So, just to point a few things out before I jump into this thingThe card game my plot is currently orbiting around is modeled (rather closely) after The Triple Triad from Final Fantasy 8. Im disclaiming it nowAll specified game-play and rules is the sole property of SquareEnix.
Another thing, I say this will be Draco and Ginnybut who knows? I just adore Ginny with Slytherins. So, it could be Blaiseor TheodoreIm undecided at the momentbut please dont let that turn you away. Many surprises are in store for my readers. .
Finally, anything you recognize from the wizarding world or gaming world (if youre a fan of the Final Fantasy series) doesnt belong to me. Ive just decided to take several liberties with everything in general.
So! Without further adieu...
Rumours
Chapter One: The Musings of Hermione Granger
The girl watched the mismatched group in complete silence from across the Great Hall. No matter how many times she'd seen them together...It had always struck her as strange. Not even three years ago, the usual hate had still been fueling the family issues...but something had changed.
Hermione Granger considered herself to be a smart witch...a brilliant witch, even...but this was something she'd had yet to figure out. They were like no one else in the entire school. That much was for sure.
They were always together. At meals, classes, studying by the lake...but why?
Across the large dinning space, they were sitting at the Slytherin table happily...discussing something about Colin Creevey, who was sitting in front of a bemused Blaise Zabini, blushing furiously. Luna Lovegood was right beside Colin, laughing so hard that she was basically clinging to his arm to keep from falling off the narrow bench. But still this wasnt the most disturbing thing
No...
Draco Malfoy, whose behavior over the last couple of years had been the most unsettling, wasn't one to disappoint as he reached across the table to muse the younger Gryffindor boys hair. This caused the redhead sitting between him and his darker counterpart, Zabini, to reach up and poke him hard right in the chest. As it were, no one seen Zabini and Malfoy without Ginny Weasley anymore.
As if this wasnt weird enough...Ron was sitting down the Gryffindor table a ways, with Harry, NOT having a complete fit about it. For most everyone in Hogwarts castle, the novelty of the odd relationship had worn off and been accepted over the past two years. It'd been tough on Ron at first, physical restraint always being necessary at meal times and in the Library during study sessions...but he'd detached himself emotionally. Similar to what Harry had done towards the entire Wizarding world. Ginny was never mentioned between the two guys anymore. It was as if she hadn't even existed. Hermione couldnt sever herself as efficiently. She worried about the younger girl everyday...Although most of her fears had been placated.
Merlin, she remembered the night that happened...
Ginny, Luna, and Colin had all been sitting at the Slytherin table with Zabini, Malfoy, and Nott...along with some others...as they had been doing for about six months at the time. One moment everything was fine...and then the next? Complete chaos had broken out all over Slytherin table. From what she'd been able to gather from Padma Patil, who'd been sitting behind the group at the time, someone had cursed Ginny under the table and when the redhead had cried out in pain, both Daphne and Pansy had started flinging hexes. It'd all seemed very...bizarre...at the time. Why would Daphne or Pansy care what happened to a Gryffindor Weasley blood traitor? It wasnt prejudice, to be honest. She just knew how those two girls were...Or so she thought.
There was no logic anymore. None at all.
Apparently, the curser had been Marcus Flint...and when hed been spotted in the halls the following day, it was apparent that someone had sent him a very loud message. Bruises, cuts, and what seemed to be burns littered his face and hands. Someone had gotten their hands on the older Slytherin Quidditch captionand Hermione could only assume the Slytherin golden boys, along with Daphne and Pansy, had been the ones. She no longer worried about Ginnys well being after that. As odd as it would sound, it seemed as if they were all protecting her...and visa versa.
Shaking her thick, brown hair out of her face, the Prefect sighed. She felt a little ridiculous to be agonizing over this particular situation. There were more important things...But the secrecy felt like a challenge. It was driving her mad to know what was really going on behind the peculiar pack. It was more than just new-found friends hanging out all the time.
In fact, there was no explaining the disappearing act they were pulling lately. They never missed dinner or the scheduled study sessions...but where was the rest of their time being spent? What were they doing?
Was it something illegal?
Ugh, why do you care so much?
...Because you really are a nosey, insufferable know-it-allwho has to have all the answers.
Sighing again, something caught the corner of her eye...They were all standing, grabbing their books to head to class...which was also odd. How had they managed to score the same classes? It wreaked of Professor Involvement. Most likely Snape. It did make sense, after all. It was no secret how he favored his two golden boys...Malfoy more so than Zabini. Had it been a special request to have their classes joined up?
Am I reading more into this than necessary?
Looking towards the double doors, she glimpsed the backs of Malfoy and Zabini leading Ginny out of the Hall...As she turned her head, something else drew her attention entirely.
Something right beside the doors...
It hadnt been there a minute or so ago, which lead her to believe that one of them had dropped it. It was lying against the sandy colored marble, innocently enough. Hermione stood quickly, grabbing up her bag as she did so. As she neared the small object, what was undeniably a book made itself clear. The Gryffindor picked it up carefully, examining the cover.
The Magical Triad
There were pictures of some brightly colored cards scattered across the front, depicting different magical creatures in each card frame. They were all quite beautiful...each very detailed with four small numbers arranged carefully in their top left corners. The girl sighed, opening the zip of her bag and gently placing the new book inside. Of all the things they could have dropped...A book about cards? Why not a journal? Maybe even a small photo album?
