Harry Potter and Something or Other

Chapter Two - Truth Hurts

Fausta remained at the Slytherin table as Astrid dragged Ron off, and she decided that that had synched it. Now the foremost problem on her mind was deciding whether she really wanted to force Astrid to admit what she'd been up to. It could be a scarring experience.

"WHEN THAT GIRL GETS BACK TO THE COMMON ROOM TONIGHT!" Malfoy raged as he reappeared in the main hall. Everyone seemed to be ignoring him though, as rumors were now flying about Ron and Astrid, and people found that more interesting.

"Did you hear them on the train?" one Hufflepuff girl asked, making a disgusted face, "they could have at least TRIED to keep it down!"

"Oh Lord, who DIDN'T hear them?" a Ravenclaw shouted over to the Hufflepuff table, looking mildly disturbed himself.

Fausta bowed her head, about ready to bury her face in her mashed potatoes, deeply ashamed to be involved in any way in such events. She looked suddenly to Malfoy as he slid into a seat next to her, still seething.

"Your friend is - " Malfoy began, but Fausta immediately cut him off.

"I think there's been enough talk of Astrid to last a lifetime, Malfoy," she said wearily, glancing up and down the Slytherin table, which was flying with even odder rumors.

"I bet she's tryin' ta knock him off! The girl wouldn't be caught dead with a GRYFFINDOR! She's a Slytherin now!" one boy tried to argue, and received brief, murmured agreement.

"Honestly Fausta ... what's wrong with her?" Malfoy spat as he looked towards the feast, which sat as large as ever on the tables.

"Didn't like hearing about your lovely green eyes, Draco?" Fausta smirked, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched Malfoy pick at a few of the dishes, while Snape watched on suspiciously.

"I don't think I'll dignify that with a response," Malfoy muttered, glancing to Snape, who smiled briefly at the boy before finding himself in conversation with a first year Slytherin about whether bringing rats to the table was common practice at Hogwarts or not.

"You must be more careful around Astrid, Draco," Fausta said with the faint trace of a smile, "I won't be here to rescue you all the time."

"RESCUE ME!? IT'S YOUR FAULT!" Malfoy roared, and glared at everyone as they stopped in their discussion to watch Malfoy's outburst.

"Touché," Fausta said with a small smirk as she looked down at her food once again.

"You're impossible," Malfoy muttered and slid back into his seat again, muttering something inaudible under his breath.

"It's rude to mutter, Draco," Fausta smirked, glancing towards Snape who was, for one reason or another, beet red, looking as if he were about to pop.

"NO! I DO NOT CARE WHAT THAT GIRL IS DOING TO WEASLEY! THESE RUMORS WILL STOP THIS INSTANT! IF I HEAR ANYMORE, THE GOSSIP-MONGER WILL BE EXPELLED!" Snape raged, this was not his night. Dumbledore cast him a warning glance and Snape stormed from the hall, muttering something about finding out for himself.

"Oh my. Do you think someone should warn dear Astrid?" Fausta mused, smiling ever so slightly.

"I hope he catches them," Malfoy stated flatly and pushed himself up from the table, starting after Snape, wanting to get in on this as well.

"Oh Malfoy," Fausta said, even more amused now as she stood up from the table as well and began jogging after them.

* * * * *

"Where d'ya think they're going?" Hermione asked Harry as she watched a very angry looking Snape bustle past the table, followed by Malfoy and Fausta.

"Ron's done it again," Harry sighed and pushed himself up from the table as well, jogging after Snape's entourage.

"Ron's done what? Harry! Stop being so cryptic!" Hermione said in a whiny tone of voice as she stood from the table and followed as well ...

* * * * *

"What was that?" Ron asked, looking towards the door with wide eyes.

"You are a twit, aren't you?" Astrid grinned at him, but it slowly faded as she heard the noise too ... several pairs of rather loud footsteps were coming their way.

"Someone's coming!" Ron hissed, looking around the trophy room at the spotless trophies.

"WELL TARNISH THEM UP AGAIN!" Astrid snapped and muttered something under her breath, the trophies looked an absolute mess now.

"ASTRID! Someone's going to notice that!" Ron squeaked, looking frantically towards the door, the footsteps were almost there now.

"Thanks for taking the rap, love," Astrid grinned evilly and immediately hollered at the top of her lungs, "YOU HORRIBLE TWIT! I SAID NO MAGIC!"

