The next day during lunch break Penny wondered over to the Gryffindor table with a slight limp, smirking nastily over at Ginny as she sat on top of the table beside Harry, who was playing chess with Ron.
"Pawn to E5" She said glancing at the board, reaching across the board to grab a custard cream from a nearby plate. The moment Penny bit into it a strange popping sensation spread over her body, as yellow feathers erupted all over her body, to the laughter of the whole Gryffindor table. Ginny, sat a few feet away, laughed with particular vigour. Moulting Penny glowered at the twins who brandished their tray of biscuits proudly in the air.
"Canary Creams!" They announced to the crowd "Effective even against the Daughter of Darkness" They joked to even more laughter. Penny felt Harry watching her nervously as she examined the remains of the biscuit carefully.
"Oh very good" Penny said sarcastically as the twins grinned widely "I bet you think you are best pranksters ever" She went on as the twins simultaneously tilted their heads in apparent consideration "Well the Daughter of Darkness accepts your challenge, and this" She said drawing her wand dramatically as people cowered away "Means. War." She said thrusting her wand to the ceiling, a bolt of lightning flashing in the magical misty sky. Glancing at the High Table Penny saw a mixture of disapproval and admiration amongst the eyes sat there. Grinning mischievously Penny felt a hand tentatively touching her own.
"Penny" Harry said carefully and was greeted with a Cheshire cat grin.
"Oh don't worry dearie, nothing permanent I promise" She assured him, swooping down to kiss him possessively, grinning at the jeering. Releasing him, she glanced at a steely eyed Ginny before strutting back towards the Slytherin table. On her way she smiled gleefully at a pouting Cho before taking a seat opposite Draco, who leant across to speak with her.
"What are you up to this time?" He asked curiously. His disapproval at her relationship with Harry had put quite a strain on their relationship but for once that seemed the last thing on his mind.
"Just going to put the duplicate Weasels back in their place" She said winking, the blonde boy grinning.
"Can I help?" He asked looking disappointed when she shook her head.
"Don't worry, you'll get to enjoy the show" Penny promised smirking, Draco mirroring her expression with excitement, sneering at the ginger boys across the hall.
Just before dinner Penny sent Juno into the Great Hall to scout out the twins seating position before descending to the kitchens. Dobby had bowed low to the ground on seeing her, his pencil nose brushing the floor. His face almost healed but still had a rather papery appearance and looked sore.
"How can Dobby serve you Miss?" He asked, his eyes staring uncertainly at Juno who flicked her tongue curiously at his scent.
"You know the Weasley twins?" Penny asked, to which Dobby nodded, his ears flapping as he did. "What do they usually eat out of tonight's dinner?" She asked, Dobby furrowed his brow as he answered. Penny then walked along the House tables, conversing with Juno as she did until she was standing directly beneath where the twins were sitting. Dobby followed her nervously as she drew her wand pointing it at a plate of food, muttering incantations to the horror of the surrounding elves.
"Miss" Squeaked a nearby elf nervously "We cannot allow you to interfere with our cooking" She went on hurriedly, apparently afraid of the dark witch's reaction. Instead Penny smiled coyly.
"It will not harm them" She assured the nervous elf as Dobby shuffled on his feet "It's just a prank, something to make people laugh, it won't be permanent" She promised "I ask you to ensure this is not tampered with or fixed any further Dobby" She said turning to the elf that twisted his hands in conflict as he looked between the food and Penny. Eventually he bowed.
"Very well Miss." He squeaked. "Dobby thinks you look so like your mother, but you could not be more different" Dobby announced suddenly, flinching at Penny's darkened expression.
"What do you know of my mother?" Penny asked quietly as Dobby rocked on his feet.
"She used to visit my previous Mistress often" He said evasively
"Narcissa" Penny said as he nodded, looking fearful at the mention of her name.
"Miss Penny does not look like Monsieur Lestrange" He stated carefully, Penny looked at him, seeing her father's face behind his eyes.
"You know who my father is." Penny asserted stiffly as Dobby shifted anxiously.
"Dobby believes Dobby was there when Miss Penny was…er…conceived" Dobby said, giggling a little nervously as Penny's jaw tensed. Turning her back on the elf Penny reasserted her request in regards to the food before heading out the kitchens and up to dinner quickly.
Sitting at the Slytherin table, Penny glanced frequently across the hall, smirking as she saw the twins digging into their food. Draco followed her gaze, his expression gleeful.
