Hello, lovelies! I have another update for you - this one is interesting. I got a lot of positive response for the last chapter so I'm excited to see what you think about chapter, which was edited by the fantastic Angel of the Night Watchers.
Enjoy!
Chapter 37 – Just Like James
When all was said and done, I did not feel an ounce of regret while I watched Daphne walk the girls to the hospital wing – well, I guess technically Alya had to be levitated – but I could still not make myself feel any form of remorse. Apparently whoever feared rats most had been imaginative enough to fear that they would also have very sharp teeth and would therefore be able to bite more easily through flesh than real rats were able, so it had left need for Madame Pomfrey's care.
"You know I never condone you using that mind of yours to hurt people," Theodore began in his usual berating tone as he walked me down to dinner. "But good on you."
"Er – what?" I repeated with raised eyebrows.
"I don't condone what you did," he said seriously, just to make the point perfectly clear. "I think that it was over the top and bordering psychological torture, but I do think it's good you fought back after what Alya did to you. It wasn't right, even if the two of you weren't as close as say you and Lillian or you and Tracey."
"Thank you, Theodore," I let out a surprised and breathy smile. It was nice to have him on my side, even if he didn't really approve of my dramatic methods. "This has been a good day, hasn't it? You became Slytherin Keeper, I got revenge, and we even got to see the little gits squirm."
"Never tell anyone in our house that I initiated this," Theodore began with a sigh. "But I really think that you should go talk to some of the Gryffindors about today."
"Wait, what?" I scoffed loudly. "What's wrong with you today? Are you just throwing all of your ethics aside for my benefit? I mean, first of all, I don't really understand why anyone other than Fred and George would like to know about it. Second, why should either of us ever care what the rest of the house thinks? I'm already kin to a leper in their eyes."
"I may or may not have been referring to Malfoy, when I said that, Audrey."
"Alright, fine, then more importantly why the hell do we care what Malfoy thinks?" I corrected with a frown, watching him carefully after my pointed eye roll. "I know you and he are all Purebred-buddies, but I do not understand how you don't find him repulsive for the way he treats me."
"He's been treating you wonderfully this year, Audrey," he reminded. I let out a guffaw that he rolled his eyes on. Apparently he thought I was about to be dramatic – quite the opposite. I was under-dramatizing how much of an arse the boy was!
"Sure, if you include protecting me from Alya and others like her, but he's still been a git. I don't see why we should consider him when we make decisions like whether or not I should go speak to my own twin brother." I narrowed my eyes, watching Theodore heave a sigh and rub his hands on his trousers – his universally-recognized sign that he was anxious.
"He's been really on guard since those newspaper articles, Audrey," he reminded. "Cut him some slack, will you? He's trying to make this as painful as possible with the Prophet always snooping around and your...well..."
I stopped walking, we were near the Great Hall but I did not want whatever he was about to say to be heard by the masses. Something told me I would not enjoy what he was about to tell me. "My what?"
"Well, er – I mean, it's pretty much common knowledge that you aren't...quite yourself after what happened last June. It's not a bad thing," he added nervously, he must have seen the way I looked like I had been punched in the gut – or possibly he noticed that my fists were clenching angrily. One or the other, I'm sure. "It's just...we all want to make sure that you're comfortable and that – er – that you don't get hurt anymore. Malfoy's been doing a load to keep outsiders off your back, but as for the people in the castle...well, Alya's a good example, isn't she?"
"So really people are helping me not because they like me," I mused, looking in the direction of the Great Hall with narrowed eyes. "But because they pity that I lost Cedric?"
It was painful saying his name, but I needed to say it to prove that I could. If people were really as perceptive as Theo had said, people had noticed that I stuttered at his name and wheezed it out as if it took all the breath out of me. I would have to start getting over these things by small feats at a time if I ever planned for things to get back to normal.
"It's not pity," he argued but I shook my head.
"Then what is it, sympathy? Empathy? Condolences? Because those, my dear Theodore, are just Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw terms for weakness."
I can't believe that I was quoting Dumbass Malfoy. He had said these things to me once, he had said these things when I had found out about my relations to Sirius Black, and yet I couldn't stop myself from repeating them. It's exactly what this was – people thinking I'm weak and therefore treating me as if I am weak. And I've never been weak in my life. I'm the strong one, I'm the one who saves my brother as he saves the day and I'm the one who lives without the credit.
I'm the strong one, so why am I considered the weak one after last June? It had to be pity, no one else would give a shite why I was or was not acting the way I was otherwise. Were they doing it particularly because Cedric was beloved by all? Possibly. Or maybe it was because I was Harry Potter's twin. Still, pity wasn't meant to give to weak people; pity was meant to keep you weak in people's eyes.
Pity: the silent killer.
"We're not thinking you're weak, Audrey, we're worried because you're being too strong sometimes," Theodore argued, placing his hands on my shoulders to draw my attention back to him. He squared his jaw before continuing, I don't know what it is in my eyes that he thought gave him the right to continue on. "In the past three months you lost Cedric, saw You-Know-Who, got a target on your head, fought off dementors this summer and had gits for dorm mates...how much more can you realistically take? You'd be nutters if you hadn't already figured out that you've gone through too much too fast."
"Your pity is sweet, Theo," I said honestly, or at least as honestly as I could considering the idea of pity was now akin to some form of acid. "But I think I'll go for Empathy and sit with my brother tonight."
I know that I shouldn't have cut Theodore off like that and walked away, but I didn't like how right he may or may not have been. I think the worst part is that I couldn't tell whether or not he was. And I know I shouldn't have cut him off specifically because it felt like – besides the companionship Lillian and Tracey offered during and between classes – Theodore was the only friend who would be there for me whenever I needed. But right now he was right, I couldn't take much more of what I'd gone through these past three months...and the only one who would really understand, the only one who could truly relate, was sitting under the gold and red banner at the other side of the Great Hall.
"Oi, Potter!" I rolled my eyes.
