Chapter 3: A Normal Week in Hogwarts
Monica was waving her new wand in the Slytherin common room lazily. She was sitting, or rather, slouched on a couch in front of the fire. She was waving the wand, because she was bored, and because it was exciting having a wand, thus Grindelwald's wand. She checked her watch on her other hand. It read half past five. Since it was Sunday, and she was bored to death, she decided to go off, looking for Ginny, and if she didn't find her, the she'd go exploring the castle.
She went through the hidden wall-door of the common room, and walked upward, leaving the dark dungeons behind. She reached the hallway before entering the Great Hall, and looked around. There were some Ravenclaw students coming from the outside, probably from asking questions to Professor Sprout, or just from sitting lazily next to the lake, watching the Giant Squid bubble from the bottom of the lake. She decided to have a peek of the outside, since it was still light. She squeezed through a gap in the great oak doors, and walked down the slope of stairs, towards Hagrid's hut, and the Quidditch field. Then, she saw people flying with their brooms in the Quidditch field. Interesting!
She walked past Hagrid's and turned toward the Quidditch field. Then, when she reached it, she saw that the people flying were no other than some of the Gryffindor Quidditch players, supposedly training. While gazing at them, she sat down on some bench.
-"Hey Slytherin! Don't come spying on us!" one of Ginny's older brothers, Fred. or George shouted at her. She opened her eyes wide, for she had been accused falsely.
-"I'm not spying! I don't even know what Quidditch really is all about! I'm just watching!" she called back.
Ron, who had been sitting on the upper benches, called back to his brother-
-"She's alright Fred! She won't spy for the Slytherins!" and then cautiously moved toward where she was sitting. He cleared his throat and said-
-"Uh. sorry about the yelling thingy. I was just. surprised that you weren't on Malfoy's side. usually everybody is, afraid that little git will nail them or something." he said, his ears going a little bit red.
Monica smiled, glad that at least, Ron sort of became her friend.
-"Oh forget it, I mean I have heard their putrid reputations, and I guess everyone expects me to be just another copy. But I'm not." She said, more to herself than to Ron. Ron stared at her in a sort of awkward fascination, then smiled.
-"Well, I'm glad we have somebody at our side! I guess you already know I'm Ron Weasley?" he said.
-"Yeah, your sister told me all about you, and Harry, and everything and everybody she knows. I'm Monica. by the way, I am guessing that Malfoy never nails anybody, but his little cronies do it for him?" she asked, knowing the answer.
-"Yep" he said, giving off a bright and proud smile. "He can't do it by himself, he needs his babysitters to do it for him. poor thing." They both chuckled.
Monica looked at the flying players, and sort of recognised that the rider of the fastest broom was Harry Potter. Even though she had no idea of the differences between good fliers and good brooms, she could tell that he was a really blessed flier. She had heard from Ginny that he though that the only good thing he was good at was flying. But from what she also heard, he was good at his studies, and specially at fighting Lord Voldemort. or rather He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
-"Hey Ron, have you ever seen Harry fighting Lord Voldemort, err I-I mean You-Know-Who?" she said, jumping because Ron had flinched at the true name of Voldemort.
He looked at her uneasily. "Well, not in the moment of, you know, fighting, but I have seen him truly wishing that You-Know-Who would disappear and I have seen how brave he can be. He really does care for his friends and stuff. he is a really good friend."
-"You know Ron, Harry and Hermione should be happy. you're a true friend!" she said, while Ron's ears went totally red.
Ginny straightened up on her chair; So did the whole school, for it was time to go to bed, and everybody was done eating dinner, except maybe Crabbe and Goyle, who were having fourth helpings of Truffles. Monica had been talking to Pansy all dinner long, while they were watched randomly by Malfoy. He tugged his friends' collars and they grabbed some more truffles and went down to the dungeons, alike the rest of the Slytherin house.
-"As you know, we have Potions on Tuesday, Transfiguration tomorrow, first thing, and then Divination, and you're stuck with the Gryffindor slugs there. I feel for you!" she said, cackling wickedly. Monica rolled her eyes.
-"Yeah ok, whatever. so tomorrow I have Transfiguration, Divination, Charms, and Defence Against the Dark arts. with the new teacher?" she asked Pansy.
-"Yes, the new teacher is a bit. well funky. His name is Rudy Halliwell, and he is a bit of a loony, I might add. You should see the things he says at random. everyone in Gryffindor and Hafflepuff and Ravenclaw adores him. it's an irking sight, mark my words."
Monica thought she would like this Rudy character.
