happiness can be found
(even in the darkest of times)
by
a charming young girl
capable of being terrible
"Did you see the new rule Javert put up?"
"Educational Decree 47 or 48?" Éponine was familiar with both. Her favorite spot in the entire school used to be the wall outside the Great Hall. It was a great place to be alone, mostly because no one ever stuck around there for long. Either people went inside to eat, or outside to explore more of the grounds. No one ever stayed in between. Except for her, of course.
Now, even with Inspector Javert getting Toussant to nail a new 'Educational Decree', as they're called, to the wall almost everyday, Éponine stays. It hasn't gotten more crowded, even if she thought it would. Mostly, one kid sees the new rule, and announces it to everyone else. No one actually bothers checking.
"Nah." Parnasse replies. Montparnasse is her best friend. He's two years above her, but they've always been close. Their families both know each other (The pure-blood supremacists always find a way to flock together.) and all the weddings that have happened to keep the bloodline pure, weddings that she and 'Parnasse have both attended, have her convinced that they're actually cousins of some sort.
Especially ever since the Montparnasse family took Éponine and Gavroche in after their parents were thrown into Azkaban. (She hasn't had that many friends since that little incident.) Montparnasse continues, "The newest one! Rule 49!"
She straightens in her seat in the Slytherin common room. "There's a new rule?"
"The bastard cancelled Quidditch!" he explains, "Quidditch, 'Ponine! And Slytherin was so close to winning the cup and kicking Gryffindor arse this year! And then the son of a bitch had the nerve to go and cancel Quidditch!"
Éponine narrows her eyes at the thought. Parnasse looks absolutely devastated. He's a seventh year and beater, not to mention captain of the team. And Slytherin really was ahead! They won every match so far, even beating Gryffindor! Their next match was supposed to be with Hufflepuff which is, let's face it, just Hufflepuff. His last year was supposed to be the best year ever, and Éponine feels infuriated on behalf of her best friend.
"That's bull!" she exclaims, "Who does he think he is? Have you tried talking to anyone about it?"
The Ministry of Magic sent Inspector Javert to Hogwarts around two months after term started. She's always hated the Ministry. They thought that Headmaster Lamarque had too much power already, and they wanted to strip it. So what do they do? Send a jackass to ruin everyone's lives.
"I actually have!" he says, "I went straight to Javert's office after I saw the new rule and I told him he can't just cancel Quidditch. Quidditch is really important. And I went on this huge rant and he was just looking at me and he told me, 'Remi, we are not bringing back this hellish game where students much like yourself have gotten hurt in the past.'" He imitates the posh accent, and Éponine laughs not because it's good, but because their voices sound similar anyway so it's not much of a stretch.
He continues. "So, I told him, at least let us play Quidditch on our own. Not official matches or anything, but let us fly. Because I thought that maybe, we could continue the bracket underground or something. And he said that he'll think about it! That Beauxbatons hat wearing shithead."
Éponine sighs. "Better than nothing, I guess?"
"Even if it's allowed, I won't get to put that trophy in the common room." Montparnasse runs a hand through his hair. "And here I was thinking this was gonna be the best year ever. Now I can't even be within six inches of a girl – "
"Eight." she corrects, sipping her coffee. (She always liked it better than tea.)
"Eight." he deadpans, "Javert's already confiscated my wand because he saw me hexing that arrogant little prick from the Gryffindor Quidditch team. And Merlin, I get that I hexed the kid, but he didn't have to confiscate my wand. I don't get it back for another week! Only to be returned to me during classes. I can't even play fucking music while I'm studying!"
"I heard some students are trying to rebel, though."
"Oh? Really, who?"
"Marius and his friends."
Montparnasse laughs. "Ah. So the Gryffindors are trying to be the heroes again?"
"Need I remind you? Marius is a Hufflepuff."
"But his friends are all Gryffindors." he points out, "I'll bet you ten galleons that the kid with the blonde hair and the stupid red vest is the one heading the entire operation."
She nods. "Of course he is, Parnasse." she replies, "He's their leader."
Gabriel Enjolras. Sixth year, Gryffindor. He's always looking to start a revolution, that one. And Éponine saw him when Javert was crowned Inspector. Everyone was groaning and making a giant fuss, but he was smiling. There was a glint in his eyes, an excited one, like he was happy he finally had something to fight against.
"They call him Apollo," she continues. "He's always the one preaching about unity and justice for all."
Montparnasse snorts at that and shakes his head. "Gryffindors, I tell you." he says, "They're all bonkers."
Marius Pontmercy is in love. Marius Pontmercy's girlfriend is the most perfect little thing to have graced Hogwarts with her presence. Yet, Éponine Jondrette's heart still belongs to him and only him, and though she knows that the same can't be said for Marius, she's content to live life as just his friend.
However, everyone has their breaking point.
"I miss Cosette." Marius mumbles in the library where they are both studying. "I miss her so much."
"You saw her an hour ago." Éponine reminds him, trying to get her Defense Against the Dark Arts essay on banshees done. The cry of a banshee is fatal to anyone who hears it, she writes, It is a dark creature native to Ireland and England.
"Yes, but I haven't been able to get within eight inches of her ever since Decree 31 came out!" he laments, as if he's in some great agony.
She barely spends time with Marius anymore because of his Army meetings, as she and Parnasse have taken to calling the group of friends, and she can't imagine how all those boys deal with Marius' bitching and moaning. (She loves him, but it is getting on her nerves.)
"Pontmercy!" they both hear a shout and they both look up to the source. Apollo and the boy Parnasse hexed. What's his name? Oh yes. Courfeyrac. They near the table and Courfeyrac hisses something quietly. "Next meeting starts in five minutes."
Marius is saying something, and Éponine is trying to eavesdrop. However, she's still across the table, more than eight inches away, and it's hard to hear the whisper. "Banshees are native to Ireland and Scotland." she hears a voice. She looks up to see Enjolras reading her essay over her shoulder. She scowls at him because she never asked for his help, decides to not correct it until he leaves, and covers the top portion of her essay with her arm.
Marius stands and looks at her apologetically. "'Ponine, I have to go."
"Go ahead." she says, at least now she'll get to study in peace.
"You are Éponine?" Courfeyrac inquires, and she nods, raising an eyebrow quizzically. "Tell your friend to expect a Bat Bogey hex coming his way sometime this week."
"And risk your wand getting confiscated as well?" she asks, "Having a basic right violated over something as trivial as Quidditch..."
"Quidditch is not trivial!" Courfeyrac is indignant. "Have you ever watched a match?"
"Only a few, but none at Hogwarts."
("Courfeyrac, we're going to be late." Enjolras tries to butt in.)
"Then, Miss Éponine, when Inspector Javert's reign of terror is over, I am going to make you watch one of mine, and you will be amazed." There's a look in his eye, like he's about to say something brilliant. "By the way, I'm a keeper." He winks.
She laughs. It's a terrible excuse for a pick-up line but she loves it. Enjolras narrows his eyes. "Stop flirting with Marius' shadow, Courfeyrac." he says, and did he just call her Marius' shadow? "If you'll excuse us, we'll be going."
Marius waves goodbye as Enjolras drags him away and Courfeyrac does a little bow before sprinting outside of the library door after them.