"Astrid ... oh no, don't do this! ASTRID!" Ron begged, suddenly realizing what Astrid had in mind.

"Ha ha, begging won't change anything, love! Save that for later," she said and winked quickly, "DEAR PROFESSOR SNAPE CHARGED ME WITH THIS MOST IMPORTANT TASK AND YOU'VE FOULED IT HORRIBLY, YOU AWFUL WEASLEY! WHAT SHALL MY DEAR SEVERUS SAY!?"

"Dear Severus, Miss Ackerley?" Snape said, appearing in the doorway, looking around the trophy room with mounting horror.

"Oh! Professor Snape! How lovely of you to drop by! Ron was just saying what an immense idiot you are, weren't you, Ron?" Astrid asked, grinning at Ron.

"ASTRID!" Ron bellowed, but immediately stopped as Snape began storming towards him, his hand twitching, as if dying to reach for his wand.

"Not a problem, Professor Snape! Give me a moment alone with the boy, I'll show him what's what," Astrid said with a nod as she pulled out her own wand and began muttering under her breath.

"You've done quite enough, Miss Ackerley," Snape replied shortly, turning his malicious gaze on Ron.

"Mr. Weasley, you never cease to amaze me. Only your first day and you've already lost 20 points from Gryffindor - "Snape began, but Astrid cut in immediately, suddenly looking quite ill.

"But Professor Snape ... it's just the beginning of the term, there ARE no points to take from Gryffindor yet," she said quietly and everyone turned to give her odd looks.

"Miss Ackerley, what are you doing?" Snape hissed, quite wondering about the girl's sanity by this point.

"I'm just as disappointed as you are, dear Professor, but perhaps we could arrange some other form of punishment. I have something in mind, conveniently enough," Astrid grinned and steepled her fingers, turning her gaze on Ron who looked quite bewildered.

"Convenient, yes, Miss Ackerley," Snape said, sounding almost amused as Fausta and Malfoy appeared on the scene.

"I think you've done enough 'punishing' for one day, Astrid," Fausta said with a light smirk as Malfoy looked on in disgust.

"I suppose we COULD just let him get off, scott-free ... " Astrid shrugged and sighed heavily, moving towards the door.

"What have you got in mind, Ackerley?" Snape said, careful to keep any interest out of his voice.

"It would be nice to have someone clean up the Slytherin common room for us, wouldn't it, Professor Snape?" she grinned somewhat sadistically.

"An interesting prospect, but this would include allowing a Gryffindor into the Slytherin common room, which I cannot condone," Snape said firmly, almost sounding disappointed.

"Perhaps if he had supervision?" Astrid asked sweetly and it became all too obvious she had been planning this for quite some time.

"And I suppose you think you would be adequate supervision, Miss Ackerley?" Snape snorted and shook his head, "with all the rumors flying around, I couldn't encourage such an idea."

"I'll do it," Fausta spoke up from the doorway, trying to look innocent enough. Malfoy looked at her with utter dread while Astrid narrowed her eyes, though whether it was in surprise or anger, it was hard to tell.

"You, Miss Darcy?" Snape asked slowly.

"I know how to treat Gryffindors, Professor Snape," Fausta smirked lightly, completely ignoring Astrid's glares.

"Hmm, a very interesting idea indeed. I shall consider it. You'll have your answer tomorrow," Snape said and moved quickly towards the door of the trophy room, but he stopped as he reached the threshold and glanced back over his shoulder at Ron, sneering slightly,

"And your robes are on backwards, Weasley."

Ron turned beet red and shuffled quickly after Snape, deciding that changing his robe there would only make matters worse. He met up Harry and Hermione in the hall, who immediately began asking him for details, but Ron was too busy looking back into the trophy room, trying to catch Astrid's eye before he left.

"All right, what do you want?" Astrid growled at Fausta, moving quickly towards her as she absently waved her wand around, completely ignoring Malfoy.

"What ever do you mean, dear Astrid?" Fausta asked silkily, "can't a girl do a service for her house without getting the third degree?"

"This isn't funny Fausta," Astrid said, looking for the first time anyone could remember, to be actually angry.

"My, my Astrid, this doesn't suit you, it really doesn't," she smirked coldly and looked towards Malfoy, suddenly frowning, "leave us."

"'Leave us' are you SERIOUS? You don't talk to Draco Malfoy like that!" Malfoy sputtered, unable to believe his ears.

