Note: Blaise Zabini is a girl in my story because Blaise sounds like a
girl's name. A lot of people refer to her/him as Zabini Blaise, but in
Book 1, Professor M called out "Zabini, Blaise", and it was last name
first, so her/his name is actually Blaise Zabini. Draco sometimes refers
to her Zabini in my story, though, because he's the time to call people
only by their last names.
Hermione closed her eyes. This presented a dilemma. Her two best friends had just stumbled upon a top-secret meeting, where they had just identified one of the four Pre-Aurors. They were all using spells to disguise their voice, but apparently, Harry and Ron recognized Malfoy's sardonic sarcasm, usually only used upon those two. Of course. Draco. Dragon. The Black Dragon.
Finally, she spoke, keeping her voice even and controlled, making sure not to let a hint of anything escape. This truly tested her abilities because she had never been very good at disguising her emotions, and these two were her best friends, always having been able to detect her problems and worries. "You must be mistaken," she said calmly. "This is Ferdinand Walters," she said coolly. Of course, there was no such person as Ferdinand Walters.
"Really?" Harry asked. "Then why does he sound like a Malfoy wannabe?"
The Lone Unicorn rescued them this time. "We're all Fourth Year Slytherins. Who wouldn't want to be Malfoy? All that wealth. All that luck."
"And he's cute, too," the Fairy Elf perked her voice to a dreamy sigh, efficiently providing herself with a disguise only a professional could poke through.
Harry and Ron remained unconvinced. They kept on staring at the Black Dragon.
The Black Dragon managed to cheer up his tone slightly more, though it still had a cool overcast. "We are holding a private Slytherin-only conversation here. A Fourth Year Slytherin only conversation. Will you please leave us in peace?"
Harry and Ron left, casting suspicious glances over their shoulders.
"They are unconvinced," the Fairy Elf stated blandly. "And we are indubitably ruined."
"Don't be melodramatic," Hermione said, trying not to snap irritably. "They don't believe us, but even their wildest imaginations could not give us away."
The Lone Unicorn spoke in her aloof style. Her eyes were watching the Black Dragon. "I advise that we keep a low profile from herein, trying to restrain ourselves so as not express our prejudices when in form."
The Black Dragon scowled, looking comical in his grindylow costume. "I was trying," he protested. "Anyways," he continued. "On to business."
"I agree," the Fairy Elf nodded. "Business, it is. Where were we before they interrupted us?"
Hermione spoke up. "We were discussing the efficiency of wandless magic."
"Yes," the Lone Unicorn began. "Unfortunately, it seems that the only spells that can be effectively done without wands are those similar to abilities Muggles know of."
"Pardon?" the Fairy Elf asked, lost.
"Teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy, etc," the Lone Unicorn explained. "Those smaller abilities that Muggles write all sorts of fiction about."
"So what can we do, basically?" Hermione asked, pulling a pad and pencil out of thin air.
"Teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy," the Fairy Elf listed.
"Some people can do empathy," the Black Dragon said. "But not all. I don't think that's magic, I think it's more like an ability or an affinity that can be developed without the use of wands."
"And certain people can do things others can't," the Lone Unicorn said.
"Nicholas Flamel," Hermione started, surprised, at the name, "had his own belief about wandless magic," the Fairy Elf reminded. "He believed that each wizard and witch had magic, but the outlets were different. Wands were developed as a medium that all wizards and witches could use, but even wands are unique. He believed that each person could develop these powers with time."
"So," the Black Dragon concluded. "Common wandless magic is useful, but the specifics are a waste of time unless you have a really rare talent."
"That's not very helpful," Hermione sighed.
"You can use it to get around all wards, etc," the Lone Unicorn reminded. "If there is ward to keep out those with ill intent, you can just telepath that you have good intent, even if you don't. There are also subtle nuances in almost every type of ward, so you could probably get around most of them."
"So," Hermione finished. "Wandless magic is good for getting around wards and for when you're in a sticky situation. Learning it is useful, but not necessarily necessary."
Three nods met her proclamation.
"All right," the Fairy Elf said. "We've finished with that assignment. Although it was fun, I'm looking forward to something else." She reached for the envelope that appeared in the middle of the table as soon as Hermione sealed up the report and sent it to Professor Dumbledore with a wave of her wand and a familiar incantation.
As she opened it, all eyes were centered on her. When she finished reading up, she looked up with a calm face, and passed it over to the Lone Unicorn. The Lone Unicorn's face was just as controlled, if a bit terse when she handed it over to the Black Dragon. The Black Dragon's face was pale white, but his expression had not changed by the time he finished reading the letter, and handed it to Hermione.