She decides that she doesn't like Gabriel Enjolras. And it's not like she like-likes Courfeyrac (Oh God, no!) but he has a charming smile and is a little bit of a flirt, and after this little encounter, she wonders why they don't call him Apollo? She doesn't know who Enjolras is, but she's got half a mind to say he's Hades. (She doesn't know much about Mythology aside from Disney's Hercules, but Hades is evil and that's that.)
Éponine is from the Great Hall to the Astronomy Tower, and she couldn't help but notice Toussant taking down Educational Decree 39.
WANDS TO BE CONFISCATED FROM STUDENTS
CASTING RECREATIONAL SPELLS
ALL MAGICAL OBJECTS TO BE
HELD UNTIL FUTHER NOTICE
She walks slowly by the shattered frame to read what it stated, and wonder what got Javert to abolish it. In her opinion, it was the silliest rule. She decides not to question the event anymore, and instead just make sure that Montparnasse and Courfeyrac don't kill each other.
Ever since the incident at the library, she's become closer with some of Marius' other friends. Courfeyrac made it his mission to introduce her to all of them, but she's only met three. There's Grantaire from Hufflepuff, who has a secret stash of Firewhiskey in his dorm. And there's Combeferre from Ravenclaw, the wisest one in the bunch.
Grantaire is also the same Grantaire who Gavroche won't shut up about it. Who Azelma wouldn't shut up about either, way back before. Gavroche is a first year in Gryffindor, and Éponine rarely gets to see him, but Grantaire has taken on the responsibility of being a big brother, and Éponine is grateful. They used to be close too, but, like she said, she hasn't had many friends since the incident.
She's walking down a hallway, reading her Astronomy book as she tries to cram five pages of knowledge into her head before taking the mini quiz that Professor warned the class there might be. Parnasse warned her that his OWL in Astronomy was to fill in a blank star chart. (In other words, she's screwed, so she needs to start practicing.)
"Hello, Éponine." The sudden voice startles her, and she almost drops her book, but she recognizes the voice and decides to ignore it. Europe is covered in ice. Io has a lot of volcanoes. "I want to talk to you."
"You want to talk to the shadow?" she snarks, because she can't help herself.
Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Enjolras bite his lip. "I regret my choice of words that afternoon. I assure you I didn't mean it."
"Okay." she says, Callisto was discovered by Galileo. It is the second largest moon in the solar system. Ganymede is the only known moon with a magnetosphere. She notices he's still walking with her, and she shuts the book for a couple of seconds to look at him. "I'm kinda busy, if you haven't noticed."
"This is rather important." he tells her, "Have you noticed that Educational Decree 39 has been taken down?"
"Yeah," she replies, "What about it?"
"It's because of us – our group. The one I'm in with Marius and Courfeyrac." he explains, "Or more accurately, it's because of you." She raises an eyebrow and he continues. "While we were at the library a couple days ago, you were talking with Courfeyrac about your friend Montparnasse and Quidditch. Courfeyrac mentioned hexing, and you told him it wasn't worth getting a basic right violated."
"I remember." she drawls, "In case you forgot, I was there. One of the people in the conversation, actually."
He ignores her sarcasm. "Anyway, later at the meeting we were going to, Combeferre suggested starting small, like getting at least one rule abolished, and I remembered what you said about the wands."
"The International Confederation of Wizards set that law in 1692." she says, and she remembers this mostly because Wizarding Law is a fascinating subject, and she remembers fascinating things with ease. You know what isn't fascinating? Jupiter's moons and all the other Astrology bullshit.
"Exactly, and I hadn't remembered! None of us did. So, we contacted the Confederation about it. Since they check owl post nowadays, we had to get Grantaire's family in Hogsmeade to owl it, but it worked nonetheless."
"And what your point is..?"
"Thank you."
She smiles mostly because Enjolras looks so uncomfortable getting the words out, like he can't help but be miffed that his army's first victory wasn't because of him entirely. "You're welcome." she replies, and opens her Astronomy book again, to continue memorizing all things about the planet Jupiter.
"Which brings me to the next thing I wish to discuss with you," he says and she puts the book down and rolls her eyes.
"What is it this time?"
"It has come to my attention that we don't have anyone to represent Slytherin in our... gang."
She snorts. Gang? "You mean your army?"
He looks confused. "Is that what they're calling it nowadays?"
"Nope," she says, popping the 'p'. "Just me and 'Parnasse."
"What I'm trying to say is that you're clever enough and though I understand that your parents were affiliated with dark magic, it should be no reason for me to not allow you into our 'army', as you call it. It's not like you were the one who killed your sister. Still, none of the other members seem opposed to the idea of you joining, even though you are a Slytherin." he says, "Thus, you may be a member. You're welcome."
She stares at him blankly. "Seriously?"
He looks confused at her. "I'm sorry, what?"
"I never asked if I was 'clever enough' to be a part of your army," she says, "I never even said I wanted to be part of it."
"I assume since you would like to spend more time with Marius, since you're always shadowing him anyway – "
She cuts him off. "I know you're all about reaching out to the people, and helping the people, and basically everything to do with the people, but if you want that, you have to actually, y'know, be nice to the people." she tells him bluntly, "You cannot just assume that I want to be part of your army like it's some great honor."
"It is a great honor!" he defends, "We're going to change the world." He states this last bit matter-of-factly.
She scoffs. "Good luck with that." she says, "Tell me the next time you get something done without my help, yeah?"
Éponine leaves Enjolras standing dumbstruck in the hallway, the click of her heels echoing throughout the corridor.
She and Montparnasse sit in a compartment together on the train to Hogsmeade, and their comfortable silence is interrupted when Courfeyrac slides the door open and sits down next to her. A scowl immediately sets on her friend's face, but Courf is nothing but rainbows and sunshine.
"Mind if I borrow 'Ponine for a second?"
"Careful, Gryffindor," Montparnasse replies, "I've got my wand back."
"And I have mine too, so..." Courfeyrac drags out the last word, "Just go and find your other snake friends okay? Just let me keep Éponine until we get to Hogsmeade then you can go on Slytherin dates together or whatever it is you do for fun. 'Kay? 'Kay."
Somehow, out of that whole rant, Montparnasse fixates on one thing, making a face and denying, "She's not my girlfr – "
"Figures." Courf replies, "She won't go to any of your Quidditch matches. Ép promised she'd go to one of mine."
"I didn't say that!" Éponine protests.
"Welllllll, you kinda did." Courfeyrac says, "Up, up, you go, Montparnasse! Leave us alone! Can't you see she doesn't want you here? After this year is done, 'Ponine'll be one of us!" Parnasse shoots her a look and Éponine nods hesitantly, so he leaves the compartment, muttering something about crazy Gryffindors on the way out. "Anyway!"
She hisses, "Courf, what the hell are you doing here?"
"There you are!" she hears Grantaire shout, as he joins the cabin. "Finally found her!"
"I believe I found her first, R," Courfeyrac points out.
"We found her at nearly the same time, and have you even gotten to telling her why we need to talk to her in the first place?" Grantaire asks, the two of them just exchanging words nonstop.
"I was about to do that, until you came barging in – "
"I did not barge in – "
"Point is, you interrupted what I was going to say and I – "
Éponine's glaring daggers at the pair, and at some point they both notice and shut up. "What is it that you want to tell me?"
Grantaire decides to talk first. She hasn't really talked to Grantaire in a year, not since Courfeyrac re-introduced them. It's nice being able to be friends again. "Enjolras talked to you about joining the Army, right? And you said no."