"Is that how everyone needs to address me, all the time?" I asked, turning slightly to look over at the group of redheads at the Gryffindor table. It seemed like all four of the Weasleys had decided to stick together for dinner today, but then again it helped that they were all in their Quidditch robes.
"Why do you look so nice?" Fred asked, his face screwing up in a mixture of bewilderment and resentment. It was almost as if he didn't like the makeover I had forgotten I'd given myself earlier this afternoon.
"You always think she looks nice," George pointed out loudly, making Fred frown at him.
"This is true, but not for tonight's dinner entertainment." A good point, but I was still lost in whatever way he was looking at me. I couldn't understand what the look boiled down to...and that bothered me. I was usually acutely aware of what everyone around me was thinking through expressions and interaction. I lived my life by the rules of psychology and inner monologue.
"It's true," Hermione pointed out, leaning in from beside Ginny to frown at me. "You don't usually put so much time into your appearance, Audrey, why is today so different?"
"It was for the benefit of my pride," I said vaguely, trying to keep the smile off my face. I was unsuccessful. "It made for a good day."
"Well, it must have been a right sight better than ours, then." Ron sighed, stabbing his fork into his chicken before bringing it up to his mouth. Something terrible had obviously happened because we were at dinner and Ron Weasley still had room in his mouth to make a coherent sentence – this was a rarity.
I glanced at their Quidditch robes again. "Did you have tryouts today as well?"
"Yeah, right before yours," Ron frowned. Another stab to the poor, already mutilated chicken. "Thank your house for being there, by the way, it was nice hearing about how awful I am as keeper."
"You're keeper? Congrats, you'll be playing against Nott." I raised my eyebrows, my eyes flickering to my brother and the twins. "I guess I can't tell you the outcome of the games anymore, can I, boys?"
"Not that you really help us out with much anymore," Harry mumbled, turning from his plate to look at me for the first time since I'd arrived. Well, I guess it was clear that he still felt some animosity that lingered from our performance in Umbridge's class and the detention thereafter.
"Oh, don't be so rude," I sneered at him. "I'm your sister, not your enemy."
"My twin sister," he reminded me with narrowed eyes. "My little sister. That means you should always be on my side, like I'm always on yours."
"Right," I scoffed, unable to stop myself from arguing. "You seem to forget that you're never on my side. What about that time when I argued that Snape wasn't trying to steal the stone – or the time everyone was calling me the heir of Slytherin – or the time I dated Finnegan-" Seamus looked up from the table a few seats down. I shot him my favourite fingers. "And as for the time I tried to convince you Black was not the enemy? Or you must certainly remember the time you didn't tell me about the dragons."
"That wasn't what it looked like!"
"It was exactly what it looked like," I argued, my frown deepening while I moved to sit across from him. I wedged myself between the twins, who smiled and nudged me appreciatively. "I am always on your side, it just doesn't help that you make our side the side that always loses. Besides, you should be proud of me."
"Proud of you?" Harry repeated dully, before his eyes rolled in realization. "What'd you do this time?"
"Such little faith, brother! I gave some of your transgressors detention today," I looked to both the twins beside me as innocently as I could manage. "Among other punishments that Hermione here wouldn't approve of."
"Oh, Audrey," Granger sighed right on cue. "What did you do?"
"Why do you and Theodore sound like the same broken record?" I pouted, looking over at the twins. "I'm not quite so predictable, am I?"
"Possibly it's because you've always done something or other to disrupt the peace," Ron snorted into his food. He seemed in a good enough mood that half of his words were distorted. He was eating again – I guess I could rule out depression.
"I resent that," I replied snootily, fixing my voice to sound like Daphne's. "I happen to be a very well mannered young lady when I want to be."
"But honestly, Audrey-"
"-what did you do?" Fred finished for his brother. Both of them had raised eyebrows and knowing smiles – I had no choice but to return it. It was infectious, particularly as the scene played against the forefront of my memory again.
"You boys know me so well!" I laughed, leaning forward so that it would seem more like we were conspiring. Which, in a way, I guess we were. "You see, after a devastating bought of humiliation in the Slytherin dorms I needed to get revenge on a certain bunk-mate who has sided with none other than Pugface herself."
"No!" Ginny's tone seemed as if it was joking, but she was still leaned forward to listen to me fully. Most people were. I nodded animatedly, excited that people were listening to me for once.
"I know, devastating, I tell you. So, to get revenge on her I may or may not have done myself up to look as nice as I could and made my way down to the Quidditch pitch for the tryouts so that I could set my plan into action – if you know what I'm saying."
"We don't," Granger frowned at me, her voice was accusing enough as it was. She knew that whatever it was I had done would be strictly her against morals, but even she seemed to be unable to hold back her curiosity.
"Well, I went and said that I had a new beauty potion in a jar labeled in my trunk. I just happened to say it near the perpetrators of my previous torture and they-"
"No!" Harry said loudly as he clued into what I was saying. "Audrey, you didn't!"
"I did," I laughed, not even able to hold back a smile of wrath. "I may or may not have let Parkinson, Bulstrode, and Rivers open up my jar of boggart – which apparently unleashed itself in the form of a hundred rats with very sharp teeth."
The Weasleys all burst into laughter. Harry shook his head at me. Hermione, not surprisingly, look scandalized.
"Audrey, you are a prefect!" She hissed at me. I shrugged my shoulders.
"I'm also a temperamental woman," I argued back, hitting my hands against the table for emphasis. "I blame it on hormones."
"You can't do that," she argued with narrowed eyes.
"Oh, no, I can," I nodded factually. "It's my time of the month."
"Is it really?" Ron – who was now completely blanched and looking about ready to vomit – groaned out. I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Either way, would you really ask me to prove it?"Each of the boys shook their heads very quickly. I guess that area of the conversation was closed, then.
"You have a responsibility as prefect to behave and punish accordingly-" Hermione began, but I didn't really want to take the time to listen to what I'm sure was a fantastically practiced lecture dedicated to me.
