XIX. DANCING PINEAPPLES
Voldemort.
That thing that was drinking the unicorn's blood, that thing that went after Harry when a centaur namedFirenzeshowed up and saved him-was Voldemort.
The monster who killed my parents.
The monster living a cursed, half-life by drinking unicorn blood(which can keep you alive, even on the brink of death-but at a terrible price)to survive.
The monster that wanted to use the Philosopher's Stone to come back.
It was like all the pieces were finally starting to come together in my head.
Why my scar hurt whenever I was around Quirrell, and why it was so bad in the forest.
Why and who Quirrell wanted the Stone for.
Voldemort got to Quirrell at some point and, ever since the school year started, they've been connected somehow-which is why I feel that wrongness whenever I'm around him(and why I feel like I'm seeing double,and my head hurts, when I look at him; his mind is twisted with Voldemort's in some way, so it's like I'm reading one mind overlaid with another-and the other is half-dead and hopped up on unicorn blood, and evil, which explains a lot; the one thing I haven't been able to figure out is how, but I don't even know what I am so there's no way for me to really understand how my mind-reading works).
Voldemort must've promised Quirrell something, likely power(he might act all nervous and timid, and maybe he is to some extent-it's kind of hard to get a good grasp on his personality around Voldemort's winning one, but I've spent enough time around him to know that, while Voldemort is definitely using him, because duh, he's far from the innocent victim here; he's conniving, manipulative, greedy, pretty clearly dabbles in Dark magic,and he has his own motivations here that have nothing to do with Voldemort; he wants power, and recognition, and greatness, because-I guess he's sick of being looked down on by his peers and treated like he's useless; the thing is though, he is useless, and a naive idiot on top of that-and sure, that might sound harsh, but the idiot's trying to bring Voldemort back, so it's kinda warranted). In return, he's been trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone for him since, at least, July.
He must've been in Diagon Alley for that very reason, which would explain the weird vibes I picked up from him during our short conversation.
I know I should've gone straight to Professor Snape, but-why on earth would he believe me?
The whole story's insane, even by my standards.
How could I tell him about Voldemort, without explaining everything?
Besides, it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other and survive exam week-especially knowing the truth, having to deal with seeing Quirrell every day at the High Table, and the stabbing pains I've been getting in my scar ever since the Forbidden Forest(even the subtle tingling feeling that gives me the heads up when Harry's nearby hurts a bit because of how sore my scar is, not that I minded-after what happened that night, it feels...comforting, on both sides, like it was reassuring us that the other was there and that we weren't alone, as corny as that sounds-).
Once again, I found myself almost hourly checking up on Fluffy, putting my ear against the door to make sure he was still growling inside, and so were Hermione Ron and Harry.
Knowing the truth just rose the stakes. This wasn't just about someone wanting the Stone for themselves-it was about someone trying to bring Voldemort back, and make him immortalto boot.
I've been having nightmares, too.
It's been a fun time, really.
The only time I felt normal, and in control(let's be honest, I've been spiralling dangerously ever since I met Dumbledore-and there isn't a moment in my life that I've really felt in control of anything), is when I'm bickering with Malfoy-and that's just because he drives me so mad that I forget everything else.
So, I've been kind of...following him around and provoking fights.
Not that he seemed to mind.
If anything, he eggs me on.
-we really are as bad as each other, aren't we?
Harry's been having bad nightmares too, and whenever his scar hurts him I find myself wincing in unison and rubbing mine(something that profoundly weirds Ron out).
While scared, Hermione and Ron didn't seem as worried and on edge as me and Harry.
I just don't think they really understand the gravity of the situation like we do.
Something about not having a glaring reminder on their necks and foreheads, constantly burning,I suppose(not to mention said nightmares).
And, you know, all of that fun childhood trauma.
They also weren't there when we saw Voldemort drinking from that unicorn, and even I wasn't with Harry when he almost got him before Firenze saved his ass.
It was easy for them to get swept up in exam week.
A tiny part of me resented them for it.
Especially when I was already dreading the exams themselves enough as it was.
The reason I don't really study/take notes, etc. is because; A) my ADHD-esque tendencies give both activities a hearty double thumbs down-you don't wanna see the hand gestures they associate with homework-and B) there's no point. Every time I try to focus during a test, everyone's minds in the room start shouting different answers, and I get confused, and I forget what the actual answer is-
In other words, I'm pretty much counting on my practical score to carry me.
That, I have been studying for.
Not really knowing which spells they'd have us do, I just practised everything we'd been taught throughout the year-because they probably wouldn't have us do something they haven't taught us yet(well, I wouldn't put it past Professor Snape-he really hates Harry).
The first day of exams was ridiculously hot and I was ridiculously exhausted.
I pretty much lived on caffeine, and mentally thanked the twins for the thousandth time for finally showing me the school kitchens(it's in the basement, apparently near the Hufflepuff common room, and full of these absurdly helpful little creatures called house-elves that all but beg you to steal food and, when it's time to leave, practically throw it at you and shove it down your pants before you go-I sound like I'm exaggerating, and I totally am, but not by as much as you'd think). It got me my caffeine fix at all hours of the day-as long as I could get in and out without being caught. The house-elves even gave me a thermos to carry around, and didn't even lecture me about being too "young" to drink coffee and how it can "stunt your growth" or whatever.
The teachers gave us special quills especially for the exams that were bewitched with an Anti-cheating spell, not that I could've cheated even if I wanted to.
Conventionally, anyway.
The only times I was confident during my written exams was when I felt Hermione's mind rattling off answers-is that cheating? Probably. But, in my defence, I can't help it-whatever 'it' even is because, at this point, I have zero clue(and it's not like I don't know the answers anyway, I do, it's just too hard for me to focus in this environment, on top of the caffeine stimulating my central nervous system and boosting my brain's dopamine production to help de-zombify me enough to exist...but jitterier and spacier than normal à la coffee and sleepiness/*nightmares*, and having the first years all take the exams together, while efficient, didn't do me any favours-my wrists are pretty much constantly bright red now from how much I've had to snap myself-).
Really, all I'm doing is taking a disadvantage and spinning it in my favour-and, even then, I doubt I got half my answers right with how fast Hermione's mind goes and all the interference from the rest of the students.
My practical exams went a lot better.
For Flitwick, we had to charm a pineapple to tap-dance across the desk.
I made mine Salsa which, I thought, was way more fun but the tiny Charms Professor still had me make it tap-dance too, just to show I could.
For McGonagall, we had to turn a mouse into a snuff box.
She even gave points for how pretty they were-and retracted points if our snuffboxes still had whiskers.
Mine was blackened silver and teardrop-shaped with all these intricate lines and leaves(a shade lighter than the snuff box itself, giving it more contrast, and in patterns of three like holly-but the leaves were all heart-shaped and smoothed out, not kind of spiky like holly leaves)-and, in place of flowers at their centres, small gold and white marble Golden Snitches. My initials "J.P" were engraved on the top in black letter(which is basically just the proper term for Gothic calligraphy).
It was stunning, shamelessly played on McGonagall's love of Quidditch, and damn impressive, if I do say so myself.
Professor Snape's was the easiest.
For me, anyway.