"Oh, so now you're calling it an army too?" she teases, instead of answering directly.
"It's a great thing to call it, in fairness." Courfeyrac interjects.
"So, while it's great that you've cracked the marble, kicked Enjolras right off his high horse, and wounded his ego to the point where we're having meetings everyday." Grantaire stops at this bit to roll his eyes. "What the fuck did he say that made you say no? Where'd he screw up?"
"He said I'd probably want to go because Marius is there, because I shadow him – "
"Sorry on his behalf."
" – somewhat insulted my house – "
"Don't mind that, that's just the lion-snake rivalry – "
"He mentioned my parents."
"Sorry, again."
"And Azelma."
Grantaire winces at this. He and her sister were close. He used to call her 'Zel and everything. If Éponine didn't know any better, they fancied each other. Courfeyrac decides to continue talking because Azelma's name shut R up. "Enjolras... really lacks social skills." he explains, "The fact that he's even asking you to join shows that he really likes you."
"And I should care about that because..?"
"Look, do you hate Inspector Javert?"
"Who doesn't?" she replies, "Of course I do!"
"Well then, don't join because of Enjolras. You're right. He's a prick sometimes. But do it so we can get Javert out of Hogwarts for good. No one wants him around, Ép." Courfeyrac tells her.
"And there are rumors going around that the Ministry's gonna have him replace Myriel." Grantaire adds.
At this, Éponine's eyes widen. "Seriously?" Everyone loves Headmaster Myriel Bienvenu, including her. The old man is a great one. He looks as cuddly as a teddy bear, but is rumored to have participated in both Wizarding Wars. "Javert as Headmaster?"
"He's already taken over Defense Against the Dark Arts after they sacked Brevet, remember?" Grantaire grimaces, "I had class with him the other week. Didn't teach us a single thing, just made us read the book! And I bet it's gonna be just like that for you, once you've had your first class with the bastard."
"R even spoke up about how useless it was to just learn theory, and well..." Courfeyrac trails off.
Grantaire yanks up his sleeve, which has covered his entire arm, and the words I must not tell lies. were etched into his skin like scars, in what seemed to be his own handwriting. "Holy shit!" Éponine exclaims, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Grantaire replies, "Was just a blood quill. Might've been worse if she found my Butterbeer stash, don't you think?" He laughs a little, trying to lighten the mood.
"Not funny, 'Taire." she tells him, "But I'm proud of you."
Her friend beams at this, which causes her to smile a little bit in return.
"C'mon, Ép," Courfeyrac says, "Join! It's not as bad as you think it is. With Javert's new teaching style, Enjolras and 'Ferre are teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. It's actually really cool! They're both really good at it. And besides, if you really don't want to deal with the Marble Man, 'Ferre's a decent guy!"
She thinks about it for a moment. "You sure he'll still want me there?" she asks, "I may have insulted your cause."
Courfeyrac scoffs. "He'll get over it." he says, "And he won't shut up about you either. He's in this perpetual state of moodiness because of you."
"Like I said!" Grantaire exclaims, "Meetings everyday! You've gotta save me, 'Ponine. These blokes get awfully boring!" Courfeyrac hits him lightly on the back of his neck and Grantaire glares, rubbing the spot. "Look, Enj doesn't like the fact I'm there either. If he doesn't like you, the two of us can form a little club."
She laughs. "Okay, okay, fine."
Courferyac smiles. "You're in?"
She nods not because of Marius, not because of Enjolras, but because she needs to get that son of a bitch out of her school. "I'm in."
Grantaire clasps his hands together, excited. "Great! You'll have fun! Next meeting's later at the Musain. You understand how great this is, right? Feuilly will give us Firewhiskey if we just ask. Good man."
Éponine scowls at Courf. "I'm supposed to go out with 'Parnasse."
"You guys aren't dating or anything though," Courfeyrac shrugs, "Just ditch."
"He's my best friend!"
"He'll understand. Just tell him to go hang out with Claquesous and the others. What do the call themselves again? Oh yeah, the Patron-Minette. What a stupid name."
"It means the hour when work has ended," Éponine exclaims, "Or something like that. That's rich coming from you, though! Don't you call your army the Friends of the ABC? Friends of the alphabet?"
"There's meaning behind it too, or something! Combeferre'd explain it better than I would." Courfeyrac says, "So, attend the meeting."
"Okay." she says, smiling slightly. "I'll go."
She trusts them.
If only she could say the same about their leader.
Grantaire didn't lie.
Not about the whole "you'll have fun!" thing, about the whole "Feuilly'll give me Firewhiskey". Because soon enough the two of them are going up the stairs, with her trailing behind. Courfeyrac went ahead. ("It's because he wants to sit next to Jehan," Grantaire tells her, "Merlin, they're more revolting than Marius and Cosette.")
The moment Grantaire steps foot in the top secret second floor of the establishment, she hears a shout. "Late! Grantaire, put that bottle down!" She knows the story of how Enjolras stormed out of a Divination class, but when she tiptoes and peeks above the railing of the staircase, he's still looking down at some plans with Combeferre.
'Taire scoffs. "Give me some brandy, and I'll breathe the bastard to death!" he exclaims, "There! Problem solved! No need for all this revolution."
She can almost hear the leader's eye roll. "Anyway, we need to find a location to hold meetings," Enjolras says, "A place where we can duel and practice spells with hopefully nobody getting hurt. We definitely can't hold the meetings here. I have a feeling our trips to Hogsmeade will be taken away soon enough – "
She's thinking while he was talking. What's that room Azelma told her about before? The one the house elves mentioned? "The Come and Go Room!" she exclaims. Everyone's heads snap up to face her, and she realizes she's still sort of hiding behind Grantaire so she steps aside, moving in front of him.
Grantaire grins. "Oh, yes!" he says, "I've almost forgotten. May I introduce our newest member, Miss Éponine Jondrette."
Enjolras stares her down and it takes a lot of willpower to not look away. "You said you weren't going to join."
She shrugs, smiling dryly. "Courfeyrac and Grantaire have a much better sales pitch." Someone stifles a laugh. Bahorel, she thinks his name is.
"Courfeyrac, I understand, but Grantaire?"
Grantaire puffs out his chest indignantly. "You're just bitter the fair Éponine finds me more charismatic than you!" he says, a smirk crossing his face. "Now, I do believe she had a suggestion."
Éponine looks at the rest of the room. "We could use the Come and Go Room."
Enjolras scoffs. "The Room of Requirement? Isn't that a myth?" he asks.
"It only appears to people when they really are in need." Combeferre explains, "I've read about it in Hogwarts: A History. It's a secret part of the castle. Hypothetically, if it does exist, Javert wouldn't find us there."
"Would we find it on the map?" someone offers. Laigle? Lesgle?
"What map?" Éponine asks.
She starts moving forward towards the table with the rest of the members, but feels someone's hand on her shoulder. Enjolras. Of course. He's scowling. "Revealing the map to the girl who just joined." he drawls, "Brilliant."
Laigle/Lesgle blushes and ducks his head. "Sorry."
Courfeyrac speaks up. "Pfft." he says, "We can trust her. Just bring it out, R."
Grantaire brings out a folded piece of parchment from his robe and sets it down on the table. He gets his wand, places the tip at the center and says, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Ink slowly begins to appear. The Marauder's Map.