"Dinner and a show?" He asked as Heather, Theo and Ursula all turned to look around.
"Don't make it so obvious" Penny scolded them. "Give it…another thirteen minutes." Penny said glancing at her watch as desserts appeared on their table. A few minutes later the plates began to clear and Penny wondered over casually, glancing at her watch to see less than twenty seconds remained until the hex kicked in.
"Want a custard cream?" George called as she drew level, looking a tad unnerved as Penny beamed at him.
"No thank you" Penny said brightly as she leant on the table a couple of seat down. "Working on anything else?" She asked. Any second now, she thought.
"At the moment we have Ton-Tongue Toffeeeeeeee" He said, his voice suddenly going into an extremely high note on the last word. Looking startled the twins exchanged a glance.
"Weeee alsooo haaaave" Fred began, his voice coming out in an opera voice, ranging from the deep Tenor notes to the Soprano. Another glance between the twins before they looked at Penny whose Cheshire grin spoke volumes as laughter began around her.
"Weeee alsooo haaaveeee" The boys began to sing in unison, climbing to stand side by side on the top of the bench, as to better engage their audience who were laughing even harder, Penny included. Penny glanced down to see both Harry and Hermione watching her with varied levels of amusement and disapproval as the boys continued.
"Tooon-Tongue Toofffeeeeessss" George sang, gesturing dramatically
"Caaaanarrrry creeaaaaams" Fred sang, flapping his arms theatrically.
"Annnnnnd faaaaaaake waaaaands" The twins said finished in unison, bowing together as the crowd cheered, Harry clapping with the rest of them. Turning to Penny the twins grinned at the dark haired witch, who smirked back at them.
"Niiiiice Caaaantis heeex" The boys sang together "Buuuuut yooou'lll haave to doooooo better thaaan that toooo impreeessss ussss" They said as the hex kept its hold on them.
"Oh you think this is the best I can do?" Penny said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "This is just the start boys." Penny said, before twirling her robe as she strolled out of the Great Hall, winking at Harry on her way out.
The following week Penny pranked the boys multiple times, from Alihotsy leaves making them break into uncontrollable giggles during their Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons with Moody, to finally convincing Astoria to sneak into the laundry chambers and soaking their robes in her own blend of powdered root of Asphodel and Bubotuber pus. The result was constant irresistible itching that despite her best efforts Madam Pomfrey couldn't figure out how to remove. Despite the matron's request Penny reveal the recipe, plus Snape placing her in permanent detention until she did so, Penny remained tight lipped, hiding her antidote in a secret robe pocket. She had made this with an Undetectable Extension Charm, managing after a few torn robes, to create a small four inch pocket to hide the vial in.
"Are you ever going to put them out their misery?" Hermione had asked in the library on the second day of the twins itching, exasperated by Penny's stubbornness.
"Of course." Penny said, completing her diagrams for her Arithmancy homework. "When they admit they have been bettered" Penny said with emphasis as Hermione rolled her eyes, turning the page in Being a Billywig on the wall: A beginners guide to concealment with very stiff fingers. She had received a lot of hate mail following Skeeter's article and had taken it upon herself to do some research.
On day three the twins had finally given in and approached her sat with her back to them at the Slytherin table, turning as Draco's grey eyes looked over her shoulder.
"Miss Black" The boys said doing little curtsies as they did so. Penny stood as they went on. "We are here to admit defeat, you are a most worthy opponent and we beg your mercy" They said, flamboyantly bowing as Penny put a hand on one hip, a wicked smile on her face.
"Oh I don't know" She began, twirling her wand between her fingers "I think the Daughter of Darkness requires considerable more submission than that" She said, the tip of her tongue between her teeth playfully as the boys eyed each other grinning. Flinging themselves theatrically to the floor before dramatically knee bowing repeatedly.
"We are not worthy!" The boys chanted, to the laughter of all those surrounding them. Penny smirked, offering her hand to them, which they air kissed before Penny reached into her hidden pocket.
"Now that you know your place" Penny said, jiggling the bottle teasingly before handing it to them. "Put in the shower head next time you shower, should clear up in a couple hours" She instructed as the boys took the vial eagerly rushing off to the nearest bathroom, evidently desperate to be rid of the itch.
A week before the Easter holidays Penny had dragged Harry away from his mountain of homework out into the grounds. Curiosity had gotten the better of Penny and she was dying to explore the Forbidden Forest, much to Harry's dismay.
