Title: Rusty Cage
Author: Kaz (duch_of_darkness@hotmail.com or duch_of_darkness@yahoo.com)
Subject: Harry Potter
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Rating: PG13-R for theme, language, and mature activities
Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Harry Potter, but I do say, I own the made up characters that aren't present in the books, but only in here to help with the flow of the story.
Summary: Perhaps a certain person accidently drank a potion that turned them into the opposite gender... What happens when the person they hate most reveals to them that they actually like them, but doesn't know that they're speaking to that person? What happens if that certain person who's of the opposite gender returns these affections and so on? And who exactly am I talking about, exactly? Read, review, and find out...
Sequence: Part 2/??
Dialouge: "talking" /thinking\(if ever needed) [author's words] ~*~different scene/time/etc~*~
~*~*~*~*~
Part Two
I feel like... oh, I just feel like hell.... Kaz and I are in an empty classroom, eating dinner here. Earlier, when classes let out for the evening meal, Kaz and I hurried over to an empty classroom to continue in her torturing me with such strict rules on girl behavior and so on and so on. When she let me stop to eat, I nearly collapsed in the chair! I was tired!
When I shoved a peice of bread in my mouth, I waved my fork at her before cutting up some meat for myself. "Kaz, you're gonna kill me someday, you know that?"
She only smirked and smacked my hand lightly. "You don't wave your fork around like that."
"And what's this, Manners School? How to Learn Your Table Manners by The Slayer, Kaz? Or what? I wunna live, y'know!"
She rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm teaching you girl things and proper manners at the same time, okay? It comes around in a package, okay? Manners and Girls go together... well, most of us, anyway... And you, I hope, won't be one of those less fortunate girls..."
"Oh, so I can be snotty and mean?"
"No."
"Not like you?"
"Exa--" She stopped suddenly to glare at me. "Okay, now that's not nice," she said with a hint of amusement.
"But isn't it true? Shouldn't I follow the actions of my teacher?"
"Oh stop the kiss-my-ass crap, Harry. I don't want it, I don't need it, and I heck don't wunna hear it. Look, yes, I'm a bit rude, but mostly, the people who I say those things to deserve it. Alright?" She paused to chase down the remaints of whatever she was eating iwht the juice. "Look... I'm not the model girl, and I heck don't wunna be... But with the way you act, you are definitely gonna get people's attention and have them poking at you with very accusing questions. Trust me."
I shrugged and silently finished my dinner. I finished before her, which wasn't a good thing, for she worked me again while she finished up hers. Every once in a while, I'd groan and stop, or collapse from what seemed ot me was overwork, or.... well, just stopped. Every time I did, she either smacked me upside the head, hit my hand or shoulder, or just insult me. I'm not sure which one I hated the most...
Anyway, by the end of the day, way after anyone would ever be up and around in the corridors or even up in the common rooms, we left. We used my invisibility cloak to get past anyone who roamed the halls as hall gaurds. When we were in the common room, I shed off the cloak and, reluctanty, thanked Kaz for what she'd done to help me in who knows which ways that're good for tomorrow. She told my to either hide in my bed in the boys' dorm, or sleep on the couches. She said that the couches were safer for me. It would be better if they found a girl sleeping on the couches as if fell asleep from late studying then a girl sleeping in the boys' dorm for them to find and gawk and scream and murmur at. So, taking her advice, I slept on the couch, getting my school things for the next day and placing them on the table in front of the couch. Kaz tossed a blanket at me and I rolled up and slept on the couch for the night, which I might say, wans't too comfortable...
~*~*~
In the morning, I woke up to welcoming rays of the sun that softly spread through the common room. But then, to my distaste, was the sound of two very familiar, very loud, very annoying voices with matching noises of their shoes and clothes and things, interrupting the quiet of the room. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes, trying to get myself awake.
"Fred! George! Would you PLEASE be quiet!" came a voice that wasn't among the two who were colliding down the stairs.
"Sorry, Kaz!" was Fred's voice with George snickering quite audibly beside him.
Kaz growled. I saw her disappear from the balcony view and heard her light steps coming down the stairs. "You two...! I'm going to push you down the rest of the stairs if you don't be quiet! Just because the first classes aren't running today doesn't mean you can ruin everyone's chance to get some rest! People are still trying to sleep y'know!"
George immitated a cat and Fred laughed as he ran downthe stairs, well away form Kaz until he saw me, coming quickly to a halt. When his twin crashed into him, he pointed to me with an amused look on his face.
"Well now, who's this?" Fred asked, approaching the couch and leaning over to see me better.
I slumped and leaned on the arm of the chair, staring up at Fred, trying to get my vision straight without my glasses.
Georger, interested too, came up by Fred and mimicked his move. "Indeed, who do we have here?"
Kaz, I could see from the side, looked annoyed and ready to kill somthing or some ONE... She marched right up to them and yanked them back and apart, amking sure they left well enough room between themselves, me and herself. "Alright now, No one touches my cousin. Hear?"
"You're cousin?" Fred repeated with a small tune. "My..."
"How do you like your eggs, madam?" George asked in false respect.
"Plain and scrambled," I said, unsure of what else to say.
"Fine choice!" Fred cheered for who knows what reason?
"Uh... Fred? George? You scare me..."
Fred and George eyed my with much delight. "Hey now George, she knows are names! We must be famous!" Fred said.
"Actually, I only heard about you from Kaz. And... anyway, she just shouted your names earlier," I added hastily, mentally smacking myself for not remembering that no one knows me even though I know them.
"Right! How generous of her to mention us!" George exclaimed, clapping his hands.
