Snape's office is situated deep in the dungeons. The air here is stuffy and I have difficulties breathing. I knock on the heavy wooden door and hear the deep voice of my Head of house say "Enter."
I do as asked, cautiously.
Snape's office looks just like the potions classroom, even the air is as stuffy. The walls are lined with crooked shelves, upon which stand vials filled to the brim with colorful liquids. Poisons, most likely, and Veritaserum. It has been the talk of the corridors how some pink wench gave that thing to kids, so they told all their secrets. Fuckin' bitch. Anyway, I walk over to Snape, who was calmly sitting at his desk. His usual grim expression was replaced by a somewhat similar one of loathing, however I believe I see a hint of curiosity in his black eyes.
"Good evening Professor. I was wondering if I could take a bit of your time?" I keep my voice down, unwilling to upset him with my tone. I attempt to calm my beating heart, the man makes me uneasy, my head is kept down in silent embarrassment. I need him to believe I am as shy as I am new.
"So…How are you enjoying your stay..in my house?" He has a most interesting way of speaking. I raise my head slightly. Some of the dreadlocks dangled obscuring my view of him. I shake my head to get rid of the offending streaks. I look him straight in the eye trying not to flinch under the intensity of his gaze. Time to plant the seed.
"Im actually quite impressed Professor. Not with the school or your house. I'm impressed that a man of such intelligence like you would patiently withstand the sheer stupidity of my peers." I say with awe and a hint of sarcasm. A ghost of a smile marked his features.
"A compliment delivered in the company of insult, my Miss Blackcross, you are learning fast.
Now, what is it what you came to see me about." He leans back and crosses his hands in front of him. His ego is fed. Let's get to the point.
"I was wondering, Professor, if I could take my O. this year. I realize the amount of work I must put into this endeavor far exceeds what I have ever undertaken. However I truly believe that it can be done. Alas, for me to even attempt such a thing, your permission is required. There are certain classes I won't be able to attend in order for me to pass. A time turner wouldn't quite cut it I'm afraid.". I explained with a worried look on my face. Thanks for the story Hermione
"I see" Dramatic pause. Bastard.
"Why would I agree to such a questionable endeavor?". He is interested but once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin. Everything has a price. I have to surprise him. He is close to accepting. I smile in a lazy way and stretch my arms behind my back. I like to think I resemble a wild cat in these rare moments.
"I would like to prove that one can gain power and prestige without money or birth. In order to do that I need to be in a year closer to my age." I explain it while leaving out my original plans. He takes a second to think about the whole idea. I've heard he is an occlumency expert, I can believe that because at the moment I cannot read him. He sighs and regards me once again. He doesn't believe me, but he will agree just for the pleasure of seeing how it goes.
"Ok Miss Blackcross, I will talk to the teachers. You still have to go to 5th year classes and pass them. I'm quite frankly intrigued to see how you are going to accomplish that silly goal you set for yourself." I shake his hand. His grip is strong, hands cold and dry. I look into his eyes ones again. What I see is a chalange. I accept.
"Thank you Professor, I'll be sure not to disappoint you." I wink at him and leave.
The chess-board is set. The king and queen are set in place. Time to find myself more figures.
I began my search with the Knight. It walks in crooked paths. The perfect spy. I silent observer. A beggar on the streets of the wealthy. I need to find someone who is disregarded by everyone. Someone who invisible. Someone like Luna Lovegood.
It was fairly easy to find Luna. Her presence leaves many people baffled, very confused. I just followed the path of bewilderment. Well really I just followed a path of scattered objects around the castle. Someone tried to explain it to me but I lost him at Narggles. What the fuck are those anyway? I find her in one of the corridors on the third floor. She is gazing dreamily out the window. I walk towards her slowly. I didn't want to frighten her, I heard she was ..eccentric.
"Hi um, Luna right?" I decide to just try the friendly approach. I give her a winning grin. I kept my posture open, like they told me in psych class sometime in another life.
"Your name is Rei, a Slytherin muggleborn, interesting combination don't you think?" She doesn't even turn around. Damm.
"Yeah well I get along alright, besides soon they will all be like flowers and puppies, you'll see."
Turn around blondie. She does. She looks at me with a curious look.
"You smoke weed don't you?" What? She is good. I need her on my side.
"Yeah, howd…Oh!" Why didn't I see it earlier. She smokes too, that's why her gaze is so blurry all the time. I have some place to start now. She regards me with her dreamy eyes. So blue. I get sidetracked because of the intensity of their color. Like the bluest of skies on a warm summer day.