"SHE JUST DID! NOW LEAVE!" Astrid roared, eyes burning, and that was all Malfoy had needed, he disappeared quickly from the hall with his tail between his legs.

"Astrid, you have no faith in me whatsoever, do you?" Fausta smirked and moved towards the door, moving to close it before her eyes found Ron Weasley standing outside the door, still trying to get Astrid's attention, still with his robe on backwards. She hissed at him and slammed the door, turning back towards Astrid, looking deeply disappointed.

"A true friend wouldn't let you associate with his sort," Fausta smirked, leaning back up against the door.

"His sort!? And what sort would that be, Fausta?" Astrid spat, not believing her friend's words.

"Astrid, it's not for your tender ears," she smirked and glanced over her shoulder at the door, "however ... I'm sure I could be persuaded to make certain ... exceptions. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours," Fausta said as innocently as she could muster.

"A true Slytherin if I ever met one," Astrid said with an odd sort of grin, and Fausta's eyes widened for a moment, she had been sure Astrid would go on a rampage at this statement, and yet there she stood, grinning as if she had just been told the greatest joke in the world.

"Astrid ... " Fausta began, a little shaken, but didn't continue, Astrid was moving towards her, and she was sure Astrid was going to strike now, "Astrid, don't do anything you'll regret!" he voice was slightly shrill now as Astrid continued to approach.

"A true Slytherin if I ever met one," Astrid repeated, this time a little sadly as she motioned Fausta away from the door and pulled it open slowly. Fausta, however grabbed a hold of her arm.

"Astrid ... what on Earth are you talking about?" Fausta hissed, none too impressed.

" ... I dunno. I was just trying to sound intelligent. Oh well, live and learn, COME HERE RON!" Astrid chimed and flung the door open, causing both Malfoy and Ron to come sprawling into the room, landing in a heap.

"I WASN'T LISTENING!" Ron yelled immediately, flinging Malfoy off of him and into the wall.

"OH! That's so sweet! You really care, don't you Ron!" Astrid giggled and dragged him off to who knows where.

"I suppose you weren't listening either," Fausta said curtly as she swept quickly past Malfoy who was still sprawled on the floor.

"Fausta! F-fausta! Wait! FAUSTA!" Malfoy yelled as he scrambled to his feet and dashed off down the hallway after her.

"Really Draco, that's no way for a Slytherin to act," Fausta said, giving him a sour sidelong glance.

"Only been a Slytherin for a few hours now and already you're giving me orders," Malfoy smirked lightly, casting a glance at Fausta as well, and as their eyes met, they both turned a nice shade of scarlet and sped up down the hallway.

"Why are you following me?" Fausta hissed, glaring angrily over at Malfoy.

"We're going to the same place, you twit!" Malfoy growled, glaring back just as angrily.

" ... well. That doesn't mean we have to walk together. You. Wait here ten minutes, and then you may continue to the Slytherin common room," Fausta commanded and quickened her pace a little.

"You can't be serious!" Malfoy protested, but the look he got from Fausta froze him in his tracks immediately. He plopped to the ground and sat up against the wall, looking incredibly sour. All Fausta could do was smirk.

"What are you doing sitting there, Malfoy? Get to your common room!" Professor McGonagall chided as she came down the hall towards him.

"But ... b-but Fausta!" Malfoy said, getting his fiftieth icy glare of the night.

Malfoy pushed himself to his feet, muttering something that couldn't have been too nice because Fausta heard McGonagall gasp and drag Malfoy off as she rounded a corner towards the Slytherin common room.

* * * * *

Fausta sat at the Slytherin table for breakfast, poking disdainfully at her scrambled eggs. She looked around at the empty seats around her - apparently her reputation preceded her, but that was the way she liked it.

"Where's Malfoy?" one first year Slytherin ventured, seeing that Fausta was all alone and might be lonely.

"I'm sorry, I don't keep tabs on him. Perhaps I can have him tagged for you the next time I see him. You might check the hallway on the second floor, however," Fausta hissed icily and smirked as she watched the scared little first year cower away.

"Where's Astrid?" another Slytherin asked ... Fausta decided not to dignify this with an answer and merely took to examining her knife closely, giving the boy sidelong glances.

"YOU ARE INSUFFERABLE! YOU NEARLY LOST US 50 POINTS LAST NIGHT!" Malfoy screeched as he stormed into the hallway, he seemed to be making a habit of big entrances.

