It has been forever and a day…I know. I am also aware that in my other fic I said this update should be up before the end of the weekend. Sorry bout that. In my defense I had a really huge interview today (which went well :) ) sooo if all goes as I hope I will have a new job with regular hours which in the long run means more time to allocate to writing.
Thanks for sticking with this, and with my sporadic updating. I'm always flattered when I get a notification that someone has alerted/favourited/etc. So, thank you for following along.
Reviewers, you truly do make my day whenever I get that little email alerting me that you've taken the time to review. I'm always fascinated by what your thoughts are. StayWithMeForTheKids, gryff, shewritesforher, The Flock's Bud, stphnyvillegas, Zulu, mUfF MuNcHeR, Heironymous Bosch, , and naomi-slytherin, thank you.
(stphnyvillages, sorry if you've thought the chapters are short, but not to worry, I'm not running out of ideas I actually have a rough outline of their last 3 years at Hogwarts mapped out in my head.)
(naomi-slytherin (love your name btw :) ) yes, Naomi is on the Slytherin Quidditch team, I don't think I've actually stated it in the fic, just more alluded to it. So no, you didn't miss it, but you are correct.)
Naomi's perspective. As always, please do let me know what you think!
I do not own Skins or Harry Potter, or anything else quite so magical.
Chapter IX:
..
..
Cook was splayed on one of the large sofas in front of the grand fireplace as Naomi walked into the Slytherin common room late Monday night, or early Tuesday morning, depending on how you looked at it. He had clearly stayed up waiting for her.
"You do realize you're supposed to be in your dormitory?" she asked.
"Do yer worst," Cook farced, clasping his wrists together and holding them out to Naomi as if she'd shackle them.
"Fuck off," She rolled her eyes, plopping down onto the couch next to him.
"So rounds with Princess Potter, eh?" Cook asked.
"Her sir name isn't even Potter, why do you insist on calling her that?" Naomi huffed. "But yes, rounds with Emily. Will you stop bringing her up? Jesus."
"Just tryin' ta get the logistics down is all." He defended.
Naomi rolled her eyes. "We've got class in the morning," she stated standing up.
"Aw, come on what's got you all shirty? I'm only havin' a laugh," Cook cooed. "You should try it some time."
"I'm going to bed," Naomi said looking at her watch.
"Nope. Summon your jacket," Cook stated as he brought himself to his feet. "We're not goin' ta bed."
"Cook, it's late. And I'm tired," Naomi complained.
"Nope. 'Nough o' this fun sponge business," Cook said undeterred. "We're gona get up to some fookin' trouble, an you're gona fookin' like it."
"Sodd it all," Naomi shrugged. She knew he wasn't going to relent. And to be honest she could do with a distraction. She doubted she would be able to get to sleep after spending the night walking the halls with Emily. Stirring up some trouble would be the perfect way to blow off some steam.
..
..
Naomi was exhausted. Mentally chastising herself for letting Cook talk her into sneaking about on a weeknight she entered greenhouse five to find her lab partner had already arrived. She let out a breath as she sat down next to the redhead. Emily looked up and smiled.
"Hey," Naomi greeted sitting down next to the Gryffindor. There was no way around interacting with her between class and prefect duties, she figured she may as well act cordial.
Emily smiled at her again. "Hey."
Naomi narrowed her eyes in speculation. There was something different about that smile Emily was giving her. She had a glint in her eye, like she now knew something she hadn't been privy to the previous day.
"Long night?" Emily asked.
Naomi was sure she had circles under her eyes. "'Bout the same as yours," Naomi shrugged through a yawn.
Emily's eyes were twinkling.
"I was right knackered when I finally got back," Emily said.
"Yeah, couldn't sleep," Naomi said. There it was again, it was almost mischievous like she'd been let in on a secret or joke of some sort. Emily shook her head slightly.
"You have Transfigurations yet?" she asked.
"No, not til tomorrow," Naomi breathed. "I'm sure that will be a bit more um, interesting than usual."
