Hallo!
I really shouldn't be posting this so soon. This is such a freaking long chapter. I really should have split this up and be serving it in two (maybe even three... this is the better part of ten pages) chapters. So much serious plot development happens here, it's not funny.
Some notes about this chapter:
-Honestly, I feel like I'm going so ut of character, even if it might not be
apparent to you guys (too caught up in the "whoa, they kissed!" bit,
aren't you? ;P). Merlin, the day that Harry uses the word 'pivotal' in his thoughts
is the day Hermione gets a B.
-THREE DAYS, TEN PAGES! You *so* shouldn't ever expect this much, this fast
again, lol.
-My birthday is on May 4th! Haha yeah, just thought I'd let ya'll know... *winks*
-I have already decided some of the things that will be separate mini-fics.
Crabbe and Pansy's fight, Neville-in-?'s internal battle (a little poetic bit...
honestly, he was put it the most ironic body, you probably already know who
he is). I may be writing one of them soon, I really do want to decide for myself
what all Crabbe and Pansy's fight consisted of.
-Yes, people, I am notorious (sp?) for cliff-hangers. I know. It's the same
way in the novel I'm writing, you'll see if you buy it when it's published.
(Sadly, no, it's not slash, lol. *hears people going "ew, het!"*)
*Gives winning grin*
-I made up some crap about the Dark Marks, I hope that it at least is somewhat
believable. --"
The characters we know of are (body - person IN body):
Blaise Zabini - Harry Potter
Crabbe - Padma Patil
Goyle - Dumbledore
Neville - McGonagall
Ron Weasley - Blaise Zabini
Draco - Lavender
Padma - Ron
Harry - Draco
Pansy - Snape
You're finding out about Hermione and Neville in this chapter, so they'll be
listed next chapter.
Thank you to my wonderful reviewers!....
Necromant - Whoa, calm down, here's a sizable chunk for ya.
crudedly - He figures it out finally here. He may be incredibly thick,
but don't you just love Harry? *Grins*
Devona Wolfe - Lmao, yes, it kind of did. And you got lucky again! XD
You watch, Snape's not been entirely outed yet. Harry does that for Padma.
Elmindrea-al'Thor - Yes! You will see Hermione in this chapter! ^^
leeLeePotter - Hahaha. You see, it's Sevvie's Death Eater training -
or at least that's my excuse - he can control his facial features to a T, making
Padma think that the Map didn't work.
Ronda-Silverpaw - Correct!
Katie Lupin Black - Padma from the Map. Our Sevvie-in-Pansy is still
a bit in the dark. Anyway, Draco knows who Harry is because of Blaise - neither
of them could figure out the Map, so remember when Blaise returned it to Harry?
Kaaera - *Sighs* I wish I had muses. I just have... uh... crappy pop
music?... yeah....
Ruth01 - Yes he will... and no, Pansy doesn't know who Harry is.
selua - Thanks, and okay. :)
Winnie2 - I'd bet that Ravenclaws are excellent at blackmailing, but
Padma's above that sort of thing.
Cliffe - Whoooo someone who thinks my characterization is right on! Go
me! I think the writers' block comes now though. --"
risi - It won't take him long at all - and yup, that's the Map.
ESP - Hopefully you won't think this one's too short. *Grins*
Everybody Smile - They're not all supposed to be hard to figure out -
for instance, where Neville was I thought was blaringly obvious, but I dunno,
no one really seemed to comment on it. Hermione made herself stand out by acting
too much like the person who's body she's in.... ;)
Jaded Angel8 - Thanks!
Fuzzy-Bumpkins - Well, it's not actually in the newspaper--you know when
you read magazines in clas and in order to not get caught, you stick it in the
textbook? (Well, maybe you personally wouldn't know, I've never done that either...
lol.) Same idea there.
Saavik13
penny - If you don't already know, you'll find out in this chapter. :)
ataraxis - She freaked me out too. I think she's obsessed with splitting
up the HPSS romance since she knows who they are--being a Ravenclaw she truly
does think it's for their own good.
Doneril - Hehe, yes, the BZDM is rather creepy. (But HEY! Isn't that
an original pairing? Heh heh....)
