Disclaimer: I don't own the musical group Prodigy, their song Firestarter, the Elvish language, any chickens, nor dogs, Hermione, Herry, Ron Malfoy, Neville, Professor McGonagall, or anything else to do with Happy Potter... and maybe a few other things, I'm not sure I can find them all
Chapter 9:
That day wasn't very eventful after breakfast. Sure people came up to me in the halls and complemented me, or insulted me; I guess some people weren't really fans of my behavior. Oh well, such is life. I also managed to get side checked by a large Slytherin; I suppose he was surprised when I knocked him into a wall. Detention be damned, I wasn't going to take that from him. Charms class was mildly entertaining; Seamus managed to set his hair on fire, as well as mine, which, thankfully, grew back seconds later. There was a chance to sign up to learn to fly a broomstick. I decided to pass, though I did go down to watch. Poor Neville, I heard the crack all the way over where I was sitting under a tree. Then the minor argument began. Before it got too heated, I stepped in. "Leave Neville alone, you have no right to speak about him like that." I'd forgotten the wand I'd bought to fit in more in my room, cypress 7 ½ inches and all three core types, weird I know. Hair from the forelock of a unicorn mare, phoenix pinion, and the heartstring of an Eastern Canadian Violet Dragon (ok so I made it up, but it kind of sounds like the Welsh Green, so I'm happy.) "Now why would we do that," sneered Parkinson "when we're having so much fun?" Stepping closer so that she noticed that I towered over her in my heels, I replied "Because that might prompt a girl like me to have fun, and what's fun for me wouldn't be fun for you." I said all of this as lightly as possible, barely masking the underlying threat. I'd planned it that way, of course. Then he found Neville's remembrall. "It's that thing that great lump's gran sent him."
"Give it here Malfoy." Harry said quietly, we all turned to look at him. "How about no." Grinned Malfoy nastily. At that time I had started to will the grass by Malfoy's feet to catch fire, for no reason at all I really willed it. I guess my aim was off. It wasn't the grass that caught fire, it was the broom in his hand. The twiggy tail went up with a whoosh, and flames started to lick at the handle. Malfoy dropped it like it was on fire, which it was. Smiling sheepishly I said "Oops must have lost my temper." And shrugged. Malfoy then grabbed a broom from someone else "How about I leave this thing for Longbottom to find, how about in that tree." (This follows the book very closely, though in the book he says in a tree, not in that tree. I've avoided plagiarism) Harry took off after him and caught the blasted object. Then the temporarily ignored fire began to snake its way towards me, slithered up my leg, then continued to grow till I was completely engulfed in flame. Professor McGonagall chose this time to come rushing out of the castle. She, of course, didn't notice me ablaze, with oddly entirely blue fire. She did notice Harry though. "HARRY POTTER, what were you doing?"
"Um flying Professor." She still hadn't noticed me, though the flames had started to go down. She spluttered on for a few minutes, despite protests from several people.
When she left she still hadn't noticed me, at this point only my hands and hair were aflame. Desperate for a laugh, I threw my hands in the air, sending flames shooting up, and shouted "Supervillians, evildoers and bullies beware, this gal's got fi-yah!"(If you don't know, I actually said fire, not some other weird thing) I did a little dance in a circle playing with my fire, while everyone stared at me with wide eyes, which got wider after I started singing 'Firestarter' by Prodigy and ran toward the front doors.
After I went inside, I ran around the castle for a bit, scaring a few ghosts and several people along the way. Then after I put myself out, I proceeded to the Griffindor common room. I hadn't been there yet, so I thought I'd pay it a little visit. It was nice, the couches and chairs were something like in my room, but upholstered in another fabric and rather worn. Looking around, I tried to find the entrance to my room, it was well hidden I have to say.
Finally I spotted it, a hanging on the wall the same as one in my sitting room. Oddly enough it was of a singing chicken and a dog named Pontouf singing a duet. (AN: the chicken and Pontouf are an inside joke, if you want to know, just ask) At that moment number of first years burst in through the door chattering excitedly. They seemed to be talking about Harry's behavior, and minimally about mine. As soon as they saw me they stopped dead in their tracks. Hermione stepped forward "Just what did you do back there? Flames like that aren't normal. (Tee hee, technically any sort of conjured flame isn't normal, I like irony.) "How did you do that?" Looking her square in the eye, I replied "I'm a Pyro, I'm Pyrokenetic. I start and control fires with my mind, and I just happen to like blue fire." (AN: I really do like blue fire. I have a belt and shirt with a pattern of blue fire and everything) That shut her up they all seemed aghast for a moment. Then they all sort of dispersed in general disarray, and went about their business.
That is except Hermione. She stuck around and we chatted for a bit. About this, that, and everything else. About the recent developments in my life, and several other unimportant topics. The dinner bell eventually rang and we went down to dinner. Of course Harry got on the Quidditch team, and Malfoy challenged him to a duel. It's a wonder he didn't challenge me instead. I suppose after the bit with the fire he was a bit scared of me, being of equivalent age to the sixth years added to it a bit I suppose. When Hermione got up to talk to Harry, I went with her, moral support and all that jazz. "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation…" she started "I bet you couldn't" muttered Ron. Glaring at him a bit, I snapped "That's no reason to be rude." And his mouth snapped shut abruptly. Continuing in Hermione's place I persisted "It's a bad idea, you'll get caught, or close to it. You know he won't show, and you'll have gone out for nothing. You really shouldn't go."
