my eyes at him, pointing my wrapped finger in his direction and hissing. "He'll tell the rest of them."
"No he won't!"
"If it'll give us an advantage, then yes I will." I snickered at Harry's betrayed face, making me bump my shoulder with his. "I'd be insulted if you thought I wouldn't. I do have a reputation to uphold, you know."
"Urgh, Slytherins." Blaise snorted, patting Ron's shoulder before smoothly raising to his feet again.
"I should go before Star's guard dogs attack me." The twins, surprisingly, didn't laugh nor make any protesting sound, simply shifting to watch the boy say his goodbyes and leave before leaning over my shoulders to look at me and Ron.
"Since when is our firstie and Ronniekins-"
"-running around with baby-"
"-snakes?" Ron flushed at their awed voices, but shrugged as I laughed.
"Unlike you two, Ron is actually likeable." Finally they gasped as if offended, leaning back and I nearly whined at the loss of back rubs from who I was beginning to believe to be George.
For now, he'd still be Twin 1 until I was sure.
"The lies!"
"The slander!" I controlled the urge to swat Twin 2's (Fred, I'm pretty sure) hand away from messing my hair, knowing that it would only cause me pain.
"Don't you two have some mischief to get into?" Ducking away, I glared at them when they snickered at my face, shrugging and sending me matching grins.
"As matter of fact, Stardust-"
"Star."
"-we do! Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."
"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy we found in our first week. See you."
"Scoundrels." Percy snorted at my grumble but made no move to stop the two from doing whatever the hell they were going to. Seriously, he would've been better at Slytherin with his 'I really don't care as long as you don't look like you're about to get caught' thing. That's the biggest bullshit of this universe, that the ambitious Percy didn't end up in Slytherin. Honestly.
Percy had just left the table when Malfoy strolled closer, and I frowned trying to remember if that had happened in the book.
I was embarrassed to admit it, but I have very little memory of what happened in the books. Even after the bastardized Occlumency, the memories could only be tucked away so much. I had the theory that I didn't remember everything because I had read it through muggle eyes (and to he fair I read all the books in 4 days, with no pause besides basic necessities, so it's not like I was letting the information stew), and therefore, I didn't have the same crazy good way of recalling information as I had now.
I remember the big things or the ones that I found funny or memorable. For instance: Order of Phoenix? I don't remember shit besides Umbridge equals bad, McGonagall tries killing the bitch by helping Peeves, 'I heard you called Professor Umbridge a liar, Potter. Have a cookie.', Sirius dies, Harry is always angry, the D.A, Cho and Harry? Question mark? Kreacher lies, somehow they end up in the Ministry of Magic? Voldemort shows himself, and equally hurting stuff.
I remember even less of HBP, only that Harry stalks Draco, vanishing Cabinet, Bill gets mauled and Fleur puts her huge cock on the table and tells Molly to measure it, Remus and Tonks become a thing, apparently. A whole lot of Gaunt and Riddle history (all of which I remember because I was fascinated by the idea of backstory), Dumbledore dies, Harry breaks up with Ginny.
That's all. I mean I'm sure if I meditate and do some real Occlumency I'd remember more, but besides the big events, my memory of the books was a bit lacking.
You can't expect me to remember everything. So the first two years? Not a lot to remember. To my 13 year old brain going through the books in 4 days because she woke up one winter morning bored, the first two were just so silly. If not silly, just frustrating because I remember being so disheartened by how much I didn't like most of the characters. But for all that I gobbled them up in one day, the first and second book didn't really leave any marks, they were short and I went through them quickly wanting to get to the interesting parts, to the real plot.
Which was why I was fucking puzzled by the fellow blonde's approach.
"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the muggles?"
I blinked at Malfoy, who seemed intent on pointedly ignoring me. So he came to gloat? Well, this is stupid, no wonder it wasn't in the fucking books.
"You're a lot braver now you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you." Harry's voice was cold, but his posture was tense, teeth clenched and I almost reached over to rub his back, but I had a feeling he'd shrug me off if only so Malfoy wouldn't have ammunition on him.
Besides, we were in the Great Hall, under the amused eyes of the older students, I doubted anything would happen.
"Did you want something, Malfoy? To return my ring, perhaps? Oh wait-" Ron snickered behind his hand when Malfoy finally snapped his head to face me, eyes flashing in anger and cheeks burning red when Harry also joined in the laugh.
"You should be more careful with who you try to make enemies with, McKinnon." I smiled at him amusedly, this fucking midget I swear. The boy barely reached my shoulder, he was even slightly shorter than Harry, and he walked around like he was 7 feet tall, as if I couldn't feel his pathetic magic. Honestly. "Wouldn't want someone to finish the job and your Clan, would we?"
Harry and Ron raised to their feet in anger, and my amusement vanished at his words.
"Are you threatening her!?" I shot my hand out at Harry, slowly pulling him to sit back down even as he tried to shrug me off and noticing with the corner of my eye that Neville did the same with Ron, seeing as I was staring at Draco's victorious face.
"You're very sure for a small little nobody riding his daddy's ruined coat." I cocked my head to the side, ignoring his spluttering as I tried to reign in my anger. This little twat had the fucking gall to threaten me and rub in my face the massacre of my family, of my Clan. "I'll ask again, did you want something? Or is bothering people with your presence the only way you have of getting the attention you didn't receive from your parents?"
Ah, emotional damage.
His grey eyes widened even more and I was sure I saw a little hurt there, not that I fucking cared at the moment. Malfoy pressed his lips together and his face flushed even more, his breathing getting a little heavier and I sneered at him as if he was a bug I was too disgusted to kill.
He seemed to understand the translation I was trying to mean with my expression, trying to do the same, flushing more the longer I stared at him.
"A duel, tonight. A Wizard's duel, wands only, no contact." Ah, I think I'm remembering something. "What's the matter? Your squib mother didn't teach you that either? Do you even know what that is?"
"Hm, she was too busy loving me. Not that you'd know what that means." His eyes flashed again even as Ron spoke over me.
"Of course she does!" He wheeled around again, shaking off Neville's grip "I'll be her second, who's yours?"
Ah yes, definitely remembering something.
Malfoy sized up his friends before answering, returning to sneer at me when I smirked.
"Crabbe. Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room, that's always unlocked."
"Hm." I watched him leave and snorted at Neville's nervous face while Ron explained to Harry what a Wizard duel was. "He's a git and a coward, he won't show up." I reassured my friend, patting his shoulder as he scowled down at his food, lips pinched and looking thunderous as I sighed. "What is it, Harry?"
"If I knew what he was talking about I could've been your second."
Tilting my head at him, I watched the boy push his food around and rest his cheek on his palm, still with a scowl on his face as I exchanged looks with Ron.
"You know I won't actually need a second, nor that you have to keep defending me like that, right? I know I'll keep pissing off people for the rest of my life." His scowl deepened even more at my words before he flicked his angry eyes at me.
"Of course I do! You're my friend and you'd do the same for me." True, but still.
"Harry-"
"Excuse me." Ron groaned loudly at the haughty voice and I swallowed the urge to follow his lead. Hermione was… a difficult person to like, and I've been trying, if only for the sake of the boys because I knew she'd one day end up friends with them, if my theory was right, but it was hard.
You'd think that having another muggle raised intelligent and applied girl around, she'd be drawn to me, to what we had in common, like what I expected to feel about her, but she was - and it fucking pained me to admit it -, a fucking snob.
