The Flip Side

The Flip Side

Chapter One

"But Da-ddy!"

"Abigail, I am warning you, not another word about it!"

Abigail Malfoy scowled and closed her mouth. Beside her, Draco sneered as he took another bite of his breakfast bangers. He found it amusing to watch his elder sister whine and still not get what she wanted.

The argument had started yesterday morning when the family's eagle owl had delivered the mail containing Draco and Abby's Hogwarts letters. Abby, who had spent the previous year away from Hogwarts studying as an exchange student at Durmstrang (a special opportunity awarded to her by Professor Snape, Head of Slytherin House), had not been the least bit pleased to hear she would be returning to Hogwarts. She had very nearly thrown a tantrum when Mr Malfoy had informed the two that they would be going to Diagon Alley the next day for school supplies.

She spent that night cuddling her gorgeous Himalayan cat Nightshade and sending letters by owl post back and forth to Marcus Flint about how horrible her life was. Eventually Flint promised her that he would arrive at Malfoy Manor the next morning and accompany her to Diagon Alley where they would meet up with some other members of Slytherin. The thought of seeing Flint the next day had considerably raised her spirits but still she had tried to plead her case to her father again that morning. The results were obvious; Lucius did not want to hear it.

"Abigail, darling, do not scowl," Mrs Malfoy said as she whisked through the kitchen. Dobby, the family's servant House Elf, dodged to avoid being knocked over by her as he raced about setting the table with more food. "Your face will stay that way." Draco stifled a laugh.

"Mother," Abby rolled her eyes. "Really."

Narcissa moved behind the table and licked her fingers and then pulled a stray strand of Abby's blonde hair back into place among her curled locks. "Must look our best, darling. Marcus will be here soon, after all." She used the last bit of saliva on her finger to wipe a crumb from Draco's face.

"Mother!" Abby repeated.

"Must look our best for Marcus," Draco mocked her with a howling laugh.

Abby was tempted to turn her brother into a spotted toad but held her tongue as Lucius re-entered the room. Both sat up straight under his disapproving gaze - he was often after them for squabbling. Then, after a sideways kick at Dobby who scurried from the room, he unexpectedly sat down with them at the table.

"Princess," he began, folding his hands neatly on the table. "I know how much of a dreadful letdown Hogwarts will be to go back to after the year you had. Especially with that wretched Professor Dumbledore in charge." Abby was nodding. "So how about I buy you something nice at Diagon Alley today?"

"Oh, honest, Daddy?" Abby beamed. "Can it be something from Knockturn Alley?"

"Anything you want, Princess," Lucius's grey eyes flickered.

"Oi! Hang on, what about me? Why does she get a present and I don't?" Draco interjected, shooting a displeased look at his sister.

"Alright, Draco, I'll get you a present as well," Lucius conceded, rolling his eyes. Draco looked triumphantly at Abby, who was about to argue but was cut off by Dobby as the elf came skidding back into the kitchen. He cast an apprehensive look at Lucius before speaking.

"Mistress Abigail!" he wheezed, quite out of breath. "Begging your pardon, miss, but Dobby has been sent to fetch you. Marcus Flint has just arrived by Floo Powder, miss, and he wants to see you."

Abby jumped to her feet and Draco sneered. "Mustn't keep Marcus waiting after all," he said as she passed but she ignored him with a toss of her blonde hair and he went back to chattering on about what he wanted for his present.

Abby marched through the many rooms of Malfoy Manor until she finally came to the large sitting room lavishly decorated with expensive furniture and beautiful scenic paintings portraying green grass blowing in the wind, clouds drifting passed mountains, and other such things. This room was Narcissa's pride and joy: a chance to show off her stature and fashionable taste. A pair of enormous glass doors led the way out to the veranda that overlooked the garden. Nightshade was napping on the arm of one of Narcissa's ivory coloured designer sofas. Standing in front of the white stone fireplace at the far end of the room was Marcus Flint - Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team and Abby's boyfriend for the past four years - carefully dusting his robes so as not to get a spot of dirt on the furniture.

Flint's dark, brooding eyes caught sight of her as she entered the room and his mouth twisted into his crooked, toothy grin. He curled his finger, beckoning her to him. She smiled coyly and walked to his side, nudging Nightshade off the sofa before her mother could catch him. "Hello, Marcus," she said.