Ah yes, this is slash, male/male romance... between both Blaise-in-Ron/Draco-in-Harry and Harry-in-Blaise/Snape-in-Pansy (whew confusing)... just to enlighten the unenlightened. Potter belongs to JK Rowling. I'm not JK Rowling. I'm just a girl who lives in the United States who happens to enjoy terrorizing JKR's creations.
.~*~.
Chapter Eleven
Harry and Pansy avoided each other for the next few days, neither ready to
talk to one another when they didn't have to. Their classes together were
the hardest to bear, since their names right next to one another alphabetically
in 6th year Slytherin.
So, when Friday came along, it was a relief that Transfiguration was a class
not arranged in order.
"If you don't recall, animagus transformations were briefly covered
in your third year." McGonagall was returning graded essays as she spoke.
"Today we are going to begin the human transformations unit."
Harry saw, out of the corner of his eye, Milicent's perfect score. He
frowned at his own, much lower score, giving McGonagall's back an annoyed
look.
"We will be beginning this unit with a few classes on vocabulary, different
concepts, and the regulations that someone must follow to register their animal
form with the ministry. You will also be taking a personality and character
quiz to see which animal would suit you best if you were to become an animagi.
I found a test which works fairly accurately for this. You should all know already
that the animal form chooses you, just as the wand chooses the wizard, and also
that some of you naturally just can't become animagi. I would hope that
your results inspire you to learn to be an animagi after you complete your schooling
here."
McGonagall caught a student's yawn from the other side of the room. "I
assure you that you will find this unit interesting, Miss Parkinson."
Harry glanced over at Pansy. She was already looking at him, daring him to comment.
He looked toward the front of the room again.
"At the moment there are only seven Ministry-registered animagi. Not
that many attempt to learn how to transform. It is a very rigorous process that
branches off into the even more complex field of wandless magic. I assume that
Professor Flitwick has started instruction in that area?"
The class was silent, although some students were giving her an "are you
kidding?" look.
"Well, I will be touching upon that topic anyway," she sighed.
McGonagall then instructed them to read a handout she'd given them earlier
while she did more grading. Harry, who had finished while she'd been talking,
watched her up at her desk, marking papers. As she read, she chewed her marking
quill. Stacked around her were various books in tall piles, in all different
subjects. It reminded him of....
His eyes widened. McGonagall was Hermione!
The class went on tantalizingly slowly, Harry squirming on his bench, turning
every so often to read the clock. He found it extremely hard to concentrate
on the lesson he was supposed to be taking notes for.
Finally, the bell rang. He didn't mind being late for Divination, it was
practically a free period anyway.
He walked up to the desk, and waited for the last of the Slytherins to leave,
Crabbe being considerate enough to close the door for him.
McGonagall looked up at him wearily.
"Hermione?"
Pansy trudged along corridors, following her house to Divination silently.
How did Patil know my identity?
She frowned. There was no reason that Crabbe should have any idea who she was.
She winced, wondering if he'd told Blaise yet. It was only a matter of
time until he did if he already hadn't, and then she'd be left where
she'd been since graduating Hogwarts. Alone.
Why am I taking this so damn seriously? She wondered. It's been practically
two weeks, and I'm falling for a student! Damn these female hormones!
She turned a corner, several paces behind the others. In a way, my being
alone is because I became a Death Eater, she sighed. The Dark Lord preaches
to his blind followers that love is a weakness, love is a trap. For a while,
maybe I believed him.
Climbing into the North Tower, she forced herself to stop thinking about it.
"Who are you?" McGonagall asked, in a quiet voice. She looked
scared, having backed her chair away from the desk with a horrible scraping
noise.
"Harry."
She laughed, breath slightly hitched. "Sure you are."
Harry shrugged. "Never mind." He started out.
"Wait," the professor said, standing. "How does your foster
family treat you? What is your owl's name? What's Remus' nickname?"
She stayed by her desk. "Are you really Harry?"
"Badly, Hedwig, and Moony." Harry grinned. "You look like
you've seen a lethifold, Hermione! It's just me!"
McGonagall grinned, and ran up to him to give him a hug. "I missed you!"
"Ron and I missed you too! I should've realized sooner that you'd
be playing your new part flawlessly."
She frowned at him. "You know you're not supposed to be letting
others know who you are...."
"Of course. I've been careful. He's Padma, if you're
wondering."
