I wanted to get this chapter out sooner, but the last month has been pretty hectic, and I'm sorry to say that it will only get more so as the days/months go on. See I'm starting my first year of college (can I get a round of applause for accomplishment?) and I will be spending a lot of my time focusing on my studies. So who knows when I'll be able to update this. So if I don't update for a really really long time, don't think it's because I've lost interest in this story. I just have other things to worry about.
With that said I'd like to thank; annouska, carpe-diem-1299, Javelon, L.A.H.H, vampire-angel1996, TuesdayNovember, missokaycool, Slytherinxprincess, KaiteeLove13, HunterofArtemis1136, and JollyPen, for reviewing the last chapter. And a thanks to everyone that added this story to their alerts or to their favorites. That means a lot to me. And I can never say that enough.
Now without further ado, I bid to you, Chapter 8 of Simplicity. Enjoy. :)
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I wouldn't be freaking out about how I'm going to pay off the debt I'm about to/have already acquire(d). So naturally anything you recognize I do not own.
It was late in the afternoon a few days after the New Year when Angeline found herself standing in front of the fireplace in her fathers study. The Ministry had arranged this one-off connection to the Floo Network to return student quickly and safely to the school. Her father sat behind his desk looking over a few of his things while her mother had gone off with a few of her friends. She left without a single glance in Angeline's direction.
"Keep your grades up. I was a highly disappointed in your last marks. Try harder." Demetrius said. Angeline glanced back at him quickly before looking at the emerald flames again.
"Of course, Father," she said tightly. "Do you want me home for Easter?" She asked him.
"Your presence is not needed." he replied. Angeline nodded not sure if he was looking at her or not and not caring either way.
Farewells around here are so heartbreaking. Angeline thought sarcastically.
"Well then see you at the end of term," she stepped into the emerald fire and shouted "Hogwarts!" She had one last look at the study and her father's hard face before the flames engulfed her; spinning very fast, she caught blurred glimpses of other rooms, which were whipped out of sight before she could get a proper look; then she was slowing down, finally stopping squarely in the fireplace in Professor Snape's office. He barely glanced up from his work as she tripped over the grate.
Oh very graceful...
"Evening, Jensen. Do try not to break anything." He drawled.
"Sorry, Professor." She answered. Flattening her hair she hurried to the door not waiting to see who was following her out of the fireplace. Also she didn't want to spend more time than necessary with her Head of House.
While heading to the Slytherin Dungeons, Angeline thought how Slytherin and Hufflepuff got the raw end of the deal. Both their common rooms being underground. The lack of windows was always a little depressing.
Think of all the beautiful snow out there...
"Falcutas," she said once she had reached the stretch of wall that would reveal the Slytherin common room. But nothing happened. "Hell..." she said ready to kick the wall. Who changes the password while the students are away for the holiday? "Dignitas," she tried a different password. This hadn't work either. Frustrated she did kick the wall.
Should have asked Snape if the password changed...
"Wasn't expecting it to!"
"Merlin, Jensen. Can't leave alone for a few moments let alone nearly two weeks can I?" Angeline turned to see Blaise striding up to her, hands in his pockets. "Kicking walls and then talking to yourself. You're going mental."
"I'm doing great. Break was lovely. Thanks for asking. I've missed you too." Angeline mumbled as she turned back to the wall in front of them.
"Rude," Blaise said before turning to the wall. "absolutum dominium," the wall began to move to reveal the common room. "New password," Blaise spoke as though speaking to a first year. "You should have asked Snape for the password."
"I've already come to that conclusion funny enough." Angeline said pushing her way past him and into the common room.
"How was the Christmas Eve dinner?" Blaise questioned from behind her. Angeline glanced at him over her shoulder before falling back on her favorite couch.
"Are you really interested?" she asked as he joined.
"Can't say that I am, Jensen, but considering no one else is going to ask you, and I'm the only dare I say friend you have, you might as well tell me how it was." Blaise said. Angeline rolled her eyes.
To think I missed your company...
"I'm still breathing so that right there is a sign that it wasn't that bad." Angeline said. Blaise looked amused. "There's not much to say about it."
Other than Draco and I had some sort of...what would I call it?
"Are you sure about that?" he questioned.
