in this mad world
It's only because it's three in the morning that Pansy almost misses the creak of Dorcas Meadowes's bed.
It's not for lack of effort — Pansy doesn't know what the consequences would be for the Head Girl to be caught outside after hours, but she highly doubts it'll be pleasant. Usually however, Dorcas Meadowes is as smooth as she is cunning, an utterly ruthless halfblood who is too prominent for even Dumbledore and his anti-Slytherin prejudice to ignore. The last thing Pansy would ever expect her roomate to do is get caught sneaking out.
Pansy keeps her breathing quiet as Dorcas slips on a sweater and steps silently into a pair of boots, looking around the room. From her vantage point, she can see perfectly but Dorcas can't see the crack in her curtains as Pansy observes. It's a flawless set up.
Dorcas makes her way towards the dorm door, tiptoeing, and closes it as noiselessly as possible. As soon as she's gone, Pansy counts to ten in her head and jumps to her feet, grabbing warm robes absentmindedly. Her bed is the furthest — perfect for gazing out the window and being able to see the entire room at the same time — but it also means she has to navigate past Dorcas's junk pile of a corner. It's piled high with Muggle jump — a Muggle camera that makes Pansy sneer always, an old Muggle pocket watch, and something that Dorcas calls a board game and Pansy refuses to inquire about.
By the time she makes her way outside, Dorcas is already halfway around the corner. Keeping to the low-light corners, Pansy follows her, grimacing as the cold air of the corridor hits her skin. The robes she took with her help, but are still not warm enough to prevent her exposition to Scotland's winter.
Dorcas takes a twisted, winding path through the castle, moving as quickly and nimbly as humanly possible and Pansy feels her disgust at her roommate rise. How dare she make her do this, despite it being Pansy's own choice!
However, it's not until Dorcas exits the castle that Pansy truly has second thoughts. Her shoes sink into the snow almost instantly and Pansy lets out a quiet swear that would make her mother disown her at once if she heard. Then again, her mother might appreciate the stalking and future blackmail Pansy planned to do. Their family was dysfunctional that way.
When Dorcas reaches the Forbidden Forest, Pansy lets out a snort of disgust. What kind of trash decides to visit the forest in the middle of the night? It's not until Dorcas taps her foot impatiently that Pansy gets it — she's waiting for someone. In a truly perfect turn of events, Pansy
"Are you just going to stand there?"
Pansy freezes, her blood freezing as she shudders. This was not her plan. She was never supposed to get noticed. Still though, Dorcas may have noticed her, but Pansy isn't the one in the wrong here.
"Oh, I'm afraid there's been some miscommunication here." Pansy smiles, simultaneously as brightly and threateningly as possible, as she makes her way to Dorcas. They're both standing at the very beginning of the forest now and Pansy tries not to think about that. This is worth all . "I merely followed you here, that's all. I thought you might appreciate a witness for your midnight rendezvous."
Dorcas goes rigid at her words, pale enough for her veins to stand out like blood on snow. Pansy watches as she bites her lip, writhing in barely-suppressed fury. It feels like victory.
"It's bad enough that you have no pride, dignity, or morality in your body, but now you're a stalker too?" Dorcas snaps back, crossing her arm and stepping into Pansy's space. "It's actually understandable, thought, Parkinson. You're kind of notorious for being a lying, thieving bastard."
Pansy bristles at that. Meadowes is a filthy Halfblood — she has no right to say those words no matter how many badges she wears.
"What's going on here?"
Pansy and Dorcas turn at the same time, two pairs of eyes widening at once. "Well, well, what do we have here?" Pansy says at the same time as Dorcas bursts out, "I'm so sorry, she followed me here. I didn't notice until it was too late."
In front of them, Marlene McKinnon stands with her hands over her hips, a frown darkening her features. Her hair, lucious and dark auburn, falls to her hips in waves, looking like a war banner.
"What the fuck is wrong with you, Parkinson?" Marlene growls and in that minute, Pansy almost — maybe, just the tennest tiniest bit — feels a little less confident than before. Marlene McKinnon, pureblood beater, and Dorcas Meadowes, halfblood queen-bee.
Still, Pansy knows blackmail. She knows fear and manipulation and how quick empire fall. "I know your dirty little secret, ladies, so I wouldn't be so quick to judge if I were you. In fact, I would be groveling a little right now, if I were you."
Despite the threat her words carry, Marlene lets out a snort, stepping forward to wrap her arm around Dorcas's waist. "Oh please, Parkinson, you couldn't be like us even if you dedicated your whole life to it."
"I wouldn't want to."
"You're a fool, you know," Dorcas speaks up, her voice quiet but loud enough to startle both girls. "You think that you're going to get a happy ending, Parkinson? That your Dark Lord will win and then you'll live like a princess? I call absolute bullshit. I have spent years listening to people like you tear me down for my blood. I just wanted to belong, but I soon learned I'd have to twice as good as everyone else at magic to be considered average, and I'm not the only one. You may have trapped me tonight, but I won't go quietly. None of us will."
Pansy snorts. "How long do you think that'll last, sweetheart? This isn't a storybook. You'll die for your insolence."
"Then He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will have to kill me himself." Dorcas speaks with a certainty that chills Pansy to the bones. Beside her, Marlene shivers, pulling her robes closer. "Expose us, Parkinson. Make me and Marly a scandal. But do not even dare to think that'll silence us."
At that, Dorcas grabs Marlene's hand and pulls her away from the forest. Pansy watches them go, unsettled and more scared then she had ever been in her life. The utter faith in Dorcas's eyes has broken something inside her.
In the back of her head, alarm bells are already ringing — she is a Parkinson, after all. They have backup plans, but Pansy has never thought she'd need one on this side of the war.
But, as she watches the two girls disappear into the distance, Pansy shakes her head in disgust and began plotting. In this war, in all wars, she has to be ready to save herself, just in case.
...
Written for:
Creativity Month: Different House!au, Pansy & Dorcas/Marlene
Charms: Write about someone trying to clean up a mess them made, figuratively or literally. They can or cannot succeed
Character Appreciation: Position - Head Boy
Disney Challenge: Part of your world - Write about someone who wants to belong somewhere
Book Club: Alex Ridgemont - (object) camera, (plot point) having a dark secret exposed, (word) miscommunication, (dialogue) "You're kind of notorious for being a lying, thieving bastard."
Showtime: We Both Reached For the Gun - (word) Understandable
Days of the month: International Day of Forests - Write a story set in a forest
Count Your Buttons: (object) Camera
Lyric Alley: If you're afraid of falling, then don't look down
A Year In Entertainment: Movie: Jumanji - (object) board game
Sophie's Shelf: blood, veins, shudder, writhe, rigid, luscious
Liza's Loves: Horrificator - Write about being trapped
Caffeine Awareness: Affogato - Write about someone whose mood or personality changes frequently
Jewel Challenge: Kunzite
Ring: Write about recovering from a broken heart
Bracelet: Write a fic set in the evening
Necklace: Write about someone/something considered to be untraditional
Library Lovers: The Magicians
(Plot point) Finding a place to belong
(Word) Magic
(Object) Pocket watch
Saint Patrick's Day: The walking stick - write about something coming to life
Lent Challenge: Only minor characters