Chapter Six

Pansy Parkinson

The next day Meredith woke up hoping for the day to be less eventful than yesterday. She pulled her curtain away and was unsurprised to see that she was the last one up in the dorm; she definitely enjoyed a lie-in more than the rest of the girls. This time though, she'd left it a little too late. The clock on her bedside table told her that she was probably going to miss breakfast and could even miss the beginning of her first class. Since that was potions with Snape and the Slytherins, she really had to get a move on.

She shoved her hair into a messy braid and grabbed her nearest uniform. After shoving several scrolls of unfinished homework into her bag she sprinted down the stairs, nearly tripping on her way down.

Instead of trying to get a slice of toast she decided to head straight for potions. She made it down to the dungeons with time to share; but sadly she wasn't the only one there. Pansy Parkinson was leaning against the wall, chatting away with Mafalda and Daphne Greengrass. Meredith decided not to get too close and instead hid in some nearby shadows.

"I wish we didn't have potions with the Gryffindors again this year," whined Pansy, "they really stink up the classroom."

"Ahg, right?" responded Daphne, nodding like an idiot.

"And that Granger girl…"

"She's just insufferable," added Mafalda- Meredith clenched her fists angrily. "She thinks she's so smart- my grades are just as good as hers!"

"Yet you weren't top of the class last year, were you, Mafi?" Meredith said loudly, stepping out of the shadows. She could never resist a fight with her sister, after all.

The three Slytherin's whipped around to face her, shock written on their faces. Mafalda recovered the fastest.

"What did mother tell you about lurking in the shadows?" she said, "you won't make any friends that way."

"Like I'd want to be friends with this lot," Meredith laughed.

"You'd be so lucky," snapped Pansy. "I feel so sorry for you, Mafalda, having to live with such low breeding."

Meredith seethed, but before she could retaliate, they were joined by their fellow classmates.

"Alright, Meredith?" called out Harry, noticing the tension resting on her shoulders.

"Yeah," she said, turning her back on her sister and her devilish friends, "I'm fine- oh!"

She was hit in the back with a spell, and she went flying down to her knees. Harry ran to her side to help her up, pulling her by her hands.

"Are you okay- Pansy just-" he stopped and gasped.

"What is it?" Meredith said, distracted by Harry holding her hands.

"Well," he said calmly, "Don't freak out- but you have antennas."

Meredith's hands shot up to her head, where she felt the fleshy little antennas wiggling above her eyebrows.

Meredith screeched in frustration and finally, the Slytherin's all burst into laughter. Even Mafalda was laughing, although she did try to cover it up with her hand.

Meredith spotted Pansy with her wand out, gripping her side as she cried with laughter.

"YOU!" spat Meredith, as she leapt towards Pansy.

Harry grabbed her robe and pulled her back.

"Why is there such a raucous outside of my classroom?" demanded Snape, opening the door to the potions room.

The Gryffindors and Slytherins all started to answer at once, trying to defend their own house.

"Look at what Pansy did to Meredith's face," said Hermione earnestly.

"She still has her wand out!" Ron said crossly, pointing at Pansy.

Parkinson wasn't quick enough to hide her wand as Snape glanced over to her but still he said, "I see no evidence to what you're saying Weasley," he gave Meredith a dull, uninterested look, "please keep your attention seeking antics to your other classes Miss Prewett- now go to the hospital wing to get that sorted out; I don't wish to see your face again today so don't come back to this classroom- and five points from Gryffindor for the disruption."

The hallway fell silent after that, and Meredith felt her face burn. She was ashamed when a tear escaped her eye. She picked up her bag and stormed away down the hall, keeping her head down to avoid eye contact. She felt those preposterous antennas droop sadly.

She was so occupied with trying to hide her face that she wasn't able to stop herself as she crashed into two hulking frames. Luckily, it was just Fred and George.

"Oh those are new, Meredith," said Fred with a smile, flicking one of the antennas.

"It's a really bold statement, no one will be forgetting you anytime soon," added George as he looped his arm over her shoulder and passed her a tissue.

She smiled weakly at them both and wiped away her tears gratefully.

