A/N: In which Toby receives some bad news, and makes the best of it.
Warnings and Things: There's a wanking bit, but not where you'd expect it. Oh, and some gratuitous references to doing the nasty. And, interestingly, more angst than usual.
Why this chapter name is so weird: because Toby's finally settled into – oh, yeah, that's why – the grind of everyday espionage. Has a nice ring to it, no?
Chapter 4: The Grind
The next morning, Toby woke to another headache and yet another…surfacing of his renewed, wayward libido. This time, he simply murmured two spells, one after another, and lowly hissed to Iona that he was going to take a shower.
No scratching? She commented sarcastically, unwinding easily from around his arm and dropping, contented, between his warm sheets. When Toby blushed, she gave a short little hissing burst, her equivalent of a shrug. You smell like you need to, she observed as he got out of bed, but you don't look it –
Be quiet, Toby snapped in answer, now carefully removing the doubly strong silencing spell he'd put on his curtains the night before. It had been doubly strong because he'd been paranoid and guilty. Toby sighed – the silencing spells may have been taken down, but the paranoia and guilt throbbed on within him.
It, he thought sourly, heading for the showers, was why Toby had cast a very careful concealing spell on himself so he could get to a (cold) shower without any outward fuss, feeling very much as if he didn't deserve the relieved lassitude that would come from touching himself. It, though he was only half-aware of the fact at best, was also the reason why Theo Nott didn't bother talking to him as he stalked into the shower room.
Well, not until after he'd emerged shivering from the shower cubicle swaddled thinly in his towel, and looking a little more agreeable than before.
"Bad night?" Toby jumped a little, colouring slightly as he spotted Theo's thin, half-clothed form opposite the mirrors nearby. He found himself grunting slightly in answer, not feeling particularly like saying anything – "Why are you up so early?"
«Meeting with Snape, » Toby said shortly in response. At the other boy's puzzled look, he realised abruptly that he hadn't answered in English, and did so with a sigh – one that had more secret sentiment in it than anyone could probably imagine. "I have a short meeting with my uncle before lessons," he said, tousling his hair dry with a careful precision that was now almost natural.
"A meeting or a meeting?" Theo asked quietly, running hands impatiently through his own hair. "That'll be two in one day, just about – "
"He was too tired to be of use last night," Toby said negligently, guilt colouring his thoughts.
"But he was out almost the whole day, probably swanning about Diagon Alley looking for 'supplies'," Theo said, rolling his eyes, his tone insulting. "Wasn't he, though? I think I went down there after lunch, and he wasn't there."
"Are you seriously asking me what he does in his spare time, Theo?" Toby returned, a small, slightly sheepish grin finally making its way onto his face as guilt made itself known in his already aching heart for belittling what exactly his uncle did in his spare time. "Besides, the only other thing I can think of that'd leave him so bloody winded and distracted probably isn't on that posh street of yours…"
"I," Theo gasped, blinking hard, "did not need that image. Not in the morning, for the love of – "
"At least you didn't take it calmly," Toby made a point of smirking wickedly as he opened the shower room door and Accio-ed his clothes into the room, tugging absent-mindedly at the strap of his wand holster, which had kept slipping up and down and generally being annoying in the shower. Theo didn't even give it a second look, this time around. His dorm mates were all well used to seeing him do everything with the small band strapped onto his arm. "That would really have been worrying, I can assure you – "
"Prat."
"Dolt."
"Wanker."
"Didn't, this morning," Toby said earnestly, ignoring the look of horrified fascination that passed over Theo's face, closely followed by stinging colour. "You know, for me it's more of a random pattern – "
"Could you not stop with the images?" Toby wondered why on earth he was now laughing so much, with the kind of guilt that was twisting away inside, and felt even more worried about the next thing he thought to say. Trying to suppress it and just get his clothes on failed once he saw the horribly embarrassed look on Theo's face. Then, he just couldn't hold it back –
"Sometimes my snake has – "
"Don't want to hear it!" Theo snapped, now fumbling about in the bundle of clothes he'd brought in with him.
"Helped – " Oh, he was looking for his wand –
"Silencio!"
Toby resigned himself to the not all that worrying fate of silently laughing to death as Theodore stormed out from the shower room, the expression on his face torn between mortification and what looked like a severe need to laugh, hard.
A few sober moments later, he was vividly trying to regret the (rather perverted) things he'd said on purpose, as well as trying to convince himself that digging out his wand and thoroughly hexing Theo for that Silencing Spell had been warranted by his situation.
It was rather difficult as things stood, but the irresolute part of Toby was already yielding as he, scratching distractedly at his hair, approached his uncle's classroom door. Shivering a little as damp bits of his hair got irritatingly into his collar, Toby cast a hasty Warming Charm on his cloak, and had just about prepared himself for a ten or fifteen-minute wait, as sometimes happened, when Severus appeared.
"Uncle?" was all Toby had time to say before the familiar arm tugged him roughly into the Potions classroom. "What – "
"It is very simple," Severus whispered sharply, propelling him around the desks with a grip of steel. "You are to make an appearance – a prolonged one, at the Summer Party. Furthermore," Tobias' unvoiced objection was cut off by a brief, but blinding glare, "you are to execute a diversion in Slytherin House for at least two hours after the Party is over."
"What? But I – " Toby's confusion was increased by how sharply his uncle released his firm hold on him, now waving his wand in firm strokes that resembled the Denuntio region ward as he paused at the front of the classroom. Which didn't make sense, because Severus never used that one, he was far too paranoid, and it was easy to get through if you knew what you were doing –
"I spoke to the Headmaster," Severus said tersely, seeming not to hear a word Toby was saying or trying to say. "You will inform one of us what will be needed as of this evening by owl, do you understand? Now – " his uncle strode through the door connecting the classroom to his office, not even checking to see if his bewildered, upset so – nephew, nephew was following or not. "You will stay here and keep up a conversation with me until I return."
"Severus, why don't you just – "
"There is no room, and more importantly, no time for discussion, Tobias!" Severus whispered heatedly. "Sit down and talk." He wrenched a handful of Floo powder from the pot on the hearth and cast it into the low-burning fire, speaking in a firm, low tone as he stepped in, without a word or even a look back in Toby's direction. "Dumbledore's office! Proclamia!"
Tobias stood quietly there for a moment, alarm fevering his blood as he ground his teeth together in frustration. A minute of hot, irrational anger at his relation for keeping him out of the loop once again followed and passed, and Toby moved out two chairs at the huge desk with an angry wave of his wand, one after the other. I can't believe it – can't believe he seriously thinks I can do this –
"Don't stand there gaping, Tobias. Sit down," he snapped nervously, hoping against hope that he sounded like his fa – uncle. Uncle.
Keep calm, you dolt!
Thinking fast, Tobias silently added what hopefully sounded like someone sitting down, hard, and began speaking again, hardly knowing what he was saying as he desperately searched through the scrolls atop his uncle's desk for any clues, any bloody clues, whatsoever, as to how on earth he could do this –
Wait. Transfiguration class.
"You never cease to astound me, Tobias. Even the way you sit is insulting…" he sneered, softly, as Severus would probably do it. Had probably done it, if only in his head. Don't panic, don't think, just talk. Talk. "I don't believe I impressed upon you the consequences of your ridiculous mishap in your class yesterday quite…fully… Something came to my attention yesterday. Something rather – rather fascinating."