They unfold the thing and she sees a map of the entire school, and Hogwarts, with footsteps and names walking around the entire thing. "Cool, right?" Grantaire says, "Gavroche was the one who found it. Got into some trouble earlier this year, so he was sent to Toussaint's and he found this in one of the drawers. He nicked it and ran."
"'Vroche is involved in this?" Éponine raises an eyebrow, looking at her friend with a pointed look. Combeferre and Joly, another Ravenclaw get the map and start looking around it. She's more concerned about her little brother.
"Don't worry, we don't let him get into trouble." he assures her, "But he's helpful. He can't even attend meetings because he's not old enough to go to Hogsmeade. Chill."
Éponine sighs. "Okay, okay."
Joly raises his hand before talking. It's kind of cute. "The room's not on the map."
"Then it probably doesn't exist." Jehan laments.
"Or the room hides itself." Joly speculates, "My bet is, the room has some magical barrier – "
Someone sneezes. Éponine doesn't see who but Joly instantly freezes, clamming up. Combeferre rolls his eyes. "Joly's right." he says, "Right now, this room is our best shot. Let's just try looking for it."
"We can't waste time." Enjolras says, irritably.
"Just for a day, then." Combeferre reasons, "We'll look for it for one day, and if we can't find it, we'll try somewhere else. The dungeons perhaps?"
"With the Slytherins?" Courfeyrac makes a face, "No offense, Ép."
She smiles anyway, shaking her head at him.
"Meeting adjourned, then." Enjolras says, still looking rather annoyed. "Everyone, go enjoy your free day in Hogsmeade. Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Joly: the three of you stay. We need to discuss what we're going to teach the recruits."
Éponine leaves quietly, finding 'Parnasse and the rest of the Patron-Minette at the Hog's Head. They're all older than her. All of them seventh years. They're supposedly some of the cruelest people in Hogwarts, but she doesn't know about that. To her, they're all pretty nice. 'Parnasse most of all, definitely, but she likes the others too.
Babet asks her, "Where were you, 'Ponine?"
She lies easily. "Window shopping."
"In..?"
"Zonko's."
"Get anything?"
"Window shopping, Babet." Brujon says, shaking his head. He's the biggest, toughest guy in the entire group, and he acts like dad most of the time. 'Parnasse is Brujon's polar opposite, but she likes Brujon a lot too. He gives the best hugs. "Of course she didn't."
"What he said." Éponine says, "I can't pull a prank to save my life, and you know that. I'll leave that to you."
Claquesous smiles. He doesn't talk much. But the entire school knows that the Patron-Minette are pranksters, and very good ones at that. Hogwarts will definitely become very boring without them around, she feels. This year, they've used some spells on the Sorting Hat that made it a shocking shade of neon orange, with pink spots. She doesn't think any of them have any plans on changing it back.
"What did Courfeyrac want with you earlier?" Montparnasse asks, all of a sudden. "Didn't know you two were friends."
"It's a recent development." she drawls.
Babet shrugs. "Just don't sleep with him."
Éponine bursts out laughing at the absurdity. "Promise."
"No, seriously. That guy sleeps with anythin' that moves." he says, "I dunno if you've noticed, but you move."
She tries stifling a laugh by biting her lip and almost fails.
When they get back to Hogwarts, a new rule is being hammered into the Entrance Hall. There's another new one too. She vaguely hears Brujon in the background cursing about no more exploding bonbons, and Montparnasse sniggering because Javert must've gotten their new gift.
Éponine stares at the newest rule, dread slowly settling into her expression.
ALL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
TO BE DISBANDED AND ANY
STUDENT IN NONCOMPLIANCE
WILL IMMEDIATELY BE
EXPELLED
Well.
There's no backing out now.
Enjolras has a thing for interrupting her on her way to class, she assumes.
She's not cramming for a quiz this time. It's just Potions. (One of her favorite subjects, and one that she's good at.) "Éponine!" he shouts, and she turns around just because. He pulls her aside, and she doesn't mind because she was going to be a little early anyway. She just wanted to see the set up and guess what potion they're gonna make today. He has one hand on her right shoulder, the other behind his back. He looks around. "We found the room."
Her eyes light up. "That's wonderful!"
He lets go of the hand on her shoulder because eight inches and steps back. "Jehan found it, actually. He was going around and passed by this tapestry, just pacing, and all of a sudden, it disappeared, and he found a door." he explains, and she nods. "So, thank you."
A smirk crosses her face. "You're welcome."
She turns around, pleased, before he stops her. "Wait!"
Éponine looks at him and raises an eyebrow. He shuffles for a bit and hands her a flower. "I understand that I've been..." he pauses, "...rude." She plays with the thing, still looking at it and not at him. She doesn't know what kind it is, and it's yellow, and it's still rather pretty. "You've helped the Friends of the ABC quite a lot, and Courfeyrac informed me that the best way to apologize is through the means of giving a girl flowers and..."
The flower suddenly fades into thin air, and she's holding nothing. She looks up and his face is a little red. "I'm afraid that I conjured that, and as you know, all conjured things vanish eventually. It took me a rather long time to find you, and I'm not very good at Conjuration yet."
"No one is," she says, smiling slightly, because the last bit sounded like it was very hard for him to get out. "Conjuration is NEWT-level."
He smiles a little bit too. "I like to get a headstart." he says, "And, speaking of beginning things, the first official meeting of Frinds of the ABC is tomorrow at one o'clock. Combeferre and I drafted a schedule, and there should be at least one official Friend there to instruct and watch over things. Just look for the tapestry of the dancing trolls on the first floor. It's near the old Arithmacy classroom."
"I know where that is. I know my way around. I'll be there." she tells him, decidedly. "Oh, and what does Friends of the ABC even mean?"
"It's a silly name if you don't know what it means, I know." he says, "But ABC sounds a little like the French word abaisse, which translates to English as the lowly ones."
She doesn't want to boost his ego by remarking on how clever the entire thing is. "Totally stole the whole French thing from the Patron-Minette."
"We did not! I assure you, if anything, they stole it from us."
"The Patron-Minette's been around since before you were even at Hogwarts, Enjolras," she tells him, "But I have to admit, your name is very clever. Did Combeferre come up with it?"
"That would be Prouvaire." At her confused look, he adds, "You know him as Jehan."
She glances at a nearby clock and frowns. "I have to go." she says, "Might be late for Potions."
"Alright." he says, "Goodbye, Éponine."
She smiles. "Goodbye, Enjolras."
He's getting better and she has no idea whether to be happy or suspicious.
Éponine does not get to go at one o'clock. Gavroche got hexed and sent to the Infirmary. It was nothing he couldn't handle, but she rushed to his side anyway. Big sister instinct and all that.
A week or so later, she sees Marius and apologizes, tells him to apologize to everyone else too. He understands and hands her a sickle, which she plays with a while before putting in her pocket. "It's enchanted," he explains, "Combeferre cast a Protean Charm on one, so just check it regularly and you'll see the date of the next meeting."
She looks at it and notices the next meeting is today, in a while, actually. She can make it. Thank Merlin.
"What did you do, anyway?"
Marius shrugs. "Nothing you don't already know, 'Ponine," he says, "Just the Stunning Spell and Impediment Jinx. Plus the sign-up sheet, of course."
She knows both, though she's a little bad at the latter. "And next meeting, what are you gonna learn?"
