Chapter 2
"You know you're as low as a house elf right now, Liz," Draco comments as I sweep the common room floor. The only reason I was cleaning it was because of his little prank.
"I heard Harry can fly better than you can, and that was his first time," I smirk, not looking up from the floor. I didn't need to see his face. I could feel his glare. I heard him pull back his foot back one second and I dodge his kicking foot with a quick spin and brought my broom up. I was rewarded with a small "urgh" from Malfoy and a thump as he lands on the ground.
"You'll pay for that one," Malfoy threatens getting up off his back. I smile as I notice he was moving rather slowly and trying to ease the pain he must be feeling in his gut.
"I seriously doubt you could in the condition you're in now. I may not have a wand but I can still kick your butt," I point my broom at him and smirk. Then I put my broom down and start sweeping again. "Now if you excuse me I have to get back to my job."
"I'd make you eat your words, but breakfast is starting and you're not worth missing breakfast for. Have fun cleaning the common room," Malfoy seemed to cheer up again when he remembered why I was stuck with this job. It really was all his fault. He had challenged Harry to a duel and apparently it was a set up. I couldn't sleep so I was roaming around and ran into Filch. He started accusing me of covering for the students who were running around, who I find out the next day were Harry and his group. Before I knew it, I had a month of cleaning the Slytherin Common Room.
Serenity didn't get off either. Malfoy was so mad that Potter wasn't caught the next day that he used her a punching bag. She put up a good fight but...
"Figures you'd be daydreaming instead of working. I don't know why I put up with you. You never do anything useful around here," Snape's nagging voice comes up and I release the strong grip I hadn't noticed I had on the broom. I looked down at the ground and started sweeping.
"Sorry, Professor Snape. I won't do it again," I try to sound as sincere as I could. He obviously wasn't having a good day (like he ever does), and I didn't need he to add more work than he's already given me. If only he wasn't the head of my house, then I wouldn't have to listen to his lectures and do all these extra chores.
"It had better not. I want this little job done and you down in the dungeon to help with a potion for the Gryffindor and Slytherin seventh years," Snape orders.
"Yes, sir." And with that he left the common room. I sigh. 'At least Halloween is coming up soon.'
Before I could get another thought in, another figure entered the room; Serenity. I let out a little sigh of relief. If it were any other Slytherin, they'd smirk, remark, and leave, which got rather dull. She came in with the tips of her raven black hair shining silver. It stood out against her black uniform robes. She half smiled at me almost as if she thought it was funny I had to do this job or something.
"What's so funny?" I ask looking a little indignant, holding my broom like a staff.
"Nothing really. I just saw your little fight with Draco."
"You were there that long," I state more than asked a little shocked, but I got over the shock in a second and half smile myself. "So, did you like the show?"
Serenity nods. "You'll have to teach me that one."
"You bet I will," I start sweeping again. "Well you better get to breakfast. Mostly everyone else is there by now. What classes you got today?"
"Ummm," Serenity looks up for a second thinking about her schedule. "Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and Herbology in the afternoon."
"Hmm, I'll meet you at Potions, I guess. I might be able to sneak to the greenhouses without Snape knowing."
"Okay. I'll see you soon, then. Good luck with the seventh years," Serenity calls back as she races to the door, not wanting to miss any more of breakfast, though it probably won't be pleasant with Draco now in a bad mood. 'At least Halloween's coming soon. Everyone could do with a holiday right about now.'
********2 ½ weeks later~ Oct. 30********
"I think you went a little too far on that one, Serenity," I say as we run into an empty classroom on the third floor.
"Really? You think so?" Serenity asks almost beaming. Ever since Harry had gotten on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and received the latest broom, the Nimbus 2000, Malfoy had become angrier than he usually was. It got rather frightening at times. Most of the time, he was just on nerve and this time Serenity had gotten to him a little more than usual.
She had not only compared Harry's Nimbus 2000 to Draco's Comet Two Sixty but had even gone as far as to repeat Madam Hooch's words about how Draco had been flying all wrong from the beginning, her own insulting words sprinkled every now and then. Then, when he threw a punch at her, she dropped down and tripped him. After that, it was an all out chase.
"Yeah, I-" I cut off when I hear the sound of feet coming around the corner. I lean against the wall and Serenity did the same. The closed door was now the only thing between the Slytherin "Blood Gang", as Serenity had so affectionately termed it, and us. We watch silently as the vague figures of the gang race by the door window and heard them turn to the next corridor. Then there was silence.
Serenity opens the door ever so slightly and listened as the boys' footsteps faded further, no longer muffled by the door. Then she said, "It's safe. They're gone, for now."
"Well that was exciting," I say as we came out of the classroom.
"Ye-" Serenity starts but stops looking behind me. I feel a tiny pain on the back of my head. I turn around slowly and saw, only about five feet away, Filch.
"What are you doing here?" he asks, glaring as usual.
"Just walking and talking," I say a little smartly.
"Really?" he asks, though I was sure he was trying to find some reason to give us a detention. "Well you shouldn't play around in the halls. And if I find something wrong around here, then you better hope I give you a small detention."
"Well, we'll be going now," Serenity says, practically shoving me around the corner before I could respond to the threat. Once we were out of Filch's sight she said, "Let's see if we can get to the common room without running into Draco and the gang."
"Good idea."
* * * * *
Unfortunately, Draco doesn't forgive and forget easily. In fact, he was more furious at the two of us than he was yesterday.
