Spoils of Vanity

* * Chapter 8 * *

The Hogwarts Express steamed briskly northwards under grey skies. Heavy rain ran sideways along the windows of the train. Deirdre and Eddie joined their fellow prefects who filled them in on the news and gossip they had missed. Deirdre was unaffected; returning to Hogwarts always meant finding out a huge amount of events she had not heard of since news had so much trouble percolating through the Fae lands. Eddie was infuriated. Death Eaters and the Dark Mark at the Quidditch World Cup. The first time he drops out of touch for more than a weekend in his entire life and everything goes bananas.

He and Deirdre had arrived just in time for the Express, Floo-ing into Diagon Alley, then dashing across London to Kings Cross. Eddie's stepmother had sent his luggage on and he had picked it up at the station with her note.

His father was on assignment somewhere...they would see him at Christmas of course...and your lady friend...hugs and kisses...Matchmaking Mother.

Eddie laughed at the signature, as did Deirdre. His stepmother had decided last year that he and Deirdre were obviously going to be together forever. She had teased him constantly last year by sending him pictures of his twin sisters looking grumpy and put-upon in different bridesmaids frocks, brochures for reception venues and other things. He and Deirdre were compiling it into a faux-wedding book, which she had hidden in her dorm-room - they figured it had been found, though, because all of a sudden during final term their classmates had started going to elaborate lengths to give them time alone.

Their prefect duties took them an hour. The Ravenclaw prefects traditionally held that inspiring the fear of God in the new first years was the way to a hassle-free year. It began as soon as they boarded the Hogwarts Express, and so Eddie and Deirdre took the time to be seen keeping an eye on things, together with their sixth and seventh year counterparts. After touring up and down the train once, feeling thankful they did not have to deal with Dementors this year, they dropped into the compartment their friends had kept for them.

The lunch trolley had been and gone and a stack of Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Pasties along with a pair of Butterbeers were waiting for them. Piteous was draped from the luggage rack, paw hanging over his good eye, while Eddies owl Beetweazle slept contentedly in his cage as it swung to and fro with the motion of the train. A murderous looking hooded crow and a trembling, staring Siamese made up the last of the pets belonging to his classmates.

One of those classmates was Jack Tymon. While Eddie chewed on a Cauldron Cake, Jack gleefully described the chaos and action that they had missed at the World Cup. His mother worked in the Department of Magical Transportation and had told him about the Triwizard Tournament, another huge piece of news Eddie had missed. He glared at Deirdre but she ignored him for a stack of old editions of the Daily Prophet. Eddie gritted his teeth and wished that his prefect duties had extended a bit longer because he was coming dangerously close to hexing 'Twitching' Jack into the middle of next week and never mind the consequences.

"I can't believe you didn't hear about it, man, it was the most exciting thing that's happened in ages! Since Black escaped I reckon, and anyway, that was no fun with all the Dementors, but the Triwizard Tournament? With the Death Eaters on the loose again? It'll be chaos and..."

A low voice cut across Jack's excited twittering.

"Oh yes, Jack, Death Eaters kicking around is the best thing since self-spelling wands. Look who you're talking to, you pillock."

The last occupant of the compartment was Rufus Maxwell, a massive seventh year Ravenclaw prefect. He raised an eyebrow at Jack, who stopped abruptly and stared at Rufus, and then looked at Eddie. Both of them had lost more than one family member during Voldemort's rise to power. Eddie could swear he saw the penny drop behind Jack's eyes.

"Oh. Oooh! Sorry! I didn't mean that, I mean, what I meant was..."

Deirdre held up her hand. "Jack, we're terribly fond of you, but you really are a thoughtless prat sometimes."

"I know. I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

Eddie had to smile at that. "Don't lie, Jack."

Jack grinned back. "Okay, I'll try not to do it again? Don't mention the war. Got it."

"No, Jack," Rufus sighed. "Mention it, whatever, just don't sound like it's a new fun sport. It's not. It's grim, Jack, and people are worried."

Eddie sat back and nodded. "My father always said they were out there. If you look through the transcripts of the Death Eater trials, Mulciber must have been the most powerful wizard ever to tread the earth. According to the trials, half of them were acting under his Imperius curse."

"I don't know. When the Dark Mark went off, everyone ran, even the Death Eaters. I think it was just drunken Muggle baiting. You-Know-Who is gone. Whatever it was that Potter did must have knocked him down and out."

"Actually," Deirdre said, looking up from the paper "I don't reckon we're in that much trouble yet. He hates Potter right?"

