Two
I cracked an eye open and saw that everyone else was already up and about. How long had I slept in for? I felt unusually rested…Hexwood made us get up a lot earlier than this. Despite the fact that I was not in the least a morning person, I had always been scared out of sleeping too late at Hexwood from the stories that circulated around the school. They say that if you sleep in, the Dark Arts teacher will bring in a hoard of Dementors and they'll suck the life out of you until you wake up.
I'm not sure if it's true or not, but that's what I've heard.
But here, things seemed much more…relaxed. Weren't they afraid of the evident Death Eater attack that could happen to them at any moment?
I sighed and rubbed my eyes. This was going to be an interesting year.
I got up and changed into my school uniform. I looked in the small mirror on my bedside table and frowned at my hair. It was boring…just plain black. It needed something to perk it up. How about green and silver? As far as house colors went, those weren't bad.
I watched as a silver line spread through my hair, followed closely by an emerald green one. The color splashed down chunks of hair, leaving streaks here and there until I was satisfied and it ended. Being a Shifter really was helpful.
I picked up my bag and walked out to the common room where I found Draco standing with Crabbe and Goyle, all superior-like. Idiots.
A girl drifted over to them, joined the posse, and glared at me. Wow. She had guts, whoever she was.
"So you're the new girl?" she asked, looking me over. "Aren't you supposed to be all-powerful or something? You don't look like it. I've seen tougher house-elves."
I would have laughed had I not been being watched by everyone in the common room.
"And, you are?" I asked, mocking her stance, hands on my hips.
I noticed Draco edging out of the scene, probably thinking that if a fight erupted I would conveniently and "accidentally" stun him or something. As funny as that would be, I wouldn't waste my energy.
"Pansy Parkinson," she said. "Pleased to make you acquaintance."
Ooh, her sarcasm was terrifying. I rolled my eyes. "Now, really, is that any way to insult someone? House-elves and slight sarcasm?"
"As if it matters to you," she scoffed. "I bet you're just bluffing. You're probably not that powerful at all."
"Oh, is that what you think? I'm impressed, Pansy. Your brain can actually function."
"Mudblood-lover!"
"Crackhead."
"Blood-traitor!"
"Really, is that all you can come up with?" I asked.
"Like you've done any better," she turned her little pug-nose up in the air. "I can't believe you're related to Draco."
She turned to him and batted her eyelashes. He just looked away, obviously trying to stay out of it. Smart guy.
"He won't help you," I said, smiling slightly. It was obvious, wasn't it? I bet even Crabbe knew that. "Blood is thicker than water."
She looked at me, her eyes full of rage. It was funny really. "He won't help you, either."
"How has this turned into an argument about Draco?" I asked. "Have we really gotten that off-topic? Huh."
"Fine then; your level of attractiveness is about as high as a ferret's."
I noticed Draco become slightly paler.
"What's wrong with ferrets?" I asked. "You're losing this argument, Pansy."
She screeched/snarled and whipped her wand out of her sleeve. "Stupef--"
"Expelliarmus," I took one of my own wands out of my robe and flicked it toward her.
Her wand flew out of her hand and she just stared at the place it had been half a second before. Really, she was that amazed? It was possibly the easiest trick out there.
"Now, really Pansy, don't tell me they never taught you the basics of dueling," I said. "You should have learned years ago."
She just grumbled something and turned to retrieve her wand. I wanted the fighting to continue, I really did, but I felt someone's hands on my shoulders, pushing me out the door.
"You really shouldn't have done that," Draco said as he pushed me down the corridor.
"Why? Because you don't want me to beat up your girlfriend?" I asked.
"No," he said. "Because I don't want Snape to come and see that you're dueling in the middle of the common room."
"Since when do you care so much?" he was just such a killjoy.
"Since my father told me to make sure you don't destroy anything major."
"Daddy's Boy," I sneered.
"Shut up."
We entered the Great Hall and I saw that breakfast was being served. Sausage…bacon…delicious. I practically sprinted to the Slytherin table and started eating. Hexwood rarely served bacon.
As I began eating ravenously, Draco sat next to me and didn't touch the food.