She rolled her eyes. "I should've figured that was him. He's
the most immature new Ravenclaw of the bunch...."
They both shared another grin.
Harry spent most of lunch catching up with Hermione. With five minutes left,
Harry went to the Great Hall to grab something for on the way to Potions and
glanced at the Gryffindor table on his way to Slytherin's table.
He stopped. Looked back.
His body was sporting newly-bleached hair. He blinked. Made his way to the edge
of the table, where his body and Ron's were talking.
"Hey, Potter!" he said, grimacing. "What's up with your
hair?"
"Don't you like it?" Draco asked, sweetly. Dean and Seamus
looked up.
He didn't reply, glaring at the Gryffindor.
"I think it's cool, mate," Ron said, subtly mocking Ron's
speech. Harry just shook his head and continued to his table.
Again, the only available seat was between Pansy and Crabbe. He was cursing
his luck today. At least he'd found Hermione.
"Hey, Crabbe," he said, blatantly ignoring Pansy.
"'Ello Blaise." Crabbe sipped his orange juice. "How're
you?"
"Alright. Found a friend. Did you see Potter's hair?"
Crabbe innocently made an exaggerated glance at the Gryffindor table. "Crazy,
but why's it bothering you?"
"Uh... no reason."
"Mmhmm."
Pansy raised an eyebrow. What the hell does she think she's doing?
"Hey, is the pasta any good?"
"It's alright," Crabbe said mildly. The bell rang. They
both got up. Glancing at Pansy, Crabbe caught Harry's arm. "Oh,
Blaise, I wanted to tell you–"
"Don't you dare," Pansy mouthed from behind Harry, making
him jump.
"What is it?"
"Well, I found out that Pansy is actually–"
"I'm warning you, Patil," Pansy mouthed again.
"Hey, stop, not cool. I want to find out who she is by myself."
Both Pansy's and Crabbe's eyebrows raised. He thinks I walked
away?
"But–"
Harry turned away, finding himself in front of said student. "Erm. Hi."
He found it a bit funny in a twisted way, the way Pansy's right eyebrow
slowly sunk, leaving the left one up.
"Like a game for you, Zabini?"
"Well, I guess one could think of it that way," he said. Her other
eyebrow sunk. It was amazing how much control she had over them.
"Uh huh."
"Er," he started, "but if you prefer not to think of it that
way–"
She was already walking away.
"Amazing how you repel girls with a single sentence."
He turned to glare at Crabbe. "Gee, thanks."
Saturday the 19th was another rainy day. It was getting too cold to be out
on the grounds without a cloak anyway.
Harry had finally decided to list all the Slytherins he knew of, the Map nearby
and Crabbe watching with amusement, both taunting him. He held his quill still,
rereading his list.
"Milicent Bulstrode?"
"No."
"Marcus Flint?"
"He graduated already. And no."
"Cut it out!" he said indignantly, frowning at Crabbe, but still
crossing them off of his list. He tapped the quill against the parchment absently.
"How would you know anyway?"
"Your map thing," he said gleefully.
He stopped tapping. "What?"
"Your map."
"How did you figure out how to use it?!" Harry demanded, gaping.
"I overheard you activate it once," she said. "Besides, I'm
not completely stupid."
"Then stop telling me! I want to figure it out on my own!"
Crabbe was grinning. "You know, I wouldn't tell anyone if you wanted
me to tell you...." He seemed to be having the time of his life, taunting
him like this.
"Padma, cut it out!" Harry turned back to his list. He still had
about twenty more Slytherins he knew he was missing, before he remembered that
they wouldn't matter anyway, if Pansy was past seventh year. He was beginning
to get extremely vexed.
Crabbe was pouting. "Fine. I still find it extremely funny who he happens
to be, especially you being who you are–"
Harry turned to stare at her so quickly that his neck cricked and he winced.
"Pansy's a he?"
"Oops," Crabbe said, not sounding very concerned.
Harry stood up from the place he'd been lying on the bed that Crabbe almost
lost his balance and he himself was lightheaded for a few seconds.
"I'm going to take a walk," he muttered, only pausing to stick
his Map and list into Zabini's cabinet before leaving the room.