Potions is my best subject(closely followed by Transfigurations)-and, through trial and error, I latched onto the Potions Masters mind and used it as a point of focus because I knew he'd keep me out, however he does it, which meant I'd be able to lose myself in the nothingness and tune out the rest of the noise.
It wasn't until I handed up my Forgetfulness Potion that I noticed the strange way Professor Snape was looking at me but, with all the problems I was juggling, I decided to put it on the back burner to figure out when Voldemort isn't trying to return using my idiot traitor of a Defence teacher and a magic rock(albeit, a magic rock that grants immortality and makes gold, but whatever).
After my last exam of the day(it was History of Magic, which was the worst), I followed Harry Ron and Hermione, sipping coffee from my bright pink thermos and thanking Merlin that the nightmare was finally over(if it was a choice between exam week or being forced to fight off Voldemort with a rubber duckie and nothing else-I'd pick Voldemort and the rubber duckie).
Still, it was hard to stay all cheery when my scar kept stinging annoyingly, a vivid reminder of the Dark wizard infestation in our castle.
"That was far easier than I thought it would be," Hermione commented as we made our way outside, along with most of the school, and I felt the sudden urge to trip her. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."
We all flopped on the ground beneath a tree overlooking the lake, basking in the sunshine and our freedom-until this time next year, anyway.
By the edge of the lake, the twins and Lee were tickling the giant squid's tentacles as it chilled out in the shallow end(I've seen it go by the common room windows a few times, along with a bunch of other weird magical sea life-I even think I saw a merperson's tail, but it happened super fast, so I can't be sure).
"No more studying," Ron said with a happy sigh as he stretched out. "You could look more cheerful, Harry," he added, turning to my twin, "we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."
I was rubbing my neck and, beside me, Harry his forehead.
I'd gotten to the point of considering jumping into the lake, just to try to cool off my scar.
"I wish I knew what this means!" Harry suddenly exclaimed, frustrated. "My scar-and Jules's-keeps hurting-it's happened before, but never as often as this."
"Maybe they're trying to warn us," I suggested idly, pulling up grass. "Like-we ran into Voldemort in the forest, and now they're going mental-I mean, our scars react when we're around each other, why not the wank-biscuit that gave them to us?-"
"Did you just call You-Know-Who a wank-biscuit?" Ron sputtered in disbelief, but there was a grin on his face.
"You think?" Harry said consideringly.
"I dunno, mate-my brain's fried from exams," I replied carelessly, shooting Ron a cheeky wink before shrugging, "I'm pretty much just saying random shit at this point."
"Go to Madam Pomfrey," suggested Hermione.
"We're not ill," Harry argued. "I think Jules is right-it's a warning...it means danger's coming..."
Ha, even when I'm not trying, I'm right.
-well, that was probably a dangerous ego boost.
"Harry, relax," Ron said, not seeming to be able to bother with being concerned as he relaxed under the hot sun, "Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."
Harry nodded, but he didn't look convinced.
"It's just-I can't shake the feeling that there's something important I've forgotten," he tried to explain.
"That's just the exams," Hermione told him. "I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."
"Oh, yeah, I do that all the time," I deadpanned, glancing at Ron wryly.
Ron smothered a snigger.
Harry stared up at the sky pensively.
And, being me, I couldn't help but pick up on the thoughts of the people around me(not that I've ever really had a choice in the matter); like how Harry was thinking about how Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore, or tell anyone how to get past Fluffy-
Harry jumped to his feet and I sat up quickly, alarmed.
Realising what he'd figured out, I was torn between sheepishness(because I probably should've mentioned it earlier when I figured that out-almost immediately, because it was kinda obvious, but, in their defence, Norbert)and apprehension(because I can just tell that this won't end well-and that, being Gryffindors, they'll go recklessly dive into danger and drag me along with them).
"Where're you going?" Ron asked languidly.
"I've just thought of something," Harry said, white-faced, and I sank down slightly with a guilty wince. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."
The next thing I knew, I was reluctantly rushing after Harry with Hermione and Ron, despite my temptation to call it a day and go take a nap.
Harry was marching so quickly, and purposefully, that it had the rest of us struggling to keep up.
"Why?" Hermione panted.
"Don't you think it's a bit odd," he said as he scrambled up the hill, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"
"Because Hagrid had a dragon in his fireplace," I offered dryly, "and his house is made of wood?"
"What are you talking about?" Ron said.
Neither he nor Hermione seemed to get what Harry was on about, yet.
It's the yet that concerns me.
Instead of answering, Harry just sped up until he was sprinting across the grounds.
When we reached Hagrid's, we found the Wookie-esque wizard in question sitting outside on an armchair.
His sleeves and trousers were rolled up and he was shelling peas into a bowl.
"Hullo," he greeted with a smile at our approach. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"
"Yes, please-"
"No, we're in a hurry," Harry said firmly, cutting Ron off. "Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"
He doesn't know, he kept his hood up.
"Dunno," Hagrid replied casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."
I grimaced to myself.
Harry Ron and Hermione looked stunned.
Noticing their expressions, Hagrid rose his eyebrows.
"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head-that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."
Another grimace, and a snap from a pink rubber band.
"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid?" Harry asked, sinking down next to the giant bowl filled with peas. "Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"
"Mighta come up," Hagrid said with a frown as he struggled to recall what, exactly, happened.
He was pretty smashed that night, I dryly remembered from what I'd gotten from the gamekeeper's mind weeks ago(and probably should've thought to mention to literally anyone but, in my defence, I was distracted by Norbert, and Malfoy, and Hagrid living in a wooden house, and a million other things-and, after what happened when I tried to tell the others about Quirrell, I guess I got into the mindset of keeping my theories to myself; once bitten, and all that), what with Quirrell plying him with alcohol to get information(I caught something about 'Firewhisky', and I have questions).
"Yeah...he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper there...He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after-" I'm sure he did, "...so I told him...an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon...an' then...I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks-" told ya so, "...Let's see...yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted...but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home-" uh-huh, "...So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."
Despite myself, the Slytherin in me was grudgingly impressed.
"And did he-did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry pressed, struggling to stay calm.
"Well-yeah-how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep-"
Hagrid stopped suddenly, horrified.
"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted. "Forget I said it! Hey-where're yeh goin'?"
The others started racing for the castle, and I sighed.
"And we're running again-fantastic."
"We've got to go to Dumbledore," Harry told us as we came to a stop in the Entrance Hall. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape-or Quirrell-" he quickly added for my benefit, "or Voldemort under that cloak-it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him-" Bane is one of the centaurs they met-and, apparently, he's a dick. "Where's Dumbledore's office?"
Hermione Ron and Harry looked around as if the entrance to the kooky headmaster's office would magically appear before them.
I just watched them warily, worried that they were about to do something stupid...er-and feeling guilty and unsure of what to do considering my secret alliance with Professor Snape(which, thanks to the others' bias, put me between a firing squad and a hard place).
Does that make me a double agent? I didn't think of that-I'm totally a double agent. Wicked. I mean, err-that's terrible, oh no-
"We'll just have to-"
"What are you four doing inside?"
My head jerked up.
It was McGonagall, staring at us suspiciously over a pile of books.
