Shit, I was only talking about the book not failing.

 

There's a bit of a holdup on this chapter. It'll be up as soon as I get it back from editing, but probably not tonight.

Jim

 

Jim, you realize you're going to make me open up a can for having to wait, don't you?

My impatience is growing in leaps and bounds.

 

I think Harry should find some way to be in charge of Draco's punishment again and say that he should be publicly burnt at the stake. As a pure blood it would be about the biggest insult possible.

 

Jbern, we's is gonna haf ourselves some words..........

 

Ok, am I the only who thinks that, HJ still has enough humanity to not make a 14 years old twat (however annoying he might be) suffer a brutal death purely for fucking with him? it's not the dark arts section FFS.

 

Are you on crack!? Draco *ALWAYS* deserves death for being a useless, sycophantic, egotistical, lying waste of oxygen. Not to mention the hair gel thing..........

 

Hey, I'm in no way defending the inbreed showcase of greased faggotry, BUT I do think that it would be a bit OOC for HJ to murder (albeit indirectly) a 14 years old school kid who poses virtually no threat to him.
Harry was almost torched to death for speaking fucking Parseltongue, now think what would happen if he would kill Draco?

 

If it were under the "ancient and noble" rules of combat, not a damned thing. Except for a few assassination attempts paid for by Lucy and Narcissa. And some flack from Dumbles, and a dressing down from Lupin and Hermione. Nevermind, got your point.......

 

Why not have HJ go all "Vlad the Impaler" on Draco?

He enjoys having long, hard things up there

*Runs*

 

IIRC, jbern described a curse called "Vlad's Impaler" in To Fight the Coming Darkness. It was a combination piercing curse and pain curse (not the Cruciatus). Casting that on Draco until he died would be rather fitting. He lived as a pain in the arse, so he shall die from one.

 

Well like I said, one of my betas ran into the monster known as real life. I've contacted my second beta in the interim and when the versions come back, I'll reconcile the two.

I suppose in the interim I should offer up something. Here is scene 2 and 3. All said, it's about the first third of the chapter.

***Note**** The Hat and HJ's dialogue will be in italics in the posted version. Here it might seem a bit confusing.




------

“That was really impressive out there Harry.” Ginny Weasley says to me. She’s standing next to the door into my dorm. I’d just come from the groups of well-wishers and pleas for tutoring in the common room. Neville is with me and has all three Omnioculars. I intend to watch the Delacour and Manos match and catch a quick rest.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t you want to know why I’m here?”

“I figure you’re going to tell me anyway. Neville, mind giving us a minute?”

“Sure thing Harry. I’ll catch up to you later.” He hands me the Omnis and turns back downstairs to join Colin and Dennis – my other “kid brothers.”

“Okay, talk.”

“I want to apologize for the way I’ve been treating you.”

I could be mean and say that I hadn’t noticed. That’d really drive her spare. To the Hat I think, “Damn, you’re starting to rub off on me!”

“My new calling is being a role model to students everywhere, starting with you. Are you going to answer the bitch?”

“Okay. Apology accepted.”

“That’s it?” She seems surprised.

“HJ, picture her mother naked. That’s what her future husband has to look forward to!”

“That’s low Hat.” “Apologies are just words. They mean nothing without actions. The truth of the matter is that you and I were never dating.”

“I know that!” She says a little defensively.

“You’re right HJ, odds are she’ll never get the huge breasts Prewitt had, but if she starts humping anything that moves, she can have the reputation.”

“Do I really need to hear that right now, or ever for that matter!” To Ginny, I shake my head, “I’m not sure you do. You got bent out of shape when I told Michael Corner that he should ask you out. The bloke seemed really into you. If you feel I’ve led you on or given you the impression that something was happening with us, I’m sorry, but that’s just the way it is.” I shrug.

She refuses to look me in the eye. “You’re… you’re right. I probably was reading too much into it. Anyway, I just wanted to say I’m sorry and warn you to be on the look out for the twins. I think I put a stop to them for now, but it’s only a matter of time.”

I arch an eyebrow. “What were they up to this time?”

“I caught them speaking with Bill. He was giving them recommendations for bypassing the wards around your bed. Actually, they weren’t really going to bypass them. Bill was describing a technique to disrupt the keying mechanism that detects who is allowed through the wards. It only lasts for a few hours, but it would have turned your own wards on you. I’m not certain, but they may have already done it.” A wave of my wand confirms that the keying runes have been mangled. I’d only used a simple key rather than a complex one. Though, I hadn’t planned on their soliciting outside help.

