Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K Rowling

Chapter 8: Plying People Perfectly

After leaving the astronomy tower I went straight to the room on the fourth floor. I did leaps of joy and high fived myself internally. An infectious grin was etched into my face. It had gone perfect, all according to plan.

"I think the question you need to ask yourself is whether you want to go with someone for enjoyment or for benefit."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Do you want to go with someone to be happy with? Laugh, have a good time, maybe have your first kiss? Or do you want to go with someone you benefit from going with? Money, business connections, protection?" Rowena explained tersely.

I contemplated this, the first option definitely sounded more fun. There wasn't anyone I particularly fancied though.

"I think I'd rather go with one for the benefit," I answered soberly. It was almost scary how callous I sounded about it, it was a rather cynical way to go about a school dance.

Rowena nodded appreciatively and continued, "So what benefit do you need? What is the biggest problem you have currently?"

I contemplated this, a wraith of Voldemort somewhere out there was definitely my biggest problem, but it wasn't my biggest problem currently. That would have to go to the constant threat to my safety the other schools brought with them.

"I guess the fact that the Durmstrang' want my head on a spike is my biggest problem."

"So who do you attend with to solve that?" Rowena pressed on.

"A Durmstrang student?" I asked hesitantly.

"Do you think you can get a Durmstrang girl to agree to go with you?"

That was a fair point, every Durmstrang student was intent to cause me harm. So even if one girl was sympathetic to me, she'd be ostracised for being my date.

"No, I think that ship sailed a long time ago," I declared with a frown.

"So who do you go with then?"

There was only one other option left, Beauxbatons.

"Someone from Beauxbatons," I guessed.

"Good," Rowena commented.

"There is a problem though. They all like to jinx and hex me a lot," I argued. "And even if they didn't, I haven't spoken to a single girl from Beauxbatons."

"That's a lie," Rowena pointed out.

I looked at her incredulously. "You want me to ask Delacour out?" I whispered in disbelief.

"Why not?"

"Perhaps you've missed this, but she is an enemy. She is one of my biggest opponents. She is the reason I have been put in the hospital several times," I said angrily.

Rowena watched my tirade with her mouth in a thin line. "Your tendency to involve emotion when rational thought is needed is something you should stop. Immediately," she hissed coldly.

"Okay then…why would she out of all the girls at Beauxbatons be the best choice?"

"You can't think of any yourself?" Rowena questioned coldly with an arched eyebrow.

I thought about it. What could going to the dance with a fellow champion lead to?

"Since everyone at Beauxbatons is intent on protecting her most of all," I began with a frown. "They would all also have to protect me, or at least stop attacking me if we went together. She must show up with her date."

"Excellent. So how do you get her to go with you?"

I blinked at this repeatedly, we had definitely skipped a few stages here.

"Woah, I haven't agreed to this yet. None of this changes the fact that she has bullied me mercilessly. Do you want me to just forget that?"

"I don't want you to forget anything. Right now, her being your ally is something not just you, but all of Hogwarts would need," Rowena responded callously. "And if you are so intent on retribution, wait until the second task."

She was right, she usually was. It made sense, if I could get Delacour, and Beauxbatons in extension to be on my side; Durmstrang would suddenly be faced with a situation two against one. I simply had to swallow my own feelings and do this.

"Alright, but this doesn't change the fact that she would never agree to go with me."

"You say she won't go with you," Rowena said with raised brows. "But she hasn't decided to accept anyone else's request for the date. Why is that?"

I shook my head knowingly. "Probably because she just thinks herself superior to everyone else," I started with a dark chuckle.

Rowena looked at me disappointedly, "She is a person, with thoughts and feelings, just like you," she snapped. "Now, why hasn't she accepted anyone?"

What reason could she really have? She literally had guys throwing themselves at her. Almost every single male head turned as she entered any room. People literally lost the ability to speak due to her appearance.

That was it.

Her allure rendered males basically braindead. No one could talk to her without stuttering horrendously. That would definitely be a problem if they went on a dance together.

"Her allure. People only ask her out because of it, no one asks her out because she has a great personality or anything."

