Ch. 14- Hot Seat

It wasn't anything particular about her face. She wasn't smiling, and she wasn't frowning- she had her usual, perpetual poker face on her features. Nor was it the way she was walking. It wasn't slower, or faster- and she certainly wasn't 'skipping' or anything unrefined like that. And yet, somehow, Priscilla Parkinson seemed to be brimming with satisfaction as she walked down the Slytherin staircase from her dorm.

Thomas Nott smiled as she sat down beside him. "You look particularly content this morning."

"Do I?"

"No. Not at all. But you did do something, didn't you?"

Priscilla did smile slightly, pulling out her schoolwork with such nonchalance that Nott knew he was right.

He knew better than to think he could make her share information a single instant before she was ready to. However he didn't need to wait long, as their Head of House came in the common room with an expression of disappointment that made everyone tense.

Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Allison Sybble normally looked nothing like a Slytherin should. She had soft blond hair, a plump figure, and was quick to smile. She wasn't strict on the other Houses or lenient toward anyone in her own- if anything, she was almost considered a pushover by the rest of her school.

But the instant Professor Sybble was within the confines of her Slytherin House, she showed how accomplished she was at the 'deceitful' part of Slytherin's cunning requirement. When alone with her students, her demeanor changed into that of a medieval slave driver fully prepared to wield a whip for results. "Wake everyone." She declared tersely, and no one argued despite the early hour.

When the majority of her House was assembled Sybble looked them over with a discerning eye, as though they should all look perfect the instant they awoke and the many bleary eyes, yawns, and tangled messes of hair was a personal affront.

"Wha's goin' on?" Zambini yawned blearily, quite annoyed that he'd been forcefully torn from a fantastically pleasant dream. Priscilla nudged him and nodded up towards the front of the room.

Upon seeing their House leader Melissa froze at the bottom of the stairs, then stopped fussing with her mess of bed head and rushed over to her friends. "What happened this time?"

"Hasn't said yet," Zambini whispered back while he made room for her to sit next to him.

A few minutes later people stopped coming down the stairs, and Scorpius wasn't one of them. At their looks of confusion Priscilla, probably the only calm person in the entire room, said mildly "Malfoy is researching in the library again. Said he has to tutor the Transfer this evening, so he wanted to get ahead on the work."

"Oh." Melissa blinked a few times, tapping her fingers together. "He's really trying hard, isn't he?"

"We all are," Zambini assured her, though he couldn't dispute that Scorpius was probably doing the best.

After all her students were present, Professor Syllable cleared her throat. The whole room went quiet instantly.

"It has recently come to light that certain miscreants seemed to believe they could exploit the lack of security in the castle dormitories."

"What is she talking about?" Nott whispered to Priscilla, knowing full well the dorms were one of the safest places in Hogwarts.

"What I am talking about, Mr. Nott," Sybble continued, "is the fact that two students were found with Firewhiskey in their rooms."

That set the common room ablaze with whispers, only to be immediately silenced as Sybble cleared her throat. The message in her gaze was clear- Allison Sybble was not one to be interrupted. Once silence had again enveloped the area, the Slytherin Head of House went on.

"Those responsible will be suspended until the end of the semester- and could possibly never be admitted back into this facility if the Headmaster deems it necessary."

Other than a slight intake from the of students in the room, no noise was made. It was not an idle threat nor unexpected; more Slytherins had been suspended and punished in the times since the Second War than was quite believable. The biggest threat to them was now, however. Whenever Sybble announced a punishment she always left the names for last. She seemed to enjoy watching the rest of the room squirm, and marked people for future inspection.

Melissa Goyle began raking her mind, trying to remember if she'd ever even considered bringing the alcohol to school. Sure- she'd always considered trying some whenever they went to Hogsmeade, every student wanted to try some of the brew. But few were daring enough to take a sip of Firewhiskey, which could get them detention for a week if Sybble heard a word of it, let alone bring two bottles of the stuff back to school.

"When I call your name, step forwards. No one is to go in any of the dorm rooms until after dinner. They are to be searched."

"But what if our books are in there?"

Sybble slowly looked at the first year who'd responded, the young boy writhing under her cold gaze, "I suggest you visit the library. Now, as I was saying," she cast her eyes across the heads of the assembled group, "If I find one of you disobeyed my directions, I will make sure your punishment is just as severe. Am I understood?" There was a flurry of head bobs and murmured 'yes ma'am's. "Good." Sybble took a deep breath.

"Sixth years Bulstrode and Jackson, please step forwards and come with me to the Headmistress' office."