Hogwarts was so big that Harry figured that without the aid of the Marauder's
Map, you could walk around for years and never find half of the hidden passageways.
It still amazed him how his father and his friends had found so many, although
he was sure that there were others out there. There were some blank spots on
the Map that he figured might be more secret rooms, but he'd not bothered
to look so far. He did want to try and find them before he left Hogwarts next
year though.
He ended up high in the castle, near the South Tower, and eventually found his
way to an empty tower that he could sit in and not be disturbed.
So. He stared out over the railing, then drew back to avoid getting
wet from the downpour. It was loud; the roof sounded like a herd of something
with huge feet. Pansy's not a girl. That was unexpected. He frowned.
No, ironically, it was a fifty-fifty chance and ended up the way I didn't
consider. Brushing his hair away from his face and frowning when it bounced
back into place, he took a seat on the stone bench connected to the wall.
I guess I don't really mind, she... he? I never really considered gender
important, really, at least after Cho. I had plenty of time to think about that
last summer. Girls can really be confusing. Here his frown deepened. Pansy's
confusing too though. Maybe anyone you're interested in is confusing.
Next he sunk a bit. There's an age difference though. Not in seventh
year... so she... he's at least eighteen. Probably more? Shrug. I
guess that's not really a pivotal thing in what attracted me to Pansy
anyway either though....
His stomach felt odd. A sort of 'squick' feeling. He figured it
might just be from the unexpected news.
Nonetheless, he sat up straighter. I don't care who he is. After all,
a name's just a name. He really can't be all that bad, can he?
He thinks love is a game.
Pansy sat in the middle of her four poster. She was continuing her research
for Dumbledore, but like so many times before, was finding it difficult.
"Damnit!" She slammed the book shut. Milicent looked over at her
with concern. "Damn hormones. Damnit." Refusing to curl up into
a ball, she drew her legs to her chest and rested her head on her hand.
Milicent came to the edge of the bed and leaned against a post. "Boy problems?"
She looked up, fighting back an over-Snapish comment, although not exactly sure
why. "Yeah. So?" At least her teenage vocabulary was up to par.
"I can try and help you."
"Hufflepuff?"
"Yeah. So?" Milicent said, breaking into a grin. Pansy awkwardly
turned the corners of her mouth up, unsure of what else she was supposed to
do. "What's up?"
"Eh. I'm falling for a Gryffindor in a Slytherin body. He is much
younger than me. I don't like it."
Milicent blinked. "...Ah." She shrugged. "They like you?"
Pansy tilted her head, thinking over the answer. "I suppose so."
Milicent grinned again and started to leave. "Then what's the problem?"
And she was out the door with a wink.
Pansy sighed. My own damn conscience.
The rain began to be blown into the tower from the rain, and as Harry wasn't
particularly in the mood to be soaked, he climbed back down into the corridor
and leaned against the wall.
"I'm so stupid," he concluded, shaking his head. If I was
smarter, I would not only be saying the right things, but I would be able to
figure out who he is. He slid down the wall, preparing to sit there for
a while, edging away from a puddle of water from the tower. Older than eighteen...
so he'd be a teacher? A frown. A Slytherin teacher....
...Oh.
"Hey mate! What're you doing here?"
He looked up, eyes still wide from his realization. His palms were starting
to feel like they were going to drip into their own puddles. The 'squick'
had vastly intensified.
"Hey Ron... er... what're you doing here?"
She shrugged. "Ravenclaw tower. Uh, what's wrong?"
Harry shook his head, making time for himself. Would Ron think he was sick if
he told him who Pansy must be?
"No, mate, something's wrong. You're shaking like mad."
Padma knelt down next to him, looking concerned, a face which Padma's
thin face actually seemed to accomplish quite effectively.
"I know... who Pansy is...."
"Who's the lucky girl?"
Harry looked up at his friend and then away, in shame. "She's not
a girl."
There was silence, then....
"Oh."
They sat side by side, neither wanting to be the first to ask or answer. The
hall faintly lit up before a boom of thunder was heard.
"If you're wondering, I'm still fine with that, if you are,"
Padma said, looking down the hall on her side.
"I don't... know." Harry looked down the hall on his own side,
face reddening. "It took me so long to figure out who she was, but...
he's not the first person I would expect to be so attractive, you know?"
"Who?"