“Looks like you’re right. Judging from my diagnostics spell, the runes comprising the keying mechanism are damaged. What did you tell them, Ginny?”

She looks a little uncomfortable, “Well, to be perfectly honest, I thought you were going to get beaten rather soundly today and didn’t deserve more people having a go at you, but after what you did to the French witch and Diggory. I’m reasonably certain you’d beat the snot out of them.”

“I know what you’re thinking HJ, but here’s some practical advice; you already have enough real enemies without picking a fight with a Curse Breaker. Think she was in it from the beginning and is only having a change of heart now that you’ve shown what you can do?”

“Fine, put Bill’s name on the deferred arse-kicking list. I’ll fit him in down the road. The twins however are long overdue. Ginny? I’ll take her at her word. She might be jealous to the point of delusions, but her biggest fear was coming back to Hogwarts after the incident in the Chamber.”

“And they said?”

“They started to act like it’d be a challenge, but I pointed out that their main reason was because the way you treated me and Katie.” I notice that she strains a bit to say Katie, but that’s neither here nor there. “Either way, she mended fences with you. I should do the same and if they want to continue being childish gits, they can’t hide behind the excuse of avenging their little sister’s pride.”

“I give her points for speaking her mind.”

“You still don’t know witches that well do you HJ? She’s still competing with Bell hoping you’re going to date her.”

“Do yourself a favor and don’t get caught up in it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going fix my wards and grab a spot of rest. I still have one more duel.”

Ginny smiles at the peace offering. “I wouldn’t worry about it Harry. That other French witch is no match for you. If you ever need anything, let me know.”

“Ginny, are you any good with Potions?”

“Not bad. I’m better with charms and hexes.”

“The Sorting Hat here needs to be dipped in a fireproofing draught. I was going to ask Hermione if she wouldn’t mind making it, but I just remembered how busy she is with the team competition. If you really want to help, you can start there.”

“What are you up to Potter?”

“Just taking a page out of Diggory’s playbook. He’s got all of Hufflepuff helping him out. No reason that I shouldn’t start making my life a bit easier. I’m stuck as a teenager for the next few years. Since, I’m not going anywhere and they’re not going to leave me be, I should try to be a bit nicer. Plus Ginny offered. Is the brew that difficult?”

“Not particularly. Very well, HJ. I’m positively quivering with excitement to see the mind of a fourteen year old witch. There should be enough idiotic romantic fantasies in there to make me sick. I’ll be sure to look for the ones involving you.”

She is both excited and confused. “Sure, why does the Sorting Hat need to be fireproofed?”

I hand it to Ginny and smile. “Spend some more time with it and decide for yourself.”

------

“Are you feeling better Aimee?” Fleur asks.

Beaucourt grunts and I hear the sound of hand smacking water. “Not really. The Hogwarts nurse demanded Athena remove the enchantment, but the spell takes two days to wear off. It causes stomach cramps…ugh. Like that one! Right after Potter defeated me, she was shoving a pain reliever in my hand. It takes the edge off, but I can’t take one within two hours of tomorrow’s duels. What is it?”

Fleur hisses, “Something crossed the ward line!” She sees my Animagus form and relaxes. “Oh, it is you. Aimee, Gabrielle, allow me to introduce the most intelligent creature in England. I have discovered that it is called a Pronghorn.”

Her little sister is excited, “Oh! It’s pretty. Does it talk?”

“No.”

“But you said it is the smartest in all of England.”

Aimee laughs before grunting again. “She said that because it doesn’t talk, Gabby!”

Fleur laughs as well, “Plus it understands French, showing that it knows a civilized tongue.”

Okay, I’m not really spying. I’ve already fought both of them. I’m only here out of professional curiosity. The three of them are wearing swimsuits. Of course it would be a bit disturbing if the preteen was skinny dipping, so I’ll take the good with the bad. I allow them to inspect me and Fleur checks my formerly wounded leg/arm and congratulates me on healing so quickly.

I’d finished off Aimee in my last duel of the day quickly. My conjured grim pounced on her and started licking her face. I hope Colin caught it with his camera. That’s definitely going to Sirius by way of the Flamel estate. She has the lasting injuries, but Fleur is sporting several blemishes on her otherwise dazzling physique – tokens of her run in with Athena Manos. Cedric did a passable job against Fleur for a minute or so, but with his focus directly on her, I think her aura began to cloud his mind after the first few exchanges and she easily beat him.

