Professor McGonagall was too distracted by the group of Durmstrang students that accompanied Penny to notice her tardiness. In fact, she awarded Penny five points to Gryffindor for helping them find their way. Apparently, as part of the 'relations' the Triwizard Tournament was intended to create, groups of students were asked to join Hogwarts' classrooms to foster an environment for friendships to kindle.
"She vas very helpful," Krum said politely about Penny, who tried to inch awkwardly away from the limelight.
The classroom was all eyes forward, entranced by the quidditch star, (and shooting daggers at Penny for her luck in running into him.)
"Ms. Potter never fails to find a moment to help her peers," Professor McGonagall said, while beckoning the Gryffindors to make room for the new students.
"Potter?" Krum said, voice full of interest.
"Not that Potter, Harry is over there," Penny said, shamelessly throwing her twin under the bus to escape.
Harry sent her a glare that was almost severe enough to actually burn her. All Penny could do was smile apologetically and take refuge at an empty desk. To her horror, after finishing introductions, Viktor Krum took the seat beside her. Penny could hear Ron cursing her to Hades and back. Ron loved Viktor more than he loved life itself. Once everyone was settled, Professor McGonagall gave an introduction to their topic for the day and then set them to task transforming a bird into a fish. It was a difficult bit of magic because the creatures lived in very different environments, so the transfiguration needed to be exact or the creature would not have the necessary features to survive in its altered state.
"I call him Earl," Penny said to Krum, trying to ease the tension.
"Vhy?
"Why not? You don't think it looks like an Earl?"
"No. Birds do not require names, they are useless." Krum said, examining her through his thick brows.
"I do not think everything has to be useful to magic folks to warrant interest," Penny said darkly, reaching out with her magic to attempt the transfiguration. Earl hopped onto her finger and chirped. "What kind of fish do you want to be?" she whispered to it.
Closing her eyes, she reached for the bird's magic, its tiny expression pulsating incredibly quickly. A moment later, as though she took hold of the ball of light and remolded it, the bird became an angel fish flopping in Penny's hand. She quickly set the fish in the tank provided and turned to Krum with a grin on her face, proud of her effort.
"How did you do that?" he demanded, staring at her wide eyed.
"I just did what Professor-"
"You didn't use your vand," he said, pointing to the wand laying beside her.
"Oh, yeah, I guess I didn't," Penny replied, staring at her wand in confusion.
She often felt like her wand was unnecessary for work like transfiguration, but she had never actually performed a spell without it in hand. She simply forgotten to pick it up because Krum distracted her, but the endeavor had felt very much the same.
"Vot is this, you teach this at Hogwarts!" Krum said loudly, turning to Professor McGonagall.
She was just a table away admiring Hermione's work. She turned, giving Krum a severe expression. She did not like outbursts in her class.
"This is a transfiguration class, so we transfigure, yes," Professor McGonagall said, striding to their table.
The room had turned with interest to the confrontation, the students looking between Penny's confused face and Krum's offended one.
"Not transfiguration, expression, you teach expression? Because at Durmstrang ve vould never," Krum said in an angry voice.
Penny had never heard the word before, but she saw the way Hermione's eyebrows contracted towards her hairline and knew she had done something bad. Growing up in the muggle world with Harry often resulted in a lapse of understanding about some of the most basic elements and facts about the wizarding world. It often frustrated Penny, who tried hard to read as much as possible, but this particular topic was not something she was familiar with.
"No one in this classroom has every used-"
"She just did, I vatched her!" Krum accused, pointing at Penny.
Professor McGonagall turned to Penny, her features very unsettled.
"Surely not, Ms. Potter, did you?" she asked.
"I have no idea what expression is, Professor," Penny admitted.
"Show her vot you did," Krum demanded, passing his own bird to Penny.
Penny turned to McGonagall, who nodded. "Just show us how you transfigured yours into that angelfish."
"Alright. . .'' Penny said, uncertainly.
Leaving her wand beside her she took the bird into hand and repeated what she had done the first time. When she found the bird's center she willed it into its new shape: a flopping clown fish. She dropped the creature into its tank and looked at her Professor, who was shaking slightly, her lips pursed.
"Penny, how did you do that," she said breathlessly.
"I just did what I always do Professor, I told you, I can feel them," Penny said, trying to be quiet enough to not be heard by the entire class.