"Patronus Charm." he says, dismissively, before his eyes light up and he asks her a question. She wants to ask more, but knows it's better not to. Marius wouldn't give her a proper answer. The Patronus Charm, though? That's NEWT level! Who's going to teach that? "Do you think I should invite Cosette to a meeting?"
It stings a bit. Part of her will always love Marius, she supposes. "Go for it." she says, instead. "I'm sure she'll like it there. Your friends are nice."
"I'm glad you think so, 'Ponine!" he says, smiling. "They like you too, by the way. Very much. Even Enjolras! He asked where you were today at the meeting when you weren't there."
"It's because he told me about it before." she explains, "I really hope your friends don't think I ditched them."
"It was because of Gavroche, right?" he asks, and she nods even though she literally just told him minutes ago. "R has probably heard the news by now and put one and one together. He probably told Courf, who would tell Jehan, who would tell everyone, so don't worry about it."
"Surprisingly, Pontmercy, you are right about something." Enjolras interrupts their conversation, and she thinks she is rather grateful. "Hello, Éponine. Shame you couldn't make it last week. Can you come today?"
She smiles and nods as words stumble out of Marius' mouth. "Err... Enjolras, I was wondering if Cosette could maybe... attend a meeting?" he asks, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I mean, I haven't really talked to her yet, as you know, so... I thought one of the meetings could be kind of an opportunity?"
Enjolras spares quick glance at Éponine before answering. He looks like he thinks she doesn't notice, but she does. "Why would I stop anyone from joining? The more people, the better." he says, "Only do not get too busy making heart eyes at your beloved throughout the entirety of the meeting. I'd rather not the others joining think that one of the people they're being led by cares more about his lonely soul than setting the school free."
Éponine laughs a little, but covers it with her hand so Marius wouldn't be offended. He doesn't notice. "Thank you, Enjolras!" he exclaims, hugging his friend briefly. At this, Éponine doesn't contain her laugh. Enjolras freezes, standing still like a marble statue until Marius lets go. "I'll go tell her right now!"
"You go do that."
"Bye, Marius." Éponine says.
"Bye, 'Ponine!"
She smiles a little because yes, she thinks, she's still a little in love with Marius Pontmercy.
Enjolras' face is contorted in some look of disgust as he watches Marius walk with the fair and lovely Cosette. He focuses his attention back on Éponine and asks her, "Are you sure you're okay with Cosette attending meetings?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" she asks, even though she knows what the answer is.
"I have no intention of being rude, and I apologize if I'm speaking out of my place, but... don't you fancy Marius? It's rather obvious to most people." he says.
The last bit probably didn't need saying, but by now, she's used to Enjolras. He's blunt. He's mean sometimes but he doesn't want to be. "I'll get over it." she says, "I'll get over him eventually too. I just don't know how."
"I think you'll meet someone else, and move on without even realizing it, though that is quite an optimistic viewpoint. Perhaps seeing him at meetings will help with that." he says, "The other day, he pronounced Impedimenta wrong, so his wand backfired and he sent himself flying backwards, knocking over most of the practice dummies." Enjolras sighs. "Merlin, what did you see in him? I'm genuinely curious, as well as bored. Indulge me."
She's still chuckling when he asks her the question. "I don't know," she says, "He was nice to me." He scoffs and she glares at him, adding. "Sometimes people fancy other people for the silliest of reasons." She thinks, before adding, with a mischievous smile. "And do you fancy anyone, Enjolras?"
"I'm afraid my heart has already been stolen away."
"By who?" They're both walking, and she hasn't realized it but soon enough they're getting closer to the old Arithmacy classroom. She wants to know his answer. As far as she knows, Enjolras has been a monk his entire school life.
"Patria." he replies, with that revolutionary look in his eye and conviction in his voice.
"Only you, Enjolras." she shakes her head, amused.
She's suddenly faced with the tapestry of the dancing trolls. "Want to go in?" Enjolras asks, before adding. "You probably should. You're here already, after all, and the Room looks superb. No one will be here for a while, though."
She blinks and the door's in front of her. Éponine takes it as a sign. "Sure." Enjolras opens the door, saying something like 'ladies first', except she's too busy looking at the room to see him. It's huge, for starters. Two walls are lined with book cases, filled with DAtDA books like A Compendium of Counter Curses and The Dark Arts Outsmarted. The floor is covered in cushions which'll definitely be useful for when they practice stunning. There are tables and tables of Dark Detectors. She contemplates nicking a Sneakoscope, just because.
"Do you like it?" he asks quietly.
She's about to answer, when a voice interrupts. "Absolutely wonderful, isn't it?" someone says. She turns around and sees a boy with flowers in her hair, Courfeyrac at his side, just having entered as well. So, this must be Jehan. "And speaking of wonderful things, isn't this a beautiful poem, 'Jolras?"
"Don't." Enjolras says, miffed.
Courfeyrac laughs and Jehan continues nonetheless, "Who said that love was fire? I know that love is ash. It is the thing which remains, when the fire is spent, the holy essence of experience." This entire recitation of the poem is of course done in an exaggerated manner. Jehan says it with the most emotion in the entire world and the most flamboyant hand gestures, before finally landing in front of her. There's a big smile on his face. "You must be Éponine!"
"And you're Jehan, right?"
He nods excitedly. "Courf and 'Jolras have told me all about you!"
"Courfeyrac never shuts about you either," The aforementioned boy turns red, blushing furiously, and Jehan pinches his cheek.
"Wasn't it a beautiful poem, 'Jolras?" Jehan asks.
"Of course it was." Enjolras replies, "Like the one before that, and the one before that, and the one hundred twenty two others before that."
"One hundred twenty four." Jehan corrects as he adjusts his Ravenclaw tie. "You're not the only one who keeps count."
Courfeyrac eyes them both. "You two are early."
Enjolras shrugs. "I wanted to show Éponine the room because she wasn't able to make it last Saturday." he says, "You two are early as well. Would you know when Combeferre is arriving?"
"Just because he's your best friend, you'd rather have him around than me? Ouch." Courfeyrac holds his hand over his heart. "That stings, Enjy."
"Combeferre is also the only one who's really mastered a Patronus Charm. And don't call me Enjy."
"You can do it too, but if it makes you feel better I think 'Ferre is just finishing up some homework."
She strikes up a conversation with Jehan on the other end of the room as they walk around mostly because as much as she likes both Enjolras and Courfeyrac, what they're talking about is awfully boring. "Are you and 'Jolras dating?" Jehan asks her, "You're good for him."
"We're not." she says, because why would they be?
"Not yet." Jehan says, "Believe me, I have a sixth sense about these things. I've been right about every couple I've predicted so far."
"Then perhaps you should take up Divination."
"Oh, I do!" he says, "It's dreadfully boring. Except sometimes. Like when Enjolras threw that crystal ball or when he broke that teacup... Needless to say he's not a student of the class anymore." They're quiet for a while before Jehan speaks up again. "What you said about Courfeyrac never shutting up about me, is that true?" She nods. She hasn't been on the receiving end that much, but Grantaire has and he frequently complains about it. Jehan squeals a bit and she smiles because of it.
"Are you two together?"
"Not yet." he repeats, smiling.
It's embarrassing. It's so embarrassing, but she leaves the meeting in tears. (Not that anyone noticed. She didn't let any fall out of her eyes until she was a safe distance away, just in the old Arithmacy classroom.) Combeferre had told them all to think of their happiest memory when they cast their patronus. It took Éponine an awfully long time to actually cast one, much like most of the others, but suddenly, her happiest memory came to mind right away.