"Very sure," Angeline said. "Enough about me," Angeline began. She looked around to make sure no one was in earshot. "How was your time in Italy with Jessible?"
"It was enjoyable," he replied after a moment.
"I'm sure it was." Angeline said just as the entrance opened and Draco walked through. He glanced in her direction and sent her a curt nod which she returned before he walked off toward the boys' dorms.
"There's not much to say about that dinner party, huh," Blaise said looking at her. "You liar."
"And that's a hint that I don't want to talk about it." Angeline said.
"Wasn't asking you to, Jensen. I was just pointing out what I see." Blaise said. "You're a liar."
"Slytherin," she said pointing to herself.
"We're capable of telling the truth," Blaise said. "For example, that little excuse of yours isn't always going to work."
"As though I hadn't known that." Angeline mumbled as Blaise shrugged.
"You can be a little on the daft side," Blaise said.
"I missed you why?" she questioned lightly. Blaise smirked but didn't answer as he stood and left her with only a nod in goodbye. "Yeah I don't know either," she muttered to herself.
The announcement of Apparition Lesson was the only exciting thing that occurred that first day of term. The first day of anything was always one of two things for Angeline, boring or extremely bad. The first day for her had been boring. After her sign up for the Apparition Lessons she felt as though she just floated through the day. Nothing grabbed her attention and nothing bothered her much. And the next thing she knows she's in bed and the next day of classes started.
After barely surviving through Snape's class and barely staying awake in Arithmancy. Angeline enjoyed most of lunch before she was whisked off for Double Potions, which she figured she could survive through.
Angeline sat on her stool between Blaise and Draco, but her main focus was on the three Gryffindors sharing a desk. Hermione moved her cauldron around the table so that she was close to Ernie, and she seemed to be ignoring Harry and Ron.
Too many problems those three...
"Settle down, settle down, please! Quickly, now, lots of work to get through this afternoon! Golpalott's Third Law...who can tell me—? But Miss Granger can, of course!"
Though I don't understand it. She's not the only one who knows it...Angeline thought as she put her hand down slowly.
"You should know better, Jensen," Draco mumbled just as Hermione began to speak at top speed:
"Golpalott's-Third-Law-states-that-the-antidote-for-a-blended-poison-will-be-equal-to-more-than-the-sum-of-the-antidotes-for-each-of-the-separate-components."
"You'd think she'd die if she didn't answer a question." Blaise commented as he sent the girl an annoyed look.
"Stupid, mudblood," Theodore Nott muttered angrily. Angeline scoffed.
"Can't be too stupid, if she's getting far better marks than you, Theo," Angeline said. Theodore glared at her.
"Jensen's got a point," Draco agreed. Angeline gave Draco an odd look before Slughorn began to speak.
"Precisely!" beamed Slughorn. "Ten points for Gryffindor! Now, if we accept Golpalott's Third Law as true..."
Angeline was going to take Slughorn's word for it that Golpalott's Third Law was true. Just because she knew what the Third Law was didn't mean she understood any of it. And from the look on other people's faces, nobody but Hermione seemed to be following what Slughorn said next either.
"...which means, of course that assuming we have achieved correct identification of the potion's ingredients by Scrapin's Revelaspell—"
Angeline found this the moment to stop listening. Though she knew she would regret it, she couldn't really find it in herself to care much. The theory behind potion-making never made sense to her. Just give her instructions and she'd make the potion...simple as that.
She took the time now to look at how her classmates were holding up with the information now. Ron was sitting beside Harry with his mouth half open, doodling absently on his copy of Advance Potion-Making. Harry looked as if he was following but Angeline knew better. Hermione of course was nodding and writing things down. Ernie kept blinking as though that would change the way Slughorn was sounding. Angeline looked at Blaise and he looked as if he smelt something disgusting. Draco looked ready to leave as though it was a waste of his time to be there to begin with. And Theodore was picking at wood on the table. Angeline vaguely wondered how lost she looked as she glanced at the Ravenclaws. They didn't look any better than the rest of the class.
We're doomed...
"...and so," finished Slughorn, "I want each of you to come and take one of these phials from my desk. You are to create an antidote for the poison within it before the end of the lesson. Good luck, and don't forget your protective gloves!"
