Seven Years Chapter 30.
A.J. took a long, awkward look at the two boys before she burst out laughing, her wand falling to her side.
"The Heir of Slytherin?" she managed to get out before bursting into more laughter. "Me?"
"You-" Not-Crabbe, the boy that was probably Weasley, spluttered. "You're a Dark Witch."
"Very funny," A.J. replied. "Where did you hear that from? The twins? Had to be them. What did they tell you? That I spent most of my fourth year spying for a cabal of dark wizards? That I ended up nearly dead on the cobblestones of Knockturn Alley for it? No?"
Not-Crabbe's jaw dropped, and Merula stood silent before he managed to choke out a pitiful answer. "You did that?"
"I'm equal parts surprised, amused, and annoyed you didn't even do the slightest amount of research about me," A.J. sighed, restoring the mouth of Not-Goyle with a flick of her wand and tossing both of their wands over. "But I suppose that much can be expected, given your history with following the rules and your less than stellar history of conducting research, from what Merula has told me."
A.J. paused for a moment, and she darted a glance over to Merula before she continued. "But that particular topic is irrelevant. Tell me, how many House Points will you be losing once your Polyjuice wears off? Surely you are capable of doing basic maths?"
The two boys glanced at each other, but remained silent, and, as Merula expected, A.J. followed with yet another barb. "Although given your family's financial situation, perhaps not."
"You said you would let us go once we answered your question!" Not-Crabbe cried out. "That means we wouldn't be here!"
"I did," A.J. replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "But you should know that I hold all of the leverage here, and that my original offer did not have any mention of your wands. And Prior Incantato is a rather useful spell."
The two boys looked at each other again, but before either of them could react A.J. wordlessly disarmed Not-Goyle and went back to her bored position.
"Nor for that matter," A.J. continued, summoning the unbroken wand into the security of her hand and tossing it up and then catching it like a toy baton. "Was there any stipulation that I would not participate in any school investigation into the incident. I would hope, for your sake, that the two idiots you stole your robes from don't remember why they woke up in their knickers in an unused hallway. I would be so happy to answer any questions the school might have for me… including exactly who it was that made their way to the Slytherin common room."
The two boys flinched and Not-Crabbe took a step back, but neither of them said anything.
"As for your belief in me being the Heir of Slytherin, I'm afraid that you have no proof." A.J. continued, sighing. "As a matter of fact, if you were to accuse me like an idiot, I would have at least three of your brothers vouch for my good character. Tell me Weasley, what would you do if your brother Percy denounced you in front of all of Hogwarts?"
"And why would they do that?" Not-Crabbe growled.
"Because as a matter of fact, I have been to The Burrow before," A.J. shot back. "Your family seat is in Ottery St Catchpole, Devon, West Country. If I really were the Heir of Slytherin, you would have been petrified before you even got to Hogwarts, because I had been stuffed into your attic with only your Boggart for company, and I would have used whatever it is the Heir is using to escape."
Not-Crabbe almost fell over, his legs shaking in shock. "How- how did you know that? I don't remember you-"
"You may ask your brothers the answer to that question," A.J. replied, rolling her eyes. "As for the price of my continued silence…" A.J. continued, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Well, Mr. Potter, I do believe you have something that I want."
Not-Goyle flinched. "Gold?"
A.J. chuckled at that. "No, not gold. Although I might ask your friend there to fork over his last Galleon. Tell me, Weasley, does Gringotts close down a vault if there's nothing inside? Have you asked your brother? Perhaps you'll have two questions to ask Bill in your next letter."
Not-Crabbe looked very pale, then swallowed, but he didn't say anything.
"I'll give you a hint about what I want though," A.J. continued, turning back to Not-Goyle. "During my younger years our golden boy Joseph had a lovely little device that he wore everywhere. It was no Deathly Hallow, but it got the job done."
Not-Crabbe flinched, but Not-Goyle simply looked confused. Of course Potter wouldn't know the story, the Muggle-raised dimwit.
"Your cloak," Not-Crabbe muttered, translating the Wizarding term to Potter. "She wants your invisibility cloak."
"No," Not-Goyle growled, his eyes blazing with fury. "I'm not giving up my cloak."
"Then I'm afraid that you must leave here without your wands," A.J. sighed and shrugged, turning away and heading back to her room. "And that the prefects will receive my full co-operation in the ensuing investigation."
"Wait!" Not-Crabbe spluttered. "What- what about me?"
A.J. paused, turning back on her heel with a cold, arrogant expression on her face. "Well, the same offer applies. I don't care which one of you hands me the cloak, only that one of you does. From the other dimwit, however, I want a pair of socks from Gryffindor Tower."