When I read the books, I distinctly remember being pissed at the boys for how they treated her, but seeing all the times she looked smug when she tried to explain something to Ron, ignoring how embarrassed it made him feel, or watching her scoff and turn her nose on me, Lavender and Parvati when discussing about clothes or our interests outside of reading or studying- it grated.
Deep down I knew she just wanted friends and was pushy because she didn't know how to express herself, and I tried to work with it! Since day two I had been trying, but she hated that I was also doing good in class, and she didn't like that I thoroughly enjoyed gossiping with the girls, or how I practiced my charms in our dorm, she constantly tried antagonizing me and pull me into discussions about things she didn't believe and it just- I wasn't my fucking job to make her likeable, alright?
And I could feel that soon enough I'd snap at her, but I was trying my damn best to not do so, to still keep offering olive branches, but the more she acted like she was better than everyone else for reading, the more she acted like a 'I'm not like other girls', the harder it became for me to try to understand her.
I wasn't about to dumb myself down just so she could keep the 'swot' mantle.
"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" Hermione ignored Ron, looking down her nose at me and I made an effort to try and change my tone, knowing that I was dangerously close to speaking to her like I had to Malfoy.
"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying-"
"Bet you could." I quirked a smirk at Ron's mutter.
"- and you musn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."
Harry bristled by my side, but I knocked my knees with him to stop whatever he was about to say and I merely looked at her flatly, blinking at her until she narrowed her eyes angrily and huffed.
"Typical." I yawned as a response and that only seemed to make her angrier, but my clear dismissal of her by turning around and carrying on with my meal had her scoffing angrily to herself. "You're so-"
"Oh! Do you have my ring with you, Harry?" The boy frowned again, but nodded and stuck his hand inside his robes, making me hide a smile when I heard the crackling of papers from all the notes the three of us kept writing to each other during Transfiguration. "Thank you!"
I slid the ring back on my pinkie, sighing in relief at the feeling of it, flexing my fingers and feeling whatever protection there was on the ring washing over me.
"Why did it burn Malfoy?"
"Don't know, I'll send a letter to mum about it tomorrow. I'm really curious why it didn't burn you too." I quirked a brow at the boy when his eyes lingered on the ring, a wistful look on his face before he nodded and looked back at his food.
I didn't bother letting Ron give me tips on what to do in a duel, I merely cut him off with a quiet 'we aren't going' outside of everyone else's hearing ranges and just explained to him that, again, Malfoy was a coward and he was setting us up.
The boys didn't seem too happy about it, but after extracting promises to not go, I slept peacefully knowing that Hermione was waiting in the dark in the common room for nothing.
The next day I woke up with Granger still missing from her bed, a quick trip to the common room still in my pajamas showed me that she slept waiting to catch us, and with her still there, it was clear the boys kept their promises.
A shake and a startle had the girl jumping from the chair, looking around half-crazy as I snorted.
"You'll be late." I turned on my heels, ignoring her squeak and the way she shot in front of me, running up the stairs as I yawned and waved at Percy, who was just leaving his dorm, ready for the day.
The boys were grouchy when I bid them good morning, only grunting in response as I rolled my eyes, pressing against Harry's side with a smile, knowing that sooner or later the stubborn boy would relax.
We were still learning a lot about each other, still tentative in our friendship even as we drew closer and closer every day, but there were a few things I already knew about them.
Ron wasn't very touchy- He could endure me pushing, touching and rubbing his arm, but he didn't very much enjoy it. With how tactile the twins were, I suspected he simply linked the acts with his mischievous brothers, so I made an effort to not do it as much with him. But Harry? Harry very much enjoyed close contact, which was a good thing seeing as I did too.
He had yet to be the one to start it, but I reckoned growing up without much affection he craved a little too much. A back rub or me circling his shoulders never failed to soften him to me whenever I was being too annoying or smug.
But, while Ron didn't mind (and I reckon he kind of liked) that I was fussy over him, Harry didn't enjoy it. It made him uncomfortable, so I was trying to restrict myself about it and ease him into it. He was ok with me putting fruits and vegetables on his plate or fixing his hair or glasses, but everything else and he'd be squirming. While Ron would let me fuss over him with an amused smile.
I was ok with the boys taking food from me, but they were both very protective of their plates. Ron got grumpy, but Harry would get extra hostile about it, as Ron had found out.
Harry appreciated that I reminded him of homework more than once, but Ron would get snippy if I reminded him a second time or tried to convince him to do it with us. He still did it after we were done, he'd ask for help a little, but he didn't ask to copy it from us, so I stopped trying to make him join us.
My green-eyed friend copied me about it. I liked to do my stuff in one sitting and as soon as we were free, while I was still on a roll, so I could spend the rest of the day free, but Ron preferred to relax after classes and then do his homework late at night.
Little things we were learning from each other, like how they knew Harry had an easier time convincing me to do something than Ron, though they both could wear me down if they wanted, or how I liked it better when Ron explained things to me. I didn't like rough shoving, I was ok with the gentle and teasing ones, but how they did to each other, where they pushed hard, I hated it. They knew not to rip things from my hands or talk over me, but I had no problem if they interrupted me to speak their mind, just don't fucking talk over me like I'm not saying something.
Ron would eat everything in his reach that wasn't vegetables and Harry and I learned to cut him off sometimes or he'd make himself sick. Harry wasn't a fussy eater, but as of late, he had stopped putting greenies on his plate because he knew I'd push some into it.
Honestly, knowing each other was also to be said about the Slytherins and the rest of the first years in our house.
The only one causing problems in our dorm as of late was Hermione (unsurprisingly). Lavender was a neat freak, and she asked us to not leave things in her space or touch her things, but Hermione continuously keeps taking Lavender's lotions and makeup from her desk and putting her books and assignments there, even though she had her own table, which would annoy and upset Lavender to no end, and only made it worse when Hermione wouldn't apologize, just roll her eyes and say that she was putting the table for good use, unlike Lavender.
Parvati would then take offense for Lavender and whenever she caught Hermione's things on Lavender's desk, she'd leave them tossed on the ground, which would then issue an argument with Hermione because her things are on the floor and fuck-
Which was not to say the girls were also completely free of making mistakes either, more than once they have taken to shoving their things into my space until I told them to knock it off or I wouldn't return the things, but I'd in fact set them on fire.
I also made my mistakes, like Lavender I was a little of a neat freak too, and would sometimes move their things when they were on the ground, but they didn't like that I touched their stuff, even if they were on the fucking floor and just-
We were learning.
But after I had a talk with the girls, they mostly kept me out of the bickering and stopped invading my space and I promised to not touch their stuff as long as it wasn't in the middle of the room.
So the only one still causing problems was Hermione when she tried taking over other people's space.
There were three desks, Parvati and I were happy to share one once we realized the other two had problems with their stuff, and as I mostly used it to write letters seeing as I did most of my homework with the boys in one of the tables of the common room, we didn't argue much. And she was a sweetheart. When I once asked if I could use the table once she was done sewing, she moved to her bed and waved away my concerns.
Again, a sweetheart.
Lavender was a little overbearing, a lot like Hermione just on the complete other side of the coin, but she didn't turn her nose at me when I didn't want to gossip or do something she liked, she would push a little and if she noticed the answer would remain the same, she'd simply leave it at that and move to pester Parvati.
I got along with Neville like- like- water and wine? Ah, really well. He was sweet, not really one to talk much if it wasn't about plants, and he always seemed happy to just stay silent by my side while I read, making me company, or listen to my rambles about charms.