"WHAT!" Odetta Oakinson, the Slytherin Quidditch Team Captain, jumped up amidst a chorus of shocked complaints from the entire room. "But- but Professor- our match against Ravenclaw-"

"Are you suggesting, Miss Oakinson, that membership on the Slytherin Quidditch Team gives them leave to break school rules?" She spoke slowly, and her wording was intentional- she was subtly accusing Odetta of knowing their guilt or was perhaps guilty herself .

"No," she said nervously, watching her star beater and chaser walk to their doom at Sybble's side. She literally had to bite her tongue to stop herself from uttering 'but', already thinking over how many plays would have to be amended without them.

Nott tuned out the proceedings and frustrated complaints of the room insisting that Odetta would have to beat Ravenclaw anyways, the poor girl all but collapsing under the pressure. Instead he met Priscilla's gaze across the table, tilting his head slightly to her in respect.

Priscilla blinked a bit longer than normal before turning her gaze to watch the pair of boys that had bullied Zambini's little sister a few days ago leave their common room. And only after Sybble's perceptive gaze had gone with them did she let herself a small smile.

"Wrong."

"Horrible."

"What was that supposed to be?"

"Your grip is all wrong."

"You call that a flick? That was a swish if I ever saw one."

"Atrocious."

"Are you even trying? Honestly…"

"Now that was just pathe-"

"Will you stop that!?" Zoey spun around furiously, her wand shooting sparks in an arc.

Rose Weasley inspected her nails as she sat behind the teacher's desk in the empty classroom they were using, commenting "I don't see why you're getting so upset over some honest feedback."

Zoey huffed in frustration. "You're not supposed to give me feedback on my spellwork, he is."

Scorpius Malfoy raised an eyebrow at the thumb that was jerked in his direction. "'He' has a name," Scorpius chided as he used his wand to lower her hand from its current position.

"And 'he' has wasted the last thirty minutes of his life trying to teach you how to cast aguamenti." Rose pointed out even as she smiled at Scorpius's visual frustration, a rare occurrence. "Perhaps it wouldn't be so hard for him to find you a better tutor after all."

He scowled at the implication that he was inept for the task at hand. "At least I'm making more progress with her than you did, Thorn. You barely made it ten pages into that study book."

"And that was an accomplishment, considering how much time she spent actually listening," Rose scoffed and raised her voice in a mocking manner as she quoted Zoey's responses. "'Rose, why are the goblins so interested in gold? How do they enchant their gold- they must have something to prevent counterfeits, right? Do you think they could be the reason muggle gold reserves are disappearing? Could the goblins be using that to forge more Galleons? I don't suppose they'd ever give that back, Rose, after all-'"

Scorpius huffed once in amusement. He couldn't help it, the imitation was uncanny. The sound made Rose stop in surprise, then smile smugly with a feeling of success.

Zoey looked away from them both. "Well I think they were good questions."

"Hey," Scorpius wasn't entirely sure why her discomfort was something he should address, but he felt obliged to do so anyways. "Loads of people have problems with Magical History. It's a boring class no matter who teaches it."

"Except Jon-" she paused, obviously having intended to stop the name there but catching herself at the last moment "-ooo-van Orion, the Assistant! His classes are really fun, right?" She looked at them both, smiling.

Scorpius, for his part, saw her deception as easily as any practiced Slytherin could. Firstly, the only thing different about History of Magic was that with the new Assistant, it was harder to sleep through. Secondly, he sincerely doubted that half the female population at Hogwarts paid attention to anything in that classroom that wasn't Jonovan Orion himself. The 'fan club' that he and Nott had joked about had actually become a reality. There was a literal Jonovan Orion fan club now, and they were not pleased by the way that Zoey seemed to have attached herself to his side already.

What a fake smile, Rose frowned uncomfortably. Now that she'd seen Zoey's relationship with Orion herself, she was seeing through the girl's false mannerisms. Zoey was far more secretive than she'd been given credit for- hiding things behind a smile or answering a question with a question. The girl wasn't as clever as she thought herself.

"Right?" Zoey asked again, puzzled and a bit unnerved by their silence.

"Loads." Scorpius summarized in a tone that suggested they were anything but.

"And your questions-" Rose added, not wanting to lose the point of debate she'd prepared before she was yet again interrupted by a tangential subject. "-were interrupting my attempt to teach you something new. Do you remember anything from those ten pages?"

"That…" She froze in the moment, and in the manner of anyone who was asked something important promptly forgot the answer. A small blush rose to her cheeks. "…goblins like gold?"

Scorpius Malfoy actually chortled in amusement.

Rose swelled with another sense of accomplishment and erupted into a fit of giggles. "You're hopeless," she declared through her amusement and gathered her things, walking out of the room. "And I'm done here."

"You're just giving up?" Zoey asked incredulously, watching her go.