She was little and it was around Christmas time. She was ten, Azelma was nine, and 'Vroche was six. She was helping 'Zel decorate the Christmas tree while Gavroche was eating a cookie as Mother told them all stories. Her father was out with friends, so he couldn't be there to ruin the moment. Azelma was singing as she put up one decor after the other, and she had the most angelic little voice.
Oh, the weather outside is frightful... But the fire is so delightful... And since we've got no place to go... Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Gavroche clapped happily every single time Azelma was finished singing a new carol, and Éponine still remembers it as one of the best moments of her life.
Eventually, a silver fox leapt out of her wand and walked around the room.
But still, the memory of Azelma, no matter how happy it is, always makes her so sad.
She misses her sister.
Éponine doesn't think she'll ever get over it. It was just last summer, right when she and 'Zel got home from Hogwarts. The details are muddled and messy but she knows her father must've been drunk. He was hitting Mother and Azelma tried to intervene. She was also so brave. Instead of hitting her, like they were used to, he pulled out his wand.
Éponine wasn't fast enough to push her out of the way when he shouted 'Avada Kedavra!'
The authorities arrived. Her father's now in Azkaban. Her mother's now in hiding. And she and Gavroche now live with 'Parnasse and his family now, still shaken up from the entire ordeal. (At least Gavroche wasn't there to witness it.)
"Éponine?" It's Enjolras. Was she too obvious when she left a while ago. "Are you in here?"
"Y-yes."
"Are you okay?"
He enters and looks at her. Merlin, she hates it when people see her cry. She looks gross and vulnerable. "Does it look like I'm okay?"
He's quiet for a while, before dragging a chair near her and sitting down with her. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"
"No."
"That's fine."
He stays with her and holds her hand and she doesn't let it go.
ALL STUDENTS WILL BE SUBMITTED
TO QUESTIONING REGARDING
SUSPECTED ILLICIT
ACTIVITIES
Bossuet is the first to be called.
(Just his luck, of course.)
The next day, Éponine sees him again. He's not smiling, he's not laughing. He just looks... empty.
"Stay safe."
"I was about to say the same to you." she replies, "Don't worry about me. It's not like Javert's gonna find me and set me on fire."
Enjolras give Éponine a look. "Don't say things like that."
"Relax, relax. I was just kidding, Enjolras." she says, "I'd set him on fire first and you know it."
He nods. "Yes, I do." he says, "I'm just concerned for your safety." A beat. "Along with everyone else's, of course. It's not that I don't think you can't take care of yourself, it's just that... you may get hurt just because you're involved in the entire thing."
"I won't get hurt." she says, "I'd Unbreakable Vow it if I could."
"Then you'll die. One isn't supposed to make promises you cannot keep, especially with an Unbreakable Vow."
"Again, Enjolras, just kidding." She leafs through her Transfiguration book. (She hates Transfiguration with an Incendio fire burning passion.) "How did you even pass your OWLs? You've got, how many? Eleven?"
"Nine." Enjolras corrects, "I didn't take Divination, Ancient Runes, and Care of Magical Creatures." She snorts at the last bit and he adds, "Animals don't like me very much. You can only imagine how hazardous it is for me to be around magical ones."
"Nine OWLs, though!" she exclaims, "Did you even have a social life last year?"
He shrugs. "Prouvaire has all twelve."
She almost chokes on her coffee. "What the hell?"
"He got O's on all of them. And he did have a social life last year." he says, "Perks of having a photographic memory, I guess."
"Jehan has photographic memory?"
"How do you think he memorizes all those poems? Word for word?"
"So, Jehan has had photographic memory the entire time I've known him, and you only decide to tell me this now?"
Enjolras looks sheepish. "I apologize. I don't know how it would've been brought up in conversation."
She tries to copy his accent, speaking in a lower octave. "'Hello, Éponine. This is Prouvaire. He has photographic memory.'"
He bursts out laughing. She thinks this is the first time she's seen Enjolras actually laugh before, and she likes it. "I do not sound like that!"
"You do, though!" she exclaims, "Ask Courf or 'Taire or anyone. You're always just like freedom! Patria! No to Javert and Marius! Yes to revolution!"
He laughs again. "Okay, okay. I understand the point you're trying to get across." he says, "I'll help you study Transfiguration if you stop."
She beams. "Deal!"
Éponine takes his hand to shake it, but pulls away when she feels a spark.
Probably just static.
On her way to meet him for Transfiguration practice, some bastard from Gryffindor stops her. She doesn't even know his name, to be honest. He's taller than her, bigger than her, and more popular than her. She's an easy target. The bastard steals her book and she glares at him. "What are you gonna do, Jondrette?" he asks, "Kill me like your parents did to your sister?"
Éponine is not a coward, but she is clever. She knows how to pick her battles. She sighs and turns around, ready to borrow a copy from the library.
"What?" he asks, "Not even gonna try any Death Eater voodoo on me?"
She stays quiet, stopping in her steps for a couple of seconds, before turning around and aiming her wand at him. "Tarantallegra."
He deflects it easily. "Melofors."
She's not as quick. Her head's encased in a pumpkin as the boy and his friends laugh at her. She manages to get it off before rushing to the girl's lavatory and washing it all out of her hair. And by the end of it all, she realizes she forgot about her study session with Enjolras.
Éponine gives him so bullshit excuse which of course, he's incredulous about, and the day after they meet again. She notices the nose of Gryffindor bastard is broken, a bandage is on it, and she smirks. Maybe a bludger hit him? (She quickly rules that out because no more Quidditch.)
She comes to a conclusion all on her own when she arrives at the library and finds Enjolras' hand in a cast.
ANY STUDENT CAUGHT PERFORMING
INAPPROPRIATE INCANTATIONS
WILL BE PUNISHED
ACCORDINGLY
The day this rule is put up, Éponine finds Courfeyrac with one long gash across his cheek.
"What happened?" she asks, rushing to him, stopping because eight inches away and Javert is making some selected students patrol the corridors.
"I tried practicing the bewitched snowballs spell because winter's started." he says, bitterly. "One of Montparnasse's friends ratted me out and I got sent to Javert's office. I don't know what jinx he used but holy shit, it hurt. Say thanks to the Patron-Minette for me, will you?"
"Sorry." she mutters, because she can't imagine one of them would do that.
"Well," he says, trying to smile. "Chicks dig scars, right?"
"I'm sure Jehan will love it."
He glares at her.
"You joined the Inquisitorial Squad?" Éponine asks incredulously, facing her friend. "What the hell, 'Parnasse?"
"I don't want to be on Javert's bad side right now." he says, "Have you seen what he's been doing to your little friends? There aren't any negatives to joining the Squad, you know. I get a boost in my grades, Javert won't suspect anything about me, and neither will my friends. Which, if you haven't been too busy hanging out with those Gryffindors all the time, still includes you."
Éponine narrows her eyes. "You're selling out."
"Oh?" he says, "I'm saving my own skin, and keeping all the people I care about safe."
"No, you're selling out." she repeats more firmly. "I can't believe you!"
"Just because you're practically joined to the hip with Apollo doesn't mean you can act as holier-than-thou than he is." he says, "Merlin, 'Ponine. What happened to you? What happened to us? You were my best friend, and I don't even know what's going on with you anymore."
