“beyond wandpoint” 093 by gingerbred
Mar. 23rd, 2019 05:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beyondwandpoint“11 12f Wednesday - ...and Whine 2 Reaction”
Seventh Years: Draco Malfoy, Theo Nott, Blaise Zabini, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Tracey Davis, Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Alberta Runcorn, Sixth Years: Harper Hutchinson, Ella Wilkins, Others: Wilfred Wilkes, Portrait Salazar Slytherin
Originally Published: 2018-10-20 on AO3
Chapter: 093
Characters:
Draco 7S (Prefect, Team Captain, Seeker, Swot), Theo Nott 7S (Swottiest), Blaise Zabini 7S (Keeper), Vincent 'Vince' Crabbe 7S (Beater, Couch Potato), Gregory Goyle 7S (Beater)
Tracey Davis 7S (Swottier), Daphne Greengrass 7S (Sparkly!), Pansy Parkinson 7S (Prefect), Millicent 'Millie' Bulstrode (Reserve Beater), Alberta Runcorn 7S (Grumpy.)
Sixth Years
Harper Hutchinson 6S (Prefect, Chaser), Ella Wilkins 6S (Prefect)
Others
Wilfred Wilkes 4S
Mentioned: Portrait Salazar Slytherin (Founder)
Previously:
All the Previouslies mentioned in 091a.
078 While delivering Vince to the Infirmary, Theo gave Harper his Oath that he had no idea what the other seventh year boys did to cause their Head of House to be forced to bond Granger, nor did he know what he'd done to intervene.
091 The Snakes wake to discover Draco in understandably poor shape post Serpents, Theo (less understandably) lost to the world, and Vince... Well... He's sticking around the common room for the moment. Not necessarily intentionally.
At Harper's request, the seventh year girls are considering giving their aid. They're quite sensibly still trying to get the lay of the land first.
"You're Crup meat, Hutchinson," Vince hisses.
"Would you care to tell me why I'm bothering to keep an eye on you again?" Harper answers easily, unfussed and not exactly wisely. Vince already has a down on him after he took yet another thoroughly embarrassing picture of the Beater, although that might be justified. (Both the action and response, for the sake of accuracy.) Either way, given that, Harper probably shouldn't push it too much further. Which isn't to say he's interested in being too terribly well behaved. He's only human.
Worse, he's a seventeen year old boy.
That should end well.
Gregory, demonstrating more sense than most credit him with, hastens to get between them. That's practically second nature to a Beater, although Vince himself (so characteristically) prefers a more... offensive approach to that position. Of course, it's a feat that's much easier for Goyle to accomplish with Vince effectively glued in place. (Not that that stops him from growling.)
Having come around to Blaise's opinion as to their current standing in the House, Gregory strongly suspects they'll be needing all the help they can get. Vince doesn't seem to have grasped that yet. One might think he of all people should have, but he's not the quickest on the uptake and might be just a tad distracted at the moment. And he's really never performed all that well on a lack of sleep, either, when it comes right down to it. But then who has?
A bit obsequiously, certainly for his standards, Gregory thanks the sixth year for his help and makes his excuses, "I'm sure he didn't mean it, Harper. He's had a rough night..."
Harper can only agree. Not that he forgives Crabbe, why on earth should he, but he is able to recognise the truth of that claim. Merlin, even Trelawney could see that.
Daphne doesn't seem to be getting any nibbles to her enquiry on the Fairy Wing Charm (as it will unoriginally come to be known; on the other hand, the typical lack of imagination with respect to the nomenclature has a way of making things easier to remember), which probably makes sense in as much as Vince is likely to drum whoever is behind this into the ground. Tracey would hate to be in his shoes. Or slippers. She never once doubts it was one of the boys. Or several of them, if they got their acts together. Although she is having problems picturing them coordinating a plan of attack... Not if it isn't Quidditch. As she sees it, that's pretty much the beginning and end to their joint plans.
