Line in the Sand
...pick your side...
By SpacedOutAnna and SamyBear
Authors' Notes: This is a slightly AU fic set to follow the time line of 'Order of the Phoenix'. While Harry and crew are in Fifth year, the Seventh Year Slytherin class has a lot of learning, living and of course, loving to do...
It was the first time in over a century that a male Parkinson had spoken to a male Montague in anything other than scathing tones or forced, polite formalities. No, these two men were predictably engrossed in a conversation about Quidditch, and last year's Tri-Wizard Tournament, which led to an intense if quiet discussion of the current political climate.
Pansy and their mother had quickly fled her presence, preferring the company of Draco and Narcissa Malfoy. Jasmine knew she wouldn't be a welcome hanger-on and decided to leave her sister to catch up with her boyfriend.
Her sisterly benevolence had her stuck staring, or rather glaring at, Edward Montague. Handsome, dashing, talented Quidditch playing Edward. Whom she despised with every inch of her five feet and seven, well six and a half but it was close enough, inches.
"Ed, come meet Mr. Parkinson here."
'Thank the gods for small miracles,' Jasmine just wanted to find Sheraton and Aemelia, her two best friends in the Slytherin house, and of course, Adrian. Her plans for him may have to wait until later unless she succeeded in scaring some first years out of a compartment.
She hadn't seen him since early July, and that had been an intriguing encounter. The Pucey's had never been keen socialites; making a summer romance with smouldering Adrian near impossible -Jasmine had gotten very close. The memory of being pressed against the tall bush in the Flint's maze while Adrian ravaged her neck with his mouth was still a very clear memory for her, making her shiver in the warm September air.
Jasmine scanned the crowd lazily, watching the other Hogwarts families arrive and friend re-unite. She knew it would be unlikely to catch sight of Sheraton, as a 7th year Prefect she would have her hands full helping the firsties get their crap together and onto the train. Aemilia should be on the platform already, along with the rest of their year. She was spying on the egregiously loud and horrendously red haired Weasley's entrance, followed by the illustrious Boy-Who-Unfortunately-Lived when a hand wrapped around her waist and a pair of moist lips connected with her neck. It was all Jasmine could do not to scream. Whirling out of the embrace with a look of rage and a few careful words on her lips, she found herself face to face with Adrian Pucey, wearing an amused expression on his face.
"And here I thought you'd be happy to see me, the way things... progressed the last time..." he was cut off by Jasmine's hiss.
"Shut up." She glanced furtively around, praying neither of her parents had seen the exchange. Thankfully, both were oblivious as usual, but Pansy was not. Her younger sister glared at Jasmine knowingly and Jasmine stuck out her tongue in return before turning back to Adrian.
"You bloody idiot, not in front of the adults! What kind of fool are you?" Adrian too looked around, smiling charmingly at both Narcissa Malfoy and Jasmine's mother, Hyacinth Parkinson.
"Your parents aren't even paying us any notice, baby, so don't worry. Why don't we get on the train a little early, see if we can't find ourself a spot for a touch of privacy, our own compartment perhaps..." He leaned in towards her, a knowing smirk on his face which was diminished by her shoving him back.
"You're a prat, Pucey. It's not just my parents that I'm concerned with. We're surrounded by friends and colleagues of my parents and if even one of them saw that and had deicded it's their moral obligation to tell my parents - we'd both be dead. Me because I'll be considered damaged good and you because you'd be lucky to be an eunuch once Blythe and Jamieson were through with you."
On that note, she turned on her heel - furious at the presumption, and set out to find Sheraton and Aemelia.
She finally found both just as the steam whistle blew at 10:58. Unfortunately, they were in the company of Cordelia Whitby, the last seventh year Slytherin girl. But as much as Jasmine despised the girl in private, they had to present a united Slytherin front in public.
"Girls!" she called and the three turned, shrieking upon seeing her. She exchanged air kisses with all three, stepping quickly away from Cordelia. 'Filthy half-blood. How she even got into Slytherin is still beyond me.' To tell the truth, Cordelia wasn't even a half-blood. Her great-great-great-grandmother had been a muggleborn with though, and it was those nitpicky genealogical details that purebloods never forgot. It was enough so that Jasmine saw Cordelia as only slightly above something to be scraped off the bottom of her patent dragonhide pump.
The four girls stepped up onto the train, giggling and laughing as a group. The Slytherin boys had claimed two compartments for the seventh years, which they all piled into.
With one last toot of the whistle, the Hogwarts Express began to move - carrying them all towards their last year.
Sheraton only stepped into the compartment long enough to grab hold of Julian Higg's arm. "C'mon then, we have a Prefects meeting to attend."
Jasmine snorted. "You would've thought Pansy had won the Order of Merlin they way she squealed when she got the Prefects badge. It was really only because she knew Malfoy would be the other Prefect."
Julian rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "We'll keep an eye on her for you, Jas."
"Oh would you?" she batted her eyelashes at him playfully and he grinned back.
Sheraton snorted at her friends before pulling him bodily out of the compartment. They could hear the two bickering all the way down the corridor until they stepped into the next car.
Aemilia giggled and started to unbutton the top few buttons of her silk blouse. "Merlin, but it's hot."
Adrian eyed her growing exposed cleavage with a leverage grin. "Well, something is certainly raising the temperature in here."
