Authors Note: All characters within are the property of J. K. Rowling, except for Penny and Keef. All actions and place are fiction and are not based on real events.
Disclaimer: I'll say it again, this is not Hogwarts as we know it. This is a parallel universe.
Something Else: I've gotten questions on how to pronounce Penny's last name. It's pronounced like the word "dreadful".
Penny Dredfule Chapter Six
Dreams and Conversations
Penny was dreaming again.
She found herself in the huge library. This time the curtains to the big picture window were closed, throwing the room into shadow. The glass case was still at the center or the room and seemed to glow with it's own light, almost as if it were glowing from inside itself.
"Why a library?" she wondered out loud as she made her way to the glass case, "Why not a bar, or perhaps a strip club. Goodness knows my sex life has been suffering lately."
"Why would you go to a strip club?" said a voice.
Penny whirled around. Behind her, hidden in the shadows, was the shape of a man. He seemed to be writing in something, hurriedly, as he spoke.
"I'm sorry?" she said.
"Why would you go to a strip club? You have many admirers here, don't you?" his voice made it sound as if her were smiling. "Snape is quite a catch, to be sure, power and money and fame. Or perhaps Peeves is more your taste, slightly dead and buried. Or, do you fancy McGonagall? She'd make a good bed partner, wouldn't she?"
"Who are you?" She said, "Show yourself." Penny was getting frustrated with the amount of stupid people in this place, and she was about ready to scream very loudly. It wouldn't solve anything, but it would make her feel better.
"My apologies, of course. It's not often I find myself in someone else's head. It's thrown me for a loop, I suppose." He came out of the shadows.
He was a tall, thin man with long blonde hair and hazel eyes. His lips were pouty, even while smiling, and he looked very sure of himself. She looked at his hands.
He was holding the black book. Penny looked down at her left hand. The star seemed to be throbbing in answer to the books call. She could feel the book, even this far away from it. It was something of emense power, of that there was no mistake.
"Who are you?" she asked again.
The man held up the black book. On the cover, in gilded gold, was the name "Keef Quirrell".
"Now you know my name," he smiled, "do you feel better?"
"Not really," Penny said, "I still don't know why you're inside my subconscious."
"Wizards and witches can travel anywhere they please, Penny."
"But not inside other peoples heads!" Penny screamed, "That's not right, there has to be a law against it!"
"Oh, and there is." Quirrell purred, "And I'm breaking it. I just had to see you."
"You had to see me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because, when I heard that you were teaching here, I knew it was my chance to finally meet you. I need your help, Penny."
"Doesn't everyone? What happened to the strong macho guy? Sheesh, you'd think chivalry was dead, or something."
"Will you help me?"
"I don't know what you need help with, Keef, and right now I don't care. I have a class to teach. How do you get out of here?"
"You're the Enchantress," he said pouting, "you figure it out." And he tossed the book to her. She picked it up. Keef had been writing every word of their conversation. Every word that she had thought, every thing she had felt, it was all there.
Even as she was thinking this, the book was writing itself. 'I want to leave', thought Penny. The book began writing something else after that thought.
"I WANT TO LEAVE", THOUGHT PENNY. THE BOOK BEGAN WRITING SOMETHING ELSE AFTER THAT THOUGHT. PENNY LEANED IN CLOSE TO READ THE WORDS, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO NEED. SHE LEFT THE ROOM THROUGH THE DOOR BEHIND HER.
Penny looked, and indeed there was a door.
PENNY LOOKED, AND INDEED THERE WAS A DOOR. SHE PUT THE BOOK BACK INTO THE CASE FOR SAFE KEEPING, AND LEFT THE ROOM…
Penny had in fact left the room by this point. Keef was standing by the window, his gaze directed to the glass case. He had no need to read the words that were being written in his book, for he knew what they said.
….LEAVING QUIRRELL ALONE IN THE SHADOWS. HE DIDN'T MIND. IT GAVE HIM TIME TO THINK. IT GAVE HIM TIME TO PLAN.
* * *
Penny got ready for class quickly, her wand tucked in the pockets of her robe, and ran to the classroom her own copy of "Wizards Without Magic" tucked under her arm.
She reached the classroom five minutes before class and expected to have a nice breather before the students arrived. How wrong she was.
