THE SEVEN SINS

CHAPTER 2: PRIDE: SUPERBIA I

Pride ruined the angels. Ralph Waldo Emerson.

"Mister Potter!" Do you have something to share with the class?"

Harry shook himself awake. "Er, no Professor."

"Good." The obviously false sweet look on Snape's face vaporized into the familiar sneer he seemed to reserve for Harry alone. "Then you will kindly pay attention to my class."

Harry sighed. "Yes, Professor."

He looked back down at his work.

I just can't seem to stop this feeling in my gut. What's wrong with me?

He wrinkled his brow.

Maybe it's to do with yesterday night.

"Potter."

Why did I wake up?

"Potter."

It's not like I had a nightmare or anything.

"Potter!"

Harry jerked to the right, startled. One rather livid Slytherin faced him.

"Oh," Harry said, calmly brushing off his sleeve where Malfoy had touched him, "It's you."

"What are you, dim?" the blonde retorted back. "Of course, it's me, who else would it be, McGonagall in a thong?"

Harry grimaced. "Oh, gross, Malfoy. No offence, but your imagination really needs a water down."

Malfoy, following perfectly to the road of expectation, sneered. "Oh really? Let me guess, Potter. Your wet dreams consist of jelly, furry slippers, leather, and one bearded old headmaster."

Harry dropped the water newt eyes into Malfoy's cauldron (he'd submitted out of complete self-preservation from Malfoy's whining) and turned again, to the right. "You know, I kind of liked the sound of that: although I'm afraid they're better off in those weird what-was-the-point-of-that dreams, than my wet ones."

Malfoy snorted. "You would."

They continued mixing almost peacefully. Despite their arguments and such, they both held enough respect for Snape (negative or no) for both of them to work at least reliably (if not compatibly).

They finished quickly, with Malfoy's self-timing cauldron glowing a bright silver to signify it was ready.

"Thank God, I don't have to deal with you next year." The platinum blonde did a dramatic sweep of his hand, off his forehead.

Harry chuckled. "Sorry, Malfoy, I'm afraid that's not true," he said in a mock-sorry tone.

Malfoy stopped. He put the finished potion into a vial, delicately tipping the swirling liquid into the glass container. "Alright, Potter, what is it? Don't tell me: you're actually entering Snape's Advanced Potions Class." He sneered, obviously amused at his own joke.

"Well, actually…" Harry smirked. "I am going into Snape's Advanced Potions Class."

Grey eyes went wide, and the small vial dropped down towards the ground.

Harry's hand swept out, as green eyes expanded.

Fingers touched cold glass.

Saved.

"Are you crazy? Do you want us killed!" he spat out, placing the potion carefully back onto the table.

Malfoy gaped.

Harry smirked. Leaned close, then said, right into Malfoy's ear…

…"there's a fly in your hair."

An unholy shriek sounded throughout the classroom.

hpdmhpdmhpdmhpdmhpdmhpdmhpdmhpdm

Hermione stomped on ahead of them, clearly not in good spirits.

"Well, I liked it, mate," Ron said, after a while of gazing at their best friend's form. He scratched his head. "Though that scream really did freak me out. Honestly, who would have thought thatthe Ferret's voice could go that high?"

Harry chuckled again. "Who would have thought an imaginary fly could cause so much trouble?" The two friends shared a wicked smile.

Hermione's scowl grew deeper. She whirled around, her robes flying. "This is our NEWT year! How can you play such jokes?"

Harry smiled sheepishly, while Ron backed a few steps. "I didn't know, Hermione, I'm sorry."

Hermione huffed. "Don't do it again." She turned around, striding towards the Charms room. Harry and Ron looked at her, slightly shocked with her behavior.

"Y -you think it's...that time?" Ron whispered fearfully.

Harry chuckled -then shivered. Whenever his Aunt had gone through...that time of the month, Dudley had been allowed a freer reign of the house, and he was provided witha tonne more chores. It wasn't a pleasant thought.

"Maybe," he admitted, watching his other best friend carefully. "Better be careful, though."

Ron nodded. He turned the corner, when a first-year flew past him, eyes wide and frightened. The two friends looked at each other.

"What's up with him?" Ron wondered aloud. They looked towards the classroom that the boy had run from. It was their History of Magic class...

They shrugged, and entered it nonchalantly.

Professor Binns was waiting for them. "What are you doing late in my class? Do you think I have nothing better to do? Move!"

Ron stood there, staring at their ghost Professor, disbelievingly. Harry, although as shocked as he was, quickly regained his sense enough to drag him to his seat.

They had hardly sat down, however, when Binns quickly turned towards them, and said "Well? Who was the sixteenth descendant of Merlin?"

Harry and Ron stared at him blankly.

The little ghost glared at them. Later, Harry would have sworn that the transparent whiskers on their teacher's face were bristling with rage. Now however, he was only concentrating on surviving the class.

"I said, who was the sixteenth descendant of Merlin!" he roared.

Ron seemed to shrink down into his seat. "W -we don't know sir," he replied timidly.

The ghost Professor flew up, his translucent form almost shimmering in his fury.Navy light seemed to shine from his normally light blue eyes. "You don't know. You don't know. You don't know? I spent so much time teaching you, and you don't know? I have no time to be teaching imbeciles! I am a genius! The top student to graduate from my university in my subject! I do not have time for you idiots! For the last time, who was the sixteenth descendent of Merlin?"

Ron gulped. He squeaked.