Tracey grows increasingly more annoyed as she looks at Vince. This is complete and utter bilge, and they've clearly created a situation where they almost definitely will be inconveniencing the Head still more, and hadn't that been half her point just yesterday? That they shouldn't? More than a little brassed off, she takes her roommate by the arm, "Come on, Daphne. Pansy will be waiting."
Harper looks up at that, and having worn out his welcome here, joins the girls on their way to the seventh years' room. He's sort of curious about what had happened to them. No time like the present to go see.
Daphne chirps on enthusiastically to Tracey about the fairy wings. The cool blonde does her best to give non-committal replies, not that the brunette is the least deterred. Harper listens in, amused. It's something he likes, if he's honest. Daph is far from stupid, as her work in Transfiguration or Arithmancy easily proves, but she has a way of seeing the... softer side to things. She looks at the same things everyone else does, and then arrives at different conclusions. Sometimes very different conclusions, he'd grant that, but a bit of distance can make that easier to stomach. Unlike a number of her classmates, he doesn't feel the desire to groan every time she mentions 'Fwoopers', for instance. (Considering the frequency that occurs, it's probably a good thing.)
Harper thinks there are enough people who seem to turn a blind eye to what's been going on here (like Blaise and Pansy) or who fail to recognise what's happening (like Millie). Or then there's Tracey, who sees but struggles to ignore, to just keep her head down, so terribly eager to avoid the wrong sort of notice. Harper finds them incredibly frustrating.
But Daphne, by and large she seems to understand what's happening, without toeing the party line (like Vince), and yet she often comes away from it with an optimistic take... sort of like a gentler - decidedly sparklier - version of Gregory. And a complete opposite to Alberta who despite quoting the party line at every opportunity sees only what she wants to and doesn't seem to have grasped what that means in its logical consequences. Added to that, Runcorn's outlook is exceedingly dour. Which is pretty much the last thing anyone needs these days. Really, he'd probably be better off spending more time with Gregory and Daphne. Maybe he should think about joining Frog Choir, if they're still taking people. It doesn't seem to interfere with practice, or Gregory wouldn't be in it...
Harper may be doing Tracey an injustice with his assessment. If anything, her patience with Daphne's... foibles, Tracey's affection - and it's decidedly that - for both Daph and Gregory says quite a bit about her character, most of all that she isn't that different to the sixth year. In part his intolerance for Tracey's avoidant behaviour is because it's much the same role he finds himself playing and thoroughly resenting having to do so. People frequently respond most strongly to the traits in others they don't like in themselves.
Some days Harper wonders what life could have been like without the Death Eaters, if You-Know-Who had never returned. And as long as he's dreaming, what if 'he'd' never been at all...
The three of them enter the seventh year boys' room only shortly after Pansy had. Tracey was right, her solution was more efficient. Not that she expects anyone will acknowledge that...
Millie and Alberta trickle into the common room soon after the other seventh year girls leave. They're every bit as shocked as (almost) everyone else at the sight of Vince.
"Nimue's knickers." Alberta's got that right.
Millie lets out something terribly close to a tormented squeal when she sees Vince and pushes her way through the crowd now gathered on the dais at the base of the stairs. Somehow people seem to think their gawking is likely to go less noticed from here. Not bloody likely. Not at all.
Bellends.
Er, frightfully rude people. Yes. That.
They should ruddy well be ashamed of themselves, they should.
With another squeal, apparently of indignation this time, she draws her wand and casts a Tergeo on the puddle of drool (and tears, but then no one plans to acknowledge that, at least not without taking a thorough pounding) under Vince's face. "Really? No one thought to clean him up?"
"We were more concerned with opening his mouth, Millie," Gregory tells her quietly, still somewhat shaken from the task. The remains of those horrible stitches are all too visible, and now Vince's cheeks and lips are covered in lacerations as well. Millie has no way of knowing that wasn't part of one of the Hexes. Next she siphons the blood from his face, too.
