Manipulating Time

chapter 6

Valentine's Day Disappearance

disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, but I do own my own Harry Potter Cult- I mean Club.

They stared at the strange girl for a moment. It wasn't everyday someone suddenly showed up in the Great Hall, but then again, it was one of Amanda's friends. You never could tell with them.

"So..." Hermione said slowly, "You're a friend of Amanda's?"

"Yepperz!" Lacey replied brightly, "We went to DragonFang together!"

"And got expelled together." Amanda added proudly.

"The only two people to ever be expelled from DragonFang Correctional Military Facility for Delinquent Witches and Wizards." Lacey chirped happily.

"The only two witches they couldn't break." Amanda agreed.

"I'm confused...." Lily interrupted, "Why are you here?"

"To help me wage war on Fudge of course!" Amanda laughed, "Couldn't do it without my two paw general, now could I?"

Lacey turned to Amanda with a fairly straight face, "So, what is it? Mutilation? Decapitation? Gorilla warfare? Destruction and mayhem? Fill me in here."

"Even better." Amanda replied with a slow grin.

Now it was Lacey's turn to grin, "Humiliation."

Lily, Hermione, and the Marauders glanced at each other, suddenly very glad they weren't enemies.

It was the next morning when Amanda and Lacey strutted into the Great Hall. Yes, strutted was the correct word. A smug look was plastered onto their faces.

Hermione instantly knew they had done something, and judging by the look on their faces, it would get them in major trouble.

"What did you do?" Hermione demanded.

"Who, us?" Amanda asked innocently.

"Would we do anything?" Lacey added.

"Not us."

"Perfect little angels."

The two glanced at each other grinning, trying unsuccessfully to hide their snickers.

"Yes, you would." Hermione replied, "Now spill it."

"You'll see in a minute." Amanda whispered, grinning.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Remus muttered, shaking his head.

It was at that precise moment Lola Lovett came sauntering towards the Gryffindor table. Lola was a seventh year Hufflepuff, and was known as the "Whore of Hogwarts." Which, indeed, was true. She made it her personal responsibility to get into the boxers of every cute male in Hogwarts, teachers not excluded. Her current mission: Remus.

She had crashed and burned with Sirius, surprisingly. Did all her moves, and got the cold shoulder. Apparently he didn't want someone who knew as many pick-up lines as he did.

With a sickeningly sweet smile, she sat down next to Remus, her charms on high. Remus glanced at her nervously.

"Hello Remus, love." Lola said with a cattish purr, "Do you have a date for the Ball yet?"

Amanda froze in mid-sip of her smuggled Star Bucks Coffee.

"Uh, no, not yet. I wasn't really planning on-"

"Oh, splendid! I don't either! We can go together!" She leaned in close, so close Remus had to lean back to breathe properly, "Isn't that great?"

"Actually, I wasn't-"

"It is, isn't it?" Lola interrupted, "Pick me up at the common room- actually, I'll go to your common room, wouldn't want you to get lost Remie-poo."

She stood, and with a smug look at Amanda, sauntered away.

"Bloody Hell." Sirius muttered.

Hermione and Sirius shared a look, they were both hoping, plotting really, to get Amanda and Remus to go together. So much for that plan.

"The nerve of that girl!" Lily hissed in anger. "Who does she think she is!?"

Hermione glanced at Amanda who was calmly drinking her coffee next to Lacey. She had a calculating look in her eye.

'Next victim...' Hermione thought to herself, noting the malicious smile that passed over Amanda's features.

Amanda leaned over and whispered something to Lacey, who snickered fanatically.

For some reason, Hermione didn't feel the least bit sorry for Lola.

It was then that Fudge came running into the Great Hall, howling with anger. The whole hall burst out laughing.

Decked out in a checkered pink and orange robe, and sporting bright green hair and yellow skin, he dashed across the hall towards Dumbledore threatening murder to the culprit.

After a few moments, when the laughter died down, and Fudge left to plot revenge, Peter turned to Amanda.

"Um, Amanda?"

"Whata'?"

"You don't have a date for the ball yet, do you?"

Amanda nearly choked, "No, why?"

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"

Their whole half of he table went quiet. Even Lacey, who had no clue what the heck was going on, was silent. Hermione was ready to clobber Peter from here to Mars, and Sirius felt the same. James, a little shocked, just stared. Lily was suffering from sudden fits of choking.

Remus simply stared at him.

