Twisted Citrus
Chapter 3
A Very Hungry Great Hall
~liquid-time

After getting off the Hogwarts Express, Harry, Ron, and Hermione grabbed an empty horseless carriage. They were soon joined by Parvati and Neville. Neville was clutching on to, what looked like Trevor, but, no. Something was off. Ron stared agape at the toad (partially stunned that he could see a difference) before looking up at Neville, who didn't notice his companion's strange behavior.

"Er, is that Trevor?" Harry asked Neville since Ron didn't seem to be able to find his voice.

"What? Oh," Neville said, realizing what they were referring to. "No, this is Tina. Gran got her to keep Trevor company but Trevor didn't take to her. He attacked her the second day in the tank and Gran said that it would be better for me to take her to Hogwarts," he looked around at his friends in the compartment. They had varying degrees of disgust on their faces.

"Parvati," Hermione said, breaking the silence that was border-lining on uncomfortable. "Where's Lavender?"

Parvati snorted. "Lavender is in a carriage with Seamus."

"Ahhh. I wondered when that was going to happen," Hermione mused.

"I know, right?"

"Quite frankly I was starting to get annoyed with her."

"Yes, but you realize we'll still have to put up with her ramblings about him."

"As long as they're ramblings and not complaints."

"Yes, I agree."

Harry, Ron, and Neville exchanged glances.

"Is there something we're missing?" Ron asked.

"Oh not really," Hermione said. "Lavender just went completely crazy over Seamus last year and we had to put up with it."

"By the end of the year it was getting quite annoying," Parvati informed them, and Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Right," said Ron, who was doing his best to sound interested. Ron wasn't a very good actor.

They continued talking up until the carriages pulled up to the castle, their doors swinging open. Hogwarts was breathtaking, even after the 7th time. Pansy, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle filed out of their carriage which was parked beside the group of Gryffindors, all laughing.

"I didn't know Slytherins could laugh outside of terrorizing people," Ron muttered to his companions.

"They were probably thinking about terrorizing someone," Harry said.

Students trudged up to the castle, groaning as a light sprinkle threatened rain. Some jogged in fear that the sky would break out on them, but most just hastened their walk. A few, like Luna, slowed down and tried to catch raindrops on their tongue. Unfortunately upon entering the castle it was soon made clear that entrance to the great hall would be difficult. Peeves had carefully balanced a bucket of paint on the edge of the oak doors leading to the great hall. Anyone that moved the door to get through would find themselves with a bucket on their head, and blue paint sopping in to their robe. Some of the students tried to magic it away, but all spells missed due to how high the perch was, and it was at such an awkward angle to shoot a spell at.

Eventually Peeves got bored and dipped his hands in to the bucket, sprinkling the students below with the blue oil. The whole entrance hall erupted with screams; people were running, trying to get out of the way. Professor Flitwick came to see what all the noise was about, and why no one was coming in to the Great Hall and in doing so, pushed open the entrance door, knocking the paint on to himself.

"What?" he spluttered, lifting the bucket off his head.

"Ohhhh," squealed Peeves. "I get a kick out of seeing Flitwick, get sick over my blue trick," and whizzed away before anyone had the chance to set the Bloody Baron on him.

Professor Flitwick quickly vanished the bucket, and cleaned himself off as well as some of the younger students that didn't know how, then proceeded to lead everyone in to the great hall.

"Peeves is getting worse each year," Millicent murmured to Pansy.

They took their respective seats at the Slytherin table, waiting rather impatiently for the first years to arrive. When the oak doors swung open to reveal the terrified kids, the whole hall clapped with relief. Professor McGonagall brought out the three legged stool, set the sorting hat on it, and unrolled her scroll. Before starting to call off the names, the sorting hat launched in to song.

Goyle groaned and Pansy hissed at him to shut up. "Sorry," Goyle responded. "I just forgot the hat sang."

Draco rolled his eyes at his friend. Sometimes he really did believe if Goyle ran any slower he would be going backwards. Draco heard Goyle moan "hurry up" before Pansy smacked him in the arm.

"Ow"

"Be quiet!"

Pansy was a traditionalist. Even when it came to stupid traditions like the sorting hat, she still showed it the utmost respect. Her parents had trained her well, the Parkinson's being a rather conservative pureblood family.

A few moments later the song had finished, and McGonagall started to call out the names of the first years. Everyone knew about the only thing on Crabbe and Goyle's mind was food, but Draco was starting to agree that the sorting was taking too long, when he heard his own stomach grumbling. Draco hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast. He didn't even grab any sweets off the trolley because he had stupidly forgotten his sack of galleons at the manor. He cursed under his breath. Longbottom must be wearing off on him.

