Sunday. It was suppose to be a day of quiet, peace and quiet to be specific. It must have been the Hogsmeade visit the day before as it wasn't even eight yet and some of the girls were gossiping in the common room.
Sammi was the first one up, still astounded by the fact she had kissed Oliver, a teacher, and he had kissed her back. She couldn't believe how Candi-like it was but at the same time, knowing it sounded stupid, she had never been so sure about someone in her life. He gave off such reassuring vibe, he was funny about Emily and Victor but knew when to be serious, showing his concern for Jane's welfare.
Being so early and the only one awake, she was surprised to when there was a knock on the door. She was even more surprised when she saw that it was Professor Snape. Her surprise multiplied again when he asked to speak to Candi.
"I thought she was with you!" Sammi exclaimed horrified!
Snape seemed slightly concerned at this news; although Sammi had a feeling he was more concerned than he was letting on. "Okay, if your friends ask tell them your friend is with me. I will find her," Snape assured her.
Snape left as quickly as he had arrived, Sammi knew Candi could look after herself, but it didn't stop her being worried. She almost went to ask Draco if he knew anything, but given what happened with Jane yesterday she had a feeling he hadn't spoken to Candi.
The thought of Candi's unknown location reminded her of something Oliver had mentioned yesterday about Victor meeting a girl on his first night here. The same night Candi vanished and didn't return till morning. It would also explain why he was talking to her at Quidditch practice... But it didn't explain why Candi got Emily to go met him. Why would Candi set her friend up with this guy she had spent the night with? It didn't really make sense, the kind of guy that would spend the night with Candi wasn't the same kind of guy that would be looking for a real relationship with Emily, and vice-versa. Oliver only had nice things to say about Victor, that had to mean something and it wasn't like Emily was stupid. Curiosity got the better of her.
She quickly got up and made her way to Emily's room, knocking quietly she loudly whispered, "can I come in?"
"Aha," Emily said drowsily.
Sammi opened the door slightly and slid inside before closing it behind her, Emily was still wrapped up in her blankets half asleep.
"Hey," she yawned, sitting up slightly. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine," Sammi smiled. "How are you?"
"Feeling better," Emily said uneasily, wondering where this was going.
"Great so in the battle of Emily V Illness, you were the victor?" Sammi asked, impressed with her clever word play.
"Something like that," Emliy said hoping Sammi's choice of words was a coincidence.
"I was going to bring you a cookie but I didn't think it would be a good idea, you know crumbs in the bed and all. Who would want a crumb in their bed?" Sammi smirked.
"Okay I get it."
"Get what? Getting some Crumb in you bed? Crumb can be yummy you know, but you should always use a napkin. Once crumbs get in your bed they can ruin your sleep for a long time. You should only eat cookies that you know are good ones and aren't..." Sammi said before being cut off.
"SAMMI! Please stop and please tell me you are not trying to give me 'the talk'!" Emily said blushing furiously.
"If it makes you feel any better I was actually joking, I know you're not like that," Sammi smiled, "I will stop on one condition."
"Which is...?"
"Tell me everything about you and Victor." Sammi laughed.
"Only if you tell me how you know."
"Oliver and I figured it out."
"You mean Professor Wood? SAMMI!" Emily laughed. "Not much to tell really we hung out in the kitchens, it was really sweet and then he walked me back to my room."
Sammi was smiling like a fool, obviously waiting for Emily to tell the complete story. "And?"
"And then he kissed goodbye," Emily smiled awkwardly. There was a moment of silence before Emily added, "Who would have though... out of the seven of us that it would be you and me involved with teachers?"
Sammi laughed at Emily's comment, it was true, all the jokes about student teacher relations were always about Candi. Sammi didn't admit it but she could have imagined herself with a teacher, but Emily? No she had not seen that coming!
Although she could push what Oliver had said about Victor's first night here, the night Candi disappeared. She didn't know why it bothered her so much, it was just bizarre, maybe that was it.
"He really is sweet," Emily said interrupting Sammi's train of thought, "He isn't like the others. I really like him."
Sammi couldn't help but think that victor was just like all the others, but she said nothing. She wanted to talk to Candi before saying anything to Emily.
It wasn't till Candi looked out the window and noticed that the sun had gone down that she even realised how long she had been at Malfoy manor.