"Oh it was," Emily chuckled. "Can't imagine what yours will be like tomorrow. But I think it's fair to say with the workload he assigned today, his intentions are to make certain some," she looked pointedly at Naomi, "students won't have time for extracurricular research." Her eyes danced underneath the brow she'd raised at Naomi.
"That my doing?" Naomi feigned innocence.
Emily laughed. "I think its pretty safe to say I have you to thank for the three scroll essay I now have looming over my free time."
"Three scrolls?" Naomi asked disbelievingly.
"Something for you to look forward to, I have no doubt."
"Great," Naomi rebuffed, "Just great."
"Just don't let Katie hear it's your fault we've all got that essay now."
"You were there too you know?" Naomi pointed out. "Besides I'm not scared of your sister."
Emily laughed, "Yeah I've noticed that. And neither am I, but she's going to go mental if she finds out you're the cause of her having to postpone our Quidditch tryout finals."
"Finals?" Naomi asked. "As in you've already had one? And are having more than one? She is mental. We haven't even met yet to talk about tryouts."
"Yup, so instead of yelling about at people on the pitch she's got to be in the library working on Nodweller's essay."
"He tried to give me an E once, you know," Naomi confided.
"You do realize E stands for Excellent, right?" Emily bemused.
"Oh," Naomi playacted, "I thought it was for Emily."
"Hah-hah," Emily rolled her eyes with a smile. "Well basically the same thing, really."
"That's what I thought," Naomi deadpanned.
Emily playfully pushed Naomi's shoulder. The two laughed together for a moment.
"So he tried to give you an E once, did he?"
"He did," Naomi confirmed.
"And what did you do?" Emily asked dutifully.
"I asked him where on the syllabus he stated a point percentage for attitude."
Emily snorted. "You did not."
"Did too," Naomi nodded, "Wanker. Not about to get my first mark below an O just because he's a right git." O which stood for outstanding, was the highest grade at Hogwarts.
Emily giggled and it caused a smile to slide across Naomi's face without permission.
Professor Longbottom clapped his hands together to start class. Naomi nearly jumped, looking up. She had forgotten where she was for a moment. Emily was dangerous like that, how she could cause the rest of the world to seemingly cease to exist. Naomi turned her full attention to the lab prep.
Despite herself Naomi watched her, watched out for it, all class. That knowing smirk always appeared when she and Emily made eye contact, when they would pass each other instruments, when there fingers would accidentally brush, even when she had her head turned away but could just feel Emily's eyes on her—Each time causing Naomi's own brow to furrow. It was driving Naomi crazy that she had no idea what brought on this change. She racked her brain about the pervious nights events, and came up with nothing. Was it greeting the girl amiably at the start of class? Could that really have done it? She ruled it out remembering Emily smile and almost shake her head when she had just arrived to class. Naomi shook her head at the thought as if she could dispel it and her current paranoia.
Emily leaned over the table inspecting their newly potted plant when a flash of gold fell from her robes catching Naomi's eye.
"What's that?" Naomi asked looking at the gold coin now dangling from the chain around Emily's neck.
"What," Emily asked taking her attention away from the lab and wrapping her fingers around the gold charm, "This?" She twirled it in her hand and Naomi saw D.A. imprinted on it. "It was my grandmothers," Emily explained showing it to Naomi. "When my grandparents were at Hogwarts my Granddad helped start 'Dumbledore's Army' teaching students how to fight when the ministry wouldn't. My Gran's 6th year, when the final battle took place, they would use these coins to communicate with each other and fight against the death eaters."
Emily offered the coin to Naomi who after a slight hesitance inspected the coin curiously.
"Reckon sometime that year is when he go those scars." Emily added nodding toward Professor Longbottom.
"What?" Naomi asked looking up she handed the coin back to Emily who let it fall to its resting spot around her neck. Emily was watching Professor Longbottom explain something cheerily to a student a few seats away. His deep scars just visible through his short beard.
