A/N: Well, I've updated. It would've been sooner, but I'm in the process of moving out of my parents' house and it's sort of bizarrely stressful/time-consuming/complicated. Anyways, I hope you guys are still reading. And if you are, then if you wouldn't mind reviewing...They've made it really easy for you these days!
Chapter Seven - Whomp
"Well, that was nice of her, I suppose," Em said somewhat distractedly. We were all sitting around a table in the library, actually studying for once. Those of us in fifth year had tests before the Easter Holidays. Even though it was early March, the professors had strongly encouraged us to study.
"Yeah," Rose agreed. "You aren't anything like your family, so it's nice that McGonagall recognises that, even if the rest of the student body doesn't."
"And even if it took us all five years to figure that out," Dylan added, giving Al a glare.
"What?" Al demanded.
"Dormitory," Dylan said. "For five years. And only post some very Malfoy-esque blackmail."
"What are they talking about?" Rose asked.
"Dylan hasn't forgiven me yet for sharing a dormitory with Scor for five years and not being friends with him until now," Al summarised.
"Oh," Rose replied. "Well, that's always pleasant."
"I think if I try to understand another potion my brain will melt," Sam said. "Actually, I could probably make a charm that does that if I tried hard enough."
"Don't," Will and Em recommended.
"We should probably go feed the Tribbles," Dylan said, closing his book in defeat.
"Pygmy puffs," the rest of us chorused.
"Whatever," Dylan replied, pulling off his glasses and wiping them on his shirt. "Let's go."
It was a quick walk from the library to headquarters. The pygmy puffs had recently multiplied again so we were up to a few hundred now.
"Does it concern anyone else that they only eat chocolate buttons?" Rose asked, petting one of them through the cage.
"It probably should, right?" I replied, picking up Tribble and petting him.
"And do we actually have a plan for them?" Rose added.
"Oh yes," Dylan said, smiling evilly.
"Do we want to know?" Em asked.
"Not yet," Al replied, sharing a mischievous look with Dylan and then kissing him.
"So who's our next target?" Will asked, crossing to the blackboard and crossing Travis Flint off the list.
"Garth McNair," Em suggested. "What was his crime?"
"He locked me in the dungeons for three days," I said. I have no problem talking about these things casually, yet every time I mention one of them, the rest give me this really strange and somewhat concerned look. It's not a look I'm used to.
"Scor, can I see that map?" Rose asked, pulling the Marauder's Map out of my school bag without waiting for an answer. She tapped it with her wand. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
The spider web of the school corridors spread out across the paper.
"What are you thinking, Rose?" Al asked.
Rose pointed at a secret passage way in the grounds. "I say we leave him there and see how long it takes him to get out."
"Sounds like a plan," Dylan agreed. "Okay, we need to set up a detail to follow him on the map so we can get his routine down."
"We do?" I asked.
"It'll be our first kidnapping," Dylan replied. Then he smiled.
I worry about him.
OOooOOooOOooOO
After three days, we were relatively certain that Garth McNair would go to the library immediately after dinner and at eight o'clock would make his way to the Slytherin common room. At least this week, he seemed to be in the habit of stopping in at his girlfriend's room for a while after his return.
"She's going to notice when he doesn't show up," Em pointed out.
"Well, that's just too bad then," Dylan replied. "Now, sh."
The three of us were lying in wait behind various tapestries in the corridor from the library to the Slytherin common room. I glanced down at the map.
"He's coming," I whispered. "He's alone."
I waited until the footsteps were directly in front of my tapestry and whispered, "Stupefy."
There was a thud.
The three of us ducked out from behind our tapestries to discover Garth McNair lying on the stone floor, completely unconscious.
"Well done that," Dylan complemented, prodding McNair with his toe. "We should probably petrify him too, just in case he wakes up."
I nodded in agreement and petrified him.
"Alright, let's go," Em said, grabbing one of his legs. Dylan grabbed the other and I grabbed him under the arms. We hoisted him down the corridor until we got to an abandoned broom cupboard. Dylan dropped his leg and opened the cupboard. We deposited him inside and closed the door.
"Well, that's that for now," Dylan said cheerfully. "Come on then."
The three of us headed back to our respective dormitories. I'd barely stepped inside the Gryffindor common room when one of the seventh years gave me shifty looks and then walked over. He crossed his beefy arms at me and glowered.
"Where have you been, Malfoy?" he asked. "Because there's rumours going around that you're responsible for whatever's happening to the Slytherins. Maybe you missed this fact, growing up with Slytherin parents, but that's not the Gryffindor way."