"I was wondering if you would like to hang out with me. Take a puff or just chill y'know." I give her my most charming smile, the one I give the ladies I plan to bed. She smiles an adorable crooked smile back followed by a vigorous nod.
"Can we chill in your common room? I've never been in another house before, I was curious how the others look like. I also haven't met anyone from your house, and I heard nice stuff about you lot. Smarts and wits all round eh?" She stops and turns her head slightly to the side. Her eyebrow rises in an adorable way and she gives me a half-smile before she continues to walk.
"You are making a position for yourself. What do you want to accomplish?" The girl is amazing. I think I'm in love! I decide to tell her. The plan not…ah nevermind.
"I just noticed a few people at this school are very unhappy. I'm going to change it all with a bit of meddling with interhouse unity." I wink. Am I flirting with this girl? They call her Loony for fuck's sake. I have to focus on what I have to do instead of thinking with my crotch.
So she takes me to the Ravenclaw common room. The password is Fereverto. I remember the spell from transfiguration. We sit on blue, plush, suede couches and Luna gives me the uptake on things in the castle.
"I see, so the reason Draco hates Harry is because he was rejected by the "celebrity" in first year. That explains some of the tension." I turn to Luna and raise an eyebrow. She looks so damn cute it is trashing my concentration.
"Love" I spit pumpkin' juice on my new jeans. What the fuck?
"They're in love with each other of course" She sips her tea as if she was speaking of the weather.
"Who?" I think I just passed the point of confusion.
"Draco and Harry. Its blatantly obvious. I mean you do realize Draco is gay right?" Still that matter-of-fact tone. She is truly an extraordinary woman. I pick my jaw off the floor.
"I noticed, but him and Harry? Are you sure? I mean Harry?" It is too damn good to be true.
"If you watch closely you will see it. Pansy is the only one that knows." Pansy Knows?
"How do you know that Pansy knows?" I know she is the Knight but come on that's inside info.
"She talks in her sleep" She talks…How would she know what she does in her sleep. Wait a second..
Oh! Fucking shit I knew it! Pansy was a dyke! And Luna…wicked!
"You nailed her? The ice-queen? How?" I am on a new level of impressed. Luna grows taller in my eyes with every word. I want her.
"There are many things that happen in Hogwarts under the eye of watchful prefects. I only see it, the information is not always easy to gather, but I have been a ghost here for a while." Her lips look so kissable. I think Im drooling. I shake my head to snap out of it and lighten a blunt. I take a slow drag and pass it over to Lovegood. Our fingertips touch for a second and I felt a little jolt go up my hand. I hate my body. She seems to pause when we touch. She looks…troubled? Her expression is to subtle and it disappears as soon as it appeared. Now her face is neutral except for a little half-smile. Intriguing girl.
"Thank you Miss Lovegood, I am ever grateful for your help. I must go now unfortunately. I have to people to find. Someone to help with my classes certainly, I am to pass 5 years in one. Also a more in-depth knowledge of the castle would be useful." She leads me to the door and just as I am about to pass through it she stops me and leans in to whisper in my ear. Her breath is tickling the hairs on my neck. I shiver involuntarily. Curse you vile shell that I cannot control!
"Hermione Granger and the Weasley Twins. Griffindor" She gives me a nip right under my ear and I yelp. My stomach is doing some crazy shit, cartwheels? Before I can gather my wits about me, she pushes me out the door giving me a solid slap on the butt. Did she wink at me from that closing door? Well at least now I know who to find. I take a deep breath and set out to find the right people.
It is fairly easy to find both the Granger girl and the Red-headed mirror reflections. The first I find in the Library just like Luna told me. I walk over to her desk and sit down. She raises her bushy head and glances at me with her puppy dog, brown eyes. She looks quite adorable under all that messy hair. I should learn to pay more attention.
"May I help you?" Sarcasm, only available in muggleborns. I take a deep breath and speak.
"I am going to complete five years in one." I give her a matter-of-fact look. She doesn't even blink, waiting for me to continue.
"I would like to write my owls this year but I need someone to tutor me. I've asked around and what I gather is that I will never accomplish what I strive for if you are not the one helping me. On top of that I know for a fact that you are not the type of person to refuse help because I am a muggleborn. The fact that I am a Slytherin should not throw you off as well. I know you are a tolerant person Miss Granger, I heard of your S.P.E.W campaign and I want to say that I admire what you are doing. Against all odds, just like me."