"Who would blame me?" Rose pointed to the clock, however. "But it is time for my quidditch practice. We're playing Hufflepuff soon. Good luck Scorpius. Oh and Zoey…"

The girl ran her nails along her scalp and looked at the Weasley, wondering what she was going to criticise now. Her posture? Her eye color? Her breathing? "What?" Zoey asked tersely, about to get seriously upset.

"-You set the curtains on fire."

Scorpius followed the direction of her gaze to see that yes, indeed, there was a fire in the room. Not just the curtains, though- the shower of sparks Zoey had accidentally discharged minutes ago had caught papers alight, which had ignited a small shelf , and then the aforementioned curtains themselves caught fire.

Zoey shouted in surprise and immediately started moving any further kindling out of the flame's reach, "Don't just stand there! Ee-" she jerked a hand back from the flames when it it caught the paper she'd been reaching for. "Help me!"

"You know," Scorpius leaned against the desk with much the same expression Rose had held ten minutes earlier. "A magic spell for summoning water would be perfect right about now."

"Yes! Good!" Zoey squeaked again and pulled off her outer robe, trying to choke out part of the flame. "Use it!"

That was quite a lot of sound effects she used, Scorpius noted mildly. Throughout this session Zoethia Malam had made several variations of growls, grunts, squeaks, and squeals that portrayed her various emotions rather well. "I don't particularly feel like I should."

"Why?"

"Well, that's not my bag about to go up in smoke."

"Whaa- no!" Zoey danced around the edge of the flames, biting her lip. "Oh no no no no no…"

"Aguamenti. Go on."

She growled mildly under her breath, not needing to turn around to know he was making a little 'shoo' motion with his hand. Grabbing the wand, she pointed it at the fire. "Aguamenti!"

"...you know, she had a point." Scorpius admitted, looking at the small trickle of water coming from Zoethia's hazel wand, lacking in volume or pressure to even reach the flames. "That isn't particularly impressive."

Somehow, his lack of an insult bit her just as bad as Rose's repeated ones. Zoey scowled and cut off the spell, casting it again.

That wasn't even marginally better. Coughing a touch from the smoke, Scorpius stepped off from the desk, moving to stand behind her. "How is that working out for you?"

Zoey jumped a bit at his sudden proximity, losing her concentration on the spell. "Fine. You go on and laugh some more, I'll take care of this."

He raised an eyebrow, wondering if that was an attempt to insult or chastise. He decided that either case, it didn't matter to him. "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

"Hah."

Zoey jumped again at the sudden, forced laugh that echoed in her ear, turning around. "What was that supposed to be?"

"Me." Scorpius was smiling in amusement. "Laughing some more."

"Youugh," Zoey trailed off in a low groan, putting her head in her hands. "You are not helpful."

"Who said I was trying to be?" Scorpius coughed again, lifting the collar of his shirt over his nose. This really was quite a lot of smoke. There fire didn't really pose a threat, but he supposed "I'll get it."

"Not a chance." Zoey elbowed him as she stepped ahead of him, catching him by surprise as she caught his solar plexus.

He grunted and doubled over for a moment. "I thought you wanted my help?"

She started the spell again, declaring "Not anymore."

"What changed?"

"For one-" Zoey said grimly, gritting her teeth. "My bag is already past saving."

"Oops?" Scorpius said, not sounding very contrite.

"For another, it- is- un-der con-trol."

His eyes rose to the ceiling at her seeming correlation between effort and over-annunciation. "I beg to diff-"

He didn't get a chance to finish, as a burst of water exploded from her wand like a firehose. The pressure knocked her off her feet and backwards- straight into Scorpius, who hadn't yet decided if he wanted to step around her himself yet. He grunted at the collision and fell back, Zoey toppling onto him.

"No, no stop stop!" Zoey was doing her best to keep hold of her wand, which was vibrating and continuing to jettison water long after the flames were put out. She sputtered as the water got everywhere, soaking the entire room and her with it.

"Put it down!" Scorpius cried, trying to grab her hand. "Let go of it!"

"What?" Zoey shouted, not able to hear him over the sound of the sound of the roaring water.

"Wand! Give-" he spluttered as a she sprayed him straight in the face, putting a hand up to block it. "Now!" He grasped her wand out of her hand, the spell stopping the instant it left her grip.

There was a moment of silence and catching their breath, then Zoey started laughing.

Scorpius pushed his wet bangs out of his eyes, looking down at her over the bridge of his nose. "What's so funny?"

Zoey laughed- she never did that annoying girlie giggle thing, Scorpius realized distantly, and she only laughed when she was really truly entertained, not when she was trying to catch some boy's attention. "Wand. Give. Now." She snorted and laughed some more, falling off where she'd landed on his chest. "That was so smooth, Malfoy."