Using my hoof, I gesture at the nasty bruise on her thigh. “Yes, both Aimee and I have had our own problems, my friend. We should be better in a few days; do not worry.”

They talk to me for a few minutes before I move over and nibble at the berries on bushes to try and fade into the background. Nothing to be learned if they’re fawning all over me.

The last duel of the day was Manos versus Krum. Neither held back and Manos once again proved why Karkaroff selected her. She has the talent. I get her tomorrow before Krum. Honestly, I don’t know which one I’m looking forward to more at this point. I need to switch tactics for tomorrow. Manos will be expecting lots of ropes, water, and transfiguration. Charms will be in the mix more tomorrow to shake things up a bit and there might be one or two questionable spells in my repertoire just for someone who likes dealing out pain and humiliation. There’s a good chance she’ll be doing the same thing and I expect Victor’s spells to be a shade or two darker.

“I just can’t wait to see Harry Potter wearing a female dress uniform!” Gabby, rather aptly named if you want my opinion, exclaims.

It’s enough to shake Aimee out of her discomfort. “What?”

“They made a bet and Fleur won. He has to dress up like a Beauxbatons student…a girl student!”

Fleur looks visibly upset. “Gabrielle! I have no intentions of holding him to that arrangement. It would be shameful for me to do so.”

“They made you the winner?”

“Only because one of his schoolmates is a lying, cheating dog of an Englishman! What you don’t understand is that he couldn’t move and he still beat me…handily.”

Aimee interjects, “You lasted longer than I did against him and I’m pretty sure he went easy on me. His damn transfigured dog was drooling all over me! Could you have stopped that thing he created against Diggory?”

“Perhaps, but then again maybe not. Diggory’s curses were aimed at the torso. I would have tried to take out its legs, but this is conjecture on my part. I wasn’t prepared for what he did during our duel. I likely would have been even more shocked at the earth elemental. Regardless, we won’t have to answer that until the second wand duel, which is months away. Harry Potter is the thugs from Durmstrang’s problem now.”

I came out here hoping to see a little skin and what do you know – I finally got some respect.

Beaucourt continues massaging at her side, “Speaking on behalf of my own aches and pains, I hope he beats them soundly. I wonder, what is the history between him and this Draco Malfoy? I think he was making the duel to the death solely to shame the boy and his parents, but he looked ready to go through with it.”

“All the more reason not to anger him. He is both powerful and quick to anger. Even his Headmaster and Professors seem to have difficulties with him. Only that vile Hat he carries around commands his respect. I suggest we avoid Harry Potter.”

Respect just became fear that I’m a homicidal psychopath. Oh well, there’s the old saying about it being better to be feared than respected. Great! Now, I’m thinking like a Dark Lord.

“Why don’t we talk about something else, say for instance the identity of that red haired gentleman I saw speaking to you?”

Gabrielle sounds a bit petulant. “I still think you should make him wear the clothes.”

Fleur shrugs tossing her hair over her shoulder. “That is enough Gabrielle. We are French and that means we should not sink to their level.” Turning to Aimee she explains, “His name is William Weasley and he is a Curse Breaker.”

“A little older than your usual fare, but he looked tasty enough.”

“I suppose. It was refreshing to be able to hold a conversation with someone capable of resisting me. He was a perfect gentleman.”

Bill? A perfect gentleman? According to the stories Ron and the twins told about him last year, he’s anything but. Wheels turn in my head, but I do believe I have a way to enact a little vengeance.

“He asked that barring injury, I come have a drink with him in Hogsmeade after the duels tomorrow.”

“You could probably leave halfway through our duel and still beat me.” Aimee offers blandly.

“Dueling is not your forte, Aimee. There will be other events. I look forward to seeing your solution to the Puzzle Room.”

“I’m making lots of friends!” Gabby announces out of the blue. “The first year Ravenclaw’s let me go to some of their classes with them! The want me to ask Papa if I can come here when I turn eleven. Do you think he’d let me?”

“A Delacour not going to Beauxbatons, ridiculous! You’ll need to be close by friends and family as you get older.”

“No, I don’t!”

“Yes, you do.”

This goes on for a solid thirty seconds and Fleur is clearly becoming more irate.

“For the last time! Yes, you do! We’ve been through this before!”

The younger Delacour snaps back, “Just because all your friends stopped liking you doesn’t mean it’s going to happen to me! Maybe my friends are real friends!”

Fleur looks slightly hurt, but tries to sound consoling, “Do not get your hopes up. You’ll need to prepare for it eventually.”