The vile of her blood sat on the bedside table, slowing moving to the edge of the bed as to not wake the napping Lucius she sat on the edge of the bed. Picking up the vile she swirled it around a few time, she knew the blood would tell Voldemort she was the one related to Ollivander, he would never know Sammi was also. Thankfully the blood wouldn't tell him what her abilities are. She herself had not figured out what her partially formed frontal lobe meant till she was 26. The frontal lobe was where many spells were activated, that is spells that control or cause pain to the body, are filtered in the frontal lobe and then the brain causes the body to act accordingly. At her old company an ex-employee had tried to put a body bind curse on her once, to no effect. She then consulted with the companies' medical research team leader who had actually read about a few cases of the same thing over the last thousand years or so. It was a genetic abnormality and the Healer explained it was recessive so could skip generations. Candi knew that this made her practically uncursable, although she still couldn't believe nobody had tried to curse her till after ten years in the magical community.
She swirled the blood around one more time before sliding back into her clothes which thankfully were not too difficult to find with the help of magic. Holding the vile in one hand and placing the other on Lucius chest she gently kissed the sleeping man before whispering, "I'm sorry." Being only lightly asleep he awoke drowsily having not heard her apology, "pardon?"
"I'm sorry," she whispered even quieter, before his brows even had a chance to burrow in confusion, she had moved her hand from his chest and pressed his dark mark.
"For being dressed when you woke me?" Lucius asked smirking before realising that she had just pressed his dark mark.
"What is it Lucius? Voldemort asked as he appeared out of nowhere, unable to see Candi in the dimly lit room.
"Just your birthday present," Candi smiled successfully disguising her fear as intrigue, as she waved her wand turning the lights on. She saw Voldemort's eyes glance at the vile in her hand.
Lucius was covered by the sheets but felt stupid in the girl's manipulation of him, had she come here just to summon Voldemort? He had to keep remembering she wasn't sixteen like everyone thought, okay, anatomically she was, but her soul was a lot older and more experienced.
Lucius was shocked to see Voldemort's thin lips curl up into a smile of sorts, he actually looked joyful.
"It's a little early, but I will accept my present anyway Lucius. But it wasn't you that summoned me was it Lucius?" Voldemort asked his follower.
"She wished to meet you," Lucius said honestly, "she is under the impression you would want to meet her."
"Is she now," Voldemort said curiously, "how do you know she is the one?"
"I am the one, I am the only one who wizarding blood. My dad is Ollivander," Candi said plainly, thinking thoughts of nerves.
The ability to have her mind closed was another thing she had learned later in life, an associated skill of her under developed frontal lobe. Without practicing Occlumency others skilled in Legilimens she could control her mind. Giving her the ability to lie undetected when needed. However if desired she could willingly allow some thoughts and emotions to be read, this skill however had required practice. Candi was thankfully the company she co-owned was so well resourced with the most talented witches and wizards.
"I see," Voldemort said quietly stepping closer to the girl, he wanted to gauge her reaction so he could figure out her motives. He slowly walked around her, Lucius watched, he couldn't really sense any fear but he did see her breathing hitch when his arm brushed against hers. He couldn't tell by looking at her but he had a feeling she did it to feigning nerves.
The two glanced at each other for a few moments, Voldemort was trying to find out why a young girl would go to Lucius bed willingly then call him. Voldemort wondered if Lucius knew of this girls motives, it was completely unexpected this girl seeking him out.
The three of them then proceeded to talk till a house elf entered the room to ask if they wanted dinner. Voldemort dismissed the elf, "summon Severus."
"It was a pleasure meeting you, but I think it is best if Dumbledore isn't aware of this little meeting, for all concerned," Voldemort said before glancing at Lucius who was still under the sheets.
There was a flash of light from the fire place and out stepped Severus Snape, "You summoned my lord?" Although due to the irregular shape of the room Snape was unable to see Lucius and Candi.
"Severus, please ensure Candice here makes it back to Hogwarts safe," Voldemort said before disappearing. Severus took a step forward and was able to see Candi who now looked like a child caught with its hand in a cookie jar.
"I have been looking for you all afternoon," Snape said in an agitated voice.
"Sorry?" Candi suggested.
"What are you doing at Malfoy Manor?" Snape asked quickly.
The guilty look intensified on Candi's face as Snape walked forwards, he soon saw why as Lucius hurried to dress.
"Lucius?" Snape queried, "decided to have a meeting without me?"
When Emily and Sammi left Emily's they weren't alone in the common room now it was closer to eight thirty. Breakfast wasn't till nine but Sammi figured she had better make sure the others were awake so they would make it to breakfast in time.