Hermione had left her stool and was halfway toward Slughorn's desk before the rest of the class had realized it was time to move. When Angeline returned to her cauldron she stared in it for a moment before she poured out the contents of her phial and start kindling a fire underneath it.
She watched as steam rose from her cauldron. She had no idea what to do, but she'd just wing it. Pulling out her wand she waved it over her cauldron.
"Specialis Revelio!" she muttered. The ingredients that were used in the poison revealed themselves to her. Staring at the things needed to make the poison she had to figure out what ingredients would make this an antidote. "And I have no bloody idea."
"Stop mumbling to yourself, Jensen. It's not going to make this easier." Draco said. "Besides, you sound less intelligent than you already are."
"If you can understand me, it must mean I've dropped down to your level of stupidity." Angeline retorted. Draco glared at her before turning back to his cauldron.
"At least I know what I'm doing."
"You sure about that?" Angeline questioned.
"Yes," he growled. "Now shut up. I need to concentrate."
"Two minutes left, everyone!" Slughorn called. Angeline looked at her cauldron. She had used a few dried herbs but she doubted that changed much of anything. Wasn't much she could do now.
And the first grade of term? 'T' for troll!
Angeline stared at her work. Her potion looked like something out of the bottom of the Lake. She honestly wouldn't be surprised if it had been from the bottom of the Lake.
"Time's...UP!" called Slughorn genially. "Well, let's see how you've done! Blaise...what have you got for me?"
Just great...our station first...
"Ah, very close m'boy," Slughorn commented as he moved on to Angeline's. Which he said nothing about her attempts. He moved down the table and likewise said nothing to her other two housemates.
Slowly, Slughorn moved around the room, examining the various antidotes. Nobody had finished the task, although from where Angeline sat Hermione was very determined to finish it as she tried cramming a few more ingredients into her bottle before Slughorn reached her table.
Slughorn reached the predominately Gryffindor table last. He sniffed Ernie's potion and passed on to Ron's with a grimace. Angeline chuckled a little when Slughorn retched slightly.
"And you, Harry," he said. "What have you got to show me?"
Angeline watched as Harry held out his hand, holding what looked like a dried up kidney...
It was silent in the room as Slughorn stared at the thing in Harry's hand. She was sure maybe he would have shouted at him but he hadn't, Slughorn threw his head back and roared with laughter.
"You've got nerve, boy!" he boomed, taking the object from Harry and holding it up so that the class could see it. "Oh, you're like your mother...Well, I can't fault you...A bezoar would certainly act as an antidote to all these potions!"
You have got to be kidding me!
Angeline felt the anger wash over her and the sneer appear on her face.
He does no work and comes up with a bezoar!
A quick glance showed her she wasn't the only one that was angry in fact the one person that looked as though they may attack was Hermione Granger.
"And you thought of a bezoar all by yourself, did you, Harry?" she asked through gritted teeth.
"That's the individual spirit a real potion-maker needs!" said Slughorn happily, before Harry could reply. "Just like his mother, she had the same intuitive grasp of potion-making, it's undoubtedly from Lily he gets it...Yes, Harry, yes, if you've got a bezoar to hand, of course that would do the trick...although as they don't work on everything, and are pretty rare, it's still worth knowing how to mix antidotes..."
Angeline turned away and looked at her fellow housemates. Blaise looked calm but she could see the nerve jumping in his jaw, the sign he was either angry or frustrated. Then she glanced at Theodore, other than annoyance she wasn't sure what he really thought. But it was Draco that took the cake. If there was one person looking more angry than Hermione Granger it was Draco Malfoy, who, Angeline noticed had spilled something like cat-sick over himself. When Angeline was sure, Draco was going protest how Harry could do nothing wrong, the bell rang.
"Time to pack up!" said Slughorn. "And an extra ten points to Gryffindor for sheer cheek!"
Still chuckling, he waddled back to his desk at the front of the dungeon.
"Thinks he's so smart!" Draco grumbled under is breath as he cleaned up his station. "The Golden Boy! The Chosen One, gets away with everything! He'll get what he deserves soon enough! I know he will. Especially once I'm done with him. He'll lose everything." Angeline stopped in mid-swipe of her wand and glanced at the blonde.