She walked into a quiet room, and it was filled with students. They all watched her approach the desk with something bordering on awe. Penny placed her book down, and looked around. "My name is Professor Dredfule".
"Magic," she said, "is something that can be fresh, exciting, fun. It can also be dangerous. Magic is not something to be fooled around with. But then again, neither is habitat. One day, some of you might live in the Muggle world. Perhaps because of occupation, or choice. Whatever the reason, some of you will be living there. And you won't be able to use magic." She paused. The class seemed riveted to her every word. "As you know, there are wizards and witches already living in the Muggle world, and they have found ways to protect themselves. There are ways to protect yourselves against what darker wizards and witches might do, and that's what I'm going to teach, among other things. For the first term, we will be looking at how to live without magic and how to protect yourself against such things as arson, protection of your house, bomb threats and the like. Second term will have us studying Muggles a little closer, and how to protect yourself on a more personal level. Everyone clear? Good. Now, I'll read off the class list."
Penny read down the list, reading off all the names, including 'Granger, Hermione", "Potter, Harry", and "Weasley, Ron".
The bell sounded for the end of the class. "I want everyone to write me a little something on what they would do to protect themselves if they were in a building that was on fire!" she called out over the noise. "Not too long, just a page or two! Due next class!" and the class shuffled out.
* * *
"So," said Hermione, "what do you think of her?"
"I don't know," Ron replied, "she seems to be pretty knowledgeable for a Muggle."
"Yeah," Hermione agreed, "and did you see her wand sticking out of her pocket? Why would a Muggle have a wand?" she paused, "What do you think Harry?"
Ron and Hermione looked over at Harry, who had his face in his hands. "Harry!" Ron said, "What's wrong?"
"My scar hurts." He said simply.
"But Voldemorts dead, Harry!"
"I know that," he said, "we killed him remember? But it still hurts."
"Do you think something is going to happen Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know," Harry said, "but I'm getting a little tired of this 'evil comes, scar hurts' dilemma."
"I'll find my copy of Magical Ailments, and we'll see what we can find."
"Trust Hermione to think of an answer being in a book," said Ron, "honestly, she should have a special plaque in the library just for her, she's there so often!"
Hermione sighed. "Boys." She said.
At that moment, Snape was coming towards them, walking in a jaunty way. He stopped in front of them and smiled.
"Harry!" he said, "How ARE you?"
"Huh?" Harry said.
"And Miss Granger! Lovely day, isn't it?"
"What?" Hermione said.
"And Mr. Weasley! I just LOVE what you've done with your hair!"
"Duh?" said Ron.
"Do you like my new robes?" He said, motioning to his robes of dark blue, "I thought they'd bring out the colour in my eyes. Lovely day children, must run! Tootles!" he said, and wandered off merrily.
There was a pause. "What's with him?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," Hermione said, "but if I had to hedge a bet, I'd say he was in love!"
* * *
The day went well for Penny. Her opening classes had gone well, and the students seemed to like her. "Although," she thought out loud getting ready for bed, "I'm starting to wonder whether or not these robes make me look fat". She sighed, and her head hit the pillow.
* * *
Back in her library, she opened the case. She took out the books labeled "Harry", "Ron" and "Hermione". She flipped open the latter.
…."BOYS" SHE SIGHED. HERMIONE CONTINUED ON HER OWN WAY. SHE HAD ARITHMANCY NEXT. WHY WEREN'T THEY WILLING TO EXPAND THEIR MINDS? SHE WONDERED GRUMPILY….
"Cute." Penny said. She flipped open the one titled "Ron".
…AS RON WATCHED HERMIONE WALK AWAY, HE WONDERED, DID SHE SEE HOW I COMBED MY HAIR DIFFERENTLY? DOES SHE NOTICE ME AT ALL?
Penny blushed, and opened the one titled "Harry".
….WAS VOLDEMORT BACK? HOW DID HE LIVE? HARRY WONDERED. WHY WAS HIS SCAR HURTING? I'M GOING TO HAVE TO WRITE TO SIRIUS, HE THOUGHT…..
Penny shivered. There was something happening here and she wasn't sure what it was. She put the books back and headed for the door.
* * *
He waited. Time was something that he had plenty of. He looked at Penny's window, safe in the knowledge that she knew nothing of what she was getting into. He retreated back into the trees. Now to find Snape, he thought idly.
