Chapter 4: Coercion

November, First Year

The Slytherin common room was buzzing. It was our first quidditch match of the year, and while the team was already down by the pitch the rest of the house was gearing up in its own way. I was trying to stay as still as possible while one of the older students painted a snake onto my cheek, and out of the corner of my eye I could see a few of the seventh years passing around a bottle of something that I suspected was not pumpkin juice as it was labelled. Bets and banter about the Hufflepuff quidditch team were being traded, and the enthusiasm was infectious. The boy who was painting my face leaned back looking satisfied, then murmured a few words and tapped my cheek with his wand. He summoned a mirror from across the room and held it up so I could see. A writhing green and silver snake coiled and uncoiled itself and I grinned in delight.

"That's amazing, Jason," I told him, marvelling at how realistic it looked. "Thanks!" I added quickly. Normally I wasn't great at saying my pleases and thank yous, but this was just so great I couldn't let it go by.

"Wow, I got a thanks from Santana Lopez. What an honour," he teased, before turning away to start on someone else's face.

I turned to the common room door and the large silver clock above it to see if it was almost time to go, but jumped back in shock when a loud screech met my ears. Brittany had just entered the room and she was staring at me in horror, frozen in place.

"Brittany? Britt, what's the matter?" I asked worriedly, hurrying over to her. She took a few quick steps back.

"A snake got inside your face," she whispered, pointing with a shaking finger at my painted cheek. I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. A passing Karofsky did laugh though, and I punched him hard on the back as a hasty reminder of the rules. No one made fun of Brittany. The moment I'd started bringing her with me to the Slytherin common room I'd made it very clear that I wasn't going to let anyone say shit about it. The fact that I'd also learnt some interesting hexes since arriving at Hogwarts also helped persuade people not to comment - at least, the other students my age. The older ones didn't seem to really care, which was good. Yeah I can be tough against third years, but some of the seventh year boys were literally double my height and it did make it a bit harder to intimidate them. I bet I could do it though, if I wanted to.

Brittany was still looking terrified, so I stepped forward, tapping a finger to my cheek and holding it out to her to display the still wet paint. Hopefully I hadn't smudged it too bad.

"It's just paint, Britt. Jason Donovan did it for me then did a spell so that it moves. I can get him to do one for you as well if you want."

She shook her head adamantly. For someone who loved animals so much she sure was worried about a painted snake, but at least her fear was visibly fading. I took in her whole appearance for the first time and it was my turn to step back in surprise. She was dressed completely in Slytherin colours. A green dress, grey fluffy boots and even a green and silver scarf she had got from somewhere.

"Britt, you know Slytherin are playing Hufflepuff today, right?" I checked.

She nodded cheerfully, her pigtails bobbing up and down. "I know."

"So… why aren't you dressed in Hufflepuff colours?"

"Cause I want to be on the same team as you," she said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. I guessed that to her, it really was that simple.

"I know you're like an honorary Slytherin, but you're supposed to support your own house for quidditch…"

She pouted, and I immediately felt bad.

"I'm supposed to be in the same house as you, though. Don't you remember saying how we'd cheer for quidditch together before getting on the team at the same time?"

I sighed. I did remember. It had been one of the many daydreams we'd had at home over the summer before reality kicked in and shoved us into different houses.

"We won't be able to play on the same quidditch team, Britt," I told her sadly. Yes, I'd got her into the common room and mostly accepted by the other Slytherins, but I didn't think I could quite manage to persuade Professor Sylvester to let Brittany play on the house quidditch team.

"I know that, which is why I want us to at least cheer on the same side while we can, before we have to play against each other. Because once I'm on the team Slytherin won't stand a chance of beating Hufflepuff, not when you still can't beat me in a broom race."

It was surprising how logical Brittany could be sometimes - even though she was totally not going to beat me at quidditch. It was nice when she was confident enough to tease me like that, but she was wrong. Hufflepuff beat Slytherin?

"I'll get you one day," I grinned back at her, stepping forward to link our little fingers. "Come on, let's go watch Slytherin destroy Hufflepuff while you can still enjoy it," I announced, pulling her out of the common room. She followed eagerly as we made our way out of the castle and towards the quidditch pitch, where I could hear cheering already. It was cold outside, but the moment I shivered Brittany pulled the scarf from around her neck and wrapped it around me too, tying it firmly so we were attached at the neck as well as by our little fingers.

Slytherin scored once again and I leapt from my seat cheering, Brittany right beside me and surrounded by the rest of my house. Our house, on this occasion. Brittany was technically a Hufflepuff, but at this moment, cheering with all of us and covered in green, she was a Slytherin through and through. It was just like it was supposed to be.