Monica was walking with Millicent, Anne, and Pansy towards their Transfiguration class, taught by Professor McGonagall. She was excited by the start of her classes. Finally, they got there, and sat down, Pansy, having taken a liking of Monica, sitting next to her. Ahead of the rows of desks, she saw Ron and Harry and Hermione, and waved at them. They waved back. Pansy's mouth hung open.
-"You waved at those sluts?!" she asked, totally bewildered.
-"Well yeah. It's obvious isn't it?"
-"You actually like them?"
-"Yes I do. They're frankly nice. You should try to get to know them better too." And she looked down at her Transfiguration book.
Pansy was clearly dumbstruck, and very angry too. She leaned backwards, and said something at the ears of Millicent and Anne. Millicent scolded at her. Muttering about "I knew it." and Anne just looked at her with her cold eyes. Then Pansy got up, and went to say something to Malfoy. Malfoy looked at her, then he turned around to see Monica. He got up and came to her.
-"It's true then, you're friends with those filthy mudblood lovers, aren't you?" he said, glaring down at her, as if she had rolled into something smelly. Monica rolled her eyes yet again, and looked up. She spoke with her teeth gritted.
-"And your point would be?"
-"Well, then you don't deserve to be in Slytherin, you're a traitor, and another mudblood lover!" he said, beckoning Crabbe and Goyle to come forth.
-"Well, if you have any complaints go talk to the Sorting Hat, Malfoy. If I got sorted into Slytherin it's because I belong here. Now go sit down, or you'll be late, and I don't think you would like to be turned into another ferret, right?" she said. She hit a spot. His cheeks had a pale pink colour.
-"You and me, tonight, common room, at twelve. We'll see if you really qualify to be in Slytherin." And he went back to his seat. Pansy gave her a look of pure loathing, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were looking at her, sort of shaken.
-"Are you crazy? Your first day of class and you've already gotten into a duel with Malfoy! You are crazy!" said Hermione, when they were done eating lunch, outside the castle, with the sun hitting them right in their faces.
-"Hey I am not going to be stepped on by a boy who thinks he's God himself ok? If he has an attitude problem, he may very well be taught to control it!" retorted Monica.
-"I almost had a duel with him too. except it was all a tramp, right Ron?" said Harry.
-"Yeah, and it was quite an adventure to run away from the place, too. what a night!" Ron said.
-"I still don't approve of it. what if you get into trouble?" asked Hermione.
-"Well, I guess Snape will get wind of it, and come to save his little boy Malfoy, I'll get detention and blah blah. "Monica said, throwing a piece of bread to the Giant Squid. It shook, and disappeared under the rings of the water.
-"Well, I just wish we could see it." said Ron, looking at his not-yet- finished homework for Charms.
-".Hey you can! Harry, don't you have an invisibility cloak?" Monica asked, eyes twinkling.
-"Yes I do! Hey let's sneak in and see!" said Harry, smiling excitedly.
-"No! what if somebody discovers us? We'll be into so much trouble!"
-"Aw Hermione c'mon! This is a one time chance to see Malfoy growing slugs out of his ears!" said Ron.
-"How do I know I'll win, eh?" said Monica, uncertain.
Monica opened the hidden door to the Slytherin common room when she got in, at half past eleven, Harry, Ron, and Hermione silently following, covered by the invisibility cloak. The whole Slytherin house was there, eager to see the duel. Monica pointed at a corner, where nobody usually sat, and the three friends went to stand there, free to move without stepping on anybody's foot. Monica looked around; everybody was looking at her, as if she had betrayed the whole country. Big deal! Then, everybody looked to the stairs, and Malfoy descended, wearing a smirk on his face as if he had just won the duel. Everybody started talking suddenly. He got closer to where Monica stood, took out his wand, and said-
-"Ready Muggle lover?"
-"Ready, ferret."
Malfoy suddenly shouted "TARANTALLEGRA" and Monica shouted "STUPEFY". Monica's arm started twitching, and Malfoy's right arm was stiff as a rock. He gasped, and with his left arm switched his wand. She said "Finite Incatatem" and her arm was back to normal again. Malfoy, said "Ennervate" to his arm, and it woke up.
-"Smart. but not enough!"
And he shot another spell. Monica did the same thing, and while she felt like she had been hit with a brick on her head, Malfoy fell to the floor, clutching his stomach, lightly squeaking in pain. He got up, stumbled a tiny bit, while Monica shook her head, only making the pain worse. His greyish blue eyes blazed in anger.
