THAT VOODOO THAT YOU DO

Meeting

**Three Weeks into Classes**

      Ron Weasley made his way through the crowded Great Hall to sit down at his usual spot at the Gryffindor table.  His two best friends, Harry and Hermione, were already digging into the feast the house-elves had served up.  He plopped down on the bench and grinned at Harry, who was sat across from him.  "Ruddy good Quidditch game, Harry," he said breathlessly.  "Gryffindor _slaughtered_ Slytherin!  _Again_!  We'll win the House Cup for sure!"

      "And did you see Malfoy's face!" Harry grinned around his forkful of potatoes.  "The Snitch was hovering right on top of his head! I don't think he knew what hit him!"

      "And I doubt he will for the next week," a feminine voice drawled suddenly.  Ron jerked his head up, noticing Harry's whipping around at the same time.  A girl about their age stood there, her ice-blue eyes holding the oddest combination of arrogance and jovial amusement.  "Good job, I'd say, Potter." 

She flipped her long white-blonde braid over her shoulder, and smirked.  "I've always wanted to see Draco cross-eyed and goofy-grinned.  I owe you thanks.  I laughed a good long while after the match."

      "And you are..?" Hermione asked acidly.

      "Epiphany," the girl said and eyed Ron with interest.  "Hello there."  She smiled brightly.  "I'll be seeing ~you~ around."  She turned and walked away, her long braid swinging across her back in a hypnotic fashion.

      Ron watched her go, his face turning the color of his hair.  "Merlin, she's cute," he breathed.  He gave Harry a stupid-looking grin. "And did you hear that? She said she'd be seeing me around! OW!" He turned to glare at Hermione who had just smacked him across the shoulder.  "What was that for?"

      "Honestly," she said in exasperation, replacing her hand on the table.  "Weren't you paying attention to anything but her looks?"  She gave Ron a superior stare.  "She wasn't talking to you.  She was talking to Harry."

      A stupid-looking grin spread across Harry's face. "To me?" he asked, pointing at his chest.

      Hermione rolled her eyes.  "Another one," she muttered, then pinned Harry with an irritated gaze.  "It wasn't a promise," she snapped.  "It was a threat!"

      "A threat?" Ron started laughing.  "Oh come on, Hermione...a threat? From Epiphany? Right!"

      "Didn't she look familiar to you two?"

      Ron and Harry exchanged looks. "A little," Ron admitted grudgingly.

      "Didn't you notice she's a Malfoy?" Hermione pressed.

      Ron's face fell.  "A Malfoy?" he asked.  "Are you sure?"

      Tight-lipped, Hermione raised her hand and pointed across the Great Hall.  Ron followed her finger to where Draco and his minions sat at the Slytherin table.  The girl, Epiphany, was standing behind Draco, laughing at something one of his companions was saying.  Even at that distance, the resemblance was unmistakable.  "Merlin," Ron breathed again.  "I didn't know Draco had a sister!"

      "He has two," Hermione said quietly, and pointed again.  Ron had to look twice to be sure Epiphany hadn't suddenly moved.  "They're triplets," she continued, and her finger moved as she named them off.  "Draco, Epiphany, and that one there is Vanessa."

      "_Three_ Malfoys?" Ron squeaked.

      Hermione nodded grimly. "For the price of one.  Now do you understand why I said she was talking to Harry?"

      Harry sighed through his nose, and pushed his glasses back up onto the bridge.  "Looks like Hogwarts just got a little more interesting," he said.

      "Yeah," Ron agreed sarcastically.  "As if giant spiders, Death Eaters, Dementors, You-Know-Who, Hagrid's monsters, a murderer for a godfather, and ~one~ Malfoy aren't enough.  I dunno what's worse."  He stared wistfully across the room to where Epiphany was now sitting at the Slytherin table, unaware that his eyes had kept track of her.  He sighed.  "Too bad.  She's awfully cute."

**    **

"Pippy, what were you talking to Potter about?" Draco demanded.  He was half-turned around in his chair in order to properly glare at Epiphany.  The effect would have been more effective if it weren't for the white bandage holding his hair off his forehead, giving him the air of an escaped psychopath.  "Why did you stop at the Gryffindor table?"

            Epiphany rolled her eyes.  Draco and his petty jealousies…At first it had been amusing, now it was merely annoying.  She hitched her satchel up onto her shoulder.  "Would you believe nothing?"

"No!"

"Didn't think so.  I heard your name mentioned, dear brother," she said.  "That's all."

            "What was being said?"

            Epiphany's eyes glittered with glee.  "Oh I didn't hear the entire conversation, Draco," she said sweetly.  "The part I caught mentioned you being a…oh, how was it worded…oh yes.  A 'ruddy git who couldn't pick his nose without permission from Snape.'"

            "What?!  What did you say to that?"

            She shrugged.  "What could I say?" she asked, starting to walk down to her usual place at the Slytherin table.  "I agreed, of course."

Draco's roar of frustration followed her as she marched to her dinner, giggling.  As she passed a group of students milling around, her friend Anamelia detached herself and fell into step with her.  "What's new, Pip?" she asked without a backward glance for the flock of boys she'd just deserted.