Her expression softens. "'Parnasse..."
"No, listen to me." he says, "When I first got into this year, I told myself it was gonna be the best year ever, 'cause it was gonna be my last. And then Javert came along, and I was so pissed because he ruined the plan! But he didn't totally ruin it, 'Ponine. I knew that it still could've been the best year ever, because my friends would still be with me. Brujon, Babet, Claquesous... And you."
"I'm still here." she says quietly.
"No, you're not." He runs a hand through his hair in defeat. "I don't know what you've been up to. You don't know what I've been up to. That's not a best friend."
"What are you saying, Montparnasse?"
He refuses to look at her in the eye, instead his gaze drops to the floor. "I'm saying that we should accept what's happened." he says, and he odesn't even bother trying to mask the sadness in his voice. "You were the best best friend, 'Ponine. It was nice while it lasted."
Montparnasse walks away and leaves her standing in the Slytherin common room alone.
"You're going home for Christmas break, right?"
"Right. And you're staying?"
"Correct."
She's sworn a million times she already knows the way to the Room of Requirement, but Enjolras likes to pick her up from the Entrance Hall and bring her there anyway. "Normally Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, but now..." It's not even about her parents anymore, it's about Montparnasse. How is she going to survive the entire Christmas break? She needs to find a way to repair the friendship.
"Understandable." he nods, "I like Christmas, mostly because I have the option to stay in Hogwarts. To be honest, I don't think my parents are even aware that I can go back home. If that were the case, they would've told me to get and the train a long time ago."
"Only child?" she asks.
"I have a little sister named Natalie. She'll be starting Hogwarts next year. She gets homesick too easily, though, so I feel like she'll sell me out next year and I'll have to go back home." he says, running a hand through his hair. "How is studying for OWLs?"
"Hell." she replies, no hesitation.
He chuckles as he opens the door to the Room of Requirement.
It looks like Christmas, with a dozen trees and 'Taire immediately sees her reaction and grins. "Only thing it's missing is some firewhiskey, am I right?" he says, smiling. He takes a swig from his own bottle then points at her with an accusing look. "I'm not sharing with anyone."
"Wasn't gonna ask for any, 'Taire."
"Good."
Enjolras steps through the doorway and shuts the door, and she hears Courf laughing. "The Room ships you two, I swear on Merlin's grave."
"What?" Enjolras asks.
Courfeyrac points up.
"Don't worry." Grantaire says, "It's already taken many other people victim. Jehan and Courfeyrac for instance... They snogged for five minutes straight."
"Liar!" Jehan calls out.
"And Bossuet had to kiss Combeferre." Grantaire makes a face. "Not a pleasant experience, I imagine."
"I'm not going to kiss Éponine because social convention and tradition dictate it, so let's – "
She kisses him very, very quickly just so the others will shut up.
Éponine rolls her eyes, but her face is red. "Holy shit! Enjolras looks like he's gonna faint!" Grantaire exclaims, rushing over to him. "Dude, you okay?"
Enjolras blinks twice. "I'm fine."
"You're overreacting," Jehan says, "It's not like that was your first kiss." Enjolras is quiet and Jehan's eyes grow wider. "Ohmygosh, that was your first kiss!"
Éponine smiles awkwardly. "Sorry?"
"It's okay, it's okay." Enjolras says, still a little dazed. "Anyway..."
The entire time, during the meeting that proceeds afterwards, she keeps stealing glances at him.
(She doesn't know it, but he's doing the same.)
They have a solid twenty-eight members by December. They finished a good chunk of the 'curriculum'. No one has found them out yet. Needless to say, by the time any Friend of the ABC comes back from winter holidays, they should feel like they're on top of the world, right?
Wrong.
So. Very. Wrong.
Headmaster Lamarque is dead.
The headlines went out over Christmas break, so it reached everyone in the entire world. Enjolras suspected the worst, but Combeferre thought that maybe he really was sick. Éponine, on the other hand, knows that they're done for. She stayed with 'Parnasse and his family, and Gavroche, over Christmas break but Enjolras, Combeferre, Marius and Cosette all stayed at Hogwarts. Valjean had apparently acted as Headmaster during those few weeks. They all felt hopeful, up until the first day after break was over.
ALAIN CLAUDE JAVERT HAS REPLACED
JEAN MAXIMILLIEN LAMARQUE
AS HEADMASTER OF
HOGWARTS
"As many of you might've already heard, Inspector Javert has taken over the post of headmaster." Enjolras says, standing in the front of the room with Combeferre at his side. Almost everyone in the Friends of the ABC sit on their own mat as they have their first meeting of the year.
He continues. "This will make everything much more difficult for us, especially with the Inquisitorial Squad that has been formed. However, we must not give in. Do we honestly want Inspector Javert to be our headmaster for another couple of decades? For the first years arriving at Hogwarts next year to not feel the magic we felt when we first laid eyes on this castle?"
Éponine listens to the rest of the speech, but continues to look around the room.
She notices one thing.
Their numbers have decreased.
"Just because the people are frightened, they've abandoned us." Enjolras' words are harsh as he talks with Éponine in the Clock Tower. "It's pathetic."
She sighs and tries to get him to see reason. "They don't want to be expelled."
"I'd rather be expelled than a coward." He says it with so much certainty that she believes he would, without a single doubt in his head. He lets out a groan of frustration, his eyes narrowing as they look out on the view. "Distract me. Tell me something."
"Like what?"
"How was your Christmas break?"
"It was fine." she says, "It's the first Christmas I spent since... you know." Everyone in Hogwarts knows. The downfall of the Thenardiér family was all anyone could talk about when school started. "'Parnasse's family is nice. They got me a dress which I'm probably never going to wear, it would look better on someone like Cosette, honestly. They got Gavroche an invisibility cloak and now he just hides everywhere and likes sneaking up on people to scare them." She smiles a little at the thought of her brother. "How was Christmas here?"
Christmas wasn't as nice as she made it out to be. Montparnasse barely talked to her the entire time. Her 'best friend' smiled at her twice. Once at midnight January 1st, and another time while Gavroche was opening his gift. It was terrible.
"Marius and Cosette are nauseating. Combeferre is just as sickening. He saw random girl in a younger year, yours I think, and became completely infatuated. He didn't even have the courage to ask for her name though, so now he's just hoping he'll see her around again."
"And you, Enjolras? Did you find anyone else to kiss under the mistletoe?" she teases.
He blushes. "My heart belongs to Patria, if you recall."
"That I do."
Enjolras hesitates before saying something. "However – "
Someone interrupts. Jehan. "Enjolras! Something happened!" He's still running up the stairs, Éponine guesses, from the way his voice his echoing. And the moment he appears at the top of the stairwell and sees them both. He freezes, and starts reciting quickly and panicky, "How does Love speak? In the faint flush upon the telltale cheek, and in the pallor that succeeds it; by – "
"Jehan, what's wrong?" Enjolras cuts him off.
"They found us! Javert found us!"
Enjolras bolts up immediately and grabs her hand. "What?!"
"Just come with!"
They both run and run and run. It isn't that far, really, but Éponine feels dizzy and it scares her because she doesn't know if it's because of the spiral staircase or because Enjolras is holding her hand.
When they arrive at the tapestry, there is a gaping hole where it once was and the three step inside.