Kaz blanched, looking like she was about to be sick. "Right..." she said quietly, looking away. "Um... Harry? Let's go now... Let's get away form them..."
"Harry? Did we hear the word 'Harry'?" rang Fred's voice, smiling gleefully at us.
"Yes, I think we did, Fred... I think we did hear that name..." was Georges, the same voice and smile on his face.
"I meant 'Harry' as in 'Harriet' you morons." Kaz signaled behind her back for me to get up and pointed toward the entrance. "Now look, dont' you be your idiotic selves and start stalking her, okay? She's only visiting for a month..."
"A month?" Fred repeated.
"Stalking her?" George said at the same time.
"Yes, to both of you."
"Well, we never thought of stakling, but you definitely gave us a good idea, yup. Thanks, Kaz! And dear, Harriet, have a nice day! We'll certainly see you later!"
Kaz took me by the arm, just above the elbow and led me out to the halls. Kaz wouldn't stop until we were right outside Dumbledore's office, riding up the stairs, did she let go of me.
"Kaz, what's up?" I asked her.
"Nothing... I'm just cranky, and those two definitely don't make it easy for anyone... Y'know? Geez... It isn't a wonder why Ron dislikes them so much."
"Uh... Yeah... Um, why are wehere?"
"Your uniform, stupid. Can't go around in boy's clothes, y'know. Dumbledore noted me on bringing you here in the morning before class. After you get used to a skirt, then we can go down for breakfast before class... Okay?"
I nodded, knowing she was tired. When she pushed me in a place where I could change, well, I did. I had trouble with some of the clothing and after several pleas, she came and helped me, digust on her face, there for probably what was in being bothered in her time to catch up on peace and sleep. After she helped me, I htanked her for going out of her way to help me in everyway she could. She only flapped a hand--no thanks necessary--and muttered for me to get my things and follow.
When we left Dumbledore's office, we went srtaight back to the Gryffindor common room and Kaz let me share space for my boys' uniform until the potion's affects was gone. She even put a spell on my eyes so that I could see without my glasses for the time being as I was a girl. She said it was part of the desguise. Well, we went over a few other things as she, herself, got ready and we gathered our materials for the day's upcoming events. We kept talking as we walked to the great hall and also as we ate, and even as we walked to our first class! I've never talked so much or eard someone talk so much to me in all my life! Gosh!
By the time potions came, though, I was nervous. Slytherins and Gryffindor pairing in the classroom. The Professor was just as bad as Snape (maybe a relative?) and had us paired with those in the opposite house. Few were paired in three, and unfortunately, I didn't have a third partner. And to make things worse, I had Malfoy. I wonder, could anything get any worse or what?
Oddly, though, Malfoy didn't bother me, probably because I looked like a girl and not THE Harry Potter. Amazingly, he knew quite a lot about potions then I gave him credit for, and probably less then Snape gave him credit for...
"What's your name? Why does she keep calling you Harry?" he said one time, after I quietly continued doing the potion, chopping up the ingredients.
"What?" I said distractedly.
"That hellish girl over there. Your cousin. Why does she call you Harry?" I lifted my head to see him wave at Kaz.
"Well, that's because it is my name," I said absently as I continued to concentrate on cutting the dead ingredients. "Really, it is. Harriet? Harriet, Harry, get it?" I said when I looked up to see him looking awkwardly at me.
He shrugged and poured the chemical part of the potion in. I kept cutting at hte dead worm under my fingers when Kaz silently told me something from behind Malfoy, on the table right by ours. I wasn't paying attention to when she lipped for me to watch out until after I cut myself. I yelped and immediately tried to press at hte wound as I bit my lip from the sting of the cut. Now it may seem that I'm a wuss after all that I've been through, but heck man, this was entirely my fault, and heck, this cut was big! I cut straight across (not through, of course not) my finger, and a bit on my middle finger and thumb.
I was about to stick my fingers in my mouth or somethiing to stop the bleeding when suddenly, and wet cloth was placed on my hand, gentle fingers pressing at the cut catching the blood. When I looked up, I aw Malfoy's gaze concentrating on the cut as he wiped away the blood. Whoa... this is weird... Malfoy? Nice? Totally freaky... I wonder, is he doing this to actually be nice to me, or help out just to get my trust before he moved on me? I thought many things, and a bunch were dirty... Hey, I'm a boy... er... sorta... well, a boy stuck in this covered rusty cage, in this costume as a girl.
When he finally looked up at me, he smiled, actually smiled, and told me to run my hand under the cold tap under the rest of the blood washed and away before cleaning and wrapping it to prevent infection. Whoa... talk about a sudden change for malfoy, I say. this was a new side to him and it freaked me out, yet, in a way, I liked this lighter side to him. At least it beat him shouting retorts and insults at me, to me, behind me, and so on just to humiliate me, create attention, and anything else I can, could, and would like to, avoid as much as possible. And also, it beated the rather very unnecessary comment he made of my--er... Harry Potter's--absence.
I did as he told me to, thinking it would be for the best, and heck, he really seemed to know what he was talking about, and when I came back, I found that he finished the potion and was doing the very last stir to it.
"Wow... You finished it without me... Astonishing..." I said quietly as I took my seat across the table of him.
"What else would you think, Potter?"
I panicked. "What?"
He looked up, startled. Almost immediately, he looked away, as if embarrassed. "S- S- ... Look, you just remind me of Potter... Don't take it personally."
Sighing with relief, I pressed on. "How so?"
"Well, your name's Harry and your last name starts with a P, and Potter's obviously is a P, too. Like I said, you just remind me of him."
"And again, how so?"