With a slow smile, Amanda replied, "Why, Peter, I would Love to."

Remus felt his heart sink.

"This is so not good." Lily muttered as she stormed into the common room, "You were supposed to go with Remus!"

Hermione nodded as she followed her in, Amanda and Lacey trailing behind.

"What were you thinking, saying yes to Peter?" Hermione hissed as Lily continued her rant, "You know as well as I do what he does to them!"

"Hermione..." Amanda purred, a wolfish grin spreading over her face, "Ye be of little faith. I change history tonight."

Remus, sighing in frustration, tried to dislodge Lola from his arm once again. It was like being in the grip of a piranha.

Peter, who was bouncing next to him, had a very smug look on his face.

Sirius looked ready to kill him.

James and Lily, had they not left minutes earlier, would have felt the same.

Finally, the door swung open and Amanda and Hermione stepped out.

Sirius gawked at Hermione. It was like she stepped out of a Hollywood poster or something. Her hair was slicked back, and was shimmering with glitter. She had a little make-up on, which accented her eyes, lips, and marvelous cheekbones. Her robes were of a soft silk, and cascaded down to the floor where they fell like crimson puddles. A shimmering black earring dangled from each ear, gleaming in the torch light.

"Do you like it?" she asked tentatively, "Amanda helped me with the makeup, hair, and- well, she helped me with everything."

"I love it. And if I didn't know it wasn't possible, I'd say you looked even more beautiful." Sirius said dramatically, sweeping down to place a kiss on the back of her hand.

He was rewarded with a dazzling smile.

"Oh, can you get anymore sickening than that." Lola muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah," Amanda hissed, strolling past her, "Look in a mirror."

Remus' eyes followed Amanda as she strolled past them. Her hair too, was pulled back, and shown with glitter, except her was also decked out with spiraling ribbons. Her robes weren't really robes at all, but a held a strange medieval look. The bodice, a black corset, had blood red silk ribbons winding up the front. The rest, which consisted of the skirt and sleeves, flowed down around her like folds of blood. She had the look of a noble, gothic queen.

Peter grinned up at her as she stopped in front of him, "Mind if we take a walk first Peter? I fear I need some air."

"Alright." Peter said brightly, locking arms with her.

Amanda's smile looked more like a disgusted grimace.

"By the way, where's Foxtrot?" Sirius asked, looking around.

"Oh, she went to find Snape." Amanda grinned, "She decided he's taking her." With a chuckle she left with Peter at her heels.

Hermione smiled as she swayed to the beat in Sirius's arms, who knew the Sex God could dance too?

It had been about twenty minutes since Amanda and Peter left, and Remus was looking pale, trying to get out of dancing with Lola. Hermione glanced up as the door swung open and Amanda, alone, glided in.

They watched her curiously as she walked up to them, a self satisfied smile on her lips.

Hermione was the only one to notice her eyes shimmer from gold back to their normal bright blue. An odd chill ran down Hermione's spine.

James looked around in confusion, "Where's Peter?"

A slow, cold smile spread over her lips, "He was feeling a bit eaten up by something, he left to get some rest."

'She ate him. Dear God she ate him.' Hermione thought in disbelief.

"Oh, well then. Are you feeling any better?" Remus asked, turning to her.

"Much, although something I ate really isn't agreeing with me."

'She's joking about eating someone...' Hermione thought in exasperation. For some reason, however, she found it hard to muster any pity for Peter. The damned rat deserved it.

"Yeah, yeah.... You're feeling better, who cares? You're just a stupid flea trapped werewolf." Lola sneered.

Amanda simply smiled, a wolfish smile. "Did you know a werewolf's next victim was identified by a pentagram on their palm?"

Lola blinked, and looked down. With a shriek she ran off.

Amanda collapsed into hyperactive laughter. Remus too, was smiling.

"LET ME GO YOU INSANE PSYCHOPATHIC WOMAN!!!"

Everyone turned their attention to the door, as Lacey (with Snape literally slung over her shoulder) strolled in.

"Oh, you say the sweetest things Snapey-poo."

"LET ME GO YOU BI-"

"Now, now. There are children watching Snapey-poo."

"I DON'T CARE YOU INSANE BIT-"

Lacey muttered a silencing spell as she turned to look at Hermione and the others. "An absolute doll isn't he?"

Snape did not look happy as she dragged him to the dance floor.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

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Thankx to my Betas and my Reviewers! I love you guys!!! cries hands betas big flower bouquets