"You've gone too far," she tells the others, as she kneels down beside Vince's couch.
Somehow, the rest of the House really isn't inclined to agree. After what the boys have done to the Head? No, this wasn't remotely far enough.
What it was, however, was entertaining.
Alberta follows her roommate over to the boys, absolutely riveted by the sight. She doesn't even try to hide it, but then she's in excellent company in that regard this morning. Noticeably staring, not that anyone pays her much mind, she takes up position behind Millie, who has begun stroking Vince's back reassuringly. Of course, that proves tricky, what with the wings fluttering and all, but Millie isn't easily discouraged. And it certainly helps that her reflexes are pretty good.
It would probably have helped more, naturally, were his back in better shape, but then she wasn't to know the extent of the damage and takes his moans as caused by something else. In all fairness, there are rather a lot of potential reasons to choose from just at the moment.
For his part, Gregory is still trying to figure out how to free Vince from the couch, which is naturally a fair sight more tricky than stroking Vince's back, and it's less than advantageous that Gregory is more easily daunted than Millie. After the damage he did while cutting Vince's stitches, Merlin, he's really not at all sure whether he should continue using his Transfigured tool for the task. But then he's not exactly confident about applying a Diffindo either. The portraits had made him sort of nervous. (Presumably rightly so.)
In an odd mixture of apprehension and hope, he turns to Millie and Alberta and asks, "I don't suppose you want to take a shot at it?"
Vince, still slurring, hastens to answer before they can, "Merlin, no!"
It comes out a bit strongly.
Wilfred Wilkes, now perched with his roommates on one of the tables in the common room, snickers, "Nice one!", and takes an elbow to the ribs for it from one of the other fourth years.
Vince gets the hint and tries again, "We're good, Gregory. Really. You should go ahead."
Alberta tries not to be offended - not with much success - but then she wasn't entirely keen to help anyway. Unsurprisingly, she's currently less so. Millie, not having been the one to use that particular Charm on Vince last night, fortunately doesn't stop to consider his meaning one way or the other. But she's happy to let Gregory take the lead on this if the boys would prefer it. And all that cutting next to the antique couch... Frankly it seems like a horrible idea.
Although leaving Vince stuck to it might not be that much better...
With some trepidation, Gregory now alternates between tool and Charm, trying to saw his friend free of the couch. Faced with a choice, Gregory is far more willing to risk cutting his roommate than the couch. Rather predictably, he does so more than once. And evidently that hurts.
Vince, now recovered sufficiently to scream again, resumes doing so. Quite loudly.
And so very strangely, not a one of the people watching offers a more suitable tool.
It probably just slipped their minds.
Millie shifts to holding Vince's hand in support, which was easier anyway. It doesn't do much for the pain, but it's good to know someone cares. Of course, he damn near breaks her fingers in his crushing grip. Bloody hell. Er... But then that's what Episkeys are for. And Pain Relief. A bit belatedly, it occurs to her Madam Pomfrey didn't have any. Bugger.
Er, drat. Yes. That.
Alberta had meant to get a jump on the day, but honestly, she doesn't want to miss this. She wonders if she shouldn't be the one holding Vince's hand, all considered; she had been at least a little interested in him. But then their decision to... freeze the boys out has rendered that somewhat besides the point, and it seems a waste of effort. Really, as things stand now she has to wonder if any of them should be holding his hand. But it's not like Millie has any genuine interest. They're just friends.
It will probably take them a while to drum that out of her.
Meanwhile, so many of their other Housemates have gathered that they no longer all fit comfortably in discrete little groups on the dais. Slowly but surely, the common room is filling.
Pansy has joined Blaise in trying to help Draco get vertical. It's rough going, and she hasn't done any more than a cursory check on Theo.
It's not that she didn't understand Daphne's point about Nott; in time it may prove to be correct. But Pansy isn't Theo's greatest fan to begin with and she and Draco have a long history and have always been on very good terms. (Well, almost...) And she certainly gets on well with Blaise, too. So that's how she allocates her resources, her time and energy: helping them.
