Author's Note:I have insomnia tonight so I am going to probably be editing a bunch and hopefully posting some more. This story is something I have a lot of fun with and I hope you all do too :).
~Chapter 11 Start~
The entrance of December brought on the usual northern chill of Hogwarts. It was something Max had always cared little for. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were still residing inside their transportation which looked ill equipped for the winter chill. Although, being capable of magic made the winter chill a non issue.
She had healed just fine from the first task after a good night's rest. When she had returned Fred had cheekily offered her a raspberry tart and a custard one. But as she was about to take a bite, Hermione stepped in and advised her of his new creation the Canary Custard and Max had handed both tarts back and shot him a look that said 'really?'.
Apparently it was revenge for Fred not telling Hermione how to get into the kitchens, well, the entire instructions anyways. Hermione had given an indignant snort as she carefully explained that was her revenge. If he couldn't finish telling her how to get into the kitchens so he could instead mock her, she would ruin the punchline of his pranks.
Fred was decidedly unappreciative of that.
So in the crisp December air, she was standing in her Care of Magical Creatures class, although it smelled closer to a dive bar thanks to those whisky drinking winged beasts from Beauxbatons, shivering and huddled up with Hermione.
"D'ya think winter might kill these exploding, biting, messes?" Ron asked as he glanced around the snow covered terrain taking in the mind rotting fumes from the troughs laid out not far from them.
"Who cares, I just don't want to be freezing my ass off." Max grumbled as Hermione sneezed and then sniffled.
"I'm not sure whether they hibernate or not." Hagrid admitted, his larger form not being bothered by the cold as the students shivered around him. "Thought we'd jus' try an' if they fancied a kip...we'll jus' settle 'em down in these boxes..."
Fortunately there were only ten of the beasts left, their apparent desire to kill unable to be exercised out of them. The unfortunate part was how large they had already gotten. True to Hermione's words, they had all almost reached six feet in length. The boxes were large and laid out before them, almost as if to taunt them. It was nothing but a bitter reminder to how large and dangerous the brutes were. Hagrid returned, his arms full of blankets and pillows, and handed them off to the class to make 'appropriate nests'.
"We'll jus' lead 'em in here," Hagrid instructed, "an' put the lids on, and we'll see what happens."
In the end it was clear the skrewts did not hibernate, nor did they particularly appreciate being stuffed into suffocating wooden boxes. Which, to be fair, was another oversight in their predicament. Who knew wood would burn? So here Max stood, the wreckage of the exploded and burning boxes surrounding her as the skrewts had a mini rampage around the pumpkin patch. Hagrid's incredibly unhelpful 'Don' panic, now, don' panic!' hardly seemed to placate the creatures. Most of the class, well Malfoy and gang, had fled and barricaded themselves in Hagrid's hut.
"Bloody cowards..." She breathed as she held her wand tightly in her hand.
Using some binding hexes they had managed to capture and restrain nine of the skrewts, everyone much worse for wear. Max herself had singed hair and various openly bleeding wounds around her face, neck, and arms from bracing their explosions.
"This is nonsense..." She sighed as she wiped her brow.
"It is, but what can we do? We can't very well let them continue rampaging." Hermione scowled as they turned to face the last one.
"Don' frighten him, now!" Hagrid shouted as the four of them advanced on the creature, Ron and Harry sending out spells to distract it.
"Jus' try an' slip the rope 'round his sting, so he won' hurt any o' the others!"
"Yeah, we wouldn't want that!" Ron bit back as he was cornered against the wall of Hagrid's hut with Harry.
Max was standing just to the side of them, ready to hit the skrewt if it tried anything, the rope hanging loose in her hand. It reminded her of wrangling cattle. Not that she had ever done it, merely seen it on T.V.
"Well, well, well...this does look like fun." It was Rita - fucking - Skeeter. Fan - fucking - tastic.
To say that Max was thoroughly displeased was an understatement. The woman in question was leaning against one of the fences surrounding the pumpkin patch. She looked cozy inside her thick magenta cloak, lined with purple fur. Her horrible purse was still being brought along, clashing as usual. Maybe she was colourblind? It was rare but not impossible for a woman to have. Max didn't enjoy judging another woman's fashion and body choices, but Rita Skeeter had been a right shit towards her ever since they met. Her hatred blinded her morals and decorum and so she mocked her terrible choice in clothing within her head as if to make Rita's actions easier to swallow.
Hagrid took the initiative as the skrewt was busy sizing up Rita to pounce on the beast's back as it roared, sending a blast out it's end decimating a portion of the pumpkin patch. Harry and Ron flattened themselves further against the wall as Max jumped backwards startled. She had lost sight of Hermione in the commotion, but her shriek of surprise signified she was nearby.
"Who're you?" Hagrid asked as Max scrambled to hand him the thick rope she was holding.
With care he started to loop it around it's sting and tightened it. Once satisfied he turned to Rita Skeeter with a small frown on his cheeks.
"Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter?" Rita was beaming her fake wide smile, her eyes telling a completely different tale.
"Thought Dumbledore said you weren' allowed inside the school anymore." He was frowning slightly as he removed himself from the skrewt so he could tug it over to the others.
"What are these fascinating creatures called?" She continued to push, not bothered by his previous jab.
She continued to move forward and Max glared as she walked past. What an absolute busy body, and there wasn't anything they could do to stop her. Not without setting her sights on the four of them.
"Blast-Ended Skrewts." Hagrid grunted.
"Really?" Rita inquired, her perfectly painted nails tapping against her cheek as she stared at the beasts hungrily. "I've never heard of them before...where do they come from?"
Hagrid flushed a deep red as he took in her question, his thick beard barely concealing it from Rita.
"Such odd beasties, you should hear about some of the other critters Hagrid has taught us about, much more interesting." Max jumped in trying to curb Rita's curiosity.
"Miss Suthers, I'd be a poor journalist if I didn't learn about the people I was writing about. I know for a fact this is your first year, so I doubt you've seen much else beyond these 'Blast-Ended Skrewts." Rita's eyes barely flickered to hers before they were once again on the sputtering Hagrid.