-"I've had enough of you!" and he shouted "SERPENSORIA" and a great, big coal-black snake shot up from inside Malfoy's wand, and slithered towards Monica, ready to strike.
Okay, now time to panic.
Monica looked nervously around, and some people were laughing at her. Then, as the snake neared her more, a faint hiss could be heard from behind the crowd of Slytherins.
Hiss. Hiss.
The snake stopped abruptly, swayed its head at Monica, and turned around, slithering fast towards Malfoy. Malfoy, while panicking, looked around to see who had hissed.
-"The only Parselmouth in the school is Potter! Potter is in the room!" he shouted, as he banished the snake.
Everybody started to look around, and Monica, in the corner of her eyes, watched the corner where Harry, Ron and Hermione were. Nobody seemed to see that corner. At least, for now, they were safe from (angry) swarming Slytherins.
-"You're going to call this off because you're scared that Potter might be here, Malfoy?" called Monica.
-"We'll see who is scared here!!" and he got ready to shot another spell, that would surely finish her off.
But she got a spell in the back of her head ready to strike.
-"ACCIO WAND!" she shrieked, and Malfoy's wand flew out of his grasp, and to her outstretched hand. Malfoy looked at her violently, but she pointed at him with the two wands.
-"One move Malfoy, and all of you will be stunned. This duel is over. And I call it a tie. Now everyone to bed!" she said, in a hiss.
All Slytherins looked at her, then at Malfoy, then started talking. Some of them retreated to their dorms, and then everybody followed. Then, it was only Malfoy, the cronies, and Monica (and the three friends in the corner).
-"You'll be sorry for doing this." Malfoy said, shaking with anger, his eyes, slits. Crabbe and Goyle were rubbing their knuckles.
-"And you will be too, for if you don't shut up and go to bed, I'll snap your wand in half." Said Monica, through gritted teeth. "And remember that magic is always more powerful than a blow." She said to Crabbe and Goyle. Monica threw Malfoy's wand at him, he caught it, and slowly, but not without a loathing glance, they went to their dorms.
Harry, Hermoine and Ron hurried to her.
-"Wicked!" breathed Ron. "But why a tie?"
-"I didn't want to put out his ego."
-"Malfoy will be having nightmares at this!" said Harry, grinning.
-"Umm. I don't know. now your life in Slytherin will be worse." Said Hermione, biting her lip.
Monica was waving her new wand in the Slytherin common room lazily. She was sitting, or rather, slouched on a couch in front of the fire. She was waving the wand, because she was bored, and because it was exciting having a wand, thus Grindelwald's wand. She checked her watch on her other hand. It read half past five. Since it was Sunday, and she was bored to death, she decided to go off, looking for Ginny, and if she didn't find her, the she'd go exploring the castle.
She went through the hidden wall-door of the common room, and walked upward, leaving the dark dungeons behind. She reached the hallway before entering the Great Hall, and looked around. There were some Ravenclaw students coming from the outside, probably from asking questions to Professor Sprout, or just from sitting lazily next to the lake, watching the Giant Squid bubble from the bottom of the lake. She decided to have a peek of the outside, since it was still light. She squeezed through a gap in the great oak doors, and walked down the slope of stairs, towards Hagrid's hut, and the Quidditch field. Then, she saw people flying with their brooms in the Quidditch field. Interesting!
She walked past Hagrid's and turned toward the Quidditch field. Then, when she reached it, she saw that the people flying were no other than some of the Gryffindor Quidditch players, supposedly training. While gazing at them, she sat down on some bench.
-"Hey Slytherin! Don't come spying on us!" one of Ginny's older brothers, Fred. or George shouted at her. She opened her eyes wide, for she had been accused falsely.
-"I'm not spying! I don't even know what Quidditch really is all about! I'm just watching!" she called back.
Ron, who had been sitting on the upper benches, called back to his brother-
-"She's alright Fred! She won't spy for the Slytherins!" and then cautiously moved toward where she was sitting. He cleared his throat and said-
-"Uh. sorry about the yelling thingy. I was just. surprised that you weren't on Malfoy's side. usually everybody is, afraid that little git will nail them or something." he said, his ears going a little bit red.
Monica smiled, glad that at least, Ron sort of became her friend.
-"Oh forget it, I mean I have heard their putrid reputations, and I guess everyone expects me to be just another copy. But I'm not." She said, more to herself than to Ron. Ron stared at her in a sort of awkward fascination, then smiled.
-"Well, I'm glad we have somebody at our side! I guess you already know I'm Ron Weasley?" he said.