Your next assignment is to investigate where the loyalties of four people lie. We are concerned about a Percy Weasley (contact Ronald, Virginia, Fred, or George Weasley), a Blaise Zabini (Slytherin), a Philip Patil (contact Padma or Parvati Patil), and a Lucas Whittaker (Hufflepuff).
There was a silence. Hermione was shocked. Percy. She wouldn't know anything about the Weasley family, but why was Percy suspected? And of what? Blaise Zabini was a Slytherin, and ashamed as she was, she felt that was to be expected. A thought crossed her mind? Why did Professor Dumbledore trust Malfoy enough to request him become a Pre-Auror? And then there was Philip. Assumedly, Philip was either Padma or Parvati's sibling or father. She didn't know Parvati very well, but she assumed that she and her entire family were loyal to Professor Dumbledore. And Lucas Whittaker. She had never met him, but she heard that he had been very devoted to Cedric. Who knew?
Finally, the Black Dragon spoke. "I'll make sure about Zabini."
There was no need to ask why.
"I . I knew Philip," the Lone Unicorn said. "I'll ask his sisters. I know them pretty well."
The Fairy Elf was hesitant. "I'll speak to Lucas. He's a Hufflepuff prefect."
Hermione realized the task before her. She had to talk to Ron. She took a deep breath. "And I'll speak to Ron." Too late she realized that she had revealed that she knew Ron well enough to call him "Ron."
"Well, then," the Black Dragon finally said. "This meeting is adjourned." He stood up, nodded at the others, and left.
After the appropriate couple of minutes, the Fairy Elf stood. "I guess it's good-bye for now," she smiled, and she whisked off into the crowd.
The Lone Unicorn and Hermione were silent, though they kept up a pretense of speaking. Hermione shook herself out of her reverie. "Incendio," she murmured, and burned the letter. She watched the flames silently. Finally, both stood up, shook hands, and departed in opposite directions, vanishing in the shadows.
~*~
"If that wasn't Malfoy, then I don't have a scar on my forehead," Harry snorted to Ron. Ron nodded. "But why did they lie?"
~*~
Hermione smoothed her bushy hair. How in the world was she supposed to talk to Ron when they were obviously fuming mad at her? And she wasn't going to be the one to apologize. She looked in the mirror. Who was she kidding? She was tired of being alone, and she missed her friends.
Well, it was now or never. She walked down the staircases that led to the Common Room. She saw Ron and Harry playing chess, almost ignoring her. She gulped. She should swallow her pride and go apologize for the sake of the Pre-Aurors, but she couldn't. She turned to sit on the couches, and saw Ginny. Inspiration struck her.
"Hey, Ginny," she smiled, sitting down next to the red-haired girl. Who said she needed Ron? She just needed to ask ~a~ Weasley.
"Hey, Hermione," Ginny said brightly. "Long time no see."
Hermione fidgeted. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's just that ."
"I know," Ginny smiled. "Harry and Ron are your best friends and they ditched you. My brother can be such a git sometimes. But you mustn't forget that you have other friends."
"How could I?" Hermione asked, smiling. "Oh, god," she groaned. "I have no source of current news other than the Daily Prophet, and you and I both know that it's just a piece of propaganda."
"You want to know what's going on?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded. "Well, as far as I know, Professor Dumbledore is trying to get people to hear him. People trust Professor Dumbledore a lot, but Fudge (the moron) is forbidding such talk, and calling it 'treasonous.' He's completely eating out of Lucius Malfoy's hand."
Hermione grimaced. Casually, as if changing the subject, she asked, "So, how's your family?"
Ginny's face darkened. "Well, Mum and Dad are fine," she said. "Mum's still mad at Ron about something. I don't know what. It's probably another one of those things no one will talk to me about because I'm too young," Ginny added glumly. "Everything I know is from eavesdropping. I guess Fred and George are rubbing off on me. Anyways, Bill and Charlie are thinking of quitting their jobs full-time to help Professor Dumbledore."
"What about Percy?" Hermione inquired gently. To her, the glaring omission was obvious.
Ginny sighed. "After the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Mum and Dad went home, and gathered Bill, Charlie, and Percy. They were told about the situation we were in. Fred and George and I were listening in with an Eavesdropping Charm. Fred and George were really shocked. So was I, at that. But we heard Percy . Percy didn't believe them. He said they were mad, and that they were going to endanger the family. He said that they shouldn't be insulting Fudge, and got mad at them. He told them that Fudge was one of the most brilliant Ministers of Magic, and was law-abiding. He yelled that they were lying, and that they would endanger his position as new Head of International Magic Cooperation. He yelled at them some more, and then told them that he was severing his ties with the family." Ginny was looking away at this point. "We haven't heard from him since, but we've heard of him. Oh yes. Percival Weasley, youngest Head of Department for who knows how many years, almost religiously loyal to the Minister of Magic, law-abiding citizen who is taking his free time off so he can hunt those treasonous to the Minister of Magic, who believe that You-Know-Who has come. Oh, yes, we've heard of him. Those are all rumors, of course. Percy may hate us, but he would never hunt us down. No. Percy . I don't know what he's doing. None of us do."
