Chapter Eleven
Prophecy and Protest
Alaw ended up spending the whole night down in the forest. She'd done this many times the previous year but it always left her feeling stiff and cold come the morning. She awoke to the sound of loud birdsong and she blinked blearily in the bright sunlight streaming through the treetops. With a groan she pushed Emrys' wing off herself and sat up, stretching to work all the kinks out of her joints.
"I need to stop doing this," she muttered to herself. She was utterly starving, not having eaten much last night at the feast, so she got up, gathered up her invisibility cloak and leaned down to hug Emrys.
"See you later mate," she yawned and the dragon merely grunted at her sleepily, curling into a tighter ball.
The forest was a lot less menacing when it was bathed in early morning sunshine and Alaw made it back to the grounds without incident. It had always struck her as odd that there were literally no defenses around Hogwarts on the side bordered by the forest. She knew that the walls on the other side of the castle couldn't be scaled, that the gates were warded and that one simply couldn't fly across the lake. But if anyone really wanted to attack the castle, they could simply stride through the forest and emerge almost unchallenged into the grounds.
True, there were plenty of dangerous creatures in those trees, not to mention a herd of angry centaurs who would defend their territory fiercely, but that was hardly going to stop a determined foe. Voldemort, for example, would probably have no problem dealing with the forest and it's inhabitants. Just another reason Alaw never went anywhere without her invisibility cloak.
By the time Alaw reached the Entrance Hall, her stomach was growling mutinously, but a quick glance to her right showed that breakfast was yet to be served and that there wasn't anyone in the Great Hall yet. So Alaw decided to mount the marble staircase instead and make the long journey up to the seventh floor. At this early hour, the castle was almost silent. The only sounds were the faint twittering of birds beyond the mullion windows, and the gentle snoring of the portraits Alaw passed. Alaw had always been weary of the castle portraits. She liked them in principle, they gave the place an interesting flavour, but she also had a sneaking suspicion that they played spy for the teachers, particularly Dumbledore.
This feeling only increased when Alaw turned onto the Fat Lady's corridor. The Fat Lady herself was still asleep and Alaw walked past her as quietly as she could, turning right onto a another corridor where the door to her rooms was located. Except, there wasn't a door there any more.
"What the hell?" Alaw muttered, stopping halfway down the corridor.
The tapestry of the knight killing the dragon still hung on the wall, but opposite it, instead of the usual plain door, was a brand new portrait. Alaw shook off the hood of her cloak so that she came back into view and said,
"Sir Cadogan?"
The knight, who had been snoozing with his back resting against his fat gray pony, jerked awake and then leaped to his feet upon seeing her.
"My good lady! You have returned, I was concerned when you did not appear last night," he said, pushing up his visor to peer at her.
"What are you doing here? And where's my door gone?" Alaw asked, far too tired to bother being overly polite. The knight beamed.
"I have been given a sacred duty by the headmaster," he said proudly. "He is worried for you safety, so I was installed to guard your chambers and ensure no harm comes to you. Fear not my lady, I shall be ever vigilant!"
Alaw struggled not to let her anger show on her face. So, Dumbledore was going to spy on her was he? No doubt he would have Sir Cadogan tell him all her comings and goings, including the names of anyone who visited her.
"Right, thank you sir," said Alaw bitterly. It wasn't really the knight's fault, but she was annoyed that a fellow Welshman would be willing to sell her out. "So, do I need a password or something?"
"Oh yes, for this month it shall be, Bendigeidfran!"
Alaw smiled in spite of herself and inclined her head.
"A might warrior," she acknowledged. "I like it. Bendigeidfran!"
Cadogan swung open and Alaw climbed through the hole left behind. Her rooms were as she remembered them. The portrait opened directly onto the living space, which had a large fireplace, though it was currently cold. Around this were a sofa and two armchairs, upholstered in green velvet, and the windows on either side of the mantle overlooked the transfiguration courtyard many floors bellow. On the right was the door that led to her bedroom and the bathroom and Alaw dumped her bag on the sofa as she made her sleepy way towards this. As her hand reached for the handle however, she heard a voice behind her say,
"So, you've returned at last."
