Hufflepuff Concerto

You'll never see Hufflepuff the same again. Set in the year of the TriWizard Cup. A reluctant student comes to Hogwarts, is not a Mary Sue, and meets other OCs who are also not Mary or Marty Sues. I promise. Give it a try.

DISCLAIMER: That Harry Potter Universe and Characters are not, alas, my own.

A/N: I wish I were from Australia, but alas, I'm from the United war happy States of America.




Chapter Six: Pride and Prejudice

The mediwitch made short work of their cuts and bruises. None of them had been seriously injured in the fight. Even so, Professor Flitwick refused to let any of the girls go without a visit to Professor Dumbledore, the renowned HeadMaster of Hogwarts. Even Hannah's father had some respect for the aging Wizard.

"Part mage," he had told her the day after she received her letter, "that's what I've heard. Don't know if I believe it, but whether he is or no, he's one of the most powerful wizards out there. An even match for any mage alive. You'll be safe there." Now, this magical powerhouse was looking up at them over a pair of half moon spectacles and Hannah would have rathered he were further removed from the short list of people her father considered an equal. His grave expression mirrored Flitwick's. Together, they made a formidable force against misbehaving children.

Dumbledore nodded while Flitwick explained, inaccurately, their hallway battle. Hannah watched him as he watched them watching him. Her eyes soon wandered to small but intense Amber Maccon. The Slytherin leader was managing to look almost meek. Felanne, the quiet third member of their group, over shadowed her. She was confident and athletic, with sharp eyes that seemed to notice everything. To look at them now, Hannah wouldn't have considered Amber the dominant. She wondered if Dumbledore saw through it. Her father would have. But then, her father was a mind mage.

The had quite an audience, Hannah realized suddenly. After not quite a day in this Wizarding castle, Hannah was getting almost used to seeing the moving pictures, or "lavish abuses of magic," as her mother called them. But the pictures weren't just moving. They were watching them. A few whispered amongst themselves and wandered from frame to frame. She wondered how the worked, and if they could leave the room. If they could, was it possible that they told Dumbledore what was going on throughout the castle? Though, if he wanted to know that, wizards probably had a more efficient ways of doing so. They seemed to have magical things for everything imaginable.

"Interesting," Dumbledore murmered pulling Hannah's attention back toward him. Professor Flitwick had finished his explanation, leaving the HeadMaster to do his job. He continued watching them for a moment longer. Step one, Hannah thought, trying to meet his oh so very dissappointed grandfatherly blue eyes, the stare down. She wondered idly if all HeadMasters used the same process. That was how her father always started. Step two, His gaze came to a halt on pudgy Patricia Adams, Check the facts. "Miss Adams. You know Miss Grassik from Newark Prewizarding Academy, is that correct?"

The Slytherin girl nodded, "Yes, professor." Hannah bit her lip. Not the sort of facts she'd been expecting. Not the tone of voice either. He was so gentle. Clearly, he believed the Slytherin story.

"And were you friends there?"

"I," Patricia glanced toward Jaci as though looking for an answer. Then she shifted her focus to Amber, who shook her head slightly. Dumbledore's eyebrow raised slightly and Hannah knew he'd noticed. Patricia Adams' voice went flat, "We knew each other," she told the HeadMaster. She tugged the hairband out her black ponytail. It had gotten mussed during the fight.

"Did you ever fight in Newark's?"

She left the hairband on her wrist, "No, professor. We did not."

"Why the change?" Patricia pursed her lips, but didn't answer. Dumbledore watched her for a moment, making a thoughtful sound, before turning to Jaci, "Miss Grassik, how well do you know Miss Adams?"

"Our families are aquainted, sir," Jaci replied in the same clipped and distanced tone that Patricia Adams had used. It sounded ike everyone was working together to give as little information as possible. Or lying through their teeth. Or having a surface conversation to hide a thought conversation. Except that the last wouldn't happen here.

"Your families are acquainted," the HeadMaster repeated with nod, "You know her parents, then?"

"I've met them, professor," Jaci confirmed.

"What did you say about them in the corridor just now?"

Her breathing changed slightly, "I don't recall exactly. Adams was baiting me. She insulted my House. I spoke out of anger."

