A/N: Hiya. Kisses to everyone with me!
Some admin notes: Did much needed edits to the earlier parts of the story. Chopped out some inconsistent commentary and details as well as adjusted a few conversations. Only one thing is significantly different and it is the Broom conversation with Charlie. Charlie will be leaving Hogwarts over Christmas to go to his Dragon Internship. He also has hazel eyes through out the story instead of flipping back and forth because I'm an idiot. Going with the Weasley family has Blue eyes every other kid, starting with Bill. Makes it easier for me to remember and fits canon as far as I can tell.
That said! Thanks so much for the reviews! Hope you enjoy this next installment!
Cheers!
~Yasha's Sis
Lady Black
Chapter 26
House Enforcer
In which Brie gets a big serving of humble pie…
Funny thing about stunners.
If you're hit with them enough, your mind starts to adapt to the abrupt flatline of consciousness. It's not unlike what computers will become.
Suddenly cut off from power, computers boot back up with the relevant files auto saved and previous webpages ready to repopulate. This delightful nugget was discovered by Gerold Yaxley in 1652. He wished to determine the various effects of spells on the human mind, continuing the lesser known work of Herpo the Foul. As one could imagine, the experiments and those being experimented on were decidedly unpleasant; but, from his insights, valuable knowledge became known to the dueling population of the wizarding world.
Aurors train themselves to minimize the confusion of post stunner hits. The adage of 'be ready for anything' a motivator, should they be taken out with a stunner. Though the likelihood of solely a stunner happening in serious combat is a scornful comment left to the likes of Mad-eye.
But, we digress.
Gradually, the disorientation between a stunned victim and their revival lessens and lessens until the mind switches on like a light once the counter spell is cast.
It's only in response to the counter spell, Yaxley discovered. Waking up an hour or two later without prompting doesn't have the same benefit. Brie knew this. It's one of the many things her father thought required practical understanding.
So, when the distinctive red of a Stupify spell splashed against her chest, Brie's alarm was visceral and immediate.
They have you, Hecate. Be ready to move.
The thought, unmistakably resembling her father's cool assessment, rang like a bell in the darkness.
She was careless. Again.
As unnerving as this situation was more than likely to become, Brie couldn't help the instant of vindication that she hadn't been imagining things.
Awareness was gone one moment and back the next.
She wasn't in the common room. She'd never forget the thick toe curling Slytherin green carpet. It was a luxury she had not expected in the admittingly dour dungeons. Instead of the soft fiber, Brie's cheek was pressed against something cold and hard.
The dungeon floor, her mind supplied.
The Black heiress was on her side, hip aching. Probably dropped there by some asshole who managed to catch her head before it joined the rest of her body in kissing stone.
It had been 30 mins to curfew before she was hit with a stunner. They wouldn't risk hauling her far with Professor Snape making the rounds tonight-
Unless he approved of this.
Crushing that thought with the vehemence it was due, Brie considered her options:
Her senses picked up three others: two arguing at her feet, the third on the edges of her burgeoning magical sense.
She couldn't feel her wand.
She didn't know the exits locations or what they wanted with her.
All this, Brie took in the first two seconds of the rennervate. She had perhaps five more before someone would either try again or get suspicious that their captive was a little too still. Time to move.
This, she thought as her eyes snapped open, certainly isn't going in the weekly letter home.
Brie's leg shot out at the knee of the person closest to her, aiming to topple them so she could wrestle for their wand. The teen went down with an oddly familiar shout of pain and the Black heir rolled immediately to tear at his arm where she felt the distinctive buzz of a wand.
Someone shouted something and Brie only had a moment's warning to move before the flash of a ruby stunner sailed over her shoulder and splattered in the face of-
Flint?
The quest to acquire Flint's wand was abandoned as another stunner rocketed for her.
Scrambling away, Brie shifted into a crouch, grey eyes darting around the large, high ceilinged room. The setting wasn't familiar, though the platform just behind Burke resembled her father's dueling chamber enough to make her break out in a sweat. There was a long hallway just off her side and no windows, as expected from a dungeon room.
Her gaze darted to the two other conscious people in the room. Vance and Burke, both armed, stared at her in disbelief and amusement respectively. They were offset by 90 degrees, not quite flanking her. If she could-
"Stupify." Vance hissed. Snarling, Brie dipped to the left enough to have it pass her. "The hell kind of spell did you use on her, Burke? She's fucking rabid."
I'll show you rabid, you coward.
Burke tilted his head appraisingly as Brie dodged once again, sprinting for Vance. "The usual. Her response has nothing to do with my spell."
"Do something, you prat!" The Quidditch captain swore, firing stunners more rapidly as the firstie zig zagged towards him.
Just a little bit further-
Darkness.
The next time Brie came to awareness was marginally better. She was sitting at least, bound to a chair that wasn't in the room last she looked. She jerked this time as if she were mid stride and registered the immobility of her limbs.
Brie strained her wrists once to test the strength of the ties. They, unexpectedly, didn't budge.
God, she hated Incarcerous.
Annoyed, and studiously suppressing the bubbling urge to panic, Brie let out a breath.
"You are surprisingly well adapted to the stunner, Miss Black."
Lips pressed in a thin line, Brie lifted her head and glared at the teen eyeing her on the brim of the platform. "Where am I?"
Burke's posture was casual, his clothes the same near muggle lounge attire Brie noticed the sixth year favored. He held his wand loosely between his legs as his left arm dangled over the stone siding of the stairs.
A well groomed, dark brow arched. "My aren't we churlish? One would think after abusing your apparent captors so thoroughly, you'd be feeling a bit smug."
