Brief Lesson: You've worked so well in learning the different aspects of Quidditch, but now it's time to learn deceit. As a seeker, you're going to need it on the pitch, and whether you're a beater or a keeper, I think it's important that you learn the Wronski Feint. We want to trick out opponents into believing something that isn't true, to help us get the boost in winning.
Task: Sometimes people think hiding the truth is better for their partner, whilst others hide things for purely selfish reasons. Whatever the reason behind the deceit, someone in your pairing must be deceitful. It could be simple, it could be relationship changing, but deceit must be the main aspect of your relationship.
Prompts Used: (plot) someone bullying a member of your pairing; from Gringotts Wizarding Prompts Bank; (English Proverb) "A leopard cannot change its spots."
Not Who I Used to Be
"A leopard cannot change its spots," I hear Professor Ashwin, the current Defenses Against the Dark Arts teacher say to an unseen party. From the person I cannot see, I hear them murmuring how leopard spots aren't comparable to human nature and the rest of the conversation is lost as the two colleagues walk further away from me.
He had always annoyed me since the first day of lessons with him but now he was getting downright intolerable.
"You need to report him to Professor Slughorn and if he doesn't do anything, report Professor Ashwin to the deputy headmistress or the headmaster," Cissa suggested.
I told her that I would and when she asked, I told her that I did but to be honest, I haven't. I figured my main focus should be surviving being a Fifth Year student all over again without letting anyone know that Narcissa and myself were somehow thrown back in time.
I should have listened to her.
Instead, I diligently attended my DADA class, participated in class, handed in all work assigned and said nothing to anyone as my grades, mostly Outstandings with a few Exceed Expectations here and there drop to mostly Acceptables with a few Exceed Expectations.
I am heading to the Slytherin dorms from the library when I'm hit with a Tripping Hex from behind. I pick myself up and gather the books that I have dropped when I hear a voice sneer –
"Oops, didn't see you there, Mr. Malfoy. I thought you were your slimy git of a father."
The expression on Professor Ashwin's face lets me know he knows exactly who I am.
"Oh, I get mistaken for him all the time, Professor Ashwin. Must be the blond hair," I respond and I vaguely wonder how often my son was judged unfairly because of my reputation and how it shaped his personality for the worst because of it.
"You're fooling no one, you know."
"In what way am I attempting to fool anyone, sir," I probe, truly interested in his answer.
"Oh, you know exactly what I am speaking of, Malfoy. Giving a good performance of being a responsible perfect, extending the protection of your Name to Lily Evans by claiming she and her family are long lost but recently found blood-kin. I'm not buying your act and neither are many others, including the headmaster."
"I don't know what you have heard about me and from whom you received that information from, but I will admit that it was all true – the good and the bad. However, I'm not who I used to be. I had a life-altering moment over the summer (can one describe dying and living again merely 'life-altering,' I wonder to myself) and I decided that I refuse to play the role that three-fourths of this school wants me to play."
"And what 'role' is that, pray tell?"
"That of a villain," Narcissa answers and one glance at her informs me that she is furious. "However, that is one role I am more than willing to play. Run along, Erwin, and while you are doing so, please evaluate how you are going to explain this confrontation with Lucius to the headmaster."
The look on Narcissa's face is absolutely predatory and once I again I humbled to have her on my side. As Professor Ashwin walks away quickly, Narcissa turns her attention on me.
"Lucius, I distinctly remember telling you to report that odious man to someone."
"Yes, my star, you did tell me to do so."
"I also distinctly remember, Lucius, you saying that you have reported that odious man to Professor Slughorn."
"Yes, my star, I did tell you that."
"So why did you lie to me, Lucius and I hope your explanation is a good one."
"I didn't want to go to the headmaster's office. We both know if I reported Ashwin to Slughorn, then Slughorn would want to request a meeting with Dumbledore and I didn't want to bother the old man. He doesn't care for us Slytherins anyway. We're always beneath his notice, and I neither experienced nor seen any sort of fairness from the man in regards to Slytherin House. I don't trust the man so I decided not to waste my time."
Narcissa sighs and there's a sadness that lingers in the air that has nothing to do with what we're speaking about.
"We might eventually have to trust him."
"I much rather we not," I grumble.
"Come on, let's make a detour to the kitchens and see if we can bribe on of the house elves for a late night dessert."
"I wonder if they will make me a small pan of blueberry scones."
"You're thinking about Mrs. Evans blueberry scones, aren't you?"
"You have to admit, they were delicious! I wonder if I write her and ask her to send me some via post owl," I say and Narcissa can only shake her head in fondness as I tickle the pear and the door to the Hogwarts kitchens swing open.