"I never really thought about that," Naomi said, "where he'd gotten them I mean." She forgets, what that generation went through, what people like Neville Longbottom did when they were just her age. Naomi felt suddenly young, naïve almost, as an apprentice would, hands sore, after a first days work. She'd known Professor Longbottom her whole life. Him being the dad of her mum's best friend he'd always pop in the Leaky Cauldron whenever he went to Diagon Alley.
"I forget sometimes, being at school," Emily said, "That I've known him my whole life."
"Have you?" Naomi asked curiously. That paranoia from earlier creeping back in as Emily echoed what she had just been thinking. Had she discovered the power of occlumency or something?
Emily nodded. "We spend the summers at my Grandparents, and every year Professor Longbottom visits on his and my Grandda's birthday."
"Huh." Naomi chewed on the new information.
"D'you know Katie asked him once what happened to his face, when we were little."
Naomi snorted. "Well, I see she hasn't lost tact with age."
"We were five," Emily defended, "but yeah, some things never change, really."
The two laughed and Naomi saw it again, that look.
"I bet you always ace History of Magic," she voiced.
"Let's just say when we get to History of the 20th century I'm well versed," Emily quipped.
Naomi laughed earning a curious look from Professor Longbottom.
..
..
Naomi sat in the Slytherin common room rereading the same paragraph in her Ancient Runes book as she had been for the past half hour. She couldn't seem to focus her mind it delinquently wandering back to her Herbology class, to Emily, every time she restarted the paragraph. By the time she would finish she'd realize, again, that she hadn't absorbed a single bit of information. There was just something so curious about the way Emily had looked at her in class today. It was as if she knew something, but for the life of Naomi she couldn't fathom what.
She looked up hearing the unmistakable sound of Cook plodding down in the vacant chair adjacent to her.
"Where'd you get that?" Naomi asked as Cook noisily opened a chocolate frog.
"Borrowed it from a firs' year," Cook shrugged lifting his feet up onto the table.
"More like stole," Naomi chastised knocking his feet off her books.
"Aw lay off it will ya? I told 'im I was good for it," he said readjusting himself, settling for the empty chair across from his as a footrest.
"James Cook the only thing you're good for is a headache."
"I'll give 'im one better," Cook jested. "I'll give 'im a knuckle sandwich."
"A knuckle sandwich?" Naomi said looking up from her book again. "What are you, five?"
"Give or take," Cook assented.
"Well that explains a lot."
He stuck his tongue out at her earning an infamous eye roll.
"Aw, I already 'ave this one," Cook pouted flicking the small pentagon shaped card at Naomi. "I've got 'bout a hundred of 'im."
Naomi picked up the card that was currently blocking her nemesis of a paragraph. She flipped it over to see a picture of a smiling man with untidy hair, a lightning bolt scar, and bright green eyes behind a pair of round glasses. Naomi stared hard at the little card before flipping it over and reading the blurb on the back:
-HARRY POTTER –
The Chosen One
Considered one of the most important wizards of modern times Potter is best known for his lightning bolt scar; and his defeats over Lord Voldemort. A founder of Dumbledore's Army and a member of The Order of the Phoenix he was awarded the highest honour, Order of Merlin 1st class, after the Final Battle at Hogwarts (1998). Potter later went on to head the Auror Department for the Ministry of Magic. He with his wife Ginny (Weasley) Potter have three children. Recently retired Potter enjoys a quiet life in Ottery St Catchpool with his wife. He enjoys de-gnoming his garden and is an avid Quidditch fan.
Naomi flipped the card back over staring at it a moment more before folding it into her hand. Abandoning her Ancient Runes book she pulled out her worn copy of Hogwarts: A History and flipped through it til she found the chapter she was looking for.
Naomi pictured that coin playing idly between Emily's fingers. She thought of all that history, the significance it held for the wizarding world, their world. To be a part of that—that legacy—it seemed heavy suddenly; the expectation that came with it. She wondered if that was how it felt to Emily. Emily worrying the slight coin between her fingers, the small piece of history around her neck, as Naomi would the gold ring on her finger: an old nervous habit. She wondered if the weight it bore on her was a friendly token of pride, of heritage, or rather a constant reminder of all to live up to. Naomi mindlessly turned the gold metal round her finger, reading on.