"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," Hermione informed her, getting straight to the point.
McGonagall looked at us like we'd just asked to borrow the answer sheets to the exams.
"See Professor Dumbledore? Why?"
Harry swallowed.
"It's sort of secret," he said, and I facepalmed.
"Oh my god," I mumbled.
McGonagall's nostrils flared.
"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago-"
I froze, eyes going wide.
"Wait, he did what?!"
Harry and I looked at each other in alarm.
"He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic," McGonagall finished coldly over my exclamation, "and flew off for London at once."
"And he just left?" I sputtered in disbelief.
"He's gone?" Harry said frantically at the same time. "Now?"
Suddenly, I didn't feel safe, acutely aware that Quirrell and Voldemort had flicked the metaphorical king off the board and likely thought they'd won the game.
And I wasn't sure they hadn't.
(actually, in this scenario, Dumbledore would be the opposing chess master-so, I guess, Quirrell and Voldemort snatched up the king, threw it out the window, and now they're like, "mwahaha-now there's nothing to stand in our way!" or, more fittingly, Quirrell was like, "hey, why don't you go grab a bite or something for a few hours, I promise I won't mess with the board while you're gone; come on, mate, is this the face of a liar?" and Dumbledore was all, "well, when you put it that way-" and got up and left the board unattended and now they think they've won?...yeah, that feels wrong; in my defence, I have no clue how to 'chess'-I just know that the queen is the freest/most versatile and powerful piece on the board, and capturing the king equals game over-also, the piece with the slice taken out of its head is called a "bishop" and the horse, an almost personally offended Ron exasperatedly corrected, is a "knight", not a "horsey"-).
"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard," McGonagall stated, "he has many demands on his time-"
"But this is important," Harry insisted.
"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter," McGonagall retorted dryly.
"I'd think it'd be a priority," I scoffed sarcastically.
McGonagall's lips pursed.
"Look," Harry said, not giving a damn anymore(and, considering the situation, I didn't try to stop him), "Professor-it's about the Philosopher's Stone-"
McGonagall dropped her books.
She didn't try to pick them up.
"How did you know-?" she sputtered.
"Professor, I think-I know-that Sn-that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."
McGonagall looked at him like he'd just confessed to trying to steal the Stone.
Smooth as always, Harry.
"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she finally said in a tone I recognized as the universal 'the grown-ups are speaking now so run along and play, kiddies' voice, "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."
"But Professor-"
"That's a pretty naive attitude considering you don't even know what we-"
"Potters," she said shortly, looking at me and Harry sternly, "I know what I'm talking about."
She bent down to gather up her books.
"I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."
I wanted to argue, but I knew it wouldn't do any good-and, honestly, the fact that she refused to even entertain the idea that the Stone might be in danger grated.
"It's tonight," Harry said once she was gone. "Snape-or Quirrell's," he added when he saw the surly look I shot him, and Ron rolled his eyes but wisely kept his mouth shut, "going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."
"No kidding," I snorted wryly.
"But what can we-"
Hermione gasped suddenly and, wheeling around, Harry Ron and I found ourselves staring at Professor Snape who had magically appeared behind us.
Holy-
"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.
"That was awesome!" I blurted, impressed. "I didn't even hear you walk over. Very dramatic. I give it a nine out of ten, overall-"
For a second, I could've sworn I saw a flicker of a smirk on his face.
"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," Professor Snape added, glancing at Harry with an odd, twisted smile, and I sobered to the situation.
I bit my bottom lip, having a mental back and forth as I tried to formulate my next steps now that Wackadoodle's gone and we're all screwed.
"We were-"
"You want to be more careful," the Potions Master interrupted, which was a good thing because Harry's mind was totally blank. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"
Harry flushed.
My twin Ron and Hermione turned to go, but I didn't-a fact that didn't go unnoticed by Professor Snape.
"Be warned, Potter-" he said, looking at Harry, "any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you all."
He glanced at me before he left.
I hesitated briefly before reluctantly following the others out onto the stone steps, arms crossed tightly as my mind raced through my options.
Tell Professor Snape everything, or not.
Rat out my brother and my friends and keep hiding my mind-reading, or not(which was definitely my most back-stabby option, but whatever).
Confess my mind-reading, tell Professor Snape an edited version of everything, and protect Harry Ron and Hermione, or not.
Just tell Professor Snape about Voldemort, and the important things he needs to know, and hope he doesn't ask questions, or not.
Say nothing and likely end up doing something incredibly stupid with the others that gets us all killed, with zero back-up and the staff none-the-wiser, or not.
Just go to bed and let them deal with it, and probably die, or not(one of my more selfish options-and the most tempting).
Owl Dumbledore to get his ass back here, or-okay, nope, that's not even a question; the second I get a free minute, I'm going straight to the Owlery and siccing Illyius on his sorry ass(where does he get off, leaving Hogwarts when he thinks everything is totally normal and fine?).
"Right, here's what we've got to do," Harry whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape-wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, Jewel, you'd better do that."
"Why us?" Hermione questioned, and my head snapped up.
"It's obvious," Ron said, "Jewel's Snape's favourite-" I rolled my eyes, fed up, "and you can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know-" he rose his voice in a high-pitched, ridiculous impression of the brunette, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong...'"
I smothered a snort.
"Oh, shut up," Hermione said, but agreed to go stalk the Potions Master.
"With Dumbledore gone, Voldemort'llmake his move," I stated when Harry turned to me imploringly. "Following Professor Snape around is a waste of time-"
"We get it-" Ron interrupted impatiently, "you think Snape's innocent-but can you just humour us?"
"Jules, please," Harry pleaded when I just kept staring at them flatly. "You can keep an eye on Quirrell while you're there-he should be in the staff room, too."
"Yeah, whatever," I muttered.
Harry looked slightly guilty, but quickly moved on.
"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," he added to Ron. "Come on."
꧖ꦿꦸ⊰ ⊱꧖ꦿꦸ
So, thatplan backfired.
Like immediately.
We were only in the corridor outside the staff room for maybe ten minutes before Professor Snape came out, saw us, and asked what the hell we were doing. Hermione told him she was waiting for Flitwick, and that I was waiting with her-so, naturally, he went and got Flitwick.
The next thing she knew, Hermione was stuck talking to the tiny Charms Professor about the exams, and Professor Snape was heading off down the corridor.
But, seeing an opportunity-
'On it,' I mouthed with a thumbs up.
Hermione widened her eyes at me, shaking her head furtively.
She didn't think it was safe for me to go alone, especially when I 'refused to see how bad Professor Snape is' because he's my Head of House and us Slytherins protect our own.
Please, out of all of us, I'm the most street-savvy-and not an idiot.
Ignoring Hermione's badly hidden anxiety, I spun on my heel and hurried after my favourite sarcastic human black hole-
"Ah-!"
I jumped back, heart leaping into my throat, when I turned the corner only to find Professor Snape who seemed to be waiting for me-likely having noticed I wanted to talk to him(I wasn't exactly subtle about it, outside of the staff room or earlier in the Entrance Hall).
"Ohmygoddon'tdothat," I gasped, clutching my chest.
Professor Snape smirked.