Brie ignored the absence of Vance and Flint. She also ignored the stupid corner of her mind that wondered how badly Flint had been hurt. "Where. Am. I?"
He had no right to cart her away like a goddamned criminal. Where were the Prefects? Where was Snape?
"I felt you'd appreciate a private discussion." He paused, but when Brie only continued to spew hate from her eyes, Burke sighed. The tilt of his head made the teen's glasses glint. "I will release you once you calm down. I would have preferred less of a scene but you instigated one all on your own."
She remembered the magic blossoming at the base of his chest with a warmth that resembled satisfaction.
Her lip curled. "You wanted this to happen." For whatever twisted reason. "And that doesn't answer my question."
He watched her for a moment. "We are still in the dungeons as I'm sure you've worked out. This is the House's dueling chamber: one of three." Burke smirked. "No, I did not wish for this to happen as it did. I wanted free reign to have words with you without risking my position. That you chose to scorn the entire house in front of a handful of sixth and seventh years never would have crossed my mind. Flint said you were stubborn, not politically suicidal."
Whatever concern she had for Flint was well gone now. She would be having words with him.
"I scorn those deserving." She snapped. "Like the assholes who decided to knock me out and tie me to a chair." Was Flint the reason for this?
The teen shrugged, unrepentant. "Wally's idea. Wouldn't leave you untied after you mangled Mark's leg. Bet Mark regrets you now."
Brie stared at him stonily. She would not care about Flint. "What do you want?"
He clapped, wand swapping hands as he pulled them apart. "That's the question, yeah. Initially, just a chat. But then you had to be all interesting and terrorize our Dear Quidditch Captain. How he kept missing when you were charging right for him-" The bespeckled teen shook his head, commiserating. "Morgana's teats, man's useless in a fight. I'll be glad when he goes off to hump that French Minister's daughter. No point getting him into anything interesting if he can't hold his own."
Confusion tried to worm it's way on her face. Was.. was he trying to relate to her? "Is this usually how you chat up girls?" She demanded sarcastically because the rest of that commentary was just… not getting thought over.
Burke made a face. "You're a vicious piece of work, you know. Not even gonna fake a tear? The Matron was right ticked at Mark's late night 'quidditch accident'."
Unease slithered in her belly. She hadn't known it was Flint at the time but guilt still tried to claw at her. The more important concern is if they had time to take Flint to the Hospital Wing and come back for her, it was well past curfew. Did Jessica even wonder where she was?
It was a planned setting, remember?
Deciding to push that aside, Brie focused on the task at hand. "Let's pretend I feel bad about Flint." She fucking shouldn't but he didn't have to know that. "When are you going to untie me?" Her tone of voice implied 'it better be soon' to which the Sixth year's lips curled in a crooked grin.
"That level of arrogance has to be genetic. You have no wand; no idea where you are other than the Hogwarts Dungeons; and you still have the sack to use that tone with me. Am I just not intimidating?"
Brie opened her mouth to sneer something awful but closed it as she recognized her volatile temper getting the best of her. "If you wanted to hurt me," she said with the gathered threads of her common sense. "You would have done it already. Unless you plan on brutalizing me and expecting me to both keep silent and not retaliate," which would be idiotic on your part, she didn't say. "My freedom is only a matter of time. To that point, why play this game?"
Pale green eyes narrowed slightly. The silence stretched so long that Brie was beginning to feel a splash of concern. "This isn't a game, Black." He said finally, tone sober and no longer playful. "You're a dog without a master right now and you don't seem to understand the position your in."
"I'm not a pet." She nearly screamed.
Burke gave her an unimpressed look. "You're not an autonomous entity is what I mean, kid. You don't have the clout to move around and stomp on other people's toes as you seem fit to attempt. Your blood matters but only in so much as how you are expected to behave. You chose Slytherin, Black, and there are rules. Rules that you seem fit to ignore."
Brie wanted to rage at him, wanted to sneer and shout and demand to be left the fuck alone, but something in her stilled at the matter of fact explanation. She did choosethis. Now, when she didn't like the strain it put on her, she wanted to cut ties and coast on the edges? Didn't she scorn inaction of others? Wouldn't she be a hypocrite if she drifted along the house after spouting out how much she wanted to do for it? It'd be failing. Weak. Unacceptable.
But I have standards! I won't change who I am to be like these people. I won't sacrifice the things I care about to fit in.
Who said she had to? Besides, change required sacrifice, didn't it? Certain things she would not compromise on; but, did Brie really try to integrate at all? Had she made any effort to be a part of Slytherin House outside of putting on her green and silver robes?
"This is what Slytherin is. I get it. But none of it, none of this, has to reflect me."
Brie said that. Meant it, even. She didn't join this house to play politics with her schoolmates. The Black Heir had grand plans to revolutionize the Wizarding view of Slytherin house, and by extension the Old Blood families that often call it home.
But, honestly, what did her plans entail? She didn't understand half the reasoning behind some of the powerplays her classmates put time into. They seemed petty and short sighted and wasteful. She was still learning about the divide between the Old families that sat on different sides of the war. She had once wanted to know why her family chose Voldemort. What had he promised to sway so many to his cause? It couldn't just be murder and 'mudblood' slaves.
Brie didn't realize until just then how much she scorned her housemates as the weeks passed and her initial interest to understand soured into resentment and frustration. Brie couldn't pinpoint the moment where she lost sight of the reason she chose Slytherin.
Maybe it was watching her housemates attempt to kill another teen over a stupid game.
Maybe it was breaking apart in a rarely used classroom, chanting facts about her life so she could ground herself to the present.
