Disclaimer: Anything that rings a bell is JK Rowling's

Chapter 25: Reborn from the ashes of lies.

Ky's POV

Clarity struck me once I awoke.

Those Calming Draughts and the deep conversation had really done a number on my sleep centre. I had slept through most of the day, waking at around four. I had missed potions, but I guessed Sev would understand. I left through the door on the left of my room, stopping to capture the beauty of my quarters as what I hoped would be the last time I see it in a while. Not that I didn't love my nest…it's just that I had the penchant to end up here broken and bruised more often than not.

Vulnerability had me sneaking in here last night, after Alison Fleeceheart's interview. I never knew that she and Cedric were childhood friends, and for a moment I wanted to give his shirt to her…I held back though, not ready to let another soul, especially a stranger, in on the secret. I only recognised my second thoughts, and hastily closed the box and pushed it under my bed. Sev must have seen me leave my room. I must not have pushed it underneath the bed properly. He probably didn't even see the name, just the large number seven which now belonged to Corner as he was the new Puff seeker.

I bumped into a hard body, something I made a mental note that I should definitely stop doing. I need to stop getting lost in my thoughts or one day I'm going to do myself a bad injury.

I sighed, meeting the mercurial eyes of Theodore Nott.

He returned it not with his usual smirk, but…a smile. A proper one.

"You're back, Kitten."

I walked past Teddy and entered my lab, leaving the door open for him to follow me in.

He walked in, looking at the open door with a raised eyebrow and closed it slowly, "I see we're in a good mood?"

"Problem?"

"None at all actually." He smiled sincerely, "I'm actually happy you've gotten your shit together. You were becoming quite boring with your vacant smiles and happy disposition. I was afraid I would have to look for another source of amusement."

I growled, damn calming draught, heaven knows who else I was too nice to. I was taking so much of it I can barely remember a thing. I grabbed the ingredients and started throwing them in the cauldron; I didn't have a lot of time. Harry's detention usually finished at six thirty and then I was up to bat.

"Detox Potion…?"He knotted his dark brows together at the ingredients I was collecting and then realisation hit him. He stared at me for a second and then started laughing,

"What?"

"Well…. I never thought you were one of those girls, now did I. I mean…you aren't as skinny as you were last year but that isn't a bad thing. Personally, I prefer a woman with curves. And you have the best bum in the school."

He said the last part as if it were not negotiable and I laughed at him, "Been discussing my derrière, have you?"

"As a matter of fact, I have. It was the first Wednesday of term yesterday after all."

"Am I supposed to know what that means?" I said as I added the cabbage extract with a wrinkled nose.

Teddy started chopping the dried peaches into cubes, "Well that's the day we make the Chart. It's actually one of the most heated debates in the Slytherin common room. Well, there's no hair pulling and such, strictly men only, the girls have to retire to bed early. And then the battle begins."

"Battle?" I measured out the salt and vinegar.

"Well, it's actually quite funny. I don't usually involve myself in such things, but then my favourite topic was making headlines now wasn't she."

I shook my head at the nonsense but let him continue, "Every year, the men-"

"Boys."

"Men." He stressed out, "Of Slytherin house get together on the first Wednesday of term to mark the tallies. Only fourth years and up are invited and only fifth years and up are allowed to make any nominations. Nominations can only pass once there's been a minimum of 5 men that second it."

"It sounds as if you're talking about racehorses."

He laughed, "I know, the whole thing is quite misogynistic, but the guys take it very seriously. Pucey and Flint drew wands over Daphne's hair just the other year."

I laughed at their ridiculousness and swirled the potion. "So what? They rate the Slytherin girls."

"Didn't you hear me? You were in the running, can't only have our Snakes in the competition, which consists of all the female students from fourth year and up…well excluding a few members."

He added the last part in under his breath and my nostrils flared hazarding a guess at who may be excluded…he continued quickly before I commented.

"Everybody votes for their favourite nominee and that girl gets the award."

"Well, who did this lose out to?" I said jokingly, letting the potion come to the boil and gesturing at my butt.

He laughed, whatever action I was doing clearly more on the comical rather than sultry side, "You didn't! You won best ass."

"Then where's my award?" I glared at him.

He laughed, "Well it's hanging on the back of the notice board now, isn't it?"

I looked at him confused and then my eyes popped open, "There is a picture of my ass hanging on the Snake's notice board!"

"The back of the notice board, we couldn't very well leave it on the front." He laughed at the look on my face, "There's also a picture of your lips and your breasts. Relax it's all clothed. The fourth years are pathetic, didn't get a single decent shot, not even a bra short!"

"You guys make the fourth years take photos of the girls who win?"

"Well yeah…we had to do it last year. It's a rite of passage. Draco got a picture of Andrea McDonald; you know the seventh year Puff with the huge bazonka's in a bikini. Don't ask how. Speaking of Draco, I thought he and Blaise were going to resort to violence yesterday."

"Parkinson versus Greengrass?"