"They have Care of Magical Creatures at other schools, it's not like I'm a first year myself..." Max grumbled.
"They're very interesting, aren't they? I am sure what Max was trying to share was that there are plenty more 'juicy' things to discuss than these beasties." Hermione tacked on Max's 'endearing' term in hopes it translated that they felt the same 'fondness' Hagrid did for the abominations. But when no one spoke up Hermione elbowed Harry, who had come to join them. "Right Harry?"
"Ow! What? Oh yeah...interesting." Harry agreed, not wanting a repeat of her elbow.
"Ah, you're here too Harry!" Rita all but cheered as she looked around. She noticed Max and Hermione standing close with a grin. "So you like Care of Magical Creatures, do you? One of your favourite lessons?"
"Yes." Harry stated simply as Max nodded her own assent.
"Lovely," Rita drawled on, "really lovely. Been teaching long?"
Rita's gaze swept over the crowd of students, as well as Harry and Max, before leveling them on Hagrid. It seemed she had found something more interesting than Harry and her now.
"This is on'y me second year." Hagrid boasted earnestly. He didn't trust her but he also didn't want to appear incapable of his job.
"Lovely...I don't suppose you'd like to give an interview, would you? Share some of your experiences of magical creatures? The Prophet does have a zoological column every Wednesday, as I'm sure you know. We could feature these - er - Bang-Ended Scoots."
"Blast-Ended Skrewts," Hagrid corrected looking eager now. "Er - yeah, why not?"
Max just about smacked her forehead with her more than likely sprained wrist and let out a small hiss of pain. Harry looked over to her and they shared the realization this meant nothing good for Hagrid. Ron however seemed to zero in on Max's foolish mistake of using her injured hand and started to laugh at her. Well, that was until Hermione smacked him upside the head. But before they could say anything more to Rita Skeeter, the bell soon rang and class was over. Rita wished Harry a goodbye, as Max was completely ignored, thank goodness.
"She'll twist everything he says!" Harry seethed under his breath.
"I know..." Max agreed, her eyes showing worry.
"Just as long as he didn't import those skrewts illegally or anything." Hermione attempted to look on the bright side, but knowing Hagrid that may have been exactly what he did.
"Hagrid's been in loads of trouble before, and Dumbledore's never sacked him," Ron tried to console. "Worse that can happen is Hagrid'll have to get rid of the skrewts. Sorry...did I say worst? I meant best."
They all laughed at that, finding a small reprieve in their stress to be carefree students for a moment.
~Break~
The rejoining of Ron to their posse meant Max was once again surrounded with ridiculousness in Divinations, which they had doubles of today. This time though, she found herself laughing along with, finding it a much better alternative to their stony existence the months prior. She still did the work as instructed, but managed to join in on some outrageous joke predictions with Ron. But after Trelawney started to grow irate with them, Max attempted to stop joking around. Unlucky for her, not before one more snigger fest at her words caused Professor Trelawney to call them out.
"I would think," She spoke in her usual 'mystical' tone, "that some of us" - she pointedly stared at Harry and Max - "might be a little less frivolous had they seen what I have seen during my crystal gazing last night. As I sat here, absorbed in my needlework, the urge to consult the orb overpowered me. I arose, I settled myself before it, and I gazed into its crystalline depths...and what do you think I saw gazing back at me?"
"An ugly old bat in outsized specs?" Ron chortled as both Harry and Max fought to keep their faces straight.
"Death, my dears." her voice seemed to cause her little fan club to gasp as Harry rolled his eyes.
But Max? She felt a cold shiver go up her spine as Trelawney locked eyes with her.
"Yes," she nodded, her eyes peering in close to Max's, "it comes, ever closer, it circles overhead like a vulture, ever lower...ever lower over the castle..." Then, she turned her gaze to Harry as he stared back unimpressed with a yawn.
"Beware my dears...you especially Max...I have seen that a darkness circles you, I'm not sure if death would be the cruelest fate for you." Trelawney then grasped her hands tightly in hers and she felt a cold shock go up her spine. Cloudy eyes gazed into hers before she moved back to address the class.
"Don't dwell on it, she's full of shit." Harry whispered as Max stared stunned at their professor.
Max knew, of course, that Harry was right. But that didn't settle the unease that filled her chest. After all, Trelawney might not be too far off the mark in regards to Max's fate. In fact, the only thing she might be wrong about was how bad.
~Break~
"It'd be a bit more impressive if she hadn't done it about eighty times before." Harry sighed out, exasperated as they left the Divination classroom. "But if I'd drop dead every time she's told me I'm going to, I'd be a medical miracle."
"You'd be a sort of extra-concentrated ghost." Ron laughed as they passed the Bloody Baron in the halls.
"I dunno, would he be more akin to the undead? Like a zombie since he has a corporeal form?" Max thought out loud as she tapped her chin.
"No, ghosts can have corporeal forms too." Ron debated.
"Ok, regular ghosts have to put forth an amazing amount of energy to touch and interact with our world. Harry, no offense, would be a relatively new spirit so...the only ghostly being he COULD be is a poltergeist." Max explained in an excited manner.
"Well, if you're going to get into specifics..."
"Can we please stop deciding what manner of dead wizard I'd be?" Harry deadpanned as Max and Ron spluttered into laughter.
~Break~
Dinner that evening was fairly uneventful. Hermione was absent, but Max was able to once again be involved in most group conversations since Ron had abstained from his steely treatment of her and Harry. It was nice to just eat dinner and laugh like teenagers for a while.
"Oiy Max!" Fred greeted as he swallowed his mouthful of food quickly.
"Hey Fred!" She greeted back as she took a seat next to him, Ron sitting to her left.
"We still owe you a celebration don't we?" He edged in as Lee Jordan pushed his face from around his right side to nod vigorously.
"It's fine, we don't need another party." Max attempted to wave off.