She swatted at him, "Oh, hush you - or I'll set Marcus on you."
"Sorry to tell you this, dearest, but your brother's already done an extra year - I think McGonaggal might explode if he tried to do another," Jasmine drawled, running her fingernails up and down the top of Adrian's thigh and effectively recapturing his gaze. It wasn't that she and Aemilia competed for the attentions of men, per say, well, if they did - it was an unofficial competition. And unfair, Jasmine reflected, as she twirled a lock of blond hair around her finger, giving Adrian a small smile.
He leaned in towards her, breathing against her skin. "What say you and I go and look for a little bit of that privacy?"
She giggled as he pulled her out of her seat. Adrian nearly ran smack into Edward Montague at the door to the compartment though, and the two boys, nearly men now, Jasmine realized with surprise, stopped.
"Pucey. Didn't contract anything serious from one of your whores this summer? Pity."
"Montague - the mediwitches still haven't managed to extract that club from your ass I see. Oh well, keep the hope alive." Adrian went to pat him on the shoulder but Edward smacked his hand away.
"Don't touch me." His gaze traveled from Adrian to Jasmine, who lifted her chin under his scrutiny. "Ah, Parkinson. I had a delightful chat with your father on the platform - nice man. I myself can't fathom where he might've went wrong. But then, maybe it's not actually his fault."
Jasmine smirked, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I assure you, Montague, that I am most definitely a product of my parent's unfortunate marriage contract. Now, if you'll excuse us, Adrian and I have an... appointment." She gave Adrian's shoulder a little push and the two strolled down the corridor away from the compartment.
Edward glared after the two before turning to face the remaining occupants of the Slytherin's space. Aemilia was now applying a filing charm to her nails with her wand and Miles Bletchley was stretched along the opposite bench.
He sank down next to Aemilia, and the girl smiled at him. "Ed," she dropped a quick kiss on his cheek, but didn't turn her eyes from her nails.
"Flint." He poked a foot at Miles. "Bletchley."
"Eh?" Miles opened his eyes to nod towards his fellow Quidditch player. "Montague. How goes, m'lord?"
Bletchley had been calling him 'm'lord' since halfway through sixth year, when it had been clear that the next year Edward would be the ruling seventh year over the Slytherin House. Slytherin worked much like a monarchy - each year there was a king, usually the Quidditch captain or Prefect, and several monarchs in training behind him. As much as Draco Malfoy may be the Crown Prince of Slytherin - this year, Edward was King. He allowed himself a short smirk. He had waited for this year, when he would have the influence and authority he lusted after. He wasn't quite academically minded enough, nor enough of a player by the rules, to earn the Prefect title, but then he had never even wanted it. Julian had been Snape's favourite since their first Potions lesson, the Head of House had taken one look at the small boy with shining eyes in the Potions Lab and had a new apprentice. Adrian Pucey had erroneously thought himself to be the heir to the monarchy last year, but Edward intended to clear that up in short time. He was all but guaranteed the Captaincy - he just needed to shore up his support.
"Hey, Miles."
"Yah?" this time, the dark haired Keeper didn't even bother to open his eyes. 'Lazy bugger', Edward chuckled internally. He oven thought that as great a Keeper as Bletchley was - he'd taken a Quaffle to the head one too many times.
"Who d'you want for the Captaincy?"
Miles shrugged. "Pucey's a decent player but he's a crap strategist. So I figure you."
Edward grinned, "I'm glad to have your support."
"Always, m'lord."
Edward nodded. Friendship and loyalty were transient concepts in the Slytherin House, but he and Miles had been friends since their nannies had set them in the same sandbox at the age of 3. The boy may not the brightest of all, but Edward knew he would always have his support.
Miles chuckled to himself softly. He had been sitting back and watching for six years - now it was time to take some action. He had been deliberating between throwing his hat in with Adrian or Edward since second year. The two boys were both leaders, but Edward had acquired the strategic skills and thoughtfulness which Adrian had not. Where Adrian was headstrong, Edward was careful and subtle -stronger, sneakier - a consummate Slytherin. Edward appreciated and recognized the value in the support of Miles and his peers - Adrian thought he could go it alone. Adrian had the ambition, but not always the intelligence to go with it - and if Miles had his way, it would be his fatal flaw.
Aemelia was still running her wand over her nails, quiet as was her nature. She had watched and listened to the interchange and was suddenly struck by the confidence that she had never seen in Miles before. She and Miles had been friends for a long time - she was close with all the Quidditch boys. They were all brothers in a fashion to her, after Marcus had led the team for so long. Granted, her feelings towards Adrian were most definitely not sisterly, but she had come to accept the fact that at least for now, Adrian was fully enthralled by Jasmine.
Aemelia looked out the window as the two boys began to discuss the Quidditch games that they had seen or heard of over the summer. Only this year did she finally feel free from her brother's presence. He had been at Hogwarts so long, even last year when he had graduated he had been prone to drop in unannounced. Father had allowed him to take a gap year before starting work at the family company this June and Aemelia gave a sigh of relief that he finally had something to occupy his time aside from being an overprotective git. Marcus was expected to marry within the next year or two, and hopefully would find no reason to vist Hogwarts at all this term. She would have an opportunity to do what... and whom, she thought with a silent giggle, she wanted. This was looking to be a very promising year.