Professor Binns flew up yet again. "GET OUT! OUT! OUT! OUT! OUT! OUT!"

Quickly, Harry and Ron scrambled out of the classroom, hastily dragging their satchels with them.

They stood there, panting, out of breath. Ron's face had returned it's colour. "What the heck was up with him?"

Harry was about to shrug when the classroom door flung open yet again -this time throwing both Hannah Abbot and Dean Thomas out. Both were gaping like goldfish.

"What did you do?" Harry asked incredulously. Both Hannah and Dean were the least trouble-making students in the entire year. Apart from the occasional partaking they would have in a few jokes or so, they were normally very quiet.

"Nothing." Hannah raised her hands in a 'surrender' postion.

"He just threw us out, saying something about how he was much more deserving than this, and how he should have gotten the HOGS already," added Dean.

Harry looked at Ron, puzzled. "HOGS just stands for Honorary Order of Genius Supreme," Ron explained. Harry nodded.

The door slammed again, and they looked sharply to the classroom. Seamus ran out, soon followed by Zacharias Smith. Soon, the corridors were filled with the sixth-years from Binns' morning class.

Harry and Ron stared, as many rather hot-headed students began complaining about how 'Binns had definitely got something up his you-know-what.' Others, particularly girls, cried on the spot. Hermione, however, was the main spectacle.

Her frizzy hair seemed wilder than ever, as her eyes shone brightly with all that was rage. Hands clenched in fists were tense at her side, as she seemed to glow with rage.

"HOW DARE HE! HE'S RUINED MY RECORD! HE CAN'T THROW ME OUT ON THE BASIS OF NOTHING! I'LL REPORT THIS TO THE SCHOOL WIZARDING BOARD!"

Everyone except Harry and Ron began to file away, rather scared of this new, angry Granger.

Ron swallowed. "Uh, Hermione?"

She turned to him, eyes still glowing like a forest fire on display. "What?"

"'Mione, calm down?" Ron, though obviously terrified, placed a hand on her shoulder. Gradually the sparks died down in Hermione's eyes, and a gentle smile appeared on her face.

Ron sighed with relief, and Harry blew outa breath of air.

"Thanks Ron," Hermione took on a sheepish look.

"Welcome," Ron mumbled, shyly.

Hermione grinned, then frowned. "I wonder what happened with Binns...he's never normally so...irritating." She screwed up her nose in disgust.

Ron smirked. "Well, it was still the most exciting HM class I've had since I got here."

"Oh, you!" Hermione slapped him playfully on his arm.

Harry rolled his eyes, than looked towards the empty classroom.

I wonder what happened.

Inside, a couple of eyes glowed neon blue...


Author's Note: Hi! This is just a place for me to make tiny little notes about the story for anybody who's interested. The chapter titles are basically the sin for the chapter (duh), and their Latin translations.

For anyone who's interested, the quote for this chapter is especially interesting (a reminder: Pride ruined the angels), basically because Pride was supposed to be the worst of all the seven sins (which were also known as cardinal sins). If I remember correctly, there were also originally eight deadly sins, but two of them got stuck together (one being seriously complicated: it' s called vainglory, and the second one is narcissisum), and became Pride.

Lucifer is also said to be the demon with which this sin was associated with. The associated demon is said to tempt people with 'their' sin.

Oh, and p.s., this fic is not against any religion (unless your religion is against homosexual/bisexual relationships, in which case, you shouldn't BE here), even with it's title. Apart from the occasional swear word (I've tried refraining from too many, as it IS crude and we all know it, even if we still say it, as obviously it would still be better than punching your poor neighbor, or getting punched by said neighbor in retaliation), most of the fiction is about a developing relationship...and a tad about resisting temptation. For those who are wondering about the rating, this is also because of the Lust chapter coming up.

Responses to reviews:

Clayscarface: I actually did mean what I said in my reply to you! (Seriously, don't tell anyone about the truth thingy okay?) looks around, suspiciously for parents Heh, well, hope you review this time too, right? grovels Well, you don't have to. sighs, melodramatically (friends always called me a drama queen…I don't get the joke 'cos I get stage fright) I believe in freedom of choice. I mean, if I didn't, I wouldn't be writing this, right?

Meg Finn: Darling, my faithful, faithful reviewer/beta. You have no idea how much that meant to me. It still serves me a holy horror to find mistakes in my work. I am only a perfectionist in my writing –msn language is highly necessary in anything else. I am feeling quite emotional after seeing these reviews (you may find this ridiculous, but it's actually quite overwhelming to find this many reviews for me by the 2nd chapter. Cygnus Melancoryphus needed my 4th first). If it's really arousing your curiosity, I am sniffing. Thank yourselves.

This is getting longer than the chapter. O.O

Thunderslightning: Hey! Thanks for checking in…your review really does make a difference to me, no matter how small or how big! smiles And I've never really had my work called 'awesome' before!

Aseret Kitsune: Good, 'cause if you can't wait for more, that means there's more incentive for me to write faster! grins I'm actually replying to you guys, before I write the actual chapter (despite this being at the bottom of the page) so I have a motive to keep writing!

Astyra: Well, honey, I hope I'm living up to it! For a second there, I thought a zombie had followed me or something MUST…HAVE…MORE…, and wanted some more of my egg pudding (I'm very proud of my egg puddings)…nearly did a double take there! Anyway, I really do hope you continue to like my fic! I always feel like I'm dragging myself on too much (tell me if I do, everyone), but hey! Let's go with the flow, people!