"Really? Not even if we managed to get some firewhiskey?" George had joined in now, peering over Lee Jordan's right shoulder as he wagged his eyebrows.
"Oh please say yes, I wouldn't mind an excuse to have some fire whiskey." Ron goaded as Harry gave him a perplexed look.
"You've never had firewhiskey, you are literally fourteen." Harry stated with a perplexed look on his face.
"Everyone has a first time." Ron shrugged.
"That's what she said." Fred and Max spoke in unison before laughing.
"Oh sod off you bloody prats!" Ron all but growled as he dug into his plate of food.
"Alright fine, I'm in as long as you don't go overboard." Max gave in with a sigh.
"Oh you won't be disappointed!" Fred laughed as he gave a messy kiss to her cheek. She flushed instantly, but no one noticed as Fred, George, and Lee Jordan ran off to put their plan in motion.
~Break~
They had gone to the Library after dinner to see if they could find Hermione, sadly, the only person they managed to run into was Krum, who was once again too busy with his fans, so Ron didn't even bother trying to get the autograph he had been trying to get for months.
"Wonder where she's got to?" Ron wondered as they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady.
"Dunno...balderdash." Harry responded as he opened the portrait so they could enter. But, as luck would have it, Hermione came bustling up from behind them.
"Harry!" She panted as she skid across the landing almost smacking into Max. "Harry you've got to come - you've got to come, the most amazing thing's happened - please -"
Hermione seized his arm and started to drag him down the steps, Max in tow. Hermione hadn't bothered grabbing and dragging her, as she had already started to descend the stairs at her insistent request. Ron was left staring at all three of them like they had lost their minds.
"What's the matter?" Harry attempted to ask.
"I'll show you when we get there - oh come on, quick -" Hermione continued to persuade.
Harry and Ron exchanged glances before Harry agreed.
"Okay." As soon as the word slipped through his mouth, Hermione was once again dragging him off as Max and Ron followed.
"Oh don't mind me!" The Fat Lady shouted after them with an indignant huff. "Don't apologize for bothering me! I'll just hang here, wide open, until you get back, shall I?"
"Yeah thanks!" Ron shouted over his shoulder. They missed her scowl in response as they disappeared around the corner.
"Hermione, where are we going?" Harry asked finally. Hermione had led them down through six floors, before pulling them down the marble staircase leading into the entrance hall.
"You'll see, you'll see in a minute!" Was her excited response.
She pulled them round the staircase and through the doors that Cedric had once disappeared through all those months ago after he had his name spat out of the goblet. Down another flight of stone steps they continued to follow Hermione before Max got a sense of familiarity. Before she knew it the pictures of food greeted her; it was the entrance to the kitchens. Having a sense of deja vu, Max remembered how Severus had known the password. Guess it made sense now how he had it.
"Oh hang on..." Harry spoke, slowing his hurried movements. "Wait a minute, Hermione..."
"What?" She turned around and gave Harry an impatient look as she waited for his question.
"I know what this is about." Harry then nudged Ron who gave Max a twisted look as they pointed at the bowl of fruit in the painting before them.
"Hermione!" Ron gasped as he realized her motive, "You're trying to rope us into the spew stuff again!"
"No, no, I'm not!" Hermione spat back in haste. "And it's not spew, Ron -"
"Changed the name, have you?" Ron mocked with a frown. "What are we now, then, the House-elf Liberation Front? I'm not barging into that kitchen and trying to make them stop work, I'm not doing it -"
"I'm not asking you too!" Hermione exploded as she stamped her foot against the ground, her face reddening in rage. "I came down here just now, to talk to them all, and I found - oh come on, Harry, I want to show you!"
She pulled him again and Max skipped over to Hermione intent on supporting her friend. She gave an irate look back at Ron who merely rolled his eyes, but followed anyways.
It was a wonder how they ever got married.
She then moved them in front of the painting containing a bowl of fruit and tickled one of the pears. It giggled as it squirmed, before a green knob appeared in its place.
"Max told me how to get in." She smiled, her grin full of pride. "Well, explained further what Fred had mentioned anyways."
Quickly, she seized the handle and dragged Harry in, Max and Ron following afterwards a lot more calm. The kitchens were as Max had remembered them. Large ceilings, high walls, brass pots and pans adorning every square inch. There was a great brick fireplace at the far end as she had remembered it too. At least the damage to Hogwarts hadn't affected the kitchens.
"Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter!" A squeaky voice spoke as Max gave a small shriek at being startled. The wind had been knocked out of Harry as the house elf launched himself at him and hugged on tight.
"D-Dobby?" Harry gasped, stumbling back to stay upright.
"It is Dobby, sir, it is!" The voice squealed in excitement. "Dobby has been hoping and hoping to see Harry Potter sir, and Harry Potter has come to see him, sir!"
The elf in question quickly let Harry go and stepped back to beam at all four of them. He had large green eyes, a thin pencil shaped nose, floppy ears, and was wearing the most ridiculous articles of 'clothing'. And by 'clothing' Max meant 'a random assortment of cloth like objects worn as clothes. He was wearing a tea cosy as a hat covered in bright pins, a tie patterned with horseshoes over a care chest, and a pair of children's red soccer shorts, and mismatched socks. One was black, the other was covered in pink and orange stripes.
"Dobby, what're you doing here?" Harry asked startling Max from her thoughts.
"Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts sir!" Dobby squealed again as he jumped up and down. "Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs sir!"
"Winky?" Harry asked as he looked around. "She's here too?"
"Wait you know who Winky is?" Max asked as she joined their conversation.
"Oh you must be Max Suthers, Winky has talked about you a lot she has! Says you are very nice, even allow her to pick apart old clothes you don't want!" Max turned bright red at that. It wasn't anything, really. She had some socks she had managed to get holes in, and some of the girls had been throwing various articles away finding them plain, old, or worn. Max had collected them knowing someone somewhere might find use in them, and that's when she met Winky who was cleaning up the dorms. Hermione gave her a proud smile though, which helped calm her racing anxiety.
