A/N Presque tous les personnages qui paraissent dans cette histoire sont les créations de JK Rowling et je ne suis pas elle. Si j'étais elle, je serais riche avec les cheveux blonds, pas une étudiante pauvre avec les cheveux marrons...
Unbetaed – Parce que Le Prof était en Suisse cette semaine, mangeant le Milka et fondue...
The rest of September passed in a happy blur, especially after Albus and Scorpius's 'detention' ended up with them as unofficial reserves for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, as Seeker and Chaser respectively. James grumbled for a week at the injustice of 'cocky first years getting punished for showing off' until Isaac Jordan, the team captain pointed out his hypocrisy, and threatened to field Scorpius in the match against Hufflepuff instead of James. James's lack of acceptance?dignity? Of his brother and his brother's best friend onto the team made Victoire's revenge on her cousin all the sweeter.
Scorpius and his friends came back from their lunch to find the entirety of the Gryffindor common packed in a circle around Albus's brother, with Victoire watching him from a chair by the fire, looking smug. The reason was soon evident – Every time James's tried to speak, it came out as song. That in itself wasn't what had the fact that had every Gryffindor in the room in stitches. Every thing that James did was turned into a song and dance routine. As they pushed through the crowd, Becky and Rose realised what was happening. It took a little for Albus and Scorpius to understand, but when they did, they too had to use all their control not to collapse in a heap of hilarity.
"Come on Victoire, please cousin stop this song, you know as well as me the joke's gone on too long!" James sang, his face crimson from a mixture of embarrassment and exhaustion from keeping up his song and dance routine. Victoire smiled wolfishly.
"I'll stop the spell when you apologise, little cuz." she smirked.
"What more do you want from want me? How much longer can I say that I'm sorry? Please stop I demand! I can't take any more jazz hands!" James gave his cousin and anyone else who was laughing a death glare. Rose was the only who wasn't laughing, although amusement did war with the frown she was attempting to keep up. (And after all, as Albus pointed out to her later, even if she had gone and got the head of house, Professor Longbottom was likely to say James deserved it).
Victoire suddenly glanced at her cousins and Scorpius, and grinned again, beckoning to the front of the crowd.
"I want you to apologise to Albus for turning his hair blue. And to Scorpius for calling him a pureblood."
James sighed and looked mutinous. "Vic, tell me? Do I have to sing my apology?"
"Yes."
James glowered at his cousin, then turned to face his brother and his friends.
"Fine. I'm truly sorry Albus, for turning your hair blue, and also sorry Mouse for saying mean stuff 'bout you." A look of horror broke out over James' face as he then broke out into a tap-dance solo, which Victoire finally stopped at it's height. Literally. James fell to the floor in a crumpled heap, then stood up, and took a bow, to the hearty applause of his his housemates, then stalked over to the corner where his friends were, shooting dark looks at Victoire, and anyone who asked him to give a reprise of his earlier performance.
Victoire's Revenge on James meant that the Gryffindors didn't get to bed until well after lights out that night. Scorpius himself didn't fall asleep 'til much later – the home sickness that had until then stayed at arm's reach suddenly hit him, and so he lay awake miserably for some time, wanting to cry, but too afraid that one of his roommates might wake up and hear him. And so it wasn't until the sky outside reached the pearly grey of pre-dawn that the blond Gryffindor first year rose from his bed, a man, or boy possessed.
She was calling him. That was all that mattered. The music, her song, was calling to him and he had to answer. The startled cry of some other boy didn't matter, nor did his muffled curses, or the disapproving noise of the guardian at the gate. She was calling to him. A beatific smile spread over his face.
My lady is calling me and that is how it should be. Everything will right.
Elsewhere in the castle, Professor Nathaniel 'Nat' Carter woke abruptly as his bedmate disappeared, yanking his covers with her.
"Min?!" He hissed into the darkness, trying to feel her in the room. Her hurried kiss broke his concentration, although she broke away before he was satisfied.
"I have to go. Mouse is somewhere dark right now. He's not safe." Minna said and Nat shuddered. The tone of voice was one one she used when she got her feelings, the one where he wasn't entirely sure it was just Min in his fiancée's head.
"Should I-?" he asked, but Min interrupted him.
"No time." She said brusquely, but softening her tone with another hasty kiss.
Then the door shut and he was left alone in his darkness.
What the bloody hell has Mouse got himself into?
The call was stronger here, three sweet notes, high, low, higher, repeated over and over. The smile on his face grew wider. But then it dropped, as his lady's enemy was in the way and he felt anger and hatred rising inside him. He must get to his lady. Now. He drew his wand to blast the enemy to bits, but the enemy was quicker, and with a flash of light his world grew dark.