It was no use, every pair of eyes was on her, staring at her with a sense of awe and fear. They seemed confused by what she had done, but none of them seemed to show the same horror that could be found in Hermione's, Krum's and Professor McGonagall's faces.
"Come with me, you will need to see the headmaster," McGonagall said, straightening herself up. She marched off to her desk and began scribbling on a piece of parchment.
"Professor please, I didn't mean to do anything wrong."
"Leave your bag, your brother will collect it. To the headmaster, now, " Professor McGonagall said, pushing the letter into her hand. She grasped Penny's hand kindly, eyes full of worry, and then pushed her on her way.
With only her wand in hand, Penny set out for the headmasters office. Her stomach was in a terrible knot, Penny fearing she would be expelled for what she did. It was frustrating not knowing what had been so terrible. Krum's face had been so angry, like she had used dark magic-she only turned a bird into a fish! It was clear though, whatever she had done wrong was bizarre but not well understood by the rest of her class. There was at least solace in that.
Penny never spent much time with Professor Dumbledore. She only came into contact with him though Harry, usually in the hospital wing after her brother accomplished some impossible heroic action. It was evident Dumbledore liked her brother very much and took a special interest where he was concerned. With Penny however, Dumbledore seemed content to observe from afar. He always gave Penny the feeling he saw right through her. He also took a noticeable interest in her relationship with Professor Snape, his expression often shown with amusement when he found her and the potions master together.
"Tongue-tied toffee" Penny said to the gargoyle and ascended the stairs to the headmasters office.
There were voices coming from the other-side of the door, they were so loud that Penny's first attempt at knocking went unheard. She rapped, rather rudely she felt, a second time, and the door opened.
"Come in," came Dumbledore's kind voice.
Inside, Dumbledore and two faces looked back at her.
"Ms. Potter, what a pleasant surprise," Dumbledore said, beckoning her in.
Penny took a few tentative steps forward, faltering halfway across the room.
"I believe you two are familiar with Penny Potter," Dumbledore said to his guests who were staring at her as though they were looking at a ghost. "Penny this is the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, and that is Ludo Bagman, they are here to help with preparations for the Triwizard Tournament,"
"My lord, Dumbledore, she is the spitting image of Lily isn't she," Fudge said, ignoring the introduction completely.
"Minister, Mr. Bagman," Penny said, extending her hand politely.
"I believe Penny hears that quite often, Cornelius. She is indeed the image of her mother, and just as talented." Dumbledore said brightly.
The two men accepted her hand, Fudge grasping it delicately, as though she would disappear. Ludo taking her hand firmly and shaking it enthusiastically, "But clearly she is more of a troublemaker, sent to see the headmaster in the first week," he winked.
Penny's eyes narrowed, offended. Her brother was the troublemaker, not her.
"That'll do, I must beg you to allow me to give my student privacy so Penny can tell me why she is here," Dumbledore said, standing to escort the two men to the door. They spoke there a few more moments before he returned to his desk, gesturing she should also sit.
Penny obeyed, fidgeting uncomfortably under the scrutiny of the bright blue eyes.
"I hear you have had a rough first week back," Dumbledore said politely.
"Who told you that?" Penny said defensively, flabbergasted the headmaster would know anything about her.
"As headmaster, one hears many things. Now, tell me what brings you here on this lovely day?"
"I don't actually know, sir."
"A casual visit, wonderful."
"Not like that, headmaster sir. Professor McGonagall sent me from class, she told me to give you this."
Penny handed him the letter which he took with a nod of thanks, and slit it open, reading the words through his half moon spectacles, his white eyebrows furrowing ever so slightly. When he returned his gaze to Penny it was as pleasant and light as ever.
"She says here that Viktor Krum of Durmstrang accused you of using expression while in class, is that correct?" he paused.
"Yes, sir."
"And when asked to demonstrate what you did, you indeed use expression to-" he said, looking down at the letter again, "ah, turn a bird into a lovely clown fish, in a most advanced manner," he finished returning to smiling at her.
"I couldn't say professor, I do not know what expression is," Penny admitted apologetically.
"Naturally, most do not know of it. Did you use your wand to perform the magic?"
"Well no, I forgot to. It's the first time I've ever done that, but most of the time my wand feels like a habit rather than a tool," replied Penny, brows furrowed.
"Would you show me what you did?"
"S-sure."
