November 1942
In the days that followed Halloween, the Gryffindors were on red alert for a 'Slytherin retaliation', as Ro liked to call it. Thankfully they only had two lessons with the Slytherins each week; Potions and History of Magic. Professor Slughorn's watchful eye prevented any incidents in Potions, but Professor Binns' complete ignorance of anything going on during History of Magic meant the Gryffindors were subjected to paper balls being thrown in their directions from the moment they sat down to the moment they were dismissed. Ro was glad when the Flying Lessons were finally reinstated, and even more so when the Gryffindors now shared the lessons with the Ravenclaws instead of the Slytherins after a few more tense lessons. Now, instead of Abraxas's constant disdainful remarks about her Silver Arrow whenever she took to the skies, she had Millicent and Septima shouting enthusiastic encouragement just as loudly as Poppy and Minerva always did.
However it was in the corridors between lessons that they had to be at their most vigilant. Rather than walking side by side as they used to do, Ro, Poppy and Minerva would often go in a distinct defensive formation with Minerva and Poppy leading the way and Ro walking at the rear, keeping her sharp eyes out for green uniforms sneaking up behind them. There were several times when Ro whipped around to see Abraxas or Druella, who Ro had decided were the ringleaders of their gang, walking a little to intently behind them with Owle and Apollyon usually in tow. Since the Halloween incident, which had landed the Slytherins in a weeks worth of detentions, a challenging glare from yellow eyes was usually enough to send them on their way.
Despite their careful measures, the feeling of uneasiness was still easily detectable whenever the Gryffindors and Slytherins were in the same classroom or corridor. Ro had guessed that there would be another conflict before long, but when things did get physical between the two Houses again the outcome was not one she'd ever have guessed.
A rush of footsteps was heard behind her as the Gryffindors walked towards the door that led to the Greenhouses, and Ro whipped around to see a dark-haired Slytherin girl hurrying up behind them while muttering under her breath. She guessed immediately that it was Druella about to perform some kind of hex on them while their backs were turned, so without a second thought Ro jumped forward and pushed her to the ground.
"What in Merlin's name are you doing!" Druella shouted as she was thrown backwards, the books she'd been carrying landing on the floor all around them. Or at least Ro thought it was Druella, until she heard the different voice and saw brown eyes looking up at her as opposed to Druella's icy blue.
"Septima?" Ro heard Poppy ask, and upon looking more closely at the Slytherin on the floor Ro realised that she looked almost exactly like Septima. "Why are you wearing Slytherin robes?"
"Possibly because firstly I'm not Septima, and secondly I'm in Slytherin House." The girl said coldly, pushing Ro away and getting to her feet. "I believe you've mistaken me for my sister."
Ro gave her a confused look as she stood as well, and she could see Poppy and Minerva giving each other equally unsure glances. "Septima has a-"
"Twin sister, yes I do." A voice sounded behind her and Ro turned to see the real Septima stood with Millicent a few meters behind them. "Ro, Poppy, Minerva, I don't think I've had the pleasure of introducing you to Irma yet."
"Blimey, I'm really sorry," Ro apologised hastily to Irma, bending down to pick up the books that she'd knocked flying during her tackle. "You kept that one quiet Septima!"
"Well I don't think you could say we're extremely close." Irma said, glancing at Septima. Now that they stood side by side, Ro was able to see the subtle differences between them; although they both had the same dark brown eyes, Septima was a few inches taller than Irma and had dark brown hair as opposed to Irma's black hair. "Especially now we're in different Houses."
"What do you think of your Housemates?" Ro stood to see Minerva ask Irma the question that she'd been thinking of with a very cautious tone to her voice. Ro's heart was in her throat for a moment as she prepared herself for Irma to start singing the praises of the other Slytherin first-years, but to her relief Irma just rolled her eyes.
"Irritating at least," Irma said, a little shortly, "if I had a knut for every time Druella Rosier complained about you three," she glanced from Minerva to Poppy and then Ro, "I think I could buy the whole of the Leaky Cauldron. Eileen Prince is easier to cope with, but she rarely says a thing in anyone's defence so I'm left to put up with Druella alone." She sighed angrily at that, before looking up at Septima. "I suppose your roommates are so much better?"
Septima shrugged, but it was Millicent who answered. "The first-years are ok, but the third years are always complaining about each other. There's always one in particular, I think her name is Myrtle Warren, and she's always in the toilets crying. It drives Professor Merrythought up the wall, not to mention our prefects who always have to go and get her. Fillius in fifth-year said once he was going to charm the door to not let her in if she kept doing it."