Persephone was a fifth year Ravenclaw, and was listening very intently to the sorting. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Collin Creevy at the Gryffindor table with a grin as huge as an elephant, chatting avidly with a house-mate his own year. Persephone didn't know his name. Rolling her eyes at the disrespect they were showing, she glazed them over Parvati and Lavender, who were falling asleep, before returning to the sorting. Really.

"Curtis, Maria," Professor McGonagall called out.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.

The Gryffindor table roared with encouragement, cheering their fellow house-mate on. Ron gave a slight cheer himself as that was the last of the C's and there were no D or E names. The feast was three letters closer than it had been before.

"I do love the sorting," Hermione commented around halfway through. "It's nice to see the houses so supportive of their future generations."

Despite what the hungry stomachs of the great hall would say, the sorting was soon over, and the feast begun with Dumbledore's simple, "tuck in."

Beautiful roasts appeared at the tables with all sorts of sides. Both Ron and Harry piled food mountains high on to their plates. Hermione gave a small smile before helping herself to a fair share of potatoes and broccoli.

"Hey Hermione," Ron said through a mouthful of black pudding, "have you read the first chapter of that defense against the dark arts book we got?"

She gave him a scathing look. "Of course I did. It was our summer homework to read the first chapter."

"I know," Ron responded. "I just read it so early on in the summer I don't remember it that well. I was wondering if you could give me a recap."

"It's not that long. There's perfectly enough time to read the chapter tonight."

"Yes but Hermione," Harry began to inform her, having not read the chapter himself, "you tell it in terms we can understand. You have such a talent in that area."

That did the trick. A pink tinge formed on Hermione's cheeks, and she launched it to the basics of seventh year defense against the dark arts. Across the great hall, at the Slytherin table, a heated debate over the very subject of defense against the dark arts was at large.

"You'll never know when you'll need it," Pansy retorted.

"C'mon Pansy, do you really think in our position we'll need defense training, defense training against the dark arts? Everyone we'll be fighting will not be doing dark magic."

"True," interjected Millicent. "But it would help to know what they think they're expecting."

"What?"

"We'll, if we know they think that dark magic is defended against in one way, we can make sure to work around their defense systems. Make it easier for us."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't do that Draco," Millicent scolded. "I'm serious. Logic and strategy are very useful in battle."

In a hushed whisper to the rest of his house-mates Draco said, "having the Dark Lord on your side also helps in battle."

Ernie McMillan was sitting at the Hufflepuff table behind Draco, and fortunately didn't hear the last comment made by him, although he was eavesdropping in on their conversation.

"Can you believe that Hannah? Everyone we'll be fighting will not be doing dark magic. How can they even have the decency to talk about that surrounded by all these people? First meal of the term too."

"Oh hush Ernie," Hannah scolded him. "You shouldn't be eavesdropping anyway."

"It's hard not to when they're talkin' like that an' Justin's only a few people down from here."

"Justin's not the only muggleborn in this vicinity Ernie. It's Slytherin. What do you expect?"

"I expect them to have a little more sense than to talk about their peers like that in front of the whole school."

"They weren't saying it 'in front of the whole school', and they weren't necessarily talking about their peers, they just said people in general."

"Look, whose side are you on? It sounds like you're sympathizing with them," he jerked a finger towards the Slytherin table. "Hannah, you can't tell me what they're saying doesn't impact you."

"Of course it does Ernie. I hate it, it's disgusting! But think about what growing up must have been like to them. Oh stop, just think. I'm not saying it's an excuse, and certainly not for the way their acting like this in public, but really, what are you expecting from them? Slytherins aren't going to wake up one day 'nice'."

The food disappeared from the tables, and the plates were instantly filled with delicious deserts. Despite being full from the feast, everyone managed seconds, and sometimes third helpings of the pastries and tarts. Once everyone was truly overstuffed the deserts also disappeared.

Dumbledore stood up. "Welcome back students, and a warm welcome to the newcomers. I would first-off like to announce that Professor Snape will be returning to his former position of potions professor," there was a pause for a round of applause. A few scattered claps came from here and there, but they just bounced off the walls of the great hall.

"That brings me to introduce our new defense against the dark arts professor: Professor Goshawk," the applause for Professor Goshawk was loud and resonated throughout the hall. "Now here," Dumbledore continued, "I don't want to over stimulate you're brains tonight, so I will keep the announcements short. Hogsmeade is off limits to those under third year, and those without a signed form by their parents or guardian. The Forbidden Forrest is off limits to everyone. Mr. Filch would like it to be noted that the list of banned items has been expanded to include whining toe-rings. I believe the addition of the toe-rings brings the total number of banned items up to 492. The full list is posted on Mr. Filch's office door.