Dean was also a neat guy, really funny, and we'd have a laugh about my accent or whatever wizarding bullshit we discovered that week, we'd share our favorite movies and songs, and he was always down to play some muggle game others didn't know, while Seamus was- a person.
I didn't really have anything to say about the boy. He didn't mess with me, tried the first week when he teased the girls and was just- you know, a boy, but my lack of reaction made me boring to him and we didn't have anything to talk about, so we just stayed out of each other's ways.
The Slytherins were surprisingly more easy to get along with.
Even the boys thought so.
Blaise liked to bicker, so did I. He was studious, the three of them were, Theo more than the other two.
Theo was silent and calm, he didn't rise to bait, no matter how much others tried, unlike Daphne, who was quick to snap and anger, though she cooled down like that.
It was like we each had our assigned Slytherin. Blaise was mine, Daphne was Harry's and Theo was Ron's. Though I still chatted Daphne's ears out and made quiet company with Theo, and Blaise enjoyed teasing Harry or Daphne with Ron.
But Blaise was unapologetically my Slytherin. He was also a fucking gossip and I loved him for it, which was why I knew I could count on him to do what he did.
The trio was waiting outside the Great Hall for us, Daphne looked fidgety and Theo kept looking around searchingly while Blaise was very much relaxed against the wall, only quirking a smile when he saw the boys' pissed off faces.
Daphne and Theo relaxed as soon as they saw us, and the witch moved to press on Harry's other side while Theo was already handing me a sugar quill before giving Harry a chocolate frog and Ron a Sugar Mice.
"Oooh! What did we do? Why the rewards?" Blaise snorted, pushing away from the wall as the boys happily accepted the gifts.
"Malfoy talked the whole night about how he got you three in trouble. Something about a duel?" The boys stiffened and I smiled smugly at them, carefully putting my sugar quill away while Daphne huffed. "I told these two you were too smart to fall for such a terrible trap."
"Well, we wouldn't know with them being bloody Gryffindors, would we?" I laughed when the boys grumbled under their breaths at Daphne's hiss, circling Theo's arm gently and walking with him to the Great Hall, smiling widely at Malfoy when he glared angrily at me for still being there.
They wouldn't sit with us, so we kept a lazy pace until we had to separate. Ron still had a scowl in place when we sat down while Harry seemed a little ashamed of his previous mood.
"I told you two he was setting us up. Look at his face."
"What a bloody coward. He knew you could take him!" He looked over his shoulder to glare at Malfoy before huffing and stuffing his face with the bacon as I snickered, putting myself some tea and twitching my nose at the Pumpkin Juice Harry loved.
Blaise smirked at me from his spot on the Slytherin table and I hid my expression behind my mug, knowing he'd be sharing the latest gossip and whines once we got to Potions.
"Those still hurting, Starfire?" Twin 2 plopped by my free side as Twin 1 sat beside Ron.
"Only a little. I feel like Snape will take great pleasure in seeing me struggle today, the twat." Harry choked on his juice, slapping a hand over his mouth even as the mess was already made, the twins howling in laughter as I merely reached for a napkin for the flustered boy, shaking my sleeves free of the juice.
"So you're the one for your year, huh?" Fred, Twin 2, smirked and rested his elbow on the table, chin on his hand as I hummed into my mug.
"Mhm, on my way to becoming Undesirable number 1. I think it was Harry at first but I just have a way of annoying people."
"I'll say." Chucking a toast at Ron for his mutter, I blew raspberries at Harry when he laughed at our friend's words.
"Git! Anyways, he's an arse and I hold a grudge." George raised his brows at that, exchanging looks with his twin by my side and leaning closer, a glint in his eyes when I shrugged.
"Oh? And what do you plan to do with that grudge?" Smiling gently, I reached over and pulled on his sleeves, snickering when he jumped and looked over his shoulder to find the source to the quiet tweet that chirped around him before slowly turning back to narrow his eyes at me, his brother curled in on himself, shoulders shaking with his rare quiet laugh.
Fred took a big gulp of breath, wiping his eyes of the tears from mirth while I sipped on my tea again, making eye contact with George and watching him slowly tug on his sleeve, a slow manic smile tugging on his lips at the sound.
"You're… evil. I thought I was going mad."
"I play the long game, thank you for being such a great test subject, now, why don't you try undoing the charm?"
The twins looked gleeful, and both of them took out their wands. It was a fairly simple charm, I reckon the first you learn when you're getting into charms to annoy or prank others. And I watched with amusement as they repeated the counter charm again and again to no success, looking even more excited the longer they couldn't dispel it.
Ron seemed to squirm uncomfortably on his spot, looking from my smile to the twins' excitement and putting together what I might get up to with my days.
"How? " I quirked a smile, shrugging and trying to ignore the shiver that rolled up my spine at their elated expressions.
"I'll tell you one day." Knocking on the table gently, I turned around to give my attention to my confused and forlorn friends, nodding at Neville when he joined us.
"We should start placing bets on how many points I could lose to Gryffindor today."
"Shouldn't it be the other way around? Earning points?"
"But Harry, it'll be so much fun! He'll take it either way and I'd get to annoy him on purpose, at least."
"You shouldn't thrive to do it!" The three of us jumped at Hermione's shrill voice, she looked frazzled and poor Neville whined when he dropped his juice on his shirt.
"Don't you have anything else better to do?" As usual, I ignored Hermione, but Ron couldn't help himself but mutter his piece, more than a little done with the condescending girl.
Harry frowned at her, shoulders tense until I started to rub between them, mindful of my injured hands and smiling a little when he relaxed, nearly melting on his seat before following my example and ignoring Hermione.
"I'm talking to you! "
"And for the sake of both of us, I'm ignoring you, Granger." A sip, I looked at the twins thoroughly examining Twin 1's robes, laying it on the table between them and muttering between themselves.
"Why? Because you're so much better than me!?" Oh, she mad. "You think that just because I'm a muggleborn you can beat me? That you're better?!"
I paused mid-sip;
I felt a clogging on my chest, a pressure building behind my eyes and a tightening on my shoulders. Harry, with how close to me he was, felt the change in my posture, and I briefly wondered if the ones around me could smell the ozone lingering in the air as I tried to reign in my emotions.
I'm trying. I am trying.
The twins stopped their movements, tensing and turning towards me warily as I blankly stared at the table, Ron was spluttering something, angry about Hermione's assumptions and rightfully upset about it.
Friends, I had to remind myself, take offense for you.
She seemed to be ignoring Ron, still glaring at me as I gently put my mug down and tried to shove that nasty feeling- that urge to tear her a new one, down. Pushing it under the non-existent bed, trying to remind myself that she was a child, she's alone, she had never been academically challenged, that she didn't know how to deal with it and just didn't know how to express herself.
"Star?"
Unclenching my hand, I tried not to wince at the throbbing where I was digging my fingers, snapping my eyes at him when Harry touched my elbow gently.
I was trying.
"You guys finish eating, I'll be at Potions." I stood up, not waiting for them to say anything and ignoring the victorious smug look on Granger's face.
My stomps were easily followed, and a quick glance over my shoulder let me see a ginger hastily trying to put on his robes and another quirking a brow at my huff and pace. Turning corners, I tried to push back the prickling of tears in my eyes and the angry red rising from my chest at having to keep quiet, because I knew that once I opened my mouth I'd cause some emotional damage.
"Wait up, Lils." I would've ignored them had they not easily pulled on my shoulders and pushed me in an alcove, blocking my way out as I breathed heavily, mouth pinched and hugging my books against my chest. "Does she do that a lot?"
