The Slytherin common room was mostly empty, apart from three individuals. Two blonde, one brunette. Two sane, one crazy. Two slayers, one wizard. As with Buffy, Faith Morgan had been placed in Slytherin. Buffy knew that this time, the convicted girl was a real killer. Buffy was innocent; Faith was not. Presently, the dark-haired beauty was curled up on rich leather lounge in the lavish common room, like a cat. The dark furnishings and extravagant atmosphere added to her mystique: she looked very much like a cat. Her feline eyes and lashes were lined with charcoal eye shadow, as per usual. She was just sitting quietly, brooding, watching.
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Pay attention, Malfoy. I already went over this."
The platinum wizard snorted. "Well, I wasn't listening. Again." he commanded.
"She's a slayer. She's a killer. Did I mention that she's insane?"
His brow furrowed and he slouched, folding his arms over his chest. "Possibly, I noticed myself," he drawled sarcastically.
The corners of Buffy's lips quirked upwards wryly. "Okay, true. So you know that she really needs to be watched at all times."
"Yes…"
"And I can't help her all the time. I need some alone time, and you should help me."
"Not getting your point, Summers." Malfoy said flatly.
"I need you to take out Faith for the day next Saturday. All day, please."
Malfoy stopped. He pulled a face. "Aw, but that's the Hogsmeade trip!"
Buffy gave a smile. "Which I am attending with Harry for the day."
Malfoy closed his eyes. "Once again, Potter wrecks my day." He got up in a sweep of black robes and began to walk away.
Buffy pulled a face of dismay and jumped up after him. "Please, Malfoy?" she implored. "You're Head Boy, it should be your responsibility!"
He turned around. "Come off it," he said scornfully. "You're her – ah, sister slayer or whatever it is. You take her."
Buffy wrinkled her nose and pulled him back down onto a lounge with her. "Third wheel much?" she questioned. "It's a date, I don't want her there! Totally wrecks the whole guy-girl equation."
Malfoy pulled his arm out of her grip, which didn't happen quite so easily now as it would have done before; her slayer powers had not gone unnoticed. "Yeah. I could have plans, ducks," he said reproachfully
"Oh, but - " she stopped, and her eyes wandered to Faith.
Faith was looking at them with an intense stare, and had just stood. Buffy felt a bit put off – just a bit. A lot of the other students in the school had, in the last few days, proven to be quite terrified of Faith indeed. It was hilarious to see the first-years run in terror whenever the brunette beauty approached them in the halls, even just in passing. She was attractive, to be sure.
Faith had curves that most girls could only dream of. Buffy herself was almost jealous of her height and shape. But, then, Buffy had the added attraction of sanity. A couple of the older boys at Hogwarts had found her enthralling, before they too ran off in fear. Buffy had noticed only yesterday that Neville Longbottom, the idiot Gryffindor, had been staring at her during lunch. Admiring her, watching her. Faith had noticed too, but her reaction was to turn suddenly, stare at the poor boy and laugh loudly in his face. Needless to say, he had scarpered like all the others. Except most of the others didn't run headlong into Snape, spilling ink all over him.
The newest convicted murderess looked very out of place in her Hogwarts uniform. Buffy reflected that she probably did, too. Both the slayers, killers, were dressed as Catholic Schoolgirls under their outer robes. It was a contradiction, and the irony was not lost upon Buffy. She liked the look however; liked the misconception she was sure she was creating.
She snapped back to reality when Faith slinked past her with that swagger that she always had. The brunette slayer came to a stop next to Malfoy, leant down, and put the centre of her palm on his chest. He looked up at her, confused. In a fluid movement, Faith pushed him back into the sofa and began to crawl forward onto his lap. She didn't look like she wanted a cuddle and a bedtime story, though. She looked like a predator.
"Poor little lost Faith. You don't want me. No one wants me except the stars," she said sadly in her husky voice. Buffy raised an eyebrow at the blonde man.
Malfoy caught Buffy's eye, and Buffy almost laughed at his expression. It was an evil grin, naughty and wicked. Obviously, Malfoy was in deep approval to what Faith was doing. Faith was tracing little shapes on his chest with her finger, and had wrapped one of his arms around her waist. She was whispering in his ear. The whole scene was looking very intimate.
"Well, maybe I just need to get to know you better, love," Malfoy murmured to Faith.
Buffy was about to say something, then stopped and blushed. She stood quickly. There was no way she wanted to be present during this. "Or, you know…you could take her on a date to Hogsmeade…" she left the last sentence hanging, and skipped out of the room with a giggle.
Game, set and match. One whole day with Harry, coming right up.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Two nights later, the silvery moon was high in the sky. This, however, was a night of little romance for the two couples; Harry and Buffy; and Malfoy and Faith. Granger and Weasley were there, too – involved in a fight. The Slytherins plus Harry were in there for provoking a fight. The six seventh-years were in detention with Professor McGonnagal and Professor Snape. Double the crime: double the punishment. Both professors were involved because Harry, Weasley and Granger were in Gryffindor, while the others were from Slytherin.