"What's wrong with you? Aren't you going to eat?" I asked, holding out a strip of bacon to him.
He took it and looked at it. "Bacon?"
"Yes, bacon, now eat it, weirdo!"
He nibbled at it and continued to do so while I surveyed the hall. I saw a trio walk in and sit at the Gryffindor table. I only recognized Harry Potter; the other two were a mystery. They looked intriguing.
I nudged Draco. "Who are they?"
He followed my gaze. "The Golden Trio? Potter, Granger, and Weasley."
"Okay," I said. "Names don't help me any. Care to be of more assistance?"
"Harry Potter, you know? The Boy Who Lived?"
I shrugged. "Heard the name before. I saw him on the train yesterday and knew him by description. Who was it that was talking about him? Someone at Hexwood…no, at Azkaban…." I racked my brain. I had talked to so many prisoners I was starting to forget who said what.
I eventually gave up and turned back to watching people come and go. I saw a pair of red-haired Gryffindor twins sit down and continued to watch them. Identical twins? Nice.
They both looked at me and I held my gaze, still eating the bacon. They didn't act like the other Gryffindors at all. Instead, they seemed more like utter pranksters if anything.
"Hey, Draco," I elbowed him and he groaned.
"Yes?"
"Who are they?"
"The Weasley twins. Fred and George. Biggest pranksters the school has ever seen."
I just nodded and looked back at them. They were still watching me. One turned to the other and whispered something. They then proceeded to have an all-out conversation, one of them always watching me, the other whispering to the one watching.
After several minutes of this, I grew bored and looked up. A flurry of owls flew in from the upper windows and dropped mail down to its recipients. An eagle owl landed on the table in front of Draco and he untied a newspaper from its leg.
He opened it and started reading while I leaned back and read over his shoulder.
"'The Boy Who Lies?' Is there something I missed here?" I asked, reading the headline of an article.
"Potter claims to have seen the Dark Lord last year," he said, smirking. "Fudge is attempting to deny it all out of fear. And so, seeing as he ultimately controls the paper, he makes sure only what he wants is printed."
"Uh huh. Why is it that I'm just now realizing how isolated Hexwood is?" I asked. It was true; the only news we received from the outside world came in letters from family members. The rest of the time we spent training.
He just shrugged and continued reading. I took another few bites of bacon before standing up.
"I'm gonna go ahead and find the potions room," I said.
"Sounds good. Hey, when the Gryffindors get there, why don't you pick another fight?"
"We'll
see."
I picked up my bag and strode out into the corridor.
Let's see…where was the potions classroom? That was the real
question here. All I knew was that it was somewhere in the dungeons.
What a help that was.
I wandered down stairways until I was sure there wasn't anyone else around. I closed my eyes and thought about a dog, thought I was a dog, and when I opened them again, I was on four legs. So very helpful to have been born with this rare ability to morph into whatever I wanted to.
I sniffed the air and found the distinct smell of potions ingredients. Picking up my bag with my mouth, I set off after the smell. I trotted past old suits of armor and countless statues until the smell was so strong and hazy it made my eyes water.
I stopped in front of the door it seemed to be coming from and shifted back to my human form. I straightened my robes and swung my bag onto my shoulder before opening the door.
And there, at the other end of the room, stood dear old second-cousin Snape.
He turned when he heard me coming in. "Hello, Bandit. Early, as I expected."
"Hi Sev," I said cheerfully.
He sighed. "Bandit, while we're at school, you are to call me 'Professor' or 'Sir'."
"Right. Okay, Sev." I just couldn't not call him Sev. It was his name. It's what I had been calling him for as long as I knew him, which was basically my entire life.
He just sighed heavily. "So you're here to become my apprentice, are you?"
"Yeah. I graduated early from Hexwood and they said that I needed to become someone's apprentice, so I decided to become a Potions Mistress."
"Ours is a delicate art, Bandit. You have the natural talent that is needed to excel, but are you willing to work to achieve greater things?"
"Yes. Of course. I went to Hexwood."
"I know."
Behind me, the door opened and in came Draco and his posse. Really, it was sad how much he depended on them.