-"Yeah, your sister told me all about you, and Harry, and everything and everybody she knows. I'm Monica. by the way, I am guessing that Malfoy never nails anybody, but his little cronies do it for him?" she asked, knowing the answer.
-"Yep" he said, giving off a bright and proud smile. "He can't do it by himself, he needs his babysitters to do it for him. poor thing." They both chuckled.
Monica looked at the flying players, and sort of recognised that the rider of the fastest broom was Harry Potter. Even though she had no idea of the differences between good fliers and good brooms, she could tell that he was a really blessed flier. She had heard from Ginny that he though that the only good thing he was good at was flying. But from what she also heard, he was good at his studies, and specially at fighting Lord Voldemort. or rather He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
-"Hey Ron, have you ever seen Harry fighting Lord Voldemort, err I-I mean You-Know-Who?" she said, jumping because Ron had flinched at the true name of Voldemort.
He looked at her uneasily. "Well, not in the moment of, you know, fighting, but I have seen him truly wishing that You-Know-Who would disappear and I have seen how brave he can be. He really does care for his friends and stuff. he is a really good friend."
-"You know Ron, Harry and Hermione should be happy. you're a true friend!" she said, while Ron's ears went totally red.
Ginny straightened up on her chair; So did the whole school, for it was time to go to bed, and everybody was done eating dinner, except maybe Crabbe and Goyle, who were having fourth helpings of Truffles. Monica had been talking to Pansy all dinner long, while they were watched randomly by Malfoy. He tugged his friends' collars and they grabbed some more truffles and went down to the dungeons, alike the rest of the Slytherin house.
-"As you know, we have Potions on Tuesday, Transfiguration tomorrow, first thing, and then Divination, and you're stuck with the Gryffindor slugs there. I feel for you!" she said, cackling wickedly. Monica rolled her eyes.
-"Yeah ok, whatever. so tomorrow I have Transfiguration, Divination, Charms, and Defence Against the Dark arts. with the new teacher?" she asked Pansy.
-"Yes, the new teacher is a bit. well funky. His name is Rudy Halliwell, and he is a bit of a loony, I might add. You should see the things he says at random. everyone in Gryffindor and Hafflepuff and Ravenclaw adores him. it's an irking sight, mark my words."
Monica thought she would like this Rudy character.
Monica was walking with Millicent, Anne, and Pansy towards their Transfiguration class, taught by Professor McGonagall. She was excited by the start of her classes. Finally, they got there, and sat down, Pansy, having taken a liking of Monica, sitting next to her. Ahead of the rows of desks, she saw Ron and Harry and Hermione, and waved at them. They waved back. Pansy's mouth hung open.
-"You waved at those sluts?!" she asked, totally bewildered.
-"Well yeah. It's obvious isn't it?"
-"You actually like them?"
-"Yes I do. They're frankly nice. You should try to get to know them better too." And she looked down at her Transfiguration book.
Pansy was clearly dumbstruck, and very angry too. She leaned backwards, and said something at the ears of Millicent and Anne. Millicent scolded at her. Muttering about "I knew it." and Anne just looked at her with her cold eyes. Then Pansy got up, and went to say something to Malfoy. Malfoy looked at her, then he turned around to see Monica. He got up and came to her.
-"It's true then, you're friends with those filthy mudblood lovers, aren't you?" he said, glaring down at her, as if she had rolled into something smelly. Monica rolled her eyes yet again, and looked up. She spoke with her teeth gritted.
-"And your point would be?"
-"Well, then you don't deserve to be in Slytherin, you're a traitor, and another mudblood lover!" he said, beckoning Crabbe and Goyle to come forth.
-"Well, if you have any complaints go talk to the Sorting Hat, Malfoy. If I got sorted into Slytherin it's because I belong here. Now go sit down, or you'll be late, and I don't think you would like to be turned into another ferret, right?" she said. She hit a spot. His cheeks had a pale pink colour.
-"You and me, tonight, common room, at twelve. We'll see if you really qualify to be in Slytherin." And he went back to his seat. Pansy gave her a look of pure loathing, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were looking at her, sort of shaken.
-"Are you crazy? Your first day of class and you've already gotten into a duel with Malfoy! You are crazy!" said Hermione, when they were done eating lunch, outside the castle, with the sun hitting them right in their faces.
-"Hey I am not going to be stepped on by a boy who thinks he's God himself ok? If he has an attitude problem, he may very well be taught to control it!" retorted Monica.
-"I almost had a duel with him too. except it was all a tramp, right Ron?" said Harry.
-"Yeah, and it was quite an adventure to run away from the place, too. what a night!" Ron said.
