Chapter 14
Marcus watched from the garden as the four friends had a picnic by that lake. Oliver said something that made Percy laugh. The scowl on Marcus' face deepened. He hated those Gryffindors.
Snape's words were not easily forgotten, however. He looked around. No one was there. Snape would never know. He raised his wand.
"Mr. Flint." Flint spun around, face pale. Snape stood there, and odd little half-sneer half-smile on his face. "Practicing your hexing, I see." Flint nodded dumbly. "Good. Practice makes perfect and all that. I've always admired a student who studies beyond that classroom." Flint began to relax.
"Thank you, sir." Snape didn't acknowledge that Flint spoke, he simply continued.
"You wouldn't happen to be practicing your hexes on Mr. Weasley and Mr. Wood, would you?" Marcus froze. How did he. "Your lack of an answer is answer enough." Snape had been moving closer to intimidate with his height and presence. Now, he was less than an inch away from Marcus. "You do remember," he said, his voice deceptively soft, velvet wrapped steel, "What I said if you were ever to go near those two again, don't you?" Flint was trembling, afraid to move, afraid to answer. Pain flared up his arm, and he flinched, unprepared. "The master's call," Severus whispered. "Come."
***
There were only about 30 Death Eaters who actuallt appeared at this rally. Normally there was one less, but Severus had personal reasons for attending. Malfoy, the highest in the ranks, presided.
"It has been brought to our attention that there is a traitor among us." Severus held his breath, praying for Malfoy to believe what he said, and not turn against him. Malfoy didn't like Snape. Never had, and never will. While Malfoy might have been Voldemort's second in command, Snape was his prized possession, his own personal potions master. "Marcus Flint, Step foreword." As Marcus stepped foreword Severus slowly released the breath he hadn't known he had been holding. The Death Eaters parted before Flint as he walked to the front, leaving him all along in the middle of a ring. Malfoy spoke.
"You have been charged with treason in the highest degree. How do you plea?" Marcus froze. To plead innocent would do no good. They would not believe him, not since it was a senior member who had charged him, his own head of house. To plead guilty would mean instant death.
"Crucio." The curse hit him unprepared and he fell to the ground, screaming in pain. It ended a few moments later. Marcus lay on the floor, panting, tears running down his face.
"Severus." He stepped foreword at Malfoy's summons. "Where have you been, old friend?" Only Severus noticed the irony in Malfoy's tone.
"Gaining that old fool's trust, so I may serve our Lord better. If he trusts me, I will be privy to important information that will help our Lord one he has returned." Molfoy nodded reluctantly.
"Admirable. Do you wish to deal with this refuse?" a test of loyalty. Severus smirked. Malfoy wanted to know if he still had what it took to be ruthless. What Malfoy didn't know was how much Severus hated slime like Flint for his own personal reasons.
"It would be my pleasure."
"Excellent.but keep him alive. We'll use him as an example to the young ones." Severus nodded and turned to Marcus.
In the wee hours of the morning Flint appeared in the hospital wing, on the verge of death. Nobody ever knew.
***
"Penelope Clearwater." There was mild applause as the Ravenclaw Prefect made her way across the stage to where Dumbledore and the Heads of the Houses were standing. She smiled her million-volt smile and shook their hands, accepting her diploma.
Yes, it was graduation day; that memorable day where seven years of learning, tests, detention, (occasionally) and projects finally paid off to produce a full-grown adult wizard. In the crown of black robes, the only color on them the badge that identified house, Percy and Oliver sat together. Betty was a few rows ahead of them. Betty was called a few moments later. She looked back at them and flashed a nervous smile before she went to accept her diploma. Surreptitiously, under the cover of their robes, Percy reached over and grasped Oliver's hand. Olly squeezed back and the two sat like that until .
"Percival Christian Weasley," Percy started, gave Oliver's hand a quick squeeze, and quickly walked up to the stage. Just as he reached it, Betty and Penny came to sit next to him, looking vaguely flushed and rumpled. He raised an eyebrow at them.
"And where were you two?" Oliver whispered.
"We were off being young and foolish and in love." Betty replied. Oliver smirked.
"Oliver Wood." He stood and repeated the process of all those before him, he being one of the last to be called. He returned to his seat, throwing an arm around Percy's shoulders. That last person received that pivotal piece of paper. It was over. They were wizards now.
There was a party in the Great Hall afterwards, for all those who had graduated. No other year was allowed in. This was the only time ever in Hogwarts where the events were not broadcast all over the school. Nobody ever told. It simply was not done.