"So was this a class incident-" said George

"- or a Slytherin incident?" finished Fred

"It's always one of those," they said together.

"A Slytherin," said Meredith sadly, "it's the second time she's caught me unawares- oh! I can't wait to learn a spell so horrible- so terrible- that she'll be crying for a week!"

Fred and George shared a look and led Meredith quickly off into a deserted corridor.

"You might not need a spell," Fred whispered in a conspiratory voice.

"You could use a poison," said George, "nothing fatal, of course-"

"- just something a little… uncomfortable."

Meredith smiled cheekily at them both. "Tell me what I need to do."

"Now how on earth did you come to get antennas poking out the top of your head?" asked Madame Pomfrey, with her arms crossed and her toe tapping impatiently.

"Well, I can tell you it wasn't a personal choice," muttered Meredith.

"A jinx, I imagine," Pomfrey said loudly, "not getting into any duels are you, Miss Prewett?"

"No, Madame Pomfrey," groaned Meredith obediently.

It wasn't long before Meredith was sent on her way, with a small pot of moisturiser to apply on her forehead over the next couple days; because even though the antennas were now gone, there were still two angry red dots on either side of her forehead.

She met up with Harry, Ron and Hermione at lunch.

"I can't believe Snape let Parkinson get away with that," said Hermione crossly, fussing over Meredith.

"I can," said Harry and Ron.

"I'm guessing Perfect Pansy got into no trouble at all?" grumbled Meredith. "Well, that's just fine by me, because I have a plan to get back at her."

Hermione blanched and started to protest.

"Oh, shut up Hermione," said Ron impatiently, "we don't even know what the plan is yet- let's hear it then, Meredith."

"Fred and George told me that in one of the Greenhouses there's a Alihotsy tree and if consumed, the leaves can make a person laugh hysterically."

"That doesn't sound that bad," said Harry, "that doesn't even sound like that much of a punishment."

"It will be when she has to wait a couple days for the antidote to be ready- since apparently you'd need a treacle with ingredients from some magical bug that needs to set before it can be eaten."

"I don't think this is a good idea-" Hermione began.

"Of course you don't," Meredith said grumpily.

"You could get caught breaking into the Greenhouse! You could get expelled!"

"These two idiots drove a flying car into a beloved, murderous tree and they didn't get expelled! I'll be fine!"

"She could be allergic- people die from allergies all the time!"

"Yeah- well, she might not- gosh, Hermione, why do you always have to ruin everything!"

The girls glared at each other in angry silence.

"I reckon the chances of Pansy being allergic to an Alihotsy leaf are probably really low, right?" asked Harry cautiously. "And we can use the cloak, so Meredith won't get caught. We could be in and out of the green house before anyone noticed!"

"Oh, no you don't, Harry," said Hermione crossly, "you and Ron are already walking a fine line- you simply can't risk it."

"Well she's right about that," Meredith said firmly, blocking off Ron and Harry's protests. "I can just do it by myself."

Meredith gave Hermione a nasty look before getting up from the lunch table and exiting the Great Hall.

Harry ran to catch up with her.

"She means well," Harry said.

"I know that," Meredith sighed, "but I already know the risks. I don't need a mother- I need a friend who will help me when I need it."

Harry was unsure of how to respond to that so instead he let her walk away, waiting for his other friends to catch up.

Meredith and Hermione didn't talk for the rest of the day, and it made every class awkward for the whole group. Meredith and Hermione would usually sit next to each other in most classes but now instead Meredith forced Ron to take her place and Meredith sat moodily next to Harry. Usually she'd relish in spending this much alone time with Harry but all she could do was glare at the back of Hermione's bushy head.

When they went back to the common room, the boys fled temporarily to their room. Hermione went straight over to a nearby desk and started on one of her essays. Meredith joined the twins at the fire.

"So, are you going gardening tonight?" asked George innocently.

"Definitely…" Meredith said, "George, what are the odds Pansy could be allergic to this plant?"

"Nearly zero, I'd say," he said confidently.

Meredith trusted him- for the most part.

"Just give her the smallest amount," added Fred, "to be extra safe."