"You looked like you had something you wanted to say to me earlier," he said dryly. "I'm assuming, judging from your expression, that it has to do with Quirrell?"
"Office," I ordered, making shooing motions.
Professor Snape rose an eyebrow but nodded curtly, understanding that this wasn't a subject we should be casually discussing in the hallways.
We made our way down to the dungeons, neither of us speaking until the Potions Master was comfortably seated behind his desk and I found myself pacing back and forth in front of it, compulsively running my fingers through my already naturally messy dark red hair over and over again.
-blurt it all out and hope he doesn't ask questions it is.
"Okay!" I abruptly pivoted on my heel to face him and clapped my hands together, admittedly frazzled, "I'm about to tell you a bunch of insane shit and I need you to just smile and nod because, otherwise, I don't know if I'll be able to do this-got it?"
"Got it," Professor Snape said wryly.
"Right," I nodded, taking in a deep breath. "First of all, we need to get Dumbledore's ass back to the castle, pronto-or just let it slip around Quirrell that he forgot his lucky socks or something, and couldn't possibly go to London without them, and is on his way-because if we don't, from what I've been led to believe about certain people's propensities for child murder, we will all die-"
Professor Snape's eyebrows shot up to his hairline.
Clearly, whatever he thought I was about to say, that wasn't it.
"What-"
"Uh-uh, no-smile and nod," I blurted, pointing at him accusingly. "You promised."
After giving me a next-level bitch face, he nodded and smiled sarcastically.
"Perfect-love the attitude-anyway," I continued, beginning to pace again, hands gesturing wildly, "that 'urgent owl' the Ministry sent him, like, half an hour ago?-McGonagall mentioned it," I added when I saw his surprised expression, "yeah, well the Ministry didn't send it. That was Quirrell. He had to get Dumbledore out of the way so he could make his play for the-"
I stopped for a moment, hesitating.
"-Philosopher's Stone."
Professor Snape looked astonished.
"Excuse me?" he managed to get out. "How on earth do you know about-?"
"Smile and nod!" I exclaimed, pointing at him frantically.
"Potter-"
"Do you want me to finish, or not?" I demanded.
After staring at me for a good minute, the Potions Master reluctantly nodded.
I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding.
"Okay, so Quirrell's definitely about to make his move, so we need to watch him," I went on, pacing dizzyingly. "He went to Hog's Head in disguise a while back and got Hagrid drunk so he'd let it slip that Fluffy-yeah, yeah I know about the three-headed dog, too-save that energy, this isn't even the most shocking thing I've got to tell you-Anyway,Hagrid let it slip how to calm Fluffy, not that he's realised what happened, so there won't be any more instances like Halloween-"
I paused, glancing at the dumbfounded professor.
"I'm guessing you went to the third floor to head him off, right? Cool, I thought so," I nodded when I saw the shock on his face(it explains his bloodied-up leg and what Harry overheard in the staff room months ago; he did get bitten by Fluffy, but he got bitten heading off Quirrell-which also explains why they were together when they burst into the girl's bathroom with McGonagall and found us having tea with Trudy), twirling on my heel and starting to pace again. "Quirrell's spent all year figuring out what you've all done to protect the Stone, so he'll probably get through the trapdoor pretty easily-especially seeing as you idiots let him help, which is-wow-and, because Dumbledore isn't here, he thinks it's safe to do whatever.
"Oh! And I figured out who he's working for, and why he wants the Stone-ignoring his inadequacy issues. So, get this, I was talking to Fred and George a few weeks ago-gathering intel-and they said that Quirrell used to teach Muggle Studies but that he took a year-long sabbatical to travel; that's when, according to Hagrid, people say he met vampires in the Black Forest-and there was something about a hag, and now he's scared of everything, right? Yeah, not so much.
"It's only a theory, but I'm fairly confident that he met-the person he's working for during that time and, when he found out Quirrell teaches here, he decided to take advantage of that to get his hands on the Philosopher's Stone. And I'm sure of my timeline, because Quirrell was in Diagon Alley the day someone broke into Gringotts and tried to steal it, and he was acting super suspicious-well, I thought he looked suspicious, anyway, and I'm rarely wrong about stuff like that.
"So, he's been after the Stone since at least July-"
"Wait," Professor Snape interrupted, his eyebrows furrowed deeply, "if he met the person he's working for during his sabbatical, then who-?"
"You said you'd-"
"Potter."
I swallowed, tugging at my hair nervously.
"Voldemort. Quirrell's working for Voldemort."
There was a long silence.
Professor Snape stared at me blankly.
"He met Voldemort last year," I went on quickly, starting to pace again to avoid seeing his reaction-and feeling my chest tighten uncomfortably. "Brought him back here from wherever he was hiding-and, somehow, they've become...connected-I can't really explain it, because I don't really know how, but it's why my scar hurts whenever I'm around him. I'm pretty sure it's a warning-like, because Voldemort's the one that gave me and Harry our scars, they react to his presence. Like a-built-in survival, self-preservation thing. Which makes sense, seeing as whenever my scar hurts Harry's does too. They even get all tingly whenever we're near each other-more so when we've been really far apart for an extended period of time. It's really freaky and twin-like.
"At the moment, Voldemort's kind of just chilling in the Forbidden Forest, sucking down unicorn blood juice boxes, while he waits for Quirrell to get the Stone. Hagrid says Voldemort's scared of Dumbledore, which is probably why he wanted to make sure he was in London before he and Quirrell tried anyth-"
"Potter," Professor Snape looked deathly serious, and his voice was as sharp as a knife. "What do you mean the Dark Lord is 'chilling in the Forbidden Forest, sucking down unicorn blood?'"
"I saw him," I admitted queasily, hugging myself. "During detention. Something's been killing unicorns, so Hagrid took a bunch of us into the forest to follow a trail of unicorn blood to find it-the unicorn, I mean. Malfoy Fang Harry and I went off alone at one point, and we found him-he was wearing a cloak, and I didn't see his face, but he was drinking the unicorn's blood-"
Professor Snape sucked in a breath.
"It's the only thing keeping him alive," I added, brushing my hair behind my ears. "Unicorn blood can keep you alive even on the brink of death, but it curses you-so that means Voldemort is probably really weak, which is why he needs Quirrell. Anyway, Voldemort spotted us, and Malfoy got me out of there, but Harry-" I swallowed thickly, my face scrunching up uncomfortably at the memory. "A centaur named Firenze saved Harry. We didn't tell anyone who it was under that cloak, because who'd even believe us?, and the only reason we even know is because Firenze told Harry before they met up with Hagrid Neville and Hermione, and Harry told me. I wanted to come to you right away, I just...saying it out loud makes it sound even madder, doesn't it? Like, 'oh, that bloke that orphaned me? Yeah, he's in the forest sticking silly straws in unicorns and plotting to use a magic rock to defy the laws of life and death-also, probably murder me and my brother, he sounds like he keeps grudges'."
For a while, Professor Snape didn't say a word, letting all of that sink in.
I could feel him staring at me, but couldn't meet his eyes.
"Jewel...how do you know all of this?"
I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, flooded with dread.