Harry squeezed his eyes shut, preparing himself for the worst.
"Snape."
"Shit!"
Crabbe's homework fell to the floor as he grabbed his left arm, gritting
his teeth.
"What?" Pansy was next to him almost immediately, despite previous
occurrences. She cursed in what sounded to Crabbe like Latin. "Pull up
your sleeve." The rest of the common room was empty, which wasn't
necessarily a good thing.
The Dark Mark, on the inner forearm, glowed a dark red. For a second, Pansy
gave a sigh of relief.
"Good, he's not calling an assembly." She closed her eyes
and sighed. "But he probably will soon. This is just a reminder of ou–the
Death Eater's loyalty to the Dark Lord."
Crabbe looked near to tears at this news, and seemed to be hyperventilating.
"Calm down, it was inevitable. You are intelligent enough that should
the Dark Lord call a meeting, you will keep your head enough to survive. Now,
that imbecile in m–Professor Snape's body...."
"–Longbottom–"
"Yes, Lon–what? Shit." Pansy wrung her hands. "Longbottom
is going to be the one to botch this up."
They were silent, for once teamed instead of pitted against one another.
"I need to speak to Longbottom and Albus, I'll be back."
There was another, longer, ringing silence. Padma slid away, right into the
puddle, but didn't seem to notice. "S–Snape?"
Harry's eyes were still shut as tightly as they could be. "Yeah."
"Oh boy," Padma said, with something of an extremely nervous laugh.
"Yeah, you've got it bad, alright. And you still like...?"
The pair of eyes opened, but shifted away as he nodded once, extremely subtly.
"Well."
More silence.
"You don't think I've gone mad, do you?"
The question Harry posed was entirely serious.
"That's a good question."
"Ron...."
"Not really," Ron said, shrugging. "I mean, who am I to be
offended if that goes anywhere? It's up to you, mate. I'm with you
all the way, whatever you decide to do."
"Thanks." They finally met eyes again, the first time in quite a
while. Harry's mind was racing. If it goes anywhere... it couldn't
possibly go anywhere once he finds out I'm his least favorite student....
"So, what're you going to do?" Ron asked, giving a grin. "No
details, please."
Harry's mouth split into a grin too. "Well, I thought I'd
just go right up to him and confess my love on the spot, and we'd have
satisfying–"
"Whoa! Stop! Forget I mentioned it!"
They both collapsed in their own fits of giggles.
First stop, Longbottom. Pansy sighed, growling.
She stopped and straightened her robes before pulling on the handle of chaos.
The door to her prior quarters swung open to reveal a mess of broken bottles
and teaching plan papers, still floating to the ground. In the middle of it,
her prior body was curled into a ball, rocking back and forth.
Pitiful.
"Longbottom."
The huddled Snape's head snapped up.
"P–Parkinson?"
Pansy brushed the name aside. "Sure. Your Dark Mark is red, correct?"
Snape pulled up his robe sleeve to reveal the magic tattoo.
"What the hell?" Pansy drew closer, stepping over a Potions essay
and examining the Mark.
It was bleeding.
"Okay."
She inhaled. "I assume your puny mind can figure enough to tell who I
am, correct?"
"P–Professor Snape?"
"Correct, for once. Quit your damn stuttering. Do you know what it means
when the Dark Mark bleeds?"
"No, sir."
"You should, it should have been taught in your fourth year. It means
that a Death Eater has been rejected. Discovered to be a traitor."
Snape's eyes were avoiding Pansy's, looking at the floor. He was
shaking.
"Look at me!" His eyes slowly rose up to meet his. "Why are
you so damn afraid of me?"
"You're scary, sir."
"Albus," Neville Longbottom called, entering the office in a rush.
Portraits gazed down at him. "Albus, the Death Eaters have been sent to."
"Called?"
"Thank Merlin, no. They were sent a reminder."
Goyle, seated in the headmaster's chair, rose, no sparkle in his eyes.
"We'll need to gather all of the Slytherins who are concerned, then.
I believe–we may need to have Pansy Parkinson present to aid in instruction."
Neville looked curious. "Severus?"
Goyle nodded. "Minerva, we need to get everyone back into their houses.
From there you'll be able to gather them."
Neville nodded and exited quickly.