Alaw gave a yelp and whipped around, scrambling to draw her wand, but there didn't appear to be anyone else in the room.
"Over here, dolt," said the sneering voice and Alaw finally spotted it's owner. There was another new portrait hanging above her bookshelf.
It showed a wizard with a thin face and a pointed beard, wearing heavy black robes. He had been painted with the Slytherin colours behind him and Alaw gave a heavy sigh.
"You scared the hell out of me!" she complained, putting her wand away and stepping towards the portrait so she could get a better look. She thought the wizard looked familiar.
"I do apologise," said the wizard sarcastically. "But you know, it's your own fault for staying out all night. I do have better things to do other than hang around here waiting for you."
Alaw pulled a confused face.
"I'm sorry, but who exactly are you? And what are you doing in my room?"
"Still as impertinent as ever," the man sniffed. "My name is Phineas Nigellus and I was once the headmaster of this school. I have been placed here by Professor Dumbledore to keep an eye on you."
And then Alaw remembered where she had seen the man before. He had been the angry wizard occupying the painting in her room back in Grimmauld Place. She shook her head in disbelief.
"Wow, he's not even trying to be subtle anymore," she said scathingly and Phineas Nigellus shrugged.
"You have a habit of interfering in matters that don't concern you, girl. Now tell me, where have you been all night?"
Alaw took a moment to consider the portrait and then she said, in a colourless voice,
"In the village, drinking my sorrows away."
"You stayed out in Hogsmead all night by yourself, even after the taverns closed?" Phineas asked flatly and Alaw shrugged.
"I could have hooked up with someone and gone back to their place."
"You could have, but you didn't. Where have you really been?"
But Alaw was done playing games.
"That's the story I'm going with, run along and tell Dumbledore like a good boy. I'm going to take a shower."
The portrait snorted behind her as Alaw crossed the room and disappeared through the door to her bedroom. As she stood under the jet of hot water in her shower, Alaw fumed. She was more annoyed about how overt Dumbledore was being than the actual invasion of her privacy. He could have at least try to be more convert, but by placing two portrait smack bang in the middle of her living space, he was effectively telling her she wasn't worth spying on properly. Well, screw him.
After drying off and pulling on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, Alaw left the bathroom. It was still relatively early but there was a chance breakfast would be being served by now. Before exiting her bedroom, Alaw paused at the wall that divided it from the corridor outside. Cautiously, she drew back the tapestry that hung there and let out a sigh of relief when she saw the archway of little glowing runes still here. She'd carved this Finn's Window the previous year when her door had been guarded by Aurors.
The portal was invisible from the corridor and it meant she could come and go as she pleased without being spotted. The fact that the window was still there didn't automatically mean Dumbledore didn't know of it's existence though, and Alaw thought perhaps it would be a good idea to close the portal and then re-draw the runes from scratch.
But that could wait, by now she was absolutely starving and she let the tapestry fall back into place. The portrait of Phineas Nigellus was empty when Alaw passed through the living room but she spared it a contemptuous glance all the same.
Alaw was the first person to attend breakfast that morning so she was free to sit at the Slytherin table and tuck into her scrambled eggs in peace. People started entering the hall in twos and threes and Alaw watched them absently over her pumpkin juice. It was initiation week so there would be no lessons until next Monday. The first week of term was dedicated instead to getting the new students settled in to life at Hogwarts, they were encouraged to join societies and make new friends. Most importantly, Quidditch trials would be held later in the week. Alaw was determined not to waste initiation week, she would use this time to gather her allies, find out her enemies plans, and start trying to convince people that Voldemort was back.
She was nearly finished with her food when Tracy and Daphne walked into the hall and noticed Alaw sitting at the Slytherin table. Both glanced first at each other and then back out into the Entrance Hall before hurrying over to her.
"You might want to clear off, Theodore and them lot are right behind us," Daphne muttered and Alaw nodded, scooping the last of her eggs into her mouth and quickly swinging her legs out from under the table.