Maybe it was realizing that she had no one to turn to because admitting her attacks to someone in school would be a weakness and the Black family did nothing of the sort.
Maybe it was as simple as the cold reception she received each time she went to find Charlie and the Gryffindors who opened the portrait saw her tie. You're one of them. There eyes would say. Nevermind Brie's been a constant presence with Charlie on the pitch at least three times a week, every week. To them she was other and wrong and dirty somehow for wearing green-
It could have been them all. Each a blow to what she thought was unshakable dedication, piled over the past three months of stress and sleep deprivation. Brie resented being treated like she was trash again. She though the Wizarding World would be different in that way at least.
And she was taking out her upset on the people she said she'd help.
As if reading the sudden disquiet to her silence, Burke's expression smoothed into something more considering. "Why did you choose Slytherin anyway?"
Brie frowned, grey eyes focusing on the Sixth year carefully. He was the first person to recognize that Slytherin was a conscious choice, not an ingrained expectation from family, or a sought after mark of dark prestige. Snape couldn't seem to force his mind to understand why someone of her background wanted to be here amongst the Old Blood.
For the simple novelty of being asked her opinion, Brie nearly explained.
Her chaffing wrist remined her why she shouldn't be making nice with the asshat who tied her to a chair. "Why does a Sixth year of mysterious importance care about my reasoning?"
"We will be spending quite a lot of time together, Miss Black." Lime colored eyes watched her attentively. "The better I know how your mind works, the easier this will be." It's said so matter-of-factly that Brie had to gape at him for the audacity.
"If you think I'll be doing anything other than hexing the snot out of you-"
That crooked smile was back. It curled along his lips, slow and pleased. "Oh," he purred, "I look forward to you trying, little one."
Brie stared, wide-eyed, at his response to promised violence and felt her ire swelling. "Am I a joke to you?!"
The accusation only made the green eyes dance. "On the contrary, Professor Snape thinks you will be more than enough to keep me entertained until I graduate."
"What is that supposed to mean?" She demanded in a dangerous voice.
Burke tsked. "I assure you; this is towards your betterment. Now, answer my question and I will let you up."
Brie's hands ached to pummel this condescending jackass. "What does Snape have to do with you acting out your kink fantasies?"
A laugh startled out of him. "Where did you grow up, a brothel? How crass the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black's heiress is." He waved his hand as Brie opened her mouth to spit more venom and her jaw worked without making a sound. "Seeing as you insist on distracting me, I'll leave that on until you are in a more agreeable mood." A glower answered him. "Professor," He stressed, "Snape appraised me of your rather delicate situation. You are incapable of measuring your spell strength. It is a condition that is not as rare as one would hope in Slytherin House."
Brie blinked at him, mind turning rapidly. She… wasn't the only one like this?
Noticing her more amenable air, Burke nodded. "There was a fifth year when I began my Hogwarts career. His uncle was the once famous Auror Alastor Moody." Brie's eyes widened. "I see you are familiar. Moody sought to teach 'Constant Vigilance' to his only nephew in the wake of the war and it left a mark."
Brie mentally flinched in sympathy. Sirius took quite a bit of inspiration from Mad-eye Moody. That the boy had to deal with the unfiltered man himself…
The ties around her wrist loosened and vanished into curls of smoke at Brie's distraction. Grey eyes snapped back to her jailor and she scowled at the amusement painting his face. Rubbing her wrist, Brie let her gaze move around the room, senses stretching for her wand. It wasn't close, she noticed that upon waking the second time, but she could normally feel it-
"Flint has it."
Words. All the words would be had with Flint.
Neck creaking, Brie slowly turned to face her kidnapper. She pursed her lips instead of snarling, knowing the silencing charm would not give it the audible threat it deserved. Eyes hidden behind the light reflected off his glasses, Burke smiled pleasantly back.
Assess the situation. Analyze your options. Act in the most advantageous manner.
Arcturus's voice is drawling in its annoyance. "These are simple things, Girl. You best learn them well."
Yes. Simple. Effective. Brie needed to remember.
She took a breath.
The situation was this: She was unarmed but also not in any particular danger if the casual air around Burke was any indication. She needed to think. Think and stop reacting. Her carelessness over the past few weeks could be contributed to her shitty sleep and nearly healed brain, but it wouldn't be much of an excuse for long. She needed to be better than this. Better than any Black that has ever been because she was worthless if she couldn't take care of herself.
More settled now, Brie tilted her head up and opened her eyes. Grey caught green immediately.
Why am I here?
To talk, apparently. The Sixth year said as much, though the topic was yet unvoiced. Something about her wand ability. Dueling specifically. He was oddly fixed on that earlier.
Snape saw fit to inform him of her difficulties and trusted the teen to be able to assist. That answered the question of whether this little outing was sanctioned.
She wouldn't contemplate how much this further breach in trust burned. Snape was Snape. Brie should never have thought he would do anything so considerate as to ask her opinion.
So, this was sanctioned. That Vance and Flint where here and then gone showed special consideration to Burke.
Why is that?
No. That's not the question worth asking right now.
What is the right question?
"Calmed down, I see. Ready to have a civilized conversation?"
Brie managed to keep from glaring through sheer will. She pointed to her throat.
Burke watched her for a long moment, serpent gaze searching her face. The pause dragged out long enough to have Brie giving a silent sigh.
"Good," Burke waved his hand again, a not so subtle reminder of his wandless ability, and Brie was able to hear the next deep inhale of her lungs.
"What do you want from me?" She asked immediately.
