Okay, ONLY PLOT MINE!!!!!!
Marie stared at Dumbledore. She was holding her breath, waiting to hear what he would say. Although she didn't really want to switch houses, she had to think of the job. She hoped Dumbledore was aware of her mission, and would answer accordingly. She needn't have worried, however.
"Of course you and Miss Cartier may share a house, Mr. Malfoy. I will inform Severus and Minerva immediately."
Malfoy looked surprised at the headmaster's immediate approval. The fool was a stickler for rules, and house switching would definitely be against those rules.
Marie and Draco remained alone in Dumbledore's office while he left to fetch Professors Snape and McGonagall. They didn't speak to one another, or look into each other's eyes, but Draco did take hold of Marie's hand. Although she hated him for what he'd done to her friends, a little part of her was beginning to feel fond of him. Not love him. Just like him a little. He was a misunderstood guy. He and Ash were so much alike, and Marie supposed that if she couldn't be with Ash, here was the next best thing.
Just then, Dumbledore returned, the other two professors trailing in his wake. Professor McGonagall's mouth was set in a firm line, and Professor Snape still wore that look of contempt and hatred that he reserved for all Gryffindors, but as Snape looked at her, the loathing on his face wasn't quite as definite. It was more uncertainty then anything else, as if he didn't know what he should think about her.
I wonder if that's the look he reserves for former-Gryfindor-but-almost-Slytherins, Marie mused to herself.
"All right, now" Dumbledore said, snapping Marie back to reality. "Miss Cartier, you will now be in Slytherin. Severus, I expect you to treat her as one of your own."
The Potions Master nodded. It was quick and brief, and afterwards, he looked as if he was glad to have it over with
Dumbledore was continuing. "Your things have already been moved to the dungeons. Mr. Malfoy, I am certain you can show Miss Cartier to her new rooms?"
Draco nodded. "Yes, Sir." He grabbed Marie's hand. When they reached the door, he turned around. "Sir, Ash Redfern has a past with her, and she doesn't really feel safe around him. Could you switch him to Gryffindor?"
Dumbledore smiled. "Don't worry about that, Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Redfern has been taken care of."
Draco grinned, and led Marie away from the Headmaster's office. Professor Snape followed them. Draco talked all the way to the dungeons.
There was something strange going on. Ash could feel it. He was sitting in the Slytherin common room looking over some class notes when all of a sudden, Professor Dumbledore's pet phoenix, Fawkes perched on the desk next to him. He was carrying a letter from his owner telling Ash that he had been switched to Gryffindor house. Ash brightened. Maybe they were taking pity on him and letting him be with Mare.
Thanks to spending so much time with Hermione, Ash knew were the Gryffindor common room was. But when he got there, there was no Mare present. Just Hermione and the two guys she hung out with.
"Hey Hermione, where's Mare?" Hermione looked at him strangely. "She's been moved to Slytherin. They put you here instead. This is Ron," she indicated a red-haired boy, "and this is Harry Potter." After pointing Harry out, Hermione looked back to Ash, who looked floored.
"Why did they move her there?" Ash asked.
Hermione looked uncertain, like she knew something that she didn't want to tell him. Then, she breathed deeply and began speaking.
"They moved her to Slytherin because Malfoy got an owl from his mother requesting that the two of them become more 'friendly'"
Ash's eyes narrowed. "Just how friendly are we talking about here?"
Hermione decided to just tell him. That would be better. "I think you'll have a married soulmate by the end of the year."
Ash's eyes widened. "Excuse me." He ran to the boys' dorms and shut the door, but that couldn't block out the hour of cursing and yelling that followed.
When Ash returned, he asked "Why is all this happening?"
Hermione looked at him. It was a Mary-Lynnette look, and it made him want to cry. "Mary-Lynnette's on a mission. She's supposed to watch his movements until the Final Battle. After that, if all goes well, Malfoy's dad will be thrown in wizard prison forever. Honestly though, we never thought he would fall in love with her."
"I can deal with it," Ash assured her. "I'm not even supposed to be around her now anyway."
When Marie entered the Slytherin common room, she felt a bunch of eyes on her. She looked up and saw that she was being watched by every single member of Slytherin house.
Snape went to his offices without saying anything, but Draco stood on a table, and yelled for the whole house's attention.
"Everyone, this is Marie. She got transferred here from Gryffindor. She's not all soft and noble like the rest of them, so be nice to her. If all goes well, the two of us will be married by the end of the year."
Even after Draco's speech, the whole room was motionless and staring at her,
Then, one girl got on the table Draco had vacated, and addressed the whole house.
"Oh, come on everyone, her mother was a muggle. It's not the biggest news in the world. Besides Draco, what's so great about her? She's ugly."
After this statement, the cold eyes of her new housemates shifted towards her, waiting to see what she would do.
Draco was about to jump up and fight for her honor, but Marie held him back. She stood next to Draco and addressed the girl in a light voice. "Oh, gosh Pansy, and you're pretty? To what, I wonder. And if I'm ugly, I'd 'ate to see what dead and rotting piece of vermin they'd have to dredge up to make you look attractive."
After she finished speaking, the rest of the house laughed and cheered, causing Pansy to look sour. Marie had passed the test. She had been accepted by the new group. When she turned around to look at Draco, she saw he had a stunned look on his face.
"What?" she asked him.
"Oh, I'm just a little surprised, that's all. I didn't think you had it in you to be such a character assassinator."
Marie snorted. "You'd be surprised what I can do if I'm provoked."
Draco put his arm around her, and Marie thought to herself, I know I can't be with Ash, but Draco's mostly all right. Granted it would take a self-discovery mission to get him to get him completely, I like him, and I think it will be an okay year.
After arriving at the Slytherin common room, Professor Severus Snape, head of Slytherin house, had gone straight to his offices. He didn't know what to think about Marie, his new student. He would be scoffing if most Gryffindor students got thrown to the snakes, but there was something different about her. She seemed tougher somehow. Now, all that he could do was see how the girl handled initiation. He walked down the hall to the common room, but didn't go in. he just watched. He knew that someone would try and take a few jabs at her.
When Pansy Parkinson had commented upon her appearance and bloodlines, Severus held onto the wall and watched with bated breath.
Draco got up to try and defend the girl's honor, but she pushed him back, and shot Pansy with a very large dose of venom. The whole house was cheering. Severus turned away from the wall, grinning. This girl was going to be just fine.
Valeskanyax- Thanks! I carried on. What do you think?
dogs die in hot cars- That's okay. Don't you just hate computers sometimes? And I have good news. I lied. There will be a little something between Hermione and Ash.
silver-tigress71- Thanks for the review. Do you like that Malfoy's different, or not? I'm sorry to say, no big soulmate scenes 'til the end!
piscean wisdom- Dumbledore allowed the change because the mission required it, and under those circumstances, the Order takes precedence over the founders of Hogwarts. Thanks for the review!
Mental Twitch- You really are great! I hope you liked the new chapter, and I hope I didn't make you wait too long!
Angel- Thanks so much for the review. I'm glad you're liking the story. Ash didn't kill Draco, but he was seriously thinking about it!
sexyirishBeep- Thanks for the review! Hope you like Ash's reaction!