Meredith didn't respond but instead headed up to her dorm room. She suddenly felt very nervous and unhappy that she was doing this alone. At least Harry and Ron said they'd be waiting up for her.

She waited in bed, pretending to be asleep, for hours until midnight. She climbed out of bed and put her shoes back on- she hadn't changed out of her uniform.

When she pulled back her curtain she saw Hermione was sitting up in bed, watching her with folded arms.

They stared at each other for a brief moment before Hermione pulled her curtains shut with a snap, blocking off any apology Meredith might have made.

Meredith crept downstairs, where she found Harry and Ron whispering by the fire.

"No Hermione?" asked Ron.

Meredith shook her head. "She was awake though, but you know what she's like."

Harry handed her the invisibility cloak.

"Try not to get caught-"

"I'll do my best," Meredith said, "and if I do, I'll make sure to hide the cloak before I'm caught."

Harry smiled nervously. He was clearly hating being left out of the action.

"Good luck," Ron said, patting Meredith's shoulder awkwardly.

Meredith pulled the cloak over her head, completely disappearing from sight. She made her way out of the portrait hole and slowly down the moving staircases. She took her time, making sure to make no noise but also to look at all the sleeping paintings. She was especially caught by a painting of a forest that had a young, brown haired boy sleeping against a willow tree. She had to pull herself away from it.

She was surprised by how chilly it was outside the castle at night. The last time she'd been out here this late was when she'd gone into the forbidden forest for detention. She shivered at the memory. They'd been so close to You-Know-Who. Before last year, Meredith hadn't felt that afraid of this mysterious villain, but now, like the rest of the wizarding world, she felt afraid to even utter his name.

The green houses looked ominous without the sun shining through their glass walls. Meredith made sure to go into the right one. Greenhouse five. The smell was a lot creepier and darker than in greenhouse three. Those same smells that Meredith had found so comforting a day before now made her think of hands bursting out of graves to grab her and pull her into the earth.

"Lumos," she said softly, lighting her wand to see her way through the tall plants.

She was looking for a tree with red and green leaves, the stem looking like a washed out pink colour. The plants around her seemed to lean towards her, looking over her shoulder as she wound her way through them. She made sure to avoid any of the plants that paid too much attention to her. Some of these trees were predatory and she'd make a perfect night time snack.

Finally, she spotted the Alihotsy. It was shorter than she expected.

Just as she reached out her hand to grab a few leaves she heard the door behind her creek open.

"Who's in here?" snapped Professor Sprout, "You had best come out, right this moment!"

Meredith quickly snatched a leaf from the tree and tucked it into her pocket. She quietly made her way through the plants again, unsure if there was another way out since Sprout was blocking the way she had entered.

She found a door that connected greenhouse five to greenhouse four and dived through it. She could still hear Professor Sprout stalking somewhere behind her, and she became panicked as she ran blindly in the dark. Finally she spotted the exit and ran out into the night. She took a deep breath of the cool, fresh air.

Finally safe, she thought.

"I know I heard someone in here, Filch, help me find them!"

Or not.

Professor Sprout had clearly gotten the help of Filch to catch her. She shot off in a dead sprint down the pathway but had to skid to the side when Filch turned the corner into her way, and now Professor Sprout was blocking her path back.

Next to her was the door to greenhouse three, she'd have to find a way out there. She pushed the door open hurriedly.

"There! That door just opened!"

Meredith swore under her breath. She was going to get caught. She needed to stash the invisibility cloak. Lurking menacingly in the corner was the Venomous Tentacula. Meredith crept up to it and pulled the cloak off her body. The thorny vines floated around her, narrowly missing her. Meredith breathed lightly as she slowly placed the cloak behind the potted plant. No one would dare go close to the Tentacula when it was awake. She'd just have to receive it the next day during class somehow.

"Aha! I've got you now!" yelled Filch as he spotted Meredith.