Poppy made a huffing sound. "Well that's not going to help anyone!"
"So," The tone of Minerva's voice caught Ro's attention, and she turned around to see a thoughtful light in Minerva's green eyes. "You don't agree with what the other Slytherins are doing?"
Irma snorted with what Ro thought was amusement. "Of course not, otherwise I'd have hexed you all a thousand times by now. Not all Slytherins are evil, contrary to popular belief. Even Alphard Black's alright considering who his sister is." Frustrated sighs were heard from everyone at the thought of the fifth-year Slytherin prefect Walburga Black.
Ro looked at Minerva again; there was something about the intense look of concentration she was wearing that made Ro a little nervous. "You've got something on your mind, spill the beans."
Minerva looked at her abruptly, as if she'd forgotten Ro was there. She turned her gaze to Irma before finally saying "Would you consider-"
"Spying?" Irma interrupted, an eyebrow raised. "What a suggestion, worthy of the Slytherins themselves."
Ro bristled at that, taking a step forward out of pure instinct to put an arm in between Minerva and Irma. "Min's a Gryffindor through and through!" She growled, though relaxed a little when Minerva put a hand on her shoulder in silent signal.
"I don't doubt it." Irma conceded, resuming a neutral and almost emotionless expression. "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you by saying that I do hold enough loyalty to my House to not agree to that. However, as friends of my sister, I would consider informing you if anyone was planning to send you packing to the Hospital Wing for the foreseeable future. What will I be getting out of this?"
Ro's heart sank; what benefits could they offer in return? "I'll stop tackling you in the corridor?" she said as a joke with a wicked grin written across her face.
Irma looked Ro in the eye for a few moments in silence; now that she'd had time to get a first impression of Irma, Ro couldn't imagine ever getting her and Septima mixed up again. Although they had the same chocolate-brown gaze, Irma's eyes held none of the rich warmth that Septima had and instead held a cold sort of depth. "We shall see." She said, before taking her books from Ro's hands and walking past them and down the corridor. She looked back towards Septima for moment with what Ro thought might have been the beginning of a smile, but was gone around the corner before she could decide for definite.
There was a pause for a moment before Septima muttered "Charming, isn't she?"
Millicent nodded before glancing down at the Muggle watch she always wore around her left wrist. "We're going to be late for Herbology!" she gasped, and as the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws had this lesson together they all broke into a run towards Greenhouse One.
Professor Beery had already started the lesson by the time they'd arrived and changed their usual black and house-coloured robes for the beige protective coats always worn in Herbology; he gave them a stern look before making a hurried gesture towards their empty seats. Once they had all sat down, he cleared his throat and continued with his lecture.
"As I was about to say before Miss Hooch and her friends interrupted us,"
Ro groaned inwardly when Professor Beery looked pointedly in her direction; he clearly hadn't forgotten when she'd fallen asleep in the first Herbology lesson of the term.
"I have some exciting news to deliver to you all. The Slytherins and Hufflepuffs in your year are yet to be informed, so I would appreciate you keeping this quiet until their next lesson this afternoon." Professor Beery's face broke into an almost childish smile as he said "I am delighted to announce that Professor Dipper has finally allowed me to stage a Christmas Pantomime at Hogwarts!"
The quiet in the greenhouse instantly broke into hushed whispers. Ro was relieved to hear that she wasn't the only one in the class who was utterly confused, it seemed like several people had no idea what Professor Beery was talking about. It was clear to see that Poppy wasn't one of those people, she was looking at Professor Beery with a look of excitement in her eyes.
"Er, Professor Beery?" A hand shot up in the air, attracting the attention of the rest of the class. "What's a pantomime?"
Professor Beery stayed quiet for a moment, causing the owner of the hand to slowly lower it down to the table. "Mr Inglebee, am I right in assuming you are a pure-blood wizard?"
"That's right Professor, not one Muggleborn in our family for as long as anyone remembers."
"That's not something to be proud of, Inglebee!" Professor Beery said a little snappishly. "Now, a pantomime is a show put on around Christmastime, it is a fantastic way for people to demonstrate their performing abilities. My Muggle brother informed me that pantomimes have become very popular with children of your ages recently, and I thought that it would be a pleasant reminder of home for the first-year students if we were to stage one here at Hogwarts. The pantomime we will be staging is a story I'm sure you will all know well unless you come from a Muggle family; The Fountain of Fair Fortune."