Earlier that day, they had all been in Defence Against the Dark Arts when Harry, Buffy, Faith and Malfoy had executed a little…jest. A little prank, for the simple aim of fun. Professor Wilkins was boring them, as per usual. He had moved on from Ascensions to teaching them about magicks inside a person, and how to achieve more. Basically, it was about possession, voodoo and self-preservation. The whole class had to read The Picture of Dorian Gray. Buffy had thought back in Sunnydale, when her freshman English class had to read the book, that the author was a muggle: she soon discovered that the story was true, and that Oscar Wilde, the author of the book was a very powerful dark Wiccan warlock. Buffy, being the non-studious type, was bored to tears. Wilkins wasn't a boring teacher at all, but Buffy just didn't have the patience.
That day, they (the Slytherin and Gryffindor seventh-years) had a split double period, so they went to lunch before coming back to DADA class again. During lunch, the four had conspired.
Buffy had retrieved a bundle of clothes from the house elves. They were boys' robes, and had the name 'Bill Weasley' scrawled on the tag. Hand-me-downs, now used by that idiot Ron. Harry had taken the robes and transfigured it into an image of a cat. Not just any cat. The bundle of robes now had long, ginger hair with stripes, a pushed in face and a red collar with a gold plaque on it that read 'Crookshanks'.
Obviously, he hadn't actually turned it into a cat: it just looked like one – like a very realistic stuffed toy. Malfoy performed a charm on it so that the bundle of fur moved, and simulated the actions and behaviour of Hermione's cat exactly.
But, still, it was not right. It appeared like the cat, and it moved like a cat, but it didn't have the…spirit, the soul of a cat. If they looked into its eyes, they were just blank, expressionless. Malfoy shrugged.
"It's a great plan, but I don't think the model looks like Granger's cat. It just doesn't seem alive enough."
Harry paused. "There's gotta be something we can do," he said easily. "This is too good an opportunity to miss out on."
Buffy wasn't listening. She was staring at Faith. The brunette was swaying gently, staring at the cat placidly with a penetrating gaze. Not Dumbledore penetrate-y, but more…
Insane. Much, much more insane. There were many people who said that Professor Dumbledore walked the line between genius and insanity. Those people had not experienced the insanity of Faith. If they had, they would not be so quick to label him as crazy in comparison. Presently, Faith's dark glossy lips curled upwards into a somewhat secretive smile. She knelt down.
"Here, kitty kitty kitty. Come to Mummy," she murmured, holding forth her right hand palm facing up. The cat approached like a robot. The glassy yellow orbs looked up into Faith's heavily lined dark brown eyes and stopped, frozen. The model of the cat stood transfixed before Faith. In an instant, Faith's other hand came whipping out of nowhere and seized the cat by the scruff of the neck. The cat made no objection.
She raised the cat up to eye level and stared into the yellow eyes. "Animate" she whispered with her eyes still locked on the cat's. The cat's yellow eyes brightly sparkled for a second, then dimmed once more. Still, eye contact was not broken.
There was a pause. Harry frowned thoughtfully. "Hypnosis? That's kind of handy." He said it without ceremony, a statement.
Faith smiled absently and slid sleekly into Malfoy's arms. "Kitty is more real now," she said. "Can we continue?" her tone was laced with innocent inflection, and she gazed imploringly into the silver eyes of her boyfriend.
He grinned down at her wolfishly. "Absolutely."
As one, they approached the DADA classroom. Buffy bit her glossy lips in anticipation. "So," she said in a low voice, her face betraying nothing, "who wants to do the honours?"
There was a short pause, which Harry quickly filled. "I'll do it," he said easily. "It will hurt more if they ever find out it was me." He started to laugh scornfully. "This'll be fun. My bad deed for the day."
Buffy looked up at Harry. His emerald eyes were sparkling. She'd seen pictures of him when he was young. His eyes used to look like green fields, innocent and pure and foolish. The eyes are the window to the soul, and Harry's soul was a picture of youth and naivety.
They were not any more. Buffy looked closer, and Harry turned his attention to her when her felt her gaze. His eyes were now a deeper emerald, richer, finer. They were deeper, and spoke of troubling times. A past of pain and unhappiness spread upon Harry's face. Losing people, being brought up in a hateful environment. All these were factors which shaped a person. Harry's person had been altered. His soul was…not corrupted. No. Sure, that was what the Gryffindor losers said. They muttered about the dark-haired boy. It was plain to see that he was not a boy any more. He had…
Buffy brightened as Harry kissed her deeply. Yes, she thought absently. He had ascended. Not to a demon, that was just being silly. He had ascended into a man, and a strong one at that. Harry Potter was a bloody powerful sorcerer, and he was just seventeen. His green eyes sparkled with malevolence and malice. He was truly wicked.
