Chapter Two
Victims of the Week, also called Vows to deceive the teachers, were chosen every Monday morning. Everyone put in for who they thought the Vow should be, then a name was drawn. Certain names were put in each week, since everyone seemed to have a vendetta against somebody. Normally, Pythia threw in for Lily Evans – she just couldn't stand the contemptible Mudblood – but today she decided to take pity on Severus, who seemed more distant than usual, and scrawled "James Potter" on her paper.
"Wingardium Leviosa," chanted Lucius with a swish and flick of his wand, and the pieces of parchment fluttered into the air. "Bella, draw one."
Bellatrix closed her eyes and grasped for one of the slips. "Lily Evans," she read.
Pythia frowned. "Congratulations," Lucius said to her.
"I didn't put in for Evans," she replied bemusedly.
"Well, then who did?"
"Don't look at me," Evan said. "I'm gunning for Arietta Stevens."
"Aw, she turned you down again?" Rudolphus said smartly, earning him a scowl from Evan.
Narcissa laughed, blue eyes sparkling. "Don't worry, Evan. You'll get her one of these days."
"Right," he answered darkly.
No one had written "Lily Evans" on his or her paper, which greatly bothered Pythia. It was too odd. How had- "Severus, get your nose out of that book and talk to us," Lucius ordered, half affectionately. "Who are you gunning for this week?"
Severus looked up from the book again irritably. "The Vow I threw in for was Lily Evans."
Pythia had to laugh. Funny, it was the one time that Severus's Vow had been chosen and it wasn't the person that he hated most. "Why'd you want her?" Bellatrix asked, glancing at her watch.
Severus opened his mouth to explain, but he couldn't seem to find the words. Pythia held up a hand to stop him. He'd put in for Evans for the same reason that she'd put in for Potter. It probably would have been sweet, had the purpose of the drawing not been to hone in and torture that particular person for the entire week.
Owls swooped in from the rafters in a flurry of feathers, carrying letters and parcels from home. Everyone but Pythia was visited by the family owl, though Severus put his letter from home to a candle flame and watched it burn.
"Still mad at your mum, then?" Bellatrix inquired. With a scowl, Severus snapped his book shut. "I guess that's a 'yes.'"
Lucius was watching Severus intensely, discerning his attitude. He turned to Pythia. "Thia, I'm going to walk Severus to Potions this morning. I'll catch up with you after class."
Severus met Lucius's gaze defiantly. He obviously didn't want to have Lucius walk him to class, but he didn't say anything. Everyone knew that when Lucius Malfoy told you to do something, you didn't refuse.
Pythia yawned, abandoning her History of Magic notes to doodle in the margins of her parchment. She could always get Narcissa's notes later. Narcissa was twirling a lock of blonde hair between her thumb and forefinger, listening to Professor Binns' lecture fixedly. As soon as she realized that Pythia wasn't concentrating anymore, she gave her a sharp jab in the ribs. Pythia glared at her, but continued sketching runic symbols and snakes on her paper.
"I'm not lending you my notes if you don't even make an effort," Narcissa hissed.
Pythia rolled her eyes – spoken truly like the perfect student she was. As if it mattered. Pythia didn't need to know the history of magic, just how to perform it, and that wouldn't be a problem with her father so willing a mentor.
"So, what's your plan for Evans?" Narcissa inquired, not quite a whisper, since Binns was so absorbed in his own lesson to hear them.
Pythia felt excitement well up in her chest. Her voice was enthusiastic, but controlled. She sounded so tickled with her idea. "I'm going to turn her into a centipede. Then I'm going to trip her and break all her legs."
Narcissa couldn't suppress a chuckle. Leave it to Pythia to come up with something so awful. Lucius would approve. She shook her head and laughed again.
"Miss Branch?" Narcissa looked up expectantly. Binns never could get a name right. "Something funny?"
Narcissa opened her mouth, but Pythia cut her off. "That was me, Professor. I was remembering a joke. Sorry."