Her problem with Theo is relatively simple. He's sort of her polar opposite. That's something else people often have little patience for, people who well and truly bollocks up something they themselves have solved well. Where her family had elegantly negotiated the turbulent waters of showing their political colours, his father had landed in Azkaban their fifth year. And allegedly is a wanted fugitive (of all things) at the present, but then the least said about that, the better.
Of course, the same was true for Draco, and it isn't entirely by coincidence - or his lack of interest (and he's been rather famously distracted for a good year now) - that Pansy had shifted her sights to Blaise, whose forearm bears no Mark. He can always get one at a later point if it ever proves necessary. But it really doesn't help that Theo doesn't seem to have the same quiet confidence in his abilities - and make no mistake, they certainly have some abilities - that the other Death Eaters' sons show. Even Gregory and Vince, who'd both had problems achieving a satisfactory O.W.L. in DADA had worked long and hard enough with tutors to be brought up to steam - not necessarily by choice, but that's another matter - and both were now in the N.E.W.T. class.
And when they cast a Curse, the thing tends to hit home with a vengeance. For some individuals, that's all that counts.
That's just not how people tend to see Theo. Which isn't to say he doesn't know more spells; he does. Or that he hasn't devised more of his own; he has. Or that he isn't capable of casting spells the others can't; Merlin, he does it on the reg. But that doesn't always get the attention it probably deserves.
That's a problem that has frustrated Severus ever since his days as a student, that people insist on confusing intent with skill. While solid intent is crucial - he'd never argue otherwise; he's not some gormless halfwit - under the right circumstances, skill is what determines all a witch or wizard will ever achieve. In times of peace, he'd bank almost exclusively on skill.
Of course, in a fight, intent is often what matters more. Or speed and creativity. And as they seem to find themselves immersed in a protracted, never-ending battle... Pansy may not be completely on the wrong track.
Blaise and Pansy have had made some progress; Draco is finally standing on his own. He may be up and about, but he looks about as good as he might had he been hit by the Knight Bus. Obviously the chances of that are a good deal less likely than receiving another three Serpents at once. (Unfortunately those chances aren't as improbable as he'd prefer. Some members of his House have so kindly already begun making wagers. They're thoughtful that way.)
His first move, and he deserves some credit for that, is to check on Theo once he hears how he's doing. Naturally he has every bit as much luck with that as the others had. Although that's a fairly predictable result, really, it still generates some more guilt - Draco has quite a bit just at the moment - as he correctly assumes this might have something to do with the letter he'd left for Theo to read.
A casual survey of Nott's bed shows it's not lying about, for which Draco's grateful, especially given Pansy's presence, and a surreptitious attempt to check Theo's nightstand shows... he has none. Which is probably bollocks. It had been there yesterday, after all. A less casual attempt that takes almost all of Draco's energy and no less than three different wandless, nonverbal Spells he'd learnt from his aunt Bellatrix finally reveals the nightstand to his eyes. It may have taken him a minute or two. He borders on proud that he manages it in his condition; it seems Theo had been canny. As Blaise and Pansy chat, patently more willing to accept their inability to help Nott, Draco idly gropes behind his back. This search leads his fingers to the handle of a drawer that proves to be rather thoroughly locked. He doesn't think anyone else will think to search for it - why would they? - and finally surrenders.
Blaise, a little concerned the boys are about to become pariahs, takes advantage of the moment to make sure Pansy is still on speaking terms with him. She is, which he's relieved to note, although decidedly somewhat frosty, and in time - not much of it - he'll come to realise just how much frostier that reception has become. Ironically, that might have proven very frustrating indeed if Severus, of all wizards, weren't soon to inadvertently assure that it is not, which is just another example of what can happen when attacks aren't coordinated.
Communication is key.
