Chapter 4
AN: Seeing as I started this story before HBP, the changes made in HBP will not appear in this story.
"Class dismissed! And don't forget, I want two feet on the uses of human transfiguration in day-to-day life. Oh, and Miss Potter, a word please."
Maeve hung behind as the other students swarmed out of the room. The door banged behind them, leaving Maeve alone with her Head of House, Professor McGonagall.
"You wanted to talk to me, Professor?"
"Yes, to let you know that you have a meeting with Professor Dumbledore and the Heads of House at 8 o'clock tonight, in the Charms classroom. The Head Boy will also be attending- the purpose being to further brief you on your duties and responsibilities as Head Boy and Girl."
"Okay, thank you Professor." Maeve turned to leave.
"One last thing, Miss Potter."
"Yes Professor?"
"This is a very important meeting, so mind you're on time."
"I will, Professor."
"Good girl. You may go."
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Dominic knocked on the door. It was opened almost immediately by a glaring Professor McGonagall.
"You're late, Mr. Malfoy."
She stepped back to let him into the room, pointing him in the direction of the last remaining chair. Maeve was sitting in the chair beside it, looking composed and attentive.
She would, thought Dominic bitterly, slouching into his seat.
Maeve shot him an angry look, but quickly looked away as Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"Now that everyone is present, I believe we may begin. Miss Potter, Mr. Malfoy- for this year, you two are the voices of Hogwarts. A great responsibility has been placed on your shoulders. It is up to you to listen to the students, to find out what they want from Hogwarts. It is up to you to find out what they dislike about Hogwarts and to find out if there are any disturbances among them, anything out of place or wrong. And it is your duty to relay this information to myself and the Professors.
You must always be alert. Nothing must escape your notice. You must, to quote a friend of mine, have constant vigilance. Nothing else will do. You are the authority outside of classes, so you must use your power for the reasons it was given. You must……"
Dumbledore's voice faded out as Dominic's attention drifted elsewhere. Was all this really necessary? There were a million things he could be doing right now, a million things far more beneficial and important, and yet here he was, wasting his evening with five old fogies and the school golden girl, being lectured on things that had nothing to do with the real world.
Did they really have a clue what they were talking about? Did any of them really know what it was like to be a Hogwarts student in this day and age? Dominic doubted it. No one who had seen the vicious rituals, unstable bonds and dog-eat-dog underworld that was the Hogwarts he knew could talk so calmly about creating harmony, ordering peace.
His eyes focused on Dumbledore, still preaching the good they could, and apparently would do in Hogwarts. The teachers were so removed, really. They had no idea that what they called authority was just one more person for the students to hide things from.
After all, what was the point in listening, if none of what was being said had any bearing on the reality?
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Maeve shot another angry glare at Dominic, but once again, he was oblivious to it. He was plainly in a world of his own, not hearing a word that was said. With some difficulty, Maeve restrained herself from going over and slapping him. She forced herself to remain calm, to listen to what was being said, even if Malfoy refused to.
Damn him, she muttered under her breath.
"And so, as a result, the two of you will be expected to meet at least once a week to discuss these aims. There is a lot of work to be done, and slacking will not be tolerated. I suggest you stay behind for a minute or two now, and look over your workload for the year. Professor McGonagall will give you each a copy. Is that all right?"
"Yes Professor."
"What? Oh… yes. Professor."
Maeve waited until the last of the teachers had left the room before turning on Dominic.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Malfoy?"
Dominic raised an eyebrow at her. "Sitting. In the charms classroom, I believe. With your good self, of course."
"Do you even know what you're holding in your hand?"
Dominic looked down . "A quill, why?"
"Your other hand," Maeve gritted out.
"Ah."
Dominic held up the piece of parchment, inspecting it.
"Briefing the prefects…… Spare timetables for the first years…… Quidditch pitch bookings……. NEWT ball………."
Dominic paused, frowning.
"NEWT ball?"
"Howarts tradition. It's a ball for the 7th years, it happens in May."
"I see."
"…"
"You seem to be expecting me to say something."
"No, of course not," said Maeve, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're only my co-head. You're only the one who I have to work with all bloody year. Of course I wouldn't expect you to listen to our briefing, or look over what we have to do. You evidently already knew what would be said."
"You can't tell me that you actually think that briefing's going to help, can you?"
"And why not?"
Dominic shook his head, staring at her in disbelief.
"Potter, do you live in a bubble or something?"
"No, but you seem to."
"Listen Potter. There's two things here. One is what the teachers think the students of Hogwarts are like. The other is what they're actually like. You're a smart girl, surely you've picked up on that?"
"From my experience, the two are usually the same thing."
Dominic stared at her, lost for words. Finally, he found his voice.
"What?"
"The teachers' knowledge is pretty accurate, from what I've seen. You, of course, wouldn't know either way, seeing as you never seem to listen to them."
"I hear enough to know that the teacher's are living in some by-gone era. Since when has the Head Boy had the students' confidence? Since when has the position had any so-called authority, other than the ability to scare others more than a normal 7th year? Since when has anybody ever been able to instil any sort of harmony in Hogwarts?"
Maeve was frowning at him, apparently deep in thought.
"What?" Dominic demanded irritably.
Maeve said nothing.
"What?"
"Have you ever been friends with any outside of your own house?"
"Friendship?" Dominic gave a hollow laugh. "That word's been forbidden to Malfoys for as long as I can remember. Accomplices, yes. Bodyguards, yes. But friends? No."
"Well then have you ever really been in contact with anyone outside your own house?"
Dominic paused, thinking back.
"No."
"So Slytherin really is as different as they say," said Maeve softly.
Dominic's head snapped up.
"What do you mean?"
"Look Malfoy, I've had friends in every house apart from Slytherin. I know how this school works. And trust me, the Head Boy and Girl command respect. They have the power to fix a lot of things that go wrong among the students that the teachers could never hear of. I've seen it for myself. I know it's true."
"So you're saying," said Dominic slowly. "That Dumbledore's waffle is actually true, outside of Slytherin?"
"Yes."
"I wouldn't have thought it was possible."
"But it is."
"I suppose…. You'd know better than me, at any rate."
"Do you like being a Slytherin?" Maeve asked cautiously.
Dominic met her eye, and when he spoke his voice was hard. "It's all I've ever known. I've been Slytherin since birth. Nothing will change that, so why bother considering anything else? I've learnt to deal with what fate throws at me. I've no reason to complain."
There was silence. Maeve didn't dare to look at him, fearing what she might see. She had always known that Slytherin house was different from the others, but she never could have guessed the truth. And she never, ever could have guessed that she could feel sorry for a Malfoy.
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A/N: So, what did you think? Please review and tell me, please! And thanx a million to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.
floro13: Thanks a million for always reviewing, you rock! I hope you still like the story.
xXx-Sectumsempra-xXx: Thanx a million for reviewing!
Ruinsul: Thanx for reviewing, hope you liked this chapter.