Our favorite four occupied a corner of the hall for most of the night, getting drunk on butterbeer and atmosphere. Betty was practically sitting in Penny's lap and Percy was lying across Oliver. They had couches and a dance floor in the hall tonight for this party. Penny frowned suddenly.
"What's wrong Penny?" asked Percy who had noticed the frown.
"It's just that, well, Betty and I got our apartment last week, so I don't need to hide from my family anymore, and I know that you both want to come out. I'm tired of hiding as well."
"I for one, am ready to shout it from the rooftops." Said Betty. Oliver laughed at her frankness. Percy pursed his lips.
"Well.I can't get you a rooftop, however." He stood and pulled Penny to her feet. "Come on!" He pulled her over to an empty table and climbed up onto it, pulling her with him. "You know what you want to say?" She nodded. "Wonderful." He looked out into the crowd. The only person who had noticed was Snape. He didn't look very Snape-like however, with the drink in his hand and the amused look on his face. Percy clapped his hands.
"Attention! Attention!" Nobody was listening. Percy frowned. "Oi! Shut It!" There was sudden quiet. Everybody stared. Nobody was used to the Head Boy shouting like that. He flushed. He wasn't used to people staring at him. "Um.thank you. Uh.Penny want to start?"
"Oh, yes." She faced the crowd. "Percy and I have an announcement to make, and no, I am not engaged and no, I am not pregnant." That caused murmurs. What would the Head Boy and the Ravenclaw Prefect have to announce. It was common knowledge now that they were together, so what was it?
"Percy and I never were and never will be dating. It was a lie. A sham. A façade. Its sole purpose was to hide that fact that I am a lesbian from my father and brother. I would like you all to meet my girlfriend, Betty. Come on up." A beet red Betty climbed up the table and hugged her girlfriend. She waved at the now clapping audience.
"But Penny," called Joyce Summers, a Ravenclaw, and a friend of Penny's, "How could you make sure He wouldn't.take advantage?" Penny, Betty, Percy and Oliver stared at her incredulously.
"Have you even looked who he is? This is PERCY WEASLEY. He couldn't take advantage even if he wanted to, which he doesn't."
"And why the hell not?" An anonymous voice from the back called. Probably a Slytherin.
"I'm a decent person, that's why. Besides," he grinned, "I like boys, er.men.males.him." He pointed over at Oliver, who blinked, then waved at the audience.
"You're both gay?" came an incredulous voice. Percy nodded vigorously, still wearing that silly grin.
"Oh yes. Quite flaming, actually. Well, I am anyway." As he spoke Oliver climbed up onto the table behind him, unbeknownst to Percy. With a smirk he crept foreword and grabbed Percy from behind and lifted.
"AACK!" Percy squawked, and kicked his feet. "OLLY! Put me down!" Oliver did so, but still didn't let go. Percy wiggled and struggled. His glasses fell down his nose, his hair became un-gelled, and his close became more rumpled, loosing their starched edge. He stopped struggling long enough, for his now flushed appearance to be seen by the entire room before he was spun by Oliver, knocked nearly on his bum, and thoroughly kissed by his boyfriend.
The room burst into applause, whistles and catcalls. Unseen by the rest of the room, Snape smiled. It lasted for less than a second, but it was there.
On the table Oliver appeared to be trying to lick the back of Percy's neck from the front, and succeeding. Percy was wrapped around Olly, obviously lost in the kiss. After what seemed like hours to them, but was really only a few minutes, they pulled away, panting and severely rumpled. It was then they became aware of the applause.
Percy was, of course, immediately bright red, his ears burning, however, his grin had in no way faded.
"There is another myth that I would like to put to rest right now." Announced Oliver. Percy raised an eyebrow at him. "Percy, here, is in no way shape or form the pompous prick he makes himself out to be."
"Yes I am."
"No, you're not. Don't argue with me."
"Why not?"
"Cause I know where you sleep Weasley, now hush up." Percy stuck out his tongue at him and Oliver bit at it. Percy squeaked, and pulled back. "Where was I? Oh yeah. I mean, just look at him. Does he look stuck up to you?" Percy snorted. Olly blinked at him, then groaned.
"See what I mean? A total gutter brain."
"You must be too, if you figured that out." Oliver bit his cheek and stared at Percy as Percy just grinned at him.
"See what I mean?" Oliver asked the audience. Penny and Betty were in hysterics behind them, obviously not able to continue. Oliver looked around. "I think we've caused enough trouble. And we seem to have run out of revelations, so we'll take our leave of you." He nodded at them, threw a protesting and laughing Percy over his shoulder and carried him back to their couches. Betty and Penny followed behind.
They stayed in the corner the rest of the night.
