Chapter 3: Nobody Listens
Is it any wonder
Things seem so awry?
The masses are cloaked in confusion?
We don't have to think to survive
So nobody listens
Standing silently at the front, the Headmaster waits for the hall to quiet down once more. When he is certain that he has the students' attention, he speaks.
"I know that you are all hungry, so enough delays for the moment. Let the feast begin!" The students cheer happily, as the tables fill with food. Plates are piled high with bits of everything as the students catch up with each other once more.
"I can't believe you actually came!" Harry grins at Glory as he piles a generous helping of roast potatoes onto his plate. "I mean, I didn't think you would, after… Well," he trails off and shrugs at her. She rolls her eyes and opens her mouth to speak.
"Ha…"
"Thank Merlin that you ended up in Gryffindor," Glory is cut off as Harry continues to babble excitedly.
"Har…" She tries again to speak, without luck.
"I was worried there for a bit," the words continue to flow as the other students around them exchange wondering looks.
"Harry!" the earlier laughter in her tone fades into a faint annoyance at his continued lack of awareness.
"I mean, the hat did take so long to decide and…"
"POTTER!" sharp and loud, Harry stops mid sentence and looks at Glory wide-eyed and slack-jawed. The avidly watching group around them reacts in amusement, waiting to see what will happen next in this already surprise-filled night. "Rude boy," Glory shakes her head, but there is a smile on her face and humour in her voice. "No manners at all!" Harry blushes, muttering under his breath. Glory chuckles before turning to face the other Gryffindors. "It's great to finally meet you all. I've heard so much about you."
"Pity we can't say the same about you," Ginny replies dryly.
"Yeah, well, who knew Harry could be such a good keeper of secrets," Glory laughs. "But then, you do already know more than most of the others here, don't you Ginny? I'd think you would be the last to complain."
"And yet, what I do know about you really isn't that much now is it, Glory?" she answers back with a slight smile.
"Is she always this suspicious of people, or am I just lucky?" Glory laughs as she looks to the others for an answer. Much to the surprise of his friends, Neville jumps in with the response.
"Face it Ry, if anyone has the right to be suspicious of newcomers it's us, don't you think?" So focused is he on Glory that Neville doesn't notice the curious looks he receives from both Ginny and Harry at his use of her nickname. Ready to ask about it, Ginny is beat to it by Glory's deadpan reply.
"Ah, but from what I understand, it's generally been those closest and most known to you that have turned out to be the ones to watch out for hasn't it?"
"How did you…?" Ginny starts to ask, changing the direction of her question mid stride, only to be cut off again, this time by Hermione's sharp tone.
"What are you implying?" Glory turns to face her with a raised eyebrow. With a slight smirk, Glory begins to explain.
"Let's look at your record here for a moment, shall we? Starting with the obvious, four out of five of your Defence Against the Dark Arts professors alone have essentially been out to get you by the end of the year, and yet, with the exception of Umbrage last year, you trusted and relied on all of them." Only Neville and Harry don't seem surprised by Glory's knowledge of the subject. Forestalling any questions, Glory continues. "You've had 'friends' turn on you at the drop of a hat and you've not trusted 'some people' that you should have who ended up saving your lives." Parvati and Lavender whisper with Dean and Seamus, trying to figure out who and what Glory is talking about. Ignoring them, Glory continues watching the growing confusion and dislike in Hermione eyes. "And need I even bring up the issue of rats, cats, and dogs?" she shoots a quick glance in Ron's direction as Harry coughs into his pumpkin juice. "Doesn't sound like a great record to me personally…" she trails off with a shrug and begins picking at the food on her plate.
"You know, you are going to have to explain to everyone just how you happen to know all of that eventually," Neville comments, tongue firmly in cheek. "But for now, no one is going to even think about trusting you until you actually tell them something about yourself." Glory studies him shrewdly out of the corner of her eye.
"And just what do you want me to say?" she asks lightly, glancing at the people around her. "That I'm a well-travelled 16-year-old with a gift for languages and an overactive sense of adventure?" Parvati and Lavender giggle quite loudly.
"Sounds like you're answering an ad in the Personals or something when you say things like that." Lavender says to assuage the questioning looks that everyone has turned to the giggling pair. The others, except for Hermione, join in on the amusement of the moment as Glory puts on an exaggerated act of false shock and innocence.
"Why not start with something simple," Harry nudges Glory's shoulder, bringing everyone back to the conversation at hand. Above them, a lone cloud drifts slowly across the darkening ceiling.
"Like what?" she asks, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice. No one speaks for a moment. "Well? How about this, you ask, I answer, all right?" The Gryffindors exchange nods and shrugs, agreeing to that course of action but no one seems to want to ask the first question nor address the one most prominent in everyone's minds. "Go on then, ask me something!"
"So, umm, what made you decide to come to Hogwarts now, so late in your schooling?" Dean finally asks the first one to dare a question. "Why not just finish off your last two years at New Camelot with your friends and everything. I mean, it must have been hard to leave them all behind like that."
"Well, yes, I'm sure it would have been," Glory answers after a moments pause. "And if I'd been at New Camelot for all of my previous years of training, I might have decided to stay there to finish, but as I was only there for a little less than a year, it wasn't really that big a deal." She shrugs and sends Dean a fleeting smile. "Sure there are some things I'll miss, but I think being here will make up for that, no problem."
"What do you mean you were only there for less than a year?" Parvati joins into the conversation eagerly. "Where were you for the rest of it?"
"The Alchera Institute of Sorcery."
"And that would be…?" Seamus wonders, shaking his head and shrugging. Glory grins at him, but before she can say a word, Hermione tackles the question.
"It's another school; it's in Australia," she answers quickly, with the appearance of being ready to spout out more information about the school and its history. Before she can say anything more, Glory cuts back in.
"Which is why I was at New Camelot for less than a full year," she leans around Harry to face Parvati as she gives a further explanation. "There was a bit of a strange overlap with my fourth and fifth years due to the hemispherical crossings and such. It's a little complicated."
"Meaning what exactly?" Lavender asks.
"Well, the simple version is that I arranged to take my exams for forth year early and then left right away and straight into fifth year to try and balance out the difference in the schooling seasons"
"Care to explain that for the rest of us who aren't as well-travelled as yourself?" Harry rolls his eyes and grins. Glory sticks her tongue out at him.
"Here, school starts in September and at Alchera it began in January. You do the math."
"So you left Alchera after your exams in…" Neville draws it out as he tries to calculate the timing.
"Mid-October," Glory slowly adds and nods as Ginny picks up the thought where Neville left off.
"And went straight into year five at New Camelot, so you missed just under two months," Ginny clears it up for the others, looking to Glory to check her assessment is correct.
"That about covers it," Glory nods, twirling her fork casually between her fingers. The hall around them buzzes with conversations and she takes a moment to scan the crowd. The candles lighting the hall flicker slightly as if stirred by the breeze outside.
"So you didn't get a summer vacation?" Ron asks around a mouthful of food. The boys roll their eyes at the common sight while the girls grimace in disgust. Glory studies him with a barely concealed look of revulsion.
"No, I didn't," she replies shortly, only to smile again quickly when Hermione smacks Ron and tells him he's disgusting. "Although between years three and four I had an extra long one, and I got to actually stay home for once and have Christmas with everyone, so I guess it all balances out in the end." Glory stares off dreamily for a moment as if recalling memories of that time.
"You were at a different school before Alchera then?" Dean asks, continuing along the same line of questions, finding it more interesting than when he first started it. Glory blinks, drawing herself back to the present.
"Well, I've been at a different school each year actually." There is a momentary lapse in conversation as the other students take this little fact in. Hermione breaks the hush.
"Get kicked out a lot, did you?" she sounds almost pleased by the thought, which earns her questioning looks from her fellow students. Parvati and Lavender begin whispering amongst themselves again. Glory makes a show of thinking about it for a moment.
