Penny managed to avoid Hermione for most of the weekend after her outburst, chattering with Heather, Ursula and Theo excitedly about the students of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons' arrival and the Triwizard Tournament in general. Penny scoffed at their various theories about the age restriction and how the champions would be chosen. She had spent some time with Ginny, helping her complete some of her Ancient Runes homework that she was struggling with, clearly for some reason Hermione hadn't told her about their argument. She hadn't forgotten Luna's advice, but she winced at the idea of speaking to Hermione about what happened. The brunette had unwavering morals that Penny both respected and was exasperated by, and the older witch's judgement was more than she could bear. Things were not as black and white as Hermione viewed them, Penny concluded defensively.
On the Sunday evening Penny finally relented and went looking for Hermione. As expected she spotted her tucked down one of the rows of bookshelves, running her finger along the spines of the books affectionately. Seeing Penny approach her brown eyes narrowed, causing Penny to hesitant and cover her moment of weakness to fold her arms defensively across her chest. She leant against the end of the bookcase in the pretence of casual arrogance, her chin jutting upwards as she regarded the other witch warily. Hermione simply watched her with a haughty expression, not speaking. After a couple of moments Penny looked away with a scowl and she contemplated walking away with her pride in tact but with an effort forced her feet to remain where they were.
"If you look in 'Beings and Beast: Forever at War' there is about half a chapter about the magic that binds house elves and humans. It's not much but it's quite detailed." Penny said after a long silence, with a forced stab at lightness, smoothing her expression as best she could. It quickly reverted to a moody scowl as Hermione scoffed in derision.
"Sure a Mudblood like me can comprehend such detail?" Hermione said bitterly, flicking the page of the book in her hands as Penny pulled a face. Looking up Hermione watched as Penny clearly fought an internal struggle. Eventually she spoke.
"I'm sorry." Penny said, the two words apparently taking every ounce of effort in her as she made herself look at the brown eyed witch. Hermione sniffed with apparent scepticism, but her eyes softened slightly.
"Why would you be sorry" Hermione said resentfully "If you really believe in all that blood purity nonsense…"
"You know I don't" Penny interrupted sharply.
"Then why did you say it?" Hermione retorted. Penny paused chewing the inside of her lips as her mind swirled.
"I didn't mean to hurt that Muggle you know" She said suddenly, her eyes focusing around Hermione's chin area. Hermione just watched her as Penny absent-mindedly scratched the back of her hand. "He tried to rape me." She continued, her voice so quiet she briefly wondered if Hermione had heard her. Staring at the floor she saw Hermione slowly closing her book and placing it back carefully on the shelf.
"A wizard could have done the same" Hermione said softly in a voice nearly as quiet as Penny.
"I know that" Penny snapped, taking a careful breath before continuing in a softer voice. "I didn't do it because he was a Muggle. I did it because...because I was scared. I didn't even mean to do it. But he deserved what he got, and I am not sorry for it." Penny concluded fiercely, looking Hermione in the eye challengingly even as her own threatened to brim over. "But I am sorry I called you a Mud… That I called you that name." Hermione watched the younger witch for a moment before replying.
"Don't ever call me that again." She said firmly before surprising the younger witch by pulling her into a tight embrace "Oh Penny…" She whispered gently, her pity washing over Penny who groaned in disgust, but hugged the older witch back anyway to disguise an escaping tear. A small cough broke them apart as Ginny stood there, eyebrow raised at the emotional pair.
"Hey Ginny you ok?" Hermione said to the shorter witch, looking puzzled at Ginny's cold look. Ginny shrugged as she looked at Penny, who was trying to wipe her face discreetly.
"Bad time?" Ginny asked, Penny heard the dangerous note tucked within the innocent tone, and shook her head, walking past the red head, who followed her. "Having another cosy chat?" Ginny said venomously the moment they were out the library. Penny sighed as the red head glared at her.