TBC
Marcus watched from the garden as the four friends had a picnic by that lake. Oliver said something that made Percy laugh. The scowl on Marcus' face deepened. He hated those Gryffindors.
Snape's words were not easily forgotten, however. He looked around. No one was there. Snape would never know. He raised his wand.
"Mr. Flint." Flint spun around, face pale. Snape stood there, and odd little half-sneer half-smile on his face. "Practicing your hexing, I see." Flint nodded dumbly. "Good. Practice makes perfect and all that. I've always admired a student who studies beyond that classroom." Flint began to relax.
"Thank you, sir." Snape didn't acknowledge that Flint spoke, he simply continued.
"You wouldn't happen to be practicing your hexes on Mr. Weasley and Mr. Wood, would you?" Marcus froze. How did he. "Your lack of an answer is answer enough." Snape had been moving closer to intimidate with his height and presence. Now, he was less than an inch away from Marcus. "You do remember," he said, his voice deceptively soft, velvet wrapped steel, "What I said if you were ever to go near those two again, don't you?" Flint was trembling, afraid to move, afraid to answer. Pain flared up his arm, and he flinched, unprepared. "The master's call," Severus whispered. "Come."
***
There were only about 30 Death Eaters who actuallt appeared at this rally. Normally there was one less, but Severus had personal reasons for attending. Malfoy, the highest in the ranks, presided.
"It has been brought to our attention that there is a traitor among us." Severus held his breath, praying for Malfoy to believe what he said, and not turn against him. Malfoy didn't like Snape. Never had, and never will. While Malfoy might have been Voldemort's second in command, Snape was his prized possession, his own personal potions master. "Marcus Flint, Step foreword." As Marcus stepped foreword Severus slowly released the breath he hadn't known he had been holding. The Death Eaters parted before Flint as he walked to the front, leaving him all along in the middle of a ring. Malfoy spoke.
"You have been charged with treason in the highest degree. How do you plea?" Marcus froze. To plead innocent would do no good. They would not believe him, not since it was a senior member who had charged him, his own head of house. To plead guilty would mean instant death.
"Crucio." The curse hit him unprepared and he fell to the ground, screaming in pain. It ended a few moments later. Marcus lay on the floor, panting, tears running down his face.
"Severus." He stepped foreword at Malfoy's summons. "Where have you been, old friend?" Only Severus noticed the irony in Malfoy's tone.
"Gaining that old fool's trust, so I may serve our Lord better. If he trusts me, I will be privy to important information that will help our Lord one he has returned." Molfoy nodded reluctantly.
"Admirable. Do you wish to deal with this refuse?" a test of loyalty. Severus smirked. Malfoy wanted to know if he still had what it took to be ruthless. What Malfoy didn't know was how much Severus hated slime like Flint for his own personal reasons.
"It would be my pleasure."
"Excellent.but keep him alive. We'll use him as an example to the young ones." Severus nodded and turned to Marcus.
In the wee hours of the morning Flint appeared in the hospital wing, on the verge of death. Nobody ever knew.
***
"Penelope Clearwater." There was mild applause as the Ravenclaw Prefect made her way across the stage to where Dumbledore and the Heads of the Houses were standing. She smiled her million-volt smile and shook their hands, accepting her diploma.
Yes, it was graduation day; that memorable day where seven years of learning, tests, detention, (occasionally) and projects finally paid off to produce a full-grown adult wizard. In the crown of black robes, the only color on them the badge that identified house, Percy and Oliver sat together. Betty was a few rows ahead of them. Betty was called a few moments later. She looked back at them and flashed a nervous smile before she went to accept her diploma. Surreptitiously, under the cover of their robes, Percy reached over and grasped Oliver's hand. Olly squeezed back and the two sat like that until .
"Percival Christian Weasley," Percy started, gave Oliver's hand a quick squeeze, and quickly walked up to the stage. Just as he reached it, Betty and Penny came to sit next to him, looking vaguely flushed and rumpled. He raised an eyebrow at them.
"And where were you two?" Oliver whispered.
"We were off being young and foolish and in love." Betty replied. Oliver smirked.
"Oliver Wood." He stood and repeated the process of all those before him, he being one of the last to be called. He returned to his seat, throwing an arm around Percy's shoulders. That last person received that pivotal piece of paper. It was over. They were wizards now.
There was a party in the Great Hall afterwards, for all those who had graduated. No other year was allowed in. This was the only time ever in Hogwarts where the events were not broadcast all over the school. Nobody ever told. It simply was not done.