"Well, if he were around to have emotions, then I would guess so," said Rufus with a shrug.

She nodded. "That's what I mean, if he were around. Potter has tangled with his best efforts twice now, and he's still alive. This is Potter, the mopey little runt who's good on a broom, surviving the supposed wrath of You-Know-Who? Twice? This is the Dark Lord whose name we will still not speak?"

"My mother reckons he's still out there, just a horrible spectre." Jack glanced around nervously. "He was always looking to live forever, they say, and some of the Dark Arts he used were so terrible that when Potter survived and You-Know-Who was blown away, the dead wouldn't have him. He's too evil even for the next world."

Rufus shrugged. "Whatever the truth of it, he's not a threat anymore. When he had power he used it. He was never one for subtlety - he was an old school reign of terror tyrant, plain and simple. If he ever comes back - if he ever has power again - we'll know about it."

Eddie nodded, thinking of the gap in the pictures of his family, from four of them, and pictures of their summer cottage on the coast, to just two, and no further appearance of the cottage. Rufus scowled and stared out the window.

"It won't be some Muggle-baiting or a random Dark Mark. Whatever you say about You-Know-Who, he excels at what he does, which is inspiring fear. His first move would be to wipe out someone prominent and do it messily. I wouldn't fancy my chances as a Weasely if he does come back. Or the Abbotts or the Cottonwells: big families, always opposed to him, and survived the last war intact."

Deirdre folded her newspaper with a snap. "Enough! No more dreary nonsense! What about the tournament? Beauxbatons and Durmstrang? This should be interesting."

Rufus nodded. "I have a distant cousin who went to Durmstrang, he was a little odd. They teach the Dark Arts there, and I think something went a wrong in class one day."

Deirdre raised her eyebrows. "A miscast in Dark Arts class? Ouch."

"He kept wandering off, my brother told me, and then he would turn up raving about polar bears. I think he's still up there somewhere, wandering about and harassing penguins."

"Penguins are from Antartica, they would be 'down'."

Rufus snorted. "Okay, maybe he harasses Eskimos. I'm just saying Durmstrang did not do him much good."

Jack snorted. "Stuff Durmstrang, I'm interested in Beauxbatons, and those charmingly-accented Mademoiselles." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and the other three rolled their eyes and Eddie and Rufus exchanged looks as Jack spiralled off on a leering third-hand story about what his brother in law had gotten up to on holidays in Paris. It was light on plausible content and heavy on the kinky details. Eddie found himself envying Beetweazle's ability to sleep, and was thankful when the time came for them to supervise the disembarkation at Hogsmeade.

Icy rain fell hard and fast on the dark platform, and water sluiced across the ground as they got off. Jack and Rufus took the four creatures to one of the carriages, Rufus hauling the birdcages while Jack herded Piteous along. Soaked to the skin, directing the other students along with his lit wand, Eddie was annoyed to see his owl swinging jauntily in the storm. Damn cock-eyed sailor's owl. He shook his head and chivvied some second years along to the carriages. Jacks cat, Malt, howled and hid under his coat, and soon the yowling creature was the only clue Eddie had to Jack's whereabouts in the crowd. Hagrid's massive silhouette could be seen at the end of the platform waving a lantern and bellowing for the first years.

"Wouldn't want to be on that lake in this mess."

Deirdres voice at his elbow made him turn. She was looking at him over the top of her rain-covered glasses. Her hat brim was drooping with water and she was grinning.

"Soft night, as my uncle would say."

"Would he, Hell! This is a storm and no quaint Irish saying is going to change that!"

Deirdre stuck her tongue out and turned back to the crowd. "All right, pick it up you lot! The quicker everyone's in the carriages, quicker everyone's fed and dry!"

"Think of that warming grub! Hop to!"

Minutes dragged in the cold and wet until Eddie and Deirdre were packed into a carriage and on their way up to the castle. The carriage lurched to a halt in front of the entrance and the four Ravenclaws climbed out, followed by a second year Slytherin straggler who had nearly gotten left behind in Hogsmeade. Rufus's crow, Baal, had spent the entire journey staring at the smaller boy, and he dashed up the steps into the entrance hall as soon as they stopped. The Ravenclaws followed him, to catch up with the tail end of the crowd Professor McGonagall was leading into the Great Hall. Jack spotted the slick floor, took two steps and slid gracefully across, looking over his shoulder to grin at them - and nearly slamming into the doorjamb.