"Just say it already," Toby murmured, as himself, thinking wildly, and suddenly, very suddenly, the idea came to him, wrapped in shrinking shreds of guilt and –
"It appears that you were distracted," he continued, a la Severus. "By your partner. Your female," he added, stressing the word dangerously, "partner."
"If that old biddy said anything about – "
"I am not interested in excuses, you wretched little by-blow," Toby said, his voice as low and cold as he could make it, the feeling of guilt tingling horribly all over him now, even as he condemned himself. Pretending to do so was – disturbingly easy – "I am not ignorant of your habits – your womanising. Be advised that pursuing such a course here will be extremely reckless on your part, especially if you should decide to trouble one of the students in my own house."
"I fail to see, as always, why the fuck it's your business or anyone's business who I feel like fucking," Tobias spat back, at himself, heart thudding and wrenching unpleasantly as he got up, feeling some extra vitriol – the sound of walking around, at least, was needed. "And the connection's even harder to see as I had no intention of trying anything on my partner in Transfigurations in the first place – "
"Nevertheless, consider yourself warned," Toby said, cutting himself off with a low hiss. "Whatever you get up to at that Summer Party you're so fixated on attending, I assure you it will be most disadvantageous if I should hear of your engagement in such a pursuit – "
«I can't believe this!» Toby shouted back at himself, in Romanian, hoping not to implicate himself in any more than was planned, or to overdo it somehow. He was supposed to be a bit imbalanced, after all – if anyone was overhearing them, it would have to be convincing, and he knew he could be more convincing in Romanian – «I did not leave one controlling bastard to be controlled by another, you useless sack of -»
«Be silent!» He half shouted, cutting himself off as he dearly hoped no one would notice how his sentences seemed to end so conveniently. Unwelcome beads of sweat were on his forehead now, and he had no fucking clue what he would do if he ran out of ideas, or – "You will not raise your voice at me again, do you understand? I have no time to make you understand your folly, as pleasurable as that would be, so stop chewing on your lip and answer me. Now."
"Are you really that threatened by me?" Toby said now, voice low with very genuine frustration and disbelief as he glared at the fireplace. Bloody hell, I've got a fucking headache now, and if Severus doesn't Floo in in five minutes, I'll – I'll – "Or is it that – "
The grate flared up, and a sooty Severus stepped out, a look of worry on his face.
"Ridiculous," he sneered, hoping it was convincing as Severus silently approached his desk and selected a piece of parchment. "I have no idea what you put in my grate this morning to force it into behaving in this ridiculous manner, Tobias, but I suggest you remove it. Now." Severus tapped the parchment rapidly and slotted it across the desk to him, close enough that he could see blue letters scurrying across its surface:
ATTENDANCE AT PARTY ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY. SEND YOURSELF OUT.
Toby nodded, the sullen look he could feel on his face translating easily into the bored tone of his voice.
"Done insulting my intelligence?" he demanded, meaning it as he gave his uncle a hard look. "For now," he drawled insultingly in reply, "Do take yourself from my presence – I've had quite enough of your company to last me into this evening and beyond." Toby slammed his chair back, rising abruptly, insides writhing with anger and shame, and what on earth was the point of me staying here and –
Severus intercepted his path to the door of the office neatly, suddenly sweeping him into a silent, stiff – almost unyielding embrace, as he began to whisper very, very quietly into his ear.
"I will owl you. Keep yourself safe…"
Toby, released from the embrace just as abruptly as he had been drawn into it, stepped back, hard, a sudden realisation seizing hold of him.
They were going on a raid.
His heart seemed to drop sharply into his stomach, and tears of fear and frustration bit at his eyes.
"How long?" he mouthed quickly, determinedly projecting the thought of a journey into Severus' mind as strongly as he could. For a minute he thought he'd done it wrong, or not tried hard enough, but then Severus held up three fingers, then tapped the calendar on his desk as he moved one of the chairs abruptly, forcing Toby to dart over and lean and look, and see it was – the twentieth – Thursday. God, so soon –
"Drop that and get out, you foolish boy," Severus snapped, gesturing towards the door with a worried expression on his face as he deftly positioned himself at his desk, Levitating some scrolls haphazardly onto his desk probably so it would look like he'd been occupied the whole time from the vantage point of – Toby turned sharply – that was right, anyone looking in through the door.
"Whatever," Toby muttered loudly, recognising the cautious nod of his uncle with one of his own as he strode for the door – opened it – "Morning, Draco."
Draco hardly even flinched as Toby surveyed him, barely restraining the anger and fear collecting within him. Draco merely inclined his head and pushed past him to get into Snape's office, and Toby had to physically restrain himself from looking back.
You're supposed to be angry. Angry and afraid of your uncle, he ordered himself inwardly, trying not to think of how his headache had gotten stronger in the last minute. Somehow he forced himself to walk, now following the ragged trail of students heading for a late breakfast as best as he could.
In the Great Hall, he spotted Theo's head at the rather bare Slytherin table almost instantly and headed for it, deeply desiring some silence to let him think and stop panicking, stop fabricating horrible awful pictures of his uncle in agony at the hands of the Dark –
"There he is," a wry voice said, startling him out of his morbid thoughts as he slid into what he vaguely realised was an empty space.
It turned out to be – just one that was…disadvantageously positioned. And by disadvantageously positioned, Toby meant almost near enough to pillow his aching head on Tracey Davis' nonexistent bosom.
Well, nearly nonexistent. Toby's lustful eye was irritatingly efficient, and if it was sure that something lay behind that neatly pressed robe front, then it was probably correct –
"Merlin, Toby, what'd your uncle do to you?" Theo inquired, waving his hand impatiently before his face. "Tracey just said hi, and you didn't – "
"Theo, shut up," Tracey said, pinking almost delicately. "If he wants to devote his attention to making up," her voice took on a mocking bent, "hideously complex plots against his uncle in his mind at breakfast of a Saturday morning instead of talking to me, let him."
"How do you know what I'm thinking?" Tobias said, realising a little too late that his tone was a little too low and (do not blush. Do not) silky to be anything but flirtatious.
"Oh please, Theo's probably got more assets to daydream about than I have," Tracey said jokingly, despite her increasing flush.
"I'll believe that when I see it," Toby couldn't hold back. He flashed her his most flirtatious smile and felt absurdly gratified that her colour increased a little. Time for some damage control – it wouldn't go down well at all with Snape if she found he was more serious than he seemed about, well, her, maybe – "I can't believe you're blushing, you know. If you're impervious to our dear Draco, you should be to me." Tracey snorted, shaking hair out of her face as she bit into a sandwich, unwittingly ensuring that her robe front pulled a little tight, and revealed –
Mind. Gutter. Out.
"Don't act all innocent, Toby – " she began, causing an awful jab of embarrassment and fear to go through him – she couldn't have noticed, he couldn't have been staring, and what would Severus –
" – with that voice, you could probably excite the dead," Theo finished for her, winking knowingly in his (relieved, so relieved) direction.
"Pah," Toby replied, rolling his eyes as he finally began to eat. A little of the leftover tension from the meeting with his uncle started to seep out of him as he started on his mishmash of a salad, which was actually not bad. "Prove it," he added, as an afterthought, not expecting Theo to take him up on it.