Nichole and Raven were up, it was only Jane, Rachael and Candi that were still in bed. When she lifted her hand to knock on Rachael's door but Rachael opened it before Sammi got the chance. "Hey" Rachel smiled, "who isn't up yet?"
"Morning. Jane and Candi," Sammi responded.
"I'll take Jane if you take Candi?" Rachael suggested.
Sammi quickly agreed, Jane wasn't known for being a morning person and she hadn't seen Candi since lunch yesterday and she wanted to ask about Victor and her first night here.
Sammi knocked on Candi's door, "Candi."
"You can come in Sammi," Candi said, Sammi let herself in to find Candi climbing out of her bed.
"If it is Snape tell him I don't want to talk to him."
Sammi laughed seeing Candi wearing a purple singlet and frilly black underwear, "Is it that hard to wear shorts to bed? Why would Snape want to talk to you?"
"You know how I feel about pants," Candi said in a mock serious tone.
"And what about Snape?" Sammi asked in a concerned tone. "Tell me you didn't?"
Candi huffed a laugh, "eww not into the grease. He just isn't happy cause I didn't do exactly as he told me when I saw him yesterday."
Sammi wanted to ask what Snape told her to do... But she wanted to know about Victor... "Can I ask you something?"
Candi's brow line tensed, silently praying Sammi didn't ask questions about yesterday.
"On the first night here were you with Victor," Sammi asked blatantly.
Candi didn't want to see, instead shrugging in a way that indicated that she had. "But you set him up with Emily?"
"Yeah," Candi said, wondering where this was going, "please don't tell her!"
"I won't, but why? Don't you like him?" Sammi asked, she was trying understand why Candi would set up someone she obvious had some sort of feelings for with her friend?
"She won't get hurt, I won't let that happen. He is a great guy Sammi," Candi said honestly, remembering her married life... Great didn't even really cover Victor, she didn't know how to explain this to Sammi though. She couldn't tell her about their 'other' life that had happened.
"But how do you know that, you hardly know him. It isn't like you and Emily have the same tastes." Sammi questioned.
"Sammi I don't know how to explain it, they are good for each other." Candi said dismissively, it had been a few weeks ago now... Why was Sammi bringing it up now? Candi put some pants on as she spoke; she had to get ready for breakfast which was a shame as tormenting Sammi was fun. Not that Candi had a clue why Sammi disliked her personal decision to not wear shorts to bed.
"But you do like him?"
"As a friend..." Candi said simply turning her back to Sammi to change her singlet for a bra and shirt.
"You must like someone else then...?"
"Not particularly," Candi lied sliding a shirt over her head. It was a long ... hours between meeting Lucius at the awards ceremony/party and his surprise visit to Hogsmeade yesterday, she hated herself for it but she couldn't stop thinking about him. She thought she was going to turn inside out when she saw him in Hogsmeade she was that thrilled to see him. She thought maybe after last night she would be able to get it out of her system, but that isn't what had happened.
Candi snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Sammi gasp, "what is that?"
"What?" Candi asked spinning around to see what she was looking at.
"Your wrists!" Sammi exclaimed loudly. Candi glared at her friend, Sammi quickly apologised for the loudness of her exclamation.
Candi took her shirt off, "fine, long sleave it is."
"What happened?"
"What do you think?" Candi said cryptically putting on a longer sleeved shirt. "I was just mucking around."
Sammi didn't want to ask, but the marks and bruises on Candi's wrists spoke louder than any words.
"Do you swear not to tell Emily about Victor, you know if she knew she couldn't give him a fair chance..." Candi said honestly, although also trying to change the subject.
"I swear, we had better get to breakfast," Sammi said placidly, still thinking about Candi's wrists.
Emily didn't say much over breakfast she was thinking about Victor, something she seemed to be doing a lot of recently. She had started spending her spare time talking to others and reading about things like Quidditch, especially the Bulgarian team. She had no idea Victor was such a brilliant player... Or that he had so many fans. She wished she hadn't heard that last part, now she couldn't get out of her mind the idea of thousands of witches chasing after him. Stupid groupies...
Emily wasn't the only one lost in thought though; Rachael was doing a similar thing. She had thoroughly enjoyed her date with Shaun, it went better then she could ever have expected... But now she was wondering what next? Should she sit at the Ravenclaw table with him? Was he waiting on her to make the next move? Should she wait for him to talk to her? Rachael busied herself with her breakfast, she knew she was being stupid but she couldn't help it. She hadn't expected to like Shaun so much so quickly.