"Astute observation," Rowena confirmed with a proud nod. "So she only wants to go with someone who can resist her allure. How many students in the castle can claim to do that?"

I saw where she was going. This narrowed down the candidates significantly, so significantly that it went down to two individuals.

"Two, that I know of."

"And who are they," Rowena questioned with a pointed look.

"Roger Davies," I paused and sighed. "And me."

"Exactly. Suddenly you're a prime candidate," Rowena explained smugly.

"I'm not," I countered. "Roger Davis is the 'prime candidate', there are even people betting that they'll attend together. People have seen them talking."

Rowena nodded slowly, "What if Davis was taken out of the equation?"

"You mean sending him to the hospital wing?"

"Of course not, that is a very short term solution. It might even make her sympathetic to him and increase his chances," Rowena lectured.

"So how then?" I asked with a hint of frustration.

"You don't need to hurt Davis, you need to hurt Delacour's image of Davis. Make her hate him. Make her want to eradicate him from the face of the earth."

"How on earth would I do that?"

"What do you think would make her mad at him?

"If he called her bad names or something?" I guessed hesitantly.

"Is that something you can achieve?"

"Without the imperius, no. I don't have time for polyjuice either," sighed tiredly.

"What else would make her hate him?"

What would make a girl mad. Calling them bad things and hitting them would certainly do it. Ruining a girl's night out would probably do it as well. Perhaps if you asked them on a date and he never showed up?

Bingo.

"What if he demanded to meet with her, then never showed up?" I whispered with a frown.

Rowena smirked proudly, "Now you're getting somewhere. How do you make him do this?"

"I don't know. I won't go as far as using the imperius. I could attack him?"

"Same problem as earlier. He needs to dismiss her on his own," Rowena explained. "Ever heard of the confundus spell?"

I remembered hearing about it somewhere, but I couldn't remember where. It was definitely recently.

Rowena took my silence as an answer, "What spell did Moody think had tricked the goblet of fire?"

Now it all clicked, in the antechamber at Halloween. Moody had guessed it was the cause of my participation.

"What does it do?" I asked curiously. "Because the goblet is not a person."

"In contrast to how it was used by whoever put your name in the goblet. It is used on people nine times out of ten. It enables you to strongly suggest something to your target."

"Like suggesting to Roger Davis to ignore his meeting with Delacour to ask her out."

"Now you get it," Rowena answered with an evil smirk. "I would suggest using it twice. Once to get him to send the invite and decide a place. Then the second as he is going to the meeting."

"Okay," I said in understanding. "What then? Should I just meet her instead and ask her?"

"A little bit suspicious with you showing up instead of somebody else, asking the exact same question as he would," Rowena declared with an arched eyebrow.

"So I'll do it later?"

"Not necessarily," Rowena paused briefly. "I think you just need to make her ask you instead of the other way around?"

"You want me to charm Fleur Delacour to the point where she will ask me to a dance?" I asked incredulously.

"If you just discreetly point out that you're the only other that is resistant to her allure at the right time. I think even your small charm can do it," Rowena uttered with a smirk.

"Hey! I'm charming," I whined.

Rowena only raised her eyebrows and ignored my comment. I rolled my eyes.

"When is the right time? The day after?" I asked.

"She won't be happy with him at all when she stands there alone. Take advantage of her emotional state."

"You're talking about manipulating her," I said with a frown.

Rowena chuckled darkly, "What do you think it is we've been talking about for the last few minutes, Mr Noble and righteous?" she deadpanned. "Manipulation is a part of life, deal with it."

I frowned but didn't argue. Manipulation was against all I stood for, it was dishonesty and vain.

"So you want me to approach her shortly after her failed meeting with Davis?" I confirmed, changing back to the topic at hand.

"Yes. You'll have to learn the confundus charm and work on what you're going to say to her," Rowena explained. "Just sprinkle in a bit of relatability, a pinch of sympathy and a scoop of charisma and you should be just fine."

And just fine I had been. I'd lost sleep last night thinking about all of this. I was going to manipulate someone shamelessly and she was going to stand there completely oblivious.

"There is only one rule in manipulation, don't let the other person know they are being manipulated."