"It was no problem, she's been spoiling me ever since! I think she's been trying to fatten me up!" Max laughed as Dobby paled.
"No miss, she did not mean it like that she didn't!" He grabbed at his ears anxiously causing Max to cease her laughter instantly.
"Oh, it's a joke, I know she didn't mean it like that Dobby." Max attempted to calm Dobby down, and he seemed to, well whatever was calm for him anyways.
"Winky is this way sir!" Dobby grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him past the line of tables mirroring the Great Hall, and past at least a hundred other elves working away, bowing and curtsying Dobby as they passed.
They were all wearing the same 'uniform' tea towels with Hogwarts emblems on them; tied like togas and Max felt herself almost giggling at the thought. House elves were hardly the same as frat boys having a toga party. Yet, the thought persisted and continued to grow more ridiculous.
"Winky sir!" Dobby declared as they stopped before said elf, who was sitting on a stool near the fire.
She was wearing a neat little skirt and a blouse with a matching hat. Max recognized some of the fabric from the clothing she had given her months prior, the skirt at least. It was clear Winky probably made her own instead of foraging like Dobby did. However, she seemed to not care for their state as much as Dobby did, as evident by the stains on her blouse and burn marks on her skirt.
"Hello Winky." Harry greeted. But Winky only looked up at Harry and burst into tears, causing her thin blouse to become wet.
"Oh dear," Hermione quickly rushed forward as Max moved to kneel beside the elf. "Winky, don't cry, please don't..."
But that only seemed to make her cry even harder. Dobby, however, seemed unabashed as he went to offer Harry a cup of tea.
"Would Harry Potter like a cup of tea?" He squeaked loudly over Winky's sobs.
"Er - yeah, okay." He accepted, feeling much too awkward to decline the offer.
Within an instant several house elves swarmed Harry, holding up a tray with a teapot and enough cups for each of them. They even provided some various cookies which Max grabbed up a handful of.
"Good service!" Ron expressed, thoroughly impressed by the prompt service. Max didn't miss the frown Hermione shot him as she moved in closer, probably to give the boy a piece of her mind.
"How long have you been here, Dobby?" Harry asked as Dobby handed around the tea.
"Only a week, Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby replied, his tone happy and his voice boisterous. "Dobby came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir. You see, sir, it is very difficult for a house-elf who has been dismissed to get a new position, sir, very difficult indeed -"
His comment clearly hit a chord as Winky howled even louder, her sobs echoing around the room. Her nose was beginning to drip as her hysterical cries increased.
"Dobby has traveled the country for two whole years, sir, trying to find work!" Dobby squeaked once more. "But Dobby hasn't found work, sir, because Dobby wants paying now!"
All the house elves in the kitchen gave him irritated and confused looks as if he had proclaimed something incredibly nasty or rude. Hermione, however, was momentarily distracted from chastising Ron's lack of empathy, to praise Dobby instead.
"Good for you, Dobby!"
"Thank you, miss!" He grinned a toothy grin at her as his face flushed. "But most wizards doesn't want a house-elf who wants paying, miss. 'That's not the point of a house-elf,' they says, and they slammed the door in Dobby's face! Dobby likes work, but he wants to wear clothes and he wants to be paid, Harry Potter...Dobby likes being free!"
All the other house elves had started to move away at his outburst, staring at him as if he had grown multiple heads. Winky, though crying still, had remained, although her volume had definitely increased.
"And then, Harry Potter, Dobby goes to visit Winky, and finds out Winky has been freed too, sir!" He was delighted at that fact, something that seemed to upset Winky further. She threw herself off the stool and landed on her face and stomach and proceeded to beat her fists against the stone in some form of temper tantrum. Hermione and Max jumped to her aid and started attempting to soothe her so she wouldn't hurt herself further. Dobby merely continued on with his story, growing louder to cover the frantic cooing from Hermione, the calm motherly tone of Max, and the hysterical screeching of Winky.
"And then Dobby had the idea, Harry Potter, sir! 'Why doesn't Dobby and Winky find work together?' Dobby says. 'Where is there enough work for two house-elves?' says Winky. And Dobby thinks, and it comes to him, sir! Hogwarts! So Dobby and Winky came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir, and Professor Dumbledore took us on!" He was so happy there were tears brimming the poor elf's eyes. "And Professor Dumbledore says he will pay Dobby, sir, if Dobby wants paying! And so Dobby is a free elf, sir, and Dobby gets a Galleon a week and one day off a month!"
"That's not very much!" Hermione cut in, leaving Max to calm Winky alone.
"Professor Dumbledore offered Dobby two Galleons a week, and weekends off." Dobby mentioned, his body shivering at the prospect. "But Dobby beat him down miss...Dobby likes freedom, miss, but he isn't wanting too much, miss, he likes work better."
"And how much is Professor Dumbledore paying you, Winky?" Hermione asked kindly as she knelt down beside the blubbering elf she had left with Max. Why she thought, somehow, that topic was safe when the rest wasn't, Max would never know. Thus, Winky started wailing again after Max had just gotten her into calmer sobs and hiccups.
"Winky is a disgraced elf, but Winky is not yet getting paid!" she squeaked. "Winky is not sunk so low as that! Winky is properly ashamed of being freed!"
Max was honestly surprised by her sudden change in demeanour. When she had been asking for scraps of fabric she almost assumed she had to have similar wishes as Dobby, considering what Dobby had been saying. But, Max supposed, it made sense. Winky wasn't interested in collecting articles of clothing as clothing. She was attempting to make the best of a dire situation by sewing up proper clothing, most likely to repair the clothing she received from her original home. It was clear the hat and blouse were from her original house, and she was not willing to part with it more than necessary.
"Ashamed?" Hermione blinked as Max exchanged looks with her. "But - Winky, come on! It's Mr. Crouch who should be ashamed, not you! You didn't do anything wrong, he was really horrible to you -"
"You is not insulting my master, miss! You is not insulting Mr. Crouch! Mr. Crouch is a good wizard, miss! Mr. Crouch is right to sack bad Winky!" Winky had clapped her hands over her ears as she shook her head back and forth.