He looked up and was about to say something when the Professor came around and marked on his booklet something that I guessed was a grade. Malfoy and I stared at each other for a moment or two until he was far enough to be out of ear shot before he looked down and fiddled with the knife that was stained with my blood. Hw wiped it with a small towel before looking up again.
"Look. Potter always got on my nerves ever since the first year."
"How?"
"..." He didn't say anything for a while, staring down at the knife and the towel with such concentration for so long that I had to tap him to get his attention back. But even after that, he didn't say much. "Um... Look, Harry, I'm not gonna talk about it right now, so don't ask me anymore. But if you really want to know, then at the end of the week, this weekend, we can meet somewhere and I can actually talk about it without much of hesitation or interruptions."
I was silent for a moment. He was willing to talk about me er... Harry Potter... wiht such ease to a stranger that looks like him? er... me?
"Um... Sure... When and where?"
"End of the week, like I said, just after the evening meal and the last class, by the North Tower, at the very top. Not at that crack-woman's place, the Astronomy Tower just by it," he said. "Do you know how to get there?" he added as a last minute question.
I nodded. "I think so. I hope so. If I get lost, I could always ask some of the portraits for help."
He seemed to be fine by that and shrugged. And with the remaining class time left, I let myself ponder on what we just talked about. Right at the end of class, I just realized something. Wouldn't meeting him on a so-and-so place, at a so-and-so time, and talk about things... Um... would that mean we're bonding or...???
I shook my head, pushing aside the idea before it went too far. At times, I feared my own mind, and right then and there, I did. Sighing, I gathered my things to go just as class let out, hoping that maybe, Malfoy wasn't so bad after all.... Er.... hopefully.
~*~*~
By the time the end of the week came, I was thinking things; things that I normally didn't think about. I asked Kaz what she thought about all this while the evening meal took place (we sat next each other and at the very end of the long table so that no one would bother us) that night, and she only shrugged.
"If he wants to talk, let 'im. No harm in that. And you could be right, this new side to him could prove worthwhile, y'know?" she told me.
So, taking her not so helpful advice, I went to the astronomy tower, taking the invisibility cloak with me just in case (you never know, anything could happen). As usual, I got lost finding my way there. I mean hey, with changing staircases, you kinda get lost trying to get back on track and stuff. Well, anyway, I asked that clumsy knight for directions, the same one Hermione, Ron, and I asked to find Professor Trelawney's classroom in our third year. Yeah, the one and only: Sir Cadogan (what a pain in the ass he was...).
Once up there, I smiled, remembering being up here to drop of Norbert with Hagrid to Charlie who took care of dragons. last I heard of Charlie, he was working in Romania or something like that. I went to the railing where students usually used to do their astronomy work. I hadn't seen Malfoy yet, and I was kinda glad; I wnted to just stand around and listen to the quiet around me for a while. I placed the invisibility cloak on the railing, tying it down so that it wouldn't fly off or fall, or anything of the sort. I didn't want to lose it,a nd I heck didn't want anyone finding it and taking it like in third year when I accidently left it on the grounds for Snape to find and use to sneak an attack on us while my godfather, Sirius tried to explain things of my past to me.
I miss Sirius, but I know that he's out there, somewhere, finding a way to fix things for himself and everyone else out there. I'm not sure if he's at Lupin's but that's where he's supposed to be right now. Lupin was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in my third year, here at Hogwarts. Lupin was a werewolf, but even so, he was friend of my fathers, a friend of Sirius, and a dear friend to me. He helped me a lot that year; I even was able to conjure a Patronus. It's not normal for someone my age, then or now, to do such a great spell, but since I was so greatly affected by them, I was determined to find a way to get by them. I heard things from my past in my mind whenever I passed out in front of a Dementor. The first time I did, I got a genuine retort from Malfoy about "fainting" on the train on the ride to Hogwarts.
The thought of strangling Malfoy made me grip at the railing so hard that my knuckled turned white. I cursed under my breath after a while's thought, shaking my head furiously, hoping to get rid of those ideas. I was here because of Malfoy, and hating thoughts about him just before I was to meet with him wouldn't help me... I might even strangle him for real if I didn't stop. Okay, so I admit, it would be fun, but still; I'm supposed to be a fricken girl, proper and stupidly civilized, and tackling a boy would NOT go well on me.
But speaking of waiting for Malfoy to make his appearance, I turned around, looking around me for any sign of Malfoy. Seeing none, I shrugged and looked out at the sky again. It was getting dark, and the sun could barely be seen now. I bit my lip, getting angry; I mean, c'mon! Where the boodly hell was Malfoy?!
I turned around and found a bench I didn't really notice earlier and sat down on it, leaning back. After some time, I got bored so I lied down on it, down on my side with my arms under my head, keeping my head propped up just high enough off the bench. Geez... Is Malfoy always late or what? I closed my eyes and stayed still for a while, listening to the quiet until I heard footsteps coming not far away. I didn't bother to open my eyes in case it was an adult or teacher coming to check on this tower.
"Are you alseep?" came a soft voice from behind.
I didn't bother to open my eyes as they leaned over the back of the bench, shadowing my as they tried to see me better. I heard them let go and give a soft chuckle efore moving around hte bench and to the railing, rapping their fingers on the old fixture. I opened my eyes to see the silhouette of Malfoy. Geez... does it always take him so long to get to his destinations or what?
"You awake now?" he said when I lifted my head only by a bit.
"Yeah... I was never asleep in the first place," I said quietly, finding no need to talk in normal talking volume with everything around us so quiet.
Malfoy shrugged. "Do you still want to know? You've been here for so long, waiting and waiting."
I bit my lip, now propping myself on on elbow. "You know, you've been mean and so ansty to everyone around you, but this year, you aren't so harsh even though your father's part of Voldemort's inner circle," I said, unable to help myself.