He chuckled and ran a hand through his thick hair. "Eventually, I'd like to duel."
Like hell. "I'm a first year." She said slowly like she was speaking to a particularly unintelligent dog. Burke snorted.
"If you truly think I'll believe you've never dueled before, you are greatly underestimating my intelligence."
Exhaustion frayed her temper. "Why are you fascinated by me? I haven't done anything remotely impressive to imply any dueling ability!"
Burke twirled his wand in his fingers to clinically recite, "You were the first in over fifteen years to meet the challenge of the Slytherin common room; you defeated two upper years with a spell not taught until fifth year at this school; Flint once made it very clear that you are not to be touched until he's deemed otherwise; and Professor Snape asked me to take you here." He smiled at her stunned expression. "You've caught the attention of numerous persons of note to me and when you handle your wand, it is an extension of yourself, not an awkward tool those under third year often treat it like. Slytherin house is a house that requires people pay attention to those who may upset the status quo. I rightly believe you are one such card and I plan on evaluating your ability."
She hadn't even known those last two points. Snape said he'd find her a dueling partner but fucking Burke? The wand bit was unconscious. Something she wouldn't have been able to hide even if she had been aware of it without someone possibly catching on. Maybe she wasn't meant for this house. There was too much analysis. Not enough action. Brie sighed again.
"Say I did know how to duel. What does it matter? I'm not going to attack any of my housemates and I'm trying to keep my abilities or lack thereof to myself." Burke cocked his head to the side.
"I had hoped to have this conversation at a better time, but I suppose needs must." He then snapped his fingers. Brie's wand appeared in his right hand and she gaped. "Here."
He handed it to her hilt first.
"I thought you said Flint had it." She kept her gaze on him even though her mental eyes were combing over her wand for any damages.
"He did," The teen said with an infuriating grin. "Now I do."
Brie stamped on her temper again and recalled the pop of magic triggered the snap of his fingers.
"House Elves."
He pouted. "Must you suck the fun out of this?" At her unamused look he pouted. "Do you want to know why you're here or not?"
Carefully grasping hold of her wand, Brie leaned back against the chair and kept it low but leveled in his direction. Burke gave a hum of approval.
"Officially, I'm handling your punishment for disrespecting the house and blatantly ignoring the direction of your betters. Unofficially, you're a candidate to replace me."
The Black Heir blinked rapidly at that nonsensical statement. "What?"
Burke shot her a disbelieving look. "Did you truly think there would be no consequence for costing Slytherin the game and practically spitting in the face of your housemates?"
"What? No. Of course I did. I just thought Vance would be the one to handle it." She shook her head trying to focus her suddenly flagging thoughts. "Why would you be responsible for me? You shouldn't matter."
Burke leaned against the stair's siding with a grin. "You don't know what I am, Black. It's obvious every time you open your mouth. What's that saying? 'It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it.'?"
The Black Heir gaped at him and then flushed. "That's a muggle quote." She said almost accusingly. Embarrassment burning high on her cheeks.
"And these are muggle shoes." He replied inanely. "Ask questions instead of assuming your contrived fiction."
Asshole has a point.
Thoroughly humbled, Brie swallowed thickly and tried not to hunch her shoulders. "Why am I here?"
"I've already told you that."
"Well I clearly don't understand!" She snapped back, straightening her spine. "Why don't you actually explain instead of assuming I know the minutia of the magical world?"
Burke eyed her with an odd expression but deigned to answer her question. "You've insulted quite a few people who wish to make an example of you, Black. You also have some hold over our Head of House because he asked me to assist you. I," He said gallantly, "came up with a delightful way to address both of these problems." Burke paused tellingly.
Brie tried not to grit her teeth as she asked, "How did you do that?"
Beaming, Burke said, as if the following words weren't the least bit offensive. "You will be my personal aid until I graduate!"
"I- what?"
He nodded once, delighted at her outrage. "Yes, it'll be a treat. Felt it would give me a prime opportunity to get a handle on you and for you to understand why little old me gets the honors."
She wasn't someone who needed to be handled. "Burke," She began, but the sixth year made a sharp gesture to cut her off.
"Before you go railing about the unfairness of your punishment, know it's both approved by your Head of House and the Quidditch Captain previously responsible for you. It's a shit deal for you but it's perfect for my obligations. Perks to being House Enforcer." Brie's tirade was distracted by the odd title. She blinked at him.
"House what?" The sigh he gave was put upon and entirely uncalled for.
"A new enforcer is trained from their firstie year until their mentor graduates." Burke began in a lecturing voice as he twisted off the lip of the dueling platform to walk along its surface. "As my minion, you can gain proper understanding on how our house truly works. It's something you obviously lack but it's to be expected of a Gryffindor raised family. Professor Snape implied you could be a prospect to the job but I'm leery. I already have a candidate to replace me and I'm not inclined to pass them over for someone who can barely control the lethality of their ability-"
Brie forced herself not to stiffen. Why the hell did he know that!?
"However," He continued as he turned to face her from the center of the flat 40 x 40 ft platform with a gesture for her to stand up, "Professor Snape has asked me to assist you. I am not obligated to do more than tone down your reflexive urges to mutilate your opponent. If I do take you on as my replacement, you, Miss Black, will be the one indebted to me." Burke gave her a condescending smile which made her face tighten at the change. "I have to say: such a favor appeals to me enough to risk ticking off my current successor."
Brie struggled to follow, mouth dry. A Noble house pays their debts. He could ask for anything if she let it stay open ended. "I don't understand. Why is there a House enforcer? Shouldn't the Prefects or Head boy from Slytherin be the only form of authority?"