"Oh, I gave them each detention as well," I smiled at them. The boys, now distracted from the conversation about my womanly habits, were amused again. Hermione groaned. "The detention was for rifling through my personal belongings."
"Well done, mate!" The twins roared, wrapping their arms around me in something between a sandwich and a hug. It was uncomfortable and squished, but it was nice to feel like people agreed with what I had done to defend myself. I wonder if Harry and Hermione would feel the same annoyance if they knew all the torment that had been done to me in my own dorm. I laughed a little harder.
"Yes, I thought you may enjoy that."
"A hundred rats, eh?" George laughed, pulling away so that he could speak to me properly. Fred eventually did the same. "How'd they react?"
"There was a lot of screaming and fainting...it was as if she'd swallowed one of your fainting fancies whole!" the twins burst into laughter again and I couldn't help sending Granger the self-satisfied smile that I couldn't rip from my lips. Someone appreciated what I'd done. Someone appreciated me.
George even took the time to wipe a tear from his eye. "Our ickle Awdwey is all grown up and devastating the world without us!"
"Whatever will we do with our time now that she can do things on her own?" Fred asked seriously.
"Perish the thought!" I added dramatically. "I still plan to be involved in all your plots."
"All of ours?" George frowned. "We're concerned about all of yours!"
"Oh, stop worrying, George," I told him seriously, leaning toward him so that he could hear when I whispered. "Next time you'll be involved."
"And me?" Fred pretended to pout, tapping me on the shoulder. I could not believe how comfortable I was with these boys touching me, considering when most others did I felt immediately repulsed. I was getting better with human interaction, at least, even if my temper was overcharged. I rolled my eyes.
"You two are pretty much a package deal," I informed them with a smirk.
"That's not true-" Fred began with a mock sense of hurt.
"-we are individuals-"
"-and quite different-"
"-don't let the fact we finish each other's sentences fool you-" George added with a side-glance towards his brother.
"-it's all a ploy." Fred nodded.
"You're right," I sighed, looking between the boys before my gaze fell tauntingly onto Fred. "I like George better."
As he pretended to hold his hand to his heart, my brother's hand came to rest on my shoulder. I shrank away. Alright, maybe I wasn't doing the best I could have with human interaction – or maybe it was because when my brother put his hand on me like this I knew that I was in for some sort of lecture or attempt at a life-lesson he still had yet to master himself.
I looked back to Harry with a frown, still not sure how to act considering I could not tell whether or not he was still upset with me. He was always so judgemental – it was probably the reason we had ended up in such different places. I judged what I knew – Harry judged what he saw.
"You need to eat," he told me firmly. My eyes flitted to the food on the table in front of me. Had I eaten breakfast? I couldn't remember. I don't think I'd eaten dinner the night before...
"I'm fine," I frowned back to him, pulling my shoulder out of his grasp.
"Eat," the twins agreed synonymously, suddenly all the humour was lost on their faces. It was sad to see – I felt like with one sentence my brother had ripped away everything I'd tried to do since I'd sat at the table.
"Or we'll feed you something else-" Fred began warningly when he saw I hadn't moved.
"-something we've cooked up-"
"-you aren't afraid of canaries, are you?" Fred finished. I forced out a laugh.
"You won't get your canary creams past me!" I smiled, but decided to backtrack just in case. "But please don't try. I'd like what little food I do ingest to stay in my stomach and nourish me."
"Then eat fast," George winked, holding a spoon with some sort of soup in it. I rolled my eyes at him.
"You know, I am perfectly capable of feeding myself."
"But you haven't been," Harry replied simply, I gave him a glare that could have melted glaciers. I did not need him bringing things like this up in front of a group of people. Theodore was wiser, at least, but my brother? Apparently he had no brain.
Not that I didn't already know that.
"Says who?" I challenged.
"Says your prominent collarbones," Hermione interrupted the two of us before we could start a real argument. "Audrey, do you know what happens if you deny yourself of food? Your body will start to break itself down so it can keep itself running..." she leaned forward. "And if you've been doing any Magnuse lately, you've been using all your energy and food stores up."
"Don't worry about that," I sighed, looking down to my hands and flexing them. "Honestly, I haven't been able to do much of anything. As much as I hate to admit it, I kind of like Umbridge's class-"
"Evil!" George moved away from me on the bench at the same time Fred moved away from me and shouted, "brainwashed!"
"No, it's a nice break!" I recovered with a frown. "Between my Magnuse being less than satisfactory and my wandwork being...less than less of satisfactory, being able to just sit and be mindless is almost a blessing."
"You should never admit to liking anything that vile woman does. Harry, have you-" Granger's eyes flickered down to my brother's hand, still red-raw from the bloodied quill.
"Oh, I know," I said quickly, not bothering with placating the conversation. "And I'm already working on it."
"Working on it?" Harry repeated, measuring me up slowly. I could only imagine what went through his mind – did he suspect what I was trying to do? Did he suspect that I was going to play spy for his cause? "Audrey, I don't want anyone to know and I don't want to give her the satisfaction of-"
"Yes, I knew you'd say that," clearly my brother suspected nothing. "Which is why I'm dealing with it in my own way."
"Your own way?"
"I swear that everyone has become a broken record," I hissed to Hermione, who had again repeated what I had already said. She kindly rolled her eyes.
"You know, you ought to have more faith in me. Have I ever let you down?"
"Constantly," Hermione stated, more factually than cruelly. I don't know if Hermione had the capacity to be cruel...stupid Gryffindors. "Your prefect status will be stri-"
"Well, you've never let us down!" Fred interrupted, grabbing my attention with a large smile and a poke to my side.
"And if you have a plan to take down Umbridge-" George continued with a wink.
"-count us in."
I took a moment to smile at the two boys – both of which were so loyal even to someone like me who was loyal to virtually no one else. It was...flattering, to say the least, that people could trust me enough to believe I'd trust them.
Surprisingly, it made me want to be loyal, too.
Ugh, I'm becoming sentimental like the rest of them.