Flint's reply was to lift her chin and lean down to kiss her. "Life's not so horrible now, is it?" he winked after pulling back again and then both looked up at the distinct sound of somebody clearing their throat. Lucius was standing across the room with his usual disapproving look on his face.

"Mr Flint," came Lucius's cold greeting.

"All right, Mr Malfoy?" Flint said with a cocky grin on his face. "Lovely day, in' it? If you don't mind, we'll just have a minute to enjoy it before it's off to Diagon Alley." Before Lucius could object, Flint took Abby's hand and led her out onto the veranda and closed the glass door behind him.

"The nerve of that boy," Lucius hissed as Narcissa came up next to him.

"I agree, father," Draco said loudly. Neither had noticed him follow Narcissa from the kitchen. "Utterly disgraceful."

"Off you go, Draco," Narcissa shooed him away. "Go and get dressed." Draco huffed but was pleased that he had gotten his word in and headed toward his room. Narcissa turned back to Lucius. "Now, darling, Marcus is a lovely boy. Captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team. Strong. From a wealthy family." She leaned closer to her husband's ear as she whispered, "Pure-blood. Our Abigail could do far worse, let me remind you." There was a knowing light in her eyes.

"Hmm," Lucius replied, not having taken his eyes from Abby and Flint as they crossed the garden. "Indeed. Provided he come in useful someday."

"Whether he does or not, we have more important matters at hand," Narcissa reminded him. "It is crucial that nobody suspect a thing."

"It is all in hand, Narcissa," Lucius tore his eyes away from the two outside. "They will be there today. Nought to worry about."

"Good," she said and kissed his cheek. "Now you had better decide what you're buying for Draco before he goes mad with anticipation," she teased and then left the room. As soon as she was out of sight, Nightshade was back up on the sofa.

Lucius ignored the cat and moved to leave but as he turned around he caught sight of Dobby hiding a little ways off. He shot a warning glare at the cowardly elf as he smoothly swept past, wondering if that had not been the first time Dobby had been listening in on a conversation. He would have to think of a suitable punishment later.

*

It wasn't much later before it was off to Diagon Alley. Flint told Abby that Adrian Pucey and Terrence Higgs would meet them in front of Gringott's around noon and Lucius had some business at Borgin & Burkes in Knockturn Alley. Naturally this interested Draco (who had now been promised a racing broom) and he insisted that he accompany his father. This arrangement was met with objections from neither Abby nor Flint, who were quite pleased that they would not have Draco tagging along.

As it was not yet noon when they arrived at Gringott's, Pucey and Higgs were not there. Abby and Flint waited next to the white marble staircase and passed the time with a lot of snogging and cuddling, stopping only momentarily to leer at passers-by (most horribly at younger Hufflepuffs) and mutter rotten things about them just loud enough for them to hear.

"Not interrupting anything, are we mate?"

They looked up; Pucey and Higgs had finally arrived. It was ten past twelve.

"You're late," Flint grinned after one last kiss from Abby.

"But just in time for a little fun," Higgs said and pointed over his shoulder. "Look who's coming."

Abby and Flint emerged from behind the stairs to look in the direction Higgs had indicated. The entire Weasley family was making their way down the street along with two other children obviously not of the family but recognizable at any rate. In fact, by Draco's uncanny accuracy of their descriptions (through constant ranting all summer), Abby knew the two to be none other than Hermione Granger and the famous Harry Potter.

The four Slytherins stared down the troupe of Gryffindors as they neared. Flint had told Abby in one of his many letters about Gryffindor's overthrow of Slytherin's seven-year House Cup winning streak (though Slytherin had still managed to secure the Quidditch Cup). They overheard the name Malfoy come up in conversation as the group passed and Percy Weasley looked in their direction, and then quickly looked away.

*

"Oh no," Percy muttered under his breath.

Fred and George heard the sentiment and paused in their curiosity, letting the rest of the family pass by and into Gringott's. "What is it, Perce?" Fred grinned. "Lose your Prefect badge?"

"No," Percy glowered at them.

"Are you certain?" George feigned concern. "We could search Diagon Alley for you. In fact, give us a minute and we'll have the Ministry of Magic on the case!"

"They'll leave no stone unturned!" Fred declared.

"I haven't lost my badge, thank you," Percy stated firmly. "I've only just seen someone I didn't care to see any time soon."