The teen paused, pale eyes scrutinizing her before he let out a huffed breath. "You really have no idea what you've entered into."
Clearly not, Brie wanted to snark but he talked on before she could sneer the comment.
"The head boy is politically a face for outside the common room, someone who is high visibility in the school and can easily be recognized to be wary of, if only because they're a favorite of the headmaster or mummy is the Minister of Magic. House Enforcer is the disciplinarian directly under the Head of House. It exists even when there is no Head Boy from Slytherin. I keep the younger years in check and smooth over difficulties between the upper years. I follow the standards placed on this House and ensure everyone understands their duties. When someone is found in violation, I determine whether it goes to the Head of House or if we handle it amongst ourselves. I keep the peace." He smiled again, more genuine. "Or in your case, establish a little turmoil now and again."
Brie's tired mind reeled with the potential of this position. Quidditch was one thing but this…"So you keep up pretenses: House Unity, House Prejudice, House strength?"
Burke's light eyes sharpened. "The Enforcer isn't easily the final say on such matters. If enough of the upper years are in disagreement, I can be challenged. But, unless they can defeat me and the Head of House agrees, I'm normally heeded." He winked. "A House Enforcer must be able to enforce after all."
Ignoring the byplay, Brie shook her head slowly. Why hadn't she ever heard of this? It could change so much! If Snape had really meant to imply what Burke was saying…
Reeling back her confusion, Brie focused on the opportunity. Burke wasn't offering this to her. He was merely saying what could happen. She would owe him if she took on anything of the sort and she didn't know him well enough to take his word at face value. It also didn't explain why Snape gave any indication that Brie would be useful in the job or even as the teen's lackey. Was this an apology?
She couldn't help but be irritated by it. Snape had spoken of her dueling partner that day she first awoke from his intrusion. Burke had known of her for weeks. Why did he step in now? What changed? More importantly, what if Burke bailed? She's be stuck with someone who knew how much of a liability she was in her house and capable of Blackmailing her if she let him.
He wouldn't have known she was worth anything if Snape had let it be!
"Do you honestly think a firstie would be useful as your sidekick?" She tried, hoping he would lower his interest in dueling her so she could somehow weasel out of the teen's oversight.
Burke tilted his head thoughtfully. "Dunno," He said.
And immediately shot off a bone breaking hex that would have collapsed her lung if not punctured it with the resultant splintered ribs. Brie's mind blanked, wand moving in a small, tight arc.
A shield snapped into being, barely large enough to catch and rebuff the hex. It rebounded just to the right of Burke and the teen side stepped the splash of color with a jaunty hop.
Heart hammering at the unexpected assault, Brie was on her feet and edging away from the chair until she recognized the slow brow arch as mocking. "Useful enough."
She glared at him, feet positioned to move and corrected her earlier question. "Why are you approaching me now?"
"Because, now, you are a dog with no master," was the careless, infuriating response. "You gave me an opportunity and I dislike not sating my curiosity."
The Black Heir strained to gain a grip on her temper. Why was it so hard to think?
"With all that out of the way," He began, moving back towards the staircase across from Brie's vacated chair. "I'd like an answer to my question."
"Which question?" She asked just to be snippy.
Burke spared her a censuring glance but condescended to repeat himself. "Seeing as you make quite a distinction of choosing Slytherin, I wish to know your reasoning."
Despite herself, Brie forced herself to oblige him. Play along until you can verify the truth.
Not many people asked why she chose Slytherin and actually cared to hear the answer. Usually, it was a rhetorical question. Harry hadn't asked and Draco was already offended by any reason that wasn't "because it's the best".
To her father, she told half-truths and self-justifications and Remus hadn't pushed further after hearing what her father repeated.
Nymphadora probably knew, she always seemed to know what was going through Brie's head whenever it came to family things.
But why did the answer matter so much to Burke?
Maybe, a Grandma Mel like voice observed, it matters to him because it matters to you.
And he did say he wished to understand her… to learn how she thought. Learn how she fought more like.
What did it matter, ultimately? Only those who knew her would understand the truth.
"I choose Slytherin because my father hated what Slytherin stood for," She said. "I wanted to understand why."
It was more than that. Slytherin was synonymous with the Black family in many ways. Brie couldn't understand hating all of your family.
Even her mother, after everything, Brie couldn't-
"Since the inception of the four houses, Blacks have gone primarily to Slytherin and Ravenclaw, right?"
Blinking at the eerie echo to her earlier thoughts, Brie nodded and then shrugged to remove the personal nature of the finishing statement. "It depends on the personality of those involved but for the most part, yes." Some ancestor had decided Slytherin was the house to be in with Ravenclaw the only other acceptable choice. Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were scorned or outright blasted off the tree in some branches.
"I had not pegged you for one to follow tradition."
Frowning, Brie crossed her arms over her chest and arched a brow. "I told you I wanted to understand why, not that I bought into the tripe of one house being the best."
He hummed. "And what do you think of Slytherin? You often play at being the hero, why choose a house that goes out of its way to minimize attention to itself?"
The remark was pointedly goading. Her introspection of her feelings on Slytherin was recent and still raw. Brie didn't particularly want to share them. "I don't play at anything, Burke. I give help if asked for. That's not a hero complex. It's human decency."
"It is not our way." Burke emphasized with a head tilt. "And from the impassioned speech you gave in the common room, one would think you regret joining us. I thought you wished to save Slytherins from themselves."
Brie flushed at the recitation of her house pitch that first night in the castle halls combined with her spiteful denouncement of her house. She had believed it too. Had no understanding why people hated the house of green or why said house was so controversial outside of one madman who happened to call it home for seven years. She thought they needed to be saved at the time, but she hadn't understood what to save them from.
