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Sable walked around the student-filled hall. Everyone was engulfed in conversation with their friends. She searched the faces for anyone who was alone also, or who at least looked friendly. She spotted three people standing at the back of the hall, talking merrily. The crowd seemed to be pushing her away from them, but she pushed back and it parted to let her through. There was a fire-headed boy; a black-haired, green eyed boy; and a bushy, brown-haired girl. They stopped talking as she reached them.
"What do you want?" The red-haired boy glared.
"I just wanted to talk," Sable tried to keep the hurt from showing. "I wanted to be your friend."
"We don't associate with Slytherins," The red-haired boy's eyes were blazing.
"Ron!" The black-haired boy glanced at the other boy, Ron. "Don't mind him, he's just judgmental."
"It's okay," Sable shrugged, keeping her expression of indifference firmly in place. "I'll just be going now."
Sable turned and walked away, rather quickly, before they could say anything else. She made her way toward the Slytherin Common Room. She paused in a deserted hallway as she heard the tell-tale sounds of a prank on the way to the Great Hall. Peeves was laughing like a madman. He was a madman, of course, but that was beside the point. She continued on her way, reaching the Slytherin Common Room.
"Acid Rain." The entrance swung open.
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Sable glanced over the Slytherin table, searching for a place to sit. She spotted Draco, surrounded by people on all sides. There were a few seats open by people she didn't know. Deciding on a seat with the nicest looking people close by, she sat down with her dinner. Severus was across the room at the Teacher's Table, sitting politely away from the rest of the people.
"What do you think you're doing here?" A cruel voice growled from beside her as a hand shoved her roughly. "This table is for Slytherins."
"I am a Slytherin," Sable glared defiantly.
"No you aren't. I saw you talking to the Gryffindors!" The boy pushed her plate, sending it sliding across the table to fall from the side of the table to the ground. "Get out of her, Gryffindor."
Sable stood up and glared at the boy. Not trusting herself to speak without getting physical with the boy, she stalked out. She was vaguely aware of McGonagall shouting 50 points from Slytherin and the angered murmurs of her fellow Slytherins. The hall was cool and dark as she stepped into it. There was the sound of someone coming out of the Great Hall in a Great Hurry before she was turned around. Severus stood in front of her, his hands on both shoulders.
"Leave me alone," Sable wrenched free of his grip and walked away.
She could almost feel Severus' shock as she did that. Never in her life had Sable ever disobeyed him. Soon enough, she was in the Slytherin common room, all alone. Again.
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"Sable, my dear friend and troublemaker!" Peeves came into the Slytherin common room through a secret passage, doing a few flips for fun.
"Peeves!" Sable smiled and jumped up. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, it's been a while since we caused mischief," Peeves floated around. "We're overdue."
"You're right, how horrible of us!" Sable faked solemn. "We have to do something about this."
"Yes," Peeves grinned. "What should we do?"
There were a few moments of silence. Both were deep in thought when suddenly Sable grinned and looked at Peeves. She pulled close to him and whispered, watching around for anyone listening in.
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Sable had just sat down at the dinner table as most of the students were walking out. She took a bite of her food, when suddenly a high pitched scream came from the Gryffindor common room. A series of screams from the same direction as the teachers all rushed. More screams erupted from the Slytherin, then Hufflepuff, and finally Ravenclaw. The teachers were bustling around busily and the students were all trying to see what had happened.
"What's wrong?" Severus stood up from the other side of the room as McGonagall came in, her face red.
"Some prankster has changed the colors of everything in all the common rooms!" Her voice quivered with anger. "The Gryffindors' rooms are pink and neon green, the Hufflepuff have yellow and black, the Ravenclaws are light blue and red, and the Slytherins have yellow and white!"
Severus shot up, glancing suspiciously at Sable, who smiled innocently. She shoved another forkful of food in her mouth as Severus dashed to the Slytherin common rooms. Just as she finished her meal, Severus came back in, saying that the colors were not changeable but that they would wear off by the morning. Students were yelling, jeering, and accusing in the halls and rooms. Sable stood up and was walking into the hall when she was stopped by McGonagall.
"You are to go see the Headmaster in his office," She glared. "Immediately."
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"I'm disappointed in you, Sable," Dumbledore sighed as he faced the small girl.
"For what, Headmaster?" She looked up at him with big, innocent eyes.
"Sable, all the teachers know that you're the cause of this," He watched as her face didn't change. "We all know your antics. When you and Peeves get together, mayhem occurs. But this is worse than the occasional water balloon or stink bomb."
"But-"
"Don't try to deny it," Dumbledore interrupted her. "You were the only student not at dinner. We all saw what happened between you and your housemates. I suppose you think of this as a good way to get back at them. And it is, but it is also unacceptable. I will have to give you detention. A weeks worth, with Severus, but only because I know he will be better at punishment for you than any of the other professors. Detention starts tomorrow."
"Yes, Headmaster," Sable smiled wryly as she turned and marched out of the office.
People glared at her as she walked by. Everyone knew she was the cause, and no one was planning on forgiving her anytime soon. As she made walked through a hall, Peeves came up beside her. Many students glanced uneasily at the ghost and edged away.
"Get busted, did ya, Sable?" Peeves asked.
"Yes, no thanks to you," She glanced at him. "You're one lucky bastard. Being a ghost, there's not much anyone can do to you for pulling pranks."
"Yeah," Peeves paused then grinned. "But it was worth the detention, wasn't it? Hearing their screams! Ha!"
"Yeah, Peeves, it was," Sable grinned. "Anyway, I have to go to bed now Peeves. I'll see help you cause mischief again sometime after my detentions are all over."
"Okay, bye Sabertooth!" Peeves cackled and flew away.