"Winky is having trouble adjusting, Harry Potter." Dobby explained with confidence. "Winky forgets she is not bound to Mr. Crouch anymore; she is allowed to speak her mind now, but she won't do it."
"Can't house-elves speak their minds about their masters, then?" Harry asked.
"Oh no, sir, no." Dobby said sobering and becoming serious. "Tis part of the house-elf's enslavement, sir. We keeps their secrets and our silence, sir. We upholds the family's honor, and we never speaks ill of them - though Professor Dumbledore told Dobby he does not insist upon this. Professor Dumbledore said we is free to - to -"
Dobby looked up at them all, his face apprehensive and nervous.
"He said we is free to call him a - a barmy old codger if we likes, sir!" Dobby let out a small giggle as he let the insult fly. "But Dobby is not wanting to, Harry Potter. Dobby likes Professor Dumbledore very much, sir, and is proud to keep his secrets and our silence for him."
"But you can say what you like about the Malfoys now?" Harry asked with a wide grin plastered on his face. Max snorted, but was equally curious. Whatever she could learn about the Death Eater family the better. But Dobby grew fearful, his posture curling on itself.
"Dobby - Dobby could." He spoke, his voice filled with doubt. Then, he squared his shoulders with a bravado unknown to house-elves and spoke once more. "Dobby could tell Harry Potter that his old masters were - were - bad dark wizards!"
Ok talk about anticlimactic.
"Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" He began to shout as he rushed to the nearest table to bang his head at every syllable. But Harry grabbed him and pulled him from the table to prevent further harm. "Thank you, Harry Potter, thank you."
"You just need a bit of practice." Harry explained, smiling kindly down at Dobby. No wonder Dobby was so happy to see Harry here. More than likely the boy had inspired this independence, which was funny considering how much Harry seemed to dislike S.P.E.W.
"Practice!" Winky squealed furiously. "You is ought to be ashamed of yourself, Dobby, talking that way about your masters!"
"That isn't my masters anymore, Winky!" Dobby replied, defiance evident in his ton as he stamped his sock covered foot. "Dobby doesn't care what they think anymore!"
"Oh you is a bad elf, Dobby!" Winky moaned, clutching her own head in her hands as more tears fell from her eyes. "My poor Mr. Crouch, what is he doing without Winky? He is needing me, he is needing my help! I is looking about the Crouches all my life, and my mother is doing it before me, and my grandmother is doing if before her...oh what is they saying if they knew Winky was freed? Oh the shame, the shame!"
"Winky," Hermione spoke with a firm tone as she tried to raise Winky's face from her damp skirt. "I'm quite sure Mr. Crouch is getting along perfectly well without you. We've seen him, you know -"
"You is seeing my master?" That got Winky to raise her face, her nose sniffling awfully as she did. "You is seeing him here at Hogwarts?"
"Yes," Hermione nodded, "he and Mr. Bagman are judges here in the Triwizard Tournament."
"Mr. Bagman comes too?" Winky squeaked once more, her tears stilling for a moment. Then, her eyes grew angry as she hit a clenched fist into her skirt. "Mr. Bagman is a bad wizard! A very bad wizard! My master isn't liking him, oh no, not at all!"
Ok that was news to Max. Just how much had Severus been kept in the dark? How much of this was him keeping her in the dark? How much of this was just useless unhelpful information? She'd never know, Severus still stubbornly refused to tell her anything beyond what was necessary for her to know, and Dumbledore fully supported that plan.
"Bagman - bad?" Harry asked as he exchanged confused looks with them.
"Oh yes," Winky nodded, her head wobbling up and down as she sniffled again. "My master is telling Winky some things! But Winky is not saying...Winky - Winky keeps her master's secrets..."
In an instant she had fallen apart into sobs once again, bunching her skirt to her face.
"Poor master, poor master, no Winky to help him no more!"
After that they couldn't get a discernable word from her mouth, so Dobby moved them a bit aways to discuss his plans for his wages.
"Dobby is going to buy a sweater next, Harry Potter!" Dobby was so excited and proud as he chattered on with Harry, who returned the kindness without much issue. Then again, the boy seemed genuinely invested in the people he kept in his life. Something she didn't realize she had ached for in her friendship with Severus. He was loyal, yes, but he was ever withdrawn from her. Of course, now she knew why.
"Tell you what, Dobby." Ron interjected, also equally invested in Dobby's words. "I'll give you the one mum knits me this Christmas, I always get one from her. You don't mind maroon, do you?"
And Dobby indeed did not mind maroon in the least.
"We might have to shrink it a bit to fit you," Ron told him, "but it'll go well with your tea cozy."
Hermione never looked more proud of the red haired boy, at least not in the time Max had known them. It seemed, despite Ron's callous remarks, he wasn't entirely as closed off to the idea of house-elf liberation as he had led them to believe.
As they left the various kitchen elves, and Dobby, handed them an assortment of treats. Hermione declined, looking ill, as Harry and Ron quickly took them with a smile. Max looked momentarily towards Hermione, then accepted a few pastries from the elf before her who bolted off with a bow and large smile.
"I know Herms, but it made them smile. It felt rude not to accept a gift, nor their kindness." Max explained as they bid the elves a good evening.
"I know...I just don't like how this all...feels." Hermione sighed.
"Thanks a lot!" Harry spoke, surrounded by elves trying to shove more treats in his pockets. "See you, Dobby!"
"Harry Potter...can Dobby come and see you sometimes, sir?" Dobby asked, looking very nervous and timid all of a sudden.
"Course you can." Harry beamed.
"Have a good day Max Suthers, it was nice to finally meet you, it was, miss. I am sure Winky will be better soon, she will. Do not let her worry you, miss, she will come around." Dobby smiled as he held Max's hand, zeroing in on her worry in an instant.
"Thank you, Dobby, it was lovely meeting you as well." And Max meant it.