"Thanks for the heads up," she said feelingly. "Hey, would it be ok if we talked at some point?"
Daphne gave the doors another pained glance but then nodded reluctantly.
"Fine, but not right now, if Theodore sees us talking to you, we're dead! He made that quite clear last night."
"Making speeches about me is he?" Alaw asked, grinning. "I am honoured. See you later then."
She skirted the wall and had to step smartly into the shadow of the doors as Theodore, Crabbe, Goyle and Draco came through them. They seemed to be talking about Quidditch, which was strangely innocent for them, and they passed Alaw without spotting her. She let them move further down the table before slipping out of the Great Hall. There were several people coming down the grand staircase and emerging from the archway to the dungeons and they all stared unashamedly at Alaw as they passed. When she met their gazes they averted their eyes and whispered to each other.
Alaw wasn't sure what to do with herself this morning. Hermione, Ron and Neville probably weren't even awake yet and she didn't want to bother Daphne and Tracy whilst Theodore and his cronies were around. After tapping her foot thoughtfully on the flagstones for a few moments, Alaw turned and mounted the marble staircase. If she had some time to kill, she might as well spend it productively. She wasn't even sure the library would be open this early on the very first day of term but when she arrived on the second floor, she found that it was, and Madam Pince was already there sorting through some paperwork.
"Goodness!" she said when Alaw opened the door. "You are keen, no Miss Granger today?"
"Not today, no," said Alaw with a smile. Keeping on good terms with the draconian librarian was essential if one wanted to work in the library in peace. "But there's something I've been wanting to look up all summer and getting hold of magical books at home is kind of tricky. Would it be alright if I took a look at the catalogue?"
"Of course," said Madam Pince, obviously still very surprised. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"No, no, it's quite straightforward. Thank you," Alaw replied politely.
As the librarian went back to her papers, Alaw ventured over to the vast filing cabinets that held the library archive.
It had been quite a challenge for the muggle-borns to learn how to use the old fashioned system, so used to computers and search bars as they were. In reality, Alaw would have very much appreciated Madam Pince's help as she had no idea where to find what she was looking for, or even precisely what she was looking for, but she didn't want any word of her research reaching Dumbledore.
So she flicked through the catalogue with a slight frown etched on her face. Information about Prophecies would surely be under the Divination section, an area of the library Alaw had never ventured before because Divination was, to put it lightly, a turd of a subject. Not only was it pointless and pretentious, Alaw had personal beef with the Divination teacher, Professor Trelawney. Last year, Ron and Neville had chosen her class as one of their electives and after the very first lesson they had returned filled with dread after Trelawney had predicted Neville's death. Hermione and Alaw had forced the boys to drop the toxic subject on the spot and switch to the much more useful Muggle Studies.
So it was with an air of supreme scepticism that Alaw wrote down the shelf reference numbers and went hunting for any books that might be useful. The first volume she tried, Unfogging the Future, was an introduction to the art of Divination and it only served to irritate Alaw. She skipped past the chapters on Astrology and Tarot Cards to spare her blood pressure and focused on real predictions, eventually alighting on a page about Prophecies.
'Whilst all the methods of predicting the future so far discussed in this book require some skill from the predictor to interpret correctly, we now turn to Prophecies, by far the most mysterious branch of Divination. Those gifted with Second Sight are unable to force a vision of the future and have no control over when the vision may strike them. It is unusual for Seers to even remember that they have made a prediction and they rely on those to whom they gave the prophecy to tell them the details. When making a prediction, the Seer will enter a trance-like state and often speak in an altered voice.
As far as we know, Prophecies are always gifted to a person, or groups of people. If Seers make predictions without witnesses, it is impossible to know, but it seems unlikely. What exactly triggers a prediction is a matter of some debate among practitioners of Divination. It seems that the proximity of a certain listener is an important factor, for Prophecies are usually made to people whom they concern or could otherwise influence events.'
