AN: Alright so, I don't know how I feel about this chapter. Definitely not my favorite, that one's in Deathly Hallows, and it's not my least favorite, also in Deathly Hallows. But it's pretty good. Sluggy's party, Paige drinking, Remus being a git, and Bella and Greyback. *winces* Ok so it's not all fun and games. Eh, what you gonna do? So sit back, relax, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I only own Paige.
~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/
Paige sighed as she stood beside Luna. The boys were late, as usual. She looked over Luna's short, pink, sequin layered dress and then looked down at her own silver, short, spaghetti strapped shirred dress. The skirt flared out slightly and there was a large bow around the waist.
"We're here!" Harry cried as he and Neville rushed forward, both wearing black dress robes. Harry looked them both over. "You couldn't have found longer dresses I suppose?" Paige rolled her eyes.
"They're fine Harry. Besides now you can see Luna's long legs" Paige said with a wink. Harry grinned and held his arm out for Luna and the two started off together. Paige held Neville back some, waiting for them to be out of earshot. "How do I look?" she asked shyly. Neville smiled at her.
"Absolutely stunning. Now shall we go to…" Paige stopped him.
"Wait. Just wait. I just want to… oh what the hell." She moved forward and grabbed Neville's head, pulling it down to her level as she kissed him fiercely. Neville grabbed her hips and lifted her so he didn't have to bend so far. "I love you."
"I love you too, my beautiful Paige." Paige grinned as he set her down and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. "Now, are you ready to go?" Paige grinned and threaded her arm through his.
"Yeah, but don't leave my side tonight, yes?" Neville nodded.
"Never." They walked silently to Slughorn's office. Neville could feel Paige's dread as they got closer. "It's alright Paige. We can leave whenever you wish." Paige nodded and squeezed his arm lightly.
"Thank you" she mumbled. As they stepped inside, Slughorn rushed Paige over to her brother and wrapped an arm around each of them as a camera man took their picture.
"Thank you, Adrian!" Paige watched the man walk away. "One of mine. Class of `78. I had hoped for more out of him, but at least the pictures are in focus. Oh my! Excuse me, Harry. I must greet the new Minister of Magical Transportation. Class of `67." Paige watched him start to walk off. "Mingle! We're all friends here. And we run the world" he called out to them. Paige curled her lip at his retreating back as Neville and Luna walked up with four glasses of champagne. Paige frowned.
"It's going to take a lot more than that to erase my memories of Slughorn" she said as she tipped her glass back, emptying it in one drink. Harry raised his glass to his lips and drank a little slower.
"With drinking like that, you and Sirius could have a good competition" he said. Paige grinned and winked.
"Who do you think I learned it from?" They laughed and Paige looked around the room until she spotted Hermione hiding behind the curtains. Paige frowned and walked over, stepping behind the curtains as well. "What are you doing?" Hermione turned in fright. "And what happened to you?"
"Hm? Oh, I've just escaped – I mean, left Cormac. Under the mistletoe" she said quietly. Paige raised an eyebrow. "I thought it would annoy Ron most after he told me once again I couldn't get a date. But he's a menace. He's got more tentacles than a Snarfalump plant." Paige laughed.
"Dragon Tartar?" a waiter asked as he poked his head in. Paige shook her head as Hermione politely declined. "Just as well. They give one horribly bad breath." Hermione's eyes lit up and she grabbed the tray from the waiter. He shrugged and left.
"On second thought - maybe it'll keep Cormac at bay." Hermione shoved two of the nasty smelling hors d'oeuvres into her mouth. "Oh no, here he comes!" She shoved the tray at Paige before running off. Paige turned just as Cormac entered.
"I think she went to powder her nose" Paige said as she stepped back against a wall. Cormac shrugged as he took the tray from Paige and started eating the food.
"Slippery little minx, your friend. Likes to work her mouth too, doesn't she? I bet you do too, don't you? With that little boyfriend of yours?" Cormac got closer and Paige was starting to panic. "What is this I'm eating, by the way?" The curtain opened and Snape popped his head in.