"This is sadly more subtle work than your repertoire, gentlemen," I sighed dramatically, my eyes finding the pink clothed toad at the front of the hall. She was watching us, a small smile on her face. When she saw me looking she gave me a curt nod – I forced a smile, trying against all odds to have the wench like me. I didn't take my eyes off of her as I continued speaking to the twins. "But if I ever need assistance, I'll be sure to let you know."
"Subtle?" Harry asked again, his eyes having found that I was also looking at Umbridge. He did not sound pleased.
"Well," I broke Umbridge's gaze and leaned backward slightly, forcing my body language to read uncomfortable for the spying toad at the front of the room. I didn't want her to think I was too comfortable sitting over here with my friends – even if it was the biggest lie of all. "There's never work as fantastic as ripping things from the inside out. Like eating stuffing at Christmas."
"Audrey, no!" Hermione cried immediately. I should have known she would catch on more quickly than the others.
"Oh, stop it," I sneered at her, trying to keep my tone as lighthearted as I could – still, it came out bitterly. "Saying my name won't make me listen to you and you have no idea what I'm plotting. She's not getting away with what she did to my brother and I'm the only one she'll give the light of day to considering you guys all keep spouting out news of Voldemort's return as if you're a cherub fountain."
Fred and George high-fived me while the others were slow on the uptake. They began repeating their talk about being in on my plans and all the things they could do to help – canary creams and puking pastels were among their ideas. They hadn't delved far into their genius before someone cleared their throat and made the group of us look back over my shoulder.
I should not have been surprised to see that Malfoy was there. I was not at all surprised that he did not look pleased.
"We have patrol."
"After dinner," I argued him factually as I gestured around to my friends around me. "Can you not see that dinner is still continuing with or without your presence?"
"Well, we'd be allowed the luxury of dinner were it not for your display in the common room," he argued back with a pointed look toward the Weasleys I was sat between. "Snape is demanding us in his office."
I let out a long groan. "Can't you just say Daphne did it?"
"Everyone knows a scene like that is stamped with the Potter insignia," he drawled with a quick glare toward my brother. "You'll just make it worse for yourself if you're late."
I looked toward Fred hopelessly, but all he could do was shrug. Apparently he wouldn't be getting me out of this sticky situation with any of the brilliant ideas he'd had in accordance to Umbridge. I pouted for a moment before groaning again and hauling myself out of my seat.
"The things I do for my sterling reputation," I mumbled to them all. "Learn from my mistakes, friends."
"I just hope your prefect badge isn't stripped from you for that little stunt," Granger frowned while crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm sure that the professors won't be impressed. What you did was unethical and wrong."
Malfoy, who had turned around to lead me away already, turned back on his heel with a coolness to his glare that was reserved only for Hogwart's golden trio. It seemed to freeze her in her seat, even if her returning glare was defiant. I couldn't help raising my eyebrows and giving a side glance to Ron who was trying hard to swallow his overstuffed mouthful of food.
"Not that it's any of your concern, mudblood," my patrol partner interrupted with a hiss, "but Rivers had it coming. And not that you would care, Potter," his glare turned toward my brother once again. "But perhaps you should try to stop people from calling your sister a slag in the corridors – or on her own bed."
I widened my eyes, looking at Malfoy hopelessly for a moment before Harry made a strangled sound as if he were trying to find something to say, even though nothing was coming. Fred, always ahead of the race, let out a sound of indignation.
"She didn't," Fred hissed to me, sounding closer to a question. His normally dimpled smile was replaced by a red and completely appalled expression.
"She had it coming," I echoed Malfoy dully, turning my gaze toward him from the corner of my eye. Malfoy refused to look at me – it made me even more confused...was he not going to take credit for ruining my evening? Did he understand that he was telling the most overprotective nitwits in my life that I needed more looking after?
"And River's isn't the worst of them," Malfoy's eyes, finally, turned toward mine. They were a tumult of ice and understanding – an understanding that didn't make sense to me. I don't know if he had meant to say that for the others to hear, but it was quite clear by Fred's reaction that they had.
"Then who is?"
I didn't answer him and nor did Malfoy, but still I knew exactly who Malfoy had been talking about. So, perhaps Malfoy wasn't as obtuse as I had thought he was – apparently he knew just how dangerous Montague's stewing anger was becoming.
The question is: what did he care?
Had Theodore been right – had he really changed because of whatever articles had been released in the Prophet? What the bloody hell had happened to make Malfoy turn into something somewhat humane?
"I'm more than happy to leave you here to rot, Potter," Malfoy's voice was louder now, meant to be heard by everyone and a signal that our previous conversation – and a sign that the moment of bitter and horrified understanding between the two of us – had ended. "But I will not be getting detention from Snape because of another of your many muck-ups."
And he's back.
"Let's go, then," I sighed wearily, looking back over my shoulder to see Fred and George's heads pushed together darkly while Harry, Ron, and Hermione were left looking shell shocked. Well, maybe some good could still come out of Malfoy's loud-mouth...somehow...
There was really nothing that Malfoy and I found necessary to say while we walked down to Snape's office, considering there had already been too much said during his dinner interruption. I knew that he had been going to extreme measures – at least extreme measures for him – to keep me out of public eye so not to rub the media the wrong way. You know, considering we were deemed a couple by most social circles.
I also knew there had to be some ulterior motive for him to continue doing this – to tell the Gryffindors of what was happening behind closed doors – but I couldn't quite figure out what that ulterior motive could be. And then to warn Fred and Harry like that? To tell them about Alya and hint toward Montague...what in Salazar's name was he thinking? Clearly he was planning to have Montague killed – not that the idea hadn't crossed my mind a few dozen times – but Montague was my nuisance to deal with and I would not have Montague thinking that I've been asking for help against his witless threats.
'He won't always be there to save you' is what he had said on the train, wasn't it? Had Montague meant Nott as I had initially thought – or had he meant Malfoy? Suddenly, the latter didn't seem like that far of a stretch.