The book then went on to warn about the folly of trying to change the future but Alaw snorted and stopped reading at that point. As someone who firmly did not believe in fate, she found the idea that a Prophecy set one's future in stone irritating. Surely it was simply one foretelling, and simply knowing what would happen would then change that future. She closed the book and sat back in her chair, frowning in thought.
The Order was guarding a Prophecy that concerned Voldemort, and possibly Alaw herself. Where? There had to be a library of sorts, somewhere. But how was this library maintained? If only the 'listener' of a Prophecy knew it had been made, surely they had to report that to whoever was in charge of the library. So how did one go about doing that?
Alaw returned Unfogging the Future to the shelf and carried on with her search. Madam Pince didn't like people re-stocking the shelves themselves as they were want to do it wrong, but Alaw didn't want to leave evidence of her research just lying around. She wondered if she was being paranoid, would Dumbledore care what she was up to that much? But then she remembered Sir Cadogan and Phineas Nigellus and her resolve hardened. Yes, yes he certainly would.
Though Alaw spent most of the morning in the library, she was unable to find any hint of what happened to Prophecies after they were made. After admitting defeat, she left and went in search of Ron, Hermione and Neville. The castle was more crowded now and whenever Alaw encountered people they gave her suspicious looks. Was it going to be like this all year?
Sick of the whispers, Alaw ducked into an alcove and donned the invisibility cloak, then she took out a large piece of paper, folded over many times.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good," she muttered, tapping the parchment with her wand.
As lines of ink blossomed on the page, Alaw once again congratulated herself on persuading Fred and George to give this to her at the end of last term. The Marauders Map had been the secret to their success, but with them in their final year at Hogwarts, she had convinced them that she could put it to better use. Besides, they didn't have time for pranks anymore, they had a joke shop to set up.
Once the map had finished forming, Alaw's eyes swept over the familiar corridors and rooms. She spotted Fred, George and Lee almost at once in a disused boys' toilet the floor above her.
"What the hell are you lot up to?" she murmured, shaking her head and moving on.
Draco was alone in the potions lab, Snape was in the staff room, Dumbledore was pacing in his tower and the new teacher, Professor Umbridge was in her office. And Ron, Neville and Hermione were sitting by the fire in the Gryffindor Common Room. Alaw was about to stow the map away and make her way up to the seventh floor when she noticed two other people she wanted to talk to. Daphne and Tracy were sitting together in a corner of the Transfiguration Courtyard. Alaw deliberated. The courtyard was a lot closer than the tower, and this was the perfect opportunity to talk to the girls. Making her decision, Alaw wiped the map, put it in her bag and set off for the nearest shortcut to take her outside.
It was a fine day as summer was yet to release its grip so there were many students lounging on the grass in the courtyard. Alaw skirted around a group of gossiping Ravenclaws and approached the large oak tree in the corner of the square. Daphne and Tracy were stretched out in its shade, talking quietly and as they were a decent distance from the other people around them, Alaw felt safe enough to drop down and whisper,
"Guess who?"
Daphne yelped and Tracy jumped out of her skin.
"Ok, who's messing around?" Daphne asked angrily.
With her back to the rest of the courtyard, Alaw lifted her hood just a little and winked at the girls who looked surprised and then annoyed.
"Did you really need to scare us like that?" Tracy asked irritably and Alaw chuckled, covering up once more.
"No, but it was fun," She turned around and sat between the two friends with her back resting against the tree trunk. "Pretend you're talking to each other. So, how are you both?"
Daphne glanced around the courtyard before sighing and picking at the grass in front of her.
"Not so great to be honest, seeing as I'm now engaged to a complete bastard."
"The fuck?!" Alaw gasped. "You're engaged? But I thought your parents we're going to do all that match making crap?"
"Yes well, things changed over the summer," said Daphne grimly. "Father wanted to make strong alliances. So, the summer after next, once I finish Hogwarts, I'll be marrying Thorfinn Rowle."
Alaw couldn't help but make a disgusted sound.
"Thorfinn Rowle?! But he's like forty or something! No, they can't do that to you! Why would your dad do this?"