Hermione patted Ginny sympathetically, while she sobbed. Inwardly, she sighed. This was all information Professor Dumbledore probably knew, already. No, she would have to take steps if she needed to find out really useful information.
~*~
Draco's eyes surveyed the room nonchalantly. His eyes fell on a Slytherin girl with jet-black hair and pale white skin that contrasted each other. Her melancholy brown eyes were sharp, sly, and caught every detail. Blaise Zabini was a loner even among the Slytherins, and while she wasn't wealthy, she was admired for her knowledge of the Dark Arts.
He dismissed Crabbe and Goyle, and slid down next to her. "Hello, Zabini," he said smoothly.
Blaise looked up. "What do you want, Draco?" Her voice was cool, but enough cold enough to be insulting. She wasn't that stupid.
"Very few people are allowed to call me Draco," Draco smiled. "Be glad you're one of them. In return, though, I shall call you Blaise." He casually pronounced it as if she were inferior to him, and watched her reaction.
"I feel so honored," Blaise said dryly, but her eyes were sharp, watching Draco's constantly.
"I hear you wish to be Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch Team, Blaise" Draco said slyly.
Blaise's eyes narrowed worriedly. "I did have that ambition for some time," she said in an even voice, "but you seem to have taken the position."
"I was thinking of dropping out," Draco's voice dripped with promise, "and I could put in a word for you with Flint."
"I would only have two years of Quidditch," Blaise said faintly.
"Two years is plenty, eh?" Draco said smoothly.
"Seeker," Blaise whispered reverently. She had wanted to play Quidditch for as long as remembered, but Slytherins didn't allow girls on their teams. She raised her eyes. "But-"
"I'm sure Flint wouldn't mind having a girl as pretty as you on his team," Draco whispered. "If only to distract the other team."
"And what do you want in return?" Blaise asked.
"Not much," Draco shrugged. "A . friend of mine needs help and I need to learn more of the Dark Arts to help this . friend. You would, of course, probably have to pretend to be my girlfriend or good friend so no one else would suspect. This . person I am helping would not like it if others knew because he . is not on good terms with a lot of people," Draco deliberately left the speech vague, knowing that as a Slytherin, she would think she knew what he was talking about immediately.
"No," Blaise hissed vehemently. "I will never support the Dark Lord in any way!" She almost stomped off, pausing to glare venomously at him just before she left the Great Hall.
Draco nodded. She was probably against the Dark Lord, then, but one never could tell. She could be putting on an act, or she may have decided to want to bargain with him before teaching him. Although it wasn't probable she was in league with You-Know-Who, it was still possible, and she ~could~ support him underneath that cool I-hate-Voldemort mask. There was more work to be done.
~*~
Cho was chatting with Parvati and Padma. She was good friends of theirs, having dated their brother once. Philip had been sweet, but he hadn't been the guy for her. She had become good friends with his sisters anyways. Parvati and Padma were chatty, but they were very caring (although Parvati could be extremely gullible sometimes.)
"Isn't that enough Butterbeers?" Cho finally asked pointedly.
Blushing, Parvati and Padma stopped reaching for another, and put their hands in their laps.
"So anyways, how's the family?" Cho asked casually.
"All right," Padma shrugged. "Okay," Parvati nodded.
Their expressions said otherwise.
"And how is Philip?" Cho asked. "Still heartbroken over me?" she teased lightly.
There was a silence before Padma spoke. "Oh, Philip looks the same."
"But his aura is different," Parvati said sagely.
Padma whacked her twin on the head. "You don't actually believe that stuff, do you?"
"You believed Ron's lies about fighting those merpeople last year," Parvati pointed out.
"I was pretending to," Padma said, glaring at her sister. "There are certain things you ought to do. Besides, he looked cuter when he was being saved, and he was a celebrity."
"Well, humph," Parvati folded her arms.
"His aura's different?" Cho asked, raising an eyebrow. Thus did she subtly manipulate the conversation back to Philip.
"Well," Padma said. "You could say that. I mean, he looks the same, and he acts pretty much the same-"
"But he's different," Parvati finished. "It's like his Gryffindor soul got sucked away, and replaced with a Slytherin soul."