"Socks?" Not-Goyle sounded flabbergasted. "Why socks?"
"Because it will amuse me," A.J. replied, rolling her eyes. "So long as these two conditions are met, well, you have my word that I will have no further contact with the prefects in relation to the mischief of Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. And, of course, I will return your wands. Otherwise, you'll answer to all of Gryffindor for your stupidity."
The two boys paused, and for a second it seemed that they were going to fulfill the request, but Not-Goyle stopped before he even took a step away. "I want my cloak back."
"Naturally," A.J. shrugged. "You will have it back within a month's time. That I can also agree to. As a matter of fact, I can also guarantee that I will not use it for any… mischief during that time."
Not-Goyle paused, gritted his teeth, and turned away, running up the steps that led to the rest of the castle and away until Merula couldn't hear anything anymore.
Twenty minutes later, Merula heard the two boys return, though A.J. stepped out of their room to confront the two boys alone, and spoke nothing of it for the rest of the day.
Crabbe and Goyle, however, spent the rest of the year working under Filch, protesting their innocence, even though no Slytherin, Blaise included, believed a word out of their mouths.
All A.J. had said on the matter was to laugh and suggest that Draco choose his friends more wisely.
"Hey Merula," A.J. asked the morning before Valentine's Day. a cold and rather dreary Saturday morning. "Ever been to Hogsmeade?"
Merula frowned at the question, not understanding the context to which her roommate was asking about. "Hogsmeade?"
"The village the Hogwarts Express ends at." Deborah cut in. "A.J.-"
"They won't know," A.J. shot back. "And besides, there's another Circle meeting, and I want Merula there, because at the very least Tonks and-"
"Tulip I'm ok with," Deborah said, frowning. "But if you say Jae, I'm turning you both into Selkie snacks."
"I have no idea where Jae is," A.J. said, shrugging. "Merula, you in?"
"How do you even intend-" Deborah started, a moment before Merula saw A.J. raise her wand.
And suddenly the room seemed a lot bigger?
Merula felt funny. As in, she couldn't even feel her arms, and… when did A.J. turn into a six metre tall giant?
"Merula the little blackbird," A.J. laughed as strong, gigantic hands swept Merula off her bed, moving across the room faster than she could keep up, until she was staring face to face with a little black bird in… were those also giant hands?
The thought caused Merula to panic, doubly when she realized that she was the little bird.
Let me down! Let me down! Change me back! Merula screamed, or rather, she tried to, but only a few small, awkward chirps escaped her lips-erm, beak.
"Change her back," Deborah grumbled, and a second later Merula collided with the mirror face first, having landed awkwardly on top of A.J and rubbing her sore head.
"That hurt," Merula grumbled, patting herself in a frantic fury, hoping to Merlin that she wasn't part bird anymore. Draco would never let her here the end of it if she came home with a feather sticking out of her back.
"What do you say?" A.J. asked. "Want a guided tour of Hogsmeade?"
Merula shrugged, not exactly sure she wanted to be anywhere near her roommate for the moment. "I get to go next year, don't I?"
"Maybe, but you do want to see off tomorrow's havoc, no?"
Merula glanced over to Deborah, who shrugged. "I wouldn't, but if there's a Circle of Khanna meeting and they asked for you specifically, well, I guess you should at least hear them out."
Merula nodded a little, remembering the large party she had met over the winter break and how they were involving themselves with the investigation. It was almost certainly in her best interest to attend the meeting, even if she would break a little rule in the process. "Fine. Let's get this over with."
Merula wasn't sure how long the trip was, or where inside A.J.'s oversized purse she had landed in, but after an indeterminate amount of time sandwiched between the leather bag and a great deal of parchment, Merula almost felt glad that a pair of giant hands scooped her out of the bag and onto something hard and wooden.
With a sudden poof, Merula was human again, and she looked around the table she sat at, seeing several grinning faces staring back at her.
"A.J.," a boy in Hufflepuff colours muttered, not even looking up from his Butterbeer. "She's second year."
"Shut it Cedric," A.J. shot back. "We're training the next generation here, and we can't just have you and the Weasleys. And by Merlin, the pool of trustworthy Slytherins is shallow."
"It's in your blood," an older girl that Merula remembered as Tonks said, a wild grin on her face. "And what about Ravenclaw?"
"I think Cedric has that covered," A.J. said, a smirk on her face.
Cedric, for his part, promptly exploded for a spray of Butterbeer, his face flaming hot. "Me?"
"Oh please," Tonks said, aggressively rubbing a fist through Cedric's hair. "We notice things. Like your-"
"No!" Cedric cried, burying his face in his hands. "You- I don't want Cho involved in this."