"I told you, I can't-"
"We passed can't a long time ago!" the Potions Master snapped impatiently. "Look," he consciously softened his demeanour, "whatever it is, I promise you won't get in trouble, but I need to know-"
"No, you don't-" my head flew up, eyes blazing, "It isn't relevant to any of this!"
"'It isn't relevant?'" a sharp look edged with incredulity and a trace of sarcasm. "Considering everything you seem to know, and the gravity of the situation, I would say that you, as a first year, just magically stumbling onto all of this could very well be exceedingly relevant-something I won't be able to gauge until you-"
"But it really isn't!" I insisted, my voice sounding strained even to my own ears. "It has nothing to do with Voldemort, or Quirrell, or the Philosopher's Stone-"
My hands were beginning to visibly tremble, and I felt like there was a boa constrictor wrapped around my chest-squeezing tighter and tighter until I felt light-headed and couldn't breathe.
"And yet, it's the reason you somehow know about both of those things," he retorted.
"It-it's not-it isn't-"
My fingers roughly ran through my hair as I struggled to breathe normally through the pressure compressing my throat.
Finally noticing how much I was shaking(balancing on a razor's edge as I forced back a panic attack, the closest I've gotten to having one since finding out about Harry-and since coming off my meds a couple of months ago), Professor Snape's piercing stare faltered and slowly faded away.
"...Jewel?" he said carefully, eyebrows furrowed and a hint of concern in his dark eyes.
"I-I can't-" I forced myself to take several deep breaths, looking around the room rapidly as I grounded myself out of habit(5 things I can see-4 things I can touch-3 things I can hear-). "I just-I hear them, all the time," I finally just broke, tears making everything blurry-like I was looking at the world through a smudged funhouse mirror, "and I can't-I can't help it-I don't m-mean to-"
"Jewel, calm down," Professor Snape said firmly looking worried and confused. "Who do you hear all the time?"
"Everyone."
After a beat, Professor Snape's eyes widened in shock and realization.
"They won't shut up-" I gripped my hair tightly, "and I try-so hard-but the voices-it's like everyone's shouting at me-and I can't shut it out-it wasn't so bad when I was able to pretend it wasn't happening, because I think I was subconsciously blocking them which made it a bit easier to deal with, but it's getting stronger and I-I can't keep pretending I'm just really intuitive-or that I'm crazy...I actually wanted to be crazy, did you know that? Because that I could understand, that might have a cure, but this is just-and you're the only one who's quiet-it's why I like your company so much-it's like a reprieve and, for one second, I can pretend I'm normal, and okay-and I'm pretty sure that this thing really is driving me mad, and I can't-"
"You're a Legilimens," Professor Snape breathed in amazement.
My head snapped up.
"I'm a w-what?" I stammered, taken aback.
"You've been using Legilimency all this time," the Potions Master said in disbelief, speaking mostly to himself, "and you don't even know what it is."
I just stared at him like a lost puppy.
"You've been using Legilimency, and you don't understand, and you're terrified," he slowly realised, a surprising amount of compassion in his usually fathomless and cold dark eyes. "You must have a natural talent-a very strong one, I'd say, if you're really hearing as much as I think you are, from as many people at a time as I think you do. The rubber bands...you snap them when you're around a lot of people-" he nodded at my wrists with new understanding, "I've noticed that during my class. And it's especially bad when I'm administering tests. It snaps you out of it, doesn't it? Helps you focus on what's going on around you-and not the minds of everyone else in the room. That's why you keep snapping them, even when it hurts."
"It's the only thing that works," I whispered weakly, still staring at the professor uncomprehendingly.
I think I might be in shock.
-and, you know, I did almost have a panic attack, so.
"How long have you been able to 'hear everyone?'"
"I'd lie and say just recently," I said quietly, eyes falling down to stare hard at the desk(because otherwise, I'd lie, or run away, or panic again, and, for some reason, I felt like I needed to say this-), "but the truth is...I've always been able to. And people-they didn't-they didn't react well when I'd repeat things-not that I meant to, I was a kid, you know? I didn't know better. But then-then someone told me that nobody would-they wouldn't want me if I didn't act normal so I just...acted normal. And I convinced myself that I could just read people really well, because that wasn't too weird, or impossible, until even I believed it-so when that belief was challenged, I couldn't really-handle it. This is the first time I've said it out loud, and I don't know if I'm relieved, or worse off than I was when I started talking. I-"
I looked up at Professor Snape, mouth opened unsurely.
There was a hard glint in his eyes and the line of his jaw had tensed.
"...What do you mean, someone told you nobody would want you if you didn't 'act normal'?" he demanded, dark eyes flashing. "What phenomenal dunderhead would say something like-"
"I have a list," I said emotionlessly, my face going blank, "but, the first time, was one of my several caseworkers."
"'-caseworkers?'"
"Yeah, you know, for the foster syst-..." seeing the look on his face, I found myself opening and closing my mouth speechlessly for a moment. "You don't know," I realised, stunned. "I thought-I mean, Dumbledore and Hagrid know, so I figured all the staff did but that they didn't want to make a big deal of it, or they just didn't really care or wanted to respect my privacy or something-"
"Jewel, what on earth are you talking about?"
"I-I'm-" I swallowed thickly and, without conscious thought, I'd taken a step back...and then another...and another..."I can't-"
"Jewel, just calm down, take a minute, then we can-"
"I need-I have to-"
"You need to take a deep breath and stop-"
"-H-Harry-he's-he's probably waiting for me-I should-"
"Potter!"
Before he could stop me, I was out the door.
꧖ꦿꦸ⊰ ⊱꧖ꦿꦸ
Okay, I might've overreacted a smidge.
I know I shouldn't of just run out like that, that I should go back(my own personal issues aside, we need to figure out what to do about Quirrell and Voldemort and Dumbledore not bloody being here to deter them-). I mean, If I just ask, Professor Snape'll drop it-he wouldn't pressure me into talking about-that. And he has answers I need, answers I've spent months searching for...
But do I want to know?
I'd say I'm not ready,but I don't think I ever really will be.
And, honestly, I think I needed to take a step back for my own well-being-at least until I'm not on the verge of having a full-blown panic attack.
Realising he didn't know(that none of them do),and having him ask,just tipped me over the edge and I needed-I couldn't-I had to get away.
The next thing I knew, I found myself standing in a random dim but vaguely familiar hallway and, after making sure Professor Snape hadn't gone after me(not that I really expected him to-not because he's such a terrible person, like Harry Ron and Hermione are utterly convinced of because...uh...he's mean?, but because it was more logical, from his viewpoint, to let me get the space I need before seeking me out later-when I'm calmer, more clear-headed, and more willing to talk; Severus Snape is nothing if not pragmatic), I slid down the wall, the heels of my palms pushing against my warm eyes as I caught my breath.
I don't know how long I sat there, just breathing, and hearing that word play on repeat.
Legilimens, Legilimens.
I turned it around in my head.
Judging by Professor Snape's reaction, they're not common(and the Sorting Hat called my ability "rare")-and not usually eleven-year-olds unintentionally reading minds against their will, with no clue what they're doing, and zero control. I could just go to the library and look it up, but that felt just as daunting as going back to the Potions Master's office to ask him what the hell it meant after I ran out.