“Quit saying that! It’s not true! I might not even develop an aura!” She’s having a fit.

The older Delacour gives no quarter. “Every female in our family has developed the aura! There is no reason to think that you will be an exception. You need to quit deluding yourself!”

Her little sister starts crying and the moment turns horribly awkward. Fleur looks torn as Aimee gestures, “Come here, Gabby.” The little girl continues crying as Aimee helps her out of the pool. A drying spell, followed by a switching spell and both Beaucourt and the younger Delacour sister are dried and dressed with their wet swimsuits in hand. Although, from the amount of tears coming from the little girl, Aimee might need a second drying charm soon.

“I’ll take Gabby back. Why don’t you stay and calm yourself down, Fleur?”

“Gabrielle, I am sorry. I have had a long day and did not mean to snap at you. Forgive me.”

“S’okay…” She mumbles as Aimee leads her away. Gabby clearly idolizes everything about Fleur. I’d probably get a similar result if I treated Colin and his kid brother that way. I step in front of Gabby and let her wrap her arms around my neck. Aimee pats me on my head and takes her out of the grotto.

There’s a minute or two of silence and I strongly consider following them. Fleur’s voice stops me there’s a few tears running down her cheeks as well. “You think I am too hard on her, as well? Please do not judge me, Monsieur Pronghorn. I was just like her when I was her age, before my aura surfaced. Everyone was my friend and playmate, fun and laughter were all that I saw. Mama tried to prepare me as best she could for the cold reality. I did not understand then, but I do now. It was hard to watch all my friends turn against me. The boys, they wanted to play new games with me, games I was not ready to play. As for the girls, they all became jealous and hateful, even Aimee for a time. It will happen to her in two maybe three years at the most. Perhaps in five years, she will forgive me like I forgave Mama. The stronger she is now, the less it will hurt in the future.”

This used to be the downside of being a Marauder. Every once in awhile, running around the castle in the invisibility cloak, following the map, and getting ready for their next big prank, they’d run into the ugliness of real life. Things like girlfriends begging a bloke not to break up with them, or blazing rows between best friends or enemies. Hell there was even one fucking idiot JP found one night sitting there cutting himself with a straight razor and healing the cut with his a wand before doing it again – all because the pressures of NEWTs were getting to him! Even Snivellus wasn’t that much of a loser!

Teenagers, effing lunatics, the whole bloody lot of them! The worst part is I’m stuck being one of them again! Merlin preserve what’s left of my sanity.

Still, I found myself next to Delacour and the she did the same thing her sister did, burying her head into my fur and bawling her eyes out. A few moments go by and she composes herself. “Thank you for listening to me and withholding judgment. I must leave now and apologize again to Gabrielle.”

I have to leave as well. Near Hagrid’s hut I can collect enough fresh shit for some of my spider transfiguration. I’ll send two, but not for their pillows. They’ll be on a search and detonate for their stash of dungbombs. The sixth year boy’s dorm will smell like a sewer when I’m done with it, they’ll be out of dungbombs and everyone will assume that they accidentally set off their stash.

 

Your lucky Vash doesnt read your stuff probably cause he'd rape you so bad for having Gabby wearing a swim suit.

 

I originally wrote it where all 3 of them were naked, but it seemed a bit creepy.

The day I worry about what Vash thinks, is the day I should hang it up...

 

I have to agree that writing all three of them naked would be a bit much. It worked quite well the way it is now. Only problem I found is the confusion between the dialogue between HJ and the Hat, but you've stated that will be remedied in the posted version, so no worries there.

Beyond that, MORE!

 

Considering Gabby is like 10 or so yeah it would be a little creepy but that doesnt mean you cant have a pool scene with Fluer, Ammy the Patil twins, Cho, Luna and Tracey Davis.

 

I believe this is where we've crossed the line from real to fantasy.

Still, the imagery works wonders. Excuse me while I stare off into space for the next few minutes.

 

Well done on Aimee's defeat by HJ. Certainly humiliating, but more in a benevolent fashion. Also nice to see "cutters" ridiculed. Good stuff.

 

In today's news...

Hogwarts.

Aurors arrested the historical artifact known as the Sorting Hat for corrupting the morals of a minor. Ginevra Weasley was heard to be saying, as the Hat was being dragged away, "Where the fuck is that ponce Lockhart when you really need him, I want to be Obliviated! NOW!"

The Hat, in response, said, "Come on baby, light my fire!"