Sammi wished she was day dreaming about Oliver, instead she was listening to Nichole talk about something... She didn't really know what... Nichole wasn't going to divulge any gossip worth hear, instead she focused her attention on what Raven and Candi were talking to her about. For once Candi was sitting quietly, Raven was discussing very quietly her twin mix up situation. Candi and Sammi were the only ones within earshot.
As if cued Fred and George approached the table, late for breakfast Fred sat on the far side of Raven and Candi scooted over to let George sit in between her friend and herself. Candi smirked immaturely about Raven being the spread in this sandwich, although to be fair considering she noticed Fred' s hand in her lap a smirk nothing. Although this train of thought didn't last long as Draco Malfoy approached the table. "Hey Jane, how are you going?" He asked informally.
"Fine Draco," Jane said dismissively, it wasn't that she liked or disliked him, she just knew he had some ulterior motive.
"I will be in the library after breakfast, just letting you know," Draco said plainly before flashing a smile and walking off. He had to keep his promise of not pursuing her.
Jane didn't reply instead just turning back to her friends, hoping to return to their previous conversation topic, but she wasn't so lucky.
"What was that about?" Candi said nosily, clearly unsettled by Draco talking to her friend.
"Nothing," Jane said simply, but Raven quickly said, "she hung out with him yesterday."
"What?" Candi spat in shock.
"Candi nothing happened can you just drop it?" Jane said, she was starting to get a little annoyed. What was the big deal? She knew she wasn't as old as the others, but she was 14, she could look after herself.
"I can't, you know he is playing you! That is just what he is like, he is using you to annoy me?" Candi said honestly, Draco was obviously still upset about that photo of her with his dad. But still, it was still a bit of an overreaction on Draco's part. Unless... Candi mentally hit herself, Draco or one of his friends must have seen her with Lucius in Hogsmeade yesterday. She could have sworn they were alone though...
"Contrary to popular belief Candi, the world doesn't revolve around you. Just because someone takes an interest in me doesn't mean it is because they want to annoy you." Jane said in an irritated tone.
"Jane I didn't mean it like that," Candi said quietly when she realised people were starting to stop talking and listen. "I just mean he isn't good for you."
"So he is good enough for you but not for me? Just because he has previously been associated with sluts, doesn't mean it is his only type."
"I did not say that," Candi exasperated.
"You didn't have to," Jane said before standing up, "I will talk to you guys later."
As Jane walked off Candi tried to lift her jaw of the floor but struggled, "what just happened?"
"I don't know, I think she is a bit sick of being the 'baby' of the group. It probably didn't help that most of us currently have some form of love interest," Raven whispered leaning behind George so only he and Candi would hear her.
"Probably added insult to injury that everyone knows you have been involved with him and you are telling her she can't. Nobody likes being told what to do." Sammi said softly so only those in the immediate vicinity could hear.
"You did the right thing Candi," Nichole said, surprising everyone at the table.
"Thanks..." Candi said uncertainly.
"Yeah I mean, at least you tried to stop Jane from catching whatever disease you gave Draco." Nichole said quite loudly, grinning widely, clearly very impressed with herself.
"It can't be any worse than your severe case of gingivitis," George joked, relived when the group laughed.
"South Park reference, nice," Raven said as she laughed. She subtly reached her hand into his lap until she found his right hand, she squeezed it before bringing it back to rest on her left leg. She kept her hand on top of his, her other hand was doing the same to Fred's hand.
The rest of breakfast went reasonably peacefully, oddly enough even Candi quietly ate her breakfast, as she was to frustrated to talk. Once they finished their breakfast they each headed off their separate ways.
Candi to find Draco, she was going to stop this nonsense with Jane and found out what had his wand in a knot. Emily had received an owl from Victor the previous evening and had organised to for Sammi and herself to have Quidditch practice with him and Oliver. Rachael too had romantic plans, she was meeting Shaun in the library where he was going to show her some of his favourite spells and charms. Raven had originally made plans to spend the morning with Fred, but she wasn't sure what was happening now...
As for Nichole, she had the most interesting plans of them all... Although she didn't know it yet, she was going to wish she had gone back to her room and studied...
Hehe suspenseful last line huh? =P
Hehe I will NEVER forget the real Jane calling Candi a slut in real life! I can't believe she can't remember! I can even remember exactly where she was standing when she said it! (The the science side of the VCE building hehe under the ramp lol)!
Next chapter DRAMA =) Mwahaha...