I had to of been sitting in that random, cold dungeon corridor alone, lost in thought, for a good ten minutes, maybe more, before I'd pieced together enough of my composure to go...anywhere else, I guess?-but, just as I stood up and dusted myself off, I heard several footsteps coming fast in my direction.
Assuming it was just some Slytherins heading back to the common room(it isn't far from here...right?...), too distracted to notice the tingling feeling in my neck,I slowly started to walk back the way I'd come, still debating on whether or not to go back now that I'd calmed down and cleared my head-
Suddenly, I was being pulled into a hug so tight that it briefly winded me.
"Holy mother of-Harry?"
"Hermione told us you went after Snape alone, so we came to look for you-" he said, pulling back to check me over for injuries before looking at me sternly, "are you crazy?"
"Subjective," I answered reflexively, before blinking. "Wait, what-?"
"Dumbledore's gone, and nobody thinks Snape's up to anything-if he realised you knew something, he might've thought you were a threat to his plan, and he can't risk having you get in the way now-"
"We thought Snape might've done you in," Ron agreed, giving me his best impression of Hermione when we've done something she disapproves of. "I know you said you know what not to blab to save your own ass, but you don't think Snape's guilty, so you could've said something without thinking it'd matter-"
It was about the same look Hermione herself was giving me next to him, but she mostly just looked relieved that I'm okay-which almost made me roll my eyes.
Oh, for Merlin's sake-
"Ronnie-not helping."
"-whether or not Snape's-" Harry was still going.
"-Oh my god-"
"-but you shouldn't of taken that risk-"
"Harry James, I love you, but I have a spell that vanishes mouths, and I'm seriously about to use it if you don't shut up!"
Harry's mouth snapped shut.
"Look-" I pinched the bridge of my nose, "I appreciate your concern-and you charging down here to save me-" it took serious effort for me to tone down the sarcasm, "was-it was sweet-reckless, and unnecessary, but sweet-but I'm fine. Professor Snape didn't do anything. I followed him back to his office, we talked about the exams for a bit, but then he had to do something so he kicked me out-I couldn't think of a reason to stay longer, and I didn't want to make him suspicious, so I was just going to stop by my common room before going to find you lot-"
I felt bad about lying, but it's not like telling the truth was an option.
Until they see it for themselves, with their own eyes, they won't believe that Professor Snape is the good guy-or that Quirrell isn't.
Not that they'd be that stupid-
"Right, listen-" Harry said, sharing a look with the others, "we're going into the trapdoor. Tonight."
Never mind.
"I'm sorry," I deadpanned, "all I heard was 'something stupid, something stupid, I'm an idiot, something stupid, something stupid, tonight'-can you repeat that?"
"We don't have a choice,Jules," Harry's bright green eyes, a mirror to my more kaleidoscopic/chameleon-like ones(ever-shifting depending both on my mood, like how they brighten like Harry's when I cry a lot, and the way the light hit them at any given moment), blazed with determination and resolve. "If Voldemort gets that Stone, it's all over. You said it yourself, with Dumbledore gone, he'll make his move, and none of the professors will listen to us. We need to stop him. He killed our parents. I can't just sit back and do nothing. I'm not trying to make you feel bad," he quickly added, "you don't have to go if you don't want to-but we're going. All I'm asking is that you don't try to stop us, and-"
"I doubt I'll have time to stop you," I sighed. "I'll be too busy trying to keep you idiot's alive."
Harry looked up in surprise.
"Wait, does that mean you're-"
"Yeah, yeah," I rolled my eyes exhaustedly, "I'm coming. I kinda have to. Hermione might be the default brains of your operation, and the voice of reason, but whenever she fails, and gets sucked into your crazy BS, that job falls to me. Which is really screwed-up considering I'm, you know, me. Says a lot. Not good things, but a lot."
"You don't have to," Harry told me seriously, trying to give me an out(but I knew, from the look in his eyes, that he wants me to come-as if I even had a choice, but I appreciated the pretence). "This is-it's going to be dangerous. If we're caught, they'll expel all of us-and, even if we manage to get the Stone away from Sn-Voldemort, we could still die or get seriously hurt. Ron, Hermione and I can handle it if you-"
"Sure, I'll go take a nap and let you risk your lives without me-" I interrupted with feigned cheerfulness and a big sarcastic smile, "And, while I'm at it, I'll do my homework early and snog Malfoy."
My smile dropped, and I stared at Harry like he was an idiot.
Ron pulled a face.
"I know you're being sarcastic, but-Malfoy? Really?" he cringed in disgust.
"Got my point across, didn't it?" I countered, shooting him a pointed sideways look.
"You mean, 'no way in hell am I doing that?'" Ron said. "Yeah, we got it."
"So," I turned back to Harry wryly, "what's your brilliant plan?"
It was simple enough.
We'll make our appearances at dinner, then I'd slip on the Invisibility Cloak and they'd sneak me into Gryffindor Tower(we're breaking, like, a million other rules anyway-and Harry refused to have me wander about the dungeons, 'Snape's domain',alone and in plain sight to meet up with them in the Entrance Hall). Once the common room empties post-curfew, we'd use the cloak to get to the third floor without being caught.
And that's it.
That's where all the planning stops.
We're going in blind, no idea what we might face-and, even ifwe do somehow miraculously manage to survive to the boss level, their whole plan is, 'don't let him get the Stone, don't die, the end'.
I'm surrounded by idiots.
Well, Gryffindors.
-but is there really a difference?
So, while they waited anxiously to enact their 'plan'(a term I'm using loosely that also underlined why none of them, not even Hermione, was in Ravenclaw House-wow), I started putting together my own.
It was rough, but I had an advantage they didn't; thanks to my Legi-my-the thing, I know that Quirrell is the one behind all of this.
The others, on the other hand, are going to be blindsided.
All I have to do is act before Quirrell does, and keep him busy until help arrives.
A lot of my plan hinged on letting Professor Snape know it was going down tonight without telling him what we were doing(because he will for sure stop us-I'm not sure that'd be a bad thing, mind you, but here we are), which I'm sure he's figured out based off everything I told him(and, finger's crossed, he's keeping such a close eye on Quirrell that he and Voldemort back down-I doubt it, but a girl can dream).
That meant talking to him, which was-harder than I thought it'd be.
Because he doesn't know, and he'll ask, and-Legilimens.
But, by the time dinner rolled around, I knew I had to suck it up.
So, I caught Professor Snape's attention and nodded subtly at the doors.
As soon as I was sure he got my message, I slipped out, making sure the others didn't notice the Potions Master get up at the same time as I left(sneaking out to talk to Professor Snape was risky, but Harry Ron and Hermione were so nervous that they were barely looking up from their food, so I decided to chance it).
"Miss Potter," he said cautiously as he met me outside the Great Hall, having made his way through the staff door behind the High Table and circled around.
I didn't have to feign nervousness as I fidgeted with the colourful bands on my wrists.
"I-" I opened and closed my mouth unsurely before quickly forcing out, "I'm sorry for running out like that earlier-I shouldn't of-I was just-"
"Jewel."
I shut up.
It didn't help that, when I finally looked up, Professor Snape had that same concerned look on his face as earlier-that probably won't go away any time soon.