"The sarcasm is not appreciated," Scorpius reported and dropped her wand like it was a tissue to be discarded.

Zoey kept laughing, her hair falling around her face since her ponytail came loose. She ran a hand through it as she looked up at him, grinning broadly. "Something the matter?"

He blinked at her a few times, then repeated slowly since she'd apparently missed it the first time. "The sarcasm was not appreciated."

"I got that bit."

Scorpius looked at her a bit longer. "You're still calling me 'Malfoy'."

"So you noticed?" She started wringing the water out of her hair, a seemingly endless task.

"Of course I did," he sounded insulted that she doubted his observation skill. "In McGonagall's office, and just now, Rose called me by my first name."

"Mmmhmm…" She started wringing out her shirt next. "And it bothers you that I still call you 'Malfoy'?"

He didn't answer. He'd often found that was the best way to deter a conversation of questions… particularly on occasions when he was unsure about the answer.

"Well, I know your name," Zoey said after a pause, "But you still haven't told it to me."

"And that makes a difference?"

"Of course."

He watched her stand up with a weary consideration. "I'm afraid I don't follow on how."

"Well, if you haven't told me your first name yourself, that mean that you don't want me to use it." Zoey held her hand out to him. "So, until you tell me your name is 'Scorpius' with your own lips, Malfoy- I'll keep calling you 'Malfoy'."

He looked at the hand like it was some kind of trap. "Why would I tell you something you already know?"

"Why wouldn't you?" Zoey smiled, shaking her hand in the air as though to make it more enticing.

"Because that would be redundant." He stood on his own, leaving her hand where it was.

Undeterred, she poked him in the side. "And what's wrong with that?"

He looked down at her significantly shorter figure, raising an eyebrow. "If I'm to waste time reminding you of something, Wainbata, it'll be something useful- like how to hold your wand when you're casting a spell. You do not squeeze it in both hands like a cricket bat." Scorpius spoke with extreme distaste for the muggle sport.

"I did not-" she protested, only to look back on the event and realize that was exactly what she had done. "- do so intentionally."

"Hm." Scorpius held her gaze, then looked at the clock himself. "Well, watch your intentions for next session."

Zoey sighed and picked what was left of her scorched robes, muttering "You know, you could have stepped in before my homework went up in flames."

"No need. Your bag is with Rose Weasley." He smiled a touch at her surprised expression. "She grabbed yours on accident."

"Oh. Oh." Zoey tried not to smile too much as she looked at the destroyed bag that was not hers but Rose's, "Is it bad that the only word going through my head right now is 'karma'?"

Malfoy didn't recognize the word and decided it must be muggle, and therefore he didn't need to respond.

"Well, since I'm already soaked and I unfortunately don't have my homework at the moment-" Zoey grinned, "I'm going for a swim."

"A swim?"

"Yeah- I'll meet Tristan there."

A guy. He looked at her soaked figure, then turned and picked up his own bags. "Well, I hope you enjoy your date-"

"PEEVES!" Zoey screamed at the top of her lungs, making him jump out his skin. "Hey PEEEEVES!"

The blue poltergeist appeared at her side pretty quickly for an entity known to make trouble all over Hogwarts. She grinned at him. "I'm trying to get to the lake. Do you have time to show me another shortcut?"

Scorpius Malfoy paled slightly as he remembered his own experience with just one of Peeves's secret passages, and decided that Zoethia Malam probably had the courage of a Gryffindor after all.

"Never did like Mungo's," Ron commented softly as they walked through the halls of the magical hospital. "Something about the way it feels…"

"You say the same thing about dentists," Hermione chided as she looked at the door numbers, leading them through the maze-like facility.

"But I don't like drills!"

"If you brushed your teeth more often, you wouldn't need to have so many fillings. Just be glad my parents gave you a family discount."

"I'm more grateful their hands didn't shake at a critical moment…" he mumbled, looking around St. Mungo's again. "How long till we find her?"

"Give me a moment, it's been awhile." Hermione stopped, then turned around and took a different hall than the one she had just chosen, mumbling "R-527, R-527…" under her breath.

Ron wisely chose not to comment on the apparent mistake. "How did you find out where she was, anyways?"

"I work at the Ministry, Ronald. I have more than just a couple connections to people in high places."

"You are a high place." he mumbled under his breath, walking backwards for a moment just because he was reckless. The new view made him pause as he remembered this hall from a long time ago. "Hermione, isn't this the memory ward?"

"Hm?"

"You know- where we ran into Lockhart that one time?"