Both Pansy and Snape were silent, watching one another.
"You'll need to swallow your fear then, Longbottom. You will need
to cooperate and realize that your calmness and intelligence are required. I
know that you at least can be competent, seeing how gifted you are in Herbology.
I hope mentioning that both of our lives depend on you not screwing up doesn't
put too much pressure on you," he sneered.
"What do I do?"
"Anything I instruct you to. You will listen to me, and you will listen
to the headmaster, in Goyle's body. Only us. Do not take orders from anyone
else. Do not go to Death Eater meetings, or you will be killed. Start acting
more like me, if you even know how."
Snape's features grew cold. "Why are you always so hard on me?"
"Because you never listen. Otherwise you wouldn't be blowing
up cauldrons and making perfume instead of potions in my classes."
He crossed his arms and didn't reply. He would've been cut off by
his previous voice anyway.
"ALL STUDENTS MUST REPORT TO THEIR HOUSE COMMONS. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES
MAY THEY LEAVE. HOUSE HEADS, PLEASE TAKE ROLL OF YOUR STUDENTS. ANY STUDENTS
WHO ARE LATE OR WHO DO NOT SHOW MAY BE EXPELLED."
"You need to report to Slytherin and take roll," Pansy said, walking
to a cabinet and pulling from under a potions book a list of Slytherin students.
"Here. Go."
The Slytherin Commons were a mess. Students anxiously moved about, talking
to one another, without any order.
"Please–your attention–"
Snape couldn't get the Slytherins to quiet, and looked back at Pansy helplessly.
"Imbeciles, pay attention!"
The noise died down almost immediately. Pansy returned to the background while
Snape called out names.
Everyone was present.
Neville entered, looking sharply at the house's members, any chatter that
had begun since Pansy's intervention ending. Under normal circumstances,
people would have laughed if Neville attempted to look sharp. Now, no one made
a sound.
"As many of you sporting the Dark Lord's Mark are aware, he has
sent you a reminder of your service to him this afternoon. Pansy Parkinson will
explain to you what you are to do."
Having the spotlight suddenly placed on her, Pansy hadn't been prepared
to talk just yet, but cleared her throat anyway.
"Slytherins," she started, glaring at a pair who were still whispering.
"I want each and every one of you to pull your left sleeve up completely.
Longbottom and I will tell the ones who don't have Marks to return to
their dorms."
When Snape made to move, Pansy shooed him back, pointing Neville's body
to one end of the students and she herself starting in the front.
Once all the students who did not have marks were removed, a thankfully large
number of the house, the ten or so Slytherins who did sport the Dark Lord's
symbol gloomily sat on the poufs and tables in the front of the commons. Neville
left, leaving Snape and Pansy in front. Snape practiced making glares at random
individuals while Pansy spoke.
"You will all need to keep your heads about you while you are in the
bodies you are in now," she began. "I'm sure you haven't
enjoyed your taste of being a Slytherin, but since you have been placed in this
position, for the time being, this is something you will have to overcome.
"I will give you no lies. The Dark Lord is a very cruel and unforgiving
man. If anything is said of you that makes you suspicious, you will be investigated
and possibly removed. If you are removed for being a traitor, the other Death
Eaters will consider you just as big of targets as important people on the light
side.
"You will inevitably be called to a meeting while still in the body
you inhabit. You must all learn to apparate, most importantly. You must keep
your wits about you. You must speak only when spoken to. You must do as the
Dark Lord says. And most importantly, you mustn't make yourself a target.
It is your duty. The light side is fighting to conquer the dark, but you mustn't
rebel. You would be putting too many people at risk. If you are tortured, you
must've give any information away that you may know of."
Before her, the glum faces of Crabbe, Milicent, and Malfoy were in front of
the others. Then there were seventh years.
"Dumbledore will be there with you, but you must not watch him. You
must not betray him. If you say anything about Dumbledore while at a
meeting, either you or him will be killed in an instant. If you betray Dumbledore,
you will be setting yourself up to perish at my hands."
Some of them watched with no expression. A few were shaking. One of the seventh
years was crying.
"Go. Eat meals and rest, and be alert at all times for callings. I will
meet with you again at some point to explain more." She waved them off.
By the end of the day, the gloom had spread to the entire castle.