"A Slytherin soul?" Cho asked pointedly.
"It shows in little ways," Padma fidgeted. "For instance, he doesn't treat Circe as kindly as he used to."
"And though he acts normal, you can tell that he's really getting tired of mum and dad ragging him," Parvati said uncomfortably.
"And there was that one night," Padma shot her sister a look.
"We were going to ask him a question," Parvati began, but here eyes were wide as she remembered.
"And we heard him talking to someone. Naturally, we wondered who."
"And we didn't hear much, but we did hear him talk about You-Know-Who coming back."
"And maybe something about supporting it."
"Maybe?" Cho asked.
"But then he slammed open the door," Padma said softly.
"And told us that if we ever told anyone, he'd hunt us down and kill us," Parvati whispered.
"It looked like he was going to do Obliviate," Padma said. "He's just not the same person anymore."
"Philip has changed. And not for the better."
"I'm sorry," Cho whispered. "But what must be done must be done. Obliviate."
When Parvati and Padma regained their senses, they were still somewhat disoriented. "What were we talking about?" Padma asked.
"You were saying something about how Butterbeer is healthy," Cho said, bringing up a topic they had discussed earlier.
"Yes," Parvati said. "Like I was saying, I read this issue in Witch Weekly the other day with a killer article on how Muggle makeup works much better than wizard makeup, and it was really interesting, and it had an article on how Butterbeer is good for you because it ."
~*~
Hannah Abbott looked into the mirror. She knew she looked like the perfect figure of innocence. Plump with rosy cheeks and a bright smile, she was the antithesis of her other identity, the Fairy Elf. Yet somehow, it fit.
Well, she had to find out what she could about Lucas Whittaker. Lucas Whittaker. Oh, she knew him all right. Lucas Whittaker was Sixth Year Prefect . and he was her boyfriend. How in the world was she going to find out whether her boyfriend was a Death Eater, a Dumbledore supporter, a Fudge supporter, or a clueless person? She was biased. What if she accidentally misinterpreted information? Oh, this was harder than it looked.
"Hannah, Luke wants to know if you're ready yet," Susan Bones said, eyes twinkling.
"Oh, tell him not to hurry me," Hannah snapped. "I need to do what I need to do."
"Hannah says be patient!" Susan yelled down up the Hufflepuff stairs that led to the Common Room.
"Honestly," Hannah shook her head. She took a deep breath, and deliberately began walking up the stairs slowly. Finally, she came eye-to- eye with Lucas.
"What took you so long?" Luke asked, running his hand through his golden-brown hair. "I was waiting forever."
Hannah glared at Luke. "Are you telling me that I shouldn't take time to make sure I look okay before going to Hogsmeade with you?"
Luke put up his hands. "Of course not. Of course not."
"Good," Hannah nodded. She debated her next move, and finally decided. She deliberately led Luke past Cedric's tribute room. When Cedric died last year, the Hufflepuffs had created a small room, an almost- shrine to him that was to stay there for a year and a day. It was to honor him. Luke, who had always wordlessly adored Cedric, stopped to step into the room every time he passed it. This time, Hannah stepped in with him.
Luke looked at the moving pictures of a waving Cedric, and finally looked away. "D*mn Potter," he growled in a low voice.
Hannah's stomach sunk as she disappeared and the Fairy Elf appeared. She began to probe gently. "What do you mean? Didn't Harry risk his life to bring Cedric's body back?"
She was astonished at his harsh tone. "Do you actually believe that junk Dumbledore fed you? You-Know-Who back? As if. No, Dumbledore's playing favorites, and this time, Cedric lost his life because of it."
Hannah put on her shocked face. "You can't be serious! Professor Dumbledore is the best thing this school has ever seen!"
"No," Lucas snorted. "Only the gullible people actually think that You-Know-Who is back. Everyone knows that Potter was the Heir of Slytherin, and he's obviously insane as well."
"No," Hannah shook her head, breaking out of character. "You must be kidding."
"No," Lucas said. "I'm not. There's even a youth group out to avenge Cedric. The CDDR. Cedric Diggory Demands Revenge. And the leader of the group is the esteemed Tom Riddle. He's told us all about the lies the Ministry as well as Dumbledore have been spreading. No, Potter will pay for what he has done."
Having a hunch, Hannah withdrew her wand and pointed it at Luke. "Finite Incantatem."
Immediately, the glassy-eyed look on Luke's face disappeared. "What?" he asked.
"Obliviate," she whispered. When Luke's face grew disoriented, she smiled. "Luke, its time to go to Hogsmeade."
Luke shook his head clear, and smiled. "Come on then, Hannah. The Three Broomsticks is waiting."