"I can and I will," came the retort from Theo, just as Toby checked his wristwatch, meaning to leave – he needed a session in the Room of Requirement so badly it hurt. "Eh, Blaise?" Theo elbowed a sleepy Blaise beside him, causing him to look up with bleary eyes.
"Whatever." Blaise muttered distractedly, giving him an accusing look as the water in his goblet spilled. "Oh, see what you made me do, you bastard – "
"You should know better than to do that to him in the mornings, Theo," Tracey added snidely, jabbing her fork in her grinning friend's direction.
"It's for his own good," Theo insisted, ignoring Blaise's glare. "If Toby is up for a spot of very petty gambling, then – "
"I'll do it, if only to stop Blaise from killing you for poking him for nothing," Toby replied guardedly, biting into his ham-and-egg sandwich with faked gusto. There's also the fact that I need to get out of there before I do something I'll regret –
"Perfect," Theo said, his grin turning evil. "Unfortunately, it relies on you going to the Summer Party – "
"Which I'm perfectly fine with."
" – and going alone."
"Who was I going to ask, anyway? That weird girl that keeps staring at me in Charms, or that – that Ravenclaw that made sitting next to me sound like a proposition?" Toby finished rapidly, a genuine grin taking hold of his face now. He could feel it – this was going to be useful, this dare. This might even be –
"You'll go," Theo continued, obviously ignoring Toby's sarcastic comments, "and you will ask every girl from fourth year to seventh – twenty-four, isn't it, Blaise? – to dance with you at least once." Theo peered at him closely, the expression on his face indicating that he clearly expected Tobias to balk at the (barbaric, and obviously designed to be embarrassing) terms.
Of course, he wouldn't know to account for the fact that Toby was supposed to cause a stir at the Summer Party, and that he was more than welcoming towards ideas on how to effectively do that, so –
"From any house, eh?" Theo blinked, and Blaise stared. Toby didn't dare to look at what Tracey was doing – his brain would lead him to look downwards, and it would be so obvious – "Well? I don't see forty girls in Slytherin above fourth year to dance with – "
"It's twenty-four, to be exact. And I said fourth year to seventh – "
"And I balk before fifth. I don't flirt with children," Toby said with just the right amount of Lofty Snapeish Bastard in his tone. "And the extra sixteen is for accuracy – you can hardly base your suppositions on only twenty-something girls from our house, that won't be accurate in the least, and won't allow for mean deviation or even for girls that don't come – "
"But you already agreed," Theo said quickly, seeming to cotton on to the fact that people around them were listening. "And you didn't let me finish my terms, either." Tobias mockingly raised his goblet to his friends, and, feeling all the eyes that were being drawn to his, wondered if it would be this easy to keep the entire school distracted.
"So I'm at a disadvantage, and rightly entitled to some restatement in the oral contract," Toby reeled off, flashing Theo a nasty smile as he inwardly praised Severus for bothering to teach him some rudimentary tenets of magical law. His brain also collected a hefty bit of the praise - how it had remembered that strange little fact was entirely beyond him.
"Fine," Theo agreed, a calculating look appearing on his face. "You can only restate once, though, so it'll stay at forty girls, fifth to seventh year, and from all houses, won't it?"
"Indeed," Toby drawled, waving negligently in Theo's direction. "Go on – I feel lucky." Everyone on the Slytherin table seemed to surreptitiously move closer at those words, and Toby felt a small seed of hope blossom in his anxious heart. Maybe it would be this easy…
"The rest of the terms," Theo drawled, a predatory smile on his face, "go thus: if more than half of the girls you ask tell you to piss off, you win. If not, I win."
"And I get – "
"Satisfaction, plus mocking rights for the rest of the term." Toby gave him a level look. "And some kind of alcohol, free of charge, two rounds…three?" Toby nodded, sitting back in his chair. "Three rounds it is. Alcoholic in the making, eh, Toby?"
"It's not a crime for a man to like his beer," Toby said, snorting in what he hoped was a convincing manner. At least he had a chance of having his outright insinuation being believed, as Tobias Snape –
"And you get – " Tracey said, leaning uncomfortably close to Toby as she smirked at Theo.
"Satisfaction, etcetera, two rounds of some kind of alcohol, free of charge. And five questions Tobias has to answer truthfully about himself." Toby stared at him, the heat of alarm starting up into his cheeks – who could tell what he's going to – "What? You're slippery to pin down, and you know it. You can't blame a bloke for actually trying to get you to answer some things." Tobias shrugged, forcing his Man of Mystery smirk onto his face as he drained his goblet.
"I'm a Snape. We're all slippery," he said, the smirk widening into an involuntary grin as he suddenly realised that he might very well have his plan, or half of it – "We already have a deal, I suppose?"
"We most certainly do," Theo said, grinning again. "Cheers, Snape." Toby rolled his eyes as he winked triumphantly in his direction, mind racing. Now, there was just the two hours after the Ball to take care of –
"Speaking of Snape," a now wide-awake Blaise mused, "what about dear Uncle Severus?" As if on cue, someone burst angrily through the doors of the Great Hall, stamping directly for their table.
"What about him?" Tobias said, not bothering to see who it was, and hoping against hope that it was Severus. With the way things were going, a blow-up between the two of them in public would keep people distracted up to the blasted Party, and could probably help as well –
"Won't he be a little twitchy with you feeling up every girl in Hogwarts on that night?" Blaise said, his lips twitching with something that would probably be a smile.
"That'll be his problem, not mine," Toby said, trying to suppress the leer he felt coming up at the thought of trying to feel up Tracey. He'd have to be very, very thorough at it, wouldn't he, having to press her into a wall and really – "And, besides, he's not going to – "
"It is your problem, though, isn't it?" a very, very, very familiar voice said smugly, from behind him. "I heard him reading you the riot act about it this morning, you know." Toby bristled inwardly – so Draco had been listening, the nosy bastard. He'd have to ask Severus and see how he'd known – "Budge up, will you – "
Toby realised suddenly that Draco was trying to sit by him, and abruptly decided he wasn't going to suffer that this morning. Affecting deafness, he swung round, fluidly setting his legs up on the bench and scooting backwards so he was pressing delightfully against a very surprised Tracey.
Toby wasn't exactly sure how that was going to stop Draco, but he was damned if he wasn't going to try.
"I said budge up, not – " Toby gave him a level look, rapidly sifting through the surface emotions he gleaned from Draco's eyes and slight look of consternation.
Anger, fear, embarrassment, doesn't want to be…flirted with? Toby only just stopped his eyebrows from rising into his hairline by gritting his teeth. Why would Draco be afraid of being…flirted with, if he'd overheard the fake conversation with Snape? Toby probed as deep as he could with only seconds at his disposal, his decision already half made. And then –
Almost as if it was his own thought, Draco's irritated musing that he doesn't swing that way, you idiot, he's not going to – popped into his head, and that was it. As long as it got results, he really couldn't care less about why –
"What's wrong with sitting right here, Draco?" Toby said, his tone almost clueless, "I'm strong, you won't hurt me – " He suppressed a grin as he heard Tracey's muffled, amused, "Oh, Merlin!" and Theo's choking from opposite him.