She felt somewhat bad about accepting all those treats from Winky near the start of term. She had no idea the poor elf was barely coping with the change. More than likely, she was caring for Max in a warped attempt to fill her old masters void. There was no other reason for Winky to pay this much attention to her otherwise, right?
"You know what?" Ron asked as they left the kitchens and were climbing the stairs back to the entrance hall. "All these years I've been really impressed with Fred and George, nicking food from the kitchens - well, it's not exactly difficult is it? They can't wait to give it away!"
"Ahh, but little brother, the trick isn't to get the food, the trick is getting in. Only the Hufflepuffs trade that secret around. It's an utter bitch to get one of them to admit how." George popped in startling Ron who gave a very feminine shriek.
"Indeed, the trick is also getting in and out without being caught. It is near the dungeons after all, that old bat has almost caught us a handful of times." Fred joined in as he laid his arm across Max's shoulders.
"What are you two doing here?" Max asked as George ruffled Ron's hair.
"Getting treats for the Gryffindor house party in your honor! Remember? Have to get the food from somewhere." Fred explained further as Max gave him a small grin.
"The question is, what are YOU four doing here?" George inquired as he rounded on the other three.
"Saying hi to Dobby." Hermione explained with a roll of her eyes, "He's getting wages here, I for one, am proud of him."
Before Fred could utter his retort, Max interrupted him.
"Me too, he knows what he wants and is going for it. If only all of us had a little more of Dobby in us." She deflected to stop another argument about house-elves from transpiring.
"Meet you guys back in the common rooms then?" George spoke over his shoulder as he moved towards the descending stairs to the kitchens.
"Sure, don't take too long! Don't forget tarts!" Ron shouted as the three of them continued to make their way into the entrance hall.
"What about me?" Max sighed as Fred started to lead her toward the kitchens as well.
"Why you are the help of course!" Fred and George spoke in unison. The echo of Hermione's voice following them as she expressed her wishes for Winky to adapt easier.
~Break~
After returning to the kitchens, explaining to Dobby for over ten minutes why she had returned, they were heading back to the Gryffindor Tower. Dobby had happily agreed to bring the food once it was all prepared, excited about the party himself. He seemed to take a shining to Max, more than likely due to Winky and Harry. She made a mental note to ask Harry later about how he met Dobby as they entered the now set up common rooms.
The walls were clearly magically decorated, banners touting their house colours stating good luck and to win to both Max and Harry. She grinned, all teeth, and sauntered into an already tipsy party. Harry shot up from where he was sitting waving her over, an awkward grin on his face. She shook her head and chuckled as she headed towards where he was seated between Hermione and Ron.
"Max! Come, sit!" Harry gushed full of excitement.
"I'm coming Harry hold your horses, wait, have you been drinking?" Max wrinkled her nose as she squished in next to Hermione and took a whiff.
"I told him not too." Hermione sighed.
"Actually 'Mione, you told Harry to 'take it easy' cause 'it's a school night." Ron burst forth, his mouth full of some kind of cream filled confectionery.
"That does sound an awful lot like you." Max laughed as she wrapped her hand around a red plastic cup. Didn't matter what time or country, solo red cups were still a thing.
"Rum and coke, a couple of the seventh years are muggleborns so." Fred offered as he hung over the back of the couch, his chin resting against her shoulder.
"Why thank you, I have always been a rum girl more than whiskey." She laughed as she took a sip. Hermione gave her a peculiar look as she stared at the glass in her hands.
"You drink...often?" She asked as Max spluttered her drink back into her cup.
"Ahh, well, you know, sips here and there..." She trailed off as she gulped back down her previous sip with a wince.
"Just...be careful." Hermione sighed as she took a sip of her plain coke.
"I will, don't you worry!" Max grinned as she threw an arm around her friend's shoulders.
~Break~
Her promise to Hermione was short lived as the party livened up and Max completely forgot her age. Which, of course, is to say she remembered her age. She had lost several drinks throughout the night, only to find another handed to her by one of the twins; although she was hardly telling them no, an encouragement they happily obliged. Still, it should have struck her odd how they were providing her drinks as if she were their age, as opposed to Ron and Harry who were cut off long ago.
But it didn't, and so she kept drinking, her giggles a pathetic mask for her outrageous laughter and lack of inhibitions and coordination. One thing that Severus didn't know about her, was how alcohol tended to make her, and how she seemed to embrace it on occasion. Loud, boisterous, larger-than-life, incredibly outgoing, and completely wild. She tended to do the things she wanted as the thoughts came, and more often than not had to have a chaperone from one of her muggle friends whenever the intent was to allow her to let loose.
Tipsy, she was fine.
Drunk, mostly fine, nowadays anyways.
Blitzed? Well, at least she remembered what she did at the end of the night now, the first few times...not so much. Now, Max wasn't a huge drinker. It came up about once a month when she and her friends would get together to let loose, most of them too busy in University, College, or work, to party often without planning. Max also didn't drink herself this stupid every time.
Although, she wasn't called a professional lush as a joke in her muggle circle. She managed to drink with little to no hangover and continue on her day as if it were business as usual regardless of how much she drank. Then again, that was never firewhiskey, which she had just started shots of. But if there was ever a situation that called for this level of letting go, she rationalized it was this one. Almost being eaten by a venomous acidic dragon was definitely reason enough.
That rationale was now about four shots ago, and counting.
"A girl who can hold her liquor, nice!" Lee Jordan guffawed as he slapped the twins on their backs.
"I think I'm going to have to concede." George gulped as Fred nodded, not even bothering to reach for his shot glass as he rested his head against his arm on the table before them.
"I agree, if I take another I'll actually vomit." Max swallowed as she pushed her shot glass away.
"Well now what?" Lee Jordan asked as he tapped his wand against his knee.
"We could sneak into the kitchens for some leftover dinner?" Fred suggested as he stood up, shaking as he did.
"Yeah, dunno about you guys, but I need some coffee and a pitcher full of water right about now." Angelina agreed as she helped George to his feet.