"Isn't that one of Beedle the Bard's stories, Professor?"
"Correct Miss Stretton! There are four main parts to this play, and one of these will be given to a first year student from each of the four houses to represent unity by means of the performing arts. You will all find audition details on your House notice boards by tomorrow morning, but for the time being we must turn our attention back to the Puffapods!"
Talk of the pantomime continued even while the first-years pruned their Puffapods, but stopped abruptly as per Professor Beery's orders when the Herbology lesson ended. Audition sheets appeared on the Gryffindor notice board with dates and times to meet in the Great Hall, but as Ro had never enjoyed speaking publicly she didn't pay the pantomime much attention.
It wasn't until a Saturday morning near the end of November that Ro heard in great detail about the pantomime again. Ro had been lying on her front on her bed working on the Charms essay they had been set the previous day when Poppy rushed into the dormitory, clutching a sheet of parchment and grinning wildly.
"Anyone would guess Christmas has come early looking at you," Minerva observed from where she sat on her bed, propped up against her pillow as her quill worked furiously on her own essay.
"Yeah, what's got you so happy?" Ro asked, abandoning her work as she propped herself up on her elbows to see Poppy more clearly.
Poppy's grin widened before she said "I never told you that I auditioned for the pantomime, but I did and I've been given a part!"
Ro knew her smile must have matched Poppy's as she rolled off the bed and gave Poppy a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you!" she said excitedly as she released her, "that's amazing!"
"I never knew you liked performing," Minerva put her book and quill down, standing up beside Poppy and Ro with a happy look on her face.
Poppy laughed slightly sheepishly. "I didn't want everyone to know. I always liked it when I was an evacuee, but I don't think many other people liked me liking it. I love singing best of all, but apparently I can't sing for toffee."
"Is there any singing in the part you've got in the pantomime?" Ro heard Minerva ask- she was laughing too hard to make herself understandable.
"Thankfully not," Poppy giggled, "I'm playing Amata, the witch who was deserted by her lover and ends up marrying the hopeless Sir Luckless. He's being played by William Tonks from Hufflepuff."
"Who else has got parts?" Ro regained enough composure to ask, taking the sheet of parchment from Poppy's hands. "Millicent's playing Altheda, and Asha's being played by..." Her face fell as she read the name, her excitement vanishing instantly to be replaced by a strong feeling of concern. "Pops, have you read this sheet yet?"
"Not other than my name, why, who's playing... oh." Poppy broke off quietly as she leaned forward to read the rest of the cast list.
There was silence in the dormitory for a moment as Minerva looked too. "Druella Rosier." Minerva eventually said in a troubled voice. "Without wanting to worry you, I would go in there expecting the worst to happen."
"Hang on just a minute," Ro pushed the parchment back into Poppy's hands before skirting around her bed and sitting down on the floor. She opened the cabinet door of her bedside table and pulled out all her textbooks, her hand finally resting on the book right at the back. Pulling it out and brushing the layer of dust from the cover, she held it up to Poppy and Minerva as she stood up.
"Tavin, one of my brothers, gave this to me. It's an O.W.L level D.A.D.A textbook that he was given in fifth year, so some of the stuff will probably be a bit advanced for us." She explained as Minerva and Poppy opened it up and looked through the first few pages.
"You're not wrong, this has even got the patronus charm in it!" Minerva's eyes were wide as she leafed through the pages.
"My point is, remembering what happened on Halloween, Druella's bound to try and pull some kind of trick during that Pantomime. We can't stop that, but with luck we'll have Irma keeping us informed."
As she spoke, Poppy and Minerva both looked up at her with identical smiles that told her they had a good idea of what she was planning.
"When Druella strikes," Ro brought the edge of one hand down to meet the palm of the other in a sharp movement, "Poppy'll be able to give her a real run for her money."
Author's Note:
And the last character main character is introduced! For anyone who hasn't worked it out, Irma Vector will marry later in life and become Madam Irma Pince, the feared librarian of Hogwarts. I thought having her as Septima's twin would be fun and a little different, as the other sets of twins seen in HP have all been pretty close (the Weasleys and Patils).
The pantomime is canon, I came across it on the HP wiki and thought it too good not to include xD If you don't want it the next chapter to be spoiled for you then I'd avoid the wiki until it's posted, as I'm following the canonical events pretty closely.