"No, just apologizing." Penny said strained. "I called her a Mudblood in an argument." She said as Ginny opened her mouth to argue, and promptly snapped it shut in shock.
"Oh." She said caught by surprise. "Why the hell would you do that? What the hell is wrong with you?" She recovered rapidly back to arguing. Penny groaned, but Luna's voice rang in her ears.
"She hit a nerve about the Muggle from the summer" Penny said, her jaw clenched. "He tried to rape me." She said stiffly causing Ginny to go silent. "That's why he ended up in St. Mungo's. Now please can we talk about something else?" Penny grumbled, rubbing her temple. Ginny had been a lot quieter after that, almost pensive.
The week following was a lot smoother, both Ginny and Hermione were a lot warmer towards Penny, who suppressed her dislike of their pity as best she could. The castle seemed to be buzzing by the time the foreign schools arrived, and even Penny couldn't help feeling excited too as it was so infectious. Beauxbatons came with giant horses that swooped down over the forest impressively, and Durmstrang who appeared in a huge ship in the lake. Penny didn't need Draco's excited exclamation to recognise the Seeker from the World Cup amongst them. They had sat at the Slytherin table and Draco immediately moved in to converse with Krum.
"I'm Draco Malfoy, this is my cousin Persephone" Draco said indicating Penny. Krum looked intensely at her as she scowled at the use of her full name, and she sensed little beyond sawdust from his mind. "I'm a Seeker myself" She heard Draco say before zoning out. As the Beauxbaton students settled Penny's eyes widened as one of the girls stood to remove her muffler, a sheet of silvery blonde hair falling elegantly to her waist. Next to her Draco followed her gaze and his jaw dropped in awe. Blinking Penny noticed Ginny scowling at her from the Gryffindor table and dropped her gaze to stare solemnly at her plate.
"She must be part Veela" Draco said breathlessly next to her, unaware a similar conversation was taking place at the Gryffindor table. Penny grunted in agreement as she kept her eyes lowered. Following the feast Dumbledore introduced the judges, including a loud flamboyant man and a man so serious he would make Snape look cheerful. Professor Dumbledore continued explaining the rules of the Triwizard Tournament before removing the Goblet of Fire from the casket Filch had brought in. Penny glanced down as she felt Juno coiling up her leg onto her lap, unsurprised her pet had entered the Hall undetected. Dumbledore went on to tell the students how to enter, and how an Age Line of his construction would prevent younger students entering.
"Nobody" He said with emphasis, and Penny saw his eyes wonder to the Weasley twins before drifting to her own "Under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line." He finished before continuing on with more boring warnings. Penny felt a ripple of defiance and a thrill of a challenge flowing through her veins. Dumbledore didn't think anybody could outsmart him? She thought. She'd see about that. She saw Heather and Draco glancing nervously at her devious smirk but they probably decided they didn't want to know as neither questioned her.
The Durmstrang lot stood as their Headmaster approached, pulling on furs as he spoke to Krum. Draco stood and reached out his hand to the Headmaster.
"Professor Karkaroff, Draco Malfoy" He said, as the older man recognised him and shook his hand politely. However, part way through the shake Karkaroff's eyes drifted past Draco and onto Penny who stood slightly behind Draco's tall frame. He immediately went white as a sheet leaping back with a yelp of fear. Instinctively Penny drew her wand, a split second before he did, her Shield Charm emitting a loud booming sound as it withstood the blast of his curse. The Great Hall had suddenly become very quiet and still as everybody turned to see the source of the commotion, the staff table stirring as Professors descended down the Hall.
Glaring at the slim man through the rippling effect of her Shield Charm, Penny made no move to remove it. He stared back at her, his wand still raised and pointed directly at her heart. Penny sensed his confusion as his gaze flickered to her hair and face and back to her eyes, fear and recognition showing on his face. Penny felt Juno slide over her shoulder, the white and orange of her scales contrasting with Penny's black robes. She hissed angrily at the Professor threatening her mistress, making him looked even more terrified as he regarded the snake.