            "Not much since I saw you before the match," Epiphany replied, and then lowered her voice.  "Are you still using Love Charms on the boys from Hufflepuff, Ana?"

            Anamelia giggled and nodded.  "Yep," she said, without regret. "The Hufflepuffs are the easiest to charm."

            "You know what the faculty will do to you if they find out.  Expulsion, or worse.  Azkaban."

            Anamelia shrugged.  "They'll have to catch me," she said.  "I need the practice for the Gryffindor boys. You know that Gryffindors are harder to snare.  Besides, why are you worried about rules?  You're a ~Malfoy~.  Malfoys don't really care for rules all that much."

            Epiphany repressed a sigh as they reached their seats and sat down.  "Well, ~this~ Malfoy cares.  ~This~ Malfoy wants her education, preferably in Hogwarts." She made a face.  "I don't want to have to go to Durmstrang or – god forbid – back to Beauxbatons."

            "Well, that's a different tune.  Last semester, you were all for going to Durmstrang," Ana said.  "Something about spending holidays with your siblings was enough, and you didn't need to see them the rest of the year..?"

            Epiphany shrugged, and filled her plate with fruit salad.  "Things change," she said.  After a moment, she found herself staring at the redheaded boy at the Gryffindor table.  She shook her head clear, wondering why she was so interested in the redhead.  She'd almost been unable to take her eyes off him from the moment she'd seen him.  His head was up, but she was unable to tell if he was looking in her direction or not. 

"You know pretty much everyone's name in Hogwarts, don't you, Ana?"

            The pretty brunette shrugged and reached for a breadstick.  "Yeah.  So?"

            Epiphany pointed with her fork.  "Who's that at the Gryffindor table?"

            Ana craned her neck to follow Epiphany's gesture.  "Oh, that?  I'm surprised you don't know.  That's Harry Potter."

            "Not ~him~! The one sitting across the table from him!"

            Ana gave her friend an appraising look.  "Weasley?" she asked, amused.  "He is cute, I'll give you that.  And he has connections."  She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.  "What's the interest?"

            "He just caught my eye, Ana.  That's all."

            Ana sighed.  "You wound me.  You could at least tell me you're interested in him.  You know I have to live my life vicariously."

            Epiphany started laughing.  "You, live your life through my experiences? Yeah right.  You have enough ~experience~ for all the fifth year girls in Slytherin House!"

            Ana stiffened.  "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting, Epiphany Malfoy?"

            "I'm not suggesting anything, Ana," she said soothingly, and Ana relaxed.  A giggle burst from Epiphany's lips. "I'm flat out saying it. OW! You didn't have to hit me that hard!"

            Ana grinned evilly.  "I'm surprised you haven't heard of him before this…he's always with Potter.  Mmm…now ~there's~ a Gryffindor lad I'd love to practice my Charms on…" She had a dreamy look on her face.  Epiphany let her daydream for a few moments before slapping her sharply on the arm. 

"The redhead?" she reminded pointedly.

"Oh yes.  His name's Ron Weasley.  He's Potter's best friend, and is, as you guessed, in Gryffindor."  She bit into her second breadstick, looking thoughtful. "You might want to be careful around the girl sitting beside him though.  ~Her~ name's Hermione Granger.  A Mudblood.  Rumor has it she's hot for Weasley, and she's undoubtedly the best in the school at curses and hexes."  She paused.  "Uh-oh. Here comes your sister."

            Epiphany looked away from her study of Ron Weasley in time to meet Vanessa's eyes as her sister passed with her plate laden down.

            "Epiphany," Vanessa said politely.

            "Vanessa," Epiphany replied evenly.  Her eyes followed her sister until Vanessa sat down amongst her own friends several seats away.  Then she returned her gaze to the Gryffindor table, with her attention half on what Ana was saying.

            "What's with you two?" Ana asked, taking another bite of her breadstick.  "I've always wondered.  Even though you and Draco take snipes at each other, there's a little bit of warmth there.  With you and Vanessa…" She shrugged.  "You're doubles, but you couldn't be more different, personality-wise, that is."

            Epiphany grinned.  "We have an understanding, Ana," she said.  "Draco's my evil twin." The grin widened.  "Have you ever met an evil twin's evil twin?  Well, that's Nessa."

            "Ah.  I see."  Ana didn't sound convinced.  "Why did you want to know about Ron Weasley?" she asked.

            Without answering, Epiphany rose.  She swiped a plum from the bowl of fruit in the middle of the table, and tucked it into the front pouch of her satchel. "Ron Weasley," she said to herself, then spared her best friend a warm smile.  "Thanks, Ana, I owe you."

            "I know," her friend said.  "Repayable in details, girl. Wait! Where are you going?"

            Epiphany turned around, walking backwards.  "Got things to do!" she called.  "Talk to you later, Ana."

**    **

Author's Note:  The characters from the Harry Potter books belong to JK Rowling.  Epiphany Malfoy is my own creation, and Vanessa Malfoy belongs to Vanessa.  Ana also belongs to me.  Thank you.  R/R, people!