"Morvant," Pansy spat as she passed me.
"Parkinson."
"Blood-traitor!"
"Really, is that all you can come up with?" I asked.
"Both of you, cease your arguing now or I will personally see to it that your mouths are sealed forever and eternity!" Sev snapped.
"Yes, Professor," Pansy said, quite the suck-up.
I grumbled a few unintelligent words and sat next to Draco. Pansy took his other side. He put his head on the table and let out a heavy sigh.
"Why me?" he mumbled.
The door opened and people continued to come in, Gryffindors and Slytherins alike, until I noticed everyone but the Golden Trio was here. How lovely would it be if they were late?
I looked up at the old clock and watched the seconds tick by. They had three before they were officially late.
Three.
Still nothing. The door didn't move.
Two.
There was only silence.
One.
I held my breath, waiting for them to walk in.
Negative one.
They were still absent.
Negative two.
Suddenly, the door opened, and they walked in.
"Late," I said. "Twenty points from Gryffindor."
The girl stared at me. "Who are you to deduct points? Only teachers can--"
"It's true though," Sev said. "Twenty points from Gryffindor. Take your seats."
"Professor, that's hardly--"
"Another five points for talking back, Miss Granger."
"How do you--"
"Another five, thanks to Mr. Weasley. If I were you, I'd sit down and shut my mouth."
All three glared at me and sat in the back of the room. Well, I had just wanted to see their reactions, and I got my answer: they hated my guts now.
"Today you will be preparing a simple Mandrake Draught. I hope none of you have forgotten how. Ingredients are waiting for you."
People got up to collect ingredients and I just sighed. Mandrake Draught? Really? That was all we were supposed to be making?
I had it finished in only minutes and walked up to Sev. Before I could even say anything, he started ordering me around.
"If you really are that bored, seeing as I trust your Mandrake Draught is perfect, then prepare some Draught of Living Death. After you get bored with that, move on to Draught of Peace. And after that, start on some Veritaserum for me."
I just nodded and squeezed past people still collecting ingredients. I dug through Sev's private stores until I found asphodel in an infusion of wormwood, valerian roots, and sopophorous beans.
The process was simple enough; crush the beans with the flat side of a silver dagger, add the ingredients together, stir counter-clockwise seven times, then add a clockwise stir and continue on like that while it releases blue steam, eventually turns deep purple, then lightens to lilac and then goes clear.
So easy, a house-elf could do it.
"What are you doing?" Draco asked.
"Making Draught of Living Death," I said as I filled several vials with it. "Want to try some?"
"I'd really rather not,"
"Oh, you're no fun."
With a flick of my wand, the cauldron was completely clean again. Yay. Now time for the Draught of Peace.
"Draco, go fetch me some powdered moonstone and hellebore syrup," I ordered.
"Why should I?"
"Because I said so. And didn't old Lucius say that I shouldn't destroy anything? What would happen if I just…accidentally brought part of a ceiling down? Would he be mad at you?"
He narrowed his eyes and stood up. Without another word, he got me the ingredients and sat down again.
"Thanks, cousin." I said.
He just grunted.
Making the Draught of Peace was simple as well. As soon as it was done, I held a vial out to Draco.
He looked at it suspiciously. "Why?"
"Oh, it's Draught of Peace, for Merlin's sake!" I said. "Just take some!"
"How about I don't? Drink some for yourself."
"Oh, fine. I just wanted to see if it was going to have any effect on you."
I cleaned out the cauldron once more and started on brewing the Veritaserum. I was absentmindedly stirring it when there was a small explosion on the other side of the room, causing me to jump.
"Longbottom blowing things up again?" Pansy asked from her place on the other side of Draco.
The smoke cleared to reveal an awkward looking boy standing behind the cauldron. How do you manage to blow up Mandrake Draught?
"Mr. Longbottom, if you could please refrain from setting things on fire and/or mutilating the classroom, it would be ideal." Sev said without emotion. "Clean it up."
Longbottom? I knew that name. Dear old Bellatrix had told me stories about the Longbottoms; how she tortured them while they were in the Order of the Phoenix, how one day she'll kill their son. She had goals, that was certain.