..
..
This was ridiculous. She'd just spent all of her free time finishing Nodweller's tedious essay and now on her Saturday night, she had to attend some Prefects do. Yes, she took pride in being a Prefect and understood it was going to expend large chunks of her free time, but Saturday night? That seemed a bit ridiculous. Cook was none the happier about it as they sat in the common room mirror image of how they sat earlier in the week: minus the books.
"I reckon you just don't go," Cook said, his feet resting on the small table.
"I can't just skive off, it's not like it's some large gathering Cook," Naomi rebuffed.
"In'nit?" Cook said counting on his fingers. "Twenty-four. Guess not," he conceded with a nod of his head.
"This is bloody ridiculous," Naomi said looking at her watch. "It starts soon, I've got to go."
"Fucking waste of a Saturday night," she continued to grumble as she stood up.
"Guess I'll have ta' entertain myself tonight," Cook resigned reaching into his back pocket and producing a flask.
Naomi pushed his feet off the table as he was mid swig, causing him to spill on the front of his robes.
"What the fook?" Cook asked as wiped off his robes.
"Cook if I let you drink in front of me, in the common room, what's the difference from another student doing so?" Naomi chastised snatching the flask from him.
"I'm fookin' Cook," he stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "that's the fookin' difference."
Naomi rolled her eyes. "Enjoy entertaining yourself," she quipped.
"What 'bout me flask?" Cook asked outstretching his hand for it.
"Confiscated," Naomi smiled, tucking the flask into her robes as she headed for the exit.
..
..
"What's this?" Emily asked joining Naomi on the sidelines of the room. She hopped up onto the table Naomi was currently leaning against. After an hour or so of mingling Naomi had antisocially resigned herself to the side of the room.
Naomi looked down at the flask in her hand swishing the amber contents in it around. "Nicked it off Cook," she shrugged nonchalantly taking a swig from the small decanter before offering it to the redhead.
Emily accepted the flask only looking down when their fingertips brushed. She took a slow sip. Naomi watched her for a moment before turning away quickly, as if she just realized she'd been staring, to obverse the room again.
"Is this not the most pretentious thing?" Naomi stated causing Emily to smirk as the flask left her lips.
"You're just full of surprises aren't you?"
"What?" Naomi said turning back to meet amused brown eyes.
"I just mean, you come off so, I duno, serious, like this is the sort of thing you should enjoy, but you actually," Emily smile grew, "you think this party's about as shite as I do."
Naomi shrugged.
"Naomi?" Emily looked around as if something dawned on her. "Why is it no one seems to notice we're blatantly drinking at this do?"
Naomi smirked devilishly as she accepted the flask from Emily again. "Because they're not meant to," she answered bringing the flask to her still smirking lips.
"Sorry?"
"I charmed it so no one would notice. As long as they're not in here," Naomi said motioning to the area they were in with her hand. "No one notices. If they look over, they just see us sitting here, uninterestingly."
"But I noticed," Emily said skeptically pausing to take another swig.
"Did you?" Naomi asked. "Or did you come up to me, then notice once you were next to me?"
Emily opened her mouth then closed it again.
Naomi's smirk grew.
The two girls sat atop the table passing the flask back and forth as they silently watched the room.
"Why doesn't this feel any lighter?" Emily asked after a bit as she accepted the flask again from Naomi. The blonde chuckled.
"It's Cook's," Naomi said. "No doubt he's put an undetectable extension charm on it."
"Should I even ask how much fire whiskey is in here then?"
"I think were better of not knowing," Naomi laughed as Emily handed her the flask.
"How do you know the castle so well?" Emily asked after a moment looking at the blonde expectantly. Naomi opened her mouth, "and don't you dare lie to me," Emily added giving her a pointed look. Naomi shut her mouth.
The Slytherin let out an exaggerated sigh, resigning. "I may have ventured out on a night stroll, once or twice."