Theo is in something of a fugue state. The Muggle-born in his year keep passing through his thoughts. Jones and Perks, Smith, whatever. Hufflepuffs, both in his Herbology class. MacDougal. Ravenclaw. He has her in five of his classes. And then he finds himself desperately trying to reword that. He doesn't 'have her', he's never 'had her', he wouldn't want to. Not that there's anything wrong with her per se... He stops himself before he makes it worse. She sits in Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology and Astronomy with him. Granger, Madam Snape is even worse. She's in all his classes but Astronomy. Well, that and Potions now. She's not in Potions any more... And then he has to try desperately not to think about just why that is.
Herbology is clearly the worst class. Will be the worst class. He has all four of them in that one. That is to say, all four of them are in that class with him.
Language is deadly.
A conscience even more so.
Today is a Wednesday, Herbology is the last class of the regular day. Not counting Astronomy after dinner. Yes, today should be a treat. He has no idea how he's going to get through it.
He's probably better off never getting out of bed again.
And then there are the sixth year witches. Kilkenny, Devi, whatever and Rosenkrantz in Gryffindor. Randle in Ravenclaw.
There's a fifth year Gryffindor, and a Hufflepuff. How old are they? Fifteen? Sixteen? His stomach threatens to rebel again. Two fourth years, too, in the same Houses.
If he keeps this up he will be ill again.
He probably deserves to be...
Draco has just begun attempting to pace the room, trying to walk off the effects of the Serpents, when Tracey, Daphne and Harper enter. Malfoy's visibly unsteady, but better than those three had expected given Blaise's report. Of course, Vince's Potion has something to do with that. As Draco's regained his feet, and Theo hasn't, Daphne rushes over to him first - although it does makes a difference that they're much closer. Harper trails after her, as Theo disappointingly promises to be the only sight worth seeing left in the room.
Tracey trusts Daphne to do what's necessary, albeit probably while nattering on about Fwoopers (and now apparently fairy wings, bless), and with no hesitation advances on Draco and begins to give him what for. She squares her shoulders and takes up position in front of the Seeker. They look so much alike - except for the eyes - they could almost be siblings (Merlin knows, she fights like one, but that's the advantage of knowing one another so well), and there's something almost amusing for the others in watching the slight blonde repeatedly poke the much taller, muscular boy in the chest with her finger as she goes, making a quite a few points about Vows and Geases and bonds in general. Yesterday had given her the practice to leave the politics out of it nicely.
Today she puts that to use.
Harper has to admit, he's quite pleasantly surprised by the dressing-down, and carefully notes just how she manages to avoid taking a stand on the blood-purity issue as she proceeds. Her arguments are typically well considered. He leans against Theo's bedpost, enjoying the show. Of course he'll be decidedly less pleased, although even more surprised, when later in the day she turns on him and tells him he needs to have the boys better under control. He may as well try herding Kneazles.
Pansy, although mildly taken aback, doesn't disagree with Tracey in the least, happy someone seems to remember what they'd agreed upon last night, and takes a step back to give the girl more room to vent. Naturally that move is ostensibly just to get closer to where Daphne is checking on Theo; she can be subtle. Definitely more so than the other girls. Blaise, no one's fool, wants no part whatsoever of the talking-to Tracey is unleashing on Draco and quickly follows after Pansy, just as elegantly as possible.
Daphne's having no more success than the others reaching Theo, although she tries her very best. She's very rightly concerned at the state of her friend, more so, of course, as she has reason to fear his condition is related to the Somnolence Charm she'd cast on him yesterday evening. It's a perfectly logical conclusion (she's better at those than most recognise), although incorrect, but then she has no way of knowing about the Malfoys' letter Theo had read or the effect it had on him. Worried she'd made something of a hash of the Sleeping Charm, she nervously turns to Harper to demand why he hadn't said just how badly off Theo was.
"I'd have come sooner!" She cries. As if those few minutes would have made any difference, or in any way changed the fact she has no idea what to do for her friend.