"I'm not sitting on your legs, you arse," Draco snapped, face reddening as he realised how many people were looking at them, thoughts bleeding through with embarrassment. "Budge up, for the love of – "
Tobias almost grinned. It couldn't be going any better – but soon might –
"Well, you did remind me that my uncle won't be happy if I'm a bit too…pleasant…" he said haltingly, his voice going seductively low as poorly disguised gasps went around the people watching. "…to all the girls. So, I thought he wouldn't mind if I was pleasant to the boys – "
Tracey made a small, choking sound that did offensive things to Tobias' abdomen –
And Draco's face shot satisfyingly full of angry, embarrassed colour. Toby smiled happily – that was payback, and the embarrassment of this scene was already more than well worth it. The anger and mortification was practically wafting off Draco now as he struggled to keep his composure, and for a moment, Toby wondered if it was strictly healthy to enjoy this scene quite this much.
The moment didn't last long at all.
"I've got no options, you see," Toby continued, letting some amusement leak into his tone. "And since you were so kind as to remind me, I thought that – "
"He said you liked girls, you idiot," Draco hissed angrily. "You're just doing this because – "
Blaise was covering up his laughter very badly with fake coughs, and Theo was almost laughing openly, and pure victory was lacing through Toby's head like shards of sugary ice – "Because I want you?"
"Shut up!"
Feeling Tracey smother her laughter behind him was now severely testing Toby's limits of non-visibility in an area that could be all too visible if she merely looked over his shoulder, so he swung down his legs on the other side of the bench, giving Draco a bold once-over as he ground his teeth. "Fine. But you can't keep denying this forever – "
"Come on, you mean bastard," Tracey whispered laughingly, jerking at his hand as she stood up, evidently having realised his intention to leave. Toby allowed her to drag him to his feet, a mockingly longing look plastered firmly onto his face. Tracey swallowed, then said, in a much louder tone, "Come on, Tobias, there's no call to be pining after our Draco like that – "
"But I want him," Toby said loudly as Draco sat down, hard, his face still burning with embarrassment. So she's game for some Draco-bashing – bloody perfect – "I have needs, Tracey – "
Toby could almost hear the snort behind them, coming from Draco's direction, and wondered just how serious Draco was in his on-and-off, one-sided flirtation with Tracey, and if he wasn't just being a little jealous or paranoid. Not that there was much to be paranoid about, or anything, or jealous about, either –
"Let me take care of them, then," Tracey said, tone unabashedly sentimental, as she wound an arm round his waist, batting her eyes up at him. Toby almost stumbled in surprise, not because he hadn't expected her to play along to a (admittedly smaller) degree, but because the eye thing was unexpectedly distracting, as was the warm feeling of her arm around him. The distinctly Draco-tinged angry muttering (that surely housed some kind of insult of him) that followed them seemed to fade sharply into the background as Tracey gave Toby a pleased grin, nodding encouragement for him to continue the whole setup.
"What about my uncle?" he asked, almost meaning it, voice slightly unsteady with knowing how much the very idea of her tending to his needs aroused him –
"I won't tell him," Tracey mock whispered, her mouth wobbling comically from the effort it was taking her not to laugh.
"Good," Toby choked out, torn between laughter and deadly seriousness as they began to walk out of the Great Hall, all too aware of the giggling going on round them.
"So, Tobias," Tracey said breathlessly, "about those needs – "
Toby gave up, curling over with laughter as they slipped out of the double doors. It was literally either that or press her to the wall and start exploring the possibilities beneath her robe front, the way he was feeling. Heady. Thoroughly unbalanced with arousal.
Tracey let go of him, shaking with laughter, and he gulped through his laughter, thankful that she'd thought to do that. Merlin, he hoped she couldn't see how far gone he was, but thought of giving that up as a lost cause because his trousers were almost too painful to walk in.
"You're horrible, you know that?" Tracey gasped, not helping at all. "He was really worried you'd jump him in the Hall – "
"Bite your tongue," Tobias said forcefully, fighting against the images the thought of her tongue brought to mind. "The thought of letting him touch me is really revolting, I'll have you know…" It really was, and that thought reduced his…stress…quite a bit, replacing it with aggression. Maybe he could get the Room to produce blond mannequins in the style of Lucius Malfoy –
"Where are you headed, then?" Tracey said, pulling hair out of her face.
Or, Toby's heated brain mused, I could just get her into an empty classroom and –
"Duelling practice," he forced himself to say. He was not going to come on to her. He was not going to try and kiss her, or touch her, or get her to touch him –
"On a Saturday?" Tracey gave him a look of pure amusement. "No wonder you're miles ahead of the rest of us – "
"Not you," Toby found his mouth saying, his treacherous, stupid mouth, which was shortly going to be pressed up against her soft lips if he wasn't forceful enough to shut it up – oh, fuck fuck fuck fuck, the images that conjured –
Tracey snorted – "Please, you could have me for breakfast any time."
Don't say it. Do not say anything, you horny idiot –
"You're good enough at blocking that it'd be hard," Toby replied, trying not to wince as his erection took painful notice of – no, I won't say it, I won't talk about anything but duelling – "You just need to work on your counters and speed, and that comes with practice."
"Thanks for humouring me," she replied, voice going a little softer than normal. "I know I should probably be better, especially in these times, but…" she shrugged, her face going a bit blank, "…I just can't – can't care, sometimes." Tobias nodded reassuringly, suddenly finding that his traitorous desires had changed their object. Now he wanted to comfort her, then press her up against a wall – "Especially when everything's just – when my family's just – " A look of shock passed across Tracey's face, and she looked down. "Oh Christ, I'm whining. To you." As if it made a difference, that it was him, or something.
It makes a difference to me, his cock throbbed hungrily. A big, big difference –
Shut it, please, he begged inwardly. He had to get to a bathroom – to somewhere, anywhere, before he embarrassed himself –
"You don't see me complaining," he replied somehow. "This is my turn, here, so…" They paused, staring uncomfortably at each other. "If you ever want someone to cast at, it's me, all right? And, as for the whining – " he winked carefully at her, determinedly thinking not sexual, not sexual, just friendly, " – you can do that whenever you want, too."
Tracey looked hard at him for a moment, eyes thoughtful. "Your uncle really said all that, didn't he?" she said, very quietly. "You don't seem like the type to do – be that person, I think," she added, after Toby shrugged in what was hopefully a convincing manner.
"What kind of person?" he asked, leaning forward very carefully, knowing he couldn't afford to reach there and adjust, as –
"Like Draco," she replied, wryly. "Oh – I suppose I wouldn't know. But you haven't tried anything just yet, have you?" she narrowed her eyes mockingly at him. "Draco would've, by now, you know. Had me up against a…wall," she continued, tone faltering suddenly. Toby's thoughts chased himself around in his head as he fought the strong desire to Legilimise her – he was so aroused, now, that some of that could possibly spill over, and where would he be then – "I talk a lot, don't I?"
"No." She continued anyway, as if she'd not heard his almost steady reply.