"Dragon balls" Paige blurted. Cormac turned a sickly green before he threw up all over Snape's shoes. Snape eyed the mess before looking at Cormac.
"You've just bought yourself a month's detention, McLaggen." Cormac said nothing as he ran. Paige took off the other direction hoping to avoid Snape. She wasn't so lucky. "Not so fast, Miss Potter." Paige smiled.
"I think I should rejoin the party, sir. My date..."
"... can surely survive your absence for another minute or two" Snape finished. Paige sighed. "Come, I don't want to have this in here." Paige followed Snape out into the quiet hallway. "Are you alright?" he asked. Paige nodded, not looking him in the eye. "Paige…"
"Please don't. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt, but there's something you're not telling me. I don't like that, but I accept it none the less. My term has been long and we're barely halfway through it. So excuse me if my mind's jumbled." Snape nodded.
"Think about everything over the holiday. If you still don't understand, I'll explain more. For now though, I need to convey a message to you and Potter." Paige frowned.
"A message?"
"From Professor Dumbledore. He asked that I give you his best and that he hopes you enjoy your holiday. You see, he's traveling and won't return until term resumes." Paige nodded. Before Paige could ask where, Filch came towards the office, dragging Malfoy.
"Take your filthy hands off me, you squib!" Paige frowned.
"You know, people might listen to you if you were nice once in a while" she said. Snape frowned at both his students.
"What's the meaning of this?" he asked.
"I've just discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to the party." Snape glared at Draco. Paige was actually afraid of Snape for once in her five years at Hogwarts.
"I'll escort him out" he snarled. Filch let go of him and wandered off as Snape glared at Draco. "Go back inside, Paige." Snape didn't wait for a response before he walked away, Draco trailing him. Harry came to make sure she was alright, but she only held her finger to her lips as they followed them.
"Maybe I did hex that Bell girl. Maybe I didn't. What's it to you?" Draco asked as he lounged against the wall.
"I swore to protect you. I made the Unbreakable Vow…" Snape snarled.
"I don't need protection. I was chosen for this! Out of all others. Me! And I won't fail him." Snape laughed humorously.
"Your mother and dear Aunt Bellatrix seem to think differently. Who did you think I made the vow with?" It was silent for a moment. "You're afraid, Draco. You attempt to conceal it, but it's obvious. Let me assist you…" Malfoy pushed off the wall angrily.
"No! I was chosen. This is my moment!" he said harshly before stalking off. Snape waited a little longer before following his path. What was that about?
~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/
Paige sat in the compartment with Harry and Ron, only half paying attention to the conversation. Harry let her flip through the potions book on their way to the burrow for the holiday. Paige stared at the writing. Why did it seem so familiar?
"Unbreakable Vow. You're sure that's what Snape said?" Ron asked. Harry and Paige both nodded.
"Positive. Why?" Harry asked. Ron shrugged.
"It's just, well, you can't break an Unbreakable Vow." Paige looked up from the book.
"No, really?" The sarcasm in her tone was almost overwhelming, but Harry ignored her.
"I'd worked that much out for myself, funnily enough" Harry said. Ron sat forward to explain more when Lavendar tapped on the window. She breathed on it, fogging over a large spot in which she drew a large heart with 'Ron + Lav' in it. She throws him a kiss and mouthed 'I miss you'. Paige flicked her wand behind her and erased the picture. Lavender glared at Paige before leaving.
"All she wants to do is snog me. My lips are getting chapped. Look." Ron leaned forward, but Harry pushed him back.
"I'll take your word for it" he said. Ron moved and put his face in Paige's. She pushed him away.
"Stop molesting me. If you don't want to snog, then push her away. Merlin, Ron, I thought you were a man" Paige said. Ron sighed.
"So what happens? If you break an Unbreakable Vow?" Harry asked. Ron paused.
"You die." Paige sighed as she stared at the writing.