"I guess he couldn't save his revenge till tomorrow," Serenity sighed as she rubbed her legs. Draco had been waiting for us right by the door of the girls' dormitory. Rumor had it though, that before we came out, Pansy had thought Draco was waiting for her and made a complete fool out of herself in front of everyone in the common room blushing and fluttering her eyes at Draco.
"You know, if they didn't stay in their little pack, then we could probably have taken them...."
"But Draco knew we didn't stand a chance against fifteen of them," Serenity finishes the sentence that I'd started.
"Though I did get to kick Flint where it counts," I say, smiling to myself as I remembered the 6th years face when I hit him. Though I didn't get to enjoy that victory long because Goyle punched me in the gut the next second.
"Yeah, and I got Bletchley on the foot," Serenity says. I had to laugh at that one. Serenity had made a lucky stomp at the Slytherin Keeper, and everyone, gang and us alike, were pretty surprised as we watched him cower to the ground. You'd almost feel sorry for the guy if his buddies hadn't started beating the crap out of you the next second after.
"Well we have some time to patch up before the feast," I said looking in the mirror on the first year girls' room wall. A few brushes here and there and a couple of red marks that would have been cuts if I were mortal. Serenity wasn't looking too hot either. "What classes do you have left?"
"Just Charms," Serenity answered looking through the mirror as well. "But that's after lunch."
"Well, shall we have lunch with Rena, Cathy, and Hidee?" I asked looking in the direction of the hospital wing. It would be good to see those three again. House elves were definitely better company than Draco's gang for lunch.
"Definitely."
We head off to the hospital wing avoiding as many people as possible so as not to attract too much attention. We got there in no time and were instantly met with peevish-looking Madam Pomfrey as we entered the door.
"Oh no, what did you do this time?" Madam Pomfrey asks, looking us over.
"It's not as bad as it looks," Serenity says, trying to sound sincere but fails.
"Yeah, we're just making sure you're not bored," I said cheerfully catching Rena's blue eyes.
"We will take care of them, Madam," Rena spoke up. "You can relax, Madam."
"Okay, Rena. I leave them to you three," Madam Pomfrey says, going into her office. Cathy and Hidee suddenly came out of nowhere and led us to the beds in the back of the room. We talked for a while as Cathy cleaned up Serenity's cuts and Flare added entertainment when he came up with food from the kitchens. Before we knew it, lunch was over and Charms was about to start.
"I'll meet you later, Serenity," I said as we walked out of the hospital wing. "I promised Hagrid I'd help with the decorations for the feast."
"Okay, I'll see you there, then," Serenity calls back as we walk away in separate directions. When Serenity was out of sight, I apparate into the Great Hall and help Hagrid take the bats in.
"I hope this don' scare 'em too much," Hagrid says, scooting more bats inside.
"It doesn't. They like it inside, but I'll leave the windows up top open so they can get out if they want," I say, shooing more in.
Soon it was time for the feast. I found Serenity from the mob of students coming in. Unfortunately, I also caught Draco's eye while leaving the mob and could see he was ready for another fight. Luckily, he couldn't start anything big during the feast with Dumbledore and the other professors around.
We found seats farthest from Draco as we could. Everything looked great and the food was fit for kings.
"Hey Liz, duck," Serenity commands looking in the direction of Draco.
"Gotcha," I bent down as if picking up a fallen napkin and heard a splat of some sort hit the wall near me. I come up slowly, "Thanks."
"Anytime. I do believe Draco wanted you to have some of his baked potato," Serenity calmly says looking at the wall. "Do you still want it?"
"No, I'm not in the mood really. Would you like to give it back? I can't seem to remember a reverse charm that doesn't involve a wand at the moment," I asked grinning mischievously. Serenity mirrors the look and says, "I'd be honored."
She was about to take out her wand when Professor Quirrell sped into the Great Hall in a flat-out run.
"Troll - in the dungeon - thought you should know," Quirrell gasps and then sank to the floor in a dead faint. After that, fear broke out in the Hall. Prefects herded their houses to their common rooms.
"I'll be back," I say turning towards the head table. I floating above the students and met Dumbledore's impressively calm face.
"Liz, make sure all the students stay inside their common rooms. Don't let any of the first years stray."
"Yes, sir."
I float around watching the students go and noticed Harry and Ron with the Hufflepuffs. I curiously watched as the two separate off and I float down in front of them. "Where do you two think you're going?"
"Hermione's in the girls' bathroom. She doesn't know about the troll. We're going to get her and go back to the common room," Harry says, his eyes showing how sincere he was. I caught another first year, probably a Hufflepuff, looking around almost tearful. She must be lost.
"Okay, Harry," I say, taking my eyes off the little girl for a second to look Harry in the eyes. "Go on. But be careful and don't get caught or I'm in for it too."
Harry and Ron nod back in response and went down the corridor. I walk the girl to her common room, which did turn out to be Hufflepuff, and walk around the school looking for any other strays. I was about to head back when I heard a scream and ran towards it. What I found was one very scared Hermione, two tired looking Gryffindor boys who weren't suppose to be caught, three professors, and a very unconscious mountain troll.
"Great," I sighed under my breath as Snape glared towards me. "At least the troll is unconscious."
Snape started walking towards the direction of the common room signaling me to follow. I walked behind, my head low; I'm in trouble again. Draco's going to have a holiday now. Oh well, maybe I'll get a chance to hit him with a broom again.
Disclaimer: Liz, Rena, Cathy, and Hidee are mine. Serenity belongs to Ani-Kami and all the rest goes to the great JKR.