Hermione stopped and took a proper look at her surroundings, frowning a bit. "Maybe." It was a long time ago. "Could be."

Ron left it at that, but when his wife backtracked a second time he was forced to ask "Are we lost?"

"Of course not. I know exactly where we are."

"Right." Ron let her continue with the wrong turns for a few moments longer, then asked "Now do you know where we are?"

"Ron!"

"What? I'm just asking a question." He did his best to appear as innocent and clueless about her ire as possible, a fairly easy task. After a little while he leaned toward her and whispered "We could ask a healer for directions you know."

Hermione sounded offended. "I don't need directions, I know precisely where to go. Room R-527."

"Right. But do you know how to get there?"

Before she could answer another voice cut in. "Paradise just never goes well for you, does it Granger?"

The marital couple tensed, then turned around. "Malfoys," Ron said in the same way that he might say 'dementors'. Dread, distaste, and old anger.

"Hello," Astoria Malfoy smiled, but it was forced in the manner that was usual for people in a hospital.

"Draco, Astoria," Hermione kept a civil head since Merlin knew Ronald certainly wasn't going to. "What are you doing here?"

Astoria looked up at her husband and seemed to reach a conclusion that was very similar to Hermione's. "We came to visit Lucius." Her forced smile wobbled. "He had a heart attack last spring."

"Oh. Oh I…" she wasn't quite 'sorry' to hear about Lucius Malfoy, Voldemort's once right-hand-man, falling ill. "I had no idea."

"We kept it out of the media." Astoria smiled sadly, like she had known exactly what Hermione hadn't been able to say. "But you're trying to find an 'R' room? Those are restricted security, they're in a completely different section of the hospital." She pointed down the hall and told her the route with ease, and Hermione realized exactly how often the Malfoys had been here of late.

"Thank you for the help," Hermione said genuinely, easily memorizing the directions the first time she heard them. She grabbed Ron's arm and started dragging him away from his wordless staring contest with Draco. "Oh don't be such a child Ron and let's go find Avery."

"Avery?" Draco repeated in shock, the first word he'd spoken since interrupting their conversation.

"Yeah," Ron narrowed his gaze suspiciously, obviously wanting to know why Draco Malfoy was interested in the name.

"That's a pureblood family," Astoria pointed out, holding Draco's arm. "We went to school with a couple of them."

He nodded once in her direction, then looked up the Weasley couple. "But none were in our grade. I didn't realize you knew them."

"Actually we don't," Hermione admitted, pulling lightly at Ron's sleeve. "We're getting introduced."

"Oh I see." Astoria smiled in that forced manner again, waving lightly. "Well, good luck then."

"...'Getting introduced'. Really, Hermione, I don't know where you come up with this stuff."

"Oh be quiet, you." She marched them along the way, leaving the Malfoy couple far behind. "It would take too long to explain and anyways, you know we're not supposed to trust anyone without Kingsley's permission."

"And even if, we'd never trust them." He said with extreme prejudice.

"Ron, the War was over twenty years ago."

"That doesn't mean I trust them. Malfoy was always a git long before the Second War started up."

Hermione raised her eyes to the ceiling but didn't argue, finally arriving at their destination. "Here. R-527."

A Healer stopped their progress at their door. "Who are you visiting?"

"Zelina Avery." Hermione reported, waiting patiently.

"...I'm sorry, ma'am, but only friends and family are allowed to enter. You're not on the list."

"Well, that's the thing. We don't know if we're friends with her, see, we just want to know if we ever were."

"Because that makes perfect sense," Hermione said in a rare display of sarcasm, then smiled at the Healer again. "Look, could you maybe make an exception and tell her we're here, see if she recognizes us?"

The man's face turned to suspicion. "I'm sorry, but the answer is 'no'. Miss Avery is here to treat near-total memory loss. She can't recognize anybody."

"Bloody hell," Ron muttered under his breath, "I thought he was exaggerating."

"Language." Hermione scowled, a habit from when their children were running underfoot. "Look, I know you're already giving us leeway, but could you at least tell us who is listed as a friend? Maybe we could talk to them?"

The Healer was properly abashed- talking to living legends had made him a bit loose-tongued despite doctor-patient confidentiality. "It's not leeway for me to tell you this, ma'am- she has no one listed as 'friend'."

Ron looked at him incredulously. "Say that again, mate?"

"She has only one person cleared to visit, and that's family." The Healer repeated, his voice dropping with a hint of regret. "One relative."

"Oh." Hermione looked at the ground sadly, trying to imagine how lonely that could be.

"Oi," Ron asked with sudden inspiration, "Could you show us a picture of Avery?"

The Healer hesitated then took out her patient file, pulling off the ID picture and passing it over the counter.