"And Marcus Dublin has seen the snitch!" the commentator announced with excitement, her voice echoing around the stadium and releasing a new wave of cheering as the sixth year Slytherin seeker started dive-bombing down, and down, and the Hufflepuff seeker was just behind him but he was too far back and…

"And he has the snitch! Slytherin win, 310-90!"

The atmosphere was intoxicating. My ears felt like they were about to burst from all the screaming and shouting. Brittany wrapped her arms around me and we jumped together, her dancing and me shouting the victory chant that was now surrounding us. This was perfection. Slytherin winning, and getting to celebrate it with Brittany as if nothing had ever gone wrong.

"Party in the common room tonight, third years and up only!" Jesse the prefect shouted from just behind me. I turned to him in indignation and he shrugged with an annoying, teasing grin.

"Sorry Lopez, gotta be responsible and look after you kiddies somehow," he told me, ruffling my hair. I shoved his hand away, scowling.

"This sucks," I complained, as we began to make our way back to the castle once the quidditch players had left the pitch.

"But Santana, when we get to be third years you'll be moaning if there are first years about and you're trying to have fun. You always used to at home when we were in the park and the little kids came over," Brittany pointed out. She was being unusually insightful today. Her arms were still looped around me, although the scarf had slipped off my neck when we were jumping and the end of it was now trailing behind her on the floor. I reached for it, wrapping it around me again and leaning into her.

"You're supposed to be on my side," I complained.

"Oh. Well… maybe we could have our own party."

"Yeah, but where? Berry will go off on a spiel about how she needs her sleep to rest her voice if we try in my dorm, and that Sugar girl you share with gets on my nerves. Who names a kid 'Sugar', anyway?"

We were inside the castle now and the crowds around us had dispersed, leaving us alone. I heard a familiar voice though, and held out a hand to halt Brittany. She looked confused, but stopped as directed. There were whispers, then a muffled giggle, and I took her hand and led her as silently as possible in the direction of the voices. I poked my head round the corner, and had to fight to stop a victorious grin appearing on my face. Then I realised there was no reason to hide that grin so let it come anyway.

"What is it?" Brittany whispered, fidgeting next to me.

I pulled her closer so she could peer round as well and get a good look at Jesse and the Ravenclaw prefect Harmony - who was most definitely not a pureblood - tucked into a corner together and looking very cosy for two people who supposedly hated each other. I released her hand, taking her little finger instead and we stepped around the corner in perfect sync as I cleared my throat. I love how she can just read my mind sometimes and know exactly what to do. Jesse jumped away from Harmony like he'd been burned, head swivelling wildly until he noticed us.

"S-Santana. Why aren't you in the common room?" he demanded. He was trying to sound threatening, but I wasn't buying that, especially after using my first name by accident. Harmony was trying to shrink into the wall behind him as if I hadn't seen her already.

"I could ask you the same question. Why aren't you looking after us kiddies?" I asked, repeating his words from earlier with a smirk. "You know, it's strange. I thought your dad was one of those traditional types who wouldn't dare let his son go anywhere near a halfblood, let alone a mudblood," I mused aloud.

His fists curled up by his sides. "What do you want, Lopez?" he demanded. That was nice. He wasn't trying to fight any more, just give us what we wanted. Brittany leaned closer to whisper in my ear.

"You can make him let us go to the party!"

I shook my head. I had a better idea. "I want the password to this mysterious prefects' bathroom I'm always hearing about," I told him firmly.

"That's for prefects only," he muttered.

"Oh, really? Aren't you meant for purebloods only? At least, that's what your dad said loud and clear at the last Ministry party when he was trying to set you up with the Minister's daughter," I replied loftily, raising an eyebrow at Harmony behind him and enjoying the power I now had over him. It would teach him not to order me about in future.

"It's Hippogriff," he mumbled under his breath, but I caught it anyway.

"Thanks," I smirked at him. "Let me know when it changes!" I called out behind me, giving a little wave to Harmony as we walked away from the scene.

I was still relishing in my victory when we arrived on the fifth floor. I'd heard of this bathroom right when we first started at Hogwarts. All sorts of rumours flew around the castle about what luxuries were inside and I had managed to find out its location a few weeks ago. Unfortunately it refused to let me in without the password. Now though, Britt and I had somewhere to go where we wouldn't be interrupted all the time by Berry or those stupid Hufflepuffs. I found the door easily enough, halfway down the hall.