"No," she replies with an innocent smile. She sticks her tongue out at Neville as he mumbles something not quite under his breath that sounds a lot like 'not for lack of trying, I bet'. Everyone except Hermione laughs. "Nah, it's just that Eric's job keeps him travelling a lot and Jess doesn't really like being away from him for such extended periods of time." She shrugs. "So, now that we kids are a bit older, we all go with him on the longer trips. More time together and all that, you know," she rolls her eyes slightly, but smiles at the same time.
"Who're Eric and Jess?" Seamus looks up from his meal curiously as he asks.
"They would be my parents," Glory answers distractedly, waving down the table at Cassie, who smiles and waves back quickly before rejoining the conversation she is having with the other first years. Hermione's question draws Glory's attention back.
"You call your parents by their first names?" Glory shrugs and nods. "Why would you do that?"
"It's just something I've always done," her eyes scan the hall again, her brow furrowing as she seems to fail in finding what she's looking for. The other Gryffindors look at each other and glance around suspiciously, trying to figure out what Glory is searching for. "They don't mind it at all," Hermione sniffs haughtily and Glory watches her with narrowed eyes. Neville steps in quickly to head off what looks like it could be the beginnings of a fight.
"How old are your siblings now, Ry?" there is a moment of hesitation before Glory turns to him with a knowing smirk. He shakes his head at her and gives her a look that almost begs her to behave. Harry kicks lightly at her ankle under the table. Her face shows no outward reaction to it, and she covertly kicks him back.
"Drew just turned nine and Celeste is 4," Neville smiles at the pride and love in her voice. Suddenly, Glory turns towards the quietly watching Parvati. "Something bothering you?" Parvati jumps slightly, looking shocked at the question.
"Uh, no, nothing, it's just…" she studies Glory closely, eyes narrowed in concentration. "I've been trying to figure out your accent and I can't place it." Glory laughs quietly as the others all try to figure out how she knew Parvati was wondering something before she even looked at her. Before any of them can ask however, Glory speaks.
"That has a simple explanation actually," she drops her fork and begins tearing up a piece of bread. "When I live somewhere for a while I tend to pick up the accent, so it can be a bit hard to pin it down to just one. You're probably hearing a lot of Canadian in there at the moment. Perhaps a bit of French as well." Harry laughs and helps himself to another serving of roast chicken. Hermione continues to watch Glory suspiciously.
"No, I don't think that's it…" Parvati trails off, still watching her. Seamus grins.
"It's Irish."
"Figures you'd pick up on that one, Seamus," Dean laughs and the others join in soon after. Glory confirms that Seamus may just be hearing right. She frowns slightly and scans the hall again, her attention finally being brought back as Neville calls her name for a third time. Hermione rolls her eyes and looks about ready to comment, but she is interrupted.
"Uh, Ginny, can I ask you something?" Cassie asks hesitantly as she walks up from behind. Glory turns to her with a grin and Ginny smiles encouragingly.
"Hi Cassie," the young brunette smiles at Glory quickly before turning back to Ginny, ready to deal with her original purpose in coming over. She hesitates, noticing the questioning stares from the rest of the group. Ginny smiles at her and asks what the trouble is.
"You're a prefect, right?" Ginny nods and Cassie continues. "Well, some of the other first years were wondering how much longer we're expected to be here. It's been a long day and they're starting to get tired," she shrugs. Glory chuckles quietly.
"And what, you were the only one with enough Gryffindor in you to come ask one of the big, scary prefects?" Cassie giggles as Glory winks at her then glances towards Ginny, who levels them both with a look of mock sternness. It doesn't last and she is soon smiling with them both.
"I was, erm, volunteered for the job," Cassie explains with a grin. "Once the others learned that I'm already friends with one." Glory laughs and leans back in her seat to peek down the table at the other first years. She waves at them when they break from their whispering to watch Cassie, and laughs again as they all duck their heads except for one boy waves back, a bit reluctantly it seems, to judge from the look on his face.
"Well, I can't tell you exactly how much longer it will be," Ginny gets right down to business. "But once everyone is done eating, there will probably be a few quick announcements and then you'll be lead up to the tower." Taking a quick glance around at the state of peoples plates, Ginny makes a guess. "I'd say, maybe about an hour more is about the best guess I can give you right now." Cassie nods.
"Well, thanks Ginny," Cassie sighs, shrugging her shoulders. "I'll just head on back there and let them know." With a smile, she turns to leave, but pauses when Glory reaches out to grab her arm.
"Come back here and sit with us when the puddings arrive, alright?" she whispers, and Cassie nods eagerly. "See you in a bit then," Glory releases her arm and Cassie jogs back to her seat near the end of the table.
"How do you know her?" Ron demands at Ginny with a mouthful of food. Ginny rolls her eyes at her brother.
"I met her during my patrol on the train," she tells him with a note of exasperation, then adds under her breath. "Not that it's any of your business." Glory tries to cover up her amusement with a coughing fit, and just catches the wink Ginny sends her.
"So you really think we'll be here for an hour?" Glory asks, glancing around the hall again, taking in the other house tables as well as pausing for a moment to watch the staff.
"Why, are we boring you?" Hermione asks sarcastically, and Glory studies her with narrowed eyes. With a dry chuckle and a show of teeth that leaves Neville looking a little nervous and Harry shaking his head, Glory leans into the table slightly, left hand toying with her knife as she answers. Above them, the candles flicker again and more clouds roll in, indistinct black shapes against a tapestry of twinkling stars.
"Well, of course not," she says coolly, her eyes flashing with annoyance. "I'm just not the type of person who enjoys talking about me and my accomplishments at great length. I find that it tends to annoy people." Hermione flushes at the remark, said in such a way that it is obviously meant to be a shot at her. Harry steps in quickly to break it up, grabbing onto Glory's left hand to still the tapping knife.
"You just seem a bit distracted, Ry," he says quietly as she glances down at his hand before hesitantly meeting his eyes. "What's going on?" She sighs heavily and leans her head against his shoulder, ignoring another barrage of strange looks from the other students.
"I realise I made a bit of a spectacle of myself earlier," Glory stares off blankly over Ron's shoulder as she speaks, ignoring the snorts and choking laughter of Neville, Harry and Ginny. "But is it the norm here that someone would still be watching now, after this long?" Hermione, Parvati, and Lavender turn to watch Glory suspiciously as the boys begin to stare around at the other house tables, looking for anyone who may be watching. The rest of the tables appear to have settled into their regular level of activity for the welcoming feast and have their attention focused on other things than the strange activities of the Gryffindors.
"How do you know someone's watching?" Ginny enquires, her bright brown eyes now looking over the hall, doing a double take as she catches sight of a pair of narrowed eyes covertly watching. Feeling the movement next to her, Ginny tears her gaze away from the watcher to find Glory staring at her intently.
"You know how when someone is staring at you, you can feel it?" Ginny nods and Glory leans in a little closer and lowers her voice. "Well, I've had that feeling since I sat down, only whenever I look up to see who it is, they stop." Ginny opens her mouth to reveal that she has spotted the culprit, but a slight flicker of Glory's eyes stops her.
"You know…" Ginny whispers so softly that only Glory hears. A slight, enigmatic smile is all the answer she needs to confirm that Glory knows exactly who the one watching her is. Ginny studies her in silence for a moment before shaking her head and laughing.
"So is it normal?" Glory persists. No one seems to quite know how to answer that. Finally, Harry speaks up, with an oddly brooding tone.
"That depends actually." Glory studies him with a raised eyebrow and Ginny, after a moment of observation, and with a slight widening of her eyes, giggles at him. The others wait silently to hear Harry's explanation.