Meanwhile, Hannah's head was racing. The Confundus Charm. Lord Voldemort heading a faction of Hogwarts students whose aim was to kill Harry. Oh no.
To be continued .
Hermione closed her eyes. This presented a dilemma. Her two best friends had just stumbled upon a top-secret meeting, where they had just identified one of the four Pre-Aurors. They were all using spells to disguise their voice, but apparently, Harry and Ron recognized Malfoy's sardonic sarcasm, usually only used upon those two. Of course. Draco. Dragon. The Black Dragon.
Finally, she spoke, keeping her voice even and controlled, making sure not to let a hint of anything escape. This truly tested her abilities because she had never been very good at disguising her emotions, and these two were her best friends, always having been able to detect her problems and worries. "You must be mistaken," she said calmly. "This is Ferdinand Walters," she said coolly. Of course, there was no such person as Ferdinand Walters.
"Really?" Harry asked. "Then why does he sound like a Malfoy wannabe?"
The Lone Unicorn rescued them this time. "We're all Fourth Year Slytherins. Who wouldn't want to be Malfoy? All that wealth. All that luck."
"And he's cute, too," the Fairy Elf perked her voice to a dreamy sigh, efficiently providing herself with a disguise only a professional could poke through.
Harry and Ron remained unconvinced. They kept on staring at the Black Dragon.
The Black Dragon managed to cheer up his tone slightly more, though it still had a cool overcast. "We are holding a private Slytherin-only conversation here. A Fourth Year Slytherin only conversation. Will you please leave us in peace?"
Harry and Ron left, casting suspicious glances over their shoulders.
"They are unconvinced," the Fairy Elf stated blandly. "And we are indubitably ruined."
"Don't be melodramatic," Hermione said, trying not to snap irritably. "They don't believe us, but even their wildest imaginations could not give us away."
The Lone Unicorn spoke in her aloof style. Her eyes were watching the Black Dragon. "I advise that we keep a low profile from herein, trying to restrain ourselves so as not express our prejudices when in form."
The Black Dragon scowled, looking comical in his grindylow costume. "I was trying," he protested. "Anyways," he continued. "On to business."
"I agree," the Fairy Elf nodded. "Business, it is. Where were we before they interrupted us?"
Hermione spoke up. "We were discussing the efficiency of wandless magic."
"Yes," the Lone Unicorn began. "Unfortunately, it seems that the only spells that can be effectively done without wands are those similar to abilities Muggles know of."
"Pardon?" the Fairy Elf asked, lost.
"Teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy, etc," the Lone Unicorn explained. "Those smaller abilities that Muggles write all sorts of fiction about."
"So what can we do, basically?" Hermione asked, pulling a pad and pencil out of thin air.
"Teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy," the Fairy Elf listed.
"Some people can do empathy," the Black Dragon said. "But not all. I don't think that's magic, I think it's more like an ability or an affinity that can be developed without the use of wands."
"And certain people can do things others can't," the Lone Unicorn said.
"Nicholas Flamel," Hermione started, surprised, at the name, "had his own belief about wandless magic," the Fairy Elf reminded. "He believed that each wizard and witch had magic, but the outlets were different. Wands were developed as a medium that all wizards and witches could use, but even wands are unique. He believed that each person could develop these powers with time."
"So," the Black Dragon concluded. "Common wandless magic is useful, but the specifics are a waste of time unless you have a really rare talent."
"That's not very helpful," Hermione sighed.
"You can use it to get around all wards, etc," the Lone Unicorn reminded. "If there is ward to keep out those with ill intent, you can just telepath that you have good intent, even if you don't. There are also subtle nuances in almost every type of ward, so you could probably get around most of them."
"So," Hermione finished. "Wandless magic is good for getting around wards and for when you're in a sticky situation. Learning it is useful, but not necessarily necessary."
Three nods met her proclamation.
"All right," the Fairy Elf said. "We've finished with that assignment. Although it was fun, I'm looking forward to something else." She reached for the envelope that appeared in the middle of the table as soon as Hermione sealed up the report and sent it to Professor Dumbledore with a wave of her wand and a familiar incantation.
As she opened it, all eyes were centered on her. When she finished reading up, she looked up with a calm face, and passed it over to the Lone Unicorn. The Lone Unicorn's face was just as controlled, if a bit terse when she handed it over to the Black Dragon. The Black Dragon's face was pale white, but his expression had not changed by the time he finished reading the letter, and handed it to Hermione.
Your next assignment is to investigate where the loyalties of four people lie. We are concerned about a Percy Weasley (contact Ronald, Virginia, Fred, or George Weasley), a Blaise Zabini (Slytherin), a Philip Patil (contact Padma or Parvati Patil), and a Lucas Whittaker (Hufflepuff).