Despite the truth in his statement, or maybe because of it, his words rankled.
"None of you need saving. You've made your choices, or you let others make them for you." A truth, though an ugly one. "That is your way: power and the instinct to know which way it's shifting. There's no such thing as a Slytherin hero," she sneered, "They would be used and abused and ruined before they made it to their fourth year."
It would require a selflessness that can be manipulated easily with the right words. And what you said was just as important as what you didn't.
Gregorvich told her as much after the introductions.
The teen laughed. Brie never heard one meant to be so condescending. "Is that what you think: Slytherin changes you? You think that Slytherins can do no good, after only a handful of months at Hogwarts? I had not pegged you as easily fooled or frightened, Miss Black."
"What Slytherin stands for now is not what it once was and you know it!" Brie snapped, annoyed with this line of conversation and his questioning of her admittedly naïve views. She knows better now. Even if it took getting humbled so thoroughly to do it. "Slytherin doesn't frighten me. It disappoints."
Brie didn't understand how things could have gone so poorly for this house to have instilled the level of distain in it, but she would find out. The Black Family believed in knowledge. They believed in sharing that knowledge with those in the family and Brie was going to be treated to many a dictation from the Black portraits of what to expect from her time in Hogwarts.
When Grandma Mel wrote of the imminent occasion, Brie had thought it dull at the time, a nicety for the scraps of magic and memory who rarely got to speak with anyone anymore, but as Snape's painful occumens training continued and Brie grew more and more appalled at the casual cruelty showed to not only this House but the members within it, she knows she will pay all the attention to those damned things when she gets home.
"How sad for you then." The asshole noted drily. "To think all that ambition can be so easily snuffed out by a bit of hardship."
Her chest burned with the urge for violence. He was voicing yet one more truth she recently recognized in herself and it only made her want to hurt him more.
"Just because I don't enjoy playing your games doesn't mean I've given up on my goals." She wouldn't now. She couldn't after seeing how insidious the change could be.
"That's just it." He cut in ruthlessly, "You don't play. You don't listen. You avoid and turn your nose up when placed in an opportunity to prove yourself and gain the kind of attention you'd need to change anything. Your ambition means nothing if you're too weak to hold the power to see it done. You're ignorant, Black."
If Brie wasn't beaten out of the habit of gesticulating with her hands, she would have thrown them up in disgust. "I know! How many times are you going to point it out to me? I get it: I'm a naïve swot whose ignorance is only overtaken by her gall! Living without magic for the first seven years of your life tends to do that to you!"
As the words pass her lips, Brie recognized she said too much. Burke's stunned for a handful of blinks, mouth opened in a small 'O'.
"You," He began slowly, "are the heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. You would have been taught these things from the cradle. Are you telling me Sirius Black has neglected you to this degree?"
The anger in his voice is surprising. Why did it matter if he did? Sirius had never cared for Pureblood antics and what he managed to teach her was more focused on public personality and proper greetings amongst family and friends. It was her great grandparents who began teaching her the intricacies of words and phrases and the plays at which she would have to know. She could only learn so much in the three years she'd known them.
"My father was in Azkaban and my mother had no interest to teach me his family's ways. I'm learning now." She said a bit defensively.
"Hardly," the teen shot back with a scoff. He stared at her as she glared back at the short answer. "Tell Professor Snape."
The abrupt order made Brie bristle. "What does it matter?"
Burke shook his head once. "No. You don't understand what we are. Half your insults to our ways come from ignorance not willful spite like I thought and that is unacceptable in one of your pedigree. You will learn or you can kiss any aspirations of making a difference in the House goodbye."
The change of heart and sudden advice made her suspicious. Brie worried her lip between her teeth as he spoke, caught off guard at the helpfulness. "I'm surprised you aren't trying to wrangle something from me for the advice."
"You will owe me enough of a debt from the knowledge I'll impart." He said, dismissively. "Besides, our ways are tedious and I'm not going to spend our time together teaching you things you should already know unless it's relevant. I much prefer dueling."
Squinting at him, Brie said, "I never agreed to your help and even if I did, we haven't hashed out terms."
Another laugh escaped him. "You're mine when I need you and you'll do as told when I say. Those were the terms Professor Snape agreed to in your stead since he performed the request. You're my minion, Black. Oh sorry, Aid."
"You-"
"They will be within reason," Burke continued at her indignant expression. "I've no use for you if you don't prove sufficiently distracting. But, if your father put all his time beating you into the ground with a wand instead of teaching you your birthright, I supposed you'll be plenty indeed."
"Do you have to keep phrasing it like that?" An irreverent hand flapped at her. Brie scowled.
"We have just under two years, Black. If you stand up to the test at the end of that time, I think you'll find the arrangement more than worthwhile."
The Black Heir pursed her lips and slowly stepped towards her abandoned chair. Her hip still ached and her mind was slowing now that Burke well and truly seemed to want to talk instead of pepper her with curses. Two years. "I'd only be a second year then. How could you possibly train me up to take the place of whoever you'd been training?"
"I'm not here to train you to be House Enforcer, Black." He cut in sharply. "I already told you I won't place anyone who is a danger to my House in such a position. You learn as you watch for two years and if you make something of yourself so be it. Ask questions when it's just us, but otherwise, this is a punishment, Black, not a reward. I don't think you fully comprehend your position here: No one owes you anything."
Eyes dropping to the floor, Brie flinched at the harsh correction. Features set in a mask of disapproval, Burke didn't say anything for a long moment.