"On what?" Glory asks, watching the smile Harry gives her warily. It is Ginny who answers though.
"On whether you're Harry Potter or not, of course," there is a moment of shocked silence before the laughter starts. The students on either side of the group turn to watch them, as do a few from the next table. Even some members of the staff pause at the sight the ten Gryffindors make. They start to calm down a bit when Ron chokes on a mouthful of Yorkshire pudding and Hermione and Neville pound him on the back to get him breathing properly again. Waiting quietly, with the occasional fit of giggles, the group finally begins feeling a bit relaxed around each other. Seeing the opportunity to shift the topic of conversation, Glory leans against Harry.
"So tell me, funny man, who are we looking at?" she asks, nodding towards the table at the front of the hall where the professors sit. The others turn to see who she's referring to and Ron is the first to speak up.
"Uh, that would be the staff," he replies, sounding as if he thinks the answer should have been obvious. Ginny rolls her eyes at her brother yet again as Glory bites her lip to keep from laughing.
"Gee Ron, I never would have guessed that," she does nothing to hide the sarcasm in her voice. Harry takes a sip of pumpkin juice to keep from laughing outright.
"What?" Ron demands as Neville shakes his head at Glory. Putting down his goblet, Harry comes to his friend's rescue.
"Well, you already know some of them," Glory nods against his shoulder, silently giggling at the still wondering Ron.
"Yes, I do," she confirms, getting serious again. "But I need you to fill me in on the rest that I don't."
"We'll do our best," Neville winks at her, earning himself another round of odd looks from his friends. This time he notices and begins to blush. Glory laughs quietly and Harry points to the end of the High Table opposite to where they are seated.
"Right, anyway," he says, not giving anyone the opportunity to question Neville about his difference in attitude so far this evening. "So over there would be…" pointing out each professor as they're named, Harry makes his way down the length of the table, the other Gryffindors laughing as they add in their own comments and trivia about each.
"And that's Madam Pomfrey, the mediwitch," Ginny points her out, giggling at the look on Ron's face and the quiet groan from Harry.
"Ah, yes, I've heard a few things about her already." Glory laughs as the boys begin trading stories of memorable stays in the hospital wing. "It's my goal to avoid a visit to the hospital wing for the duration of my stay at Hogwarts," Neville and Harry both speak up at the same time, laughing.
"Good luck with that."
"I don't see that happening," both boys shoot questioning glances at each other, wondering just how much the other knows.
"Nice to know I inspire so much confidence," Glory laughs dryly, rolling her eyes. Turning back to the High table, Glory continues. "Ok, so I've already met Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore and know enough from others to recognise Professors Sprout and Flitwick." She pauses as her eyes move to the next member of the staff and Harry cuts in.
"And, of course, you already know Sna—" Glory clears her throat loudly and sends Harry a look that leaves him shaking his head and looking a little disgruntled. "Professor Snape," he almost spits the words as if just saying them leaves a foul taste in his mouth.
"Thank you," Glory smiles at him indulgently, earning her a dirty look, not only from Harry, but from Ron as well. The other expressions range between outrage and confusion.
"What was that about?" Ron demands, staring at Glory with a look of disgust for what she seems to be doing, sticking up for their most hated professor.
"That was about respect," Glory retorts sharply, returning Ron's glare unflinchingly. Harry sighs and Neville shoots Glory a pained look. Parvati and Lavender begin whispering at each other as they watch and Dean and Seamus sit silently, waiting to see what will happen next. Hermione looks like she wants to speak up but isn't sure which side to take in the matter. Ginny lets her eyes flick back over the hall and to the mysterious watcher, who is once again covertly staring. She quickly ducks her head to hide the rising smirk.
"And why should we have any respect for that slimy bas—"
"Ronald Weasley, don't you dare," low and threatening, just the tone of Glory's voice is enough to make him pale and attract the attention of a group of third years sitting nearby.
Harry glances towards the staff quickly, noticing more than one pair of eyes aimed in their direction. Catching Hermione's attention, they both prepare to head off the confrontation, but don't get the chance.
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Cassie asks reluctantly as she walks up unnoticed behind Glory. Those on the other side of the table look up immediately at the sound of her voice, and those on the same side turn to face her. All except for Glory, that is, who continues glaring at Ron for a moment in silence. "Glory?" Cassie calls her name quietly as the older students continue to watch her. Glory blinks and turns slowly to face Cassie.
"Hey, Cass," she replies calmly with a quick, reassuring smile. "What's…?" she trails off, glancing around quickly as she notices the surprised looks of the surrounding students at her quick change of attitude.
"You said you wanted me to come back when the puddings were served," Cassie fidgets with her robes nervously at the continued peculiar activity of the older Gryffindors. They all blink at her owlishly for a moment before looking back to the table, finally noticing the wide array of sweets that has appeared in front of them. Ginny begins to laugh softly.
"I guess we were too preoccupied to notice," she says, shooting Glory an innocent grin. Neville shakes his head as Glory joins in on the laughter. With a bit of shifting, the Gryffindors manage to clear a spot for Cassie to sit between Glory and Ginny.
"So everyone, this is Cassie," Glory begins the introductions and Cassie gives a shy smile and small wave. "Cassie, this is, well, everyone!" Glory laughs at the exasperated sigh Cassie emits, and winks at her as Ginny takes pity on the younger girl and introduces them all properly. After a round of the usual greetings Cassie turns to Glory.
"I'm so glad you ended up in Gryffindor too, Ry," she gives a sigh of relief as Ry smiles and hands her a chocolate éclair. "It's good not to be alone, you know?"
"Well it's not like we wouldn't have still been friends if I'd been in a different house," Glory laughs, nicking a strawberry from a nearby bowl.
"Unless you were a Slytherin, of course," Ron states matter-of-factly, accompanied by nods and agreements from Dean and Seamus. Cassie looks at Ron as if not knowing whether to believe what has just come out of his mouth. "You have to watch out for them. All of that lot are foul ones, into the dark arts and all of that. It's why they're in Slytherin." Cassie looks about ready to cry as she glances towards the table under discussion. Next to her, Glory emits something like a low growl.
"You should learn to watch your mouth, Ronald," she hisses at him with a frown. He stares at her blankly and shrugs, unable to think of what he did to cause such a reaction, noting his sister glaring at him as well.
"My twin sister was sorted Slytherin," Cassie says quietly, and Ron flushes, ducking his head slightly.
"Just ignore him Cassie," Ginny pulls her into a one armed hug. "He doesn't know what he's talking about." Ron glares at her in indignation as he answers back.
"Of course I do!" his ears begin to turn red as he lets his mouth go without thinking. "There's not a good witch or wizard that's come out of Slytherin, everyone knows that."
"My mother was a Slytherin," it may have been soft, but Glory's reply is not missed by any of them. "As many of my family have been for the last, oh, I don't know century or so." Glory smiles inwardly, noting the slight green tinge to Ron's face. She also doesn't fail to miss the wide-eyed and slack-jawed expressions on the faces of Dean, Seamus, Parvati and Lavender, nor the frank curiosity as Hermione studies her. Neville buries his face in his hands and Harry shakes his head, and lets out a frustrated groan.
"And not only are most of them not dark witches and wizards, since nearly every pureblood family has at least one that is, but a good number of them have died fighting for the side of light." Ron opens his mouth to speak, but Glory silences him with a dark look and continues without interruption. "I would have expected you to have learned by now that being a Slytherin doesn't automatically make a person bad any more than being a Gryffindor makes them good. You, of all people, should know that Ron, given your history with the one called Peter."
"That's enough, Ry!" Harry's voice is quiet, but his tone sharp enough to match hers. "This is not the time or place for this conversation." There is a long moment of silence as Harry and Glory seem to face off. Glory cracks and looks away first, with a shake of her head.