"What did you mean when you said that you've had 'several caseworkers?'" he asked quietly, "and that Hagrid and Dumbledore know, so you assumed the rest of us did, too?"
"I-I'm not here to talk about that," I grimaced deeply, harshly twisting a pink rubber band. "If you really want to know, ask Dumbledore. What's important is that we come up with a plan to deal with Quirrell, now."
"Miss Potter-"
"No," I interrupted sharply, careful to keep my voice down, "don't you 'Miss Potter' me-Voldemort killed my parents! I can't just sit back and do nothing. If he gets that Stone, it's all over. I might just be a 'stupid first year', but I'm more capable than any of you give me credit for. Most of the information I have has nothing to do with-what I can do. It warned me about Quirrell, and confirmed my suspicions about him working for Voldemort, but mostly it just got in the way and made me misread him because of their connection. And if I have to go to the third floor, and into that trapdoor,myself-"
"Trap-? How do you know about that?" Professor Snape lowered his voice to a hiss, dark eyes widening slightly in disbelief.
I looked up at him like a deer in headlights.
"It-it doesn't matter, the point is-"
"Jewel-" he said seriously, gaze sharpening and eyes narrowing abruptly, "please tell me you aren't planning anything. Beyond, of course, going to bed and refraining from sticking your nose into this, like I've told you."
"I'm-uh-well, I mean-that depends how you define planning, because I've recently learnt that my definition is very different to other people's-"
A severe, unimpressed look.
"Potter."
"I-so what if I am?" I flung back, crossing my arms defensively. "It's not like anyone else is doing anything! Dumbledore's gone-"
"I am in the midst of trying to contact-"
"He's flying to London! I already sent Illyius, like, a half-hour ago, but I doubt he'll get to him in time. If someone doesn't do something now,Quirrell-"
"I'm keeping an eye on Quirrell, too," the Potions Master stated.
"So, what, are you going to follow him up to bed tonight?" I scoffed.
His mouth tightened.
"If we just go through the trapdoor now," I pressed, "we can set a trap-"
"You will do no such thing," Professor Snape said harshly. "In fact, just tomake sureyou don't do anything phenomenally stupid-and possibly suicidal--tonight, I'll walk you back to your common room right now where you'll stay all night-and, if you so much as think about putting a toe out the door, there will be dire consequences. I won't have you gleefully marching off to your death because you were too arrogant to see that you are not equipped to deal with this situation. You are a child. You shouldn't be fighting Dark wizards, however capable you may be. I am the adult here, Potter, and you'd do well to remember that. It's my job to deal with dangerous situations and persons. It's yours, as the child, to relax and know that I have everything handled. As of now, your part in this is done. Read a book or a magazine. Paint your nails. Take a nap. But stay away from Quirrell and the third floor."
"But-"
"Come on. Today, Potter."
Seeing the almost a bit wild look on the professor's face, I nodded defeatedly.
Professor Snape, as promised, marched me all the way down to the Slytherin common room-and, going the extra mile, refused to leave until I went up the girl's stairs to my dorm to "paint my nails" as I "read a book or a magazine" and "napped"(no doubt suspecting I wasn't in this alone-not a far leap to make-and not wanting me to immediately sneak away to confer with my brother and our usual accomplices).
-Merlin, I could go for a nap.
The second I was out of sight, my defeated expression fell away.
Digging through my pocket, I pulled out a small piece of shimmering fabric and my wand.
"Engorgio."
The Invisibility Cloak fell to the ground.
With a smirk and a swish, I threw it over myself.
Part one: start an argument and have Professor Snape realise I'm planning on going after Quirrell(and know about the trapdoor), do a great impression of Harry and go on about how "Voldemort killed my parents!", and get on common room arrest-completed.
Well, Part one D.
Part one A was owling Dumbledore to get his ancient ass back here before we all die.
Part one B was using a Shrinking Charm on the Invisibility Cloak when Harry slipped it to me by the entrance stairs before dinner started(which I would then unshrink and use as soon as Professor Snape predictably dragged my wayward ass to my common room-if he'd just ordered me back to dinner or something, I'd of faked dejectedly going to the dungeons before using the cloak to get back to Harry and the others).
Part one C was pulling Pansy Daphne and Tracey aside after grabbing the cloak and convincing them to go to Professor Snape at midnight "freaking out" because "I wasn't in the common room" and "they thought I was sleeping on the sofa again, but when Pansy went down, I wasn't there, and I'd been acting weird all day, and they were worried I'd done something stupid"(they'd of noticed if I up and vanished anyway, a fact Harry Ron and Hermione didn't seem to consider in their✧*̥˚plan*̥˚✧; plus, I needed them to cover for me with Malfoy-he'd for sure notice and be super annoying about it).
"-Are you doing something stupid?" Tracey asked slowly.
"Oh, yeah, 100%," I confirmed with a nod.
"Then why tell us to get Snape?" Pansy looked at me weirdly. "I get telling Draco you're already passed out in our dorm if he or anyone else asks to not raise suspicion, but why dob yourself in if you know you're doing something you'd get in trouble for? This isn't another mountain troll situation, is it?" When I didn't immediately respond, her slightly mocking look dropped. "There isn't another mountain troll, is there? Is there?"
"Chill, Pans-" I laughed awkwardly, "there aren't any mountain trolls...I think-"
No one looked remotely reassured by that, least of all Pansy.
"What do you mean, you think-!"
"Look-" I ran my fingers through my hair, grimacing, "I'll explain later, I promise. Just make sure you leave to get Professor Snape at midnight, and not a second before. It's important."
They shared wary looks.
"I can't believe we're letting you talk us into this," Daphne sighed.
I'd detail my revolutionary plan from there, but I only had an hour or two to work on it and it just gets messierfrom there; most of it is just for me to 'wing it' until I get to Quirrell, and even then my plan of attack could go either way depending on who gets the jump on who(I'm banking on Quirrell being so secure in his little act that I blindside him).
Part one was fantastic from planning to execution, though, so.
Professor Snape wisely stuck around to prevent-well, this.
As soon as he was sure I'd really gone up to my dorm(unaware that I was waiting invisibly for him to leave not far from where he was standing, forcibly shoving down the guilt twisting up my insides), he said the password and the wall once again parted.
I carefully slipped out behind him.
Luckily, he turned the other way, so it wasn't hard for me to escape the Potions Master and quickly make my way back to the Entrance Hall.
When I tugged on his sleeve, Harry almost jumped out of his skin.
"Hey, Scotchy."
"Jules-where have you been?" he hissed, making it look like he was talking to Ron(not that it mattered, seeing as no one was paying us any attention).
"I had to find a safe place to put the cloak on," I lied, once again grimacing guiltily to myself from beneath the Invisibility Cloak.
Judging by the wry look Hermione sent Harry and Ron, who looked sheepish, she'd clearly assumed as much.
Another guilty grimace.
"Come on," Harry said, nodding subtly.