I did not knock on professor Snape's door before I entered, considering I was so used to going straight in and because I knew he was already expecting us. As always he was marking behind his desk, his dark eyes looked displeased when they rose to meet mine.
"Sit."
Ah, so it would be a lecture today.
Malfoy and I did as we were told and sat on the two pre-set chairs in front of his desk. Snape took the time to finish the paper he was grading before placing down his quill and sighing. He looked between the two of us carefully for a long moment.
"Would either of you honour me with an explanation on why a boggart was released in the Slytherin dormitories?" I did not feel particularly inclined to answer. "Would either of you like to explain to me why I was told my two newest prefects stood by and laughed at the scene?"
"I didn't laugh, sir," Malfoy mumbled quietly.
"I did," There was no reason to lie here, Snape already knew what I had done and I'm pretty sure the rest of the school would know once the three stooges were discharged from the hospital wing. Snape did not change expressions.
"And why, Miss Potter, did you find the situation comical?"
"It was because I took her there after she was tormented," Malfoy sighed but he had managed to answer quickly enough to interrupt whatever excuse I was going to spout out. I shook my head slightly, side-glancing at Malfoy with furrowed eyebrows.
"Mr Malfoy, I don't see why the situation-" Snape began to confront him and to berate him for his decision to take me to the scene and something terrible began to brew in my gut. Something inconceivable. It almost felt like...like guilt and maybe it even mirrored something along the lines of shame...but certainly there was a better explanation to the dropping and clenching of my insides. Some rational explanation that held no such emotions for the arsehole sitting beside me...such as me wanting to take credit for the work I had put so much time into. Yes, that was it. So, naturally, I took over.
"That's not true, professor. Malfoy did not know what I had in store, and to be honest neither did I." Snape sat farther back in his seat, glaring at me darkly as a sign for me to continue. "I had locked a boggart in a jar after it had attacked me this summer. Some select Slytherin girls decided to rifle through my trunk and came upon it. I am in no fault for them opening the jar."
"And of course you did not facilitate a reason for them to," Snape added doubtfully. It was very difficult not to laugh at the thought: facilitate a reason? I'd created, set up, and encouraged it.
"Whatever reason they had to go into my trunk did not include my permission," I said in the same tone. "They went into my dormitory and went through my things – and this is not their first offence. Parkinson, Bulstrode and Rivers are all lucky I don't go to the headmaster with it. I think that detention and their own misfortune is punishment enough for the time being."
"For the time being," Snape repeated, leaning forward and folding his arms on the desk in front of him. "Am I to assume that this will happen again?"
"Only if they continue to go through my things, sir."
Do not smile, Audrey. You'll get yourself in more trouble...stop smiling...stop it...
"As punishment for your own personal possessions not being allowed within school grounds," Snape said without pausing – the bastard had preplanned my punishment! "You will both receive double patrols."
"But professor-"
"Malfoy had nothing to do with this," I said quickly. I have no clue why I had said it so quickly or why I had said it at all, to be frank, but I guess I owed him enough to try not to get him into trouble. "Double patrols will interfere with his Quidditch practice."
And even though I was not scared of Montague – at all...I wasn't– I knew that I couldn't anger him by taking his seeker away. Particularly after I'd already injured him the night before Quidditch tryouts. Besides, Theodore had just made the team, it didn't seem fair to take the opportunity away from him. Malfoy needed to be at those Quidditch practices; for Theodore's experience and my own self-preservation.
"Then you will be taking triple patrols to make up for the ones he will miss from the punishment," Snape said simply. I looked at Malfoy for a moment, watching as he wore a bemused expression, his eyes flickering from Snape to myself as if he no longer understood English. I looked at him again, his eyes clashing on mine – still cold but somehow not as steeled. I wonder if confusion was the way to make him more human?
No, because he had not been confused when he warned my brother of Montague at dinner. And he had not been confused when he had tried to hide me from all the things being said about me. And he had not been confused when he had intervened Montague's threats on the train.
No, I owed Malfoy because of the lack of steel in his eyes. He was helping me – some part of him, some part of him behind those icy eyes was still somewhat decent. And I owed him for protecting me from my own indecencies.
"Yes, sir, I'll take his patrols."
"Very well," Snape said slowly, looking carefully between the two of us. There was something worn in his expression that I couldn't quite figure out, but it looked almost suspicious. Possibly suspicious and anxious? No, closer to suspicious and resigned. "You will do patrol alone tonight, Potter, for four hours. You will also have to patrol four hours every night for three weeks – including weekends. Mr Malfoy will join you at your regularly appointed times."
"Yes, sir," I mumbled.
"You're excused." Considering the circumstance I didn't feel the need to thank him so Malfoy and I continued out of the office without a sound until Snape spoke again. "And Miss Potter?"
"Am I to assume I'll be grading first year papers?" I sighed, spinning around to look back at the figure leaning over his desk. He nearly smirked at me.
"Next time you come up with some bumbling, idiotic form of personally-supplied punishment – do not follow through."
"But they're always so clever," I frowned sarcastically. Snape shook his head.
"On any of them," he finished lowly. There, deep in the tone of his voice, was something so final that I was surprised by how much I wished I could listen to it.
Of course I wouldn't. But still, he looked at me strongly and there was almost a horrible moment when I thought that he had rooted through my thoughts and knew about my will-probably-fail plan to infiltrate and ruin all of Umbridge's plans...but that couldn't be possible, could it?
No, I wasn't ill – I wasn't in pain – and my head didn't ache. He had not gone through my mind today. I think.
I didn't say anything more to him while I turned around to walk out of his office again. I was not stopped this time, even while Malfoy looked at me strangely. He continued to look at me just as strangely until we came to the first intersecting corridor.
"Why did you take the punishment onto yourself?" He asked me, looking quite serious when he stopped in front of me so that he could gauge my expression. "You have to do 84 hours of patrol in the next three weeks!"