"You must be confused, dear Draco. I was in the common room, like a good little witch," Fausta said, looking much more pleasant now as she took a small bite of her scrambled eggs, not looking up at Malfoy.

"I cannot BELIEVE you!" Malfoy yelled as he practically threw himself down at the table, grabbing viciously at an English muffin.

"How quaint," Fausta replied, seemingly fascinated with her eggs now.

Draco was about to reply, when the hall suddenly burst with noise. Everyone looked around, sure someone has received a Howler.

"NEVER IN ALL MY YEARS AT HOGWARTS! YOU TWO ... I NEVER! THERE AREN'T WORDS FOR WHAT YOU TWO ... I CAN'T EVEN BRING MYSELF TO SAY IT!" the screaming voice of Professor McGonagall filled the dining hall and continued on like this for several minutes until she actually appeared in the hallway, dragging Ron Weasley and Astrid Ackerley behind her, both of whom were looking quite pleased with themselves.

"You didn't receive much love as a child, did you Pr-" Astrid began, but was immediately cut off by McGonagall.

"IF YOU EVER SPEAK IN MY PRESENCE AGAIN I WILL HAVE YOU THROWN OUT OF HOGWARTS! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!?" McGonagall raged, everyone cowered, they had NEVER seen McGonagall this mad.

"How I supposed to answer if I'm not to speak?" Astrid asked, causing McGonagall to stop dead in her tracks.

"FIFTY POINTS FROM SLYTHERIN!" McGonagall screamed, dragging them through the hall again, seemingly towards Dumbledore at the teacher's table.

"ASTRID! YOU IDIOT!" all the Slytherin's called out in unison, as they began throwing English muffins and bagels in her direction, though most of them, suspiciously, seemed to be hitting Professor McGonagall.

"Don't worry lads! I'll get them back! Spit spo-" Astrid chirped cheerfully before she was cut off by McGonagall again.

"ANOTHER 20 POINTS!"

"That's -"

"ANOTHER!"

"not -"

"ANOTHER!"

"fair!"

"50 MORE!!!"

"AAAAASTRIIIIIID!"

"160 points on my second morning, that's got to be a school record!" Astrid chirped, seemingly oblivious to anything going on around her.

"LET'S MAKE IT AN EVEN 200!" McGonagall yelled and began dragging them out of the hall, Dumbledore now following them, looking quite amused.

It was only now that everyone noticed the Gryffindor table had been completely empty until McGonagall had shown up, and only now where students coming in. Half of them looked as if they were about to burst at the seams, they were laughing so hard. The other half looked as if they had recently been horribly emotionally scarred. Among this second group was Harry Potter.

"What happened?" the whispers began flying across the hall, and no one seemed to notice as Fausta slid out of her seat, looking quite mortified, and made a break for the hall door. But Malfoy beat her there and stood in her path, half torn between smirking triumphantly and screaming at her.

"Two-HUNDRED POINTS! NOT EVEN POTTER HAS EVER LOST THAT MUCH!" Malfoy screamed at Fausta finally.

"Remove yourself from my path, boy," Fausta spat, brushing past Malfoy, nearly knocking him off his feet.

"THEY FOUND HER WHERE!?" a yell rang out through the hall and Malfoy shuddered before running past an exhausted looking Neville Longbottom, after Fausta.

"I didn't get a wink of sleep last night," Neville began as a crowd of Hufflepuffs surrounded him and began asking him about Ron and Astrid ...

* * * * *

Fausta sat staring at the blackboard in her first Transfiguration class at Hogwarts. Malfoy sat several seats away, shooting daggers at her. It had been nearly 15 minutes since the first bell had rung, and neither Astrid, nor Professor McGonagall has shown up. Just when everyone was getting up to leave, McGonagall came storming in, still dragging Astrid behind her, though Astrid seemed oblivious to it.

"If it were ME, I would have taken the two hundred points!" McGonagall spat, shoving Astrid towards a seat.

"Yes, I know, you tried to!" Astrid reminded her and took a seat next to Fausta, ignoring the English muffins people had saved from breakfast to throw at her, watching as Fausta promptly found herself a new seat.

"DON'T YOU EVER SHUT UP!?" Malfoy stood up and screamed. Normally Professor McGonagall would have silenced such an outburst, but no one had ever seen McGonagall so mad, "YOU HAVE BROUGHT SHAME AND DISGRACE TO THE HOUSE OF SLYTHERIN!" Malfoy continued, watching with disbelief as Astrid ignored him completely and skipped towards a desk near Fausta, obviously not getting the point.