"I'd better leave you to your practice, then," she said, carefully, tilting a sharp little smile his way as she started to drift off. Toby didn't trust himself to speak again – just smiled, and nodded, and wondered why she coloured as she walked off, hips drawing his notice. He turned away, walking fast, berating himself for looking like that, because she could easily have turned round and seen him, and it wasn't –
Then, his erection asserted itself, and he made a relieved, panting detour into a deserted classroom and warded it messily, left hand already grasping and pumping, hips moving sharply as he gripped his wand and moved his hand faster on his cock, unable to stop his imagination from spreading her against a wall and moulding himself to her and touching and –
"Fuck," he slurred out, throat thick with the relief, the release of finally coming. It seemed to take forever, his trousers feeling deliciously warm and wet, his nipples uncomfortably hard as they brushed against his shirt beneath his robes, and it took him a minute or two to realise he was just moving his hand against his soft, sated cock, and a minute more to stop oversensitising himself, to take his brain off the track that was pretending it was Tracey doing it – that's it – hand away from cock, that's right –
"Fuck," Toby said, voice quiet. "Fuck." I have a problem. A bloody problem, and it just means I'm not going to ask her to dance at the Party. That's all. And no being alone with her. "Yeah," he muttered to himself, ignoring the part of his mind encouraging him to lean against a wall or desk and open his trousers and really finish the job properly, and yet he was inclined to agree, because he was getting hard again, already. «I can't do this,» he whispered to himself, unable to stop his hand from dropping his wand and opening his trousers, reaching into his damp underpants and squeezing – «I can't keep doing this,» he muttered distractedly, doing it. Touching, squeezing, eyes drifting closed as he imagined her hand on him, stroking softly, whispering into his ear in that breathy little accented voice, her other hand snaking around his waist and squeezing his bum, her voice telling him she thought he had the greatest arse and she couldn't stop looking and would do anything if he'd let her touch his bare skin –
It didn't take very much longer than the first time for his traitorous cock to burst again, and this time Toby reached for his wand. He dismissed the thought of remaining here, letting the cool air in the classroom drift over his bare skin as he thought guiltily of her again, and stop that, button your bloody trousers, and leave your fucking shirt alone, you wanker.
He cursed softly as he realised he'd have to mutter the cleaning spell more than once. Reminded himself that he had more things to do than sit in here and wank. Finally got himself to close his trousers and mutter the cleaning spell again, for where it was needed.
A minute later, Tobias had emerged from the classroom, cheeks displaying the barest hint of pink (he'd checked before he left, actually conjured a bloody mirror and checked), looking for the entire world like he'd not rushed in there some time before, hard enough to pound through the bloody door if it wasn't open.
Toby headed for the Room of Requirement, hoping it would be empty. If it wasn't, he wasn't quite sure he wouldn't cast a tracking spell and try to find Tracey and talk to her about kissing and an arrangement they could possibly reach – test out this strange new attractive part of him and see if it really, really worked. When he spotted the empty stretch of wall, his heart seemed to leap and fall simultaneously, but the decision to find Tracey was soon a moot point.
Toby began to pace, easily settling into the complicated thought he'd need to coax the Room open and full of things to practice on. As the door appeared, he sighed. I might not be able to resist wanking to her like a pervert, but I draw the line at actually torturing myself by seeking her out and asking her to – he blushed, charging through the door – kiss me.
That the pathetic thought of begging Tracey to kiss him engendered both horror and avid curiosity within him effectively sealed the deal. And besides, the Room was perfect today – sometimes it didn't quite generate what he'd had in mind, but today…today the Room had come up with an intriguing cross between a mannequin and Lucius Malfoy, producing muttering, faceless blond would-be assailants, and Toby sighed contentedly, mindlessly warding the door shut as usual. This would keep his mind off Tracey long enough for him to get his daft head back in the game, and start planning his 'distraction' for the Party. Well, he hoped so…
Tobias raised his wand, tensing as he felt the Room lock him in from behind, like he'd just been about to do, in addition to everything else. The first spell whispered past him as the lights went out, and then he wasn't really thinking of anything except who to take down next.
Which absolutely was fine by him.
Just over an hour later, the Room of Requirement was a mess once more, and so was Toby.
Well, not really a mess, more of an attractive one. After some internal debate (and some despairing as to just how vain he was becoming), Toby allowed himself to think determinedly for a mirror, and darted towards the wall on which one appeared, just to –
Fine, he was preening again. Perhaps it was all the sweat, or all the wanking he'd done not so long ago, but he did have an irresistible desire to find out what he looked like, right now. A feeling that was part shock and part contentment ran through Toby again as he surveyed his panting self in the mirror, running careless fingers through his hair. It was sweaty and sticking haphazardly out of the ponytail it had been when he'd entered the Room, and it looked interesting against his pink, flushed skin.
Toby sheathed his wand carefully, shoulders sagging as he looked round at the chaos he'd caused, a feeling of deja-vu seeping into him very slowly. Apart from the copious amounts of burnt blond hair and all-too-realistically moaning mannequins around (and the copious evidence of dodgy spells he'd not known months before now), it could have been him standing here in the Room of Requirement last year, taking stock of the effects of his anger. Still angry, sometimes, even after the sought-after release of pure fury.
Toby let himself sink abruptly to the floor and sit down with a thud, pushing hair out of his eyes. He still remembered how to be – his old self, albeit in an uncomfortably distant way. Heady with the danger of it, he tried to fake a sentence or two, and was disconcerted to find that he actually couldn't. The Romanian accent clung thickly to his tongue, and it felt almost natural to swear softly to himself in it, his – his natural tongue.
Toby put his head in his hands, disorientation sweeping over him like a heavy blanket. What would come of this? What happened if – if everything was finished, over, forever, and he had to become…himself, again? He could barely speak with a British accent now, could barely remember the expressions he'd used before. For fuck's sake, he didn't even have his friends anymore, or even – his crush. His mind wandered back to an hour ago, to mercilessly teasing Draco and encouraging Theo to out-bargain him, and he couldn't see himself doing it. His old self.
Maybe – maybe Harry Potter is really dead, Toby cautiously let himself think. Maybe.
He rose to his feet, not knowing precisely why he felt somehow relieved. Being Tobias Snape, being Toby was just…easier than he thought. Being himself, really, if you really thought about it. That was why it felt natural, not because he'd become someone else entirely, or wasn't still the same somewhere under that bizarrely Snapeish exterior. And he would explain it to everyone, when it was over. He would.
Now, for the two hours, Toby forced himself to think. The idea of distracting the Slytherins after the Summer Party seemed both tremendously daunting and foolishly easy at the same time, now. All it would take was some application of himself.
And maybe a change of clothes. Toby wrinkled his nose, amusement ghosting through him as he realised there was more of it to wrinkle than – than there had been, then. Why it occurred to him now, he couldn't say, but it cheered him up inexplicably, and soothed his niggling sense of worry as he made his way down to the dungeons to change and plot.
"…can't believe it, bloody outrage – "
"Can't they at least try to make up a separate Party for first years? I can't stand to think of what my stupid prat of a brother would say to my mum if he saw me flirting with someone, can you even imagine – "
Tobias slowed almost immediately, ignoring the remnants of his guilty conscience. This was his purpose as a sp – student here, wasn't it? As degrading and unjust as it felt to eavesdrop on the conversation of the two girls walking in front of him, it was what he was supposed to do. Gauging the feelings within the houses here obviously required doing some old-fashioned listening at doors and in corridors, so –
Well, he didn't actually know which house they were from yet, so the House part was irrelevant. That could be arranged, of course.
Toby yawned once, quickening his pace so that he drew abreast with the two girls, noting the way they blushed at his appearance despite being – well, despite at least one of them being a Hufflepuff. No one in his year, thankfully, or they might actually have spoken to him.
