Disclaimer: I own my plot and me of course but nothing of J.K's I don't own Rob Zombie or any of his music.
A/N: GAH! Here is the funnest chapter in the world.. HALLOWEEENNNNNNN! WEEEEEEEE yes, this is 3rd POV again. I like switching point of view.
Chapter 6: To Be A Freak
Black sky, blood red clouds, silver stars, and a scent of death lingering about the castle. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was wonderously scary on Halloween. Students bustled around in their normal way during classes, but come the hour before the Halloween Costume Ball, students and staff were running in circles finding their costumes and putting on make-up. Maranda Maguire was not running like crazy though, she was in costume and ready to attend the ball. However, she was hiding in the girl's lavatory. She didn't want anyone to see her before the ball. This is why, when the school bell rang at nine p.m for the start of the dance, Maranda quietly snuck into the common room without being noticed by the few students left to go to the Great Hall.
Taking a long look in a small mirror, Maranda put on shimmering red lipstick. She rubbed body glitter on her cheeks and then fixed her hair into two messy buns. It took her at least twenty minutes to do this, so she would be right on time for her 'plan.' The previous night she finally completed her plans and what she would be doing. Taking the boombox from the floor, she placed in it the mixed cassette tape. Her plan wasn't going to be too bad, if things go right, that is.
Stepping one foot in front of the Great Hall doors, which were closed, Maranda intook a long breath and exhaled to try and calm her nerves. She pushed the doors open and stood in the doorway. Pressing play on her boombox, she set it on the floor and took a step forward. As a loud buzzing sound came from the boombox, Professor Dumbledore shut the music that he had on for the ball. Everyone stared in awe at the once innocent Maranda and wondered who this new gothic female was. Was it really her? Had she really changed herself into a gothic female, or was this just for Halloween?
The buzzing from the boombox stopped, and Rob Zombie's Demon Speeding started. Maranda set the boombox on the floor and started to lip sync with the song as she walked around intimidatingly with her gothic attire on. Everyone was staring in awe, even Draco, even Professor Snape. However, Professor Dumbledore smiled, he knew something would make Maranda try to burst out of her 'shy shell' soon enough. He didn't want to stop whatever she was going to do..He wanted her outgoing side to come out. How did he know Maranda had an outgoing, loud, hyper side? Well, Dumbledore knew her parents, and they were very active and social people...Their daughter would be just like them..Almost a splitting image..
Spinning around, Maranda continued her attention-grabbing plan. She walked up to Draco and pushed him lightly before turning around and moving her hips side to side. She then faced him again, laughing at the surprised look on his face and went on walking around the Great Hall. The song ended, but a new one started immediately. It was Living Dead Girl, again by Rob Zombie. Lip syncing to the words, she walked past the professors who were standing against the wall. Snape, who stared at Maranda with hatred and the worst anger ever, yelled at her to come down from where she was now. She walked across the top of the table, over and around the foods and drinks that were set up. Jumping down from the table, she found herself standing yet again in front of Draco. Snape quickly ran to the two pupils as Maranda thought of the next part to her plan. The boombox was still playing.
Draco made a disgusted face at Maranda and started to laugh. "You stupid girl! You think just because you dress up in a stupid costume and go around lip syncing, that someone's going to like you?"
Smiling, Maranda shot back, "No, I don't, ferret boy, but I know that if I dress up in a stupid costume and lip sync, it'll distract the teachers from what I'm going to do next."
"What's that?" Draco asked.
Snape tried to stop her, but was too late; Maranda's fist met the little ferret's face within an instant, sending him backwards, onto the floor.
"Miss Maguire!" Snape shouted, "Come with me right now!"
Not thinking, reflexes of 'Miss Maguire' pushed Snape, causing him go back a few steps. Several gasps were heard around the room as he grabbed her arm, yelling for her to stop and follow him. She ripped her arm from his tight grasp and pushed him again, this time on purpose. Students now surrounded the professor and misfit girl, some hoping a fight would start, and others hoping for them to stop. Draco got up and pushed through the croud. He pushed Maranda into Snape, her head hitting his chest. Her face blushed as she turned around and lifted her arm into the air, but Snape grabbed it. Draco laughed, and Snape yelled at him to go get Dumbledore. Surprisingly, he wasn't in the Great Hall anymore.
Maranda tore her arm from Snape's grip and elbowed him in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain. She looked at him and her eyes grew wide as she realized what she did. He stood up straight again and slapped her in the face. Students were now in so much awe, their eyes were about to pop out of their heads! Holding back tears of pain from the slap, Maranda stepped on his foot with her combat boots. Snape wasn't going to hold back anymore, he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up, and threw her over his shoulders like a dirty rag. She kicked her legs and punched his back as a five year old would do, and he kicked open the Great Hall doors. Every single student watched as the pair of annoyed, aggrivated, agitated people left the scene.
Snape struggled so much, but he managed to bring the tantrum-giving girl up to Dumbledore's office. At least by then she had stopped punching and kicking. Instead, she started to yell random things at her angry professor.
"You stupid man! You make me sick! You shouldn't be a professor! Anyone similar to you in this world should be shot and hung! You're so stupid!" Taking a breath, Maranda gave up her fight as they enetered Albus Dumbledore's humble office.
Setting Maranda in a chair, Snape shut and locked the door after he saw Dumbledore appear from behind a corner of the room.
"What is the problem, Severus?" Dumbledore questioned.
"Your student," Snape began, "has disrupted the dance, punched Draco Malfoy in the face, pushed me numerous times, elbowed me in the stomach, and stepped on my foot. I took her up here by force..She has gotten way out of hand, Albus."
"You forgot," Maranda quietly spoke, "You forgot the fact that your hand slapped my face..and that Draco pushed me into you."