"Idiot," Draco sneered. "He can't even make Mandrake Draught."
"Because I'm sure you've never blown up a potion either," I said, returning to stirring.
"What, are you on his side?"
"I'd rather not take sides,"
"She's too scared to take sides," Pansy stuck her nose in the air. "Can't you tell?"
"Pansy, she went to Hexwood--" wow, Draco was standing up for me.
"So? What does that prove?"
I just smiled to myself while they argued. It was quite funny really.
"I'm just saying that she's tougher than you think," he said.
"Oh, really? Is she? Have you ever seen her do all this amazing stuff that Hexwood is famous for?"
"Yes."
"Uh huh. Care to explain?"
I looked at the potion in front of me. It would need to sit for a while.
"Draco, I'm borrowing your cauldron." I said as I started on some riddlemethis, a potion I had developed myself while at Hexwood. Depending on how much is taken in and the height of the drinker, it lasts longer or shorter. During the time that it's in effect, the drinker speaks only in riddles.
It's hilarious to watch.
"Okay, fine, whatever." He said to me. "Pansy, I'm just warning you--"
I stopped listening out of boredom and started whistling The Death Eater Anthem to myself. Bella had taught it to me when I visited her in Azkaban. It seemed like she had high hopes for me as a Death Eater; I didn't really care for the upcoming war either way. All I wanted to do was master potions and possibly devise a way to kill Umbridge.
Yes. That would be perfect. If Sev and I could poison her…lovely.
I had just finished the riddlemethis when Sev ended class. I took the cauldron of half-finished Veritaserum to him while the others left.
"Here it is," I said. "And Draught of Living Death along with the Draught of Peace."
"Good work," he said, looking them over. "What's that there?"
He took a vial of riddlemethis out of my hand and examined it. "Interesting,"
"It's called riddlemethis," I said. "I invented it."
"And what does it do?" he asked. "Make the drinker speak in riddles?"
"Yes," I smiled. "It's quite funny. Can I…go to Transfigurations now?"
"Of course. I'll expect to see you tonight for your first apprenticeship lesson."
"Yeah. Bye, Sev!" I called as I ran out the door and up out of the dungeons.
Realizing that I had no idea where I was going, I ran up to the second floor and looked for someone I knew. I spotted Luna sitting in the hallway reading and walked up to her.
"Luna," she looked up.
"Oh, hi Bandit," she said. "Are you enjoying your time at Hogwarts?"
"Yes,
of course. But um…where's the Transfiguration room?"
"Oh,
it's right down there," she said, pointing to another hallway.
"Third door. Can't miss it."
"Thanks, Luna!" I called over my shoulder.
"Anytime," she said.
As I neared the door she had directed me toward, I spied Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle. Great. He couldn't have waited for me back in potions? Of course not. He has his posse to think about.
"Hey, cousin, how's it going?" I asked, reaching him.
"I see you found your way here," he said.
"Yes, with the help of a good Ravenclaw friend."
I followed him inside the room to see that, sitting on the desk at the front of the room, there was a tabby cat.
A somehow not-very-cat-like-cat.
An animagus? Yes. The Transfiguration teacher, perhaps? The cat-lady that had led the first years (and me) into the Great Hall for sorting? Of course.
As everyone came in and sat down, she jumped off the desk and turned into a human. As I had expected, it was the lady with the green robes from yesterday.
"Welcome back to Transfigurations," she said. "I trust you all had satisfactory summers. Now, this year, you are going to master human transfigurations for your O.. You'll start out simple by changing hair color today, and as we head towards the end of the year and your exams, you will be able to turn your classmates into other objects. But for now, find a partner and follow my instructions…."
I wasn't listening as she started talking about the art of transfiguring people. Instead, I was thinking of all the beautiful designs I could paint on Draco's blonde head. This was going to be fun.
She must have said to get started or something, because everyone started turning toward each other and attempting to change hair color.
"Ready, Draco?" I asked. "What's you favorite design? Polka dots? Strips? Plaid?"