"Who are you?" He choked out, as his students looked between the two of them, clearly torn on what to do. Penny didn't answer him but Draco stepped forward, his back protectively towards Penny.
"This is Persephone Black" He said, raising his hands in a defensive gesture "My cousin." More ripples of confusion crossed the older man's face but he did not lower his wand.
"Lower your wand Igor." A silky voice cut through the tension as they all looked round at Professor Snape who was the first Professor to reach them. "You too Miss Black." He said, raising an eyebrow when neither complied.
"I will when he does" Penny said stubbornly, scowling at the Professor. Juno hissed again, her fangs small but deadly. As Snape's eyes flickered to the white snake over her shoulder Penny understood the unspoken warning and hushed the serpent.
"Be quiet, gorgeous" She hissed gently, noticing the Durmstrang Headmaster now had beads of sweat forming on his brow. Penny dropped her shield down with a lazy flick. Very slowly Karkaroff lowered his wand, looking imploringly at Snape for answers. Without a word Snape swept past him, the Durmstrang Headmaster glancing nervously at Penny before rapidly following the Potions Master.
"Did he get you?" A voice growled behind her. Moody stood leaning on his staff.
"Of course not" Penny said arrogantly. Moody chuckled slightly.
"Of course not." He repeated staring after the Durmstrang Headmaster with a look of intense dislike "He is scum, wouldn't stand a chance against you even now Persephone." He said with an odd note of pride that made Penny suspicious and uncomfortable enough not to correct her name. Without another word he limped off as Dumbledore walked past with the goblet and casket in tow. Penny followed curious, waving off Draco and the rest of the Slytherins as Dumbledore set up the goblet in the Entrance Hall. Seeing her lurking the corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched.
"Off to bed Persephone" He said amicably, smiling as she leant casually against the door way, making no effort to move.
"Penny." She corrected automatically her arms folding.
"Not thinking of trying to fool my Age Line are we?" Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling as Penny's dismissive shrug answered his question. He waited patiently, wand in hand as she watched him, scowling as she realised he did not intend to start until she left.
"Worried I might get too much information and outsmart your Age Line?" She said shrewdly.
"If I thought anyone could find a way, Persephone, it would be you" Dumbledore said sincerely, his compliment echoing that of Moody's. Penny's eyes narrowed suspiciously and she huffed, making her way across the Entrance Hall to the dungeons entrance. "Good night Persephone." Dumbledore called after her.
"PENNY!"
….
Penny headed down early on the Saturday morning, a sure sign of her determination, and joined more people than expected standing around golden line traced on the floor. After grabbing a couple of slices of toast Penny got to work, shoving people out the way as she circled the line. Drawing her wand she continued to walk around, muttering incantations under her breath as she went. Occasionally the air at the point of her wand would ripple and she would nod muttering aloud to herself as she contemplated whatever information this seemed to give her. Biting down the last of her toast she made a quick dash to the library and returned flicking rapidly through the volumes as she sat on the bottom step of the Grand staircase. Drawing out a notepad from her bag she began scribbling notes furiously. Juno stayed with her briefly but soon wandered off out onto the Grounds.
The Durmstrang pupils arrived shortly after, Karkaroff glancing nervously to where the young witch sat. She ignored him and instead watched intently as one by one they crossed the line and dropped their name into the goblet. As the last one, the Bulgarian Seeker approached she sprang to her feet, standing very close to the line, watching as he crossed. Karkaroff watched her nervously but seemed unwilling to challenge her. Krum stared at her as she scrutinised him, before returning to her notepad and continuing to scribble in it.
She was still like this when Hermione, Ron and Harry arrived, who also stood admiring the goblet. Hermione looked down at her notepad with a mixture of interest and disapproval.
"I didn't know you wanted to enter this badly" Hermione enquired as Penny wrote.