"What? No. Pansy is pretty, but she is pretty average. The only thing she was in the running for was best voice and she lost out to Ellie Gould, that sixth year Claw."

"How on earth was Parkinson even in the running for best voice? She sounds like a strangled goose."

He laughed, "We're not talking about talking voices."

I frowned at him, "Singing?"

He shook his head again and smiled. When he saw I understood they were talking about bedroom voices I burst out laughing,

"Ellie! She looks like such a saint."

"Oh well you know what they say about the quiet ones."

I couldn't believe they actually do this!

"Well obviously the girls with talent lying outside the physical beauty realm don't get their pictures up on the board. I mean what were we going to put for Marietta Edgecombe, a gaping mouth."

I laughed at that, cottoning on at the insinuation and not knowing the girl so I didn't feel guilty for doing so. Teddy laughed harder, "You should have seen Damian Flint's face when Martin Higgs nominated his sister Lilah for best cowgirl."

I frowned at this, and Teddy patted my head, "Think about it…it'll come to you. Anyway, naturally you don't have any of those awards, you were nominated for best ass, and you won hands down. The only person to vote against you was Martin Higgs who is notorious for liking scrawny skanks, so you see how you're not his type. Daphne shockingly lost out best eyes to that new girl, Bellamy. She drew with Cho Chang, that Ravenclaw seeker for best hair. You drew with Katie Bell for best lips and Daphne won best nose. Daphne won best legs and that seventh year Puff Amy Canzeras won best waist-hip ratio. There was much debate about best breasts, but you beat Christina Hendrickson by one vote…it's not all about size! Oh, and then Draco and Blaise started tearing each other apart for best package."

"WHAT!"

He looked at my shocked face quizzically and then burst out laughing, "Not…package. Overall package. For girls."

"Ohhh…"

"Yeah. It's quite ironic actually, Draco looking the way he does and voting for you and Blaise looking the way he does and voting for Daphne."

I laughed; it was ironic. They both were such egomaniacs as well, that must have been funny to watch.

"Nobody won, there was a thirty-minute debate, and they decided to call it a draw. You both have a full-length picture up on the board. Proud?"

"Oh extremely." I laughed as I gulped down the detox, regretting taking all that calming draught.

"Ugh." Teddy laughed at the way I wiped my tongue, he then took on a serious face,

"Maybe that would make you think before you swallow some horrible potion that would turn you into a drone of your former self…do not do that again."

I nodded, ducking my head slightly. I guess I should have known Theodore Nott of all people would know the side effects of a calming draught what with his potion brewing skill.

"Oh, and then…"

I started putting things away, feeling more like myself having this strange conversation with my strange friend than I had done in ages.

-x-x-x-

I took off my school shirt and leaned against the basin. The invisible dictator that was time was ticking away to the moment that I had to see that Toad… I hope I manage to turn a deaf ear, blind eye, and calm mind to all the colossal nonsense that comes out of that black hole she calls a mouth. I wonder who she would have me interview today, I knew it would be the last today. She mentioned having to put the information we gathered, or more like extricated, together tomorrow. That means me sitting and writing away the garbage that Toad sprouts…the woman really is inventive with torture techniques. I wonder how she came up with it…conniving bitch.

Who would have told her about us and how on earth had she contrived this article idea? She must be used to the propaganda game, being part of the Ministry, they have the Prophet in their back pockets, but to do this at a school level…what sense does it even make as a teacher… I was distracted from my thoughts by a bright flash. I turned to the left where it had come from; I approached the window, quickly pulling on the tee I had picked from the wash basket. I reached the window in time to see a mop of sandy hair descending swiftly down.

I laughed to myself - I guess the fourth year Snakes were trying a lot harder than Teddy gave them credit for. They really had to brush up on their paparazzi skills though. Wait…

I stormed out of the bathroom,

"Bobby, where's Mi?"

She raised one manicured eyebrow at me and then flipped to the next page of the magazine she was so engrossed in. "Like I care, but I'm guessing she's in her natural habitat."

I rolled my eyes. One good thing about Bobby and my friendship, I didn't need to apologise to her about acting like a bitch to her the other day. Mostly because she acted like a bitch twenty-four seven and never apologised a day in her life for it.

I rushed down the stairs, taking a short cut to my desired destination. I hopped through the portrait and waved at Mildred the Morose, she wasn't as bad as people said she was. I walked towards the wall, leaning against the statue of Arsenius Jigger. I didn't have to wait long; in less than a moment I spotted the head of sandy hair, and I grabbed the boy and pushed him against the opposite wall. His brown eyes widened, and he jostled against my hold, but I ignored him and snatched the camera from around his neck. Obvious much? I pulled out the photo and smiled at the short boy,

"Get Theodore Nott. Both of you, library, in five minutes." I leaned down, enjoying the pale look on his face, "I don't like tardiness." I laughed at the lie and turned and walked away.

A/N: Ky Thornton is back. She's been a bit of a square these past few chapters, but her old ways are creeping back. Happy? Please review!

Kalina