Hermione walked the corridors silently, making the walk to her Arithmancy class a long one. Her mind buzzed with possibilities...A cult? Dark Arts club? Muggle drugs?...No, Malfoy would never stoop so low as to get addicted to something muggle. He was a hateful arse in that respect...Just like the rest of his Slytherins. But they'd let Ginny in. Wasnt she a blood traitor? Didnt they see that her whole family consisted of nothing by muggle-lovers? Colin was similar. He was openly muggleborn...Yet, they'd accepted him fully. Him and his brother, Dennis...
Ugh, it was frustrating! Why had this consumed her in such a way that she couldnt focus on anything else?...Hermione knew but didnt really want to admit such an envy to herself. The smartest students in school were all a part of this thing...and even muggleborns, like Colin Creevey, and Hufflepuffs, like Ernie Macmillian, were accepted into it. She was a Prefect; Yes, a muggleborn, but easily the smartest witch in her year.
Was it because of her involvement as Harry Potters friend? Merlin forbid, Slytherins loathed anything Potter / Golden Trio relatedbut Hermione was so much more than Potter best (girl)friend. To be honest, she hadnt really hung out with Harry and Ron in months. The drift had officially begun when Harry started dating Romilda Vane four months ago. It was no secret that Romilda didnt like Hermione, but once the relationship had started, that dislike had turned into full blown hatred. The brunette understood that it was mostly because of the important role she had played in Harrys life. It was obvious that Romilda was vastly insecure about the entire relationship. When Harry didnt have class, she was with him. There was no doubt that she really enjoyed rubbing her boyfriend in everyones face...and even more so trying to make Hermione jealous. That girl just didnt seem to understand that Hermione DID NOT see her friend like that. There was no attraction, no urges to kiss him or cling to him like a leech. Not like that stupid girl loved to do. The ridiculousness of it made Hermione want to scream. She'd never given the younger girl any reason to think shed been attracted to Harry. Ever! Ron had agreed at one point...but he was now once again with Lavender Brown and wasnt allowed to even speak to Hermione anymore. Brown was leagues worse than Romilda where jealously was concerned. She wished they were the ones disappearing...And if there was a Merlin, he'd let them stay gone.
Heres to wishing...
It was because of these things, though, that Hermione had turned her attentions towards Ginny fully...and eventually Malfoy and Zabini. Then her inquisitive nature kicked in and many other oddly strange things began presenting themselves. Like the way they never spoke to anyone outside of their circle...And how Ginny, Colin, and Luna were all in Sixth year classes with the Slytherins...even though they were from different houses and in Fifth year. Then they'd all started pulling the vanishing act. Blaise, Draco, Ginny...Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass, Colin, Gregory Goyle...and Luna. They always left Friday right after class...never resurfacing until late Sunday night.
There was just no logic and it was driving the girl crazy.
As she neared the Arithmancy classroom, Professor Vector was greeting her students at the door, all smiles as per usual. After a half smile and mumbled Hello, Hermione quickly moved to find her seat. It took three minutes of sitting completely still before she broke down and withdrew The Magical Triad from her bag. There was no danger of anyone important seeing her with the book since she didnt have this class with Slytherins...So, setting it down in the dead center of her desk, she flipped the cover open. Thumbing through a few pages, she paused. The owner of this book had taken notes; the margins were full of small, surprisingly neat handwriting. Hermione guessed that these notations regarded strategy...seeing as none of the words (Plus? Same wall? Elemental attack?) made sense.
As she continued turning the pages, a trend had been set. Beside some of the entries were symbols like a heart, then a set of diamonds. Or a club, a spade...and then a set of tiny crowns. The letter "J" littered the notations, as well. It was a unique way of marking the different tactics, Hermione thought. She just wished she knew what the odd markings meant. When she ran out of pages, she was left staring at an elaborate drawing of a Joker one would find in a deck of muggle playing cards. Although, this particular Joker was more breathtaking than any others Hermione had ever laid eyes on.
The image was brilliantly sketched across the entire back cover, done in black and every shade of gray imaginable. His face appeared sinister and cruel, with a lone tear running down his right cheek. His thin body was sitting slouched over, clothed in that of a medieval court jester. The left hand was brought up to clasp over where his heart would be...while the right was reaching out to something unknown to the person viewing it. There was lettering just beneath it...and Hermione had to bring it up close to her face to decipher the tiny writing...
C.C. Joker
Dylan Blaise Michelangelo Zabini
So, the great and powerful Zabini dropped this book? What did it mean, though? C.C. Joker?
Wait!...Dylan? His actual name is Dylan?
Through the unusualness of it, the name was actually quite beautiful. It surprised Hermione how such a nasty boy could have such an interesting name. That was just the way things worked, however. Things were always wonderful and grand for those who didnt deserve them.
So, what does this mean?
Hermione was sure C.C. Joker was important in some way. She couldnt really explain what lead her to think so. "C.C. Joker" just seemed like it would be a crucial piece of information. Maybe it tied them all together...If Blaise was the "Joker"...What were the others?
Someone was clearing their throat. Hermione looked up cautiously, catching Professor Vectors gaze.
Ugh...
"Ms. Granger, you seem preoccupied. Care to share with the rest of the class?" The older lady'ss face was critical and harsh. It wasnt like Hermione did this all the time...Seriously...
"No, Professor. I apologize." She had the grace to blush, carefully placing Bla...Dylan's distracting text back in her bag. Maybe shed wait a few days to return it. Something told her she was missing something. The book deserved a closer look...Unfortunately, that would have to wait until later...
For now, the art of numbers and which were magically stronger needed her undivided attention.
Authors Note: This is a bit of an experiment. I dont know how many people will be into this storySO, your feedback is greatly appreciated. Please let me know what you think!
The Elegant Egotist