That was what Rowena had told me last night just before I left.

My stomach had churned a bit over all of this plotting and scheming. I had never felt more like a Slytherin in my life. Perhaps the sorting hat wasn't wrong after all?

Confounding Roger had been easy, both times. I even positioned him so Fleur could see him where she stood at the tower. The rest had gone disturbingly smoothly, everything that Rowena said would work, had worked.

It was exhilarating. Knowing that you moved the other's strings without their knowledge.

Like a puppet.

-()-

I rarely woke up early in the morning and felt this good. I couldn't even describe it, the bed's sheets felt softer and the light of the rising sun cleaner.

Here I was, having outplayed Delacour beyond belief. In one single stroke, I had secured it all. My safety, Hogwarts' safety. Or at least I hoped that Fleur would keep her part of the promise.

All the while, no one would ever know what I'd done. Only Rowena and no one else. I didn't really crave recognition, the fact that no one ever would know told me everything of how brilliant the plan had been.

"Someone's happy," Hermione remarked amusedly as I practically bounced down the stairs from my dormitory. The fireplace was crackling merrily, students were chatting in excitement, all unknowing. "What's got you in such a mood?"

"You'll see," I answered with a grin as I plunged down on the couch next to her as we waited companionately for Ron.

Hermione smiled a little hesitantly. Ron was soon after me and we departed quickly for breakfast. I wasn't quite sure how fast the news would spread. Would Delacour even tell anyone?

As we walked down the great, moving staircases of Hogwarts whisperings and pointing was directed at us. Or directed at me.

"Why is everybody pointing?" Hermione remarked in concern and shot me a glance sideways.

"I don't know," Ron remarked obliviously.

I didn't say anything, only grimaced. The states and pointing was something I really could do without. Either way, nothing would get me out of my good mood this morning, it would require something far greater than some attention.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at me and arched an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Chatterings ceased to exist as we strided past groups of students bundled together, only for conversations to blow up like fireworks on new year's eve when we were past.

It struck me that every single one of them wasn't even pointing at me with the knowledge of what had actually happened. All of them had an entirely different scenario in their beliefs. That definitely made the grimace slide off my face. I tried to imagine every single pointed finger as another person tricked and fooled.

How could I ever have been so hesitant about it?

Hermione was outright staring at me with an arched eyebrow as we entered the great hall. She was broken out of her mission by bumping into someone though. That someone would turn out to be Cedric.

Cedric apologised to Hermione with embarrassment but she quickly waved him off in favour of keeping her stare pointed at me.

She was opening her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Cedric giving me a bump on the arm, "Nice one Potter, keep your enemies closer, am I right?" he said conspiratorially with a wink.

I gave him half a smile and shrugged.

"Well, have a good day Harry, Granger," he bid as he left to rejoin his group of friends.

Ron looked sour, more sour than usual. Most likely due to the fact that Cedric had only said goodbye to me and Hermione. I winced internally, if this was his reaction here. What would his reaction to the 'big reveal' be?

Hermione rounded on me with a glare, "Okay, spill it," she said with her entire demeanour screaming frustration.

I sighed, time to face the music. "I may have found a date for the ball."

Hermione looked at me incredulously, even Ron perked up at this.

"And who is this poor girl?" Hermione snapped irritably.

"Fleur Delacour."

Ron and Hermione stared at me for several moments. Time must have been frozen, nothing happened for many seconds as they only stared at me with their mouths open.

I gave them a weak smile and left them in my wake to take a seat at the Gryffindor table. People were beginning to stare more. I sat down in a seat and was soon followed by two thuds in front of me.

I began shoving bacon and eggs on my plate and deliberately ignored their looks of incredulity. When I was on my second piece of bacon, the dam finally broke.

"You did what?!" Hermione hissed.

"I asked Fleur Delacour out to the dance," I began as I stuffed a fork of egg in my mouth and chewed slowly. "And she naturally said yes," I finished with a roll of eyes.

"Of course she did," Ron reacted sourly. "You're Harry Bloody Potter, of course you'll get whatever you want."