"Oh? Who's that then?" Fred asked.

Percy quickly jerked his head over his shoulder and the twins turned their attention to the gang of Slytherins at the bottom of the steps. "Oh," George said in recognition. "Them."

"Or more specifically her, I'd imagine," Fred added. "Has it been a whole year already? I'd gotten rather used to having her gone."

"It's nought to joke about," Percy snapped. "Excuse me." He pushed by them and entered the towering building. Fred and George followed quickly and, once inside, moved behind Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Funny how you mentioned seeing Draco Malfoy earlier, Harry," Fred scratched his ear.

"Why's that?" Harry asked, not particularly seeing anything funny about seeing Draco Malfoy at any time.

"Because we've just seen his older sister outside," said George as Mr Weasley spoke to the Gringott's goblins.

"Another Malfoy?" Ron frowned deeply. "That's all we need! I expect she's just like Draco then?"

"Of course not, Ron - she's a girl," George grinned.

"I meant that she's horrid, you great lump!" Ron snapped.

"She's all mouth and no sense to shut it," Percy said stiffly, obviously wishing they'd change the subject. "Nothing more."

"Not quite," George went on. "She's quite the looker. Shame how a big gob ruins that."

"All you need's a good Silencing charm..." Fred winked.

"Fred Weasley, don't you even think about it!" Mrs Weasley turned around suddenly. They'd almost forgotten she was there. "I seriously doubt it would be seen as an accident after the second time."

"Fred blasted her with a jaw-locking jinx in our second year," George said, stifling a laugh. "Worked better then we thought it would."

"You didn't!" Hermione looked horrified at Fred.

"Brilliant!" beamed Harry and Ron together.

"She had to have her meals through a straw for a week," Fred nodded.

"Most relaxing time we've ever had," George added.

Harry, Ron and Ginny were laughing. Hermione was shaking her head and trying not to smile. Even Percy's eyes revealed that he'd not entirely thought it to be the wrong thing to do.

"Of course, old McGonagall had a go at me for it," Fred continued. "And I had detention with Filch for every day she couldn't move her mouth." He thought for a moment. "And I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

"You most certainly will not!" Mrs Weasley interjected. Honestly, the woman had ears like a fox. Mr Weasley, however, was laughing silently to himself, hoping his wife wouldn't see.

"And that was it?" Ron asked. "I can't see a Malfoy - or anyone, really - forgetting something like that too easily."

"Oh, she didn't forget," Fred shook his head. "Especially when George and I made the Quidditch team."

"And since she's dating old Flint..." George trailed off.

"Oh," Harry groaned as he realized what they were saying. He had met Marcus Flint last year in the Quidditch match against Slytherin and knew him to be a nasty piece of work in his own right. Harry didn't like to think of the consequences of really angering him.

"But it was still worth it," Fred grinned.

Another silencing look from his mother and no more was said about it. Harry and the Weasleys made the trips to their respective bank vaults and soon returned to the surface where Hermione was waiting with her parents. She looked contemplative.

"Fred?" she asked. "I've been wondering. Just why did you cast that jinx? Surely not for fun?"

"Never you mind," Percy said quickly and brushed by to go his own way, muttering something about quills.

"What, Hermione?" Fred shrugged in response to her question. "You mean to say I needed a reason?"

*

Percy walked through the large bronze front doors of Gringott's and looked around cautiously; the Slytherins were nowhere in sight. He sighed in relief and started down the marble steps, peering up and down Diagon Alley and wondering if Penelope Clearwater had arrived yet. He reached the cobbles of the street and turned to his left...and almost immediately fell flat on his face, spilling the coins his mother had given him.

"Careful, Weasley. Your life savings is getting away from you."

Percy gathered himself together and looked up at the sneering faces of Flint, Abby, Pucey and Higgs. They'd been hiding around the side of Gringott's steps waiting for one of the Weasleys to come out, and they couldn't hide their glee that it had been him. Percy was suddenly furious with himself for believing they'd actually just gone off.

Percy shoved the coins into his pocket and as he went to stand, Flint and Pucey roughly dragged him to his feet, and then proceeded to shove him against the stair wall. Percy refused to lose his dignity even with the larger boys leering at him.

"Can I help you with something, Flint?" he asked as normally as one could when two much stronger boys are squashing one against a marble staircase.