Dumbledore retrieved a bright yellow, oval paper weight from his desk and handed it to Penny, "You may use this."
Penny accepted the weight, "It reminds me of a lemon drop," she said, placing her wand on his desk.
"It was a secret Santa gift from Professor Snape," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.
Penny chortled with laughter at the thought of Snape shopping for the absurd thing in a store that had likely been full of old ladies.
"Professor Snape told me he doesn't celebrate Christmas."
"Nor Birthdays, but you will find he can be persuaded, but I do not need to tell you that, I have heard you have persuaded him to work on a great many of his bad habits, you are quite the influence."
"Me?" Penny replied flabbergasted.
The idea of her influencing Snape seemed absurd, but Professor Dumbledore was observing her with a look that said her inability to see it for herself was the only absurd thing in the room. Penny had known Severus Snape for four years, he remained very much the same as when she met him, surly and decidedly grumpy. She shook off her thoughts, there was much she would like to say on the topic of Snape, but the presence of the headmaster helped her bite her tongue. Dumbledore was a kind man, but the casual relationship Penny shared with Snape was not shared here and she thought it better to remain polite.
Turning to the paperweight, she closed her eyes, searching for the object. It felt decidedly different, as inanimate objects do, it lacked life. But it was still able to be formed, and so she molded it like a potter would clay. Opening her eyes she found a small, green soldier before her. Turning it over in her hand, she smiled, it was just like the ones Harry had loved to play with when they were little. Aunt Petunia never allowed her or Harry their own toys and certainly not expensive ones. But every once in a while they would come into possession of a quarter and be able to get a new soldier from a toy machine at the shops. Penny could not for the life of her figure out why she had thought to turn it into this, but something about the paper weight held a trace of a fondness of memories and it felt important to honor that. She looked up at Dumbledore, worried he would also look at her as though she were a freak.
His eyes appeared distant as though he were lost in thought, his mouth no longer wearing its warm smile. Finally he said, "It is impressive, I think you have found the nature of the gift."
"Please sir, why was everyone so upset?" Penny blurted out, eager to understand.
"What you have is a rare gift, people often fear what they do not understand. I imagine Viktor Krum was upset because the last recorded wizard with such an ability was Gellert Grindelwald," Dumbledore answered, almost apologetically.
Repulsed with herself, Penny pushed the object away from her. Grindelwald had been one of the most wicked wizards history recorded, second only to Voldemort. He had killed many and for many years went on a "Magic is Might" campaign, reigning terror until Dumbledore brought him in. The thought that her magic was somehow like his frightened Penny. Was she also capable of such evil?
"How do I make it stop," Penny said, stony faced.
Dumbledore sighed and gave her a sad smile. "My dear child, do not make the same mistake in fearing what you don't understand. It is true Grindelwald chose a dark path, but abilities do not make the man, or woman for that matter. There is nothing inherently wrong with what you are capable of. I know for a fact that your Professors believe you to be not only a brilliant student, but a gifted one when it comes to leading and unifying your peers."
Dumbledore's words somewhat calmed Penny's thumping heart. His blue eyes were sincere and she knew he was a powerful wizard, having studied for many years. His understanding could be trusted, but the sadness that dimmed his eyes still left her a little uneasy, like he was looking for a long lost memory and could not find it in the features of her face.
"So I am not in trouble?" Penny asked, awkwardly.
"Nothing which you have done has violated any school rules," he said, clasping his fingers together as though that settled it. "However, it is not how I would have wished for you to learn of this, and with the students of Durmstrang here, you will know that Grindelwald spent time at Durmstrang and left quite the impression."
"Yes sir, I read a history on it a couple summers ago."
"An avid reader, how very unlike your brother!" he smiled, the fondness for Harry evident in his expression.
Penny couldn't help but snorting, Harry did hate reading more than most she knew. She did not know how he made it through his classes when he did everything in his power to avoid their reading assignments. Yet, during the summers he never did mind when she read out loud to him.
"Sadly, they will not take kindly to you because of this, I would caution you to be wary. The news will spread like all things in a school, and I am sorry to say the Ministry will likely request an inquiry. But do not trouble yourself over that, you will have the complete protection of the school, but that will not stop them from wanting you," Dumbledore went on, his voice suddenly serious.
Penny made to reply but her words were drown out by the door bursting open
"Dumbledore! They are saying the Potter girl performed expression, expression, in front of the Bulgarians. I told you-" said Snape furiously.