With that, Ron stood up quickly and stormed down the table to sit with Dean and Seamus. I sighed tiredly but even I had to acknowledge that it could have gone far worse.

"Didn't know you were friends," Hermione remarked cooly. "Didn't even know you were actually civil with each other," she continued.

"Nor did I, but here we are."

"So you went from hexing each other to each other's dates in a heartbeat?" Hermione stated with raised eyebrows.

"Essentially, yes."

"Why would you even ask her?" Hermione asked with exasperation.

"She told me she didn't have a date, then suggested an arrangement which benefited us both." I explained with a shrug. "I consented."

"I thought you said you asked her," Hermione pointed out.

"Technically, I did. She came up with the idea though," I defended myself.

Hermione only looked at me sadly for a few moments.

"Don't tell Ron she asked you," was all she said eventually.

"Why do you think I didn't say it earlier?" I countered sarcastically.

Hermione paused and breathed out a long sigh, "Sometimes, I wonder if you want to be at odds with Ron. Going with the girl who rejected Ron, friends don't do that to each other," Hermione remarked in disappointment.

I sent her an annoyed look, "Look, going with her has benefits. The main one being that Beauxbatons stays on good terms with Hogwarts."

"I doubt that you accepted her proposal solely due to diplomatic benefits. There is a reason that literally half of the student body wants to go with her," Hermione pointed out accusingly.

"I am immune to her allure," I defended frustratedly.

I had expected Ron's reaction. I was even anticipating something far worse. Hermione should understand though, especially when I used 'rational thought' as my master liked to call it.

"You're immune to her veela allure," Hermione countered with a stern look. "I'm sure you're not complaining about going with the best looking witch on the grounds currently.

I shrugged noncommittally, "Added bonus," I admitted. "However, that's not the main reason."

Hermione stood up without a word. "You're different Harry. I'm wondering if all that time in the chamber is having an effect on you," she whispered sadly and strided over to Ron and the others.

She was right, partly. It did have an effect on me, but it wasn't the chamber and it definitely wasn't a bad effect.

-()-

"It feels great, doesn't it?" Rowena said with a smirk as I entered her abode. Fire crackled as usual and the chandelier cast brilliant lights.

"It was… bloody brilliant," was all I could say. "It's difficult to put into words."

"I know how it feels. Like everyone is just running around and around a track…"

"and you painted the lines of the track.," I finished breathlessly.

Rowena looked at me with a small smile, "So you do understand."

"Yes. Yes, I do understand completely," I said confidently. "I can't really help but ask, is there anything else we need?"

Rowena arched an eyebrow at me in amusement. "Manipulate for the sake of benefit, not the other way around," Rowena declared sternly. "Don't allow yourself to grow arrogant, not every attempt will go as smoothly as this one."

I nodded slowly, but my mind was racing for different scenarios I could orchestrate.

"Yes master."

Rowena didn't look convinced but nodded either way.

"By the way," I began as I pulled the piece of fabric I'd been handed out of my pocket. "I got this from her. Any idea what to do with it?"

Rowena took the piece curiously, "This is a sample of her dress. To make sure that you don't wear dresses which clash horribly," she explained.

"Right…my green robes will be fine, yeah?" I asked hesitantly. "Right?"

Rowena sighed tiredly. "Definitely not, the hues will fight each other. Like forcing the sea and a forest into the same place. Won't work," she elaborated.

"Those robes were expensive! I can't just throw them away!" I voiced my complaint.

"You can and you will. Your date's robes are of the finest quality. I won't let my apprentice look like a pig next to her," Rowena declared with an air of finality.

"How will I even get a new pair?"

"That's no problem. I'll just make a set for you," Rowena explained as if knowing how to sew and make robes at 'finest quality' was completely normal.

"Great. Just not anything purple alright? I've noticed you…prefer the colour," I conceded.

"Obviously not, do you know anything about colour schemes?"

"You know I don't."

"I did," Rowena replied absently before she took a brief paus. "While we are on the subject of clothes. I demand that you throw all of your clothes which are not your Hogwarts robes away. They don't just look like hand-me-downs. They are hand-me-downs."

"You want me to go naked when not in class?" remarked drily.