"I didn't know, Daph, I swear. I hadn't seen him myself. I only had the information Blaise gave me." Which puts the blame, quite rightly, squarely on Blaise, who now beats another retreat, angling Pansy with one of his long arms and leading her with him as part of his ongoing charm assault of moderate proportions. Merlin knows, he usually has far better luck on that front than he's having today.
Realising she probably can't help Theo, Daphne turns now to Tracey, asking her for help, but her friend is so caught up in her bollocking of Draco, she's almost as difficult to reach in her own way as Theo. She doesn't seem to hear the request or the follow up, "Tracey?"
"Why on earth should we be helping any of you?" Tracey demands of Draco, with another sharp stab of her finger. It's unexpectedly strong.
Draco, who had independently arrived at much the same conclusions as Blaise had vis-à-vis their status in the House is now having their situation made all too clear by Tracey. And he sort of thought she liked him... He fails to recognise that fact is just likely to make her all the angrier, the more disappointed in the present constellation. He struggles to make himself heard above her barracking, succeeding, but only just.
"Fine, I won't say you're wrong, but Theo didn't deserve this." It might help if they had any idea what 'this' is, or if it had actually been deliberately done to him. They aren't remotely sure it was. After all, he's hardly in the same position as Vince, prostrate on a couch and flapping... Admittedly that's a rather unusual position for anyone to be in and probably shouldn't be taken quite so literally, but the thought instantly crosses Harper's mind nevertheless, much to his amusement. He suppresses a chuckle he is quite sure Daphne is almost guaranteed to take the wrong way.
Still, it's unclear that Theo had actually been punished in any way.
Draco proceeds to draw his wand, which immediately attracts all eyes, although no one else makes a move yet. Daphne, Pansy and Harper palm their wands, and Blaise sort of wishes he'd stayed in the common room with Vince. He can't seem to find the right place to be this morning for love or Galleons. Tracey stands her ground, unblinking, a Protego practically on her lips. All other conversation stops completely.
Everyone's expecting a hexing.
If anything, the room becomes even quieter as Draco then takes Tracey's hand and gives her his Oath instead.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you a thing about why we ended up here," which obviously isn't the same as not knowing, "but I swear, Tracey, you have my Wizard's Oath, Theo did nothing to contribute to this situation with the Head. In fact, Theo probably did everything he reasonably could have to prevent it. He deserves your help. I solemnly swear it." The magic flares, and everyone's eyes, including Blaise's, dart to Draco's wand.
Surprisingly, it remains whole.
He's laid it on a little thick, but then that's Draco for you.
Harper in particular notices Theo had phrased it very differently when he gave him his Oath yesterday, and assumes Draco knows more about what happened than poor Nott. That only serves to further convince him Theo is as innocent as the boy's father and Draco would have him believe.
From there it's a short leap to weighing the chances of getting the others to tone down their attacks on the seventh years, because they'd clearly gone overboard, and he knows it, and there's no way this doesn't ultimately mean more work for the Head. (He's trying very hard not to think about that. He certainly won't be the first one to suggest it...) To top it off, one of their Beaters most definitely won't be fit for practice today, and he wonders if it will be possible to talk the boys in the House into taking it easier on the four Quidditch players and sparing Theo simultaneously.
He suspects not, which leaves him uncomfortable.
There's something about Theo that reminds him a little of Hunter. Theo just hasn't got an energy about him that convinces others to leave him be. Harper imagines he's taken more than a few hexes over the years for that fact alone.
He's correct, but the fact Theo is a Nott, and happens to know a very wide range of hexes and counters himself had certainly made a substantial difference. He was never as vulnerable as Hunter. But then he also didn't have the advantage of family to protect him at school.
"Please, Tracey," Daphne tries again. "Would you please take a look at him?" The tears beginning to form in her eyes might be there even if she weren't feeling as guilty. As it is, Daphne is quite anxious, and Harper starts to feel guilty he'd sought sport in watching the boy's misfortune.