Our favorite four occupied a corner of the hall for most of the night, getting drunk on butterbeer and atmosphere. Betty was practically sitting in Penny's lap and Percy was lying across Oliver. They had couches and a dance floor in the hall tonight for this party. Penny frowned suddenly.
"What's wrong Penny?" asked Percy who had noticed the frown.
"It's just that, well, Betty and I got our apartment last week, so I don't need to hide from my family anymore, and I know that you both want to come out. I'm tired of hiding as well."
"I for one, am ready to shout it from the rooftops." Said Betty. Oliver laughed at her frankness. Percy pursed his lips.
"Well.I can't get you a rooftop, however." He stood and pulled Penny to her feet. "Come on!" He pulled her over to an empty table and climbed up onto it, pulling her with him. "You know what you want to say?" She nodded. "Wonderful." He looked out into the crowd. The only person who had noticed was Snape. He didn't look very Snape-like however, with the drink in his hand and the amused look on his face. Percy clapped his hands.
"Attention! Attention!" Nobody was listening. Percy frowned. "Oi! Shut It!" There was sudden quiet. Everybody stared. Nobody was used to the Head Boy shouting like that. He flushed. He wasn't used to people staring at him. "Um.thank you. Uh.Penny want to start?"
"Oh, yes." She faced the crowd. "Percy and I have an announcement to make, and no, I am not engaged and no, I am not pregnant." That caused murmurs. What would the Head Boy and the Ravenclaw Prefect have to announce. It was common knowledge now that they were together, so what was it?
"Percy and I never were and never will be dating. It was a lie. A sham. A façade. Its sole purpose was to hide that fact that I am a lesbian from my father and brother. I would like you all to meet my girlfriend, Betty. Come on up." A beet red Betty climbed up the table and hugged her girlfriend. She waved at the now clapping audience.
"But Penny," called Joyce Summers, a Ravenclaw, and a friend of Penny's, "How could you make sure He wouldn't.take advantage?" Penny, Betty, Percy and Oliver stared at her incredulously.
"Have you even looked who he is? This is PERCY WEASLEY. He couldn't take advantage even if he wanted to, which he doesn't."
"And why the hell not?" An anonymous voice from the back called. Probably a Slytherin.
"I'm a decent person, that's why. Besides," he grinned, "I like boys, er.men.males.him." He pointed over at Oliver, who blinked, then waved at the audience.
"You're both gay?" came an incredulous voice. Percy nodded vigorously, still wearing that silly grin.
"Oh yes. Quite flaming, actually. Well, I am anyway." As he spoke Oliver climbed up onto the table behind him, unbeknownst to Percy. With a smirk he crept foreword and grabbed Percy from behind and lifted.
"AACK!" Percy squawked, and kicked his feet. "OLLY! Put me down!" Oliver did so, but still didn't let go. Percy wiggled and struggled. His glasses fell down his nose, his hair became un-gelled, and his close became more rumpled, loosing their starched edge. He stopped struggling long enough, for his now flushed appearance to be seen by the entire room before he was spun by Oliver, knocked nearly on his bum, and thoroughly kissed by his boyfriend.
The room burst into applause, whistles and catcalls. Unseen by the rest of the room, Snape smiled. It lasted for less than a second, but it was there.
On the table Oliver appeared to be trying to lick the back of Percy's neck from the front, and succeeding. Percy was wrapped around Olly, obviously lost in the kiss. After what seemed like hours to them, but was really only a few minutes, they pulled away, panting and severely rumpled. It was then they became aware of the applause.
Percy was, of course, immediately bright red, his ears burning, however, his grin had in no way faded.
"There is another myth that I would like to put to rest right now." Announced Oliver. Percy raised an eyebrow at him. "Percy, here, is in no way shape or form the pompous prick he makes himself out to be."
"Yes I am."
"No, you're not. Don't argue with me."
"Why not?"
"Cause I know where you sleep Weasley, now hush up." Percy stuck out his tongue at him and Oliver bit at it. Percy squeaked, and pulled back. "Where was I? Oh yeah. I mean, just look at him. Does he look stuck up to you?" Percy snorted. Olly blinked at him, then groaned.
"See what I mean? A total gutter brain."
"You must be too, if you figured that out." Oliver bit his cheek and stared at Percy as Percy just grinned at him.
"See what I mean?" Oliver asked the audience. Penny and Betty were in hysterics behind them, obviously not able to continue. Oliver looked around. "I think we've caused enough trouble. And we seem to have run out of revelations, so we'll take our leave of you." He nodded at them, threw a protesting and laughing Percy over his shoulder and carried him back to their couches. Betty and Penny followed behind.
They stayed in the corner the rest of the night.
TBC