Alaw also knew for a fact that Rowle was an active Death Eater, having heard the Order of the Phoenix talk about him. He'd been caught and tried for minor offenses at the end of the first war but had managed to get off due to the fact that he wasn't twenty-one yet and his family was one of the wealthiest in the country. The Ministry had never discovered the true extent of his crimes. And now her fiery, independent friend was going to be married off to him? Daphne looked miserable.
"Like I said, things changed over the summer. Everyone was tense and watching to see what everyone else would do. Father thought it was best to make a show of tradition."
There was silence, during which Tracy reached across the grass and squeezed her friend's fingers.
"So, any idea why things changed so drastically? Why the old families are so scared all of a sudden?" Alaw asked cautiously, and Daphne turned her head towards the patch of apparently empty air Alaw occupied.
"Are you asking us if we believe you about You-Know-Who being back?" she asked bluntly and Alaw frowned.
"Yes," she sighed.
"Then just say that then. And I don't know, Al. I just don't know. The Dark Lord died! Everyone knows that, he died twenty years ago and his Death Eaters were either sent to Azkaban or went back to their normal lives."
Alaw was acutely aware that Daphne's own uncle of her mother's side, Evan Rosier, had fought for Voldemort during the war. His crimes were legendary and he chosen to fight to the death rather than be taken to Azkaban.
"But?" Alaw prompted and Daphne shook her head and rubbed the heel of her palms into her eyes.
"But, things have been really weird since May. Something's happened, my parents are scared, my aunts and uncles aren't saying a word. Maybe you are telling the truth."
"Why would I lie?" asked Alaw softly and Daphne lowered her hands.
"I don't know, I was just really hoping you were."
There was another pause and then Alaw spoke quietly.
"He's back, I saw it happen. I saw his servant build him a new body, I saw Voldemort rise again. And I saw his Death Eaters return to him when he called them. It's only through sheer luck that I got away, but I promise you, I'm not lying, and I'm not mad. I just want to warn everyone so they can watch their backs."
Tracy gazed around at the courtyard for a while, watching the various groups laughing and talking and playing cards.
"I believe you Al," she said at last. "I wish it wasn't true, but it is. I can feel it."
"Yeah, me too," Daphne agreed grudgingly.
Alaw let out out the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. Well, that was a relief. Life was going to be a lot easier now she had people in her own house who were on her side.
"Thanks guys," she said feelingly. "I promise I'll do my best not get you two dragged into anything nasty, but it's nice to know someone's got my back in Slytherin. Who else do you think we can rely on? Cameron?"
Tracy snorted and Daphne shook her head.
"No way, haven't you seen him? He's been thoroughly deloused. Scared out of his mind. I don't know what his dad said to him before putting him on the train, but I don't think he'll dare put another toe out of line."
"Fair enough," Alaw sighed saddly. "And I assume Flora is a no go?"
"She's engaged to William Yaxley," said Tracy distastefully. "Remember him? Graduated last year."
Alaw remembered, and she also remembered hearing the name Yaxley whilst the Flames had been evesdropping on the Order. He was a high ranking Death Eater, so William was likely to be his son or nephew. Who could have guessed Voldemort knew how to play the marriage game so well. Daphne was pursing her lips thoughtfully.
"You know, Millie might be worth talking to."
"Millicent Bulstrode?" Alaw asked in surprise and Daphne nodded.
"You did save her life in first year, after the Dementor got her, Pansy and Hestia. Those two bitches might have forgotten but Millie never did. And she and Pansy had some sort of falling out a few weeks ago, don't know what it was about though."
Now that Alaw thought about it, she remembered that Millicent had been sitting alone on the Hogwarts Express, crying, whilst she would normally have sat with her friends.
"Ok, I'll talk to her. Anyone else?"
Daphne looked at Tracy for ideas but the latter shrugged.
"I don't know Al, everyone is keeping their cards close to their chests at the moment. You should have heard Theodore last night in the Common Room, gave a big speech about how anyone caught fraternizing with a muggle-born or a blood traitor was dead meat. And I don't think he was messing around, I think he's serious. Of course, he never needed much excuse to pester a half-blood bastard like me."