"I don't care."
"You clearly do." Glaring at Twin 2, I quickly averted my gaze again when I was met with their serious faces, not a hint of mock or the amusement and mischief that always pulled on their lips and glinted their eyes.
"I don't."
"Right, you're just crying because you really don't care." George finally spoke up, crossing his arms and the tweet sound that followed the movement would've been hilarious if a few tears hadn't finally rolled on my cheeks.
Clicking his tongue, Fred (Twin 2), wiped them away with his knuckles when I simply glared at the ground.
"I'm not upset by what she said, I'm just- I'm just so frustrated! I- I didn't do anythin' toeh make 'er treat maeh and tha othar' gals like she daehs! I trieh' being naice and then I jus' trieh keepin out of 'er wey bu' she keeps- She keeps doin tha'!" I stomped one feet on the ground, teeth clenched while the twins raised their brows in surprise. "And I can't say anythin' or else I'm the mean one makin' fun of the swot muggleborn as if I'm not a swot or muggle raised meself! And I don' want to be mean, and I know I'll make 'er cry if I say something and I don't want to make he cry but at the same time lettin her wolk all ove me is gettin' on my bloody nerves!"
"Ah."
Fuming, I clutched my books harder and tried taking a deep breath, looking up at the stone ceiling, flushing the longer they shifted on their feet and stood in silence, just staring at me.
"I'll be honest, Starling, I didn't understand half of what you just said-'' I snorted, looking back at Fred while he rubbed the back of his neck and looked down at me sheepishly. "Seriously, what bloody language was that?"
"Prick ." George laughed when I kicked his twin's shin half-heartedly.
"Oi, you're the one speaking Scottish, I don't know Scottish, it's a whole nother language!" Laughter bubbled on my chest when George slapped his twin upside the head while Fred tried making his case.
Their bickering gave me enough time to fully calm down, closing my eyes and feeling something unwind from my back at having spilled my frustrations out. A weight lifted from my shoulders when I was finally able to face them again, noticing they were waiting for me to say something else.
"Thank you. I-" They smiled kindly, and George reached over to pat my head gently, smile turning into a smirk at the tweet his robes let out when he moved.
"You can thank us by telling me how you did it-"
"Hmm, I'm not that thankful." They cackled again, a resolute nod before messing my hair in sync. "I'll tell you next week, I have… something to do first."
"I am- how did you say when we first met? Shaking in my boots?" George grinned, patting my head more gently before stepping away. "I knew we had chosen the right firstie."
"Right you are, brother." Narrowing my eyes at them, I picked up on how they were pointedly not addressing each other, but I could play the game, sure. Fred's face turned serious again, and squeezed my shoulder gently, leaning slightly so I couldn't avoid his eyes. "If you ever need to scream at someone again, you know we're here, right?"
"Right. Well, I have points to lose, and a Professor to make cry, so-"
Quickly side-stepping their attempts to make my mess of hair even worse, I giggled and skipped away from their amused calls, clutching my books to my chest, feeling better and with my heart slightly hammering at their words.
The Weasleys are going to be protected even if I fucking die trying.
Urgh, why hadn't Harry realized how sweet the twins were!? Now I keep getting sucker-punched by their actions! Fuck!
The classroom was empty besides a couple of Slytherin girls. They eyed me warily, tense with my approach despite being in bigger numbers.
I nodded and moved to my previous seat, wondering if we'd be with the same people as the previous class. Maybe I could convince Harry to work with me- er, bad idea, he'd target us too easily.
Maybe Theo? He seemed to know how to prepare the ingredients.
"Are you ok?" Looking up in surprise at the girls, I noticed their attention on my hands and shrugged, realizing I had been flexing my fingers in thought.
"A little tender, but I'll manage." I could, it was just annoying as shite. "I'm Lily, but you can call me Star. Moon and Davis, right?"
They eyed me warily again, nodding slowly as I hummed and promptly got back to ignoring them, thumbing my book and reading what potion we'd brew. They seemed uncomfortable with my attention, either way.
As was the apparent norm, the Slytherins started to fill in before the Gryffindors, Malfoy and his cronies plus his fangirls were baring their teeth at me. My lack of reaction didn't seem to discourage them, but none made an effort to actually say anything to me.
My Slytherin trio didn't take long to also show up, sitting where they previously had while I closed my book and smiled down at them getting settled.
"You won't believe what I heard at our table." Blaise whispered once I leaned closer, a manic grin on his lips while Daphne huffed with his antics. "So, Malfoy sent a letter to his father last night through one of his house-elves, right?"
"Lower your voice." Daphne hissed, making him roll his eyes and gather closer to me as I giggled. "Stop enabling him, Star."
"Absolutely not, he's my main source of information, Daph. How am I supposed to know that Bulstroud wet her bed the first day or when Malfoy did something dumb? I need ammunition, don't I?"
The witch snapped her narrowed eyes at Blaise with my words, sizing him up.
"How did you find out about Bullstroud?" I tried not to shiver at Blaise's sharp smile, being suddenly reminded that Slytherins were fucking scary.
"I have my ways."
Theo didn't seem bothered by the staredown his two friends were having, reaching out for my hand to check the bindings again, making a satisfying noise when it still wouldn't give. I gave him my attention while the other two had their weird power play, smiling when he continued to move my hand around, twisting it trying to find the start of the bandages.
His grip on my wrist was gentle and his hands were cold, it was surprisingly soothing. I was suddenly hit with a wave of affection for the silent gentle boy with too many sweets on his person to be normal.
Noticing my full attention on him, Theo raised his eyes at me, studying my expression before smiling.
Uuuuurrrghhhhhh.
He made a sound when I pressed my cheek on his hand holding my wrist, bent over the table and too soft to do anything else.
"Nobody talk to me, I'm melting." Blaise snorted, seemingly done with comparing prick sizes with Daphne. I made another noise when Theo's other hand gently patted my head, carefully brushing away the more visible knots.
I am dying.
"You're killing her, Theo. Honestly, Star, do you ever brush your hair?" Soon another hand joined Theo's efforts. "You're worse than Harry, at least he doesn't have control over it."
I chortled, pressing my cheek against Theo's cold hand one last time before finally looking back at Blaise. A lazy wave of my wand had my hair in a simple updo, mindful that we'd be brewing something and not very keen on burning my hair in front of Snape, of all people.
Blaise raised a brow at the move, but said nothing as he leaned closer again.
"Anyways, Malfoy thought it was a good idea to brag to his father that he got you and Potter in trouble, thinking he'd get praised, right?" I nodded, letting him know that I was following. "Wrong. His dad all but called him an idiot for getting on the wrong side of the McKinnon Clan Head and the savior of the Wizarding world."
"What? " I mean, I get not wanting his son to be at odds with Harry.
The Wizarding world's luck was that Harry didn't truly understand the political power he had (and would continue to have if I had anything to say about it, no getting fucking slandered, thank you very fucking much). If Harry decided to one day get an interview and go on about how bad the Malfoys were, I doubt Lucius would keep his seats of power, besides the fact they'd be ostracized, of course.
But to care about being at odds with me?
I was the daughter of a squib who lived in an apartment with more books than space, it wasn't long until I discovered that we had any sort of money and that we were a Clan and not a House.
"Why would he care?" They looked at me, like, really looked at me.
Daphne's face was pinched, like it had that one day Harry asked what the Wizengamot was and what she meant that he had a seat on it.