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said as calmly as I could manage. I don't like it when people try to intimidate me.
"Sure you don't," the seventh year said. "Where were you just now?"
To my relief and soon-to-be confusion, the portrait hole swung open and Rose walked in. "He was with me," she said, smiling sweetly at the seventh year.
The seventh year looked her over. "With you?"
"With me," Rose repeated, grabbing my hand. I managed to keep my face from betraying my lack of knowledge with the current proceedings.
The seventh year looked us both over again, then rolled his eyes. "Wow, Rose, your taste has certainly depreciated."
He stalked off somewhere and Rose pulled me towards the stairs. She dragged me up three flights and into the boys' dormitory. Fortunately, Al was the only one around. She let go of my hand and fluffed her hair indignantly.
"Ex-boyfriends are the worst," she muttered, smoothing her skirt. "Don't you agree?"
Al and I exchanged looks and then stared at her pointedly.
"Oh, sorry," she said. "I forgot. Scor's straight and Al, you're more of a one man show."
"You forgot that Scor's straight?" Al asked sceptically, raising his eyebrow at Rose.
"Sorry," she said.
That doesn't hurt my pride at all. No. Not even a little bit.
That's just…peachy.
"That arse wipe was your ex-boyfriend?" I asked, managing to not let my wounded pride ooze into my voice.
"One of many," Rose replied, smiling like she knew how weird I would find her statement.
"Speaking of boyfriends…" Al started.
"You don't get to," Rose informed him, turning her dangerous smile on him. "We're waiting until midnight and then we're going to collect McNabb-"
"McNair," Al and I corrected.
"Right, McNair," Rose replied. "And as such, you don't get to go try to break into the Hufflepuff common room."
"Is that even possible?" I asked. "Does anyone even know where it is?"
"I know where it is," Al said. "But only because Dylan showed me."
"Right," I replied. "Well, like Rose said, you don't get to."
Al pouted and flopped onto his bed. Rose gave him a disapproving look. He sneered back.
OOooOOooOOooOO
At midnight precisely, the three of us snuck out of the Gryffindor common room and made our way back to the corridor in which we'd stashed McNair. We were to meet Em, Dylan, Will, and Sam by the front doors.
I unlocked the broom cupboard and McNair tumbled out, still petrified, but quite clearly not unconscious.
"Should've had Sam do the stunner," Al commented, shaking his head.
"Names, Al," Rose scolded, flicking him in the arm. He squeaked in a very un-manly way and rubbed his arm. I rolled my eyes.
"What does it matter if we say our names?" Al asked. "It's not like anyone will believe him."
"Fair enough," Rose replied. She pointed her wand at McNair. "Stupefy."
Once we were sure he was unconscious again, they each grabbed a leg and I grabbed him under the arms again. We propped the Marauder's Map on his stomach so we could see if anyone was coming.
Fortunately, we made it to the Entrance Hall entirely unbothered, where we were met by the rest of our crew.
"Get here alright, then?" Sam asked, peering around at the three of us like he expected one of us to suddenly collapse with fits of palsy.
"Yeah, fine, thanks," Rose replied while Al dropped his leg and snogged Dylan instead. Sam and Will took over on the leg front and Em opened the doors. I kicked Al in the foot as we walked by and they sprang apart.
We ran as quickly as we dared across the sloping lawn to the gigantic and very angry tree. As we arrived at its safety perimeter, it flicked a bat out of the air with one of its branches. The bat squealed at its evident demise and plummeted to the earth.
The seven of us stared at the tree in a combination of disgust and horror.
"So, uh, how do we get in there?" Em asked, taking a step closer to Will. He instinctively put his arm around her.
"We have to poke a knot on the trunk," Al explained.
I nodded slowly. "Al, why do you, of all people, know that?"
"I asked my dad over Christmas," he said defensively.
"And he actually told you?" Rose replied.
"He'd had a few at the time," Al admitted.
Rose nodded. "That makes more sense then. Okay, so which knot do we have to press?"
"I've got it," Sam said, levitating a branch and poking most of the tree trunk with it. Finally, it hit one of the knots and the whole tree froze.
"That's awesome," Will complimented.
"Thanks," Sam replied, grabbing McNair's leg again. I grabbed his arms and Will grabbed his other leg. The three of us manoeuvred him into the crawl space under the tree. We dropped him at what the map showed to be halfway between the school and the end.
"I've got a great idea," Em said excitedly, crawling up behind us. She whispered something in Will's ear. In the wand light, I could see him smile creepily. He pulled out his wand and whispered something in McNair's direction. Instantly, all of his clothes save for his pants disappeared.