"All right, you win Harry," she holds up her hands as if surrendering. "But you," she turns quickly, one finger levelled in Ron's face like a gun. "You had better learn to think before you run your mouth about things you don't understand." Everyone is silent as they contemplate the situation. Once again, Glory becomes the object of scrutiny by her peers, but this time Harry is also under question for his seemingly strange attitude about her.
"So if all of your family has been through Hogwarts, where are you from then?" Lavender asks tentatively, leading the tense conversation away from the dangerous territory they were just in. "I mean Romansaul is such an unusual name." Glory remains silent, momentarily blinking at her in shock before shooting a wry glance at Dumbledore.
"I should have known," she mutters quietly before answering Lavender. "My name isn't Romansaul, it's Roman-Saul. Two words, not one," she rolls her eyes slightly. "It appears that the Headmaster has gone and confused people by saying my name a bit too fast." Noticing the new stiffness of a few of her companions at this revelation, Glory asks what's on their minds.
"Roman?" Ron speaks up, looking more than a little nervous as he avoids Glory's eyes. "As in…?" he trails off hesitantly.
"Yes, as in all of what you're probably thinking and more," her answer sounds almost bored, but with a slight chill in her tone. "But in accordance with Harry's previous orders, this line of conversation is not really something we should be discussing right now either."
"You'll have to get into it eventually, Ry," Harry says quietly, watching her closely. "You know people are going to wonder about it."
"Let them," she replies shortly, looking up to the dark ceiling and relaxing slightly under the familiar stars. "I've already explained the situation to you, Harry. You know why we can't…"
"I know what you told me," he answers quietly. "But I think they have a right to know the truth." Glory sighs and pulls her gaze back down from the stars to face Harry again.
"And they will," she says seriously, patting his hand lightly. Noticing Neville's calm surveillance, she shoots him an affectionate smile before continuing. "But not until I know for myself, in my own heart and mind, that I can trust them."
"You trusted me."
"Different situation, love," Glory rolls her eyes, a note of humour in her voice. "It's not that I don't trust your judgement on this, but…" she trails off with a sigh and shakes her head.
"You need to decide for yourself on something of that much importance," Neville completes her sentence shrewdly. Harry takes a moment to study Neville, then Glory, and back to Neville again. When his eyes rest on Glory, she nods silently at him, confirming his suspicions.
"That's not really fair though, is it?" Parvati asks, watching the interaction between Neville, Harry and Glory closely. "I mean, if it really is something we should know, then you should tell us."
"It's not something that's up for debate," Glory shrugs. "This is my life, my secrets, and my choice of when and to whom it is revealed. Fair or not, that's the way it has to be. It's just safest for everyone that way." Cassie speaks up, breaking the sudden tense and silent study the older students are making of each other.
"Aren't you all doing the same thing?"
"What do you mean?" Ginny studies Cassie as she, in turn, looks around at the older students surrounding her.
"Well, you were making a big deal earlier about Ry and trusting her because you don't know her, right?" Cassie asks sensibly, and Neville bows his head in her direction. "Even though it's been made pretty obvious that she and Harry not only know each other quite well, but trust each other too." Across from her, Hermione opens her mouth to contradict the statement, but Ginny cuts her off.
"She's right," everyone except Hermione and Ron give some measure of agreement, although some a bit more reluctantly than others. "We can't expect her to do something we're not willing to do either." Ginny shrugs and with a grin reaches around Cassie to smack Glory lightly on the shoulder. "But if Harry trusts you, I suppose I could give you a chance as well." With a cheeky grin, Glory leans around behind Cassie and gently tugs a loose tendril of Ginny's long hair.
"I suppose then, that I shall have to extend the same courtesy to you," she winks, and both Ginny and Cassie giggle at the oddly formal sound of Glory's speech.
"You know, if I'm in your way, you could always just tell me to get lost," Cassie interjects casually, glancing at the girls on either side of her. Across the table, Neville begins to laugh behind his hand. Cassie winks at him as she continues. "Or would you prefer I just stay like this for the rest of the night?" she pulls herself forward in her seat and leans far over the table in a way that looks quite uncomfortable to hold for any length of time. The rest of the boys join in on the laughter at this.
Flashing a wicked grin at the other Gryffindors, Glory leans over slightly and rests her arm on Cassie's bent form. Parvati and Lavender begin to giggle as her arm bounces when Cassie groans and shakes with laughter.
"That would be perfect, Cass," Glory feigns seriousness for an instant before erupting into her own fit of giggles. "Thanks!"
Laughing softly, Harry throws his arm around Glory's shoulders and pulls her away from Cassie.
"Now, now, Ry," he teasingly gripes, as she leans into him as if it is the most natural thing in the world to do. "I know it will be difficult for you, but you must learn to play nicely with others!"
Glory pulls away in mock outrage and flicks one of her orange slices at him.
"Then perhaps you don't know me as well as you think you do, love," she scoffs mischievously. "I happen to play very well with others, thank you very much." Beside her Cassie bursts into a loud fit of laughter. At the questioning looks she receives, she tries to explain.
"I… I'm sor… sorry…" she stammers, trying to catch her breath and failing. "But you… the train… the blo…" The thoughts remain uncompleted as Glory gasps and collapses against Cassie holding her stomach. After a few minutes and even more strange looks, the girls are once more showing a semblance of calm.
"So you figured it out, did you?" Glory grins and Cassie nods at her, still giggling.
"We all did," Glory shakes her head with a snort. "It wasn't too hard once you had made your offer."
"Do we even want to know?" Neville deadpans and Glory looks at him appraisingly.
"Probably not," she replies in an equally straight-faced manner. "But I'd be willing to tell you, if…" she glances at the surrounding students craftily. "You tell me which one of you was responsible for the streaker." Cassie stares at Glory in astonishment, as Ginny turns bright red and laughs. Parvati, Lavender, Dean and Seamus exchange quick looks of interest before turning to the now blushing and uncomfortable looking group of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville for an answer.
"Well?" Seamus demands as he leans in closer to the group, who has started shaking their heads. "Oh, come on! Tell us!" Harry finally speaks up for the group.
"No deal," he points a finger at Glory menacingly and she laughs cheekily.
"Fine," she swats Harry's extended finger away from her. "You keep your secrets and I'll keep mine. For now, anyway," her grin is a wicked one. "But you know you can't hide anything from me Harry. We know each other far too well for all that cloak-and-dagger stuff to work."
"And just where exactly is it that you two met each other?" Hermione takes the opportunity to ask shrewdly the question everyone has been wondering since the beginning, studying Glory with an intensity that most others would find unnerving, yet she shrugs it off with barely a passing thought.
"That would be here actually," Harry's droll reply leaves Neville snickering quietly as the others attempt to comprehend the meaning of that statement.
"Technically speaking, yes," Glory adds, grinning as she watches the expressions on the faces of her fellow Gryffindors. Cassie though not only doesn't appear shocked by the comment, but is not even looking at Harry or Glory. Instead, she is watching Neville with narrowed eyes. Their eyes meet briefly and Cassie smiles knowingly, as if she's just discovered a secret.
"This can't have been the first time you've met though?" Ginny incredulously comments on what her classmates are thinking as well.
"Well, no, not really," Glory shrugs, but offers up no explanation about it to her. "We've known each other for a number of years, but we sort of… lost touch for a bit." There is a hint of irritation in her tone and she glances briefly towards the High Table. "A mutual friend recently reconnected us though."
"And which friend would that be?" Hermione demands suspiciously, racking her brain trying to figure out where the connection between the two could be and why Glory seems so strangely familiar.
"Ask me again tomorrow," Glory smiles at her pleasantly, her voice reflecting a secret humour the others don't yet understand. "And I'll tell you all about it, ok?"
Hermione looks sceptical, but nods her agreement.