Binns studied her for a moment. "Five points from Slytherin, Miss Waters." With another contemplative glance, he resumed his lecture.
When class was over, the two walked out of the room with the others. "Thanks," Narcissa said, pushing the strap of her book bag up over her shoulder. Pythia shrugged; she'd had to do it – Narcissa wouldn't be able to get over a reprimand. She was the lily whitest of the bunch, which really wasn't saying much, but they looked out for each other. "Do you even know how to turn Evans into a centipede?"
"No," Pythia answered cheerfully as they walked the path that would lead to the common room. "But I was thinking that Severus might help me."
Narcissa laughed derisively. "Don't count on it, Thia. He's acting stranger and stranger lately."
Pythia shrugged. "It's probably O.W.L.s. And all the pressure from his parents, especially his mother. That woman won't accept anything less than 'Outstanding.' I'd feel sorry for him, but I've got a full plate myself."
"With what?" Narcissa demanded dubiously.
Pythia cast a quick glance at her as they neared the staircase that led to the dungeons. "Never mind." They passed the Potions classroom, where they were going after the quick break, and Professor Elix's office. Professor Elix, a small witch with shrewish features, was sitting at her desk, grading essays.
They made it through to the common room where everyone else had already gathered. Lucius lay on the couch, head craned back on the arm with his eyes closed. If it had been any other person, Pythia would have said that he was sprawled out on the sofa. But Lucius did not sprawl. He lounged. Rudolphus and Bellatrix were in front of the dormant fireplace, tormenting the cat of a first year girl while she watched horrorstruck. The kid had no doubt annoyed them deeply. Pythia almost felt sorry for her, but she didn't do anything to stop them – the girl might as well learn her lessons early. Evan and Nero were continuing with their game of wizard's chess that they'd started the night before while Janus made last minute touches on his Astronomy homework. Severus still had his nose in that damned book.
"Isn't this a picture?" Narcissa said sarcastically. Lucius opened one gray eye.
"Something wrong, Narcissa?"
Narcissa rolled her eyes on her way to the girls' dorms. Pythia dropped down onto the floor next to Lucius, eyeing Severus. "You get a diagnosis?"
Lucius closed his eyes again. "Later," he said softly.
"You're not going to Arithmancy today, are you?"
"No."
"And you wonder why your father has a belt in his hand every time you step off the train," Pythia commented exasperatedly.
Lucius rolled his head over to gaze at her. She visibly recoiled. "Sorry."
Narcissa came striding into the common room, having swapped her History of Magic notes for her Potions homework. "I'm ready to go."
Nero looked up from an impressive checkmate. "Narcissa, sit down, and breeeathe."
Narcissa flopped down into the chair beside Severus, who merely turned the page. "Severus, would you know how to turn someone into a centipede?" she asked all of a sudden.
Severus lifted his head from the book and stared at her with those black eyes. He didn't say anything for a while. Everyone was staring at Narcissa, though not as intensely as Severus, except for Pythia, who was chuckling quietly to herself. Finally, he answered her. "I might. Why?"
Narcissa glanced over at Pythia. "Well, Thia wants to turn Evans into one."
Severus looked over at Pythia. "I realize that she's our Vow, but there has to be more. Why?"
Pythia bit her lip coyly as the excitement rose through her chest again. "So I can trip her and break all her legs," she replied, voice delighted again.
Lucius started laughing while everyone else exchanged amused glances. "I bet she gets that gleam in her eye every time she says it," he chuckled. "Wish I'd thought of it." Pythia couldn't help but blush. It was probably the greatest compliment that Lucius Malfoy could give.
Bellatrix let go of the cat's tail as it scurried to and embedded its claws in the leg of the first year to whom it belonged. "I never knew, what have you got against Evans in the first place?" she asked.
"She's just so-" Pythia looked at her watch distractedly and stood up. "Gods, it's late. We should probably head to class . . . I'll tell you at lunch, Bella. Bye, guys."