"Well? Is she familiar?" Hermione asked after a moment, unsure how she'd feel about either answer at this point.

"No." Ron said and shook his head slowly, feeling a bit disappointed even as he handed the picture away. "No, I've never seen her before in my life."

"James Sirius Potter and Rose Weasley, wanting to know more about Zoethia Malam." Christine Creevy snapped a quick photo, standing smugly in the manner of someone who knows she has the upper hand. "Why do two of the best Legacies want to know more about my little Housemate?"

"We, um, well…" Rose bit her lip nervously, unsure about what to state. She didn't want to blurt out the real reason, after all.

"What are we, chopped liver?" Roxanne Weasley huffed, "You know Lor I think I'm insulted."

"I know I'm insulted," Lorcan Scamander folded his arms as he leaned on one side of the door frame, Rox on the other. It was one of their usual positions and had the added benefit of allowing them to easily see people coming from either direction.

James glanced at them for a moment, then looked at Christine with a winning smile. "I'm afraid that's a secret, Christine, but I would owe you one."

"Oh?" Christine leaned forward in a way that exaggerated her already-large chest, smiling as she looked him up and down. "Last I remember, James, you already owed me quite a few. What more could you possibly give me?"

They way they were practically purring each other's names made Rose nauseous. A strangled noise of protest escaped her throat, and they both thankfully leaned back at the reminder of an audience.

"I'd make it worth your while," James promised confidently, adjusting his glasses. "That is, assuming you have something worth trading for."

"Of course I do." She refuted with an air of hurt dignity, sitting down atop a desk and crossing her legs.

"Good thing Fred isn't here," Lorcan muttered from the doorway. "That skirt is way shorter than school regulation. Mr. Temporary-Prefect would give her detention in a heartbeat."

Rox looked at Christine and back to her friend with surprise. "Are you looking?"

"No! No I was just pointing out- well yes but that doesn't mean-"

"U-huh, uhuh. Eyes front, soldier."

"I really don't…" While they were having their quiet argument, Christine had pulled out some of her pictures of the first few weeks of Hogwarts; she never threw out a photograph.

"Zoey Malam-" Christine started, passing them the photos she was willing to share. "-was a huge deal at the start of the year, if you recall. People were almost more interested in her than the new Legacy brat-"

"Oi," Rose scowled, "That's my brother you're talking about."

She got a dismissive hand waved in her direction for her troubles. "Everyone figured that someone who arrived with such fanfare and drama- the special Ceremony and the kelpie and all- must have a big story. And the weird, vibrant, color changing hair she has… people place bets on what color they'll see her with, in case you didn't know. But everyone assumed that Zoey must have a secret skill, hide a dark past, actually is undercover agent… one of the really wild theories going around was that Zoey Malam was an illegitimate Legacy kid here to prove herself."

"What?" James asked with a sudden flare of anger, his hand tensing around the photo he'd been looking at. Christine plucked it from his grip before he could wrinkle it.

"Do you want to hear about her or not?" She waited until they both nodded reluctantly, then returned the photo and kept talking. "But it's been a month and a half now, and she's been perfectly normal. She'd down to earth, friendly, kind- a grand, three syllable name like 'Zoethia' doesn't suit her at all, and she told everyone to call her Zoey anyways so everyone does. Within the first few weeks she was practically integrated into Hogwarts without a single hitch. It probably helps that she's not just in 4th year classes, so she's run into a lot of people very quickly."

"I knew that," Rose chimed in, then shrunk back into herself a little bit. "Sorry. Staying quiet."

Christine stared her down a moment longer before continuing after the third interruption. "She didn't transfer from Durmstrang or Beauxbatons, actually. She was privately tutored, and whoever did it did a shoddy job. Zoey Malam is only taking two classes at her year level, and she has a mandatory break study period instead of one of her electives."

This was news to James, and frankly he wasn't sure what to make of it. She didn't seem to be as much of a potential threat as he'd thought.

There was a pause of silence, and Rose dared to try speaking up again. "That doesn't sound very helpful…"

"Oh isn't it?" Christine lifted her nose. "Tell me, Rose Weasley, have you ever known anyone to be perfectly normal?"

Rose opened her mouth and then closed it, looking at James to see if he understood what Creevy meant.

James sighed as though disappointed in her lack of understanding and gestured for Christine to go ahead and explain, even though he wasn't sure exactly what the self-appointed gossip meant either.

"She should have ruffled a few feathers, made a few enemies, said something tactless- slipped up at some point by now. But even after six weeks, she has remained friends with absolutely everybody and revealed nothing about her background. Her family, where she's from, why she came to Hogwarts- and somehow, people don't care to know anymore." She sounded frustrated, but whether it was from the lack of intel or the lack of public interest was hard to tell. "Zoey Malam's transition into this school couldn't have gone better if she'd planned it."