"Ugh, that is a lot," I retched, looking at the portraits next to me who had all stopped their conversations to listen in to the newest student gossip. I sent them a bit of a hiss that sent a few of the closer ones scattering into other frames.
"The question still stands."
"Well, why did you try to get the Gryffindors off my back?" I prodded in return, trying to prove my point with as little explanation as possible. But to be honest, I don't know if I could fully explain it to myself, nevertheless to him. It was like an instinct that told me I owed him this...and an instinct that warned me what would happen if I didn't pay my debt. Still, I did not like being questioned. "Actually, more importantly, why have you been keeping me away from all the people thinking ill of me? Is it really for your reputation?"
"You don't know anything, do you Potter?" Malfoy sneered, curling back his shoulders so he was no longer stooping and continuing to walk forward. I followed him – I had nothing else to do for the next four hours of patrol. "I'm not doing that for you."
"Then why is it me you've been taking the time to protect?" I snorted. He did not respond, but continued walking. So I did the same. "I don't need protection you know, I'm twice the witch of any of the bints that have been trying to harass me."
"Good, I'm glad I'll be able to stop," he sounded like the arrogant and snooty bastard again. It was both a relief and a cause for frustration. At least this Malfoy I knew how to deal with and it didn't spawn guilt that would curl in my gut as it had in Snape's office. "But know that it wasn't for you."
"Then we're even," I frowned back to him, shuffling forward a little faster so that I could walk in front of him, walking backward so that we could continue speaking face to face. "I think I'd even say thank you were your methods not so two-sided."
"And I might have even said thank you were you not so annoying," he fired back before turning down the hallway that had crossed the one we'd walked down. I watched him leave, walking down the hallway, people in portraits whispering and trailing him until he rounded the corner and disappeared from sight. When he was gone and I was alone again, I let out a laugh. A genuine, ridiculous laugh.
We Slytherins had the strangest ways of saying thank you.
"What you did to those girls wasn't wise tonight, Audrey," Daphne sighed as she came out of the bathroom. She watched me inspecting the charmed glass jar on the ground that had once held the boggart while she towel dried her hair. I was exhausted, considering I had walked the halls for four hours – and given out double that in detentions. The Hogwarts detention rooms would be crowded with people for the next three weeks if this mood did not let up. To make matters worse I had only just finished a quarter of the homework I'd gotten for the week as well. I hadn't really considered how much those extra patrols would weigh on my time for school work.
"No, what wasn't the wisest thing to do was leaving my trunk wide open after talking about my new beauty regimen..." I smirked to myself, throwing the jar into the air and catching it again. "It's not my fault that they're petty thieves, Greengrass."
"No, of course not. But...well, don't get angry with me alright?" She asked carefully. I rolled my eyes at her, trying to make it clear that broom had flown ages ago. "I mean, you don't have many friends right now, should you really be starting war with the ones you could still get back?"
"Greengrass," I said with a frown. "I don't want those bints back."
"But Alya-"
"Rivers betrayed me," I finished for her, narrowing my eyes at the glass. "And I don't like when people air my dirty laundry – or lack thereof – to the public. I don't take back people like that. Ever."
The sentiment of that sentence was not lost on Daphne – you know, the fact that I was also referring to her. She nodded to herself a bit before opening her mouth to speak again, but we were interrupted by a quiet whisper of my name.
It was quiet, almost completely inaudible from where I sat, but it was obvious that it had been real, considering Daphne was also looking for its source. I turned my head around, but Tracey and Lillian seemed to still be in the common room. I looked to Daphne to see if she had found the source, but instead she had turned her gaze to me – a shell-shocked look on her face.
"Er – I'm going to...er, go..." she stuttered, moving to leave before she stopped at the door to our room and turned back around. "Just remember not to be too judgmental, Audrey. You forget, but not everyone's all good or all bad...you have family members that prove that."
And she left.
I scoffed at her, muttering to myself about how she was a hypocrite for even coming close to calling me judgmental. As I continued my muttering I heard a sigh from somewhere to my right.
"She's right, you know."
The voice was so familiar that I felt my eyes widening.
"Sirius?"
"The mirror," he whispered back. I vaulted over my bed, leaving Circe to hiss at me when I almost toppled her over. I had to scoot a little bit forward at the end so that I could see the mirror between Daphne and my bedding where Sirius' reflection stood, just like he had the year before, ready to speak to me. "When you met me, you didn't think I was all bad even when everyone said different."
"That's different, you aren't all bad," I pointed out with a smile I couldn't help containing. "Daphne and Alya obviously are."
"Which is why you were friends with them in the first place?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. I sighed wearily.
"Don't ruin your visit with this kind of talk," I said simply, trying to ignore the feeling of guilt that settled in my stomach when I thought about Greengrass knowing I was talking to my godfather. She had never been okay with the idea of me having an escaped convict for family; she really must be trying to get in my good graces if she didn't feel the need to rat me out and left – with wet hair, no less – so that I could speak to him . "I've mourned the lack of decent company."
"It seems you've been throwing away some of that decent company," he taunted.
"You couldn't have come here to give me a lesson on morals, Sirius," I rolled my eyes emphatically. "What's got you running around the dormitory mirrors?"
"I just had a visit with your brother," he said with a dark note to his voice. I raised my eyebrows interestedly. The tone did not indicate that he had been pleased with it and he didn't usually come to visit me – nevertheless on whim such as now.
"Sounds like it wasn't satisfactory."
"He told me that I shouldn't be coming to visit him in Hogsmeade," he crossed his arms over his chest. I had to fight back a laugh considering how much of a child he sounded, but I still took a moment to think about what had been said. Him visiting in Hogsmeade with everything that had happened – as much as I hated to admit it, my brother had a point.
"That's probably because you shouldn't," I informed with a shrug. He looked instantly and insanely insulted.
"So, you're on that too?"
"Hey, now," I frowned, holding up my hands defensively. "I said you 'shouldn't', I know very well that you plan to anyway. And I don't really mind as long as you play it safe. But I don't think that coming round as a dog will work anymore, Malfoy recognized you."