He shrugged. "So?"
"Well, what's up with that? Wouldn't you be with your father wrecking havoc on anything in sight or following Voldemort's wishes?" I pressed on.
"So? Just because my father's a loyal servant to the Dark Lord doens't mean I have to do anything with it."
"Does Potter have anything to do with how you act?"
I saw his shoulder twitch so slightly. "A bit. My father doesn't want me being nice to him because he's the Dark Lord's enemy."
"But...?"
"I tried to be nice to him the first day of Hogwarts, the first year, but he declined."
"Well, maybe you deserved it!" I hissed, whishing I could take those words back just after I said them.
Luckily, he didn't seem to care or notice anything unusual; he shrugged. "Well, suppose I came on too strong, but he was hanging around that Weasley."
"What's so wrong about him? He's nice enough!"
Malfoy shook his head. "I'm not sure... I guess that if I could get Potter to become my friend, it'd put my father at easy, put the Dark Lord at ease, and not create so many problems at the ministry where both his and my father work."
"I still don't understand." And I truly didn't. What was so bad in Malfoy's family that would make him the way he was?
"Well, Weasley's father and mine aren't exactly the best of friends, or partners in work. My father sometimes is a bit of a control freak and used his anger and vicious attitude to get his way in things, but sometimes, I wondered if I may become that way, or if my father was being controlled by some sort. I never wanted to disappoint him, so I always did my best to do what he said while juggling with my own pleasures, desires, and things that kept me happy and satisfied. I'ts not easy trying to keep your demanding father happy."
I nodded and sat up. "I understand, but then again, my parents died a long time ago. I guess it IS hard trying to prove yourself to your family, whichever you live with, happy and satisfied with you. To keep them from thinking you're unworthy or useless and that they might as well throw you out or kill you or drown you or torture you as much as possible."
He turned around and stared at me. "Has that ever happened to you? I mean, you being unworthy to your family's eyes and you're treated like dirt?"
I nodded, telling nothing but the truth. "They don't understand... They're horrible... It almost seems that no one understands me there."
He nodded as my voice trailed and turned back to look at the night's sky. Now the sun has disappeared all but for a little bit of purple in the sky just near the horizon. Already the sky was turning from dark blue to black.
"Is it hard?" When he looked at me, I added, "I mean, is it hard juggling everything your father throws at you? Or do you just do the job and then stay out of his way?"
"Somwhat of both. When I try to make him happy, I try my best and just glow when he approves and congradulates me so proudly. But at times, yes, I try to stay out of his way. Especially now since the Dark Lord's risen and my father's gone back to do his biddings."
I stayed silent for a while, trying to let it all sink in for me. "But wouldn't you also be doing as Voldemort says like your father, only, taking it out on Potter and the school?"
He shook his head. "Not really. I already insult Potter enough without being told to. I hate him."
Curiosity flared inside me. "Why?" I asked him, leaning forward slightly, my hands on my knees.
"He's... Well, I find him a Spotlight Boy."
"Excuse me?" I was confused. A what??
"A Spotlight Boy. He's famous just because of that damn scar on his forehead and becaues he survived the wrath of the Dark Lord just beacuse of his mudblood mother. I don't mean to direspect, but ... Bloody Hell! They should know that it didn't take much to revive him! I mean, the Dark Lord is back and ready to kill him! And people are trying to frantically to save the damn boy's life."
"You sound jealous."
He shook his head, lowering it after a silent moment. "It's just... I don't see why people are so fritzy over him. He's not THAT special... I mean, c'mon, he's gonna die anyway. Either he's gonna kill the Dark Lord or die trying, or the Dark Lord is gonna go down taking Potter with him. If he lives, then that'll be the day! Sure, Potter escaped him last year, but only beacuse of that stupid cup and plain luck. Without them, he's useless and not at all that special. And Potter going to the dark side would be a laugh too!" Just then, he laughed, his head still bowed.
I blinked. He actually thought about these things? Good golly... But my going to the dark sie or dying with Voldemort dying with me? Creepy. But what I was glad of was that he agreed that i wasn't as special and so fragile as they claim me to be. They treat me like glass, but push me around as if I'm a mule! What then, a mule made of glass? A cyramic donkey?
"What happened if he did...?" I said softly, his laughter dying quickly.
He turned and looked at me. "Dunno... Then the magic and muggle world would be ruled by both. If Potter went to the dark side, then I'd definitely be there to see what he'd do. It's hard to see him as an evil person, considering how goody-goody he is, or tries to be. But if he actually pulled off being evil, then he'd be right at the Lord's side, conquering and killing along side with him."
"Why do you think so?"
"They say Potter's got these great powers, and if he was with Voldemort, then the entire world would probably be doomed. And for once, I agree; Potter MUST have something up his sleeve that even HE doesn't know about that could easily match the Dark Lord's with his own power. Understand? Potter probably has some hidden power that he hasn't tapped into yet, and some also belongs to the Dark Lord because of the cursed scar."
I nodded dumbly. "I, uh... I guess. It's all so confusing and complicated, though..."
He shrugged, leaning back on the railing, looking around before his gaze stopped on my cloak. He untied it and picked it up. "What's this?"
"Um... my cloak." Hey, it was the only thing I could think of to say!
"Somwhow, it looks familiar. I think Potter had something like this. You have one just like it or something?"
"Uh.. If that's how to put it, yes." I bit my lip nervously. Malfoy's only seen the cloak once or twice, and that's not by my intention, but still he recognizes it. Shit... Cat dirt, cat dirt, cat dirt... Oh geez....