"Hippogriff," I announced. At first nothing happened, and I thought Jesse had given me the wrong password. That would be irritating. I would have to go back and threaten him some more until he gave in. But then there was a creak, and the door swung open to reveal a large tiled room. Brittany jumped through the doorway before I had a chance to congratulate myself, and then I was being pulled through as well and we both marvelled at the bathroom.

"Wow, Santana… this is way better than a party," Brittany whispered, dropping her side of the scarf to the floor and hurrying over to turn on one of the many taps. She laughed aloud when green, glittery water appeared, and was soon experimenting to see what came out of which one. Not about to let her have all the fun, I hurried over to join in. She was right, this was definitely better than some stupid party run by Jesse.

"Turn that pink one on more!" Britt yelled at me from across the giant tub.

"Turn the stinky purple one off!"I instructed in turn, my nose wrinkling at the too-strong lavender smell floating across to me.

"We need more bubbles!" she shouted gleefully.

Finally the tub was almost full, and despite all the different colours that had gone into it the water still looked crystalline. I turned off the last tap and turned to Brittany, only to take a step back when I saw that she was already half undressed.

"Come on Santana, what are you waiting for?" she asked, tugging off her trousers eagerly and revealing long, pale legs.

It was oddly uncomfortable, and I wasn't sure why. I'd seen Brittany undress plenty of times before Hogwarts, and she had seen me undress. But it still felt weird. I quickly turned away from her when she continued to pull off the last of her clothes without concern, unbuttoning my shirt with my back to her. It was strange. I didn't like feeling so awkward around her - I never had before, so what was different about now? I heard a splash and felt relieved that she'd now be hidden underneath the copious amounts of bubbles, but then I realised that she might be watching me, waiting for me to join her. I swallowed nervously, keeping my back to her until the last possible moment when I had to turn and slide quickly into the bath. I could feel her eyes on me and I ducked my head under the water so she wouldn't notice anything. I didn't want her asking why I was acting strange, especially since I wasn't even sure myself. I let the water surround me for several long seconds before rising, pushing my hair out of my face and making sure not to rise too high so that the bubbles covered everything except my head and shoulders.

She was bobbing up and down in the water a few metres away, smiling happily at me and completely unaware of my discomfort. For that, I was grateful.

"This is brilliant, Santana. We should come here all the time. It's like a swimming pool of bubbles!"

I smiled back, my discomfort fading now I wasn't so exposed. This was Brittany, after all. Talking to her was never difficult.

"Yep, this is our place now Britt. Jesse won't dare do anything against us, he'll be too terrified about getting a howler from his dad."

"You're… you're not going to actually tell his dad, are you?" she asked quietly, staring down at the bubbles as she made patterns with them. "'Cause that wouldn't be very nice, Santana."

"No, course not Britt," I assured her quickly, not liking to see her worried. "If I did that I'd lose all bargaining power and he'd just hate me. It's all about the manipulation, and making people think that they have to do what you say," I explained. My mamá had described this one time when she was talking about her work at the Ministry just after she'd been promoted. She hadn't called it manipulation though, she'd called it politics. It was the same thing though - I knew I was only a kid still, but I knew manipulation. I'd learnt by example from one of the most influential politicians in the Ministry, after all.

Brittany nodded, satisfied with my answer, then a smile grew on her face.

"It's been three months. I bet I can beat you at a swimming race now," she challenged.

I swear that girl is obsessed with beating me in a swimming race, although I suppose I'm kind of the same now about challenging her to a broom race whenever we have the chance. One time, just one time I want to beat her.

"End of the pool and back again?"

"Go!" she shouted as confirmation and set off.

I didn't know how long we spent in that bathroom, swimming and having water fights and just relaxing. It was the first time we'd had just to ourselves without anyone else around since the beginning of the school year, and it had been way too long. I was grateful that the towels waiting for us at the side of the tub were large enough to easily swamp us, and I got dressed hidden beneath mine feeling only the barest minimum of the awkwardness from earlier.

We finally left with our arms linked and giggling at nothing in particular - I would say something not remotely funny, then Brittany would find something funny about it and start laughing, and that just set me off. We were just coming down a flight of stairs with Brittany sliding down the banister and me half-whispering, half-shrieking that she was going to fall and break her neck, when we ran into the one person I least wanted to see at that moment. Well, I wasn't the one to run into her. I stopped and stared as Brittany fell off the end of the banister and straight into one Professor Sylvester, who looked extremely unimpressed to find two first years out this late.