Harry, Faith, Buffy and Malfoy stepped into the DADA classroom. Faith reached out behind her and made a beckoning movement with her hand. Inconspicuously, of course, but Buffy noticed it nevertheless.
The ginger cat prowled into the classroom amid the feet of the rest of the students. Crookshanks crawled into a corner and waited until Professor Wilkins came in. He walked with a bounce in his step, grinning at the class.
"Welcome back, kiddies. I have to say, I'm very glad to be back after that absence last week. Business out of town. I forgot to ask, did your substitute teacher remember to offer you milk?"
Silence met his question. Lavender Brown answered. "Um, no. And sir, what's with the milk anyway?" she looked at him weirdly.
Wilkins tutted. "Milk is important for growing boys and girls. I want you teens to remember, it's not 'uncool' to have healthy, strong bones and teeth." He clapped his hands and a tall glass of chilled milk appeared at each desk. Lavender stared at him, unnerved.
Faith grinned and downed her milk. Buffy watched, and followed the brunette's example. Wilkins was a champ. It wasn't his fault that the subject he taught was boring. "So, Professor," Buffy asked, "what did you do last week that was so urgent?"
He looked down at her. There were merry dimples in his cheeks as he smiled. "Old friend came back. I was in a little town in the States. I'm the Mayor there. Runs in the family." Buffy tuned out. Politics sucked. Back in Sunnydale, Buffy had some really bad prejudices against her local government. The police…the politics…it was all of the bad.
By now, the rest of the class was seated. Wilkins clapped his hands again. "Okay, girls and boys," he said jovially, "where were we? Ah, yes. Voodoo."
At that word there was a crack of green energy from the back of the classroom, from the corner that Crookshanks was hiding in. The whole class whipped around with gasps. The cat howled loudly and rose, floating to the centre of the room metres above the students' heads. With a tearing sound that made everyone sick to his or her stomach, the cat started to be ripped apart from the belly through. Hysterical screams and yells filled the air.
With an unhuman shriek, Hermione Granger rushed forward, staring up at her cat, which was now still. Split like an amoeba, it hung in the air, rotating slowly. In the background, Buffy heard someone be sick. Another someone.
There was silence. Granger was hyperventilating. She closed her eyes and let her tears fall, and sank to the floor. Her shoulders dropped, and she cradled her head in her hands, sobbing freely. Parvati and Lavender came over to comfort her ashen faced. Ron followed, looking angry and shocked, putting an arm on her back and stroking her hair gently.
From the back of the room came a jolly chuckle. Hermione swung around to see whom it was. Professor Wilkins was leaning up against a desk, giggling like a schoolboy.
"You kids are talented, aren't you! Excellent use of the Objective Animation curse. The image was realistic. That was quite a prank to pull on poor Miss Granger, though. Who was it?"
Hermione gaped. A student had done this to her? Across the room, Buffy smiled inwardly, but outwardly looked shocked.
Wilkins shrugged, and pointed his wand at the dissected cat, muttering a few words. The cat reformed into the cloak it had been originally. It fell to the ground with a dull thwap. Professor Wilkins walked over to it with a spring in his step and picked the cloak up, looking at the telltale label.
"Bill Weasley." He looked up sharply at the Gryffindor side of the room. Mr Weasley, you did this?"
Ron started when he heard his eldest brother's name. He froze. Hermione hissed and yanked away from him, glaring vehemently. He gaped, and shook his head silently no, trying to say it was not he, but finding himself rendered speechless. How could he be implicated for this? He was her best friend, he loved her too much to do a thing like that. No one could do a thing like that, only a murderer would be that cold-hearted.
"You did this?" she whispered, looking at him wide-eyed.
Without a word, she sprang. The emotionally strung girl leapt at the tall redheaded boy, clawing wildly. She shrieked and beat at him wildly.
"No..I…He-" Ron tried desperately to hold her off, grasping both her wrists in one of his hands. Still, she cried louder and kicked out. Dean and Seamus came in then and grabbed her, pulling her away from the innocent Ron.
Wilkins came over, wearing a frown. "There there, Miss Granger. You're making a terrible mess. Why don't you go and clean up a bit?" She nodded, unable to speak for crying. Lavender led her outside. Ron was about to follow, before looking back at his fellow classmates. Amid the shocked faces, he caught Buffy's grin. Faith's sadistic smile. Malfoy's smirk.
What made him feel sick was Harry's wink.
&*&*&
hey people
sorry I know this is a short chappie but I'm kinda caught up in my other fic right now. I promise to update! Many thanks to all my fans (by this I mean reviewers, even those who flame) ;) and to Joe G, who helped me through my difficult time. Did you know, only he and one other have guessed my plotline!! Kudos to them.
Woohoo doncha just LOVE the Mayor?? He rocks, I had to get him in more of my story so he's a teacher as well. Just another cameo for now, maybe more later ;) Harry, Harry, Harry; what happened to make you so scarily, sexily rebellious? Whatever it is, I want some!
Please review, gets me motivated!!!!!