That's a little too much...
"Don't say anything," Blaise warned her under his breath. "You'll get the brute force of his temper tantrum."
"I can handle his tantrums, Zabini. I've been dealing with them for eleven years." Angeline replied. "Besides, I wasn't going to say anything." Blaise raised an eyebrow but didn't reply. Angeline continued cleaning and didn't pay any more attention to Draco's ramblings she didn't even turn around when he stormed out the room.
Moments later she grabbed her things and followed Blaire out of the room, wondering whether or not she should be concerned about Draco's mental health.
Draco had been in the Room of Requirements ever since dinner had ended working on the Vanishing Cabinet in hopes that it would work, because the sooner his mission was complete, the sooner Potter would get what he deserved.
Looking up at the Vanishing Cabinet, he felt nothing but frustration. He had been working on it for hours and he was still no closer to his goal and he could feel the Dark Lord getting restless. It was times like this when the Dark Mark burned his left forearm that he wished he hadn't joined—
Stop it! He yelled at himself. Sighing he backed away from the Cabinet. He was growing tired, he had classes in the morning, he'd just have to come back to work on it tomorrow.
Walking the dark halls of Hogwarts wasn't easy, he narrowly escaped that stupid cat, Mrs. Norris when he'd got to the third floor. And he barely got down the stairs to the dungeon when he heard voices heading toward him.
Now safely in the dungeons all he wanted to do was walk into the empty common room and head straight to his dorm where he could fall on his bed and fail to sleep.
But the common room wasn't empty. Why had he expect it to be? Sitting at one of the study tables flipping through a book and writing on parchment here and there was Angeline.
She's everywhere...Does she ever sleep?
She hadn't noticed him come in and he could have easily headed into the dorms without her ever noticing him, but he found himself heading toward her and before long sitting across from her.
"Why are you always out here?" he asked. There was no pause in her writing or a glance in his direction. It was as though she hadn't heard him, and if she had she was ignoring him.
"Well tonight, I'm finishing my Charms assignment," she replied finally. "Eight feet on how a spell can do as much harm as it can good." She placed her quill into her ink well before looking up. She sat back and crossed her arms over her chest studying him. "I'd ask you why you're always sneaking in late, but you'd just tell me it's none of my business."
I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to...And I definitely don't want to.
"You wouldn't find it very interesting," he supplied instead. Angeline raised an eyebrow at him.
"Probably wouldn't," she paused and looked at him seriously. "Well that is unless you were plotting someone's death." She said before laughing a little. Draco felt his blood freeze in his veins and a lump rise to his throat. Plotting someone's death was exactly what he was doing. Angeline stopped laughing and nudge him with her foot under the table, snapping him out of his miniature panic attack. "Oi, it was a joke, Malfoy." Draco looked at her. She was leaning forward in her chair, looking at him with concern.
I wish she'd stop.
"Well it's not bloody funny," Draco snapped. Angeline sat back frowning at him.
"I'm sorry," she said picking up her quill and going back to her assignment. It was his turn to lean forward and rest his elbows on the table. He should be saying sorry but he was Draco Malfoy...and Draco Malfoy didn't say he was sorry for anything.
"Listen its just that laughing at your own jokes make you seem a little conceited," he said lightly. He even added a smirk on for effect. It wasn't an apology but it was the best anyone was ever going get from him.
"You're teasing me," she said resting her elbows on the table. She let out a small laugh. "What's going on here, Malfoy?" she asked.
"What are you talking about, Jensen?" Draco questioned.
"Everything," she said. "One moment you're wanting to snap my head off, treating me like I'm the most infuriating thing in the world. The next you're teasing me or talking to me in a way that suggest that we've gotten along perfectly for years." Angeline elaborated. "And I'm not counting the dinner party either. I'm talking about moments like this. When we're alone in the common room or that one time in that classroom. Which is probably my favorite of all those times." There was a hint of sarcasm in her last statement.
Draco stared at her in thought. What was he suppose to say? "As much as I can't stand you. I actually like talking to you."
Yes, that would definitely explain why he was dare he say nice to her. But what about the first one. Well that was easy; "That's because you are the most infuriating thing in the world."
Yet he couldn't find himself to say either of them.