He stopped halfway through the door, looking between the pair of them, eyes wide with fury and suspicion."
"Ah, Severus, how good of you to join us!" Dumbledore said, his eyes glimmering with amusement,
Feeling mortified that word of her exchange had already spread through the castle, Penny picked up the toy soldier and pretended to examine it.
"So, it is true." Snape said, barely able to control his shaking.
"Indeed, how any of us missed it these several years is an unfortunate oversight, but thankfully Penny here has managed spectacularly," Dumbledore replied, as though he did not notice Snape's rage.
"The Durmstrangs Dumbledore," Snape said in a strangled voice, striding forward to stand beside Penny.
Penny watched them, anger emanating from Snape while Dumbledore remained as serene as ever, yet, a power seemed to radiate from him-he still commanded the conversation.
"As I said Severus, it was an unfortunate oversight. While we will do all we can to ensure Penny's safety, I do not think this is the appropriate time for this conversation. Penny deserves the space and support to understand her powers," said Dumbledore. His voice was not unkind but there was a sternness in his tone that said the conversation was over and that Snape should not continue.
Snape's face was stony rendering Penny unable to read it. His eyes glanced momentarily down at her, and then he finally said, "An oversight. . .or an inconvenient piece of information overlooked in favor of the other one ," he hissed vehemently.
Penny did not understand what he meant, but the message seemed to reach Dumbledore. His eyes flashed momentarily, but he seemed to decide against responding. "Will you be so kind as to escort Penny to her next class and ensure her professor understands her tardiness is not her fault. I do not wish to be rude, but alas, I am required elsewhere, and I think this conversation better had another time," Dumbledore said pleasantly.
With a curt nod, Snape turned and swept to the door. Penny scrambled out of her seat, feeling extremely uncomfortable about the direction her visit had taken.
"Thank you for your time, sir," Penny said with a small smile before racing after her potions master.
He said nothing when they reached the staircase, but anger still seemed to oozed from him. There were many things that still confused her and many questions she wanted to ask, but it did not feel like the right time to prod Snape. For all she knew he thought her a budding dark wizard, and what did he mean about the other one? Who was this other person he was referring to?
When they were two corridors away from Dumbledore's office, Snape finally rounded on Penny like a small child in trouble. She stumbled backwards, startled by the fierceness of his expression.
"You are not to travel alone. You will take your brother or anyone else with you at all times, and under no circumstances are you to wander the castle at night," Snape said, grabbing her upper arm roughly.
"What is wrong with you," Penny demanded, trying to pry herself from the deranged man.
"Acknowledge that you understand me," he said through gritted teeth, his fingers bruising the flesh of her upper arm.
"I don't need a babysitter or you telling me what to do, especially when no one wants to explain what this means," Penny replied angrily.
A terrifying moment later he began shaking Penny violently, "For one goddamn moment in your life can you stop being so arrogant and listen!" Snape all but yelled.
"Is there a problem," growled the familiar tones of Mad-Eye Moody.
Snape froze where he was, his face suddenly turning blank as Mad-Eye's wooden leg clunked towards them
"Is there a problem," Moody repeated when he reached the pair. Both eyes were fixed on the side of Snape's head.
Straightening up, Snape released Penny and turned on Professor Moody, "There is nothing here to concern you, Mad-Eye, but I heard there were some garbage bins left unchecked in the kitchens that need your attention," Snape sneered.
"That's the Potter girl you're manhandling there, ironic how you'd have an interest in her, aye. I hear you also target her brother," Moody replied, his slit of a mouth opening in a horrible grin.
"What are you implying?"
"That no matter what Dumbledore has been fooled into believing, I know tigers don't change their stripes," said Moody, looking pointedly at Snape's left forearm.
Almost instinctively Snape's right hand clasped his forearm as though to hide something from Moody's sight. In response Moody chuckled.
"Get to class," Snape commanded without looking at her.
"And do let me know if Professor Snape continues to bother you," Moody added as she skirted past the men.
Penny merely nodded, too shaken by the exchange to form any words. She rushed down the corridor wanting nothing more than to find Harry and to avoid everyone else. Her first week had devolved further than she could have ever imagined, and she was certain Snape had cycled through a year's worth of emotions. Would the man ever make any sense? Whenever she made any progress with him it felt like they immediately regressed ten steps.