The table paused at that, and Merula gasped when a tall, older witch placed two pitchers of Butterbeer in front of her and A.J. before stepping aside.
"Why not?" Another witch at the table, this one Merula remembering as Chiara from Christmas asked. "Are you-"
"No," Cedric explained. "It's just that her friends are…"
"Pretty obnoxious," A.J. finished. "I know the type. Emily Tyler had a whole group of them."
"Scattered real fast when you ended her," Tonks muttered. "But then again some of that Laxative Potion might have ended up on their shoes."
"Wasn't me," A.J. shrugged. "I don't know which one of her enemies slipped a Laxative Potion into her tea. I certainly wasn't there when she had her… accident."
"Waste of good tea," another girl, this one Merula recognized as Tulip Karasu, laughed. "So Cedric, who in Ravenclaw are you looking at? If not this Cho Chang, then who?"
Cedric paused for a long moment, unspeaking, and Merula raised a hand, trying to get a question in.
"This isn't class Merula," A.J. said, slapping down Merula's hand. "If you have a question, just ask. Only raise your hand if you want Madam Rosmerta, and your Butterbeer is quite full for her to bother."
"Why am I here?" Merula asked. "I mean…"
"Oh that," Tonks waved a hand and shook her head. "It's- oh look, our golden boy is here. Get him to explain it to you."
Merula turned her head in time to catch Joseph Trent walking through the crowded Saturday crowd and prop himself down their table, grabbing a large sip of A.J. 's Butterbeer, fending off a half-hearted punch from Merula's roommate in the process.
"Cedric," Joseph said with a nod. "Glad you could make it."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Cedric replied. "Well, maybe the Quidditch final, but that's about it."
Joseph laughed at that. "I won't hold you too long then. Let's be done with it and be on our way."
"What's this all about?" Merula asked, drumming her fingers nervously on the table.
"You've heard of The Circle of Khanna, yes?" Cedric turned to Merula, his voice serious.
"Merula was at our Christmas meeting," Joseph replied before Merula could say anything herself. "Quite helpful there too."
Cedric nodded and paused, his eyes darting around the table, seeking confirmation. "I see. Should I tell her?"
"Tell me what?" Merula snapped, annoyed by the lack of information and all the half-glances shared by the rest of the table.
"Merula," Joseph said, his voice gentle but hesitant, as if he was unsure of what he was supposed to say. "Do you know why the Circle of Khanna was formed?"
Merula paused, frowned, then shook her head.
A.J. cleared her throat. "Merula, during the seven years that Joseph and his class were here, the Dark Wizarding group named R, after their leader, made several attempts at accessing the Cursed Vaults at Hogwarts."
"The Cursed what?"
"The Cursed Vaults," Cedric cut in. "Five vaults said to contain… Well, we aren't quite sure yet. Four of them were empty-"
"Except for a whole lot of murderous guardians," Joseph interjected between sips of stolen Butterbeer. "And we haven't quite figured out the fifth yet."
"You want me to… open them?" Merula asked finally.
Joseph jerked back, as if offended by the suggestion, but he shook his head with a little weary laugh. "No. By Merlin, no. It's just that our purpose was to deny Dark Wizards access to the five vaults, and by extension, protect Hogwarts as a whole."
"But after nine years of trying, the last of the Vaults has yet to be opened," A.J. said, her fingers drumming on the table before she stole back her drink from Joseph. "And of our inner circle, only Barnaby and I were present last year, and he was only there because he was hospitalized just before his NEWTs and had to repeat his seventh year."
"This year we'll be losing you," Cedric said, clearly uncomfortable. "Leaving me as the last-"
"You still have Percy and the twins," Joseph said. "Still, I admit that Percy isn't the most interesting person to talk to and the twins are…"
"The twins make me proud," Tulip cut in. "Not another word from you, golden boy."
Cedric sighed. "What I meant to say is that after this year we'll have lost the last of our members in Slytherin… unless we recruit further, and we still don't have anyone in Ravenclaw."
Suddenly, Merula understood. "Me. You want me to… replace A.J."
"Correct," A.J. said. "You've proved competent enough, and I wouldn't trust anyone else of your generation any further than I could throw them."
"We also need to remember our hole in Ravenclaw," Cedric said, continuing the conversation. "But not Cho. She's off the table."
"Why not Cho?" Joseph asked. "I trust you, Cedric, but I need to know why."
"She's…" Cedric paused. "She has a good heart, but as we all saw with Rakepick, that can be… abused."
The table fell silent.
"She's in a good position though," A.J. said, breaking the ice. "If anyone Ravenclaw was to… do something, she would know a lot faster than any of us."