"To answer your question, evaluation would be in the first two weeks of your Third year." She glanced back up at him. "Normally, there is a three to four year gap between the current Enforcer and his coming replacement. You would be an oddity to take the mantle. More than likely Professor Snape would allow you as an assistant until he deemed you ready."
But that was only if she got the position. Brie lifted her head. Something about that comment nagged. "Wouldn't it be shaming whoever it is you're training up if they got passed over?"
Serpent green eyes sat on her heavily but Brie wasn't going to stop asking questions. He said she would only get snatches of his attention and knowledge and she'd take what she could get. As if pleased by her resolve, the dark haired teen grinned. "You've got the right mindset but House Enforcer is meant to be a neutral faction. Many get passed over when they don't show the proper instincts to act in the House's best interest. It is an honor to be considered at all. Shame only comes from using your position to reflect poorly on the House. It is not as envious a job as you seem to think, kid."
"I just see the potential, is all."
He hummed meaningfully. "There're also restrictions. Speaking of, if you manage to keep working with me, you will need to show a bit more restraint with your interhouse associates." At her darkening expression, Burke sighed. "You don't have to cut them off, Black. Just understand you have expectations and the moment the Prefects see you toddling after me you will be treated differently. Slytherin house isn't exactly smiled upon by the other three."
"Am I the only one who doesn't believe children should be punished for the actions of a grown man?"
Burke arched a brow. Brie steamrolled over whatever condescension he was rearing to toss out.
"You know what, nevermind. Why would they care if I'm with you? House Enforcer isn't some super secret title?"
His amusement should have annoyed her more than it did. She was probably growing used to it.
"It's not widely talked about because the other houses don't follow the tradition anymore." Brie blinked bemusedly at the teaching cadence to the words. "It's considered outdated. The bylaws allow for the Head of House to choose a House Enforcer, or the right to leave off in times of low attendance. Most feel Prefects are adequate in maintaining order. Having a student with talents particularly suited to containing other wizards makes some people nervous." Here he gave a sharp little grin and twirled his wand. "The Founders once used House Enforcers to help break up fights in the halls or mediate feuds between warring clans as they tried to recruit for a more stable Wizarding education. It's a diplomatic position that, as you can imagine, puts you in uncomfortable dynamics between allies when they are in the wrong. You're expected to act in the best interests of all, not just your friends."
"Oh," The Black Heir said stupidly. "Why did Snape imply I'd be worthy? You clearly don't think so."
Amused, Burke said," It's not that I don't think you could be worthy, Black. I just don't think you're the best option right now. There's potential in you, otherwise I would have done a public denouncement and left you to rot."
Unnerved at the phrasing, the Black Heir eyed him warily.
"Seeing as that's not what happened, let's not talk about what could have beens. Honestly, you've the social connections for it. Enforcers used to mediate interhouse disputes. As for temperament, I'd say you're lacking but it can be trained. What can't," He continued as Brie scowled. "Is the spine to withstand outside pressures. You've pissed on more than one influential member in both our House and Ravenclaw. I'm sure if given enough time you'd offend the Puffs and Lions, but I've noticed your knack for smoothing ruffled feathers when you've a mind to. Also, each of the Heads of House respect you. If you came to them with an issue, seeing as they refuse to continue tradition, they would take your concerns at merit and delegate to their Prefects in place of their Enforcer." The green eyed teen gave a one shouldered shrug. "You and I both know Professor Snape is not the one to go to for peaceful negotiations."
A snort escaped her at that. Truer words have never been spoken. She paused and decided if anyone knew the answer to this question and would be blunt about it, it'd be Burke. "Why is Slytherin like this?"
"Like what, Black?" He asked, in an infuriatingly patient way.
"You know what. Why do we feed the resentment between ourselves and the other houses?" If Burke insisted on acting like he was her handler, he could get the full brunt of her complaints.
His lips quirked. "We don't feed into it, Black. We retaliate. You'll learn."
She rolled her eyes. "I've learned that they think we're dodgy and oathbreakers and cheats. Then we turn around and play into it at every occasion outside of schoolwork, which, ironically, no one in the bloody school pays attention to. Slytherin consistently has the highest scores across the board next to Ravenclaw. We're not stupid, but we act like it when it comes to our lack of common sense!"
The teen tilted his head, rising from the stairs with surprising grace. "You think we lack common sense?"
As a house, Slytherin makes up prominent positions across Britain: be it political, economic or social. How was it possible to have achieved that level of prominence? We throw metaphorical logs on the stupid house rivalry and absolutely annihilate the opportunity to use said seven years to foster relationships with our agemates.
Flint said Noble houses used this time to network but, from the way the kids react to one another, Slytherin's isolated to other Slytherins while the other three have only slightly more desire to rub shoulders outside their domain. That was idiotic and if it was tradition it was outdated by decades. The House of Lords was practically empty from the last two wars and the sides so polarized nearly nothing got approved, nothing changed. Her father bitched about it enough for Brie to know. The wider General Assemble was only marginally better because those present were elected instead of born into their seats.
They could do so much together, but magicals waste opportunities on sentiments like blood purity. As if that mattered.
"You say Hogwarts's houses don't change you, but they do! Before you came into Slytherin, would you have thought twice about who you studied or played quidditch with as long as they were good enough to make it worthwhile?" Burke's expression throughout Brie's rant had shifted from bemusement to mild consternation. Her abrupt question made him give a slow blink.
"I don't play quidditch." She scowled at him. "No," He answered with a sigh, though amusement was still coloring his gaze. She had the briefest wonder if he was used to shifting through emotions so quickly.