"Well…" Rose scratched her nose nervously, then offered a tidbit that she'd learned all the way back on the Hogwarts Express. "She's a halfblood."

"Thank you." Christine threw her hand in the air in frustration. "But who was her wizard parent? Why did they send her to tutors for three years before bringing her to Hogwarts with half of what she's supposed to know? Zoey gives answers that feel all-inclusive, but really doesn't tell much of anything about her herself."

Rose, Roxanne, and Lorcan all grew silent at that, considering. James smiled with a feeling of triumph as he prompted "So you think she's hiding something?"

"Oh I know she is." Christine pulled out a photo of the Ravenclaw Quidditch tryouts with an air of success, slamming it on the table in front of them.

They looked at the moving photo of the Ravenclaw Captain lining up the new applicants in confusion for a moment, then looked up at her for explanation.

"Right there- in the back," Christine pointed to the back as she waited for the picture to restart it's loop. "Zoey signed up for the tryouts, but when she got there she took one look at the Captain and left immediately. See?"

"Yes…" Rose said slowly, not seeing the importance.

"The Ravenclaw Captain is Head Girl Emma Wilkes, one of the House Representatives that helped sort her. After I saw this I kept a closer eye on the other Representatives: Daniel from Gryffindor, Rupert from Hufflepuff and- Priscilla, from Slytherin," her face soured on the last name. "And I found that Zoey Malam makes an active effort to avoid all four of them."

"Is that so Christine?" James leaned closer to the picture, as though a detailed inspection would give him the explanation he wanted.

"My theory-" Christine put her hand a bit lower on her chest than was normal and Rose looked away uncomfortably, "-is that the Sorting Hat, which uses Legilimens to look into First Years' heads, let them know something about Zoey that the girl didn't want them to."

"Good theory," Rose agreed, seeing how that could be possible on a hypothetical level. "What did they tell you?"

"Nothing." She practically spat in frustration. "Not a single one will share anything about it. McGonagall must've told them not to, or maybe it's some sort of aftereffect from the Ceremony itself."

"Don't worry. It'll be more fun this way," James announced as he stood, smiling to himself.

"What will be?" Rox asked from the doorway, though she was pretty certain.

"Finding Zoey Malam's secret."

"When is she going to get here?" Albus Potter whined, slumping as he waited in the Great Hall for the third evening in a row.

Lysander didn't look up from the book he was reading, but he did take a moment to close his eyes and take a slightly deeper breath than normal. "When she is hungry, I would assume."

Albus groaned and banged his head on the Ravenclaw table with a thud, making the silverware rattle.

A couple of the students glared in his direction as the vibrations forced them to pause their essays, but when they saw the culprit they just shook their heads fondly and went back to work.

"Do stop that," Lysander chided passively as he flipped the page.

Thud. Thud. "Stop what?"

"Interrupting their work," Zoey smiled as she slid into the seat across from Lysander and beside the pouting Potter, "We Ravenclaws tend to take our assignments rather seriously, you know."

"Zoey!" Albus immediately perked up, sitting upright in his seat. He did a double-take at her appearance. "What happened to you?" The surprise in his voice encouraged Lysander to look up, and he raised his eyebrows at her appearance as well.

She grinned despite her soaking wet appearance and the strands of mossweed caught in her hair, careful not to get the table wet as she started serving herself dinner. "I went for a swim in the lake."

"In your clothes?" he asked incredulously, his eyes wandering over how her shirt clung to her frame and the way her hair was still dripping. He looked away with a slight cough of embarrassment.

"As opposed to what? I didn't exactly have a swimsuit on me. It was either clothes or…" she trailed off as she took a bite of her food.

Albus blushed at the idea of Zoey skinny dipping, but Lysander, uncharacteristically, came to his rescue as he finished Zoey's statement. "Or coming back to the tower to pick up your swimsuit."

"Mmhm," she pointed to Lysander with her fork, smiling. "And that would have taken ages."

Albus released a sigh as his heart rate dropped back to normal, deciding to move past the subject. "So where have you had dinner the past few days?"

"The kitchens," Zoey said slowly, tilting her head at him. "Why?"

"Oh, er, well I just, you know, didn't see you is all." Albus ran a hand through his hair, and realized that despite his attempts with a comb that morning it was back to its usual unruly mess.