It was well beyond midnight at this point and the majority of the party had dispersed to individual groups lazing about, or those who had gone to bed. Yet, Max couldn't think of a better thing to do than go to the kitchens. She also couldn't think of a reason she shouldn't go either.
Which of course was foolish, but she couldn't remember a single reason why.
Slipping out of the portrait in a swath of low rumbling laughter, they all stumbled their way down the stairs together, wands scraping against bannisters as hands helped steady one another. Coming to the first floor they just about fell into a crumpled heap when Fred lost his footing and went head over heel.
"Sacrifice one for the majority!" Max rushed out as she let go of his arm before she fell with him.
"Harsh." George laughed as he skipped away from the group towards the hall leading down another flight of stairs.
Fred caught himself on a bannister only rolling down a few steps before righting himself. Angelina pulled Lee up behind them as he kept threatening to teeter over on his own.
"Learn when you're outmatched." Max laughed at Lee, her breath coming out raspy as she steadied herself against the wall as her clumsy feet slapped against the stone.
"Says the witch using the wall as a crutch." Lee seethed back as the rest echoed in laughter around them.
"Shh! Shh, come on guys don't be so loud!" George warned as Fred belted slightly louder than the rest.
"Oh come on, no ones up this late anyways." Fred scoffed as he pushed his brother out of the way.
"I would beg to differ Mr. Weasley." A deep pitched voice rang out from behind them.
A buzzing in the back of Max's mind vaguely recalled the way towards the dungeons was just behind them, while another part of her mind screamed abject horror. And so, as a rational individual does, she let out a scream as she twirled around to come face to face with Professor Snape.
"Calm yourself Miss Suthers, it is the middle of the night." Professor Snape hissed through clenched teeth.
"Oh shit." Lee gulped as Snape zeroed in on his expletive immediately.
"10 points from Gryffindor for your language Mr. Jordan. A small amount compared to what is to come, I assure you." He spoke slowly as his gaze swept over the group, before settling on Max.
Max let out a deep sigh at his theatrics, one he clearly heard.
"Well, why am I not surprised to see you here Miss Suthers? Always did have an attraction to breaking the rules," pushing past her he stared at the twins with a mild irritation compared to the scalding way he had looked at her. "You four, back to your dorms. 100 points each for this little escapade. You all have detention for the next three months. Get into bed and sober up, the Headmaster will want to speak with you all in the morning I'm sure."
Max turned to follow the rest of her peers until Snape's hand shot out and grasped her shoulder.
"Not you, Miss Suthers, we need to have a talk about how a Champion of Hogwarts should conduct herself, shall we?" He slowly spoke, his arm curling around her back as he pushed her towards the dungeons.
She moved rigidly as she allowed Severus to guide her uncoordinated body towards what she could only assume were his rooms. Her eyes followed her friends as they left up the stairs in the opposite direction, Fred was the last as he gave her an apologetic smile before he disappeared as well.
"Severus..." Max whispered as she felt his fingers curl against her back.
"That's Professor Snape to you." He snapped waspishly.
"If that's how you want this to go, then ok Professor." She purred out the word Professor as if it were the last drop of water on earth.
His fingers twitched and she swore she almost felt him stumble.
"Attempting that kind of behaviour will not negate the fact I caught you drunk, at two a.m., breaking into the kitchens!" He hissed, his teeth clenched tightly as he pulled her sharply around a corner as he headed towards his private quarters.
"What kind of behaviour?" She giggled as her dry tongue darted out to press against her chapped lips.
"The kind that gets students expelled." Snape sneered as he withdrew his wards, threw her into his rooms, and put them back up again.
"Well, Professor, I'd agree with you, except I find myself in your personal rooms." Max spoke, her words slow and articulate as she just about fell to the floor once again.
"Damn it Max!" Severus shouted as he rushed towards her and helped her sit down on the couch near the fireplace.
"Whoa, sorry, the ground wanted to go for a trip, and balance and I just aren't getting along these days." She giggled to herself as Severus removed his hands from her arms once she was seated.
"Max, what the hell were you thinking?" He fell back into an armchair he had pulled up adjacent and just laid his head back against the headrest.
"I was thinking how nice it would be to not think actually." She responded, despite being keenly aware he wasn't asking.
"I wasn't asking Max." This time he took a heavy breath out of his nostrils and it somehow felt worse than his audible sighs.
"Yeah, I know." Max admitted as she teetered on the edge of her seat.
"Damn it Max, do one thing right tonight and stop playing around before you-" But before he could finish, Max has fallen to the floor and into a heap.
She started making a small 'hmm..' noise, almost quizzically, before it bled into uncontrolled giggles.
"Max..." Severus sighed as he sat back down, shutting his eyes in exasperation.
Max lay there a moment thinking of something to say, but all she could think was how happy she was to be there, regardless of the fact she was in incredible amounts of trouble.
"There are better ways to get my attention Max." He spoke as if it were a tired conversation, one they had had many times before, despite it being the first.
She reeled for a moment, choking on the words, her irritation rising. She didn't have a clear enough head now, much less sober, to deal with such an accusation, but mostly... She just didn't want to admit how much she had missed him and how much hanging out with the younger Gryffindors was the most fun she had had in months. Opening her eyes to a spinning ceiling she saw the tips of his dark cloak, robes, and shoes. Shyly, she reached out a hand and grasped the hem lightly and twirled it around her fingers intimately. She was reminded of the time she had caught snakes and frogs as a small child back home, and how they had slithered through her fingertips as soft as velvet.
Slowly, her gaze rose and met his, almost abashed, she looked up at him as if she were seeing him for the first time. Max wondered for a moment if it was foolish to think of him as her childhood love. It seemed almost juvenile to plant him there now. It wasn't just the age, or the way he looked, it was the secrets he had been hiding. Every little piece that made him who he was, he had pretended didn't exist. Instead she was left with the idea she had fallen in love with a shell, or a persona, not even a real person. It felt stupid and childish, she wouldn't blame him a bit if he saw her as such as well. But his eyes were still the same. His dark, very dark, but still brown, eyes still looked at her the same, even now. Even as she was drunk and stuck on his floor.