"And just why shouldn't we go?" Ron asked. Rolling my eyes in annoyance I replied "I just said. Because 1) you'll either get caught or almost get caught 2) he won't show and 3) it's just a bad idea." Staring at them in an 'if you go you're idiots' kind of way I said "Those good enough reasons for you?" All I got was a curt "No" and they walked off whispering to each other. They were talking about me, I could hear them. This was really annoying so I called after them "I can hear you, you know?" and plunked back down at the table.
Dropping my head on my hands I asked glumly "Why does no one listen to me, especially when I'm saying something important. Is it how I look, how I speak, or how I behave? What's wrong with me?" Sitting down beside me, Hermione answered awkwardly "Well, I'm not sure it's any of those things. Maybe it's just your demeanor. You appear to prefer to not give advice, at least good advice. You're a sixteen year old first year, that's got to count in their eyes. Anyway I'm not sure they're the type to take advice, good or otherwise. So perhaps it's not you at all, just them." That didn't help, I don't seem the type of person to give good advice. Well that's just not true. When I gave advice it tends to be good advice, probably because I don't give advice often. "Thanks Hermione, any other little pearls of wisdom before I go jump off of the battlements?" At that point she got all concerned and proceeded to tell me why I shouldn't kill myself, or at least try to kill myself, that I had so much to live for. You couldn't imagine her surprise when I told her jumping wouldn't kill me as at that point I couldn't die, I'd only inflict pain upon myself. And as I have a low tolerance for pain, jumping off of the battlements would be a pointless idea, and I wasn't going to do it anyway. She didn't get the part about the inability to die, so I promised to explain it later.
Later on, in my groovy little sitting room, I explained my situation to Hermione. She was shocked. Beyond shocked. But when she got too sympathetic, well that was too much. True, something bad had happened to me, but it also brought something good. True I'd essentially lost my whole family, but I'd get a new one, maybe more than one. Plus I was here, that stood for something. True, it was a bit depressing, but what wasn't these days. I couldn't even watch the news, and I wouldn't go anywhere near the newspaper with the exception of the comics and the Sudoku. That's just how I am. I rapidly changed the subject, which probably didn't look too good, and careened off through the subject of pets. She didn't have any and she didn't know about mine. Imagine her shock when I called Mordollwen and Nieninque into the room (AN: Mordollwen means 'dark as night' in Elvish and is pronounced More-dole-when and Nieninque is Elvish for snowdrop I have no idea how it's pronounced, mind you I could have called her snow leopard (ailosacath) because that's what she is, but that's not really original). I guess she hadn't seen cats that big before, or cats that big who were so gentle. I suppose seeing a panther or snow leopard up close would shock anyone. (AN: Yeah I know I've neglected these two, I forgot about them completely. I've also realized that I haven't named them. And another thing, I've just found out that my name is Irish for warrior maiden. Who knew?) After the two furry people in the room had begun to romp, tearing the rug, I instructed them to take it outside. At which point a flock of chickens from Leeds appeared in the room. I knew they were from Leeds by their accent. 'What accent?' you may ask. Well I'll tell you. They were chickens weren't they? They clucked didn't they? Well chickens from Leeds cluck with an accent, everyone knows that. I set loose the chickens into the Griffindor common room so they could wreck havoc upon the unsuspecting students within. Those chickens were good at it too, as soon as they entered the room three people screamed. I allowed myself a small chuckle then closed the door and sat down on the sofa.
"So Hermione, any more questions?" She said she didn't have any, so I went through the usual stuff you do when you have company, I offered drinks and stuff. She declined so I got myself a vodka cooler from the nifty little wet bar I'd discovered cough created cough, I suppose its possible alcohol is prohibited for students. Oh well. We then chatted for a while then Hermione decided she's better go, so she left me to wallow in my "why not's" and "why doesn't any one listen to me's". Why does no one listen to me, really? Anyway it would seem that Hermione actually went with Harry and Ron when they went to the duel and, just as I'd told them, Malfoy didn't show. They barely just missed Filch and Mrs. Norris, and almost got eaten by Fluffy. I'm surprised, though, that they didn't run into Peeves. When I checked the copy of the first book I had locked away in a box in my room, it said they were supposed to (AN: In many fictions I'd imagine that the book itself would change if a character such as mine had showed up, I'm not doing this because I want to follow the basic storyline, or perhaps timeline and have the book as an anchor of some sort to how the story is supposed to be, or perhaps a reference for my character.) it makes sense that what happens would change a bit with me here.
AN: Read, Review, you know the drill. I would suggest doing it because I might hunt you down and attack you mercilessly with an ostrich feather, but just on whimsy. Sorry it took so long, writers block and a death in the family kind of does things to affect your writing. Also send your wishes to the family of someone in my school who drowned on the weekend, I didn't know him but he will be missed, he was only 16. Ok no more melancholy thoughts, I'll hurry up this time.
Your author,
Toxin