"Is this true?" Dumbledore had a gleam of something other than anger in his eyes.
"Yes," Snape admitted, "but it was only to get her under some control. We should expel her, Albus. She has been nothing but trouble these couple of months. I don't see any need for her to stay if she's only going to be a hastle."
"Severus," Dumbledore looked at Maranda softly, "We cannot go about expelling those who have a rough time adjusting to our school. Maranda has come from a place where people aren't as accepting as others. She comes from a place where she was too afraid to even open her mouth for a split second...Knowing that anything you say could make anyone attack you is not very helpful..It's very unnerving to have to go day by day in a place where you can't even attempt to be yourself. I think Miss Maguire should get another chance here, considering she is only trying to find who she really is. Perhaps if you both talk out a less harsher punishment things will be settled down a bit."
Severus nodded his head, "Fine, headmaster...but Miss Maguire," Maranda looked up at him, "We will talk about your punishment tomorrow night at six p.m. at your detention. I'm going back to my dungeons right now..Goodnight, headmaster."
Unlocking and opening the door, Snape left without another word. Maranda sat up straight in her chair and looked downright puzzled.
"How did you know how I felt, Headmaster?" She asked politely.
"Let's just say I knew all along that you were about to break out of your 'shell.' I have intuitions and notions of these things. If you must continue trying to find who you are, please do not attack anymore professors.."
Sighing, Maranda said thank you and started to leave his office, but she could have sworn she heard him whisper, "unless they ask for it.."
Strolling to the Gryffindor common room, Maranda felt tears slowly building up behind her lids. She closed her eyes slowly and let one tear drop before holding the rest back. Crossing her arms, she felt cold and humiliated as she replayed the fight in her head. Getting pushed into Snape's rock hard chest wasn't exactly revolting. She chuckled at what he must've been thinking, or what the other students must've been thinking during that one part. Maranda bit her lip and asked herself why she went through with fighting Snape. That surely wasn't part of her plan. Her plan was to punch Draco and get the hell out of the scene before anyone saw. Unlucky for her, Snape had been there...Had even gotten a bite of the nasty pie.
Making her way through the Gryffindor portrait, Maranda went into the girl's dormitory and took out her pajamas. She went into the cold water of the shower minutes later. Thinking about the previous actions, she really was surprised that Dumbledore didn't expel her. She had made a fool of a professor, and even if it was Snape, she still felt sorry. She wanted to punch Draco and run away or get into a fight with him..Not a professor. Things at school weren't turning out as well as she had hoped for. She wondered if they ever would get better. Wanting to be asleep before any of the students came back from the dance, she got into bed and closed her disappointed eyes. She was disappointed in herself for not doing the plan right..Hell, she was mad at herself for not doing anything right. Before she put herself down anymore, she finally fell asleep.
0o0o0o0o
Stretching her arms up towards the ceiling, Maranda awoke from her nightmarish sleep. She remembered her nightmare slightly; it was a replay of her fight with Snape, but instead of being picked up and brought to Dumbledore's office, she was hit over and over again by Draco as Snape held her in place.
Thank Merlin nightmares don't come true. Thought Maranda, getting out of bed sluggishly, I wouldn't want that ferret punching me constantly. I rather fight with Snape again.
Dressing in a red top and jeans, Maranda walked to the Great Hall. On her way there, she heard many students gossiping about the previous night's events. She should have known better, it seemed that no matter where she went, Maranda was always going to be attacked by rumours and gossip. She had to learn to deal with the new things that would be spreading around the school...An infectious disease that would kill her reputation..Not that she really had one at Hogwart's...yet.
Maranda entered the Great Hall and noticed everyone look at her. It was indeed breakfast time, but it was Saturday. She thought people would've slept in and gotten breakfast later, but she was wrong. It was nine o'clock, so it wasn't too early. Contrarywise, it was too early to put up with eyes gluing on to her. It was too early to care about what people would say. Frankly, Maranda didn't want to care at all what people said, but she couldn't help it. She sat down and pulled some toast from the center plate on her side of the Gryffindor table. She glanced around the room and saw Draco with a nasty black and blue bruise on his forhead. Holding back an utterly powerful string of laughter, Maranda took a sip of her orange juice and tore her eyes away from the "bruised ferret."
Hermione, who was sitting next to Maranda, spotted the bruise on Draco's and told Harry and Ron to look. Apparently Malfoy was going to have just as much bad luck with gossip.
"You put a pretty bad bruise on him, Maguire." Ron blurted, across from her.
"uhh...yeah.." Maranda agreed quietly.
Hermione smiled, "He deserved it. By the way, I liked your costume. It was very dark and gloomy. You captured the Halloween spirit more than whole school of students put together. Did you make the costume yourself? Is that what you needed the sewing machine for?"
"Yes." One word answers was all Maranda was in the mood for.
Suddenly, Severus Snape slithered into the Great Hall. His hair was messy like always, his clothes a bit on the wrinkling side, and his face as grouchy as anyone could imagine. As he made his way towards the professors' table, he stopped in back of Maranda. She turned to look at the intimidating man hovering over her and she stopped chewing her food.
"Miss Maguire, I want to remind you that you have a detention tonight at six. If you are one moment late, you will stay an hour later than planned." Snape glared at her as she swallowed the lump of bread in her throat.
"Professor," She started meakly, "How long am I staying?"
"Until ten unless you plan on being late as I aforesaid." Without anymore words, he went to the professors' table and sat, not even speaking to Dumbledore.
Sighing, Maranda continued eating her food in silence for the rest of breakfast. When she left, she figured she would spend some time in the library. She always thought turning to books helped her; it helped her in the orphanage when things got too bumpy to stay on the road and wait out, and it helped her leave the real world.
Of course, she thought as she opened a romance novel, Of course who says this is even a real world?