* * *
Penny woke. There was something she needed to know. She went to find Sheryll.
Disclaimer: I'll say it again, this is not Hogwarts as we know it. This is a parallel universe.
Something Else: I've gotten questions on how to pronounce Penny's last name. It's pronounced like the word "dreadful".
Penny Dredfule Chapter Six
Dreams and Conversations
Penny was dreaming again.
She found herself in the huge library. This time the curtains to the big picture window were closed, throwing the room into shadow. The glass case was still at the center or the room and seemed to glow with it's own light, almost as if it were glowing from inside itself.
"Why a library?" she wondered out loud as she made her way to the glass case, "Why not a bar, or perhaps a strip club. Goodness knows my sex life has been suffering lately."
"Why would you go to a strip club?" said a voice.
Penny whirled around. Behind her, hidden in the shadows, was the shape of a man. He seemed to be writing in something, hurriedly, as he spoke.
"I'm sorry?" she said.
"Why would you go to a strip club? You have many admirers here, don't you?" his voice made it sound as if her were smiling. "Snape is quite a catch, to be sure, power and money and fame. Or perhaps Peeves is more your taste, slightly dead and buried. Or, do you fancy McGonagall? She'd make a good bed partner, wouldn't she?"
"Who are you?" She said, "Show yourself." Penny was getting frustrated with the amount of stupid people in this place, and she was about ready to scream very loudly. It wouldn't solve anything, but it would make her feel better.
"My apologies, of course. It's not often I find myself in someone else's head. It's thrown me for a loop, I suppose." He came out of the shadows.
He was a tall, thin man with long blonde hair and hazel eyes. His lips were pouty, even while smiling, and he looked very sure of himself. She looked at his hands.
He was holding the black book. Penny looked down at her left hand. The star seemed to be throbbing in answer to the books call. She could feel the book, even this far away from it. It was something of emense power, of that there was no mistake.
"Who are you?" she asked again.
The man held up the black book. On the cover, in gilded gold, was the name "Keef Quirrell".
"Now you know my name," he smiled, "do you feel better?"
"Not really," Penny said, "I still don't know why you're inside my subconscious."
"Wizards and witches can travel anywhere they please, Penny."
"But not inside other peoples heads!" Penny screamed, "That's not right, there has to be a law against it!"
"Oh, and there is." Quirrell purred, "And I'm breaking it. I just had to see you."
"You had to see me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because, when I heard that you were teaching here, I knew it was my chance to finally meet you. I need your help, Penny."
"Doesn't everyone? What happened to the strong macho guy? Sheesh, you'd think chivalry was dead, or something."
"Will you help me?"
"I don't know what you need help with, Keef, and right now I don't care. I have a class to teach. How do you get out of here?"
"You're the Enchantress," he said pouting, "you figure it out." And he tossed the book to her. She picked it up. Keef had been writing every word of their conversation. Every word that she had thought, every thing she had felt, it was all there.
Even as she was thinking this, the book was writing itself. 'I want to leave', thought Penny. The book began writing something else after that thought.
"I WANT TO LEAVE", THOUGHT PENNY. THE BOOK BEGAN WRITING SOMETHING ELSE AFTER THAT THOUGHT. PENNY LEANED IN CLOSE TO READ THE WORDS, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO NEED. SHE LEFT THE ROOM THROUGH THE DOOR BEHIND HER.
Penny looked, and indeed there was a door.
PENNY LOOKED, AND INDEED THERE WAS A DOOR. SHE PUT THE BOOK BACK INTO THE CASE FOR SAFE KEEPING, AND LEFT THE ROOM…
Penny had in fact left the room by this point. Keef was standing by the window, his gaze directed to the glass case. He had no need to read the words that were being written in his book, for he knew what they said.
….LEAVING QUIRRELL ALONE IN THE SHADOWS. HE DIDN'T MIND. IT GAVE HIM TIME TO THINK. IT GAVE HIM TIME TO PLAN.
* * *
Penny got ready for class quickly, her wand tucked in the pockets of her robe, and ran to the classroom her own copy of "Wizards Without Magic" tucked under her arm.
She reached the classroom five minutes before class and expected to have a nice breather before the students arrived. How wrong she was.
She walked into a quiet room, and it was filled with students. They all watched her approach the desk with something bordering on awe. Penny placed her book down, and looked around. "My name is Professor Dredfule".