"Will you at least tell us how you two know each other?" Ginny enquires expectantly. Glory and Harry exchange deep looks and Harry indicates his approval. Across the table, Neville catches Glory's eye and she gives him a nearly imperceptible nod.
"Well, let's just say that the bonds of siblinghood are not so easily forgotten, or broken," Glory tosses off carelessly, as if commenting about the weather. Harry gives her hand a squeeze quickly and she sends him a smile before they look at the shocked expressions of almost everyone around them.
"Siblings? B… but… how? When?" Hermione stammers looking flustered. Neville is the only one within hearing range who looks not the least bit shocked by the comment. "It's not possible!"
"What she means," he interjects calmly, with a wink at Glory. "Is that they are god-siblings." Harry turns to look at him with eyes wide and mouth hanging open slightly. Ron, Hermione and Ginny, on the other hand, look sharply to Glory, trying to put this new information together with what they know already. "Her mum is his godmother." There is almost a look of relief for Hermione and the Weasley siblings as this final pronouncement is made, as if it takes less to comprehend this new situation than how to fit Glory in to the one they're familiar with.
"You mean you knew?" Neville's cheeks turn pink as he looks up at Harry and nods. The other students look back and forth between the three, trying to grasp what is going on.
"Of course he knew, silly," Glory laughs, ruffling Harry's hair. "She's his godmother too!" Harry turns to stare at her blankly for a moment in silence before turning back to Neville.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?" there is a strange tone to his voice, something like a mixture of hurt and confusion. Glory gives his hand a tight squeeze and shrugs helplessly at Neville.
"I thought you already knew," Neville answers quietly. "But you didn't want anyone to find out about it."
"Why would you think that, Neville?" Ginny speaks up finally, reaching across the table to grab his hand.
"It's just that, well," he trails off, shooting a pleading look at Glory. She sighs softly, shaking her head. "I know what people say about me, and…" he trails off.
"I think what Neville is trying to say," Glory interjects on his behalf, trying to put it as diplomatically as possible. "Is that he let a bout of low self-esteem cloud his judgement by thinking that you wouldn't want such a close association with him, given what others might think about it." Neville looks pointedly at anything but his friends. "Which, of course, we all know is complete rubbish," Ginny giggles quietly and squeezes Neville's hand reassuringly. Harry studies him in silence. Ron is still sitting in shock next to Hermione, who has now broke from her suspicious studying Glory and looks ready to comment on the current conversation.
"Oh, Neville, you know Harry's not like that." Hermione chastises gently, shaking her head. Neville nods silently, his cheeks turning an even darker pink at the unnerving amount of attention he's receiving. Finally Harry breaks his silent watch.
"I can understand why you did what you did, even if I wish it had been different," he comments, showing a sense of wisdom gained through many hard learned experiences. "But it's in the past now, and can't be undone, so there is no point to worrying about it anymore." Picking up his fork, Harry stabs at his plate in silence for a moment, keenly aware of the others' scrutiny. When he looks up again, there is a strange glint in his eyes that makes Glory grin. "So, since we're technically brothers, does that mean we have to start harassing each other like the Weasleys do?" Harry winks at a stunned Neville, who laughs as Ginny reaches all the way around and punches Harry in the arm. Harry shoots her his most innocent look, only making the girls all roll their eyes. Finally, Ron comes out of his stupor.
"How could you not know about your Godmother?" Ron cries out, his shock overriding his sense and making his voice carry to others farther down the table and nearby, who are only too interested to hear what Harry has to say.
"Look at who you're talking to Ron," he replies, rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "I didn't know wizards existed until Hagrid told me when I was eleven, never mind that I was one. And maybe you forget that I didn't know anything about what happened when I was a baby either." His voice takes on an exasperated tone, gradually getting louder as he continues his stream of thought. "And I had no idea I even had a Godfather until I was thirteen! I mean, come on Ron, think about it. Is there anyone here who doesn't know more about me than I do?"
Glory sits back from the table and crosses her arms, letting her hair fall as a dark curtain to block her amused expression. Beside her, Cassie raises her hand slightly, stammering a bit as she speaks.
"Umm, I don't," the entire table within range of the conversation goes momentarily silent at the addition, and almost as one they turn to face the young brunette. Neville chokes on his pumpkin juice and Ron snickers behind his hand. Dean stares in open-mouthed shock as Seamus falls backwards out of his seat laughing. Parvati and Lavender collapse against each other giggling hard. Ginny turns away from the table, biting her lip to keep silent as Hermione covers her mouth with both hands in her astonishment. Glory looks up, lips twitching, in time to catch Harry turn his wide-eyed stare on Cassie, who is starting to look worried.
After a few moments of silence Harry cracks and his entire body begins to shake with uncontrolled laughter. As if given the green light, everyone else stops trying to hold it in. The whole attention of the hall is once again drawn to the Gryffindor table as the laughter becomes loud, drowning out the nearby conversations. The laughter also appears to be contagious as those nearby begin to laugh at the site the small group of Gryffindors make, and it soon spreads throughout the entire table, though none laughing nearly as hard as those who knew the reason it started.
As the laughter of the rest of the students begins to die down for most, Glory and Harry continue to laugh as hard as they did at the start.
"I can't breathe," Glory chokes out, frantically fanning her face with her hands. Harry begins coughing and Dean starts pounding him on the back to try and help him out, which only makes them laugh harder.
"Oh for goodness sake," Hermione cries, the laughter still apparent in her voice. "Would you two just snap out of it already!" the comment sends the others into another fit of laughter.
"You make it sound so very easy," Harry manages after a bit longer, sounding much calmer than only moments before. Running his hands through his hair a few times, Harry rests his elbows on the table, rubbing at his temples lightly. While he's sure the others are distracted, making sure Seamus is ok after his tumble, he rubs briefly at his scar, a look of intense concentration on his face.
"What are you doing?" Glory leans in close and hisses quietly, as to not attract attention to them. Harry lifts his head and smirks up at her.
"Oh, you know," he whispers conspiratorially, tapping his temple lightly. "Just sharing the love, that's all." A slight widening of her eyes and a quick glance around is all Glory is willing to risk as a reaction at this point.
"And?" there is both worry and amusement in her tone as she leans in closer. He gives a short laugh and a barely noticeable grimace as he turns to face her fully.
"He is not amused," Harry replies, straight-faced with false solemnity. Glory snorts quietly and pats him on the cheek lightly. She runs the back of her hand lightly across his forehead, jerking back sharply as it connects with his scar. "What was that?" Harry gasps, his hand pressed tightly to his forehead, glancing from Glory's face to the rigid hand she now holds by the wrist. The others have finally noticed something is up and are watching the two curiously.
"I'm not really sure," she replies uncertainly, turning her hand over, twisting it as if it may reveal some clue as to what happened. "It felt like touching a bug zapper or something." Flexing her hand experimentally and then giving it a quick shake, she turns her scrutiny to Harry's face.
"Are you all right?" her uncertainty has turned to concern as his hand remains tightly pressed over his scar. Remembering the similar incidents from their previous year, Hermione and Ron exchange worried looks.
"Harry?" Ginny asks with a voice full of concern. "What happened?
"Uh, nothing," he replies distractedly, taking hold of Glory's hand and studying it the same way she did at first. "Just a twinge." Hermione looks at him sceptically and grumbles her disbelief.
"Have you asked about restarting those, erm, extra lessons," Hermione asks shiftily earning a sharp look from Ron. Harry wears an annoyed expression as he answers her coolly.
"And just who would I have asked during my yearly exile from Hogwarts?" Hermione frowns as his voice takes on the same irritated tone he had used many times on her the previous year. "And why would I want too anyway. They don't help any and in the end they only made things worse, didn't they?" Harry closes his eyes as he remembers his 'extra lessons' in Occlumency. "But I thought we agreed this summer that this topic is out of bounds."