"That's what Harry thinks," Sirius frowned.
"Well, I know for a fact." I argued. "Lucius must have recognized you and I don't really want to take stupid risks like that. And to make it worse I know Montague did, as well. I've gotten enough threats that contain the word 'dog' referring you. If you can find another way around the fact you're a convict on the run whose main disguise is now completely recognizable, I have no qualms with you coming to visit. Oh, also on the rule that you don't do anything stupid."
"Speaking of doing something stupid," Sirius raised an eyebrow, obviously diverting attention from the serious subjects. "What were you and Daphne talking about earlier?"
The thought of earlier this afternoon spread a smile across my face. "I may or may not have released that jarred boggart on my enemies...now before you lecture me, it was completely deserved and I technically did nothing wrong other than mislabel one of my jars and talk about said mislabelled jar very loudly in a public setting."
"Lecture you? I'm impressed," Sirius smiled, looking to the side as if to check and make sure he would not be overheard. "You're just like James, sometimes."
It was a strange sensation that washed through me. Normally when someone was saying that I was like my father, it was Snape and it was meant as the ultimate insult. But right now, coming from Sirius who was known to idolize my father, it was one of the most heart-felt compliments I could receive. And as my chest warmed from the idea that Sirius saw me like he saw my parents, my stomach dropped when I realized that it was what Snape always warned me against – becoming arrogant, becoming rude, becoming just like James...
"Well, they deserved it," I cleared my throat. "Things have been very strange here at Hogwarts, Sirius. This woman Umbridge – she was the woman in my vision."
"I know," Sirius sighed. "I need you to play things safe this year, Audrey. Things are not going well for the Order."
"I have no doubts," I sighed. "And it's not me you should warn to play it safe – talk to your godson. The Prophet has only been continuing to go on an Anti-Dumbledore spree and after what happened with Sturgis Podmore..."
"Yes, the papers are having quite the field day with that," Sirius mumbled to himself. "You need to stay out of the spotlight."
"But it loves me so much," I said sarcastically, rolling the empty boggart-jar in my hands. "Have you heard more on Sturgis?"
"Not really any more than the Prophet is saying, for once they're being honest about something: and that's his sentence in Azkaban."
"Sirius, I need you to be honest with me..." I frowned before taking the time to look over my shoulder as he had, just to make sure no one was listening in on what I had to say. Because for all I know, this answer was possibly more dangerous than having an escaped convict appearing to me through my dormitory mirror. "Was he at the Ministry because of something to do with my visions?"
"Audrey," Sirius said after a long wait. "This is Order business that you don't need to worry about right now. You need to focus on your studies and on staying afloat with that woman in the school. Something terrible is going to happen, I can feel it."
"So can I," I admitted lamely, placing the jar in my lap so I could fold my hands nervously. "But I don't know how to stop it."
"I've heard differently," Sirius said slowly, twiddling his wand between his fingers casually. "Sources say that you're on Umbridge's good side."
"And who are these sources?" I narrowed my eyes.
"No matter, is it true?"
"It is, somehow," I added in confusion. "She likes me for some reason. I guess she believes the rubbish the Prophet is saying about me being a hero or something. I just wish I could get my hands on the old newspapers to see what was written about me. I want to play it up, I want to get right down in there and make sure that she can't do anything to anyone like she will do to me – calling me a traitor. If I'm a traitor it at least means that I was doing some good for someone else that isn't a right awful toad."
"Audrey, that kind of thinking is what will get you into trouble."
"I am trouble," I argued, throwing my hands out as if to frame me. "And if this little bit of trouble can make a difference and keep me meddling about and ruining things, I don't really see what the problem is. It will be like any normal day, only all the plotting will be majorly pre-emptive. I am destruction, Sirius, and I like it."
"Just be careful," Sirius sighed, knowing he was fighting a losing battle. He was a wise man. "I'll write when I know more about why Umbridge is so warm to you. I'll do some research. Nothing else to do here."
"At least you don't have four hour patrols every night as punishment for knowingly bringing a boggart onto school grounds," I sighed, leaning back on my bed. "But if you find anything, let me know."
"Will do," Sirius looked over his shoulder again. "Stay safe."
And with a flash of the mirror, Sirius was gone.
So, not as long but a lot happened this chapter: some Gryffindor visits, Malfoy confrontation, both Malfoy and Audrey said "thank you" (no matter how twisted it was, there were Snape visits AND Sirius visits. Hopefully you enjoyed all that! To the fantastic reviewers of the last chapter...
Rainy2000: I actually did a lot of character development before I released this story because I specifically wanted Audrey to have a Slytherin persona. I think if she were very sacrificial and (for lack of better word) nice, she would be like every other Potter-twin character. Did you think that her behaviour with Malfoy and Snape was still Slytherin-y? And that is exactly what I didn't want. I will definitely pass off the birthday message to last week's birthday girl - thank you for your review, as always!
DiamondOfNight: I'm glad you liked the last chapter, hopefully this chapter was just as interesting. I feel like there may be some strain not because of the spying - but because of who the spying brings her closer to. But that's just an assumption. My fingers have yet to bring about that reaction. Do you feel any closer to Daphne after what she did in this chapter? I won't say why or if it will work, but I can guarantee that Daphne will continue to try and prove herself. I think people will be pleasantly surprised with how. I also want to try getting faster updates out again but November is a very tough month for me - but I promise at least one a week! I'll be trying for two, though :)
Princess-Dixon: Don't worry about not reviewing last chapter, your reviews are always so wonderful that you make up for it. I feel the loss of your 4G though, I always feel like I've been cut off from myself if I don't have some form of technology to read or write on/with. It's almost painful. Montague is definitely a creep - how did you like Draco/Audrey's interaction in this chapter? It was definitely a little bit of a change than the last few. They even said "thank you" in their strange, stubborn ways to one another! You said you were making stuff up in your head about how you think Audrey and Draco would get together, do you mind sharing? I always love hearing...even though I know exactly how they're getting together. And it will be great...ah, I get giddy even thinking about it! Anyway, Audrey's powers made me nervous too - writing them made me worried that I'd lose readers, but I think I was able to pull it off. I tried giving her enough flaws to level it all out. Hope you liked the chapter!