"Enjolras!" Combeferre shouts from the inside, "Someone told – "
"Petrificus Totalus." Javert aims his wand at her friend, and has a frown on his face as he turns to face them. Combeferre freezes and drops to the ground. She's never actually interacted with Javert before. She glares. There's a first time for everything. "Gabriel Enjolras." he says, "You are the leader of this little... revolution, are you not?"
"Yes."
Enjolras does not flinch. He takes a step forward as Jehan takes a step back. Éponine is frozen.
The Inspector holds up a piece of parchment, so that it's clear what it is. "The Friends of the ABC? What a stupid name. Fitting. Perhaps darling Cosette thought the same, though I suppose it was out of fear she handed you lot over." he says, "Thank you for making it so convenient to find who else joined this organization, by the way."
"Incendio Duo!"
It's a spur of the moment thing, but it's the first thing that comes to Éponine's mind. She aims her wand at the paper, and she's glad to say the shooting flame lands right smack in the middle of the list. The fire quickly spreads and Javert drops it immediately.
The parchment turns to dust and Éponine manages to smile despite the fear.
"You little – "
"Éponine, get behind me!"
"Crucio."
The spell hits her anyway.
The pain is excruciating. She feels knives piercing every single inch of her body, stabbing and twisting into her skin. She screams but soon enough she finds she can't even make a sound. Tears begin to blur her eyes and the sounds around her slowly become more and more muffled.
She feels like she's being dragged somewhere, until she's finally shoved into a chair.
"Éponine! Éponine! Can you hear me?" Who's that? She blinks a couple times and sees a fuzzy outline of blond curls coming into focus. Enjolras. He's being held back by a couple older Slytherins. And one of them looks an awful lot like Montparnasse. The light in the office is bright and trying to open her eyes fully results in a groan. "Javert, I swear to God, you're going to Azkaban for this!"
Enjolras is being too loud for her liking. She knows he doesn't mean to, but he is. Javert's voice, on the other hand, is threatening and quiet. "Do you honestly think the Ministry would send me to Azkaban?"
The silence that fills the room afterwards tells her that the idea probably never crossed her mind. She hears Javert's footsteps as he walks over to her, and points the wand to her neck. "Tell me, Miss Thenardiér," And oh God, he's using her real name and that seems to make the pain hurt much more. "Did you honestly think that the daughter of scum like your parents actually belonged with those boys playing revolution?"
She can't answer. When she opens her mouth, no noise comes out, so instead she slightly nods her head.
Javert laughs. "Now, tell me, who is part of this little gang of yours?"
She feels the wand against her neck, and she knows he's ready to cast another spell. She shakes her head, because she needs to be the martyr right now. "No." she croaks out.
"Tell me, do you prefer I use Veritaserum or the Cruciatus Curse one more time?"
"I'm not... telling... you anything." she says, breathing heavily in between each word. "Fuck off."
"Okay then." Javert sounds irritated, and suddenly she finds herself facing Enjolras and Combeferre. "Let's ask your friends, then. If they really did feel that you belonged with them."
"Don't." she whispers, "Don't you dare."
Enjolras is quiet. Javert scoffs and starts the incantation again. "Crucio." She feels the blinding hot pain one more time. Her throat is too dry to scream, but she fights the urge to just pass out like she did last time. But it's so difficult. She wants to die. She wants to die. She wants to die. Maybe that'll put her out of the pain? If she just died, and Enjolras would have no reason to hand over the names of her friends and yes it would be so much easier if she just died –
"Sectumsempra!"
The worst of the pain leaves instantaneously, replaced with a numb feeling as the pain slowly leaves her body, and she's hurting too much to match the voice with a name or a face.
"Don't you dare hurt my friends." whoever he is continues. "Expelliarmus!" Flashes of lights from spells follow that one, one after the other with no hesitation. The Bat Bogey Hex, Furnunculus, Petrificus Totalus. "Get out of here!"
"You're going to be expelled." another voice says.
"That is the least of my concerns."
Someone helps her up, and she hangs on to whoever it is. "Hey, hey, hey. I've got you. Don't fall."
She closes her eyes before she can comply with her orders.
Éponine wakes up in a bed. The Hospital Wing, of course. She's barely aware of her surroundings. Everything is numb and tired, and the only thing she really feels is that someone's holding her hand. She tries opening her eyes a little bit, but the lights are too blinding. She manages to make out Enjolras before shutting her eyes quickly again, and letting out a little groan.
She hears him straighten in his seat. "Éponine!" he exclaims, "You're awake. Good."
"What's happened?" That's what she's trying to say, at least. It comes out like some garbled piece of trash, barely understandable, but by some miracle, Enjolras does.
"Javert's in St. Mungo's. I'm somewhat sure that will discourage him from teaching again next year, and if that doesn't work, he was underestimated the Ministry easily forgiving his use of an Unforgivable. While he won't be placed in Azkaban – shame – he definitely won't be teaching at Hogwarts anymore."
She's about to try asking something else, but he continues, like he's read her mind. "You've been out for a week. We've all visited, except for Marius and Cosette. Your friends from the Patron-Minette dropped by as well. They're... likable. Prouvaire invited them to join the Friends, much to Courfeyrac's chagrin. I suppose I'll have to get used to their presence, considering the fact that I'll be doing detention with Montparnasse for the rest of the year..."
She raises an eyebrow and he continues. "Montparnasse was the one who hit Javert with the Conjunctivitis Curse. I don't know if you were still awake to witness that." he coughs, but she thinks he's just trying to cover up a laugh. "And some of the other more... violent hexes."
Éponine smiles. 'Parnasse still came through for her in the end. "Thanks." she manages to say, albeit very quietly. "For helping me."
"It was no problem." Enjolras replies, "I'd do anything for the people I care about."
The fact that she falls into that category makes her heart flutter just a little bit.
Quidditch matches are back on, and they've crammed every single match missed into one week. It's Gryffindor VS Slytherin in this one. The crowds are cheering way too loudly, and tons of bets are being made. Éponine really doesn't want to be here, but she needs to support her friends.
She comes dressed in Slytherin colors. Sorry Courfeyrac. It's for Montparnasse more than it is to support her house, really. Éponine sits down at the top of the stands, where practically no one is sitting. Everyone's down in front. (Including Jehan, who even made a sign for Courfeyrac. With glitter glue!)
Enjolras sits beside her soon enough. She invited him to watch with her mostly because he was a chaser for a short time in third year and maybe he'll help her understand the game. "Hello!" she greets him, patting the seat next to her for him to sit.
He does, and she's about to turn back to the Match, when he talks. "Doyouwanttogooutwithme?"
She barely understands it, so she laughs at how fast it is. "What?"
"Do you want to go out with me?" he asks, "This weekend, somewhere in Hogsmeade, of course. And not as just friends, either. I apologize if this is very sudden however I felt that I needed to get it out before I'm interrupted – "
She kisses him.
It's almost as if someone's cast Periculum because a million red sparks just went off in her head.
"However, I don't object to interruptions much like these. I'll take that as a yes?"
Éponine grins.
"Shut up and watch the game, Enjolras."
Disclaimer: What I wouldn't give to own Les Miserables and Harry Potter.
AN: AUs are slowly becoming my thing. I was thinking maybe Sherlock or Doctor Who for the next one... ;) Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed and please review!
- a charming young girl
that is capable of being terrible