-"I still don't approve of it. what if you get into trouble?" asked Hermione.
-"Well, I guess Snape will get wind of it, and come to save his little boy Malfoy, I'll get detention and blah blah. "Monica said, throwing a piece of bread to the Giant Squid. It shook, and disappeared under the rings of the water.
-"Well, I just wish we could see it." said Ron, looking at his not-yet- finished homework for Charms.
-".Hey you can! Harry, don't you have an invisibility cloak?" Monica asked, eyes twinkling.
-"Yes I do! Hey let's sneak in and see!" said Harry, smiling excitedly.
-"No! what if somebody discovers us? We'll be into so much trouble!"
-"Aw Hermione c'mon! This is a one time chance to see Malfoy growing slugs out of his ears!" said Ron.
-"How do I know I'll win, eh?" said Monica, uncertain.
Monica opened the hidden door to the Slytherin common room when she got in, at half past eleven, Harry, Ron, and Hermione silently following, covered by the invisibility cloak. The whole Slytherin house was there, eager to see the duel. Monica pointed at a corner, where nobody usually sat, and the three friends went to stand there, free to move without stepping on anybody's foot. Monica looked around; everybody was looking at her, as if she had betrayed the whole country. Big deal! Then, everybody looked to the stairs, and Malfoy descended, wearing a smirk on his face as if he had just won the duel. Everybody started talking suddenly. He got closer to where Monica stood, took out his wand, and said-
-"Ready Muggle lover?"
-"Ready, ferret."
Malfoy suddenly shouted "TARANTALLEGRA" and Monica shouted "STUPEFY". Monica's arm started twitching, and Malfoy's right arm was stiff as a rock. He gasped, and with his left arm switched his wand. She said "Finite Incatatem" and her arm was back to normal again. Malfoy, said "Ennervate" to his arm, and it woke up.
-"Smart. but not enough!"
And he shot another spell. Monica did the same thing, and while she felt like she had been hit with a brick on her head, Malfoy fell to the floor, clutching his stomach, lightly squeaking in pain. He got up, stumbled a tiny bit, while Monica shook her head, only making the pain worse. His greyish blue eyes blazed in anger.
-"I've had enough of you!" and he shouted "SERPENSORIA" and a great, big coal-black snake shot up from inside Malfoy's wand, and slithered towards Monica, ready to strike.
Okay, now time to panic.
Monica looked nervously around, and some people were laughing at her. Then, as the snake neared her more, a faint hiss could be heard from behind the crowd of Slytherins.
Hiss. Hiss.
The snake stopped abruptly, swayed its head at Monica, and turned around, slithering fast towards Malfoy. Malfoy, while panicking, looked around to see who had hissed.
-"The only Parselmouth in the school is Potter! Potter is in the room!" he shouted, as he banished the snake.
Everybody started to look around, and Monica, in the corner of her eyes, watched the corner where Harry, Ron and Hermione were. Nobody seemed to see that corner. At least, for now, they were safe from (angry) swarming Slytherins.
-"You're going to call this off because you're scared that Potter might be here, Malfoy?" called Monica.
-"We'll see who is scared here!!" and he got ready to shot another spell, that would surely finish her off.
But she got a spell in the back of her head ready to strike.
-"ACCIO WAND!" she shrieked, and Malfoy's wand flew out of his grasp, and to her outstretched hand. Malfoy looked at her violently, but she pointed at him with the two wands.
-"One move Malfoy, and all of you will be stunned. This duel is over. And I call it a tie. Now everyone to bed!" she said, in a hiss.
All Slytherins looked at her, then at Malfoy, then started talking. Some of them retreated to their dorms, and then everybody followed. Then, it was only Malfoy, the cronies, and Monica (and the three friends in the corner).
-"You'll be sorry for doing this." Malfoy said, shaking with anger, his eyes, slits. Crabbe and Goyle were rubbing their knuckles.
-"And you will be too, for if you don't shut up and go to bed, I'll snap your wand in half." Said Monica, through gritted teeth. "And remember that magic is always more powerful than a blow." She said to Crabbe and Goyle. Monica threw Malfoy's wand at him, he caught it, and slowly, but not without a loathing glance, they went to their dorms.
Harry, Hermoine and Ron hurried to her.
-"Wicked!" breathed Ron. "But why a tie?"
-"I didn't want to put out his ego."
-"Malfoy will be having nightmares at this!" said Harry, grinning.
-"Umm. I don't know. now your life in Slytherin will be worse." Said Hermione, biting her lip.