"Dunno, Weasley," Flint flashed his horrible grin. "Maybe you'd like to tell us why you lot were discussing Abby's family just then?"

Percy swallowed. His gaze darted to Abby, who was clinging to Flint's other arm and watching him maliciously. "Harry had just seen your brother, Abby, and was telling us about it. Nothing more. Now, if you please-"

"Nothing more?" Abby cut him off. "Funny, I could swear I heard my father's name mentioned."

"He was-"

"You remember the last time you spoke ill of my family, don't you Weasley?" Abby took a serious tone and she moved in front of him, staring him down.

"I'd think you would remember it just as well," Percy's voice was defiant. Abby's eyes narrowed and Flint and Pucey pushed Percy even more forcefully into the wall. Percy's eyes bulged.

Abby stepped back and reattached herself to Flint's arm. The Slytherin Captain leaned closer to Percy. "No brothers to back you up this time, though," he snarled. "Maybe it's time we finish what was started."

They were now holding him so strongly that Percy was finding it difficult to breathe. His stomach knotted but he held his composure and stared straight back into Flint's threatening gaze.

Suddenly something caught Flint's eye and his attention shifted. Percy looked to see what: the shining Prefect badge on his shoulder.

"Oh, that's right," Flint sneered. "Weasley's a school Prefect. That changes everything, don't it, Adrian?"

"Oh yeah," Pucey sniggered. "Wouldn't wanna land ourselves in a right mess by beating up someone so important."

"Oi! Terry!" Flint called over his shoulder.

"Yeah?" Higgs moved over to him.

Flint shifted his grip on Percy and swiftly tore the Prefect badge from his cloak. "Isn't this yours?" he said and tossed the badge to Higgs.

"Mine's nicer," Higgs replied. "But maybe I'll start up a collection!" Percy watched in horror as Higgs pinned it to his cloak beside his own badge and puffed out his chest in imitation of Percy. The other Slytherins howled with laughter.

"Let him go."

Percy looked beyond Higgs to the source of the voice: George and Fred were standing behind him accompanied by their friend Lee Jordan, all three with their wands pointed at Marcus Flint's back. Abby and Higgs went for their wands but froze as Jordan shifted his aim to Higgs and Fred to Abby. Fred winked and Abby set her jaw in a scowl.

"Let him go, Flint," George repeated. "I wouldn't want to have to do anything that would leave you injured when Quidditch season starts."

Flint and George stared each other down; neither one seemed to blink. It was unlikely that Flint was worried George would make good on his threat (being bigger than both twins put together), and he was certainly not one to back down from a fight. But, as his eyes flickered momentarily to look just beyond George, he could see the rest of the Gryffindor team - Wood, Johnson, Spinnet and Bell - moving toward them. Abby, Pucey and Higgs saw them too and glanced at Flint.

After a moment's indecision, Flint took hold of Percy's robes with both hands and threw him hard to the ground. Percy gritted his teeth as his skin scraped along the cobbles and Higgs dropped the Prefect badge beside him and proceeded to stomp on it.

"See you on the pitch," Flint snarled at George and then led the Slytherins away. Fred blew a kiss at Abby as she passed and she tossed her hair and hurried up to walk beside Flint. As he passed the other Gryffindors, Flint threw a shoulder into Oliver Wood. Angelina Johnson held him back as Wood moved to retaliate. They hurried to where Fred and George were helping Percy to his feet.

"All right, Percy?" Wood asked.

"Fine, thank you," Percy said as he pinned his badge back on his robes. His frustration was evident in his voice.

"I knew there would be trouble now their little gang's back together," Angelina snorted. "Pathetic, she is, that Abby Malfoy."

"Oh, d'you know, she deliberately turned me blue in Potions class once?" Alicia Spinnet said. "Remember Angelina? She came in to deliver a message to Snape and then tossed something in my cauldron on the way out! And then Snape took points from Gryffindor because I had made a mess!"

"She's all mouth and no sense to shut it," Percy repeated his earlier assessment of Abby. Then with a look at his brothers that mixed gratitude with humiliation, he strode off with all the dignity he could muster.

"What d'you reckon, Fred?" George folded his arms. "Is there another Silencing charm in Miss Malfoy's future?"

"Well, George, I was never good in Divination, but I think this calls for something much better," Fred snickered, and Wood couldn't help but wonder if he was going to have to replace his team's Beaters due to a double-expulsion.