She wanted to kiss him.
She was shocked by the honesty of her thoughts and figured it was time for water and bed before she made an entire fool of herself.
"How can you be so stupid?" He muttered. Although quiet, she had heard him all the same.
"How dare you?" It came out more as a confused question, as if she weren't sure if she was supposed to be offended or not.
"Are you sure?" Was his acerbic quip. He was effortlessly mocking her uncertainty. She swallowed her sense and her hurt feelings and rolled her eyes to look up at him.
With a tentative motion, she withdrew her hand from his cloak and reached up for him in a childlike manner. He peered down at her curiously as his hair danced around his face from the force of his sigh. She smiled wider and tilted her chin upward. A motion they both knew was less than innocent.
"Please, help me up Professor..." Her lips twitched into a smile as she stared up through her lashes. His eyes bore heated into her own as he debated internally to himself.
Within moments he had made up his mind and reached down for her. Slowly, he pulled her up his other arm reaching down to cradle her waist as he maneuvered her at the awkward angle. Max giggled again as her head lulled to the side, her cheek resting against his shoulder as her face turned in towards his neck. Pulling her up fully she was pulled flush up against him. Her eyes closed for a moment as she debated her next move. Without hesitation she moved her head towards the junction of his neck, her lips pressing against his pulse like a butterfly. The skin there was soft, bobbing as he swallowed.
Severus' breath hitched as her warm lips pressed harder against his neck. Max grinned as she heard the sign of his breathing change. Boldness embodied her lips twisted into a feral grin as her tongue flicked out next causing him to stumble, his fingers clenching her hips tightly as he breathed harder. Kissing her way up his neck, she flicked her tongue out again and traced his jaw. Severus remained frozen, his breathing her only indication he noticed her at all. Stretching onto her tippy toes, she moved her lips to his chin, attempting to get him to angle down towards her. He remained stone cold, never acquiescing to her request as she nipped at the dimple in his chin.
But beyond his digging fingertips and laboured breathing, he refused to acknowledge her still. Max raised her arm and curled her hand around the nape of his neck pulling his lips down to hers. He allowed her to manipulate his neck, but as her lips pressed against his, he breathed out her name.
"Max..." It was a warning, one she refused to follow.
"Severus..." She moaned as she felt his chest reverberate a growl.
His lips pressed against hers, fevered and hot. She pulled him closer as his hands changed positions to allow her movements. One rested around her middle, right under her bust, as the other rested lightly at the nape of her neck, pressing her to him. Max had never felt so warm before, and opened her mouth to trace the part in his lips. She wanted more of him, to be consumed by every part of him, and consume him back.
His lips parted at her invitation and she took little time in reaching out to meet his tongue. He let out a low groan causing her to sigh in bliss. She sucked his shy tongue into the warm heat of her mouth, feeling the rough appendage press against hers intimately. Slowly, she pressed both their tongues back towards their lips and sucked his bottom lip between hers. She nipped lightly, moving her ass in small circles against his front.
Sneaking a glance, she looked up at him. She saw his eyes were closed tightly and he was panting. Her haze did little to remind her why this wasn't the best of ideas, and she could hardly care. She wanted to kiss him in other places now, and hoped he felt the same. As his lips pressed harder against hers, his hand wandering slower she knew he did. Twisting her body, she pulled her front flush with his. Her arms wove around his neck as she hitched herself upwards, her arms locked behind his neck.
He caught on quick with a slight stumble as he caught her weight and held her full ass in both hands. Max wound her legs around his middle and started kissing up the line of his neck, wet and sloppy. Her pelvis rotating against his in figure eights causing the delicious sound of his moan to come out. Something Max had secretly coveted since she was last in school. Severus stumbled as his eyes shot open and he stilled his movements, her lips still pressing their way along his jaw. He had to stop this before it got out of hand.
"Max, you need to stop." She felt his voice vibrate through his jaw bone, but the meaning didn't ring through her mind until a second afterwards.
"Shh..." Poking out her tongue she tasted her way towards his lips.
"I'm serious right now Max." Her mouth was against his after this statement and she felt him moving them backwards, towards the door leading to his bed.
Her hands threaded through his hair pulling him closer as he battled with all sense and reason. All she knew is she desperately wanted him.
"You need to stop." Severus spoke again as he lowered Max to his bed.
"Do you really want to?" She laughed as her hand pressed against the thick layers on his torso.
"You are very drunk Miss Suthers and -"
"That's not my fucking name." She spat causing Severus to pull away ever so slightly.
"I'm going to ignore that out of our longstanding friendship, but I am going to have to disregard your request based on pretenses we are both struggling to keep up right now." Severus was panting, his breath coming out in heavy puffs that caused her hand to bob back and forth.
"What's your excuse for not kissing me when we were students then?" Max bitterly spat as he pulled away from her warm body.
"We are not going to have this discussion while you are drunk." Severus said in a clipped tone.
"Why not?!" Max whined.
"Enough Max! I am trying to hold my temper, but you are becoming belligerent all because I have said no. Do not test me further." Severus snapped, beads of spit hitting Max's face causing her to recoil in hurt and fear.
She felt humiliated, she was acting like a spoiled child, forcing herself on him like that.
"I...I'm sorry Severus I...I'll just go, I didn't mean too...I'm sorry!" She spluttered out as she scrambled to sit up on his bed, only to discover herself more drunk than she had thought.
Keeling over to stop an upheaval, she let out a piteous moan.
"Max, that's not what this is about, I didn't mean it like that just...I'll get you something before you vomit all over my bed." Severus sighed as he pulled away from her and moved towards the far side of the room.
She heard a few bottles clinking around, before he returned and pressed two vials into her hands. She took them without complaint or question, the taste muted on her tongue from her inebriation. They didn't talk further as her eyes slowly slid shut, but she felt herself enwrapped in warmth, his lips next to her ear as her breathing evened out and the room faded away.
~Chapter 11 End~