"Oh come on, where is your sense of adventure?" Penny teased as they wondered into the foreboding treeline, sneaking carefully past Hagrid's hut in Harry's Invisibility Cloak.
"I have had enough adventure to last me a life time" Harry said drily as Penny smiled, peering around herself as they walked, removing the Invisibility Cloak once away from the sight of the Hut. They wandered for a good half an hour as Penny stopped occasionally to bend over to examine tree roots and whatever took her interest here and there. More than once she sensed Harry's gaze on her, though he looked away hurriedly whenever she raised her eyes.
"Eyes up Harry" She teased as he blushed, strolling past her determinedly not meeting her gaze, clambering over a ridge that blocked their path. A couple minutes later Penny and Harry's walk was interrupted by a horrendous crash as a huge green figure appeared in front of them. Harry put his arm out in front of Penny defensively as the thing drew itself up to its full height, its head looming a good four foot above their own.
"Forest troll" Penny whispered, as the two of them drew their wands, Penny brushing Harry's arm aside. The troll stared at them confused before roaring mightily, brandishing a large club in its hands.
"DUCK!" Harry said, pulling the dark haired witch to the ground as the troll swung its club through the air above them. Looking puzzled by their unharmed state the troll paused as Penny raised her wand.
"STUPEFY!" She shouted, a jet of red shooting her wand. However it simply bounced off its torso harmlessly, and yet it appeared to enrage the troll which roared angrily.
"RUN!" Harry shouted, dragging Penny up the wrist as he broke into a sprint. Rapid thumping behind them told Penny the troll was giving chase, it's long strides gaining on them easily.
"IMPEDIMENTA!" Penny shouted, pointing her wand over her shoulder at the troll, which froze in its tracks, fury and confusion on its face. Pressing on the two of them ran along the path, before Harry glanced over his shoulder at Penny before changing direction and racing towards the ridge they had climbed over before as Penny's spell began to wane. Leaping over the ridge they heard the troll roar angrily and charge as the spell lost its hold. Pressing into the roots Harry put a finger to his lips as the troll past their hiding spot, apparently oblivious to their change of route. They listened intently, trying to keep their panting silent as the thundering steps of the troll faded into the distance. Lowering his eyes to Penny the two of them stared at each other for a few moments before Penny smiled brightly, the danger having past. Harry beamed back at the dark witch as she started cackling, the two of them breaking into relieved hysterics. Leaning into her Harry kissed her passionately, his hand gently placed round the back of her neck. Pulling away slightly Harry peered intently at Penny, their eyes inches from one another as Penny's stomach did a strange flip.
"I love you." Harry said breathlessly as Penny froze where she stood as she gasped, her heart stopping with a thud louder than the troll's footsteps as a long moment of silence past.
"What?" She said sharply as she stared at Harry with wide eyes, pulling her face away from his.
"I said I.."
"Don't!" Penny snapped hysterically "Don't say it in Parseltongue!" She said pulling herself free of the roots and backing away from the spectacled wizard who stared after her, his face a picture of hurt and confusion. "You were never…I was never meant to…" Penny started rambling, shaking her head as the past few months rushed through her mind, sneaking into the library, Harry resurfacing from the lake, in a swirling mass of renewed emotion.
"Penny?" Harry said quietly as his eyes wondered her face, trying to decipher her gibberish.
With a sudden jolt of adrenaline at the use of her name reawakened her heart, which then began beat rapidly in her chest. Penny started walking rapidly back towards the castle, trying in vain to outpace Harry who followed calling her name repeatedly.
"Penny! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it" He lied as they neared the edge of the forest. Penny turned to him, her eyes flashing.
"How could you be so stupid?" She spat, unsure where her rage was coming from. "It was only ever supposed to make her jealous, nothing else." She snapped, even as the memories flickering through her mind betrayed her.
"Cho?" Harry asked in disbelief. Penny's eyes flickered only briefly before she recovered.
"Obviously" She said tartly, before her face took on a sneer "But you had to take it seriously, Merlin even I didn't think you were that stupid." She went on recklessly as she felt Harry's heart tearing. Why didn't she stop? Penny thought even as she dug in further "No wonder even brain dead Chang wasn't interested." Turning her back on Harry's crumbling face, Penny hid her own wavering expression.
"Penny.." Came a weak voice behind her. As her own face struggled Penny kept her back to him, steadying her voice carefully before speaking.
"Goodbye Potter." She said carefully before striding through the opening of the trees and out of the treeline into the grounds. This time he did not follow.