And still might, Toby reminded himself, suddenly realising he was only just in front of the pair. He lengthened his stride as subtly as possible, registering the slightly wistful sigh he heard behind him with alarm, which only heightened when the first girl spoke again, only just loud enough for him to hear.
"I wonder what he's been doing to work up a sweat like that…"
"Have you ever seen him without his robes?" the second girl said, a little too excitedly for his tastes.
"Luckily enough, I caught him going to breakfast without them this weekend – "
"Weren't his trousers tight?"
"Fuck yeah. Dunno how he walks in 'em, but he definitely looks – "
Toby increased his stride again, this time doing it abruptly, as if he'd just remembered something.
Which he had. Imagining people thinking comments like that was a far cry from actually hearing two girls seriously discuss the merits of his tight trousers, and he'd just remembered that holding on to his dignity and right to move robeless about Hogwarts unembarrassed was worth more than whatever drivel those two crazies behind him could possibly reveal.
Toby slumped, relieved, against the door of the classroom as he heard the footsteps and gossipy voices travel by. His cheeks were literally on fire, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd been as embarrassed and flattered and not wanting to be as this. And all for a Party and a fucking disturbance. Toby cursed thickly in Romanian, irritated with himself in hindsight for actually suggesting this – this travesty.
He pushed tense fingers through his hair, warding the classroom out of habit as he made a beeline for the nearest chair. What if every bloody girl at the Party thought the same thing as those two? What if everyone he asked said yes, practically raped him on the floor with their eyes, and went on to gossip about how he had said 'will you dance with me' in that lovely, deep voice, and –
Deep breath. In. Out.
Toby repeated the deep breaths, focussing on calm, cooling waters. He didn't have to worry like this. All he had to do was provide a diversion during the Party and after it, which was already half set up. You just need to think, he reminded himself, forcing his brain to reconsider the first (less embarrassing) half of the conversation he'd overheard.
"…bloody outrage…"
"…first years? I can't stand…stupid prat…mother…flirting with someone…"
Bloody outrage.
First years.
Party.
Separate first years – party.
Tobias jolted slightly, in his seat. A separate party. A separate party – that was it! It'd been under his bloody huge nose all the time, and he'd just needed to listen and let go of his embarrassment, and – how on earth am I going to manage a separate party?
For one thing, I'll need somewhere for it to happen, Toby allowed himself to cautiously think. Probably the dungeons, then, since Severus won't be here this weekend because of…the fact that he's going to be on leave, he finished, just catching himself on time. That fact had been true up until he found out this morning about what his uncle would really be doing in his spare time this weekend, so it wouldn't be hard to hold on to. Besides, it meant that Severus wouldn't be there to see whatever mess Toby made of the whole –
Back to the party.
All the Slytherins, maybe fourth year and above? That sounded feasible, and everyone would surely want some time away from the constraining influence of the teachers that would be supervising the Summer Party, as well as from the prying eyes of younger years that wouldn't quite know what was going on, but would know enough to get their older siblings in trouble if anything really…interesting, went on.
"So, influencing desires would be mainly the desire for secrecy and maybe one for real drinks and the absence of teachers," Toby mutteredlowly to himself. "It might just work…"
Fifteen minutes later and one or two turns away from the Slytherin dorms, the plan was looking distinctly less half-arsed and more and more of a real possibility to Toby. Now, if he could just convince someone his own age that the existence of quite another party from the official one would be extremely cool, he would be fine.
Toby suppressed a grin as he tossed out the password and ducked through the resulting doorway in the wall ahead. It would be…what was that saying? Like shooting fish in a barrel. Yeah –
"Blaise, my good man!" Toby said expansively, ignoring the curious looks that assaulted him practically as soon as he stepped into the common room. "You'll never believe what I'm thinking about – "
"I don't think I ever want to be on your bad side, Toby – would you believe Draco's hiding in our dorm?" Theo looked a little too much on the smug side for his hushed tone of concern to carry any weight. Not that Toby expected it to, of course.
Blaise shook his head, smiling slightly as Tobias approached them. "I think he called it sleeping, Theo – "
"I don't care what he called it. He's hiding in our dorm, and everyone knows it," Theo retorted, dragging Toby down into the squashy armchair between him and Blaise, the expression on his face vindictive enough to put a Snape to shame. Toby affected concern just as Theo had just a minute earlier, running a hand through his hair almost nervously as he saw some seventh year girl – Emily Greengrass? She looked a lot like Daphne, somehow – eye him up, none too discreetly.
"It was just a joke, though – he knows that, doesn't he?"
"You're abysmal at playing innocent, so drop it," Theo said impatiently, shutting the Transfiguration text he'd had open before him and tossing it dramatically on the floor. "So, tell me – was it or was it not about him listening in on a Meeting?"
"Well, more or less. He should know not to go sticking his absurd little nose into my business," Toby replied easily, grinning as Blaise groaned and shut his obscure-looking Ancient Runes book and began to fish about in his robes as Theo gave him a smug grin.
"Merlin, only a Snape would insult you for having a normal nose – "
"Comments about my nose will be punished, Theo." Toby watched idly as Blaise extracted a slightly worn (but obviously expensive) purse from his robes and, glaring in his friend's direction, begin to root around in it. So they actually bet on me...wonder if anyone else did –
A quick look around bolstered his confidence somewhat, as, to his slight surprise, coins seemed to be being discretely exchanged all around the common room.
"Even good ones?" Theo was saying plaintively, grinning as Blaise grudgingly extended two Galleons across Toby.
"Even good ones, because such a thing called sarcasm exists. I'll just pretend not to know the difference, and hex accordingly."
"Fair enough, fair enough," Theo said, snatching up the Galleons with a nasty grin, which widened as Blaise glared at him again. "Oh, come on Blaise, it's only money – "
"Sometimes I forget why I never gamble with him," Blaise said to Toby, ignoring his grinning friend. "He's the only one I've ever not wanted to argue with about paying up, I swear – "
"Oh, but he won't give me any grief if he wins, will you Theo?" Toby said plaintively, allowing a bland, saccharine look onto his face.
"You know, if you make it a habit to punish people by flirting with them, I just might," Theo said, sending a jokingly suggestive leer his way. Toby thanked his skin for what was the – fifth? sixth? It's like today's Embarrass Tobias Day – time that day, and leered right back.
"Oh, I only make exceptions like that for Draco. For everyone else, it's a nice clean hex." Theo made an exaggeratedly sorrowful face. "Sorry to disappoint…"
"Oh, ignore him," Blaise said, rolling his eyes. "Where've you been, anyway?"
"A little duelling practice," Tobias said, now starting to really feel just how sweaty he was.
"So that's why you stink," Blaise said, his grin taking the edge off the insult. "No offence, mate, but looks don't solve all your problems – "
"I'm going, I'm going," Toby said, reluctant to relinquish his seat between the two Slytherins while he was still psyched about the party idea. "Before I go de-stink, though, I wanted to run something by the both of you." Theo looked up, like Blaise, looking only mildly interested. "Two words: separate party."
"For…?"
"For those of us Slytherins who aren't kids," Toby said bluntly, pushing up his sleeves almost absently before realising his scars would be on display, then counting a few seconds before slowly rolling them down again. "A party at which we can actually dance and drink freely, you know?"