"YOU WILL LISTEN TO ME WHEN I AM SPEAKING TO YOU!" Malfoy continued to yell, and finally Astrid turned her large brown eyes on him, smiling all too pleasantly.

"Fausta was right, you're adorable when you're angry," Astrid said sweetly, watching as Malfoy turned beet red and a loud thud was heard as Malfoy fell back into his seat and Fausta let her head fall to her desk at almost the exact same moment.

"Now then, if we can all tear our attention away from Miss Ackerley for a moment, we have some very important work to get to. This year you will be learning how to transfigure yourselves, now, this is very dangerous, so we have to take this slowly," McGonagall began casting a glare at Astrid, as if she secretly wished Astrid would disobey her and end up a goat …

* * * * *

"How's your head?" Astrid asked with a grin as she jogged to keep up with Fausta on their way to Herbology.

"For the first time in my life, I can think of absolutely nothing to say to you," Fausta said, her tone indiscernible.

"How about Malfoy?" Astrid grinned and waved at several Gryffindors who were giving her thumbs up signs as she walked down the hallway. Fausta immediately hid her face and quickened her pace.

"Oh, no need to be jealous of my popularity, Fausta! I can introduce you around!" Astrid grinned, narrowly dodging an English muffin one of the Slytherins still seemed to have saved.

"'EY! THEY'RE GETTING STALE! These things should be classified as deadly weapons! Rock hard, they are, eh Fausta?" Astrid said as she pulled one out of her pocket and beaned Fausta in the head with it.

"You. Will. Not. Speak. To. Me." Fausta said, her voice low as she tried to control herself. And for a moment, Fausta thought Astrid had actually taken the hint … that's when she noticed Astrid was no long following her and was several feet back in the hallway, talking to Ron.

"ASTRID! GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!" Fausta screamed, watching Astrid scurry back.

"I thought I wasn't to talk to you," she said politely.

"There are worse things, Astrid, than having to talk to you. It's for the good for the house," Fausta finished and the two walked on to Herbology.

* * * * *

Herbology went off fairly smoothly. The students were potting Mandrakes, something they hadn't had to do for five years, and they would have liked to keep that record going. Especially Astrid, who was extremely distraught that no one could hear her with the earmuffs on. Next they had History of Magic, which Fausta spent subduing Astrid, because she had never seen a ghost before and was adamant that she had to stick her hand through Professor Binns. When they finally got to lunch, Fausta forced Astrid to sit at the other end of the table, because she was worried about the Slytherins collecting more ammunition.

"We're going to lose the House Cup this year because of that twit," Malfoy said sourly, seating himself next to Fausta as Crabbe and Goyle sat across from the two.

"No, Slytherin loses the House Cup every year because of Potter," Fausta said offhandedly, staring at her chicken.

"FAUSTA! HOW'S YOUR DINNER?" Astrid yelled down the table and paused before adding, "HAVE YOU GOTTEN AROUND TO TELLING MALFOY YOU'RE DESPERATELY IN LOVE WITH HIM YET? WOW, RON HAS A NICE - OH WAIT, DIDN'T MEAN TO YELL THAT! SORRY ALL!" Astrid yelled, and, quite satisfied with herself, settled down to eat.

"Yeah Fausta, why haven't you gotten around to that?" Goyle asked a bright red Fausta and was belching up slugs a moment later, care of a beet red Malfoy.

"She has no shame," Malfoy muttered, staring down at his chicken, looking quite disgusted.

"Don't tell me you're surprised," Fausta snorted, glancing over at the Gryffindor table to see Ron, also bright red -- Astrid had a knack for that.

"Why do you associate with her sort?" Malfoy spat finally, glancing over at her.

"You mean to tell me your sort is more preferable?" Fausta asked with a small smirk before a small chicken came waltzing down the table, "Astrid, stop playing with your food."

The chicken stopped, almost looking offended by Fausta's remark before a large, black rat burst from the chicken, landing on Malfoy's plate. It looked up at him with innocent, oil-drop eyes before Malfoy gave a shriek, but whether it was of fear or rage, no one could tell, and stormed from the hall, seemingly towards his next class.

Fausta merely stared at little Severus before another chicken came waltzing down the table, picked him up and began back towards Astrid.