"Seeing as I doubt you're going to actually let me have a say in this--"
"Stripes it is!" I decided. I had wanted to choose that option. I pulled out my ebony and kingwood wand, the one I used most of the time, and pointed it at his head.
He gulped.
"Oh, come on, Draco! I'm not going to do anything horrible to you," I said.
"I wouldn't be so sure," he mumbled.
I flourished my wand and color erupted across his hair. Bright blue stripes followed by purple spots colored him.
It was comical.
The professor walked over to us and I could tell she was trying not to laugh.
"Wonderful job, Miss Morvant," she said.
"Why thank you, Professor," I said, smiling at Draco.
We both turned away from him as he opened his mouth to ask for me to turn his hair back.
"I don't believe I had the chance to formally introduce myself," she said. "I'm Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress."
"Bandit Morvant," I said. "Early graduate of Hexwood International."
"You seem like an extraordinary student, Miss Morvant. It would be a shame if you fell in with the wrong crowd."
"You mean Umbridge?" I asked.
"No…well, yes. Keep an eye out for her, Bandit."
"Will do!" I said cheerfully.
She walked off to assist a few other students and I returned to Draco.
"Do you want me to change it back now?" I asked.
"What do you think?" he snapped.
"Okay then, gosh, I'll leave it for you!"
"What? No! Change it back!" he said desperately.
"Say 'please'," I said, holding my wand out at him.
"Please," he pleaded. "Change my hair back."
"And why?"
"Because I can't do it myself."
"That's right." I smiled and flicked my wand. The color faded into nothingness and his hair returned to its normal color. "Happy now?"
"Thank you," he said. He pointed his own wand and me. "Now, what's your favorite color?"
"I like red," I admitted.
He narrowed his eyes and flourished his wand. I saw a strand of hair out of the corner of my eye go from black to red and fade away almost immediately.
"Well, you got it for about half a second," I said.
"Shut up."
He tried several more times before he could get any lasting color in my hair. By that time, I was so bored that I had turned to changing McGonagall's desk into an alligator and back every so often.
I sighed and watched everyone else trying to change hair color. The girl, Granger, had managed to turn Harry's hair pink, blue, and green multiple times. It was quite entertaining.
When Draco had finally achieved his goal, I looked at him.
"Do you have a fear of ferrets?" I asked.
"What? Why do you ask?" he looked at me suspiciously.
"Well, before, Pansy said something about a ferret and you got really pale, so I was just wondering if—wait, no, you must look hilarious as a ferret!"
"What? No!" he made a snatch for my wand but he was too late. He had already been transformed into a small white ferret.
"Aw, Draco, you're so cute!" I gushed.
He growled and glared at me, baring his little ferret teeth. He wasn't going to be too happy about this.
I looked around and saw a few people staring at me, excluding McGonagall. I noticed her watching me out of the corner of her eye, obviously attempting to not notice it so she couldn't be blamed later on.
She was cool.
Draco jumped at me but I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and put him back down on his chair again.
"Behave and I'll change you back," I said.
He growled.
"That means no back-talking,"
He huffed and looked at me expectantly with an I'll-tell-my-father-about-this look in his eyes.
I turned him back and he looked like he wanted to kill me.
"You—are you insane?" he asked.
"Maybe. Possibly. Probably. Why?"
"I—you--"
"Well, you did abandon me yesterday," I reminded him. "I warned you…."
"Everyone, class dismissed. No homework for today, but don't get lazy." McGonagall said.
We walked out, still arguing, Crabbe and Goyle behind us.
"Why did you turn me into a ferret?" he snarled.
I shrugged. "I dunno. It was funny?"
"It was funny?"
"Well, it was. If you don't believe me, I'll ask someone else--"
"No, that's fine." He said. "I just—how about i turn you into a ferret sometime?"
"I'd like to see you try. Besides, I can turn into a ferret whenever I want; you can't."
"Whoo! Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing Ferret returns!" someone called from down the hall.
I smiled to myself. This was going to be a great year, I could tell. Despite the evil pink toad-lady, I now knew that if Draco ever did anything to anger me, I could just turn him into a ferret. Ingenious.