Draco's Oath serves as a form of carte blanche to allow Tracey to overcome her misgivings and at least try to do as Daphne asks. Reassuring her friend they'll sort this one way or another (although that last by rights should be more worrisome than consoling), she now lays off Draco to join the others by Theo's bed.
Draco breathes a sigh of relief. Still, somehow he suspects this isn't over.
Pansy stands there, trying to tell herself that the reason Tracey's opinion is required has nothing to do with the witch's superior skills. She doesn't quite succeed. It's a bit of a sore point sometimes that people seem to think Davis is smarter than she is. It's even more of a sore point because Pansy, too, is privately pretty sure that she is. But then politics had to count for something, and that was definitely something she and her family had well in hand. The Davises couldn't hold a candle to them there.
Envy plays a definite role when Pansy discovers she's a little relieved that Tracey has no more luck waking Theo than any of the rest have had.
Tracey is even quicker to arrive at the same conclusions as Daphne, in part trusting to the brunette's evaluation. She may have Fwoopers on the brain, but Daph's a capable witch. Tracey just can't think of anything to do for Theo either. It doesn't take her long before she's suggesting, "I think our best bet might be asking Ella. She knows more Healing Charms than I do by far. Does someone want to go see if she's still here?"
Given the time, she could have left for breakfast already. Of course, given the sights in the common room, it's likely she'll have stuck around. Tracey doesn't mention that. She also doesn't mention that she's not certain Ella will be willing to help the boys in the least, although it's harder to resist when someone's stood before you, asking for help. She'll let the sixth year make her own excuses if she deems them necessary. Although in the interests of fairness, Tracey will pass along what Draco had sworn. And if she didn't, Daphne certainly would.
Harper leaves to try to fetch Ella before the sentence is even finished, but Tracey honestly doesn't fancy their chances here either way. She turns to Blaise, "I really think we're going to need to let the Head know about this."
"You can't mean that," he's quick to object, aghast. The day isn't going well for them. That's sure to make it worse.
And it's only breakfast time...
"Well, unless you know how to sort Theo, or get Vince off the couch, then I'm fresh out of ideas."
Blaise and Pansy have just begun to try to dissuade her - it sounds like a dreadful idea - while Draco, fearing Tracey might be right, attempts to make himself invisible, figuratively, when Harper returns with Ella. She'd been in the common room with the other sixth years by now, and he's back with her in tow almost immediately.
Everyone is waiting with bated breath, she's their last resort before the Avada option, and the sixth year can't help wondering what the undercurrent is. She just feels it's there. Still, it doesn't slow her down any; if anything, she tries harder. She doesn't have too many Healing Charms at her disposal, and most wouldn't help here anyway - Theo hardly requires bandaging, say, or the Styptic Flick, or most of the other things she could do. She rather wishes she knew the Discerno like Madam Snape... Hermione, but then she probably still wouldn't have any ideas how to help Theo then either. It takes her only minutes to confirm Tracey's assessment, "I really don't think there's anything I can do for him," which is when Tracey makes the situation clear.
"There you have it. If she can't do it, we're out of options. We can't sort this on our own. We need help. His help." And now Ella is worried, too.
"Oh, he's not going to like this." Ella sighs. That she knows exactly who 'he' is betrays the fact she's secretly inclined to agree with Tracey. "Couldn't we Mobilicorpus Theo to Madam Pomfrey?" She suggests without much hope.
"And what are we going to do with Vince?" Tracey counters.
Blaise would very much like to suggest a Wingardium Leviosa on the couch and taking Vince, plus furniture, to the Infirmary as well. Let them sort it; they're the professionals. Surely if a number of the Snakes tried with the couch, the manoeuvre should be possible... Although he has a niggling suspicion the couch might have an Anti-theft Charm on it that could put paid to that plan right quick. That seems a sensible precaution in a House full of wand wielding juveniles... But just at the moment, he has the feeling he's best off not attracting Tracey's attention, which he rightly suspects is synonymous with her ire. He ever so judiciously holds his tongue.