"Does this have something to do with your wanting to make a pass at Draco when no one's looking?" Theo joked, the underlying expression under his amusement a little too thoughtful to make it a real one.
Tobias, despite his dry mouth, somehow found a reply to the unmistakeable latent question. Are you afraid of your uncle? Afraid enough to avoid situations where he'll have the upper hand? Afraid that –
Toby mentally shook his head. Of course he couldn't intimate that he was. That would make them lose confidence in him –
Answer already!
"All I'll ever need to flirt is my body and brain, thank you." Toby smiled lazily, hoping he wouldn't sound like a complete idiot – "The benefit of privacy is subjective at best, I'll have you know."
"You pervert," Theo returned, a slight note of awe mixed in with the unabashed interest in his voice.
"Besides, nothing is ever private when you're with someone," Toby added, for good measure, wondering how on earth that had come to him. And then very abruptly quashing the thought, because that thought led to surprisingly dangerous places –
"I don't want to hear that, I want to hear details," Theo said plaintively, scowling as Tobias rose from his seat, stretching slowly.
Toby fought back a scowl of his own as he forced himself to really consider what would eventually have to be said – lies about how he'd participated in group – right, not thinking about that yet. Theo groaned as Toby began to move away from the pair, trying to ignore just how hard everyone around them was listening into the whole thing, trying to ignore how his useless brain wasn't cooperating, wasn't letting him reach the solitude of the showers before he crawled all over with shame and disgust and fear.
"Come on, you can't leave us hanging here – "
No, I can't, can I? I just had to open my stupid Snape mouth and lie about being experienced –
"You mean leave you hanging," Blaise corrected, grinning at Theo's irritation.
"Shut up, you'd listen just as hard as anyone if he'd tell us," was Theo's snappish reply. "Hey – hey you! You'll have to tell me anyway when I win, so don't think that conversation is over…!"
"Sure of yourself, aren't you?" Toby said, the smirk on his face only barely staying in place. "Think about it while I'm gone, though – a separate party'll be perfect."
Entering the dorms and seeing Draco – wait, he wasn't there. Here.
Thank Merlin for small mercies, Toby found himself thinking as he stripped hastily of his sweaty clothes, not caring whether the room was really empty or not, only caring to Summon Iona before stalking into the shower room half naked and desperate for water and soap and the promise of cleanliness –
It took a while before he stopped feeling nervously for his wand without realising it, as he conjured more than more than enough of his favourite bath soap, fiercely revelling in the spicy scent, barely able to stop the horrible thoughts from briefly dancing around in his head. Tobias found himself slumped against the shower wall after ten minutes of trying not to claw at his scalp instead of actually wash it, and made a very abrupt decision to let himself cry, if only for a minute.
A minute grew into five, but he was smart enough to know when to stop. Which was now.
Thank Merlin I'm silent now, Tobias thought, dully. He shoved aside the issue of the disturbance or whatever the fuck it was for the next ten minutes as he carefully towelled himself dry to the happy hissing of Iona as she writhed in one of the sinks he'd filled for her, making a thorough mess as she just as thoroughly enjoyed the warmth of the water. Watching her calmed Toby down somewhat, and the ten extra minutes to compose himself wound down to only five. Which was why he was scooping his glistening snake out of the water when Theo stuck his head round the ajar door of the shower room.
"I didn't offend you, did I?" was his blunt opening. Toby stared at him instinctively, knowing enough to make it a puzzled one instead of an angry one, because there was simply no way for his new friend to understand –
"Not really," was the most Tobias was able to say and say truthfully as he began to dry a very wet Iona carefully in his arms. He knew this feeling all too well – the one that threaded suddenly through him as he approached the barrier between things he could lie about, and things he would die before he ever did. Somehow, not admitting he was upset to Theodore had wormed its way behind that barrier, and that was disturbing.
Very, very disturbing.
"Was it the thing about Draco?" Theo said, finally entering the shower room, a cautious tilt to his shoulders. Toby managed, just managed not to stiffen in surprise. Theo was damned close, and probably didn't even know it. And would probably never know it –
"No, it's not him, not exactly. It's just – " Toby's mind raced obligingly – " – what I did in the Great Hall was absolutely useless, in terms of everything. In terms of that fucking meeting, I just…" He let his voice peter out convincingly, stroking the last droplets of water off Iona's skin as he warmed to his tale, watching Theo's reaction out of the corner of his eye. "The reason I agreed to this whole thing was to get a bit of…leeway, I think." The next few bits would have to be carefully handled – not too much information, and delivered in just the right manner, that was how he needed to do it – "Frankly, my other uncle, Cosmin, despises me, and made every effort to make my life hell back home. Here, because of the apprenticeship, things are better, and I have a chance of making sure they stay that way. Getting on the wrong side of Severus would make all my plans useless at this point, and I'm frustrated with myself on that point. You understand?"
"I think so," Theo said quietly, his body language and – Toby sighed guiltily to himself, knowing that some Legilimency now just couldn't be helped – surface thoughts displaying a much firmer answer. Despite the guilt and leftover ragged, depressing confusion from the shower, Toby felt an odd spark of warmth within him. Having someone that obviously trusted him just made him feel – good. A little more guilty, but that couldn't be helped, either – "Still interested in talking to us lowly small-nosed peasants?"
Tobias took the opening, surprisingly unashamed to work it for all it was worth.
"No Snape can call himself a Snape," he said magnanimously, drawing himself up and affecting to look down his nose at his friend, "without that blessed ability to forgive others for not being as well-endowed as himself."
Theodore snorted, holding open the door for him with a slightly nervous (but not overtly frightened) look in Iona's direction as she and Toby swept past.
"Trust you to make it all about endowment," he muttered loudly, shutting the door as he followed Toby into their dorm. "Now, about that party…"
Tobias allowed himself a small, private grin as he spotted Blaise poking warily at his bed curtains. At least they were still interested in the bloody idea, even with him being gone for – almost half an hour? The grin widened almost of his own accord. Maybe doing this whole thing wasn't that much of a mistake – he seemed to have taken to it well enough, and since Blaise and Theo believed him…
"You found him, then?" Blaise asked redundantly, now unabashedly peering under Toby's bed.
"No, he found my evil twin," Toby returned, tone dripping with sarcasm as Blaise regretfully withdrew so he could put a slightly twitchy Iona into her box. "Honestly, Blaise – "
"Don't blame him, Toby, he comes from a family with a tradition of constantly stating the obvious."
"Fuck you, Theo," Blaise said absently, now tracing his wand in patterns over Toby's very locked, very warded trunk.
"What are you doing?" Toby asked, genuine curiosity swamping him as threads of light began to bloom over his trunk.
"Testing the wards on your trunk," was the short, terse answer.
"You don't know?" Theo said, shooting Toby a surprised look. "Everyone tries to break into each others' trunks at least once a week. We started doing it fifth year, and it just sort of stuck," he added helpfully, waiting until Iona's box was warded and safely stowed away under Toby's bed before he tried to take a seat. Toby tried to look surprised, hoping that he pulled it off – Snape had actually used that fact to spur him on during his training. It was bit of a cruel tactic, especially since his uncle had not scorned to remind him of the various books and writings he'd desperately want to be kept private. "Yours never budges, so we all keep trying."