"When you said you didn't know what it meant…"
I pursed my lips at Daphne's choking whisper, looking over my shoulder at the other Slytherins observing us. I knew they couldn't hear us, or otherwise there would've been sparks flying around with Blaise gossiping about them to a Gryffindor.
"What's the difference between a Clan and a House?"
Theo reached for my wrist again, but Blaise and Daphne just… stared.
It wasn't funny like when we first talked, when we didn't know Neville's family dealt with herbal exportation, or when I said I didn't know any other professions in the Wizarding World that weren't Healer, Professor or Ministry worker.
This had a feeling of whenever Harry learned somethingimportant from his family, how they'd stare at him in mild anger because how dare no one tell Harry about it?
"I think we're due some lessons, Lily." I stood in attention at the use of my name.
Besides the twins' rare use of 'Lils', everyone else called me by my nickname, and sure, sometimes the trio would address me by 'McKinnon' when we were bantering, but someone had yet to call me by my given name, and having Daphne use it looking too serious had a tense knot forming on my shoulders.
With an hesitant nod, we all waited in silence for the Gryffindors to trickle in and for Snape to make his appearance.
Not even his annoying drawl or Hermione's glare had me rising to bait.
Theo worked in silence with me, and Snape's snipes about me finally being silent only earned him an unimpressed and flat look, which lost Gryffindor a point because why not.
Hermione glared at me as if I had done something and I took great pleasure in seeing her lose two points for not paying attention to her own brewing. Her horrified face was the only thing that lifted my spirits a little.
The whole class Blaise and Daphne were muttering quietly, and I was sure they were making a list about something.
They were my friends, and I didn't remember anything in book canon that linked them to being Death Eaters or having parents that were DE. The only thing I remember was that Blaise would (or would've ) ended up becoming Draco's friend, and Daphne his sister-in-law. That's it.
I tried to steel myself.
They're my friends. I might not trust them with my life, but I trust them to tell me what made them so serious.
As was the norm, Slytherin got points for my potion while I was ignored.
I feel like I should say that I wasn't a prodigy at potion making, I really wasn't. Not like how Draco was (and the kid really was good at it, I didn't see him check the book once.), but I knew how to follow instructions and look at the details.
I didn't see whatever it was that Harry or Snape saw, so really, it didn't really piss me off to see him disregard my efforts. Potions was just a thing I did.
It did piss me off how he targeted me for no apparent reason, though. He seemed to have decided I was a better target than Harry, which was a little worrying but if it kept Harry's eye shine to the subject, then whatever.
Snape didn't even bully Neville! Sure he'd sneer and snap at him, but he did it with everyone else so… yeah. Harry got mostly ignored, which I was noticing made him want to try even harder.
Poor Ron looked like he was about to rip his hair out trying to keep up with our friend.
I'll admit to be slightly more unnerved that Snape was looking at Harry more thoughtfully than with disdain, and that I should really think harder about his hatred of me.
What the hell has my aunt done to the man?
The rest of the classes seem to drag, even Herbology, which I usually enjoyed with all of Sprout's good teaching and the soothing motions of caring for the greenies didn't lift my spirits.
When we were finally free, the boys silently followed me to the library, picking up on my serious mood and acting accordingly if not a little wary.
Steeling a deep breath, I sat calmly in front of Daphne and her opened notebook full of empty checkmark boxes.
"You might want to take some notes, Star."
Ah, shite.
Notes:*When someone messes with her*
Star: ....anyways.
*When someone messes with her friends*
Star: EMOTIONAL DAMAGE.
THERE WE HAVE IT KIDS!
Thoughts? Next chapter we'll learn more about what it means to have a Clan, and a start researching about important stuff.
Chapter 9: chapter ix: of clans and ducksSummary:In which we have a productive weekend.
Notes:YES FINALLY I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU GUYS TO REACH THIS ONE HIHIHIHIH
Thank you all for the previous comments! Y'all catch the smallest things it makes me so happy urgghhhh, also THE BOOKMAAARRRKKSSS AAAAAAAAAAAA you're all spoiling me hiihihi
Anyways, have fun reading!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter TextBlaise for once didn't seem to have a funny comment to me, deciding only to follow Daphne's request to keep watch for anyone eavesdropping and if that wasn't enough to have me on edge, Theo wasn't there.
My little teddy cute son of a bitch with cold soothing hands and sweets wasn't around.
"What did your mother tell you about your clan?"
Ron was using the time and Blaise's silent company to make his History of Magic assignment, seeing as the boy was the only one besides me and Hermione to care about the class, while Harry gave up the pretense of doing homework to fully turn to Daphne and I.
"Not much. I didn't even know it was a clan before you guys told me." My quiet admission made my cheeks burn, even if she had her pureblood slytherin mask on, expression blank. "I knew we were an old family, and I know Vold- you-know-who attacked mum's family home in 81 a little before my second birthday, but that's it."
Harry's hand had found mine under the table, squeezing it gently when Daphne finally let out a strangled breath.
"Anything else?"
"Um… I know a little about our family magic?"
"Right. I need to tell you the difference between a House and a Clan first, then a story? It kind of involves you too, Harry." When Harry and I nodded, she shared a look with Blaise before lowering her voice again. "All we know we picked from our parents, you know? Our families, the Zabinis and the Greengrasses, we're neutral ground, or we try to be."
Ah. So that's why Theo isn't here.
That's… Something to deal with after.
I never really- Well, I never really thought about their positions on the whole blood supremacy thing. Just because they weren't saying stuff to us, didn't mean they didn't believe it.
"So, a House is basically- er, a family. You can have side branches, sure, but they're almost always only one family. The Potters, the Greengrasses, the Weasleys. They're families old enough to be considered houses. Clans, they're bigger."
"A Clan can be a whole community, if it's big enough. They have Houses, Families, sworn loyalty to them." What in the fuck?
"What? " She nodded at my hiss, looking around to reassure herself nobody heard me before she shrugged. "What does that even mean?"
"It means that there are families," Blaise put one hand in the air, then started raising it as if categorizing things higher. "Old Houses, Noble Houses, and then Clans."
Ron raised his brows, a tick of annoyment on his jaw before Blaise shrugged at my baffled face.
"It's bigger in the political sense, or when we were at war. You see, your Clan is old, right? I said I'd study about it and get back to you, well-" Daphne pushed one of the thick tomes she had at the table in our direction, the writing seemed to be in a more medieval style, adorned in swirls and vines.
I recognized the McKinnon Crest as soon as my eyes ran on the art, the wild boar, the castle, the cross and the ship.
"Your clan, unlike most noble houses, can actually prove nobility! They can trace ancestry up to Alpin and the first king of Scotland- Ah, I'm getting sidetracked." She cleared her throat, making me snort at her excitement, even though I was feeling a wave of dread rising up my spine. "We'll go over your family history another time. Anyways, McKinnons? Big. They played a huge part in helping the Magical British Community to exist, even from Scotland. During the Witch Trials and the British Civil Wars, they fought the muggles so we could hide and form our society, right? So in thanks, a lot of families pledged loyalty and their magic to your Clan, besides the ones from Scotland who wanted to help with Britain."
"Right, but, again, what does that mean?"
"It means that if the Head of Clan calls, they answer. And they put their magic in the pledges, so it's not like they can say 'no' without having some sort of consequence. It's old magic."
The dread had crawled up my chest, and I looked down at the list of family names, now understanding what they meant. There were… a few.
A lot.
Though most seemed to have died out, if the swirling silver crosses were anything to go by. A few I recognized, mostly surprised by them, plenty of Mac's and Mc's, a few names I was pretty sure were not on the light side. And I think I found out why Theo wasn't there.