"Leave Theodore to me," said Alaw darkly. "I already got his uncle suspended from the Wizengamot, and I'm really looking forward to getting Theodore back for all the crap he put me through in first year. I'm sure Fred and George will have some creative ideas for me."
With the groundwork laid, Alaw left the Slytherin girls alone and returned indoors. It wasn't much but it was a start.
It was late afternoon by the time Alaw caught up with Hermione and the boys. She'd gone back to her rooms to nap after leaving Daphne and Tracy and she awoke well after lunch time feeling groggy and hungry, but a lot more rested than she had early that morning. Yawning hugely, she had consulted the Marauders Map and found that her friends were ensconced in Gryffindor Tower, so that was where she headed.
"Oh for goodness sake!" the Fat Lady griped when Alaw stood before her, looking expectant. "This is getting ridiculous! I cannot allow Slytherins into this tower!"
"You let me last year!" Alaw complained and the Fat Lady scowled.
"Against my better judgement, I assume you. And what, pray tell, is that vulgar Welshman doing in the next corridor? I don't trust him, his eyes are too close together."
"Professor Dumbledore put him there to guard my rooms," Alaw explained. "I didn't ask for it!"
It was at this point that Fred and George entered the corridor and saw Alaw standing there before the irate portrait.
"Won't let you in?" Fred asked, grinning. "Hang on, Diligrout."
The Fat Lady glared at all three of them and gave a great 'humph!', before swinging open to let them pass.
"I think she's starting to like me," Alaw said cheerfully. "Thanks for the help. What have you two been up to all day?"
"Just discussing business with Lee," said George evasively. "Don't want to say too much until the plans are finalised though. See you later."
"And with that, he and Fred disappeared upstairs to the boys dormitory.
The common room wasn't too crowded as most people seemed to be out and about on such a fine day. Seamus emerged from the stairwell with a broom over his shoulder, but he stopped abruptly when he saw Alaw. Alaw spared him a nod before heading over to the window where Hermione was sitting with a book open in her lap. She seemed to be trying to learn a new spell since she had her wand in her hand and she was muttering under her breath. Neville was tending to one of his plants on the windowsill and Ron was flicking through Witch Broomstick.
"Al," he greeted as she approached. "Where have you been all day?"
"Napping for the most part," Alaw shrugged, dropping onto the carpet next to him. "And Slytherining, talked to some people."
She glanced around the room to see if anyone was close enough to hear their conversation. Seamus had joined Lavender and Parvati in the opposite corner and they were looking her way, so Alaw lowered her voice.
"It looks like Daphne and Tracy are on board. And maybe Millicent. But Cameron and Flora are out of the question unfortunately, it sounds like their families are putting major pressure on them to act all respectable. Can't blame them really, they're all terrified. I have no idea about the rest of the Slytherins."
Neville glanced around from pruning his potted plant, a slight frown creasing his forehead.
"You're not thinking of asking them to joint he Flames are you?" he asked and Alaw shook her head.
"Not at the moment I'm not. They believe me about Voldemort, but they're scared of what Theodore would do if he found out they were even talking to me. I don't want to put them in danger. Maybe I'll mention it to them once we've got things properly set up. Where are we on that by the way?"
Hermione closed the book and tapped her wand on the palm of her hand.
"Well we haven't had much chance to talk to Dean in private yet. And, I was thinking, we need somewhere less - exposed - to meet up and plan things. We can't talk in here, not if we're planning on bringing in people from other houses."
"Yeah, and my rooms are no good either because they've been put under surveillance," said Alaw bitterly and all three of them looked at her in surprise, so she filled them in on the presence of Sir Cadogan and Phineas Nigellus.
"Alright, that's taking a bit too far," said Ron angrily. "Why doesn't Dumbledore trust us?!"
"Yeah, it's not like we're trying to set up a secret organisation to do the one thing he told us not to right under his nose!" Neville quipped and Alaw sniggered. But Ron and Hermione glanced at each other seriously.