"We did," Hermione replies hesitantly, noting the looks of irritation from her friends as she continues to press the forbidden issue. "But, well, it's just that, I think it would be good for you to try it again."
"Ok, look, I realise you're his friend, looking out for his interests and all that, and maybe I'm overstepping my bounds here by saying this," Glory cuts in as she pays close attention to the emotions of those around her. "But isn't it his right to make the choice about something in his own life without being pressured or forced into it by anyone else? I mean, I think he's had enough of that in his life already." Her tone is mild, her criticism meant generally, not directed at anyone specifically. Unfortunately, not everyone takes it that way.
"What is that supposed to mean?" suddenly defensive, Hermione frowns at Glory. Neville isn't the only one who groans at the beginning of another clash between the two stubborn young women.
"Exactly what it sounds like it means. For too long he's had other people deciding what's best for him without checking what he has to say about it."
"Kinda like what you're doing about Snape then," Ron points out with a bit of a ruthless grin, having momentarily forgotten his previous apprehension of Glory in his satisfaction to be able to get in a knock at her about that.
"Not quite the same thing," Glory explains simply, keeping her eyes on Harry as his colour returns to normal and he starts to relax again. "But in a way maybe I am. I told him what I thought, but then I also listened to what he had to say about it, and we came to a mutual agreement. I don't think I forced it though, did I?" Harry thinks about it for a moment and remains silent as he shakes his head.
Appearing unhappy with that answer, Ron opens his mouth to say something more, but the argument is cut off before it can begin as Professor Dumbledore stands from his spot at the High Table to make the nights final announcements.
"Now that we have all curbed our hunger, I have a few start of term notices to give you." The hall goes silent as everyone's attention turns to the headmaster. "All students should note that the forest in the grounds is strictly forbidden." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flicker to the Gryffindor table, where Harry and Ron exchange amused glances.
"Mr. Filch has once again asked me to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors," Glory bites her lip to keep from laughing outright as Cassie elbows her lightly in the ribs and shoots her a conspiratorial look. Ginny looks over at the movement and shakes her head at the innocent looks they both aim at her.
"And finally, as Professor Umbrage is no longer with us," he pauses as the hall bursts into loud cheers and applause. There are a few noticeable exceptions that look less than happy with the news, mostly centred at the Slytherin table, the ex-members of the Inquisitional Squad. Motioning with his hands for silence, Dumbledore waits for the crowd to quiet down again before continuing. "I am pleased to welcome the newest member of the Hogwarts staff, Professor Faulkner, who has consented to fill the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." The hall bursts with another round of applause as the students celebrate truly being rid of Umbrage once and for all.
Professor Faulkner, a striking witch with sea green hair, smiles faintly and gives a quick wave as she becomes the focus of attention for a moment. When the clapping dies down once more, Dumbledore concludes his speech.
"And now, before we seek our beds, let us sing the school song!" the rest of the staff suddenly look as if they would like to run from the room, but remain seated with false smiles plastered on their faces as the headmaster begins conducting.
Cassie looks to Glory quickly to see what she should do, and Glory leans down to whisper something in her ear that makes her giggle and nod. Together they begin to sing a dramatic aria in high-pitched voices, sounding remarkably like the Chipmunks. Around them, the other Gryffindors break off from their own attempts at the song to laugh at the sight the two girls make, loudly and exaggeratedly crooning above the others, flinging their arms about wildly and making a good show of it.
As Cassie and Glory finish their rendition, Dean and Seamus begin to cheer loudly, catcalling and wolf-whistling, and soon the rest of the group joins in. Glory collapses against Harry in laughter as a grinning Cassie rises slightly from her seat to take a bow at the encouragement of her cheering housemates.
Noticing the looks the professors are sending in their direction, the Gryffindors settle down as much as they can (which means there is still a great deal of quiet giggling and snickering) to await the moment the headmaster dismisses them for the night.
"It's been a long night, and now it is time for bed!" As they pull away from the table and stand, Glory looks at the watch on her wrist quickly and grins as she taps Ginny on the shoulder.
"Not bad!" Ginny isn't the only one to give Glory a confused look. Glory checks her watch again pointedly as she answers. "57 minutes and 12 seconds, give or take. Not bad at all!" It takes a moment for them to get what she's talking about, and the laughing starts again. Ginny shakes her head and calls for the first years to follow her and Colin Creevey, the other new Gryffindor prefect, up to the dorms. With a quick wave to Hagrid, Glory grabs Harry's hand and tugs him toward the growing crowd waiting to leave the hall.
Stuffed to the gills and still chattering, the students file from the Great Hall, breaking off into smaller groups and heading to their house common rooms. The young ones eagerly follow their house prefects, looking forward to having a good rest after a long, exciting day. Glory and the rest of the still giggling Gryffindor contingent cross the hall and head towards the stairs, but their group is cut short by a sneering voice from amidst a small crowd of sour-faced Slytherins. Malfoy.
"Well, well, if it isn't the newest member of the Potter Fan club! Full of blood traitors and mudbloods," Hermione flushes and narrows her eyes, and Ginny beside her glares. Neville and Harry react quickly to hold back a struggling Ron. The surrounding Slytherins laugh as the rest of the crowd seems to freeze in place, waiting to see what will happen next. With her back still turned, Glory visibly tenses for a mere moment before emitting a series of loud, scoffing laughter.
"I guess this proves that you really are as stupid as you look, Draco," ignoring the outrage and looks of open-mouthed shock, and the now unmoving Ron as the entire crowd turns to stare at the girl who dares to speak that way to a Malfoy. Never one to back down from such disrespect, Draco takes a step forward with narrowed eyes and fists clenched.
"What did you just say, Mudblood?" his voice cuts sharply, like the crack of a whip, the raw contempt of his tone causes many of the listeners to flinch. Aside from the barest of twitches to her left eye, which only Harry notices, Glory remains stoic, her outward demeanour showing nothing of what is going through her mind.
"No, Ry, don't!" Harry hisses as she slowly turns around to face the sneering blond boy. She pauses for a moment, glancing at Harry with a raised eyebrow. He just catches the tiniest hint of a smirk and a quick flash of silver before she turns away, her face once more becoming a mask of ice and her eyes glinting with something that makes many of the crowd shiver with dread. There is darkness in it that causes many to turn away from her and more than a few to flee the hall entirely. The ones that stay shiver as her voice flows out across the shadowy room.
"Say that again, Draco," she says, stepping slowly towards him, every movement deliberately menacing. "To my face, if you dare." She stops less than a foot away from him, watching the brief uncertainty flicker through his cold grey eyes. She is tall, only a couple of inches shorter than his own large frame (thanks to a summer growth spurt that put him just under the six foot mark), and he appears a little unnerved to find anyone, never mind a girl, standing toe to toe with him so fearlessly. But a Malfoy never backs down.
"Who do you think you are you filthy mudblood bit…"
CRACK!
The sound of a fist connecting with the soft cartilage of a human nose halts the rest of the sentence and the once silent crowd bursts out noisily, some cheering, others jeer as Draco slides to a halt a good few feet back from where he started. The hands he lifts to his face do nothing to halt or hide the blood now streaming down his chin.
Crabbe and Goyle head towards Glory, ready to avenge their fallen housemate, but they freeze, looking back to Draco uncertainly for what to do as they see her calm face and dangerous looking smirk confidently standing up to them.
"Call off your stooges Draco," Glory calls over to him, never moving her eyes from the two large boys in front of her. "And I'll give you some information that you would do well to know." Cold grey eyes study her as Draco weighs his options. After a few moments of silence his curiosity wins and he motions for Crabbe and Goyle to stay back and let her speak. "Very good Draco," she turns to him with a mocking smile. "Being obedient will serve you well, a lesson I can see that you have already learned." She ignores the shocked whispers and quiet laughter of the onlookers, focusing her attention on Draco, still sitting on the floor with a hand covering his broken nose. All of a sudden, a little blonde witch with a face like a pug pushes her way through the crowd.