"And you're surprised when I say privacy is overrated," Toby said, injecting disbelief into his tone. "Ridicol – "
"Right, that's not budging," Blaise said, abandoning the trunk after the threads of what an alarmed Toby noticed was actually very close to the right unravelling spell fell apart for the fifth time. "So, this party thing."
"Yes," Toby forced out, setting a firm internal reminder to double up the damned wards on each and every possession of his in Hogwarts as he took a seat on his bed beside Theo. "The idea is that we leave the Summer Party at the right time and just continue it in the dungeons for a bit. No teachers, no kids, you know – "
"That's mad, we could so easily get caught – "
"My dear uncle's not going to be here that evening, fortunately for us," Toby said, twiddling at his hair as he forced a smirk onto his face. "No one cares what happens down here, do they? Well, maybe apart from that – that 'h' house – "
Theo looked vaguely amused. Blaise just rolled his eyes as he grudgingly supplied the word: "Hufflepuff?"
"That's the one," Toby said, purposely making his tone smug. "And some high-grade Silencing charms should take care of that, if they're put up well before the event."
"Look," Blaise said, sighing noisily as he sat down on the bed next to Toby's. "Let's say you do go through with this mad idea. Just – you know, like we were really planning an extra party or something."
Toby frowned, nearly without thinking. What was he supposed to say to that? Theo probably wouldn't agree if Blaise didn't, he knew that much – "I don't – "
"Like, say…what will you do for music?" Theo cut in, looking deeply interested. "It's not like the Weird Sisters'll agree to do it for you – "
"Charm-in music, you idiot, what else?" Toby's heart faltered within him – he'd really not thought about the mechanics here, and would just have to wing it on his faint knowledge of Wizarding music –
"You actually have some?" Blaise ventured.
"The best," Toby said enthusiastically, praying, just praying they would just buy this and help him.
Oh, and that his taste in music wasn't hideously outdated, or really odd. The only band he could think of that played music vaguely alike what Dud – his cousin (Merlin, but he hadn't thought about him in ages) had played loudly in his room was actually the only one he'd ever heard of as selling music charms from anyone – "Van de Kamp, two full sets of recordings. Real drinking music, you know?" Then Toby suddenly remembered that horrendously cheesy stuff Severus had assaulted him with once, saying it was now popular in Romania – "Oh, and I also have some real dance stuff by Ozone, even if it's on the stupid side. That should do for about two or three hours – "
"Just two or three? Why not the whole night?" Theo asked. Toby tried not to shout in victory – Merlin, they actually seemed to believe his bullshit –
"Because we would be caught, you arse," Blaise answered, before Toby could say anything of the sort. "Be hard not to miss the fact that more than forty people were missing from your house if you were Flitwick, wouldn't it?"
"If you mean Snape, Toby's said he won't be here, so it's bloody perfect for an all-nighter," Theo argued stubbornly, looking rather excited at the prospect. "In fact – "
"I bloody meant Flitwick, you idiot," came Blaise's annoyed answer. "If you'll just think about it – "
"But we're not inviting anyone from the other Houses, are we?" Theo retorted, turning rapidly in Toby's direction. "Are we, Toby?"
"What do you mean, 'we'? It's my party," Tobias said a little belligerently, despite the fact that his heart was thudding hard in his chest and firmly on the side of the 'we'.
"You can't do it on your own, though, can you? You'll need our help," Theo shot back.
"And there I was, thinking you said it was a mad idea," drawled Tobias, as sarcastically as he could make it. This was turning out so well now –
"I didn't say it wouldn't work, or that I wouldn't support it," Blaise retorted, just as hotly as his friend. Toby rolled his eyes, inwardly shouting for joy, and favoured both Theo and Blaise with questioning looks.
"So we're actually doing this, then?"
"Fuck yeah," came the rapid answer from Blaise. "So, Toby – what are you going to charm the music to?" Toby fought a smile, knowing he was expected to act at least a little irritated at his idea being tossed at at first, then deliberately answered –
"To the walls. You know that empty dungeon near our usual lab? One of the walls seems to have the appropriate magical resistance, so – "
"The party room, you mean?" Theo interrupted. "But that's huge, and the seventh years and prefects won't let us use it – "
"Oh, it's called the par– no wonder the wall's perfect – "
"But that's huge, and the seventh years and prefects won't let us use it," Theo said pointedly. "It's like this tradition, they only ever use it for their extra graduation party, and – "
"– if they're all invited?"
"As well as every prefect from each house? Because they'd tell on us, they all check that dungeon on their rounds – " Blaise asked, tone growing sceptical. Tobias rolled his eyes – he just implied he wants to invite Ravenclaws, for goodness' sake, what can be the bloody problem with other houses –
"Just the most influential, the ones who aren't averse to a bit of drinking and dancing out of sight, you know, that'll make sure no one tattles," Tobias said grudgingly. "It's not like any of them's going to turn down free drinks and a place to dance in private. And why are you so nervous about asking them, anyway? You want the Ravenclaws down here, at least, don't you?"
"It's easy enough to get the Slytherins to come," Blaise said, sighing impatiently. "But the other houses are different about things like this, you know that – "
"So you're telling me only Slytherins will be interested in having a separate party?"
"No, he's telling you it'll take some tact getting them to commit themselves," Theo said soothingly. "We'll need to appeal to their nobler sides or something, don't you see? We could say it's just an extra opportunity to relax, and leave them to draw their own conclusions about the purpose of the party without feeling like we're corrupting them." Toby sighed, wanting to argue, but gradually able to see the point Blaise and Theo were making. As irritating as it was, he could see someone like Hermione being suspicious if they outright announced it as a chance to drink and debauch themselves away from prying eyes.
"What I don't see is how on earth and where on earth we're going to start on going about this whole complicated mess," he found himself complaining. " This school and its daft Houses and politics and shite – can't even through a fucking party without thinking about it – " Blaise gave him a mockingly encouraging look.
"But all that thinking's great for you, Toby – after giving a few parties here, you'll have learnt how to manage all kinds of people – "
"And who to talk to's easy, Blaise knows everyone important," Theo said hastily, cutting his friend's mocking tone off. "About the refreshments, though – "
"Just alcohol," Tobias said, hoping he sounded decisive enough to convince them. "The Summer Party's going to have food in abundance, so that's not an issue. And besides," he said, flopping backwards onto his bed, "if I start thinking about convincing the bloody Hufflepuffs that we won't poison the food, my head's going to explode."
His head was actually very near exploding, but – Toby grinned to himself as his friends bickered over whether they would ask the prefects and so on to bring their own drinks – for very different reasons.
Toby launched into their argument on the side of asking the prospective, er, partygoers to bring their own stuff. It had been nerve-wracking, and would still take a lot of work to pull off, but the 'disturbance' looked to be well underway. Now, if the – er, his uncle's outing, that's what he could call it – would just go properly…everything would be perfect.
A/N: Wow, wow, and wow. Can't believe I finished this, really. I hit a cunningly disguised sticking point at this chapter towards the end, but somehow worked through it – can you tell? It was really fun writing this chapter for me, and way easier than writing the last one because I've gotten back into my rhythm for this fic, which was a blessing, as I did have a rather busy two or so weeks. Sorry it's taken this long to update, and do report on any errors you see so I can fix them, as I am still beta-less for this story.