"What's going on here?" Snape hissed as he appeared at the table to see what all the noise was about. The chicken immediately fell to the table and little Severus hid under it, cowering up at his namesake.

"Get that rat away from the table, Ackerley. It's disgusting," Snape hissed and turned to leave.

"But Malfoy's already gone, sir," Astrid said pleasantly, before Fausta spoke up.

"Shall I get Meph, Astrid?"

"I'll be good," Astrid sat quietly, and lunch continued uneventfully.

* * * * *

"You know the answer, Malfoy ... you know it!" Snape hissed, inches away from the boy's face, glaring at him insanely. He had taken the hit to Slytherin rather hard and was currently scrambling to regain some of Astrid's lost points.

"But I don't sir ... " Malfoy said, wincing ever so slightly as he tried to avert his gaze from Snape's beady, black eyes.

"I'm going to turn around and plug my ears. You have ten seconds to help Mr. Malfoy," Snape said, looking around at all the Slytherins as the Gryffindors sat, appalled.

"It's rat's tail!" Astrid yelled, as if she had been waiting to say that for the longest time. Snape looked at her, utterly dumbfounded.

"Wait until I have my fingers in my ears ... " he began, half way between exasperation, and complete and utter awe that Astrid had known the answer to his question.

"Er ... rat's tail?" Malfoy ventured, glancing between Astrid and Snape, who immediately turned to him, looking overjoyed.

"YES! Quite right! And since that was such a difficult and advanced question," he paused to consider for a moment, "20 points to Slytherin. I think that's fair."

"WHAT!?" Dean Thomas yelled.

"20 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!" Snape nearly squealed, sounding overjoyed once again.

"Sir! Potter's looking at you funny!" Astrid chimed, and Snape turned to consider her for a moment before turning his gaze on Harry, who looked a little too innocent.

"So Potter ... thought you could get away with it, did you?" Snape said silkily, enjoying himself far too much.

"Get away with what?" Harry asked, sounding quite confused.

"Don't you talk back to me! 15 points from Gryffindor! Perhaps that will teach you some manners, boy!" Snape said, now looking around the classroom almost frantically for a reason to hand out points to Slytherin. His eyes finally rested on Fausta and seemed to light up as an idea came to his mind.

"Ah! Fausta! You're sitting so nicely! Straight and proud! Just as a Slytherin should! 5 points to Slytherin!"

"Sir, don't you think you're getting a bit carried away?" this came from Malfoy. Normally Snape would have jumped on him, but he turned to Malfoy, an insane glimmer in his eyes.

"Excellent judgment Malfoy! 10 points to Slytherin!"

"Sir ... "

"Yes ... perhaps you're right ... perhaps we should get to some homework ... I want a five scroll report on the uses of rats tail by tomorrow!" he paused, looking around eagerly for one of the Gryffindors to speak up, but they were all just staring at him in shock. His face fell a little and he narrowed his eyes, "All right. One scroll. By the end of the week." He finished, sounding sorely disappointed.

"YOU'RE AN IDIOT!" Astrid yelled at Snape, not bothering to disguise her voice.

"WHAT!?" Snape screamed, turning towards her.

"IT WAS POTTER!" Astrid said immediately, grinning almost as Snape had.

"POTTER! DETENTION!" Snape called, gleeful once again.

"You can't be serious!" Ron piped up.

"RON! QUIET!" Astrid yelled quickly.

"You may join him, Weasley!" Snape hissed.

"OH! ME TOO SIR!" Astrid called, waving her arm in the air.

"Ackerley! Quiet, you're ruining it! Weasley, Potter - "

"And Ackerley!"

"NOT ACKERLEY!"

"Greasy old git."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that. As I was saying, Weasley, Potter," he paused to shoot a glare at Astrid so she wouldn't feel tempted to say anything further, "you will report to my office this evening at ten - "

"Actually sir, that's sort of an inconvenience, you see, Ron and I have some plans tonight, if you catch my drift, wink wink, nudge nudge," Astrid began again, winking at Snape who simply stared at her dumbfounded.

"You will be cleaning out my supply cabinet, I have some things I no longer require," Snape continued, as if he hadn't heard Astrid at all. The rest of their double potions class continued quietly, the Gryffindors too frightened to say anything, and the Slytherins too disgusted with Astrid's behavior. Harry, however, sat, slack-jawed and dumbfounded, wondering how this ever could have started ...