"Word would get back to her," Cedric agreed, pausing for a moment. "But at the same time I…"
"You don't want her facing another Rakepick."
"Does anyone?" Cedric asked, his eyes shooting over to A.J.. "I went into this with my eyes open… but if I was to ask her then-"
"Not Cho then," A.J. cut Cedric off, before she paused herself. "What about one of her inner circle? They would be able to hear the same things as Cho herself."
"Any of them remind you of yourself?" Joseph asked. "You tailed Izzy from what, second year on? If anyone can make a judgement call on them, it's you."
A.J. exchanged a glance with Merula before she answered, her voice clear. "Then I would have to say Edgecombe. Sensible kid. A little sour for my liking, but not someone you would remember, and someone close enough to Cho to hear important things."
"Marietta?" Cedric paused after he said the name, seemingly lost in thought until he shook his head. "I admit I don't know much about her. It's not like… well, I don't advertise my relationship."
"How old is she?" Joseph asked.
"Third year," A.J. replied, pausing. "She's vigilant, if you want something positive about her. Fairly competent duellist, for her age, anyhow. I don't know her well enough to give you a clear picture though. There would need to be an interview of some sort."
"Fair enough," Joseph nodded before he turned across the table. "Cedric, perhaps you can… organize an interview? We must be certain before we… commit."
Cedric nodded and took a sip of his Butterbeer. "Ok. Should I keep it vague?"
"Do that," Joseph agreed before his voice lowered. "Any update on the Heir?"
"No," A.J. said, shaking her head. "We- we've got our eyes on him around the clock. He's not going to make a move without being caught red handed."
"Good," Joseph said. "Keep it that way."
"He's planning some sort of Valentine's Day event tomorrow." A.J. said. "He's got Singing Trolls lined up all over the place."
"How would you-" Joseph started, then paused. "You're planning something, aren't you?"
A.J. shrugged. "Is the potion ready? It's our trump card against him at the moment."
"Chiara is hard at work," Joseph replied, his voice tense. "But we shouldn't rely on the potion alone, and besides, we should only have enough for one person. Now tell me what you're planning, because if you intend to spook-"
"I'm spooking an idiot," A.J. shot back, rising from her seat with her hands raised in dishonest surrender. "But it's not Lockhart. As a matter of fact, I think he might even enjoy it."
"Where-" Joseph moved to try to stop A.J., but Merula's roommate ducked him easily.
"Relax goldilocks," A.J. laughed, ruining Joseph's perfect brown hair with a wave of her hand. "I'm just off to send a letter. Merula, you mind waiting a minute? I could get on with the tour once the letter is off."
Merula nodded as A.J. rose from her seat, slapping a few coins on the bar in front of the older witch who had brought their Butterbeers and headed out.
"What is she doing?" Joseph turned to Merula.
Merula shrugged. She thought of the plan, or at least the parts of the plan she knew about. "Weasley is getting a Howler tomorrow for breaking his brother's wand."
Joseph blinked. "I'm sorry?"
Merula sighed, remembering the annoyingly painful wand. "Ron Weasley broke the wand that originally belonged to his brother Charlie. Why he doesn't have his own wand, I couldn't tell you."
"Why is-" Tonks muttered, then she facepalmed. "Oh right, Weasleys."
"Passing down wands isn't a good idea," Joseph said, shaking his head as he downed the last of A.J.'s stolen Butterbeer. "If Ron needs a replacement wand, I can get him one by Spring Break. I owe them that much at the minimum."
"You're not going to get a new wand before Weasley gets his letter through," Merula shot back with a grin. "In front of half the school at that."
Two small explosions of Butterbeer exploded out of Tonks and Tulip, and Merula turned to see them both grinning ear to ear.
"Bloody brilliant." Tulip chuckled as she wiped Butterbeer from her mouth. "Brutal but bloody brilliant."
"A.J. sure loves her public humiliations, doesn't she?" Tonks agreed with a laugh.
Merula giggled at that. From the story that came out of Tulip, Merula had a feeling that A.J. intended to one-up her past self.
Only this time there wasn't just going to be one victim.
AN: Chapter 30 complete. Chapter 31 is half finished already.
An 2: I am... most certainly aware of the recent Rakepick storyline. Not to worry though. I don't intend for the Chamber of Nightmares to be empty for long, and the next occupant will not be escaping, Ministry assistance or not.
AN 3: Years 3, 4, and 5 will be packaged as a second volume as the main characters will shift to focus on a new cast. Years 6 and 7, at least according to my outline, will serve as a third book. They will include quality of life improvements like chapter titles, possible crossposting to AO3 (I need more reviews dammit), and joke/omake chapters.
Next chapter: Ginnymort.
