MUDSNAKE
by Flye Autumne
CHAPTER TEN: CIRCLES WITHIN CIRCLES
Maddox McLaggen swaggered into the Gryffindor common room, and Ron couldn't help but feel a slight pang of jealousy.
It just wasn't fair.
Maddox got all of the glory, and he, Ron, was left by the wayside. He could tell, just tell that something was going on and nobody would tell him what!
Ron slumped back into the squashy arm chair and stared despondently at his Potions homework. He had absolutely no idea how horned slugs affected his potion - and he didn't care either. It wasn't like he was even going to get an 'O' in Potions. Stinkin' Snape always favored his slimy snakes - especially Malfoy and Granger. Not a single Potions class went by without Snape complementing the pair.
Ron glared at his essay. It was so bloody unfair that he could never prove that he, Ron, was just as good as any of his brothers. Or anyone, for that matter.
A soft scratching noise interrupted Ron's thoughts and he looked down to see a small scroll of parchment sitting onto of his essay. Ron frowned. That wasn't there before. He gingerly opened the scroll to reveal Cormac's sloped handwriting.
7:30.
Behind the tapestry of Uric the Oddball on the fourth floor.
Make sure you're not seen.
Ron's heart did an excited tap dance in his chest. Finally!
A small smirk made its way across Ron's face as he attacked his Potions essay with new vigor. He would finally get the attention he deserved.
"Ron?" Harry called out hesitantly. He stepped through the dorm room door. "Ron, are you - oh, hullo, Neville. Have you seen Ron?"
The round faced boy looked up from his book. "No," he said shortly.
Harry bit his lip. Neville couldn't still be mad about last week, could he? The studious way Neville ignored him certainly suggested that he was mad at Harry, but Harry couldn't quite fathom why. Seems like everyone's peeved at me these days, he gloomily reflected. Ron, Neville, Merlin knows who's next.
"Look, Neville, about last week -" Harry started tentatively.
"Forget it, Harry."
"I -"
"I've got to study." Neville's face contorted into a twisted facsimile of a smile. "Not all of us can get by by being the Boy-Who-Lived."
A cold weight dropped into the pit of Harry's stomach.
"You have no bloody idea - my parents -"
"My parents -"
"-are dead - and -"
"-sitting in St. Mungo's -"
"-you have no idea -"
"-don't even know who I am anymore-"
"-how hard it was living with -" Harry stopped dead in his tracks. "Wait, what?"
Neville sniffled slightly. "My parents - they don't even know who I am."
"I - I never knew. I'm so sorry." Harry's problems with the Dursleys suddenly seemed less significant. It seemed...worse...somehow that Neville still had his parents, yet they didn't know who he was.
"S'okay," Neville mumbled.
Harry sat next to him on the bed. "What happened?" he asked softly.
Neville bit his lip. "Don't wanna talk about it."
Harry pulled his - dormmate? friend? - into an awkward one armed hug. "S'all good."
I understand. The words weren't spoken, but they hung in the air between them.
"Look, uh, Harry," Neville finally spoke up. "I - I mean - about the other day - I - mates?" he finished awkwardly.
Harry smiled. "Sure, Neville. Mates."
"Welcome," Sebastian said smoothly. His smile didn't reach his eyes, but Ron didn't notice.
"Thanks - er, where should I -?"
"Next to Cormac is fine."
Ron nervously sat down. This was his one big chance, and he didn't want to mess it up.
"Now that everyone is present, we can call the meeting to order. Maddox - I believe you have something to tell us?"
The older McLaggen smirked. "Of course I do, Bast. I'm sure you all recall the illustrious exploits of our very own Ron Weasley-" Ron blushed "- with a certain slimy Slytherin. The other day, I'm proud to say, I encounter the same...individual." Maddox paused, and Ron waited with baited breath. "Let's just say she didn't have the most...pleasant of afternoons."
"What'd you do to her?" Cormac asked.
Maddox idly inspected his fingernails. "I didn't do anything, naturally. She had the audacity to ram into me. It was truly a pity that all her belongings spilled, and it couldn't be helped that her ink bottle just happened to roll underneath my shoe." He smirked. "I certainly didn't mean to crush it. It was just...serendipitous." He shrugged elegantly. "Enough of this talk about me - I believe we need to make plans regarding a certain sneakin' Slytherin. Bast?"
Sebastian's smile was cold. "Certainly. We need to teach Slytherin a lesson. They think they're so ambitious and so cunning with their seven year monopoly on the Quidditch and House Cups. We'll show them that they couldn't be more wrong. Both of those Cups rightfully belong to Gryffindor. Slytherin lied and cheated their way to the top. We're going to put a stop to it. We're going to show them that Gryffindor is the real champion. Those slimy snakes will have no idea what hit them - this is what we're going to do -"
Ron shifted uncomfortably. Sure, everything Sebastian was saying about Gryffindors being winners sounded great to him, but some of the stuff in the plan - it just didn't sit well with Ron. He just didn't see why they had to go to such lengths - what would Mum think if she found out - wouldn't it just be enough for them to win the Quidditch Cup? After all, Harry was obviously the best Seeker in the school.
Harry.
Ron felt as if a giant rock had dropped into his stomach. I've been a bit of a prat lately - completely ignoring Harry and the like. I should -
"Ron, are you even paying attention?" Sebastian sounded more than a bit peeved.
"Er, yes - just thinking about the look on the Slytherins' faces when we take the Quidditch Cup right from under their noses," Ron quickly fibbed.
"Focus, Weasley, this is important. We don't want this to be traced back to us. This is why -" he said with a flourish "- I brought these."
Ron stared in confusion. Are those...masks? And robes?
"My comrades," Sebastian said dramatically. "We will be - pardon my pun - masquerading as Slytherins."
There was a long pause as everyone processed the information.
"Cor, Bast. That's bloody brilliant!" Maddox exclaimed.
"I know. With any luck, everyone will assume that the Slytherins attacked one of their own - unsurprising, of course, given the individual in question - and they will be punished accordingly while we will get off scot free."
"Naturally," Maddox smirked.
"Alright. Is everyone clear on the timing? The plan?" There were nods of agreement. "Excellent. Remember, do not be seen, and if one of you breathes a word to anyone about this -" Sebastian drew his finger across his throat "- understood? Perfect."
Ron gulped.
"For Gryffindor!" Sebastian cheered.
"For Gryffindor!"
A/N: And we're getting closer to the end! We have about 3-5 chapters left (as long as my characters don't suddenly make plans). I love reading all of your reviews, so feel free to click that magical little button and let me know what you think! I have a couple ideas bouncing around in my head for what I should write next, but if you have any ideas I'd love to hear them!