Bloody hell is wrong with you, Malfoy?
"Things are complicated, Jensen," he said finally. "Seeing Mother over the Holidays just made that even more relevant. So you can stop complaining about my treatment of you. Be grateful I haven't hexed you because I was bored like I used to."
"I wasn't complaining. I was only asking because you've been acting strange all year." she said.
Draco vaguely wondered what his face looked like to her.
"Why are you watching me?" he asked.
"Observing is more like it," she said looking away from him. "You know during Potions today you were pretty angry about, Potter and the whole bezoar thing." she said. "You were mumbling some things that—"
"—People tend to say things when they're angry," Draco interrupted. "Besides don't say you weren't a little angry by what happened in class."
"I won't lie and say I wasn't because I was. It was just that—" she stopped and looked at him again. "Actually it's none of my business."
"Finally catching on to what I've been trying to tell you?" Draco questioned.
"Not exactly," she said. "Something is bothering you, but it'll go away. And I don't need to know what it is to know that."
It won't just go away. I'm not going to wake up one morning and not have the Dark Mark. It's not all going to just disappear.
"Who said something was bothering me?"
"It's like the whole world is on your shoulders, Draco," she explained. "And there isn't a single thing or person that can help you."
Because there isn't.
"And it goes beyond your family's personal problems, so don't say it has to do with your father. This situation is entirely on you." she finished.
If you only knew how right you were.
"What does it matter to you?" he asked. It was moments like this when he didn't like talking to her.
Should have gone to bed. He berated himself.
"It doesn't," she said. "I'm just saying that whatever it is will work out. Don't let it rule you. You came in here looking as if you'd lost your best mate." Angeline had started cleaning her things up as she told him this. "You're Draco bloody Malfoy. Find alternatives to get what you want. Even find an alternative to your alternative. We were both raised to do so."
"What are you going on about, Jensen?" Draco said once it seemed she wasn't going to say anymore. Angeline shook her head slightly as she checked the time.
"It's nearly three. You really think I know what I'm talking about?" she questioned standing and gathered her things in her arms. "Some times the best advice is the one you get at late hours from someone you don't like."
"I didn't ask for your advice." Draco pointed out.
"True," Angeline shrugged. "but you're a Malfoy. Malfoy's don't ask for advice. I'm a Jensen, I give advice to people who don't want it." she tilted her head to the side as she rocked from her heels and toes. "Well, good night. I suggest you go get some sleep yourself." With one last rock she turned and headed toward the dorms.
Draco watched her go before he sat back in his chair thinking about everything she had just said to him. Though she had been wrong on some points of what she was saying she was right about many others. She had been right about saying he had a lot of weight on his shoulders and that there was no one that could help him. She was wrong about it all just going away eventually. This was his life, it wouldn't just get better because he wanted it to. But she was definitely right about one thing, he was Draco bloody Malfoy. And if there was one thing he had learned in those exclusive pureblood etiquette lessons, it was that to always have a back up plan to a back up plan and so on.
If he couldn't get the Vanishing Cabinet to work, he'd just have to come up with another plan, one better than the cursed necklace. What exactly that plan would be, he hadn't the slightest idea. But as he stood up and headed toward the boys dormitories, he felt a boost of confidence, as though it would all work out after all. He'd finish his mission and he'd be the Dark Lord's favorite. He'd redeem his family. And best of all, he'd be the one to take away Potter's biggest supporter. Dumbledore.
And he had Angeline Jensen to thank for making him feel like that whether she knew it or not.
But he'd never say thank you. Because like she so cleverly pointed out...He was a Malfoy.
This chapter was pretty short compared to the others, but I hope you liked it still. Just to repeat what I said in the beginning of the chapter, I'm going to busy so I'm sorry if I don't update in the next few months. I love you all though. Thanks for everything!
So to keep me from losing my mind, drop me a review. I know you want to! ^_^
Much love,
TR
PS. If you really want to know what I'm up to you can follow me on twitter. I'll try to keep you as up to date as I can with this story and life happenings! :) Again thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing! =)
Translations of Passwords:
Absolutum dominium-absolute dominion
Falcutas-power, means, opportunity, capacity, ability, stock
Dignitas-merit, worth, prestige, dignity