Pushing the book back to Daphne, I ignored Harry's annoyed sound at having his reading interrupted, bowing my head so she'd continue her explanation.
"So, since all the pledges were made when they were at war, the Clan can call for arms. For aid. This is where it kind of involves you, Harry." The boy stopped his grumbling, returning his full attention to our friend even as Ron slowed his copying, seemingly interested in what she was saying. "The war got better before it got worse. The thing is, Grindelwald never really got to our shores, and we haven't had a war since the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, even then it was mostly muggle conflict. So all these families just… forgot that they had pledged allegiance and loyalty, right?" Oh boy.
Blaise finally snorted at my expression, sending me a knowing look while I took a deep breath.
"So imagine some families' surprise when they're being called to war." I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache forming the longer Daphne spoke.
"Right, but some of those weren't exactly on the side my aunt died fighting for."
The Notts, for instance.
Daphne rolled her shoulders back, squirming uncomfortably a little.
"Yeah. Remember when I said it got better before it got worse?" Harry's hand found mine again, probably drawing the same conclusion as me. "The McKinnons called in a lot of support. It wasn't all willing, but it was support nonetheless. The numbers were tipping, some of the marked families couldn't act because old magic was getting a hold of them- And well… You-"
Blaise sighed, squeezing Daphne's shoulder when she halted her words, clearly not wanting to say them out loud.
"They got to the conclusion. You don't have to swear loyalty to a Clan that doesn't exist."
And there it was.
I don't know who had a tighter hold, me or Harry.
Even Ron stopped writing to fully turn towards me, looking awkward but still reaching behind Harry to put his hand on my shoulder like Blaise did with Daphne.
"But the Clan didn't end, did it?" Harry's quiet but fierce voice cut through the sad mood, and I felt myself straighten at the strength in it. Looking down at him, I caught a glimpse of the man he'd turn out to be, who'd lead a war.
His eyes were glinting, fierce and protective, and him not having any baby fat like the rest of us allowed him to clench his jaw stubbornly. His magic prickled my skin, I tasted the ozone on the roof of my mouth.
For the first time I was actually hit with just how much I loved him.
I loved the others too, of course. Even the Slytherins who I didn't trust completely, but trusted enough, but Harry- Harry was different.
I grew up with him, in the other world. First with the movies, I don't even remember being surprised by the plot twist of Prisoner of Azkaban. Because the movies were just always there when I was a child, I watched them before I could even understand what I was watching. And I might not remember every single detail of the books, but I remember Harry.
And now I had him holding my hand to support me, challenging them to say that I had lost.
Slowly turning to the Slytherins again, I smiled reassuringly at Daphne when she looked at me pained.
"It didn't, but a two year old can't demand loyalty, can she?" I sighed, trying to reign in my temper about having to find out about this- fuck, not only why our family was targeted, but just- our Family- Clan history!
It feels- I bit my tongue, trying to direct my mind to anything else that wasn't how apparently most of the magical world knows about my family's history while I hadn't even known we were a clan.
Was this how Harry felt? So much shit hidden from him, important things, parts of his identity, of his family. It was different, of course. He didn't have anyone to tell him those things.
I did.
I didn't know if I should feel worse or not.
"No she couldn't." Daphne muttered back, gently closing the book I had pushed back at her. It was old, peeling and cracked, but I felt whatever magic had it self-updating. "Again, it got worse. Dad wrote that everyone thought the Clan had been completely gone… You- Well, most of us war babies grew up hearing about the McKinnons. About the show of old magic and old debts and to be wary of them." She shrugged, eyes flitting from me to Harry. "Without the McKinnons tipping the scale, the light was losing. It was bad … Then Harry happened."
Harry flexed his fingers around mine, and I pressed myself on his side, both seeking support and offering. He slowly relaxed, slumping against me while the other three watched.
In that moment I swore I felt something tightening around my heart, hooking me to Harry. We all stood in silence for some time, Ron and Blaise continued their studying and Daphne watched Harry and I.
I wondered if this is what Sirius felt about James. If he also knew without doubt that he'd put his life on the line for his Potter.
Taking a resolute deep breath, I slowly straightened up, ungluing from Harry to stare back at our friend.
"Tell me more. What does it mean to me?"
Her smile was sharp.
★★★
As Madam Pomfrey promised, the bandages unraveled Saturday under Theo's careful watch. He twisted his lips in disappointment that they burned and disappeared once they were all out, but contented himself with gently running his cold fingers on the healed scars. They weren't big, and I was sure that in a few weeks they would completely disappear, but Theo seemed amazed by them nonetheless.
"Do ya want to be a healer, Theo?" He tilted his head a little, shooting a glance at me before shrugging. "You've got soothing hands, if you do decide you'd want to, I'm sure you'll do great."
Theo flushed, a tiny smile on his lips while he looked at me through his fluffy bangs, squeezing my hands a little before settling back on the grass with his book.
It was the first time we found ourselves alone. It was surprisingly hard to find time to be alone.
Ron and Harry were off doing something, Blaise didn't want to be out, and Daphne was in the library studying more about anything on Clans or the Potter that she could get her hands on.
I had a feeling that people didn't rely so much on her, but she seemed very happy that Harry and I did.
There wasn't a need to fill the silence; Theo was happy sitting with his thick encyclopedia of mythical beasts while I laid with my head on his leg. I had taken a few books on divination, but the day was nice and I was feeling a tad lazy when his cold fingers started to gently thread my hair.
I nearly purred at it, sighing contentedly even if he did it slightly clumsy. It was soothing nonetheless.
While we lazed, I took my time to think about what I had written mum.
Or better yet, what I didn't.
I told her that I got hurt, but that it wasn't serious, I asked her about Harry being able to touch the ring, but others couldn't (we tested, it didn't burn Ron, but it did zap him lightly enough to startle), I asked her to send some stuff I was going to need to mess with Snape and a few people, hell, I even told her about him. But I hadn't been able to bring up why she was leaving me in the dark about all these important things. It felt wrong to ask it in a letter, so I didn't.
I wanted to. So much. But I didn't.
Was it right of her to do so? Why did she do it? If I had to guess (and I was), it was the same as knowing I'm a witch and deciding not to tell me. Maybe she felt like it was just a bigger wedge between us? Hell, maybe she doesn't even know?
Theo pressed his hand on my forehead, making me open my eyes to meet his curious one. I shook my head, reaching blindly to one of the books while he nodded and carried on reading his own.
Flicking my wand, I levitated the book to hover over my face, winking cheekily at Theo when he made a surprised noise.
That charm had been perhaps the easiest one I had ever learned. Granted, I hadn't learned many charms yet, but I did make a big dent through the first year charms and tried my hands at the ones I remembered from the books. Maybe it was because it was the first one I tried once I got home after buying my wand, or maybe it was because of how famous it was for old me. But I had it down on my first try months before. I couldn't do it wandless yet, but then again, I couldn't do anything wandless yet.
I might've been able to make some things wobble, but as Transfiguration, it had a lot of visualization, only mixed with intent. So it was slow going, but if I could at least have my wand back on me after being disarmed, I'd be happy.
Of course, some defensive spells wandless might be great, but right now I was happy with my progress and needs.
The levitation charm was also the only one I could do wordlessly, so kudos.
Lazily, I thumbed through the pages, not knowing what I was searching for besides 'foreknowledge'. I had skimmed through them a little at the library, taking the ones that cited it. Hey, it wasn't stupid. I did know things and I had a theory I needed to research and prepare for.