I look at her with a hint of desperation. She sighs but there is a hint of a smile in the corner of her lips. The girl is not used to compliments. Kind of like another girl I know of. I have to keep that in mind for later consideration.
"I think what you are doing, cannot be done. But considering that my own "campaign" has a slim chance of a victory, who am I to judge huh?" Full on grin.. Her teeth are pearly white. I am good.
"I will help you. What are your best subjects? Which ones do you have a problem with?" Ok hyper much. This girl needs to get laid. Tension is oozing out of her pores. Chillax brain-girl. I put a hand on her arms to calm her down
"Chill girl, ok so Herbology is probably my strongest subject and I do ok in potions as well. Besides Snape is very generous when it comes to members of his house. I suck at transfiguration and DADA. I don't know about other subjects, I'm still going to choose them." She exhales slowly and looks at my hand on her shoulder with silent thanks. I gently remove it and give her a silly grin. She chuckles and then says thoughtfully.
"How are you with animals?" She takes a glance at my dredlocks. Her brows furrow, probably at the intensity of the color. Since I came to Hogwarts the color turned from sky blue to a weird shade of Marine. I need to learn some spells for hair dyeing. What was I talking about? Animals, right?
"Well, I had 3 cats and I got an owl from Dumbledore when I arrived. I like them. Why?" I give uncertainly, still caught up with my thoughts.
"Then you will take Care of Magical Creatures. It's with Hagrid and what it really requires is a love of animals. He is such a good caring person, Hagrid." I think she got some kind of memory which I have to interrupt. Her eyes glaze over and she has that far away look on her face. I snap my fingers under the table. It snapped her out of her day-dreaming moment.
"Um yeah I know him. The big guy right? Yeah he showed me around some alley when I went shopping for my Hogwarts stuff. Nice guy and all." I shrug. So I have one keeper subject. Go me.
"Ok that leaves Arithmancy, Divination, Astrology, Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies." I read from the list of courses I got from Snape.
"Arithmancy is a wonderful subject if you're into numbers.."
"Not really my strong point." I cringe internally. Almost failed Maths in High School.
"…well there is ancient runes if you're good at languages." She looks at me with hesitation, and some hope.
"I did alright, English is not my first language you know?" I cross my arms in pride.
"Well your accent is slightly American… well anyway, you will take Muggle Studies because you are a muggle so passing is nothing." She looks so smug I could kiss her. That tiny pout on her mouth and that twinkle in her eye. The girl knows her worth. Too bad she doesn't notice her beauty. I now am certain that she is beautiful.
"Ok and that leaves divination?" I guess it was some kind of globe-reading shit. Hell I can come to class baked and I would score high points with the shit I can see in those things.
"But that subject is a joke! It's pure bogus…" I gave her that "exactly" look.
"Oh.. yes that would be a wise choice in your case." She looks troubled, rendering her so cute I was a second away from going "awwww" and pinching her cheeks! If it wasn't for Luna I would do Hermione in a heartbeat.
"Well ok so we have Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies and Divination, that makes 3 so that's all. For DADA you will want Harry's help. I will help you with Transfiguration." She leans back on her chair in victory. I'm so finding this girl a lover. I need to check something first though.
"Harry Potter? Well I kind of know what he is going through.." Now for a little test. I lean in deeper into the table showing off my cleavage. Just a little more and Im almost in Hermione's personal space. She looked! And she is still looking, I think she lost it a little bit. Awww I better take it down a notch or the poor thing will drool. Enough for now, she passed with rainbow colors.
"…with the sudden fame and the confusion, I was going to talk to him anyway to ask him how he handles it." Snap out of it, Hermione, and nod.
"Yes, right. Well, coming back to Divination, if you want to get high marks just predict my pending doom or Harry's and you will be the long awaited profit." Her face grows sour at the thought. I will keep it in mind though. It is valuable information.
"Yes well thank you, Miss Granger, you have been a huge help, I appreciate it." I stand up.
"Hermione"
"Pardon?"
"Call me Hermione, Rei" She sure has a pretty smile.
"Thank you, Hermione." I smile and take my leave.
Authors Note: Hi everyone who managed to read this story. I would very much like to encourage all of you to review. I then know what you guys like and what really sucks and all. I'm also very open to suggestions regarding plot twists and what-not. Anyway tell me what ya think ;)