Author: Kaz (duch_of_darkness@hotmail.com or duch_of_darkness@yahoo.com)
Subject: Harry Potter
Pairing(s): Harry/Draco
Rating: PG13-R for theme, language, and mature activities
Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Harry Potter, but I do say, I own the made up characters that aren't present in the books, but only in here to help with the flow of the story.
Summary: Perhaps a certain person accidently drank a potion that turned them into the opposite gender... What happens when the person they hate most reveals to them that they actually like them, but doesn't know that they're speaking to that person? What happens if that certain person who's of the opposite gender returns these affections and so on? And who exactly am I talking about, exactly? Read, review, and find out...
Sequence: Part 2/??
Dialouge: "talking" /thinking\(if ever needed) [author's words] ~*~different scene/time/etc~*~
~*~*~*~*~
Part Two
I feel like... oh, I just feel like hell.... Kaz and I are in an empty classroom, eating dinner here. Earlier, when classes let out for the evening meal, Kaz and I hurried over to an empty classroom to continue in her torturing me with such strict rules on girl behavior and so on and so on. When she let me stop to eat, I nearly collapsed in the chair! I was tired!
When I shoved a peice of bread in my mouth, I waved my fork at her before cutting up some meat for myself. "Kaz, you're gonna kill me someday, you know that?"
She only smirked and smacked my hand lightly. "You don't wave your fork around like that."
"And what's this, Manners School? How to Learn Your Table Manners by The Slayer, Kaz? Or what? I wunna live, y'know!"
She rolled her eyes. "Look, I'm teaching you girl things and proper manners at the same time, okay? It comes around in a package, okay? Manners and Girls go together... well, most of us, anyway... And you, I hope, won't be one of those less fortunate girls..."
"Oh, so I can be snotty and mean?"
"No."
"Not like you?"
"Exa--" She stopped suddenly to glare at me. "Okay, now that's not nice," she said with a hint of amusement.
"But isn't it true? Shouldn't I follow the actions of my teacher?"
"Oh stop the kiss-my-ass crap, Harry. I don't want it, I don't need it, and I heck don't wunna hear it. Look, yes, I'm a bit rude, but mostly, the people who I say those things to deserve it. Alright?" She paused to chase down the remaints of whatever she was eating iwht the juice. "Look... I'm not the model girl, and I heck don't wunna be... But with the way you act, you are definitely gonna get people's attention and have them poking at you with very accusing questions. Trust me."
I shrugged and silently finished my dinner. I finished before her, which wasn't a good thing, for she worked me again while she finished up hers. Every once in a while, I'd groan and stop, or collapse from what seemed ot me was overwork, or.... well, just stopped. Every time I did, she either smacked me upside the head, hit my hand or shoulder, or just insult me. I'm not sure which one I hated the most...
Anyway, by the end of the day, way after anyone would ever be up and around in the corridors or even up in the common rooms, we left. We used my invisibility cloak to get past anyone who roamed the halls as hall gaurds. When we were in the common room, I shed off the cloak and, reluctanty, thanked Kaz for what she'd done to help me in who knows which ways that're good for tomorrow. She told my to either hide in my bed in the boys' dorm, or sleep on the couches. She said that the couches were safer for me. It would be better if they found a girl sleeping on the couches as if fell asleep from late studying then a girl sleeping in the boys' dorm for them to find and gawk and scream and murmur at. So, taking her advice, I slept on the couch, getting my school things for the next day and placing them on the table in front of the couch. Kaz tossed a blanket at me and I rolled up and slept on the couch for the night, which I might say, wans't too comfortable...
~*~*~
In the morning, I woke up to welcoming rays of the sun that softly spread through the common room. But then, to my distaste, was the sound of two very familiar, very loud, very annoying voices with matching noises of their shoes and clothes and things, interrupting the quiet of the room. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes, trying to get myself awake.
"Fred! George! Would you PLEASE be quiet!" came a voice that wasn't among the two who were colliding down the stairs.
"Sorry, Kaz!" was Fred's voice with George snickering quite audibly beside him.
Kaz growled. I saw her disappear from the balcony view and heard her light steps coming down the stairs. "You two...! I'm going to push you down the rest of the stairs if you don't be quiet! Just because the first classes aren't running today doesn't mean you can ruin everyone's chance to get some rest! People are still trying to sleep y'know!"
George immitated a cat and Fred laughed as he ran downthe stairs, well away form Kaz until he saw me, coming quickly to a halt. When his twin crashed into him, he pointed to me with an amused look on his face.
"Well now, who's this?" Fred asked, approaching the couch and leaning over to see me better.
I slumped and leaned on the arm of the chair, staring up at Fred, trying to get my vision straight without my glasses.
Georger, interested too, came up by Fred and mimicked his move. "Indeed, who do we have here?"
Kaz, I could see from the side, looked annoyed and ready to kill somthing or some ONE... She marched right up to them and yanked them back and apart, amking sure they left well enough room between themselves, me and herself. "Alright now, No one touches my cousin. Hear?"
"You're cousin?" Fred repeated with a small tune. "My..."
"How do you like your eggs, madam?" George asked in false respect.
"Plain and scrambled," I said, unsure of what else to say.
"Fine choice!" Fred cheered for who knows what reason?
"Uh... Fred? George? You scare me..."
Fred and George eyed my with much delight. "Hey now George, she knows are names! We must be famous!" Fred said.
"Actually, I only heard about you from Kaz. And... anyway, she just shouted your names earlier," I added hastily, mentally smacking myself for not remembering that no one knows me even though I know them.
"Right! How generous of her to mention us!" George exclaimed, clapping his hands.