His shout caused the Venomous Tentacula to wake up and take a swipe at Meredith with one of its thorny vines. A thorn caught her on the upper arm and ripped through her shirt and cut her skin. She yelped in pain and stumbled clumsily away from the plant- and bumped straight into the table of recently potted Mandrakes. One of the pots fell to the floor and broke apart, exposing the baby Mandrake. Meredith had a brief moment to be alarmed before the baby root started screaming.

"Oh," Meredith said plainly, before falling to the ground and blacking out.

The sun was shining through the curtains of the hospital wing when Meredith finally opened her eyes. She squinted at the light, her head pounding in her ears.

"Awake are you?" Madame Pomfrey snapped, causing Meredith to wince in pain. "You are in for a world of trouble, Missy. I've sent word to your head of house that you'd be up soon."

Meredith found the wait unbearable and her stomach hurt from stress. How long had she been asleep? Did they find the cloak? Did she still have the leaf in her pocket? Her uniform was hung over a chair nearby.

Professor McGonagall glided into the hospital wing like a bird of justice. An incredibly angry bird of justice. She stood over Meredith silently for a moment.

"Well," she said quietly, "what exactly did you think you were doing?"

Meredith hung her head, unable to come up with a decent excuse.

"Professor Sprout has informed me that you disturbed her young Mandrakes and by knocking one of them over, you not only endangered yourself, but also Filch! Who was knocked out alongside you!"

Meredith looked at a bed a few spots away from her. Filch was still sound asleep. She tried to imagine that this would be a funny story one day but couldn't quite manage it.

"I'll be taking fifteen points from Gryffindor for this- don't you dare protest Miss Prewett- and you'll be serving a weekly detention with Professor Sprout for the next month."

Meredith huffed angrily. Harry and Ron hadn't lost that many points for Gryffindor- and they damaged a whole tree! Not a tiny pot plant!

Meredith knew there was nothing she could do to change McGonagall's mind and so instead she just hung her head again.

"I'm sorry Professor McGonagall."

"You will be, I'm sure," she said, less harshly than before. "Madame Pomfrey informed me that you'll have to rest for the remainder of the day but you'll be back in your dorm room tonight. Until then, you may entertain your guests for a short moment."

Meredith craned her neck to see who had come to visit her. McGonagall gestured with a wave of her hand and Harry, Ron and Hermione came rushing in. McGonagall left them to it with only one warning glare sent their way.

"We waited all night for you-" said Ron.

"What happened-" asked Harry.

"I heard you got into a fist fight with Filch and knocked him out-"

"We also heard-"

"Give her a chance to breathe," said Hermione, exasperated. "How are you, Meredith?"

Meredith appreciated Hermione calming them down- her head was still throbbing. She also took it for the apology it was meant to be.

"I'm okay, just wish I didn't have to miss the rest of the day."

"I'll get all your homework for you," Hermione said quickly, happy that Meredith seemed to have forgiven her.

"Enough of that," said Ron impatiently, "tell us what happened."

"Basically, Sprout and Filch caught me but not before I accidentally knocked over a Mandrake that caused Filch and I to black out."

"He's going to have it out for you now," said Harry. "I don't mean to be rude, but my cloak…"

"Is hidden behind the Venomous Tentacula," said Meredith reluctantly, unsure on how Harry would react.

"Well, at least it's well guarded," said Hermione helpfully.

"I promise I'll get it back," Meredith said desperately.

"That's okay," said Harry, not mad in the slightest. "That was some pretty fast thinking on your part. I'm sure I can figure out how to get it back during our next Herbology class. Did you get what you needed?"

"I hope so, it should be in my cloak pocket," she said.

Hermione checked her pockets and pulled out the red spotted leaf.

"Perfect," beamed Meredith. "That's one good thing, then-"

"ARRRRGH PREWETT!"

Filch woke up suddenly, causing all of them to jump.

"I'm dead meat," squeaked Meredith.

Hermione pulled the curtain around them.

"Hopefully he won't see you here."

"We'd best get going," said Ron nervously, eying the bed Filch was having a temper tantrum in. "Good luck with that, Meredith!"

"See you tonight," Harry said, just as quickly.

They walked quickly towards the exit, turning to wave to Meredith.

"Take me with you!" begged Meredith.

Filch snarled in response.