"Exactly. You either had limited choices or you were pragmatic enough to make concessions. It's like the concept of pragmatism doesn't exist outside the common room! So yes, anything that has seven years to play an influence, will influence no matter what you do to limit it. You can't help the indoctrination that comes with time." She even fell for it, knowing how people treated Slytherin house ahead of time.
Brie sucked in a breath to rant more but Burke held up a hand.
"While your sudden urge to share is enlightening, I'd rather know the why."
She eyed him warily. "What why?"
"If Slytherin house is so deplorable to you, why stay? What do you have to gain from scorning your housemates?"
She deserved that. Leaning forward in the conjured chair, Brie sought to impress the seriousness of her belief. Despite how unsettling this entire experience was, it gave her new focus and reset her priorities. "Nothing. I was… I was wrong for that." That was surprisingly easy to say. "I'll apologize even if they would take one from me."
Another slow blink. "I'll arrange something."
Brie leaned away, taken aback. "Really?"
"Can't say how many will believe you'll do it, but a Noble House admitting fault is worth hearing out." He cocked his hip. "What were you hoping for from Slytherin? Your particular level of spite comes from dashed expectation."
Brie barely kept herself from making a face. "All I want is for Slytherin to be a house of possibilities again." Blacks would never have come here otherwise. "The house of ambition and resourcefulness and cunning because those are qualities worth having and they represent the Black Family more than Toujours Pur." She tried not to feel self-conscious at the surprised expression on his face. That last bit was probably too honest. "I don't want to alienate them. I just want them to listen. I want them to want to better the house, to continue building a legacy instead of cringing in the shade of a psychopath. I'm getting the feeling that I'm the only one who wants this but I'm not going to drastically change myself or shut up to make them feel better about any perceived shortcomings. I'll stand my ground even if I have to stand alone."
Burke didn't say anything. Brie slowly relaxed into the chair and wondered when the world had shifted to have her pouring out her soul to the guy to hog tied her and dragged her from the comfort of her sleeping area. She held under his stare for about a minute longer.
"And those who do not agree with you? Those who would see you silenced? What then?"
Brie blinked. See me silenced. This was a school. Why the hell would anyone take what she said as something worth coming to blows over? What happened to friendly discussions?
"You're asking what I'll do if I get attacked in the hallway again."
It wasn't a question.
Brie felt her lip curl. "You'll find out soon enough since you asked so sweetly."
"Not tonight." Burke chuckled. "Though I'm looking forward to it. Now, off to bed with you. I have a report for Professor Snape and you are past curfew."
"Don't you mean we?" Brie asked, cautiously standing from the chair.
The teen moved once she was on her feet and gestured behind her. "No, I mean you. Professor Snape often asks for me after curfew. I have a standing note for the Prefects should they see me."
"Why?"
Burke ignored her and walked out of her line of sight. Paranoid, Brie hurried after him. Her luck the exit would seal shut and she'd be stuck in there for god knows how long.
Eying the taller Slytherin's back, Brie said, "I'm surprised you gave my wand back to me." And are walking in front of me like I wouldn't hex you from behind.
Serpent green eyes shifted to look at her from over his shoulder. "You're exhausted and hardly aware enough to be a challenge right now. Your shield earlier was sloppy, slow, and larger than it needed to be cast. I could be blind-folded and you wouldn't catch me off guard."
Brie bristled a bit at the dismissive air but ultimately gave him the point. She couldn't react fast enough with him standing right in front of her, projecting that stunner even if he didn't use a wand. His casting of the bone-breaker hex was significantly slower than the wandless stunner. "You don't have to be a prick about it."
Snorting, Burke did something to the wall blocking their path and a doorway melted out of the stonework. "My grandmother was a Carrow," He said as the stone gave way. "Dueling is what we do." Brie peeked out from around the Sixth year and noticed the Common room entrance was just down the hall.
The firstie spared him a leery glance before shuffling out of the hallway. Burke followed her as they moved to the entrance and she turned back as a niggling thought finally got the better of her. "You never said why Professor Snape chose you for this."
"Threshal Milk." Stone ground at her back. "I didn't? Strange. Be seeing you, Black."
With that, he turned around and walked away.
"Hey!"
Silence, of course, answered her.
Brie entered the common room warily.
Burke escorting her to the front door was oddly gentlemanly of him. It was a sharp contrast to the conflicting messages during their unexpectedly informative conversation. Brie didn't know what to believe, which comment was truth or which was meant to distract. She also didn't believe that gaining a new handler would absolve Brie's idiotic display in the common room. She kind of had to apologize. But more than anything, Brie needed sleep. Though, her luck, someone was probably waiting to lay into her there too.
Scanning around the area, Brie didn't see another student.
She couldn't tell if she should be concerned or relieved.
As Brie crawled into bed, she stared briefly at Jessica's drawn curtains and hoped the lack of concern for her well being was just the girl becoming used to her late returns from Professor Snape. Not, instead, foreknowledge that Brie wouldn't be coming back tonight because she put her foot in her mouth in front of some Sixth year of infuriatingly interesting importance.
She supposed she'd find out tomorrow.
(A/N): I'll read through it again later but it's DONE! FINALLY!
Brie's been a wild thing for a little while and she needs to be tempered. All that will isn't good unfocused and if you couldn't tell she'd been sliding into a depressive little ball of resentment.
Sorry for any odd shifts in the conversations. Part of it is to show Brie's nearly healed mind, the other half is probably just errors.
Hope you're having a good time at home.
Thoughts? Comments? Concerns?
~Yasha's Sis