There was a silence. Hermione was shocked. Percy. She wouldn't know anything about the Weasley family, but why was Percy suspected? And of what? Blaise Zabini was a Slytherin, and ashamed as she was, she felt that was to be expected. A thought crossed her mind? Why did Professor Dumbledore trust Malfoy enough to request him become a Pre-Auror? And then there was Philip. Assumedly, Philip was either Padma or Parvati's sibling or father. She didn't know Parvati very well, but she assumed that she and her entire family were loyal to Professor Dumbledore. And Lucas Whittaker. She had never met him, but she heard that he had been very devoted to Cedric. Who knew?
Finally, the Black Dragon spoke. "I'll make sure about Zabini."
There was no need to ask why.
"I . I knew Philip," the Lone Unicorn said. "I'll ask his sisters. I know them pretty well."
The Fairy Elf was hesitant. "I'll speak to Lucas. He's a Hufflepuff prefect."
Hermione realized the task before her. She had to talk to Ron. She took a deep breath. "And I'll speak to Ron." Too late she realized that she had revealed that she knew Ron well enough to call him "Ron."
"Well, then," the Black Dragon finally said. "This meeting is adjourned." He stood up, nodded at the others, and left.
After the appropriate couple of minutes, the Fairy Elf stood. "I guess it's good-bye for now," she smiled, and she whisked off into the crowd.
The Lone Unicorn and Hermione were silent, though they kept up a pretense of speaking. Hermione shook herself out of her reverie. "Incendio," she murmured, and burned the letter. She watched the flames silently. Finally, both stood up, shook hands, and departed in opposite directions, vanishing in the shadows.
~*~
"If that wasn't Malfoy, then I don't have a scar on my forehead," Harry snorted to Ron. Ron nodded. "But why did they lie?"
~*~
Hermione smoothed her bushy hair. How in the world was she supposed to talk to Ron when they were obviously fuming mad at her? And she wasn't going to be the one to apologize. She looked in the mirror. Who was she kidding? She was tired of being alone, and she missed her friends.
Well, it was now or never. She walked down the staircases that led to the Common Room. She saw Ron and Harry playing chess, almost ignoring her. She gulped. She should swallow her pride and go apologize for the sake of the Pre-Aurors, but she couldn't. She turned to sit on the couches, and saw Ginny. Inspiration struck her.
"Hey, Ginny," she smiled, sitting down next to the red-haired girl. Who said she needed Ron? She just needed to ask ~a~ Weasley.
"Hey, Hermione," Ginny said brightly. "Long time no see."
Hermione fidgeted. "I'm sorry," she said. "It's just that ."
"I know," Ginny smiled. "Harry and Ron are your best friends and they ditched you. My brother can be such a git sometimes. But you mustn't forget that you have other friends."
"How could I?" Hermione asked, smiling. "Oh, god," she groaned. "I have no source of current news other than the Daily Prophet, and you and I both know that it's just a piece of propaganda."
"You want to know what's going on?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded. "Well, as far as I know, Professor Dumbledore is trying to get people to hear him. People trust Professor Dumbledore a lot, but Fudge (the moron) is forbidding such talk, and calling it 'treasonous.' He's completely eating out of Lucius Malfoy's hand."
Hermione grimaced. Casually, as if changing the subject, she asked, "So, how's your family?"
Ginny's face darkened. "Well, Mum and Dad are fine," she said. "Mum's still mad at Ron about something. I don't know what. It's probably another one of those things no one will talk to me about because I'm too young," Ginny added glumly. "Everything I know is from eavesdropping. I guess Fred and George are rubbing off on me. Anyways, Bill and Charlie are thinking of quitting their jobs full-time to help Professor Dumbledore."
"What about Percy?" Hermione inquired gently. To her, the glaring omission was obvious.
Ginny sighed. "After the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Mum and Dad went home, and gathered Bill, Charlie, and Percy. They were told about the situation we were in. Fred and George and I were listening in with an Eavesdropping Charm. Fred and George were really shocked. So was I, at that. But we heard Percy . Percy didn't believe them. He said they were mad, and that they were going to endanger the family. He said that they shouldn't be insulting Fudge, and got mad at them. He told them that Fudge was one of the most brilliant Ministers of Magic, and was law-abiding. He yelled that they were lying, and that they would endanger his position as new Head of International Magic Cooperation. He yelled at them some more, and then told them that he was severing his ties with the family." Ginny was looking away at this point. "We haven't heard from him since, but we've heard of him. Oh yes. Percival Weasley, youngest Head of Department for who knows how many years, almost religiously loyal to the Minister of Magic, law-abiding citizen who is taking his free time off so he can hunt those treasonous to the Minister of Magic, who believe that You-Know-Who has come. Oh, yes, we've heard of him. Those are all rumors, of course. Percy may hate us, but he would never hunt us down. No. Percy . I don't know what he's doing. None of us do."