"I knew it!" Emily barked a laugh.
"Is it really that shocking?"
Emily considered her question, "No, I guess not. Just off first thought maybe, but if I really think about it, I guess not."
"And how do you know the castle so well?" Naomi volleyed the question.
Emily had not anticipated that. "I don't, not like you do."
Naomi conceded her head in a nod, "How do you know it as well as you do? Don't pretend you don't. No lying, remember?"
Emily sighed closing her eyes as if weighing something. "I can't tell you—"
"Well that's shite, I just told you."
"But I can show you…"she hesitated.
Naomi raised her eyebrow, interest peaked. "How do you mean?"
"C'mon, I've got to go to my dormitory to get it."
No one noticed as the two girls exited the hall.
"To get what?" Naomi asked confused as Emily started climbing the staircase. "It? What is it?" This is why curiosity killed the cat.
Naomi was buzzed. She could feel the effects of the alcohol in her system as she paused at the bottom of the stairs. Though even sober, she didn't think she could have resisted the overwhelming curiosity she felt to find out what Emily was talking about.
"Stop asking, start walking," Emily instructed turning back to face the stationary blonde.
..
Naomi waited outside the Gryffindor portrait of the fat lady. She'd been there nearly fifteen minutes and was beginning to wonder if Emily had duped her into getting out of answering her own question. The Slytherin kept glancing down the hall on the lookout for any people. The last thing she needed was to have to try explain why she was waiting outside Gryffindor dormitories well late in the night half drunk. She was beginning to feel annoyed that she'd revealed to Emily her night adventures.
The portrait swung open and the petite redhead Naomi had just been silently cursing emerged.
"Emily what are we doing here?" Naomi asked her annoyance bubbling over.
"Follow me."
"I already have," Naomi crossed her arms.
"Oh stop sulking," Emily rolled her eyes. "You're like a child sometimes, I swear."
"I am not," Naomi rebuked, very much like a child.
"Just a bit further, don't need a staff walking by and seeing this," Emily said patting at her robes.
Yes, this is definitely how curiosity killed the cat. Naomi stopped her pouting and continued to follow the girl. Emily suddenly vanished through a wall.
Naomi halted standing directly in front of the patch of wall Emily had just disappeared through. She leaned back a bit sucking in a breath when Emily's head suddenly appeared from it causing their faces to be mere inches apart.
"You coming?" She asked.
Naomi looked at the wall in awe as Emily's head disappeared again. Reaching a hand out first she stepped into—she stepped through—the wall. Emily was sitting cross-legged on the floor of a small room, or large cupboard depending on your standards, with no windows.
"What in Merlin's beard? I didn't know this existed!" Naomi stated causing a grin to erupt across Emily's face. Naomi gazed about the small stone room. "Are there others?" She asked.
"Loads," Emily grinned. "Come here."
Naomi obediently took the few paces between them and sat down in front of the redhead. "Now I've got to know," Naomi said in wonder. "How do you know the castle so well?"
Emily considered Naomi in a glance before reaching into her robes and producing a rather old beat up piece of parchment.
Naomi looked down at it and all its un-extraordinary glory. Her eyes furrowed when she looked between Emily and the parchment. This was it? A bloody old bit of parchment?
"Seriously?" Naomi deadpanned staring at Emily. If this was some sort of joke, Naomi wasn't amused.
"Remember when I said it's like you're mind's like the marauders map?" Emily began.
"Yes…" Naomi answered remembering because she had found the reference odd.
"Well," Emily tapped the parchment with the end of her wand, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Naomi gave Emily a questioning look before her eyes widened in awe as she watched ink come alive and dance across the page into a map.
Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, & Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
-THE MARAUDER'S MAP-
"This," Emily said running her hands lovingly over the parchment, opening it up, "is the marauders map."
"Where did you get that?" Naomi asked in wonder as she watched the castle come alive in front of her. Her eyes greedily tried to soak up the maps contents, every detail of the castle laid out in front of her.