The entrance to Gryffindor Tower, which was guarded by a portrait of a woman in a pink silk dress they call the Fat Lady(I'd make a remark about how utterly sensitive Gryffindors are, but the Fat Lady doesn't seem to care; good on her for being so secure in herself that she's cool with being called 'the Fat Lady', but she has to have an actual name, right? I guess you could speculate that she isn't a painting of aperson that existed in real life, so much as a painting of a literal 'Fat Lady' done for aesthetic purposes, so why would she mind?-but, if that's the case, what about 'the Fat Friar'?-), was up the Entrance Hall's marble stairs, down several corridors, through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries, up waaay too many staircases(getting to the Slytherin common room requires a helluva lot less cardio, all I'm saying), and at the end of a corridor on a lavish landing.
Slytherin's way of hiding our common room seems way more ingenious, but whatever.
I covered my ears when it was time for Harry to say the password(which was Hermione's condition for letting the boys sneak me in-she's taking this loads better than we thought she would, I'm a bit proud; I could've just not done it and she'd have no clue, but I decided to humour her-the password will probably change in a week or so, anyway)and, when they walked through the portrait hole, was quick to follow.
My first impression of the Gryffindor common room was-red.
And gold.
Just-a lot of red and gold.
It was a cosy-looking circular room with a very laid-back atmosphere(a juxtaposition to Slytherin's Gothic ambience and grand appearance), stuffed armchairs, tables, bookcases, a roaring fireplace that dominated one of the walls that was adorned with a portrait of a lion, and a bulletin board covered in ads, lost posters, school notices,etc.
The windows overlooked the grounds and the walls were decorated with scarlet tapestries depicting wizards and witches and various creatures.
There were mahogany staircases on the far side of the room, no doubt leading up to the dormitories(apparently, if a boy tries to go up the girl's stairs, they become a slide-Fred and George told me; we don't have that in Slytherin-because I don't think Salazar Slytherin gave a damn, but the fact that girls can go up the boy's stairs in here but not vice versa seems pretty archaic and sexist).
We made our way over to a set of armchairs apart from everyone else.
"So, what do you think?" Harry whispered, once again making it look like he was quietly talking to Ron.
No one seemed to be paying us any attention.
All of the Gryffindors still hate Harry-which is the stupidest shit ever, but at least that universal unpopularity will play in our favour tonight.
"It's, uh, very-red and gold-?" I offered awkwardly as I sank into one of the squashy armchairs on Ron's other side.
"Just-!" At Hermione and Harry's sharp looks, Ron hastily lowered his voice, "'red and gold?' How can you not like it in here?"
"I didn't say I don't like it," I said quickly, "it's just very...you guys. And that's not bad or anything, but Slytherin's got all this cool gothic architecture, like a dark fantasy novel, and we're under the lake-it's like living in an underwater shipwreck. We even get to see sea creatures swim by the windows like an aquarium. But, uh, this is nice too, I guess-it's pretty relaxed in here."
Harry and Ron shared a look, and Harry shook his head slightly to get the incredulous redhead to leave it-but, hearing his thoughts, I shot him a dirty look from under the cloak.
Hermione seemed interested.
"You can actually see the creatures living in the lake from your windows?"
"I see the giant squid all the time," I told her a bit proudly.
After that, we were all too nervous to talk much.
Hermione was skimming through her notes in the hopes of coming across one of the enchantments we were about to try to break(which semi-redeemed her in my eyes, even if there's no way they're guarding the Stone with first year level magic-and, beneath the cloak, I killed time by flipping idly through the pages she'd slipped me).
Ron and Harry were silent, thinking over what we were about to do.
Their pessimistic thoughts were not appreciated.
Slowly, the Gryffindors all drifted upstairs, and the common room cleared.
I was about to take off the Invisibility Cloak but, catching somebody else's thoughts in the room(somebody very familiar), stopped myself just in time.
"We'd better put the cloak on here-" Harry was saying.
"Uh, Scotchy-" I hissed, trying to get his attention without bringing attention to myself.
"-and make sure it covers all four of us-"
"Harry-we're not alo-"
"-if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own-"
"What are you doing?"
The others wheeled around in shock as Neville walked around an armchair and into view, his toad Trevor wriggling away in his hands.
I think we're not alone now, I couldn't help but wryly mentally hum, Neville's right there and you're all mor-onnns. I think we're not alone now, the beating of our hearts is the only sound-
"Nothing, Neville, nothing," Harry lied hastily.
Neville just stared at the ludicrously guilty-looking Gryffindors.
"You're going out again."
Children behave, that's what they say when we're together-
"No, no, no," Hermione said quickly. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"
"Wow," I muttered, "he's not stupid, you know."
Ron attempted to elbow me to shut up, being the only one to hear me, but wildly missed.
Neville looked at him weirdly, and his ears went pink.
Harry was clearly on edge as he peeked at the face of the grandfather clock by the portrait hole, and I semi-rolled my eyes realising he was thinking about how 'Professor Snape' could be playing Fluffy to sleep as we speak.
-and watch how you play, they don't understand, and so we're-
"You can't go out," Neville told them, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."
Technically, I'm already out-and a Slytherin. Not that I've ever really cared about breaking rules(I see them more as guidelines or friendly suggestions, you know?).
"I can get two more Slytherins," I suggested quietly to Harry, and he almost jumped but just managed to hide his reaction, "then it'll be even. No one'll even notice."
"You don't understand," Harry said to Neville, ignoring me, and I bit back a grin, "this is important."
-running just as fast as we can, holding on to one another's hand-
'Hearing' Neville steeling himself to stop them, I quirked a surprised eyebrow.
I was kinda proud, honestly.
"I won't let you do it," he said, rushing over to block the entrance. "I'll-I'll fight you!"
Let's be honest, who wouldn't pay to see that?
"Neville," Ron lost his temper, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot-"
-trying to get away into the night, and then you put your arms around me-
"Don't call me an idiot!" Neville flung back. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"
"Yes, but not to us," Ron said in exasperation, and I stared at him(-oh, for god's sake-). "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."
Ron stepped forward, and Neville dropped Trevor.
The toad immediately made a break for it.
"Go on then, try and hit me! I'm ready!"
Neville rose his fists.
-and we tumble to the ground and then you say-
"Do something," Harry said, turning to Hermione and where he thought I was standing desperately.
"I love this-" I just sniggered.
Ron facepalmed.
Hermione stepped forward.
Catching sight of the wand in her hand, and picking up on her intentions, my eyes widened and I whipped my head around to stare at her.
"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this."
She rose her wand.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Neville's arms and legs snapped together and, his body going rigid, he swayed in place before falling flat on his face on the floor.
Hermione rushed to turn him over onto his back, looking guilty and miserable at the horrified look on his face as he stared up at us.
Only his eyes moved, and his jaws were jammed together.
I feel like we just purposely backed over a puppy.
"Damn, Cruella," I whistled.
"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered in shock.
"It's the Full Body-Bind," Hermione miserably explained. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."
"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," Harry rationalized.
"You'll understand later, Neville," Ron added.
So, we're all going to hell.
-well, according to Malfoy, I run the place, so-special treatment! Yay!
They stepped over him and, following awkwardly on their heels, I was quick to throw the cloak over all of us once we reached the portrait hole.
It was a tight fit, but it'd have to do.
"I think we're alone now," I hummed idly under my breath as we headed out, ignoring the weird looks the others shot me, "there doesn't seem to be anyone around-"