When I didn't understand most of what I read, I groaned before rolling to lay belly down next to Theo, who spared me a single glance before finally laying down too, holding his book up while I plucked mine from the air and prepared to actually study.
I had to learn about the basics first.
First, divination had actual magic behind it. I didn't know if I was surprised or not, seeing as Prophecies were real. But the art of it? Very much real, just a lot less scientific than Arithmancy or Runes. It was a lot of interpretation, and only a few were really attuned to it, though with a guide and patience, most could work it.
A few herbs even actually helped open the 'inner eye', I had yet to understand what that was, but I digress.
Ron, for instance. His predictions were correct, by the end of the day. I don't remember the verbatim for what he read on Harry's tea leaves, but I distinctly remember "You'll suffer, but you'll be happy", and if that isn't what happened- It might've been called foreshadowing, but I remember something about them predicting stuff without meaning to- So, yeah, I do believe in it.
It was a tad boring, to be honest. Maybe it was the writer, but I had to really dig into it to get over the whole mysticism of it. Under it all, it was magic in its rawest form. Divination was dated back to the oracles, older even, but properly acknowledge with the use of the Oracles, and the Art started going with desuse with how much- I don't want to say dark art, but with how much… er, sacrifice it took to have more accurate and pointed visions and predictions.
So nowadays it was mostly an Art for those with better interpretation and open mind. Though I wasn't stupid enough to believe that it should dictate your life, like how Dumbledore and Voldemort did.
And interpretation was a big thing, again.
The prophecy could've been fit to Neville, but Voldemort did his own interpretation and made it about Harry. It's the whole Oedipus prophecy situation. His father believed without sway that the prophecy he received about Oedipus would happen and sent him to die, and in doing so, created the circumstances of the prophecy.
A Self-fulfilling prophecy.
It was the same with Voldemort.
Had he just… ignored it, the son of a bitch might have still been corporeal.
Stupid bitches.
Anyways.
I wasn't there to read about prophecies, so.
I had to cut my studies short when Theo tapped my shoulder and motioned to the castle, feeling the hunger hit.
We walked back in silence, as per usual, and I used the time to think about what I had learned as the basis of Divination (at least to the first author).
It was old magic, called an Ancient Art, not more in use the way it was before. A lot of interpretation with the tools used. Magic people had an easier time with it than muggles because just as there are wizards and witches more attuned to the Art than others, magical people as a basis were more attuned than muggles.
There were tea leaves, beads, pendulums, tarot cards, runes and a bunch of other stuff.
I didn't completely understand how they worked, other than like a wand facilitates our use of magic, those tools did the same for divination. From what I understood, it was a magic of its own, hence why not just anyone could spout prophecies.
An itch formed in the back of my throat at the thought of all the information I'd have to go through to get to what I actually wanted to know: what was my knowledge? And the Hat's comment of "one of you" had me thinking I might've not been the only reincarnated soul out here.
I might not even have memories of my past (or future, if you want to get technical) life, they might just be a way of- of magic or whatever the fuck of giving me all that knowledge.
Those questions, and a few others, were what led me to carry around a bunch of weird books in my messenger bag.
Thank Morgana for featherlight charms.
Seeing as we were having a late lunch and the only people on the Gryffindor table were Seamus and Dean, I followed Theo to the Slytherin table, smiling reassuringly when he shot me a surprised look.
None of our friends were around, so I settled on pressing against my quiet friend's side under the judgy stares and sneers from his own house, though none said anything. A quick and uninterested glance at the High Table let me know that the eyes drilling into us were from Dumbledore and Snape.
I tried not to let it bother me much, it's not like I was doing anything wrong, and I was counting on needing eye contact for them to see inside my head. There was a reason why I only looked between Snape's eyebrows or at his nose, besides unnerving the shit out of him, of course.
We ate in silence, and while my friend read while eating, I moved to observe the Slytherins. None I could recognize besides the hulking scowling boy I imagined was Marcus Flint, if his quidditch shirt with a big C for "captain" in the back was anything to go by.
A few other boys were scattered around him, a blonde boy made eye contact with me, narrowing his eyes and baring his teeth in a sneer.
That move was getting old.
Dismissing him without any reaction, I continued to observe the rest of them. Unlike Gryffindor, where there were small or large groups that didn't exactly interact with each other, the Slytherins seemed to make an effort to present a united front. Much like Hufflepuff.
It was the one thing Blaise wouldn't blab about to me, how Slytherin worked.
Sure, he'd give me dirt or tell me the stupid stuff going on, but he was very tight lipped about conflicts or weak points in the House, not that I asked in depth.
Theo had homework to complete, and I had a castle to explore.
To be honest, I really wanted to use the rare chance of being alone to study the Room of Requirement. I was saving having to acknowledge the Horcrux when the Diary was destroyed the next year and when the wraith of said soul shard wasn't eyeing us from the back of a professor's head ( if he even was under the turban already, I don't remember if he always had Voldemort at the back of the head or if it just happened later on). But the rest of the room was free reign. The problem was finding the right place.
I was on the seventh floor, but where the fuck was a weird painting? Something about trolls.
Honestly, I might've spent 30 minutes or two hours walking up and down the whole seventh floor until I finally caught sight of the damn frame. It was the most ridiculous thing ever, with a wizard in the middle of a circle of dancing trolls with tutus.
Pursing my lips to not laugh, I looked at the opposite wall. There weren't any markings, and I couldn't sense any type of magic around, but trusting my memory, I walked up and down the corridor, thinking very hard.
I need a place to find things.
I need a place to find things.
I need a place to find things.
A smile broke on my face at the door forming, it stood tall and it was slightly ominous, but with a quick look around, I stepped inside.
It was a mess and God I was excited.
Tightening my messenger bag across my chest, I set out to snoop.
It was filled with everything. Jewels, full trunks, old and new, books, clothes, furniture, there were even wands around.
I pointedly didn't acknowledge the itching and urge to look up at the piles, knowing exactly what was calling out, and I tried not to think how much it felt like Harry, or at least the piece in him.
Besides, I was more interested in snooping around the trunks, amazed by the old clothes and uniforms. Most seemed from upper years, maybe students who after done with Hogwarts, decided to leave their stuff.
The skirts used to be longer, ending on the floor instead of over the knee, though the older girls used them shorter. The shirts weren't white button up, they used to be more robe-like, plainer and thicker, the fabric scratchier.
Of course, we didn't really have any regulations on how to wear our uniforms, plenty of people customized theirs, but most just used the standard one. The only ones in my year that had customized uniforms were Malfoy, Blaise (because it's Blaise ), Boot, Bones, and the Patil twins.
The only thing that we couldn't change was the ties.
Most trunks left behind were from pant-users, very few feminine clothing, but I did nick a soft green sweater. It was a tad too big, but the fabric. Urgh, so soft.
The books I found were mostly school books, though I'm pretty sure a few were dark magic. I made sure to toe them away, too scared of getting cursed by unknown magic where nobody would've been able to find me.
I also avoided the shiny accessories, the necklaces and the rings were too grand for me to have any use, either way and I was wary of any piece of jewelry left behind on purpose.
Maybe once I learned how to check for curses I'd come back and swap things to sell them, but I was done for the day after a chest rattled ominously when I got close, picking an interesting transfiguration book full of notes on my way out.
Now that was interesting.