"Lovely."
~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/
Paige sat leaning against Remus' legs as food was passed around the Burrow.
"Draco's plotting something, I know it, something to do with Voldemort. He's been given a task or a mission - and Snape was offering to help."
"Voldemort has chosen Draco Malfoy for a mission?" Remus asked as his hand stroked over Paige's head. "Has it occurred to you, Harry, that Snape was simply pretending to offer Draco help so that he could find out what he's up to?"
"It's not what it sounds like from Snape, Dad" Paige said.
"Perhaps they're right, Remus. To make an Unbreakable Vow, after all…" Tonks said. Remus shook his head.
"It comes down to whether or not you trust Dumbledore's judgement. He trusts Snape. Therefore, I do." Paige bit her lip.
"But Dumbledore can make mistakes. He's said it himself…" Harry started. Remus cut him off.
"You're blinded by hatred." Paige shook her head.
"I'm not. There's something not right with Snape, but I don't know what." Remus shook his head.
"People are disappearing. Daily. We can only put our trust in a handful of people. If we start fighting amongst ourselves, we're doomed." Tonks shook her head at Harry as he started to reply. She stood up and motioned for Paige to follow her, who was then followed by Remus.
"Where's Uncle Sirius?" Paige asked.
"Stuffing his face in the kitchen" Remus said distracted. Paige and Tonks looked at him. "Sorry about earlier, Paige."
"I know, Dad, but I trust him. He wouldn't hurt me" she said. She was surprised by her actions, but she knew it was true. Now she just had to figure out what game he was playing. Remus nodded.
"I know, Little… Precious" he said with a wince. Paige smiled at him. "Sorry."
"It's alright." Tonks smiled at the two.
"Come, let's go pry Sirius away from the food" she said with a laugh. Paige grinned.
~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/
Paige stood with Remus and Tonks on the porch. She was going home with them while Harry and Sirius stayed the night.
"It was delicious, Molly. Really." Paige stood next to Remus as he looked out over the reeds.
"You're sure you won't stay?" Mrs. Weasley asked. Tonks shook her head and looked at the two.
"No, we should go. The first night of the cycle is always the worst…" She gestured to the moon. Mrs. Weasley nodded as Remus and Paige took another step away from the others.
"Remus? Paige?" Mrs. Weasley called out.
"Sweetheart?" Tonks asked as she stepped up to the two.
"There's someone out there. I can smell him" Paige mumbled.
"There's more than one" Remus added. Suddenly fire surrounded the Burrow and Bellatrix stood at the opening. Before Paige could register it, Harry burst through the door and ran after Bella. Remus pulled his wand and followed him, but was stopped by the fire. Paige raced by him and Tonks as they fought the fire back. "PAIGE!"
"Paige!" Tonks yelled. Paige ignored them and ran further into the reeds. She ran into Harry who was looking in a circle in a clearing, his wand raised. Paige stood back to back with him as they watched Bella and Greyback circling them. A bolt of red flew at Paige, but she blocked it and sent one back, engaging in battle with Greyback while Harry took on Bella. Suddenly Tonks, Sirius, and Remus bust into the clearing forming a circle as the spells stopped. Suddenly two black clouds of apparating smoke flew around the Burrow and set it on fire. They rushed back to check on the Weasley's, but Paige counted every red-head and found them all safe.
"I'm getting really sick of those two" Paige said as Remus wrapped an arm around her and Tonks. Remus nodded.
"I know, precious. I am too."
~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/
Paige laid in bed that night, flipping through the potions book once again. She stared at the writing once more. She closed the book and turned off the light, falling to sleep rather quickly. Within minutes she sat up. She had figured it out.
~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/
AN: Yes and this is where the Snape line kinda turns AU, because yeah. Well you'll see next chapter and beyond. Alright, so some funny, some Sirius (*grins at Cassie's eye roll at the bad pun*), and some fighting. I hope ya'll liked it! Please let me know what you thought! No flames!