Hermione patted Ginny sympathetically, while she sobbed. Inwardly, she sighed. This was all information Professor Dumbledore probably knew, already. No, she would have to take steps if she needed to find out really useful information.
~*~
Draco's eyes surveyed the room nonchalantly. His eyes fell on a Slytherin girl with jet-black hair and pale white skin that contrasted each other. Her melancholy brown eyes were sharp, sly, and caught every detail. Blaise Zabini was a loner even among the Slytherins, and while she wasn't wealthy, she was admired for her knowledge of the Dark Arts.
He dismissed Crabbe and Goyle, and slid down next to her. "Hello, Zabini," he said smoothly.
Blaise looked up. "What do you want, Draco?" Her voice was cool, but enough cold enough to be insulting. She wasn't that stupid.
"Very few people are allowed to call me Draco," Draco smiled. "Be glad you're one of them. In return, though, I shall call you Blaise." He casually pronounced it as if she were inferior to him, and watched her reaction.
"I feel so honored," Blaise said dryly, but her eyes were sharp, watching Draco's constantly.
"I hear you wish to be Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch Team, Blaise" Draco said slyly.
Blaise's eyes narrowed worriedly. "I did have that ambition for some time," she said in an even voice, "but you seem to have taken the position."
"I was thinking of dropping out," Draco's voice dripped with promise, "and I could put in a word for you with Flint."
"I would only have two years of Quidditch," Blaise said faintly.
"Two years is plenty, eh?" Draco said smoothly.
"Seeker," Blaise whispered reverently. She had wanted to play Quidditch for as long as remembered, but Slytherins didn't allow girls on their teams. She raised her eyes. "But-"
"I'm sure Flint wouldn't mind having a girl as pretty as you on his team," Draco whispered. "If only to distract the other team."
"And what do you want in return?" Blaise asked.
"Not much," Draco shrugged. "A . friend of mine needs help and I need to learn more of the Dark Arts to help this . friend. You would, of course, probably have to pretend to be my girlfriend or good friend so no one else would suspect. This . person I am helping would not like it if others knew because he . is not on good terms with a lot of people," Draco deliberately left the speech vague, knowing that as a Slytherin, she would think she knew what he was talking about immediately.
"No," Blaise hissed vehemently. "I will never support the Dark Lord in any way!" She almost stomped off, pausing to glare venomously at him just before she left the Great Hall.
Draco nodded. She was probably against the Dark Lord, then, but one never could tell. She could be putting on an act, or she may have decided to want to bargain with him before teaching him. Although it wasn't probable she was in league with You-Know-Who, it was still possible, and she ~could~ support him underneath that cool I-hate-Voldemort mask. There was more work to be done.
~*~
Cho was chatting with Parvati and Padma. She was good friends of theirs, having dated their brother once. Philip had been sweet, but he hadn't been the guy for her. She had become good friends with his sisters anyways. Parvati and Padma were chatty, but they were very caring (although Parvati could be extremely gullible sometimes.)
"Isn't that enough Butterbeers?" Cho finally asked pointedly.
Blushing, Parvati and Padma stopped reaching for another, and put their hands in their laps.
"So anyways, how's the family?" Cho asked casually.
"All right," Padma shrugged. "Okay," Parvati nodded.
Their expressions said otherwise.
"And how is Philip?" Cho asked. "Still heartbroken over me?" she teased lightly.
There was a silence before Padma spoke. "Oh, Philip looks the same."
"But his aura is different," Parvati said sagely.
Padma whacked her twin on the head. "You don't actually believe that stuff, do you?"
"You believed Ron's lies about fighting those merpeople last year," Parvati pointed out.
"I was pretending to," Padma said, glaring at her sister. "There are certain things you ought to do. Besides, he looked cuter when he was being saved, and he was a celebrity."
"Well, humph," Parvati folded her arms.
"His aura's different?" Cho asked, raising an eyebrow. Thus did she subtly manipulate the conversation back to Philip.
"Well," Padma said. "You could say that. I mean, he looks the same, and he acts pretty much the same-"
"But he's different," Parvati finished. "It's like his Gryffindor soul got sucked away, and replaced with a Slytherin soul."
"A Slytherin soul?" Cho asked pointedly.
"It shows in little ways," Padma fidgeted. "For instance, he doesn't treat Circe as kindly as he used to."