"You found the kitchens already?" Lysander asked in mild interest. Despite the many Hogwarts secrets that their parents' had discovered during their education, none of the Legacy children had been told where to find any of them. The Room of Requirement, the Kitchens, the passages to Hogsmead or just around the school… everyone knew the stories, but by seemingly unanimous decision none of Dumbledore's Army had shared a single location with their children. It seemed to be some attempt to maintain the school's mystery. The one reluctant exception being the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom; a harmless decision, since none of them were or knew any parseltongues.

"It was an accident," Zoey sighed. "I was completely lost, again, and started talking to the portraits for directions, and then one nice lady- I think she was from like the eighteenth century, she was wearing muggle victorian style clothes- asked if I was hungry. I said yes because I was, of course, it was late at night- and she walked me over to the picture and told me to 'tickle the banana'." She laughed at the idea of it, shaking her head. "Who comes up with these spells, anyways?"

Lysander smiled a bit himself. "Obviously, someone with a sense of humor."

"And an appetite," Albus put in just to stay involved with the conversation.

"And probably likes making others feel silly," Zoey tucked her hair behind her ear, smiling. "What about you two? What have you been up to?"

"Well apparently there's to be an all-day class on Sunday," Lysander said with more than a touch of frustration, "So I've been trying to get ahead on my schoolwork."

"Actually," Albus wasn't one to gossip, but knowing what he did he couldn't quite stay still. He leaned toward Zoey to whisper the secret like an energetic kid. "It's going to be a lesson on expecto patronum. My dad and Aunt Hermione will be teaching it."

Unknown to him quite a few people heard his excited words, and soon the rumor started to make its way through the Hall.

Zoey, however, had a very mild reaction. "Sounds exciting. Let me know how it goes."

"You won't be there?" Albus's shoulders slumped, and his expression reminded Zoey of a puppy being left at home alone. Lysander looked at the reaction with interest.

"Not by choice!" She immediately assured, holding up her hands in protest. "Sybble doesn't think my DA skills are advanced enough. And she's probably right…" As much as her laugh made everyone around her happy, a frown on Zoey's face had just as much if not more of an effect on her surroundings, possibly because it was so rare.

Albus tried not to panic at the sight. "Hey, hey don't be sad! That's not- I mean- you can always- lets go to Hogsmeade together!"

Lysander almost choked on his water, putting the goblet down to stare at Albus incredulously while he thumped his chest to clear his airway.

"Sandy? You okay?" Zoey looked ready to jump over the table and do a heimlich on him.

He coughed one last time and looked at her in continuing frustration. "I will be considerably better once you stop calling me that."

"I don't think a nickname has any effect on whether or not you choke."

"Don't I have a right to decide what you call me?" Lysander had no desire for that nickname to catch on.

Albus slumped in his chair again as he waited for their conversation to end, swinging his legs under the table. He accidentally kicked Zoey and regained her attention.

"Oh right- sorry Al, what was that you said about Hogsmeade?"

"We should… go together." He tried to regain his confidence as he spoke the words. "Instead of that silly special class this Sunday. I can always get dad to teach me later."

"That's sweet," Zoey smiled, "But I don't want to get you in trouble. Besides, it must be a pretty important spell if they're bringing in special teachers, right?"

"Right." Albus slumped a bit more, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"However-" Zoey bumped him with her shoulder, "I would love a tour of Hogsmeade a different day. Your uncle has a joke shop there, right? And Hogsmeade supposedly has the 'best candy store ever'...?"

"Yeah," Albus perked up, smiling again. "Yeah, Honeydukes! You'll love it, Zoey."

"It's a deal then."

Lysander looked between the two of them silently, still having yet to return to his book since the conversation started. After Zoey left them to do her History assignment he looked at Albus with a knowing gleam in his eye. "I thought you couldn't wait until your dad finally taught you how to cast expecto patronum."

He squirmed in his seat. "So?"

"So instead you wanted to show Zoey a candy store. You hate sweets."

"It's what she wants to see." He lifted his chin, daring Lysander to find fault with that.

He held the gaze for a moment, then finally reopened his book. "You are aware that Zoey does not know Hogsmeade is the Hogwarts standard for first dates, right?"

"She doesn't?" His face fell, then he bolstered his confidence. "So what if she doesn't? I'm just- I'm just giving a friend a tour, is all."

"Just thought you should know."

"Well, thanks." Albus huffed, but after Lysander continued to read in silence he felt compelled to continue the argument himself. "It- it's not like I wanted it to be a date! I was just trying to cheer her up! I wasn't planning to ask her on a date yet-" he cut himself off with a small gasp, then gathered his stuff. "I- I've got homework too. Bye."

Lysander looked up and watched his friend's retreat with a smile, flipping the page of his book. "Liar Liar."

Thanks to Yami Umi for her review! You wanted a longer chapter- so here's my longest one yet, 7,588 words! :)

-E