Mouse Malfoy woke up, cold and shivering in his pyjamas on a 3rd floor corridor of Hogwarts, with no idea of how he got there and his cousin's fiancée warily aiming her wand at him.
What in the name of Merlin's saggy left buttock?
"Mouse?" Min asked, her face alight with concern, although she still held her wand at him.
"Minna?" Mouse asked dumbly as a rush of dizziness hit him, and he fell forward. Minna, seeing this, darted forward to catch him, enveloping him in a hug that brought him back to the time when he was six and in tears because someone was horrible to him in Diagon Alley.
Everything is going to be all right he thought muzzily.
"Minna?" he asked again. "What happened?"
"Not entirely sure Mouse. God, are you OK?" She said, taking in his face, which had gone past his usual pale and in the realms of bleached parchment.
"I think so..."
"Well, whatever," she said, obviously sceptical. "We need to get you back to bed." Min said, then paused, as she, or rather sensed movement out of the corner of her eye. "And that goes for you too. Yes, you under the cloak. Come out where I can see you." she finished in her 'teacher' voice.
As Min still had her arm wrapped protectively around his shoulders, Mouse had to twist up to see that her eyes were disconcertingly unfocused.
The way they are when she trying to see stuff that's invisible...but why?
Mouse thought his jaw might have hit the floor when his friend's face appeared from thin air.
"Albus?"
"Hi Mouse." Albus said sheepishly.
Mouse really didn't know what to think. How come Albus had never told him he had an invisibility cloak? Still, that wasn't important just then.
"I'm not even going to ask how you got hold of an invisibility cloak, Albus..." said Minna, smiling wryly. "Even so, I figure you won't abuse it so you're all right...now if it was James on the other hand..."
"Min? Um, Professor Grey?" Mouse asked, seeing Minna go off on a tangent. She shook her head, and looked at Mouse. "Yes. Rambling again. Anyway, off to bed you two, before I change my mind and dock you points for being out of bed. Oh and come and see me both of you tomorrow, to sort this out..." Minna paused as they heard footsteps approaching at a worryingly rapid pace. "Under the cloak, quickly!"
Mouse and Al did as she asked, then darted behind a statue of an ugly old humpbacked witch. As the footsteps rounded the corner, the boys groaned, and Minna swore under her breath.
"Professor Hendricks," Min said, and Mouse had to clamp his hand over his mouth to stop him from laughing at the grimace Minna was trying to disguise as a smile.
"Professor Grey" Hendricks inclined her head. "I heard voices. Were you alone?"
"Yes I was," Minna smiled then continued under her breath "not that it's any of your business you bat."
Hendricks raised her eyebrows. "So you were...talking to yourself? Are the rumours about you in fact true, my dear" The last two words were delivered in an acidicly sweet voice.
"I don't know to what you're referring, Professor, but I assure you I am not mad. And in answer to your unspoken question, I thought I heard...singing." Minna finished reluctantly.
Hendricks raised her eyebrows. "Indeed. If that is all, I bid you goodnight. Let us not make a habit of this..."
"Lets not." Minna said, watching her go. When Hendricks had gone round the corner, Minna span on her heel, to where stifled laughter was coming from behind the humpbacked witch. "You two – bed – before I change my mind!"
Scorpius and Albus sprinted up the corridor, seemingly disembodied legs echoing in the empty corridors. As they got to the portrait hole though, Albus stopped abruptly, and Scorpius was suddenly left very visible.
"But Mouse, what was that?" Albus asked, waiting for his friend to slip back under the cloak.
"I really don't know." Scorpius said, frowning, his face still pale. "I think we should talk to the girls at least."
"Where did you two come from?" A slightly disgruntled Fat Lady broke through their conversation. "hurry up, I haven't got all night."
"Yes you have, you're a painting..." Scorpius muttered as Albus gave the password, chuckling at Scorpius's aside.
Still, Scorpius was badly shaken, though he tried not to let it show. As he bid Albus good night for the second time, there were two thoughts running through his head.
Just what the bloody hell was that? What just happened to me?
A/N So...long time no post. Sorry. Would you accept moving back home for the summer and getting a job? On the plus side, I have sort of been doing research. (Well, being paid to invigilate exams. It counts) AND the next chapter should be up soonish, as I have a LOT of ideas. What did you think of my attempt at suspense?
Please don't forget to review – praise is nice, constructive criticism is even better :D
flames... well, they're not so nice.
Oh and next chapter...some Harry POV :D