Kaz blanched, looking like she was about to be sick. "Right..." she said quietly, looking away. "Um... Harry? Let's go now... Let's get away form them..."
"Harry? Did we hear the word 'Harry'?" rang Fred's voice, smiling gleefully at us.
"Yes, I think we did, Fred... I think we did hear that name..." was Georges, the same voice and smile on his face.
"I meant 'Harry' as in 'Harriet' you morons." Kaz signaled behind her back for me to get up and pointed toward the entrance. "Now look, dont' you be your idiotic selves and start stalking her, okay? She's only visiting for a month..."
"A month?" Fred repeated.
"Stalking her?" George said at the same time.
"Yes, to both of you."
"Well, we never thought of stakling, but you definitely gave us a good idea, yup. Thanks, Kaz! And dear, Harriet, have a nice day! We'll certainly see you later!"
Kaz took me by the arm, just above the elbow and led me out to the halls. Kaz wouldn't stop until we were right outside Dumbledore's office, riding up the stairs, did she let go of me.
"Kaz, what's up?" I asked her.
"Nothing... I'm just cranky, and those two definitely don't make it easy for anyone... Y'know? Geez... It isn't a wonder why Ron dislikes them so much."
"Uh... Yeah... Um, why are wehere?"
"Your uniform, stupid. Can't go around in boy's clothes, y'know. Dumbledore noted me on bringing you here in the morning before class. After you get used to a skirt, then we can go down for breakfast before class... Okay?"
I nodded, knowing she was tired. When she pushed me in a place where I could change, well, I did. I had trouble with some of the clothing and after several pleas, she came and helped me, digust on her face, there for probably what was in being bothered in her time to catch up on peace and sleep. After she helped me, I htanked her for going out of her way to help me in everyway she could. She only flapped a hand--no thanks necessary--and muttered for me to get my things and follow.
When we left Dumbledore's office, we went srtaight back to the Gryffindor common room and Kaz let me share space for my boys' uniform until the potion's affects was gone. She even put a spell on my eyes so that I could see without my glasses for the time being as I was a girl. She said it was part of the desguise. Well, we went over a few other things as she, herself, got ready and we gathered our materials for the day's upcoming events. We kept talking as we walked to the great hall and also as we ate, and even as we walked to our first class! I've never talked so much or eard someone talk so much to me in all my life! Gosh!
By the time potions came, though, I was nervous. Slytherins and Gryffindor pairing in the classroom. The Professor was just as bad as Snape (maybe a relative?) and had us paired with those in the opposite house. Few were paired in three, and unfortunately, I didn't have a third partner. And to make things worse, I had Malfoy. I wonder, could anything get any worse or what?
Oddly, though, Malfoy didn't bother me, probably because I looked like a girl and not THE Harry Potter. Amazingly, he knew quite a lot about potions then I gave him credit for, and probably less then Snape gave him credit for...
"What's your name? Why does she keep calling you Harry?" he said one time, after I quietly continued doing the potion, chopping up the ingredients.
"What?" I said distractedly.
"That hellish girl over there. Your cousin. Why does she call you Harry?" I lifted my head to see him wave at Kaz.
"Well, that's because it is my name," I said absently as I continued to concentrate on cutting the dead ingredients. "Really, it is. Harriet? Harriet, Harry, get it?" I said when I looked up to see him looking awkwardly at me.
He shrugged and poured the chemical part of the potion in. I kept cutting at hte dead worm under my fingers when Kaz silently told me something from behind Malfoy, on the table right by ours. I wasn't paying attention to when she lipped for me to watch out until after I cut myself. I yelped and immediately tried to press at hte wound as I bit my lip from the sting of the cut. Now it may seem that I'm a wuss after all that I've been through, but heck man, this was entirely my fault, and heck, this cut was big! I cut straight across (not through, of course not) my finger, and a bit on my middle finger and thumb.
I was about to stick my fingers in my mouth or somethiing to stop the bleeding when suddenly, and wet cloth was placed on my hand, gentle fingers pressing at the cut catching the blood. When I looked up, I aw Malfoy's gaze concentrating on the cut as he wiped away the blood. Whoa... this is weird... Malfoy? Nice? Totally freaky... I wonder, is he doing this to actually be nice to me, or help out just to get my trust before he moved on me? I thought many things, and a bunch were dirty... Hey, I'm a boy... er... sorta... well, a boy stuck in this covered rusty cage, in this costume as a girl.
When he finally looked up at me, he smiled, actually smiled, and told me to run my hand under the cold tap under the rest of the blood washed and away before cleaning and wrapping it to prevent infection. Whoa... talk about a sudden change for malfoy, I say. this was a new side to him and it freaked me out, yet, in a way, I liked this lighter side to him. At least it beat him shouting retorts and insults at me, to me, behind me, and so on just to humiliate me, create attention, and anything else I can, could, and would like to, avoid as much as possible. And also, it beated the rather very unnecessary comment he made of my--er... Harry Potter's--absence.
I did as he told me to, thinking it would be for the best, and heck, he really seemed to know what he was talking about, and when I came back, I found that he finished the potion and was doing the very last stir to it.
"Wow... You finished it without me... Astonishing..." I said quietly as I took my seat across the table of him.
"What else would you think, Potter?"
I panicked. "What?"
He looked up, startled. Almost immediately, he looked away, as if embarrassed. "S- S- ... Look, you just remind me of Potter... Don't take it personally."
Sighing with relief, I pressed on. "How so?"
"Well, your name's Harry and your last name starts with a P, and Potter's obviously is a P, too. Like I said, you just remind me of him."
"And again, how so?"