"I see," something in Dumbledore's expression changed slightly, "Is this true Miss Adams?"

"I never said anything about Hufflepuff, HeadMaster," Patricia Adams, the paradigm of indifferent innocence replied. Even Hannah was almost convinced.

"You seem certain she means her Hogwarts House, yet she has been in Grassik House all of her life. Very interesting. Very interesting, indeed," Dumbledore mused, "Miss Grassik, you do realize that attacking other students is against school policy?"

"Yes professor."

"And, Miss Adams, you understand that all the Houses warrant your respect and consideration?" Patricia nodded reluctantly. Hannah's heart skipped a beat when Dumbledore looked at her directly, and then at Jaci, "You two have detention with Professor Flitwick. Your parents will be notified and two points will be taken from Hufflepuff," pause, "I will be watching the five of you very closely." Last step: the final warning gaze, the forgotten train of thought reasserted itself. She hoped she never had the opportunity to fill in all the steps she missed.

Flitwick shooed the first years out, down the stairs, and into the hallway. The little professor had barely disappeared back into Dumbledore's office before Amber Maccon squared off with Jaci again.

"A shame no one stands up for a Hufflepuff troublemaker," she tisked and turned and walked back down the hall the way they'd come in. Patricia and Felanne fell in behind her. Amber Maccon glanced back at them and motioned for them to follow if they dared.

Jaci stepped forward as Amber flashed her teeth and rounded the corner. Hannah caught Jaci's arm and shook her head. She tugged a pinch of Jaci's robe as though a little momentum was all the other girl needed to go the other way.

Jaci looked down at Hannah, eyes cold, almost steely. It sent shivers down her eyes pupils all the way to her toes, like lightning being grounded to the floor. Hannah let go of her robe, "Sorry." So this strange Slytherin creature was Jaci as she was. Not Jaci as she acted. Hannah stepped back, staring.

"Trust me," Jaci whispered. There was nothing to trust in a casual tone like that. She looked so arrogant and superior, just like them. Hannah took another step back and shook her head. Before she knew it, she was running down the hallway. Away from the Slytherin girls. Away from the HeadMaster and professor Flitwick and all their wizarding ways. And most of all, away from the girl she'd thought could be a friend.

She took the first hallway she came to and stopped. Maybe Jaci would change her mind, yet.

For a moment, there was nothing. Only silence. Then Jaci's footsteps faded down the hall the other way. The blonde daughter of Slytherin had gone her own way.

Hannah sank back against the cold stone castle wall in relief. Even if Jaci had gone with her, it wouldn't have changed anything. Not after that Look. Had that been contempt? Hannah squeezed her eyes shut. What did it all mean? Was the Sorting Hat wrong?

Of course the Sorting Hat was wrong. Further way. She needed to get further away. Keep running.

But Jaci had said, "Trust me." What was that supposed to mean? Was that an underhanded apology? Hannah sank to the floor. It was nice and cold and she was hot and sweaty. Ever since the Slytherins had shown up, Jaci had stopped making sense. Last night she hadn't been like this. She had been quiet, not commanding. She had been just another girl. She liked bunnies and wildflowers. And after the girls had stayed up talking most of the night, and gotten through Potions lab with Professor Scary... then Hannah had let her go to face the Slytherin girls alone.

Who knew what they could do to her?

But Hannah was a Hufflepuff. Hufflepuffs weren't supposed to be brave. It was okay not to be brave, for a Hufflepuff. Bravery was for Gryffindors. She did what she did because it wasn't like her to go looking for trouble. It was okay to be scared, okay to run. Bravery wasn't in her nature. Running was. Hiding was.

Right?

Hannah cringed and climbed to her feet. Two days ago she'd thought Hufflepuff might be a kind of stuffing, and now she was making excuses based on some Hat's idea of where she belonged. She ran back down the hallway the way she'd come. Past Dumbledore's office. Down the corridor the way the Slytherins had gone. The way Jaci had gone. Stupid hat. Stupid Slytherin pride. Stupid Hufflepuff loyalty.



A/N: To Be Continued....
A/N2: What do you think?