"Tomorrow morning schedules will be posted in the common room, except of course 6th and 7th years, who will receive them from their head of house, and 5th years whose will be stacked on the tables during breakfast. I believe that is all tonight. Follow your prefects and go to bed. You should be well rested for tomorrow!"

"Alright squirts, follow the prefect!" Ron shouted, earning a glare from Hermione. "Harry, you coming?" he asked when Harry made no move to follow the Gryffindors to the common room.

"No, McGonagall told the heads to stay back. Snape is showing us somewhere. I'll see you later. Hopefully not too late."

Eventually all students and staff filed out of the great hall, leaving Harry, Pansy and Snape together.

"Follow me," Snape's lifeless voice told them. "I'm about to show you your duty area," he turned around, obviously expecting the two Heads to follow. "This is where you will be able to organize meetings with the prefects, and talk scheduling and plans with each other."

Snape was leading Harry and Pansy down many twisting corridors. Pansy, trying to memorize the way from the Great Hall kept muttering, "left, right, right, middle-fork, right, left." Harry was starting to get quite annoyed by this, but before he said anything Pansy gave up. The rest of the walk was drenched in a cold silence. They ended up at a large tapestry picturing a goblin war, and the brutal death of one of the kings.

"Oh great, every time we need to meet we have to view a bloodbath," Pansy said, wrinkling her nose.

Snape choose to ignore this comment. "The password is motorbike," and he strode away.

They stood their momentarily, Harry examining the tapestry, Pansy inspecting her feet.

"Motorbike."

The tapestry rolled up, revealing a medium sized room, with couches and armchairs for meetings, and two beautifully carved chestnut desks for the heads to work at. Harry stepped in and examined the secretaries. In them were a multitude of quills and parchment. The left wall of the room was covered with basic informational books on magic and Hogwarts. The room was painted Kelly green and Lemon yellow and radiated a cheery feeling, reminding you a bit of the grass and sun.

"Ohhh!" Pansy squealed. "I'm so glad the mudblood decided to give up her position."

In response to the insult Harry whipped out his wand, but Pansy was too fast. She disarmed him with ease. Damn, Harry thought, her reflexes are nearly as good as Hermione's.

"Watch your mouth Parkinson," he growled.

"Only if you watch yours."

"I haven't said anything."

"Yes, but you will, or, would have."

"Parkinson..."

"Potter I'm serious. I understand how protective you are of your little muggleborn friend, and the," she paused trying to find a non-insulting, insult, "wizard trash flankie you have."

"You're going to have to dumb down you're insults way more than that to get me to agree."

Pansy twirled his wand in her hand. "You know this is the second time I've been in possession of your wand today. I don't think you're in the position to make any demands."

Harry glared at her. He felt very odd without his wand. A bit, unprotected. They stared cold heartedly at each other for a few seconds.

"Throw whatever insults at me Potter, I don't care but don't degrade my friends, and I pay you the same respect."

"You're the one that started it. You called Hermione, a- well, you know."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "You are being such a child! Just take the deal!"

"Alright, alright! Fine, can I have my wand back?"

She looked at him hesitantly before tossing his wand back to him.

"And can we please not disarm each other anymore?" Harry asked.

"I'm the only one that's done any disarming Potter."

"Fine, can you please stop disarming me?"

"Only if you don't threaten to curse me!"

"Don't snub my friends!"

"I'm not!"

"You were!"

"Well, I'm not anymore. Gosh, that's what our conversation was just about. Did Lockhart's memory modification charm hit you a bit in second year?"

"No," Harry resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at her. He didn't, but was contemplating the odd ways that the conversation had turned on him.

"Well," she said, snapping Harry out of his trance like state. "I'm going to go to bed. I suppose I'll have to see you tomorrow."

Pansy left the meeting room and headed down to the Slytherin common room. Harry was left standing alone in the middle of this 'duty room' before he decided it would be a good idea to go to the Gryffindor common room himself. He stepped out from behind the tapestry, which rolled itself back down, and climbed a flight of stairs to his left.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Only one more chapter to revise before I start cranking out new ones! I'll try to get the next one up before I leave for Disneyland (!) and I can work on Chapter 5 when I'm there (or not, as things usually turn out). Just a warning: there may be a jump in writing style, but I'll try to keep it consistent. So from June 7th (which is when I graduate from high school, congratulations to me :P) to June 14th (which is when I come back from Disneyland), expect no updates!
That being said I do really want to finish this by the end of this summer, so I'll be writing the chapters fairly frequently. Thank you to everyone who's reading, I love you all.

The End
(of the chapter)