"Would you two care to explain why you are bouncing around like a couple of drunken house elves hours after curfew?" she asked, her arms folded as she stared menacingly at Brittany, who was lying by her feet. I hurried down the last few steps and grabbed Britt's arm, helping her up off the floor.

"We… we were passing on a message from Professor Schuester," I told her. It was the best excuse I could come up with on the spot, and I knew my head of house hated Professor Schue.

"Well as much as I wouldn't put it past Gelhead to do such a thing in a devious attempt to get an early head start on Slytherin in the house cup, I happen to have just come from a meeting with the headmaster and our illustrious head of Hufflepuff, who was attempting to place a complaint about the amount of time the Slytherin quidditch team has booked the pitch. Which draws me to the unfortunate conclusion that you are lying to me." My heart sank at the news, but she wasn't done yet. "I don't like liars, Miniature Satan. I may have forgiven you for attempting to abandon me for Hufflepuff at the start of the year after you demonstrated an aptitude for cutting remarks, but I will not have you risking house points so you can go gallivanting around with Fake Slytherin," she told me, gesturing at Brittany who had shrunk behind me as the rant went on. "Detention, both of you, tomorrow night at seven in my office. Now get back to your common rooms before I decide you need some time apart!"

I found Brittany's hand and yanked on it, pulling her away from Professor Sylvester and down the next flight of stairs. As soon as she was out of sight I set off into a run, straight past the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room and into the dungeons.

"I-I think she meant us to go to our own dorms," Brittany panted behind me as I skidded to a halt in front of Slytherin.

"Salem," I barked at the wall. It opened immediately and I pulled Brittany inside and straight onto one of the green leather sofas, my arms wrapping around her. I was glad there was no one else about - it was later than I thought it had been. "There is no way that Professor Sylvester is going to split us up, Britt. No fucking way," I exclaimed loudly, using the worst word I knew. I hadn't realised how much the suggestion had upset me until that moment. Brittany's eyes bugged out and she slapped her hand over my mouth.

"You can't say that, Santana!" she hissed. "Your tongue'll turn to soap and I won't be able to speak to you!"

Well, that explained why she always hated me swearing.

"M… ng…" I glared at her until she lifted her hand from my mouth, but kept it hovering nearby just in case. "My tongue is not going to turn to soap, Britt. Mamá and Abuela just say they'll wash my mouth with soap if I swear. And it was justified swearing this time," I told her firmly. "They've tried hard enough to split us up already, and I'm not going to let us be apart any more than we already are, okay?"

She nodded, serious now instead of panicked. "Okay. I know you'll make sure it's okay," she replied with a confident smile, sliding across the sofa so that her head was in my lap, one arm looped loosely around one of my legs. For a moment I felt that awkwardness again, but I chased it away fiercely. No. I was not going to allow myself to feel awkward around Brittany, any more than I was going to let us get separated.

We arrived five minutes early to detention without even discussing it. Neither of us wanted to be on the receiving end of Professor Sylvester's insults. To my surprise, Puck was also waiting at the door, lounging against the wall with a scowl.

"Setting loose bludgers again, Puck?" I called as we approached. He looked up and brightened considerably upon seeing us. Of all first years in Slytherin he was the only one I actually liked. He was funny.

"Not this time. I set Professor Tanaka's robes on fire for a dare," he explained. I grinned appreciatively. That was one thing I loved about Puck - he would never back down from a dare. I had got him to do some pretty stupid things since I'd met him at one of the Ministry functions a couple of years ago. It was never boring when he was about. I began to contemplate if I could get him to do anything during this detention when Professor Sylvester appeared at her office door.

"Well what are you all waiting for? You think that just because you loiter about long enough to turn to ghosts I'll let you off detention? Get in here!"

We shuffled in quickly, and I had to suppress my gagging reflex at the smell that met us. It was like gone-off milk, rotten meat and the Pierces' compost heap all in one. Puck scrunched up his nose and Brittany threw a hand over her mouth, but Professor Sylvester seemed completely unaffected. Three barrels awaited us at the other end of the office, with another empty barrel in between them.

"The potions lab is running low on its stocks of snapping tulip guts, and you three have the great honour of going through barrels of mostly-dead snapping tulips to get more for Professor Terry. A few of them might still be biting," Professor Sylvester added as she sat back down at her desk and began flipping through the latest issue of Hogweekly, the school's newspaper.

I glanced at Brittany and Puck in turn. Both looked apprehensive, but Puck stepped forward first. I followed him, peering into one of the barrels to find it piled high with slimy yellow plants, some of which were still moving feebly. I felt a sudden pressure on my hand and turned to find Brittany looking very worried, her hand tightening around mine. I glanced at Puck. He hadn't noticed yet, and gently I pulled my hand away. Yes, it was Puck and he was my friend. But that didn't mean he would be merciful if he caught me and Brittany holding hands like we were little kids. He'd tell everyone the moment we left detention.