He looked up and was about to say something when the Professor came around and marked on his booklet something that I guessed was a grade. Malfoy and I stared at each other for a moment or two until he was far enough to be out of ear shot before he looked down and fiddled with the knife that was stained with my blood. Hw wiped it with a small towel before looking up again.
"Look. Potter always got on my nerves ever since the first year."
"How?"
"..." He didn't say anything for a while, staring down at the knife and the towel with such concentration for so long that I had to tap him to get his attention back. But even after that, he didn't say much. "Um... Look, Harry, I'm not gonna talk about it right now, so don't ask me anymore. But if you really want to know, then at the end of the week, this weekend, we can meet somewhere and I can actually talk about it without much of hesitation or interruptions."
I was silent for a moment. He was willing to talk about me er... Harry Potter... wiht such ease to a stranger that looks like him? er... me?
"Um... Sure... When and where?"
"End of the week, like I said, just after the evening meal and the last class, by the North Tower, at the very top. Not at that crack-woman's place, the Astronomy Tower just by it," he said. "Do you know how to get there?" he added as a last minute question.
I nodded. "I think so. I hope so. If I get lost, I could always ask some of the portraits for help."
He seemed to be fine by that and shrugged. And with the remaining class time left, I let myself ponder on what we just talked about. Right at the end of class, I just realized something. Wouldn't meeting him on a so-and-so place, at a so-and-so time, and talk about things... Um... would that mean we're bonding or...???
I shook my head, pushing aside the idea before it went too far. At times, I feared my own mind, and right then and there, I did. Sighing, I gathered my things to go just as class let out, hoping that maybe, Malfoy wasn't so bad after all.... Er.... hopefully.
~*~*~
By the time the end of the week came, I was thinking things; things that I normally didn't think about. I asked Kaz what she thought about all this while the evening meal took place (we sat next each other and at the very end of the long table so that no one would bother us) that night, and she only shrugged.
"If he wants to talk, let 'im. No harm in that. And you could be right, this new side to him could prove worthwhile, y'know?" she told me.
So, taking her not so helpful advice, I went to the astronomy tower, taking the invisibility cloak with me just in case (you never know, anything could happen). As usual, I got lost finding my way there. I mean hey, with changing staircases, you kinda get lost trying to get back on track and stuff. Well, anyway, I asked that clumsy knight for directions, the same one Hermione, Ron, and I asked to find Professor Trelawney's classroom in our third year. Yeah, the one and only: Sir Cadogan (what a pain in the ass he was...).
Once up there, I smiled, remembering being up here to drop of Norbert with Hagrid to Charlie who took care of dragons. last I heard of Charlie, he was working in Romania or something like that. I went to the railing where students usually used to do their astronomy work. I hadn't seen Malfoy yet, and I was kinda glad; I wnted to just stand around and listen to the quiet around me for a while. I placed the invisibility cloak on the railing, tying it down so that it wouldn't fly off or fall, or anything of the sort. I didn't want to lose it,a nd I heck didn't want anyone finding it and taking it like in third year when I accidently left it on the grounds for Snape to find and use to sneak an attack on us while my godfather, Sirius tried to explain things of my past to me.
I miss Sirius, but I know that he's out there, somewhere, finding a way to fix things for himself and everyone else out there. I'm not sure if he's at Lupin's but that's where he's supposed to be right now. Lupin was the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in my third year, here at Hogwarts. Lupin was a werewolf, but even so, he was friend of my fathers, a friend of Sirius, and a dear friend to me. He helped me a lot that year; I even was able to conjure a Patronus. It's not normal for someone my age, then or now, to do such a great spell, but since I was so greatly affected by them, I was determined to find a way to get by them. I heard things from my past in my mind whenever I passed out in front of a Dementor. The first time I did, I got a genuine retort from Malfoy about "fainting" on the train on the ride to Hogwarts.
The thought of strangling Malfoy made me grip at the railing so hard that my knuckled turned white. I cursed under my breath after a while's thought, shaking my head furiously, hoping to get rid of those ideas. I was here because of Malfoy, and hating thoughts about him just before I was to meet with him wouldn't help me... I might even strangle him for real if I didn't stop. Okay, so I admit, it would be fun, but still; I'm supposed to be a fricken girl, proper and stupidly civilized, and tackling a boy would NOT go well on me.
But speaking of waiting for Malfoy to make his appearance, I turned around, looking around me for any sign of Malfoy. Seeing none, I shrugged and looked out at the sky again. It was getting dark, and the sun could barely be seen now. I bit my lip, getting angry; I mean, c'mon! Where the boodly hell was Malfoy?!
I turned around and found a bench I didn't really notice earlier and sat down on it, leaning back. After some time, I got bored so I lied down on it, down on my side with my arms under my head, keeping my head propped up just high enough off the bench. Geez... Is Malfoy always late or what? I closed my eyes and stayed still for a while, listening to the quiet until I heard footsteps coming not far away. I didn't bother to open my eyes in case it was an adult or teacher coming to check on this tower.
"Are you alseep?" came a soft voice from behind.
I didn't bother to open my eyes as they leaned over the back of the bench, shadowing my as they tried to see me better. I heard them let go and give a soft chuckle efore moving around hte bench and to the railing, rapping their fingers on the old fixture. I opened my eyes to see the silhouette of Malfoy. Geez... does it always take him so long to get to his destinations or what?
"You awake now?" he said when I lifted my head only by a bit.
"Yeah... I was never asleep in the first place," I said quietly, finding no need to talk in normal talking volume with everything around us so quiet.
Malfoy shrugged. "Do you still want to know? You've been here for so long, waiting and waiting."