★★★
Sunday night had me getting ready to finally put my plan to use. I had spent the whole day checking and rechecking my charmed threads, testing the rune I had carved into a rock I found around the black lake. I had the scotch tape I bribed off the twins, and the sewing kit Parvati let me borrow.
The funny thing about wizards, is that they have a magical alternative for most things, but they usually leave a trace. So going mostly muggle was the way to get Snape. I just knew it.
I waited until Hermione stopped moving in bed, she was a quiet sleeper, didn't move much once she was out.
Then, with light steps, making sure I couldn't hear anyone in the common room, I darted out.
I didn't bother to cast Lumos, running quickly to the Great Hall as that would be the most dangerous one.
I had to duck away a few times to avoid a Hufflepuff prefect, and a couple of Ravenclaws also out of bed past curfew.
Peeves nearly caught me, and it was only sheer luck that Madam Nor-r-ra caught his attention. It worked out for the best, as he chased her away, screaming in glee at the cat's hisses.
The door was unlocked and I didn't wait to check for my luck, I ran to the High Table and ducked under Snape's chair, breath heavy and heart thundering as I waited to see if anyone had followed me or if I was about to be busted.
When five minutes went by without as much as a step outside the hall, I smiled winningly and flopped on my back to look under his chair, searching for the rock and the tape inside my trusty messenger bag.
The next few minutes I felt slightly like Cameron Diaz in Charlie's Angels, setting up the runes and trying not to get caught or jostle the chair to tip him off.
Once the job was done and I was sure the rune was secure, I raised to my feet and quietly repeated the charm he tried every morning. (It took me a while to discover it, seeing as he simply flicked his wand in quick movements, but after days of research, I had recognized it.)
The charm didn't find the rock with the runes in it, seeing as it wasn't glued by magic, but by our old and trusty scotch tape.
My next stop was the laundry room.
I only bumped into the Bloody Baron, but he was too jaded to care about a firstie out of bed or near the dungeons, he merely looked at me and carried on his haunting. I doubt it even registered to him what he saw.
The elves had shown me where it was and how to get inside, and had unknowingly told me that Snape washes his robes every day, and wears them fresh. They're delivered in the morning, so the clothes are crisp and warm, and they don't work after midnight.
The laundry room was near the kitchens, and if a student wanted to get inside they had to follow the pattern of a tapestry with one finger while pulling on the corner of it. Once you finished the pattern, yank the other side of the tapestry and let go and a door would appear. Of course, elves had shortcuts, but they were elves, powerful and scary when they wanted to be.
I was large, divided into so many sectors it was a little disorientating.
It was separated a little like this: Houses, then by year, then by gender, then by dormitory if there was more than one. So, divided four, then into 7, 2s and how many other dormitories.
A good thing I didn't need to make any fucking calculation to find my victim. The professors had their own sector, and only one wore all black long robes.
With a mischievous grin, I set to work.
My heart was thundering once I was finally back in bed, safe and sound and surprisingly without getting caught.
I felt elated.
Fuck. Fuck.
I had to smother my face on a pillow to quieten my giggles.
Being honest, I did not sleep. Not even a nap. The morning could not come any faster, and I gave up at about 4 in the morning, whisking the Divination book and casting a weak Lumos to not disturb the girls too much.
I got about two hours of reading until I heard Hermione getting up.
Still didn't get what I was searching for, but I did learn that there are a whole bunch of different Seers.
There are Seers who See the past, not necessarily their own, and most of Past Seers can activate their gift at will, seeing as - according to the author -, they could do little to no disruption of the linear future and what the Fates had written- Scary, by the way, the idea of Fate . Anyways, that's more common, and in Ancient time they would've been judges where a crime could not be proved. That, obviously, fell out of use because of cases where people either lied about their visions, or just weren't Seers.
Now it's more a party trick than something big.
There are prophetic Seers, read: Trelawney. They don't have bigger abilities, and most don't even know they are, seeing as they can't remember what they spout. They're still more attuned to the Ancient Arts than others, but can't force it out, and they don't see the future. A prophecy is not the future.
There were those who saw glimpses of the future, those were rarer, because the future is always changing. Sure, it works linearly, according to the author and most who study the Art, the Fates have it written- or better yet, woven, but your choices still change the outcomes.
There were a few others, but none that fit what I knew.
I didn't have any abilities, no prophetic dreams, no visions, and I think mum or my friends would've noticed if I had been spitting out prophecies.
Trying to seem inconspicuous, I moved as I normally would, and tried not to barge up the boys' dormitories to make them go faster. It was sheer luck that the twins were also up once we were setting out, something about needing time to do their homework.
I could feel a grin trying to pull on my lips when we got to the Great Hall and most professors had yet to arrive.
Say what you will about the man, but Snape was consistent.
The Great Hall was open by six, at seven breakfast was served and at nine classes started.
He always arrived at eight, ate until eight thirty, then he left to either sulk elsewhere or prepare for his classes. I did not miss that with that schedule he had minimal interaction with the other Professors.
By the time he showed up, the Great Hall was at full peak, and by the grace of the Gods, it was right at the moment of silence where most people were actually eating and not chatting.
Snape went through his normal and fast procedures, checking his plate, cutlery and cup, and I held my breath when he waved his wand around his chair, biting my lip to stop an excited chirp when he put his wand away, not betraying anything if he found something wrong.
Clutching the seat under me, I watched gleefully as a loud 'QUACK' rang through the air when he sat down, silence cutting through the air and everyone snapping their attention at a frozen Snape, seeing as most professors were turned to him in confusion.
I slapped my hand on my mouth when the smallest of movements released loud and crazy duck sounds, when he jumped from his seat, pulling his wand out and snapping his cloak, the most delightful of sounds reverberated through the Hall.
A bray.
A donkey- An arse sound.
That did it for the bunch of teenagers that broke in panicked howls of laughter.
Glad that my own would be muffled, I curled over the table, slamming my fists on the wood and crying laughing at his red cheeks and snarl when he waved his wand, thinking he had dispelled the charm only to snap his cloak again and have the sound ring out again, being followed by the flurry of 'quacks'.
When I looked over to the Slytherins, they seemed a mix of appalled and pissed off that their head of house had been at the end of a prank. All but one.
Daphne was gaping at me, and her expression only made me laugh harder, wobbling my brows when her mouth opened even more at the confirmation of who had done it.
She wasn't the only one gaping at me, of course.
A set of ginger twins were also in tears, looking at me in a mix of awe and fear.
"H-How?!" A shark-like grin was my only reply, not only because Snape's eyes were burning at the three of us, as if he knew one of us was to blame, which- I had no idea why he thought I would do anything, but the twins I understood.
Ron and Harry were both curled over the table, hiding their laughs while Hermione was glaring at us angrily, Percy was trying to quieten the table down but even the other Prefects were losing it when Snape's stomps out kept making brays and quacks.
Oh boy, what a great start of the week.
Notes:I'm really proud of this chapter, I mixed a lot of real history with my bullshitery, mostly:
1. The Clan McKinnon is very much real, from Scotland, with roots "traced" to nobility.
2. Anything divination, I did a bunch of research and still am, because it is something we'll be seeing a lot;
3. Honestly anything about the McKinnons.
Next chapter will be accompanied with a drawing and a bunch of little hints from the future, I was planning on posting it today (reason why I'm posting later than usual), but my digital table (i think that's what's called) it's acting up so I'm taking a break from it. But so far I'm really proud of it, I can't wait to show you guys it!
As always, let me know what you thought or if you catch any spelling mistakes! Love you all! Stay safe and until Wednesday! <3 <3