"Magic," she said, "is something that can be fresh, exciting, fun. It can also be dangerous. Magic is not something to be fooled around with. But then again, neither is habitat. One day, some of you might live in the Muggle world. Perhaps because of occupation, or choice. Whatever the reason, some of you will be living there. And you won't be able to use magic." She paused. The class seemed riveted to her every word. "As you know, there are wizards and witches already living in the Muggle world, and they have found ways to protect themselves. There are ways to protect yourselves against what darker wizards and witches might do, and that's what I'm going to teach, among other things. For the first term, we will be looking at how to live without magic and how to protect yourself against such things as arson, protection of your house, bomb threats and the like. Second term will have us studying Muggles a little closer, and how to protect yourself on a more personal level. Everyone clear? Good. Now, I'll read off the class list."
Penny read down the list, reading off all the names, including 'Granger, Hermione", "Potter, Harry", and "Weasley, Ron".
The bell sounded for the end of the class. "I want everyone to write me a little something on what they would do to protect themselves if they were in a building that was on fire!" she called out over the noise. "Not too long, just a page or two! Due next class!" and the class shuffled out.
* * *
"So," said Hermione, "what do you think of her?"
"I don't know," Ron replied, "she seems to be pretty knowledgeable for a Muggle."
"Yeah," Hermione agreed, "and did you see her wand sticking out of her pocket? Why would a Muggle have a wand?" she paused, "What do you think Harry?"
Ron and Hermione looked over at Harry, who had his face in his hands. "Harry!" Ron said, "What's wrong?"
"My scar hurts." He said simply.
"But Voldemorts dead, Harry!"
"I know that," he said, "we killed him remember? But it still hurts."
"Do you think something is going to happen Harry?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know," Harry said, "but I'm getting a little tired of this 'evil comes, scar hurts' dilemma."
"I'll find my copy of Magical Ailments, and we'll see what we can find."
"Trust Hermione to think of an answer being in a book," said Ron, "honestly, she should have a special plaque in the library just for her, she's there so often!"
Hermione sighed. "Boys." She said.
At that moment, Snape was coming towards them, walking in a jaunty way. He stopped in front of them and smiled.
"Harry!" he said, "How ARE you?"
"Huh?" Harry said.
"And Miss Granger! Lovely day, isn't it?"
"What?" Hermione said.
"And Mr. Weasley! I just LOVE what you've done with your hair!"
"Duh?" said Ron.
"Do you like my new robes?" He said, motioning to his robes of dark blue, "I thought they'd bring out the colour in my eyes. Lovely day children, must run! Tootles!" he said, and wandered off merrily.
There was a pause. "What's with him?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," Hermione said, "but if I had to hedge a bet, I'd say he was in love!"
* * *
The day went well for Penny. Her opening classes had gone well, and the students seemed to like her. "Although," she thought out loud getting ready for bed, "I'm starting to wonder whether or not these robes make me look fat". She sighed, and her head hit the pillow.
* * *
Back in her library, she opened the case. She took out the books labeled "Harry", "Ron" and "Hermione". She flipped open the latter.
…."BOYS" SHE SIGHED. HERMIONE CONTINUED ON HER OWN WAY. SHE HAD ARITHMANCY NEXT. WHY WEREN'T THEY WILLING TO EXPAND THEIR MINDS? SHE WONDERED GRUMPILY….
"Cute." Penny said. She flipped open the one titled "Ron".
…AS RON WATCHED HERMIONE WALK AWAY, HE WONDERED, DID SHE SEE HOW I COMBED MY HAIR DIFFERENTLY? DOES SHE NOTICE ME AT ALL?
Penny blushed, and opened the one titled "Harry".
….WAS VOLDEMORT BACK? HOW DID HE LIVE? HARRY WONDERED. WHY WAS HIS SCAR HURTING? I'M GOING TO HAVE TO WRITE TO SIRIUS, HE THOUGHT…..
Penny shivered. There was something happening here and she wasn't sure what it was. She put the books back and headed for the door.
* * *
He waited. Time was something that he had plenty of. He looked at Penny's window, safe in the knowledge that she knew nothing of what she was getting into. He retreated back into the trees. Now to find Snape, he thought idly.
* * *
Penny woke. There was something she needed to know. She went to find Sheryll.