Daphne, eager to get help for Theo, is the first to overtly concede Tracey's point. "Who should go get him?"
This is one of those aspects where the Snakes aren't like other Houses. The Moggies would probably send the person who made the suggestion. The Snakes, once they reach a consensus that a thing should be done, will then generally proceed to behave in a fashion most likely to achieve that communal goal. They work to succeed.
At least when the girls are involved and politics aren't... Sadly, those circumstances are becoming rarer of late.
The seventh year boys are clearly out of the question for this mission.
Daphne, on the other hand, would be a good choice. People tend to like her, admittedly more so outside of the House, but still. She hasn't done anything to exacerbate the Head's situation. That obviously helps. The only drawback is a request for assistance from her might not be taken as seriously.
No one needs to say it.
Daph frowns a little when their collective glances move past her. She can imagine why.
Pansy, Tracey, Harper and Ella look from one to another, and finally Ella speaks up, "I guess I should go then..." Harper and Blaise let out breaths they didn't even notice they were holding. It's a relief that Ella recognises that. It simplifies things. Although Tracey and Pansy probably wouldn't have had too many qualms about telling her she needed to do it if it hadn't occurred to her first.
Ella starts for the door and then turns to her fellow sixth year Prefect. "Harper, have you got a moment?"
"For you?" He grins. The 'always' is basically a given. He follows her from the room, shutting the door behind him.
"I heard from some of the others that you snapped a shot of Vince again. If so, you might want to get that developed soon," she tells him as the door closes.
"I doubt there's any rush," he reassures her. "It's not like Vince is going anywhere," he grins somewhat mischievously as he leans back against the wall. The portrait of Salazar Slytherin has accused him of trying to single-handedly hold up the walls of the dungeons on his own two shoulders on more than one occasion. Of course, that particular portrait seems especially stiff. Harper's not likely to take advice on proper posture from him.
"I shouldn't bet on that remaining the case once the Head gets here." She has a point, and Harper nods. "Oh, and I like the new slippers, by the way."
"But not the robe?" That's unexpected. But then of course, she knows it's Blaise's. Everyone knows it's Blaise's. It's a bit like collecting a pelt. A very expensive and flash pelt. She can practically write the story there all by herself. But the slippers are potentially more... interesting.
"Did you do them?" She prompts.
"Are you kidding? How many years have you sat next to me in Transfiguration? You really should know better." He smirks. She waits him out, and he answers the unasked question. "Daphne did them."
"She did a lovely job."
"She did, didn't she?" He's back to looking at them in satisfaction.
"I'd have done them for you if you'd asked, you know," she assures him softly.
"I know..." His reply is almost as soft.
"You just don't like asking." It's a simple statement of fact, devoid of judgment. For all it's neutrality, or perhaps because of it, it feels a little like a hug.
"I didn't ask Daphne either, she just..."
"Daph'd you," Ella smiles broadly.
"Pretty much," he nods.
"To be honest, I wouldn't have been able to do as nice a job. They'd have been more in keeping with your pyjamas than the robe."
Harper lets out a huff of self-deprecating humour. "My pyjamas are almost fit for the bin." He opens the robe and flashes them to prove his point.
Ella is well aware of the worn state of his sleepwear. As far as she can tell, he's had them for a couple of years now and keeps Transfiguring them larger and larger, and to be honest, it's far from his strong suit. She doesn't show pity; he wouldn't want that. Instead she fixes him with a mischievous smirk and quips, "Well, then I'm sure I could have upheld the standard."
He gives her a gentle nudge to the ribs. "That's my Ella, never flagging."
"That was horrible," she giggles. He chuckles and she butts her head against his shoulder. "Now go on, shift. And get those snaps done."
"Good luck," he wishes her. He really wouldn't want to be the one fetching the Professor to help those boys. Ella's brave that way. But then, it's not like the Head could expect the House to know what the boys had done.
Or could he...