Novella Vialli: Well, I'm glad Audrey's consistent ;)
BlueRose22: Four heat strokes in three nights? I hope you're doing better! Don't worry, I love your reviews when I do get them so don't feel pressured :)
Princesslinleigh: Just to prequel my response, I got a whole bunch of people thanking you for being born because of the update. I thought I'd pass on the extra birthday wishes :) I hope you had a good one! Now, to the review, Montague and Audrey are definitely going to be interesting...drama will ensue. Promise. Did you like this chapter? Did she still seem like tough-girl-Audrey with her own flaws? Thank you for the review!
xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: I can't tell you whether Audrey will help destroy horcruxes, but I promise that chapters like last chapter will continue - especially after the great response I got from it! I'm glad everyone loved it. Hope this chapter was enjoyable, as well.
xxz0eyxx: I will think about doing a sorting-ceremony from Audrey's point of view, you bring up good points. I'll have to wait until I'm done my other ones, though. I have to show the introduction to Sirius, still - that one has been fun to write! Do you think that the Malfoy-ness in this chapter was still satisfactory? You said it wasn't a cheesy amount last chapter - did it stay satisfactory for this one? I love your reviews, so never worry about it! Thanks :)
Puckabrina dreamer: I like your reviews, so don't worry if they're all over the place. And I'm glad you liked it...hopefully this chapter was good, too!
neoko-chan: You should have told me it was your birthday! Happy birthday, whenever it was!
TheForrestAgain: I'm glad you liked it, clearly I'll have to do more revenge chapters! Thanks for your review :)
HoratiosGirl101: I'm glad you like it, thank you for reviewing!
Guest: I'm glad you liked the updates and the last chapter. I live in awkwardness and shyness, so I feel your pain!
Seers: Montague will be staying in the story for a little bit longer, but I have to ask: do you really think with Audrey's powers, her overprotective Gryffindor boys, Snape AND Malfoy that Montague will have a chance to hurt her? I think she's tougher than she looks :)
SchadenFreude95: Smiling like an idiot in the middle of class is definitely what I was going for, so I'm glad it worked! I'm glad you enjoyed the revenge and the way that the story is headed...you'll ahve to wait for the kiss. But I promise it'lll be worth the wait!
Lyra: Don't worry - the chase between Audrey and Draco will be continuing soon :)
Miriam (Guest): I'm glad you enjoyed last chapter! She does seem to be closer related to Voldemort than Harry sometimes, doesn't she? Thanks for the review!
sara253xxx: I hope you liked this chapter as well, thank you for reviewing!
Magimagus: Whoa, super reviews call for a super response, don't you agree? So, I have definitely missed your reviews. Yeah, when I took my laptop in the guy who repairs them was like "wow, you write a lot, the finish on your keys is completely gone! How long have you had this laptop for?" and when I responded with "Three months" he pretty much blinked at me dubiously and said "Uh, get an external keyboard or else your keyboard will just keep breaking." So...apparently I'm a writer. I know it sounds crazy but I legitmately never saw myself as a WRITER. I always figured that I just wrote a lot, not that it was actually who I am...if that makes sense. Anyway, the Dreaco is starting and it's very exciting. I'm chapters ahead (as usual) and it's always exciting to write their interactions. Plus, we're about to read the articles that we've heard so much about...that will be an interesting chapter. Particularly for poor Audrey's emotions.
I'm glad that you like the idea of Audrey being a spy. That will start coming into play during the next few chapters, so we'll really get to see her work her magic. And look, you were talking about liking Snape and Sirius, and I just gave you both in this chapter! Hopefully you liked that.
Now, just as a little bit of a secret that I wouldn't tell most people...have you ever wondered WHY Audrey is so good with animals? Not going to give you the answer...but perhaps you should start pondering it. How did you feel about Audrey and Daphne in this chapter? Daphne did help her out as she is very against Sirius...maybe she's finally coming around and realizing how terrible she's been? Oh, never worry about being fangirl-y. I LOVE seeing people be fangirly to something that I wrote...it's sooo flattering!
As for the boggart - the boggart would have reacted to whoever was the most afraid. The three girls don't have the same fear but it would have encouraged it if they were all partially afraid of them. But the rats were actually one girls fear and by the reactions, I think it's obvious that it was Alya's ;)
And I love how Draco sides with Audrey. I love how he really IS always on her side, if you really pay attention. As in, he's ALWAYS on her side.
I'm glad you caught on to Audrey being jealous of who Snape was protecting. And it does seem as if he knows what she's up to, doesn't it? I do love her Slytherin-ness. Good call on the spelling error, by the way. And Montague is a creep, but it will be fantastic drama. Anyway, hopefully you liked this chapter almost as much as I enjoyed your reviews...you're awesome, thank you!
Apple: I'm glad you liked the last chapter, the revenge was very fun to write. And I'm glad people are noticing how Slytherin-y she really is - I've been working hard to make it obvious why she was sorted there. I want her to be a real Slytherin, not just in Slytherin because it worked for the story. Good for you for being suspicious about Theodore's placement on the team...but I refuse to say anything more on that...The DA will be coming up in just a few chapters time and you will see whether or not she'll be part of it. People are catching on about the spy...but will the wrong people find out? Thank you for the review!
Audrey Eakman: This chapter wasn't as long as the last, but hopefully you still liked it. I can't tell you when the foreshadowed kiss between Audrey and Draco will be - but I promise that it will be worth the wait...and that it's coming. I'm not leading you on ;)
Well, Audrey is going spy, she's going soft, and she's going to constantly be in trouble, it looks like. I'd love to hear your thoughts on everything so please leave me a REVIEW!
-Egypt