"How dare you!" she charges at Glory hissing and spitting insults like an angry cat. Rolling her eyes slightly, Glory sidesteps the attack with ease, quickly flinging her left hand out as the other girl passes to grab onto her robe clad arm. Using Pansy's own momentum against her, Glory spins, swinging the other girl back around and releases her to crash into the two towering boys who still wait nearby.
"You two would do well to hold her, and any others who make a similar attempt, back," Glory scoffs, narrowing her eyes at the struggling girl. "If you care to keep them from a fate worse than his," she nods her head slightly in Draco's direction. "Obviously the rest of your house listens to the Headmaster as well as you do, Draco. Perhaps it is something to work on in the future." He glares up at her as she steps a little closer, turning to study him again.
"Get on with it already, would you," he growls, his voice slightly muffled and dissonant. The bleeding has slowed a great deal already, but has not yet stopped, and a quick flash of unnoticed pity draws Glory to speak once more.
"If you," she starts slowly taking another step closer to him. "Had just paid attention, you would have heard that my name is Glory Roman-Saul," she puts the proper stress on the pronunciation of her name. The majority of the crowd murmurs in confusion at the relevance, but there are a few gasps of realisation, and Draco's face loses what little colour it had left beneath the layers of blood. One corner of her lips lifts slightly. "Ah, I knew you, as the sole Malfoy heir, would understand the significance of that name, even if the rest of your pathetic pureblood puritans do not." With a loud shriek of rage, Pansy pulls out of the grasp that holds her and once more charges at Glory, this time reaching for her wand as she moves.
"Pansy, stop!" Draco orders in a sharp tone, one usually reserved for Quidditch practises or berating the other, lesser students. Pansy freezes on the spot, more from the shock of Draco using that tone on her than from actually listening to what he says. She stares at him in astonishment and Glory giggles silently at the look.
"You'd do well to listen to him, Parkinson, like a good little lapdog," Glory smirks at Pansy as Crabbe and Goyle recapture their escaped detainee. Ignoring the snarling witch, Glory steps over to stand directly in front of Draco once again. Looking down at him, her tone takes on a much colder note.
"Draco, you have not only insulted me personally, but have insulted my blood in the most base and ignoble of ways and therefore insulted my entire family." The crowd around them stills as Glory steps forward again, now with a leg on each side of Draco's own. Her voice remains quiet, barely above a whisper, but everyone can hear her still. "You have committed an offence worthy of a Blood Feud of the ways of old." Even Pansy stops struggling and pales at the blatant threat. Glory steps forward again, crouching and, much to the shock of everyone watching her, including Draco, she kneels down and straddles his lap, putting them eye to eye. "And your family already owes us a debt…" she trails off quietly running a single finger lightly down his bloody cheek. His grey eyes widen and his breathing quickens slightly at her actions. She studies him with a raised eyebrow for a moment before she continues.
"Now you listen to me, and listen well," Glory says, leaning back and dropping her hand from his cheek to point the blood-stained finger in his face in a move eerily reminiscent of the one she used on Ron earlier. "I will let your behaviour pass, just this one time, but if I ever hear that you've uttered that foul and offensive term again, for any reason, I will bring down the full power of the entire Roman Clan on all of your heads and with you shall end the line of Malfoys." She watches the reactions and emotions flit through his eyes as she speaks, ignoring the rest of the crowd around them. "Have I made myself clear?" she asks softly, in a much gentler tone than she has used on him up to this point. Draco swallows nervously and shifts his eyes away from the intense green ones watching him so closely.
"Crystal," he hisses, turning his head to the side arrogantly. Glory bites her lip to keep from smiling at Draco's last attempt to save face.
"Good," she replies, rising to her feet and stepping back. She offers Draco a hand up, but he slights the offer, glaring at her malevolently. With a shrug, Glory turns and walks back to join the other Gryffindors with a smile and perky bounce in her step. With the aide of his goons, Draco rises to his feet and turns to leave. Around them, the crowd of students begins to disperse. From her vantage point about a quarter of the way up the staircase leading towards the Gryffindor tower, Glory calls back down across the hall.
"Oh, and Draco," he and the remaining students turn to watch her warily. "That looks awfully painful. Perhaps you should pay a visit to the resident mediwitch." Glory smirks as alternately waves of shock and amusement ripple through the gathered crowd. Ginny and Hermione collapse against each other trying to stifle their giggles, but Ron, showing much less restraint than his sister and friend, is practically rolling on the floor laughing next to a slack-jawed Neville. Harry stands nearby with a grin, covertly studying Glory. When she stiffens the barest amount Harry moves quickly to her side, watching as she casts a glance towards the dark entrance to the dungeons.
"Ry?" he asks quietly, laying a hand lightly on her arm. She hisses out of the corner of her mouth at him, her eyes not moving.
"Run!"
"What…?" the rest of his question remains unheard as another voice, one like dark silk, echoes through the hall. The sudden tension in the air is almost palatable.
"What is going on here?"
Gasps and a few stifled screams are heard from the remaining students as those of the crowd that is left inch closer to the exits and out of the imminent war path. Those who think they can get away without notice disappear into the shadows and make their escapes.
As Professor Snape makes his way towards Draco, his sharp black eyes take in the surroundings, the blood on the floor, the pale faces of his students, Ron Weasley's obvious delight in the preceding events, finally coming to rest on Harry Potter, hanging on the arm of the new girl who is standing on the stairs, facing him without the slightest hint of fear in her eyes, which surprisingly, meet his own unflinchingly, even with a trace of amusement. Such familiar eyes…
"What happened?" his voice low and threatening as he levels a malevolent glare at Harry, making it plain to see he thinks Harry has something to do with it. The crowd is silent and tense with fear. A few more decide to make a break for it and bolt for the closest exits.
"Draco had an accident, sir," a calm voice suddenly rings out through the hall clear as a bell, with the slightest trace of a smirk beneath the innocent façade. "We just wanted to make sure he was all right." Who would dare to speak so casually and lie to this most feared professor?
Hands hidden behind her back, her face a mask of innocence, Glory walks down the steps and moves closer to where the professor stands, near Draco. "I only wished to enquire after his health and my friends were kind enough to wait for me." Her voice has once again taken on that formal quality it had earlier. Back on the stairs, Ginny exchanges a worried look with Neville as Hermione silently drives as many of the lingering Gryffindors away from the hall as she can, trying to minimise the opportunity for trouble on that front.
"Liar!" Pansy hisses almost silently from where she's kneeling next to Draco, who jerks her arm swiftly and signals for Crabbe and Goyle to get her out of there. Before they can reach her however, Snape tears his eyes away from his study of Glory to watch the exchange with interest.
Behind his back, Glory narrows her eyes at Pansy and slowly draws a thumb across her neck in a throat-slashing motion. The other girl pales slightly and hides her face from the searching gaze of her Head of House.
"Mr. Malfoy?" Snape doesn't miss the slight flicker of Draco's eyes over his shoulder to Glory, who is now standing close behind him, before answering.
"It was an accident, just like she said, Professor." The boy is a very accomplished liar, not shocking considering who he is, but he is still quite obviously hiding something. Snape raises and eyebrow and signals for Draco to continue. "Pansy tripped on her cloak and used me to break her fall, Sir." Draco meets the searching look unflinchingly, revealing nothing. Knowing he won't get any more out of the boy at the moment, Snape orders him off to the hospital wing and turns his attention to Pansy.
She continues to hide her face from the professor as she rises and rejoins her regular clique. As with Draco, he lets her go, for the moment, knowing he will have the opportunity to confront her later about what happened away from the other students.