"I don't want to enter" Penny said cheerfully, continuing when Hermione looked puzzled "I just want to get across the Age Line." She went on "What?" She said defensively when Hermione looked disapprovingly at her. "How often am I going to get a chance to outsmart Professor Dumb?" She insisted.
"You have ink of your nose" Hermione said admitting defeat as she stood back up. Penny rubbed her nose distractedly as the Weasley twins bounced down the stairs. When they revealed they had taken an Ageing Potion Penny let out a derisive laugh, they shot her a look before approaching the line. "No way that would work, would it?" Hermione said quietly to Penny who smirked.
"Not a chance." Penny replied simply. She was proven right seconds later as the twins were sent flying and sprouted long beards. Penny had cackled as they examined each other, and Dumbledore had sent them on their way. Seeing her sat there he made his way across and looked down at the notes she was making. She glared up at him defiantly as he smiled and walked away without a word.
Penny spent the rest of the day wondering between the Great Hall to eat, the library to borrow books and her spot on the stairwell. Ginny and others had tried to encourage her to take a break but she just waved them off lazily. Ginny had squinted at her notes and made a comment about getting a headache before relenting and leaving Penny to it. Over the course of the day people avoided getting to close as occasionally Penny's frustration got the better of her and she would fire random jinxes at passer-by's as she twirled her hair in concentration.
As people began heading to the Halloween feast Penny snapped her notebook shut as Juno rejoined her, her stomach bulging with some unknown victim. Standing triumphantly Penny approached the line cautiously, trying to ignore the fact people seemed to be gathering to watch, the Entrance Hall suddenly silent. Drawing her wand she tapped herself a few times before slashing the air at the border of the line. Quick as a flash she jumped across that space and stood within the Age Line momentarily. Silence was broken as the crowd cheered as Penny relaxed and a smile cracked across her face. However a couple seconds later her smile vanished as she felt the air around her suddenly surge, swearing loudly as she was thrown in the air and only just managed to flick her wand to avoid the same heavy landing the twins had.
"Are you ok Mistress?" Juno hissed, curling on Penny's stomach rapidly. Penny grunted in assent as she felt a stinging sensation on her cheeks, undoubtedly sprouting similar facial hair as the twins. Sitting up she ran a hand over her whiskers as the onlookers laughed as her dishevelled appearance. Pointing her wand at her own face with a few more choice words, she reduced the beard to stubble before it vanished with a pop.
"Nice try Persephone" An amused voice of Professor Dumbledore said as he descended the stairs as she scooped up Juno as she stood. "However, this time you were not able to outsmart Professor Dumb." He said his eyes twinkling as Penny glowered at him, her pride stinging. Throwing her bag over her shoulder she stormed past him into the Great Hall, sticking her tongue out at him as she past. He merely chuckled which infuriated her even more.
The feast past slowly with the increased excitement, Draco barely even bothering to taunt her about her failure to cross the line. Eventually the plates cleared and the Goblet announced Krum, the Veela girl Fleur and Cedric Diggory as the Champions. Penny heard an angry hiss ripple along her table as the Huffelpuffs cheered loudly. Penny heard a smash amongst the cheering and glanced down the table to see the seventh year Slytherin Warrington has grasped his goblet so tightly it had smashed in his grip. Penny sniggered at his look of rage and watched the tall boy Cedric walk grinning towards the staff table. Dumbledore had begun speaking again before the Goblet spontaneously turned red again and spat out an unexpected fourth piece of parchment. An eerie silence filled the hall before Dumbledore read it out aloud.
"Harry Potter."
.
Hi guys, hope you liked this chapter. Please review as I love hearing your thoughts. If and what you liked, what ideas you have. I read them all, and although I have my plan on how the bigger picture will work out, tidbits may be included.
Also those saying about no Bellatrix/Mother's love yet, don't worry she'll be back. It's an agonising slow burn this one. Penny is still only thirteen and got a lot of character growth that will make her into what she becomes. Plus, there is plenty of motherly love already occurring in its own way :P
Thanks for sticking with me all this time, I hope you see it to the end!