"Just for humiliation's sake," Em explained.
"Right," I agreed. "Sam, when you cast the stunning charm, how long will it take for it to wear off?"
Sam shrugged. "Maybe eight hours?"
The three of us blinked at him.
"What?" he asked.
"That's not normal," Will supplied.
"Oh," Sam said. "Right. Well, anyways…"
He stupefied McNair before he removed the paralytic.
The four of us crawled out of the tunnel and made our way back to the Whomping Willow. Rose was standing outside it with her arms crossed, looking irritated at Al and Dylan, who were making out instead of keeping watch.
"Did you get him?" Rose asked.
"Sam says we've got about eight hours," Will replied.
Rose smiled. "Great. Well, I need my beauty rest, so I'd like to go back to the dorms now."
"You don't need it," Sam said without missing a beat.
"Thanks, Sammy," Rose replied. "But without it, I'm not pretty. Come on, Scor. Al."
"Yeah," Al said, glaring at her as she pulled him away from Dylan.
The seven of us made our way back to the entrance hall together before Em headed for the dungeons and Dylan carried on past the Great Hall. As he walked down a corridor, he made a "call me" hand gesture at Al, then winked.
We dropped Sam and Will off at the fifth floor and continued to the Gryffindor common room.
"Night boys," Rose said, smiling at us. She walked up the stairs on the right and disappeared into her dormitory.
"Does it bother you that she forgets you're straight?" Al asked once she was gone.
I gave him a pointed look.
"Right, never mind," he said. "Stupid question."
I nodded in agreement and led the way to the dormitory.
OOooOOooOOooOO
We were peacefully eating breakfast at the Gryffindor table when a Slytherin sixth year came sprinting into the Great Hall.
"Professor Nott, I found McNair!" he exclaimed, gesturing wildly behind him.
"Where?" Professor Nott asked.
"He's at the front gates," the sixth year explained. "And he's lost all his clothes."
At this addition, the majority of the Great Hall took to its feet and ran outside to see for themselves. Most of the professors went as well. So as to seem normal, Rose and Al went as well. I stayed exactly where I was.
"Malfoy."
I looked up from my coffee to see Professor Longbottom staring at me with his arms crossed.
"Yes, sir?" I asked.
From what I'd heard about the Second Wizarding War, my dad was a right dick to Professor Longbottom for the entire time they were in school together. However, during the Battle of Hogwarts, Professor Longbottom saved my mum's life. That, combined with the fact I ended up in his house, has led me to the conclusion that he's conflicted about me.
"You're not going to go see what happened to McNair?" he asked.
"No, sir," I replied.
He raised his eyebrow at me. "Why not? Didn't he lock you in the dungeons for three days in your second year?"
"Yes, sir, he did, but since I've come into the nasty habit of being blamed for everything bad that's happened to Slytherin house recently, I thought it might give them less ammunition if I just stayed here," I explained.
"Sounds reasonable," Professor Longbottom explained. "But just so you know, you're about to be late for Herbology."
"Dreadfully sorry, sir," I replied, finishing off my coffee and sprinting for the greenhouses. I was shortly joined by Rose, Al, Will, and Sam, since Gryffindor and Ravenclaw have Herbology together.
Professor Longbottom walked in a moment later and cast an amused look in my direction.
"He blathered on for about twenty minutes about how he got stuck in the Shrieking Shack," Rose said. "And then said something about gnomes stealing his clothes. Of course, McGonagall's not letting him off that easily, since he was off school property."
"That sounds highly unfortunate," I replied calmly, very aware of the fact Professor Longbottom was watching us while the rest of the class filed in.
"And since he can't explain how he got there, he's serving detention for a month," Al added.
"That has to hurt," I replied.
"And it's even worse since he was completely starkers in front of the entire school," Will said.
"Completely?" I repeated. When we'd left him in the tunnel, we'd at least left him his pants.
"Completely," Will agreed.
"That's really unpleasant," I said.
The dungeon he locked me in in second year was full of vermin of various sorts and had no lights or windows. When he'd grabbed me, in order to be sure I couldn't escape, he'd left my wand with the rest of my school things.
"Especially since he's not exactly fit," Rose added pensively.
"Rose, be nice to the poor boy," Professor Longbottom said in passing.
"Sorry Uncle Neville," she replied, smiling sweetly at him. He gave her a bad look and went to grab a flat of plants.
"So I think it counts as a definite success," Will said quietly.
"Without question," Al agreed.
Professor Longbottom gave them a questioning look as he walked by. We need to be much more careful.
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