"And though he acts normal, you can tell that he's really getting tired of mum and dad ragging him," Parvati said uncomfortably.
"And there was that one night," Padma shot her sister a look.
"We were going to ask him a question," Parvati began, but here eyes were wide as she remembered.
"And we heard him talking to someone. Naturally, we wondered who."
"And we didn't hear much, but we did hear him talk about You-Know-Who coming back."
"And maybe something about supporting it."
"Maybe?" Cho asked.
"But then he slammed open the door," Padma said softly.
"And told us that if we ever told anyone, he'd hunt us down and kill us," Parvati whispered.
"It looked like he was going to do Obliviate," Padma said. "He's just not the same person anymore."
"Philip has changed. And not for the better."
"I'm sorry," Cho whispered. "But what must be done must be done. Obliviate."
When Parvati and Padma regained their senses, they were still somewhat disoriented. "What were we talking about?" Padma asked.
"You were saying something about how Butterbeer is healthy," Cho said, bringing up a topic they had discussed earlier.
"Yes," Parvati said. "Like I was saying, I read this issue in Witch Weekly the other day with a killer article on how Muggle makeup works much better than wizard makeup, and it was really interesting, and it had an article on how Butterbeer is good for you because it ."
~*~
Hannah Abbott looked into the mirror. She knew she looked like the perfect figure of innocence. Plump with rosy cheeks and a bright smile, she was the antithesis of her other identity, the Fairy Elf. Yet somehow, it fit.
Well, she had to find out what she could about Lucas Whittaker. Lucas Whittaker. Oh, she knew him all right. Lucas Whittaker was Sixth Year Prefect . and he was her boyfriend. How in the world was she going to find out whether her boyfriend was a Death Eater, a Dumbledore supporter, a Fudge supporter, or a clueless person? She was biased. What if she accidentally misinterpreted information? Oh, this was harder than it looked.
"Hannah, Luke wants to know if you're ready yet," Susan Bones said, eyes twinkling.
"Oh, tell him not to hurry me," Hannah snapped. "I need to do what I need to do."
"Hannah says be patient!" Susan yelled down up the Hufflepuff stairs that led to the Common Room.
"Honestly," Hannah shook her head. She took a deep breath, and deliberately began walking up the stairs slowly. Finally, she came eye-to- eye with Lucas.
"What took you so long?" Luke asked, running his hand through his golden-brown hair. "I was waiting forever."
Hannah glared at Luke. "Are you telling me that I shouldn't take time to make sure I look okay before going to Hogsmeade with you?"
Luke put up his hands. "Of course not. Of course not."
"Good," Hannah nodded. She debated her next move, and finally decided. She deliberately led Luke past Cedric's tribute room. When Cedric died last year, the Hufflepuffs had created a small room, an almost- shrine to him that was to stay there for a year and a day. It was to honor him. Luke, who had always wordlessly adored Cedric, stopped to step into the room every time he passed it. This time, Hannah stepped in with him.
Luke looked at the moving pictures of a waving Cedric, and finally looked away. "D*mn Potter," he growled in a low voice.
Hannah's stomach sunk as she disappeared and the Fairy Elf appeared. She began to probe gently. "What do you mean? Didn't Harry risk his life to bring Cedric's body back?"
She was astonished at his harsh tone. "Do you actually believe that junk Dumbledore fed you? You-Know-Who back? As if. No, Dumbledore's playing favorites, and this time, Cedric lost his life because of it."
Hannah put on her shocked face. "You can't be serious! Professor Dumbledore is the best thing this school has ever seen!"
"No," Lucas snorted. "Only the gullible people actually think that You-Know-Who is back. Everyone knows that Potter was the Heir of Slytherin, and he's obviously insane as well."
"No," Hannah shook her head, breaking out of character. "You must be kidding."
"No," Lucas said. "I'm not. There's even a youth group out to avenge Cedric. The CDDR. Cedric Diggory Demands Revenge. And the leader of the group is the esteemed Tom Riddle. He's told us all about the lies the Ministry as well as Dumbledore have been spreading. No, Potter will pay for what he has done."
Having a hunch, Hannah withdrew her wand and pointed it at Luke. "Finite Incantatem."
Immediately, the glassy-eyed look on Luke's face disappeared. "What?" he asked.
"Obliviate," she whispered. When Luke's face grew disoriented, she smiled. "Luke, its time to go to Hogsmeade."
Luke shook his head clear, and smiled. "Come on then, Hannah. The Three Broomsticks is waiting."
Meanwhile, Hannah's head was racing. The Confundus Charm. Lord Voldemort heading a faction of Hogwarts students whose aim was to kill Harry. Oh no.
To be continued .