"Come on, the faster we do it the sooner we can get out of here," I murmured to her with a reassuring smile, reaching into the barrel for one of the motionless plants. It was disgusting. Absolutely, horribly, like-you're-picking-apart-slugs disgusting. Reaching inside of it for the plant guts wasn't any better - what kind of plants have guts anyway? Professor Sylvester didn't even teach potions - she must have just looked for the most horrible thing to make us do so we wouldn't risk any more of her precious house points. I was beginning to understand how Slytherin had won the house cup for the past six years.

"I like my mum's tulips better," Brittany whispered, looking completely miserable as she dropped the first lot of bright red plant guts into the empty barrel. It made a nasty splat noise as it landed.

"Me too," I agreed.

"Me three, and I've never even seen your mum's tulips," said Puck from my other side. I had almost forgotten he was there - it was so easy to lose focus of my surroundings when I was with Britt.

"Oh they're nice! She has red and yellow ones, and I get to pick them in spring and put them all over my room, and Santana's room too."

Fortunately the detention passed… well, not fast, but as quickly as I could hope it to considering the circumstances. Between Brittany and Puck and yesterday's quidditch match we had plenty to discuss, even if we did have to keep it quiet and ignore Professor Sylvester's occasional comments about how she could gut plants faster than the three of us with both hands tied behind her back. I decided it was better for me not to dare Puck into anything - doubtless she would work out I had dared him and I would get punished too. Plus she might punish Brittany too just for the hell of it, and that just wouldn't be fair.

Professor Sylvester inspected our work and I inspected Brittany's hands, checking for any bite marks. I had quite a few on my hands, but she had somehow avoided all of the plants' many teeth.

"Well, it's not Merlin's work, but it's satisfactory," Professor Sylvester finally concluded after about five minutes of close examination. "Now I don't want to see either of you two risk Slytherin house points again - and Blondie, I'll come after you too if you get Lopez here into point-losing situations. Understood?" We nodded. "Then what are you still doing in my office? Scat!"

"It bit my nose!" Puck moaned the moment we were out of earshot, lowering his hand from his face to reveal a red mark on the tip of his nose. "You gonna fix it with those healing spells of yours, Santana?" he asked with a wide smile, obviously trying to convince me. My father had made sure to teach me several healing spells before leaving just so I could patch myself up without dealing with the school nurse. He was very critical of Madam Pillsbury.

"But Santana, I thought you were going to stay with me tonight in Hufflepuff?" Brittany interrupted, tugging on my arm. "Becky got some new Honeydukes sweets from her uncle, remember?"

"I'll make it worth your while, Lopez. More than any sweets are worth," he added derisively.

I eyed him, curious despite myself. "How so?"

"Reckon I know a few secret passages you haven't found yet. One to the Shrieking Shack, for instance."

I hadn't found that one yet. I'd heard of it, and knew it was out in the grounds somewhere, but that was all. I had to know. The more passages I knew, the easier Britt and I could get around. I turned to her.

"Britt, you go back and see Becky and have some of those sweets, I'll come along later."

Her face fell. "But we were going to try them together and then read each other stories and put ribbons in Charity's fur and we won't have time-"

"Brittany!" I interrupted, my face heating up. I was so aware that Puck was standing right next to me trying to hold in laughter. Sometimes I wished Brittany would just learn when to keep her mouth shut. If we wanted to be respected at Hogwarts she couldn't say stuff like that! I'd told her a million times. Her expression became closed for a moment. That was strange. Brittany never closed herself off - I would have bet in a heartbeat that she didn't know how to hide her emotions, but I had just been proved wrong. She turned without another word and walked off towards the Hufflepuff common room, her footsteps hurried.

"What is with her?" Puck asked incredulously. "Does she know she's twelve not six?"

"Shut it," I barked testily. "Do you want your nose fixed or not?"

I fixed Puck's nose easily enough, but even after he'd gone I couldn't get his words out of my head - especially after he'd related what Brittany had said to Azimio and Karofsky and they had burst into laughter. I sat in the common room alone long after everyone had gone to bed. I sat until I was convinced that Brittany would have fallen asleep and not be waiting up for me. Finally, when the clock struck 2am, I climbed the stairs to my dorm and crawled into bed, trying to forget my promise that I would join her as the boys' laughter echoed in my ears.