"Everyone else, get to your common rooms, NOW!" The remaining crowd disperses in record time, having been shrinking gradually the entire time as the students felt they could sneak out without attracting attention.
"And Weasley," Ron's head jerks up at the sound of his name hissed in such a sinister way. "5 points from Gryffindor," there is no reason given for the loss, but everyone knows the real motivation. With an evil smirk and a hard glare the professor disappears into the shadows after his students, towards the dungeons.
Glory stands in place, blinking in the direction Snape has gone for just a moment before shaking her head and laughing. She returns to where the rest of the Gryffindor contingent is still waiting on the stairs, none of whom notice the dark eyes watching them.
Harry shakes his head and opens his mouth to speak, but Glory puts up her hands to stop him before he can get out a single word.
"Please, Harry, don't. Not tonight, ok?" He sighs and nods, missing the slight flicker of her eyes into the shadows below. Glory stiffens instantaneously as Ron tosses his arm across her shoulders.
"That was bloody brilliant. Worth the 5 points lost to the greasy git." Glory forcefully shrugs his arm off and pushes him away from her, stepping closer to Harry and Neville. Ron, Ginny and Hermione stop in shock as Harry and Neville step over to check on Glory as she suppresses a shudder. She wears a haunted look for the briefest instant before hissing venomously.
"Don't push your luck with me Ronald Weasley; you've already had one warning." The tone Glory uses is the very same one she used on Draco only a short while earlier. And paired with the dark glare she shoots at him, it has the same effect of unnerving Ron now. "And never, ever touch me without permission, got it?"
Neville wraps a comforting arm around her and shoots Harry a bewildered look. Harry meets his eyes momentarily, with a look that makes it clear to the other boy that he is aware of the history behind their god-sister's reaction. Neville sighs and tightens his arms, muttering under his breath to Glory that they need to talk.
"Glory!" Hermione faces her, ready to lecture, but the other girl beats her to the punch.
"Don't tell me you let him get away with talking about the staff like that?" Hermione flushes, even as the venom in Glory's tone fades into targeted scepticism.
Ginny and Ron stare, mouths gaping in nearly identical expressions of shock. Harry leans back against the wall shaking his head, arms crossed over his chest and looking like he's trying not to smile at the tactic. Neville wears an expression somewhere between horror and amusement at how far she's taking this defence of Snape thing as he continues to hold Glory close.
"You make it sound so very easy," Hermione sighs in frustration and Glory smirks at her. Recovering quickly, Hermione starts in again before another interruption can come. "You know, as a prefect I should report you for what you did." Glory smiles a little tightly.
"But you won't because you wish you could have done the exact same thing."
"He had it coming, let's just leave it at that." Harry interrupts, pushing away from the wall and moving closer to Glory. All eyes turn to him and he steps up beside Neville.
"Now, up to the common room," he orders with false sternness, grabbing a hold of Glory's arm as she walks past him. "Uh, no, not you!" Glory looks at him expectantly.
The rest of the students pause nearby as Harry exchanges a look with Neville and leans close to whisper something none of the others can hear. With a sharp look at Glory, Neville nods and releases her to Harry's custody.
Ron and Hermione remain stationary as Ginny wanders over to question Neville, who has started to climb the stairs in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower and dorms. Glory stares after him looking gob smacked at how easily he handed her over.
"I've got something I need to talk about with Ry for a second." Neville is the only one who doesn't hesitate and gently tugs Ginny along with him up the steps. "Alone, guys!" Hermione and Ron continue to hesitate, watching Harry carefully. "Don't worry we'll be right behind you," they stare at each other in silence for a moment until Ron eventually gives a shrug and drags a reluctant Hermione with him.
Finally alone, Harry gently takes Glory's hand and studies it silently for a long few moments.
"So how long were you planning to walk around like this and not say anything?" Glory sighs and shakes her head, looking at him as if amused.
"I didn't think you'd notice actually," she responds casually, doing nothing to hide the smile in her voice. Harry gives her a look that clearly says 'that's no excuse' and she giggles at him.
"You're the one who pointed it out earlier, how did you put it again?" he muses aloud and then mimics her voice quite accurately. "'That cloak and dagger stuff doesn't work with us?'" Glory laughs outright this time, stepping closer to him and resting her chin on his shoulder as she gazes again into the shadows of the hall below.
"Close enough."
"Right, well, we're going to the hospital wing." Glory twitches slightly and stops laughing as Harry steps away. "Now!" she shakes her head, her mind searching for an excuse.
"But what about…?"
"Orientation or not, you're not going anywhere with a broken finger. And I know what can happen if someone inexperienced tries to fix it." Glory can't help herself and giggles at the look of utter disgust on Harry's face as he remembers the incident from his second year.
Shaking his head to clear the memory of a night in the hospital wing regrowing the bones in his arm, he continues with his lecture. "And you're the one who explained to me the dangers of performing medical magic on yourself, what with the side effects and all that, right?" He shakes his head at her as she sticks her tongue out at him in response. "It's off to Madame Pomfrey with you." He gently tugs her by the wrist in the right direction and with a quiet sigh, she follows.
"Oh, all right. Lead the way, navigator." Harry just rolls his eyes and continues to walk, occasionally pointing out places of interest such as secret passages to other parts of the castle, or introducing her to some of the paintings and even stopping for a few minutes for her to meet the resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower, Sir Nicholas.
Nearing the end of their journey, they nearly collide with Professor McGonagall as they round a corner.
"Ah, there you two are!" sounding as stern as ever, she stops them. Harry and Glory exchange worried looks. "Longbottom told me you were on your way here. What happened?" With a deep breath, Harry takes charge and tells her the truth.
"Ry broke her finger, so I was just taking her up to the hospital wing to get it fixed." Professor McGonagall studies Glory's hand and nods as if verifying Harry's story.
"And how did this happen? She asks a little less sternly. Harry opens his mouth to speak, but Glory interrupts, her cheeks pinking with embarrassment quite convincingly.
"We were on our way up to the Tower and Harry was pointing out things to me along the way, and I swung my hand out to point at something, because I'm just so excited to finally be here at Hogwarts, that I clipped my finger on a suit of armour." She rambles quickly, her tone carrying a suitable amount of mortification to make the claim sound credible. McGonagall studies her face for a minute, before relaxing her expression into a very faint smile.
"Nothing to worry about, Ms. Roman-Saul," her tone is almost kind as she speaks and Harry's eyes widen slightly as the professor says Glory's name right. "You're not the first to have it happen. In fact, I believe your mother did the very same thing her first night with us." Glory smiles at the hint of laughter in her tone and Harry looks slightly shocked. "On your way, you two. And do try to be back in the dorms by curfew. The password is Cluricaun."
"Thank you, Professor," both students bow their heads in respect to their head of house and turn to continue on to the hospital wing.
"Oh, and Potter," she calls after them and Harry turns to face her.
"Yes, Professor?"
"5 points to Gryffindor, for being such a kind host to our new student." She gives him one of her rare smiles and he stammers out his thanks. With a terse nod, she disappears down the shadowy hallway, heading toward her office. Harry turns back to Glory looking a bit dazed and slowly, they both start to grin.
"Well, you can't tell me this year will be boring!" Glory laughs and allows Harry to once more lead her as he takes her by the wrist and pulls her down the hall.
In next to no time they reach the doorway to the hospital wing. Harry pauses with one hand on the door and turns to Glory with a cheeky grin.
"Looks like your goal to avoid the hospital wing has failed already, and it's not even passed the first night!" Glory, with an equally mischievous smirk, winks at Harry.
"Ahh, but I'd say it was worth it, wouldn't you?" They laugh together as Glory pushes her way through into the hospital wing and tugs Harry with her. The door swings closed behind them, leaving the dark hallway silent once more.