"Nicked it from my Grandda's study," Emily answered sheepishly.
Naomi leaned closer peering at all its details. "What are those dots…are those people?" She said in astonishment.
Emily watched her with a smile. "Yup. Everyone in the castle."
"Everyone?"
"Everyone."
Emily studied Naomi study the map, both like a child on their best Christmas morning.
"This…this in the wrong hands…" Naomi began.
"I know, I know," Emily huffed. "Could be extremely dangerous."
"No, well I mean yes, but I was going to say, in the wrong hands this could be some right trouble," Naomi smirked. "The things I could have gotten away with…I mean imagine someone like Cook with one of these?"
Emily laughed. "I don't think there'd be a castle still standing."
"This is amazing," Naomi gushed. "Why did you show it to me?" she asked, suddenly curious. This was not the sort of thing you brought to show and tell.
"We were telling the truth weren't we?" Emily shrugged.
Naomi looked at the map again, mesmerized.
"You've got to bring this next time we do rounds," Naomi said emphatically.
"I think my ancestors would turn in their graves if I used this map for Prefect duty," Emily laughed.
"I don't mean to bust students, that's not fair," Naomi said, "But just to have, no more unnecessary run-ins with Nodweller, or any other professor for that matter, or peeves…" Naomi continued excitedly. "Think of it? Whole castle at our feet."
Emily beamed at the bright blue eyes full of promise and adventure.
"Alright," she grinned. "I'll bring it."
"Brilliant!"
"But you can't tell anyone I have this," Emily said suddenly stern. "Not even Cook."
"I wouldn't," Naomi promised.
The two smiled at each other.
"So does no one know you have it then? What about Katie?"
Emily snorted. "You think I ever would have gotten this back if I'd shown it to Katie?"
"True," Naomi relented.
"I think my Grandda' knows I took it. Though he'd never say a word bout it," Emily said thoughtfully. "I like to believe he's glad I've got it, glad it's passed hands so to speak. That it's getting the proper use it should," She smiled mischievously.
Yes, Naomi may be the Slytherin, the outspoken, hotheaded, dueling-happy Slytherin but in regards to the two girls sitting at this spot, in regards to each other; it was Emily the petite, brave, Gryffindor, that was dangerous. She was potential, she was intrigue, she was promise, and if Naomi let her, she could be existential. It was that, in Naomi's eyes, which made her the most dangerous person in the world.
"Lets celebrate!" Emily said enthusiastically.
"What?" Naomi said, Emily's words pulling her out of her head.
Emily had her hand reached out. "Your flask," She requested.
Naomi pulled it out of her robes and handed it to her.
"To mischief and adventure!" Emily said jovially holding the flask in the air as if she were toasting. She then took a swig of the burning amber liquid before handing it back to Naomi.
She smiled despite herself watching the excitement dance in Emily's eyes. Ignoring her bothersome mind she held the flask up in the air just as Emily had. Emily's eyes were sparkling. "To mischief and adventure," She took a large gulp, and then another.
"So where should we go first, Ems?" Naomi asked excitedly looking up from the map they were both bent over. The two had been pouring over the map for quite some time passing the flask back and forth and pointing out different things. There faces close.
Emily looked up finding Naomi's questioning blue eyes.
"Anywhere," Emily said her gaze flickering from blue eyes to pink lips and back again.
"You've got your choice," Naomi said, quieter, feeling the shift in the air.
"Just give me a fuckin'…" Emily breathed; she was so close Naomi could feel the warmth of her breathe. "Just give me a…"
Naomi's eyes fell from warm brown to soft pink, the air around them palpable.
Emily leaned forward closing the small gap between them. She kissed her softly.
"Oh," Naomi breathed as their lips parted, looking back into enveloping brown eyes. It was as if she'd pulled apart two wires she had just discovered created a circuit. There was new knowledge and she couldn't unlearn it.
"Its only the fire whiskey right?"
Emily nodded her head emphatically before she leaned forward reconnecting their lips. This time Naomi meeting her halfway.