I bit my lip, now propping myself on on elbow. "You know, you've been mean and so ansty to everyone around you, but this year, you aren't so harsh even though your father's part of Voldemort's inner circle," I said, unable to help myself.
He shrugged. "So?"
"Well, what's up with that? Wouldn't you be with your father wrecking havoc on anything in sight or following Voldemort's wishes?" I pressed on.
"So? Just because my father's a loyal servant to the Dark Lord doens't mean I have to do anything with it."
"Does Potter have anything to do with how you act?"
I saw his shoulder twitch so slightly. "A bit. My father doesn't want me being nice to him because he's the Dark Lord's enemy."
"But...?"
"I tried to be nice to him the first day of Hogwarts, the first year, but he declined."
"Well, maybe you deserved it!" I hissed, whishing I could take those words back just after I said them.
Luckily, he didn't seem to care or notice anything unusual; he shrugged. "Well, suppose I came on too strong, but he was hanging around that Weasley."
"What's so wrong about him? He's nice enough!"
Malfoy shook his head. "I'm not sure... I guess that if I could get Potter to become my friend, it'd put my father at easy, put the Dark Lord at ease, and not create so many problems at the ministry where both his and my father work."
"I still don't understand." And I truly didn't. What was so bad in Malfoy's family that would make him the way he was?
"Well, Weasley's father and mine aren't exactly the best of friends, or partners in work. My father sometimes is a bit of a control freak and used his anger and vicious attitude to get his way in things, but sometimes, I wondered if I may become that way, or if my father was being controlled by some sort. I never wanted to disappoint him, so I always did my best to do what he said while juggling with my own pleasures, desires, and things that kept me happy and satisfied. I'ts not easy trying to keep your demanding father happy."
I nodded and sat up. "I understand, but then again, my parents died a long time ago. I guess it IS hard trying to prove yourself to your family, whichever you live with, happy and satisfied with you. To keep them from thinking you're unworthy or useless and that they might as well throw you out or kill you or drown you or torture you as much as possible."
He turned around and stared at me. "Has that ever happened to you? I mean, you being unworthy to your family's eyes and you're treated like dirt?"
I nodded, telling nothing but the truth. "They don't understand... They're horrible... It almost seems that no one understands me there."
He nodded as my voice trailed and turned back to look at the night's sky. Now the sun has disappeared all but for a little bit of purple in the sky just near the horizon. Already the sky was turning from dark blue to black.
"Is it hard?" When he looked at me, I added, "I mean, is it hard juggling everything your father throws at you? Or do you just do the job and then stay out of his way?"
"Somwhat of both. When I try to make him happy, I try my best and just glow when he approves and congradulates me so proudly. But at times, yes, I try to stay out of his way. Especially now since the Dark Lord's risen and my father's gone back to do his biddings."
I stayed silent for a while, trying to let it all sink in for me. "But wouldn't you also be doing as Voldemort says like your father, only, taking it out on Potter and the school?"
He shook his head. "Not really. I already insult Potter enough without being told to. I hate him."
Curiosity flared inside me. "Why?" I asked him, leaning forward slightly, my hands on my knees.
"He's... Well, I find him a Spotlight Boy."
"Excuse me?" I was confused. A what??
"A Spotlight Boy. He's famous just because of that damn scar on his forehead and becaues he survived the wrath of the Dark Lord just beacuse of his mudblood mother. I don't mean to direspect, but ... Bloody Hell! They should know that it didn't take much to revive him! I mean, the Dark Lord is back and ready to kill him! And people are trying to frantically to save the damn boy's life."
"You sound jealous."
He shook his head, lowering it after a silent moment. "It's just... I don't see why people are so fritzy over him. He's not THAT special... I mean, c'mon, he's gonna die anyway. Either he's gonna kill the Dark Lord or die trying, or the Dark Lord is gonna go down taking Potter with him. If he lives, then that'll be the day! Sure, Potter escaped him last year, but only beacuse of that stupid cup and plain luck. Without them, he's useless and not at all that special. And Potter going to the dark side would be a laugh too!" Just then, he laughed, his head still bowed.
I blinked. He actually thought about these things? Good golly... But my going to the dark sie or dying with Voldemort dying with me? Creepy. But what I was glad of was that he agreed that i wasn't as special and so fragile as they claim me to be. They treat me like glass, but push me around as if I'm a mule! What then, a mule made of glass? A cyramic donkey?
"What happened if he did...?" I said softly, his laughter dying quickly.
He turned and looked at me. "Dunno... Then the magic and muggle world would be ruled by both. If Potter went to the dark side, then I'd definitely be there to see what he'd do. It's hard to see him as an evil person, considering how goody-goody he is, or tries to be. But if he actually pulled off being evil, then he'd be right at the Lord's side, conquering and killing along side with him."
"Why do you think so?"
"They say Potter's got these great powers, and if he was with Voldemort, then the entire world would probably be doomed. And for once, I agree; Potter MUST have something up his sleeve that even HE doesn't know about that could easily match the Dark Lord's with his own power. Understand? Potter probably has some hidden power that he hasn't tapped into yet, and some also belongs to the Dark Lord because of the cursed scar."
I nodded dumbly. "I, uh... I guess. It's all so confusing and complicated, though..."
He shrugged, leaning back on the railing, looking around before his gaze stopped on my cloak. He untied it and picked it up. "What's this?"
"Um... my cloak." Hey, it was the only thing I could think of to say!
"Somwhow, it looks familiar. I think Potter had something like this. You have one just like it or something?"
"Uh.. If that's how to put it, yes." I bit my lip nervously. Malfoy's only seen the cloak once or twice, and that's not by my intention, but still he recognizes it. Shit... Cat dirt, cat dirt, cat dirt... Oh geez....