"If Dumbledore is keeping that close of an eye on you, we definitely need somewhere better to make our headquarters. Somewhere he doesn't know about," said Hermione. "But I'm not sure there's a single corner of this castle he doesn't know!"
Alaw chewed her lip but no bright ideas popped into her head. She also became aware that Lavender, Seamus and Parvati were whispering covertly to each other, shooting suspicious glances at Alaw and her friends. When they saw her glance over at them, Seamus nodded to the other two and walked over to the window.
"Alaw," he said stiffly. "What are you doing in here?"
Though she had half-expected this, Alaw still wasn't quite prepared for this confrontation. Before she could open her mouth, Ron had jumped in to defend her.
"She's talking to us, is that a crime now?" he snapped. Seamus looked coldly at him.
"She's a Slytherin, Slytherins can't come in here. If you want to talk, you can go somewhere else. She has her own rooms just down the corridor!"
"You didn't care last year!" said Hermione hotly.
"That was before she came out with all this crazy stuff about You-Know-Who," said Lavender.
By now, everyone else in the common room had turned to watch and Alaw felt herself getting a little hot under the collar from all the pairs of eyes trained on her. She gestured at her friends to stay quiet and then got to her feet.
"I don't want any trouble, I'll go," she said with as much dignity as she could manage.
"Al, no! You've got every right to be here!" said Neville, glaring daggers at his fellow Gryffindors. "You people are so callous! She's already been kicked out of the Slytherin common room for being a muggle-born, now you want to kick her out of the tower too?! Why would you be so cruel?"
Being compared to the Slytherins obvious stung because Parvati looked down at her feet awkwardly and Seamus swallowed. Lavender however scowled.
"She has her own rooms, she doesn't need to come in here," she said stubbornly. "This is supposed to be a safe place, so I don't want to some crazy woman hanging around."
Alaw cocked her head at this and looked Lavender in the eye.
"Are you afraid of me, Lavender?" she asked. "Really? You've seen me in Defence Against the Dark Arts, if I tried to jinx you, I'd be more likely to hurt myself that you."
There were a few titters from the onlookers but Lavender was unmoved. Seamus actually took out his wand.
"This is your last warning, get out and stop bothering us with your crazy stories," he said. At these words, Ron and Neville both whipped out their wands and Hermione made a scandalised noise.
"You're threatening her?! Is that what's actually happening? You touch her you little shit and you won't be able to sit down for a week!" Ron snarled.
As everyone squared off, Dean appeared from the stairwell and came over to the angry group, looking bemused.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Your mate is threatening to hurt me friend, that's what's happening!" said Ron, looking like he would dearly like to curse Seamus. Alaw grabbed his arm and pushed it down firmly.
"No duelling on my behalf, if you please," she said sharply. "I'm going. I already took this shit from the Slytherins so I don't need it now from you lot."
She pushed past Seamus who stepped smartly away from her, as if she was diseased. Trying not to look at anyone in particular, Alaw walked to the portrait hole and climbed through it without a backwards glance.
Unlike Gryffindor tower and it's distinctive guardian, the entrance to the Slytherin common room was a seemingly blank stretch of wall that one could easily walk past without noticing. It was in the corridor adjacent to Snape's class room and it was here that Alaw waited under the invisibility cloak. Even in September, the stone walls made the air chilly and she hoped she wouldn't be here too long. Thankfully, she only ad to wait a couple of minutes before a group of Slytherin first years appeared.
"Asphodel," said the girl at the front and as the stones groaned apart to make an entrance, Alaw quickly jotted down the password in her notebook.
Even though she couldn't be seen in the common room, she always kept a log of the passwords required to get in, just in case. She stepped smartly into the room after the first years before the wall closed up again and then took stock of the seating arrangements. The common room was rectangular in shape with fireplaces along the walls and a large window opposite the entrance that looked out into the depths of the lake. During the day, sunlight illuminated the waters and sometimes revealed creatures within, but for now it was too dark to see anything. Black leather chairs and sofas were grouped around the fireplaces and low tables, and several Slytherins were sitting together, talking, reading or playing gobstones.