Rowena glared at him, "Get some self respect and just buy some clothes on your own."

I rolled my eyebrows internally and saluted, "Yes master."

Rowena looked at me with her entire body language screaming irritation and a feeling of being entirely unimpressed.

"Today's lesson will be something different than usual," Rowena drawled slowly as she took her customary seat in the purple armchair.

I sat down in front of her, my ears perched in anticipation.

"You're going to a dance. As such, I'm going to teach you how to dance," she stated simply.

I groaned loudly, "Do I have to? I'm sure I'll get by without any training."

"Exactly," Rowena answered coolly. "But I thought you wanted to do more than 'get by'."

I stared at her for a couple of moments with my mouth open. I shook my head with a small smile. "Yes master."

Rowena smirked at me knowingly. "It may be painful doing this now, but you'll benefit from this greatly."

-()-

I wandered the halls aimlessly. The castle would have usually been almost empty by December 24th, as it was today. A certain ball had taken this assumption for a swing however. I almost got the impression that there were more students than usual.

Darkness had fallen long ago and stars had begun to sprinkle the sky with light. Still, the curfew was half an hour away. The fact that students dared to stay out this late in droves spoke more about my masterstroke than words possibly could. Hospital wing visits were a thing of the past for me, I almost felt like Malfoy with how I now strided around the castle as I owned the place. I wondered if anyone thought of me the same way I thought of Malfoy.

In contrast to Malfoy, I actually owned the place in a way. I was the apprentice and successor to one of the grounders. No one alive knew except me, still, it felt strange knowing that the halls I currently wandered had been built by my mentor a millenia ago. It was hard to imagine the young witch in the room as someone who had built this entire place. Cast the enchantments, positioned the bricks and designed the dormitories.

I was broken from my musings by harsh voices emanating from ahead of me. Swinging around the corner, I saw something which really wasn't unusual, Malfoy in a situation which involved bullying. Except he was the one being harassed in this instance, by two Durmstrangs and two Beauxbatons.

I didn't even know those two schools were on friendly terms.

All five heads spun around and locked on me as I appeared around the corner. I didn't recognise either boy but from their large beards I assumed that they were of the older Durmstrang delegates. I did recognise one Beauxbatons boy though, he had been one of those who first attacked me and then the innocent girl.

"Fancy seeing you here Potter," one of the boys jeered loudly. "No bodyguards around and all…"

I frowned deeply, four against one was not a favourable outset at all. There was a way to change the odds though.

"Oh no," I said in feigned horror. "I'll land in the hospital the day before the dance. My date will be heartbroken," I continued sadly.

"Shame," one of the Durmstrang students remarked with a malicious smirk.

The two Beauxbatons students perked up. They sent each other a look and I could almost see the internal battle fought inside their minds.

Their school or these Durmstrang students?

As expected they glared at me angrily before one of them spoke up. "I think you two should leave now."

The Durmstrang turned around to find themselves with the wands of the two frenchmen in their faces. One of them muttered something unintelligible and together they stalked away from the rest of us.

The Beauxbatons sent me death glares but soon followed them out, leaving only me and Malfoy in the corridor. Malfoy had remained silent throughout the entire encounter, only leaning against the wall with a frown.

He looked at me with raised eyebrows and the awkward silence stretched on. "Not one single spell cast, impressive."

"Best way to win a fight is to just have someone else fight it."

It hadn't appeared possible, but his eyebrows rose even more and hid behind his blonde fringe, "What a Slytherin thing for a Gryffindor to say," he remarked amusedly. "Must be nice to have better goons than before."

I looked at him incredulously. "You walk around with Goyle and Crabb attached to your hip and you think I have goons?"

"Fair point, but your friends are loyal to you," Malfoy countered slowly.

I smirked at him amusedly, "What a Gryffindor thing for a Slyhterin to say."

Malfoy glared at me venomously, "Whatever Potter, choke in your sleep."

With that, he spun around without a word and strided away as if he owned the entire castle.

"I hope your date is ugly," I called out after him. "Oh wait, that is inevitable."

Malfoy delivered a rude gesture and disappeared around the corner.