Pansy Parkinson was playing cards with Hestia and Flora and Alaw edged over to them to listen in on their conversation.
"Do you think Phillip will propose on your birthday?" Pansy was asking as she placed a card down on the table between them. Hestia shrugged.
"I don't know, he's old fashioned, he might wait until the summer to make it official."
"And have you started thinking about arrangements yet? Mama knows a very florist, they did an excellent job when my cousin got married."
Alaw shook her head and and opened her notebook to a fresh page. Was everyone engaged all of a sudden?! And who was this Phillip character, she didn't recognise the name.
"When Draco and I get married, I want roses," Pansy said, not waiting for Hesita to speak. "Red and white for my bouquet. Mama wants me to go to Twilfitt and Tatting's for my dress but I think I can persuade her to take me to Paris instead."
Pansy continued to prattle about her wedding plans and Alaw felt her blood begin to boil the longer she listened, so she moved away before the urge to hex her became too much. Flora hadn't said a word the entire time and kept looking mournfully over at Cameron, who sat alone in a corner. Alaw felt sorry for her, she and Cameron had been an established couple since first year, but now she was set to marry the deeply unpleasant William Yaxley. Alaw wondered if she should add 'break up engagements' to the Flames' list of goals.
Theodore, Crabbe and Goyle were sitting by the big window and Alaw smiled grimly when she saw they were talking in low voices, away from everyone else. Well, that looked promising. She tiptoed over to them and settled down on the arm of an unoccupied chair to eavesdrop, her notebook open on her lap and her pen poised.
"I don't know what's happened to him," Crabbe was saying, shaking his head. "He never used to have a problem with putting mudbloods in their place when we were kids."
"He's always been a cowardly little shit though," Goyle countered. "Always had us around to defend him didn't he? Whenever we had run ins with Weasley and his mates, he always let us do the hard stuff. Now he's lost his nerve altogether."
"Yeah, Draco doesn't have the stomach for what we have to do," Theodore agreed, doodling something on the front page of his new Transfiguration textbook. It only took a second or two for Alaw to notice that it was a rough sketch of the Dark Mark. "Once the Master realised what pussy Draco actually is, he'll kick him out, or polish him off for good. I don't think his dad would mind."
There was silence for a few moments as Theodore sat back to admire his edgy handy-work and Crabbe picked at his teeth. Eventually he asked,
"Do you reckon we should bring Draco in on the plan?"
"No," Theodore said at once. "He can't handle it. You know he's got a thing about mudblood girls, especially Jones. He'll get all huffy and say the Master wouldn't want us to move so soon, as if he knows anything about what the Master wants. I can't wait to make Jones squeal."
"How are we going to get her alone though?" Goyle asked. "She never goes anywhere without her gang of blood traitors, and sometimes she just disappears completely!"
"We could get her in her rooms?" Crabbe suggested. "No one to scream for up there."
"No good, her rooms are too well protected. Though, I guess we could wait for her to come back to them one night," Theodore mused. An unpleasant smile curled his lips. "I wonder if Draco will still want her after we're done with her."
Draco had felt no desire to stay in the common room with Theodore and the others that evening. It had been clear all summer that they had lost all respect they once had for him and that Theodore was trying to muscle him out of their friendship group entirely. Well, that was just fine with Draco. He'd much rather be alone than take part in their plans to wreak havoc on the muggle-borns. If he didn't know about the plans in the first place, his father couldn't get angry that he wasn't involved. So Draco had closeted himself away in his room after dinner and he had been reading on his bed ever since. It was nine o'clock when there came a faint knock on his door and Draco glanced up, frowning. He swung his legs off the bed and crossed to answer the knock. But there was no one out in the circular hall and he glanced around in confusion. Then he spotted the book lying on the floor at his feet. Suspiciously, he bent to pick it up. It was a handsome tome, bound in green leather with the title, The Hobbit, embossed in gold on the cover. There was also a handwritten note stuck to it.
Sorry I missed your birthday.
Draco grinned in spite of himself, gave the hall one last glance, and then closed his door.