The others caught up and headed to the Ravenclaw table to their year mates, Rufus heading off to the other seventh years, leaving Eddie, Deirdre and Jack to drop down by the other fifth years. They were easily in the running for the wettest people in the room, Eddie thought as he wrung out his hat, and then had to swiftly amend to that as the first years entered. Water dripped steadily off them, and a tiny one at the front was wrapped in what looked like skin off a gigantic Niffler, one as big as a horse. It took him a few moments to place the huge black fuzzy sheet as Hagrid's coat.

"Ah."

"Poor little mite, looks like he fell in the lake."

Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on its stool at the top of the hall and it began to sing. The hat's verses about the four founders of Hogwarts always made him smile. Watching the first years, Eddie wondering if he had looked so small and terrified when he had been sorted.

At the end, Professor McGonagall unrolled a scroll and began the sorting. "Ackerly, Stuart" was called first, shaking visibly, to sit and wear the hat and after a brief moment the Sorting Hat cried "Ravenclaw!"

The table erupted with cheers as Ackerley hurried across to them. The second years clapped him on the back and shook his hand, and he looked thrilled and bewildered. Jack waved down the table before turning to Eddie.

"I reckon this year's lot are going to be good."

"Why?"

"I've got a feeling." He tapped his nose, then changed topics "When do you reckon we'll hear about you-know-what?"

The pale blonde witch to Eddies right looked around at them.

"You on about the... em... contest?"

Jack scowled at her.

"What contest might I be talking about, Sarah?"

Sarah Finch stared back at him, speaking only just loud enough to be heard through the din of cheering.

"Maybe an international one?"

Jacks face was a study in indifference.

"Maybe it was something academic."

Sarah slapped her hand down on the table, making Eddie's plate and cutlery jump and knocking the saltcellar over.

"Ah ha! You were talking about it! International academic contest, you're not talking about a spelling bee with the Yank's!"

"Shush! No ones supposed to know yet! All I was asking was when it was going to be announced."

"Jack, almost everyone knows! Malfoy wouldn't shut up about it on the train, and all the prefects know." She looked pointedly at Eddie and Deirdre "So all the prefects' friends know."

Eddie shook his head. "Until I hear it from Dumbledore, it's business as usual."

"Sure."

Sarah and Jack both nodded and exchanged meaningful looks as the sorting neared its end with "Quirke, Orla!" getting a rousing cheer before "Whitby, Kevin" was sent to Hufflepuff. Sarah leaned across the table.

"Y'know, being put into Hufflepuff must really suck. It's like a pat on the head. 'You can go join the Hufflepuffs! Isn't that nice!'"

Jack shrugged. "Its pretty bad alright, like saying you're not good enough for a real house."

"Harsh, but fair."

Deirdre leaned around Eddie. "Hey! You want to bad mouth 'Puffs, go join Slytherin. We've got standards here."

"Well, I'm sorry, your Majesty, I didn't realise you were so taken with Hufflepuffs."

"Its just it must be hard enough for them, being stuck where they are, without us rubbing it in."

Eddie grinned at Deirdre's damningly faint praise.

Dumbledore stood at the head of the hall, his eyeglasses glinting in the light as he raised his arms. His voice echoed around the Great Hall.

"I have only two words to say to you. Tuck in!"

Cheers and shouts of acknowledgement greeted the food as it materialized in the empty plates and dishes before them. Eddie passed around a plate of sliced beef, while Jack loaded roast potatoes onto his plate and Deirdre lifted a tray of Yorkshire puddings. Food flew to and fro across the table until the ten fifth-years were served. Then, with a collective nod and a grin, they tucked in.

* * Chapter 9 * *

After the incendiary news of the Welcoming Feast, the older prefects left the newer ones to herd the rest of their housemates together so they could get on with their analysis and planning for the Triwizard Tournament. By the time Eddie and Deirdre got to the common room, most of the other Ravenclaws were there as well, chattering excitedly about the upcoming excitements. The fifth years eventually arrived to find Jack Tymon standing on top of the table in the rooms bay window. The point of his hat was pulled down inside itself to make a rough approximation of a top hat, and he was busy talking up the merits of various potential Ravenclaw school champions.

"....or Rufus Maxwell? Strong as a small herd of bulls nailed together, a lightning draw with his hexing-wand, smart enough to out think a sphinx in its pyramid; this dashing gent would be ideal! Name me a Gryffindor whose bravery he can't equal, or a Slytherin more cunning? Can you?"

The dozen first and second years gathered around were grinning and clapping without any idea of whom this manic older student was talking about. The rest of the Ravenclaws were gossiping and swapping news with friends they hadn't seen on the train, and the Quidditch team was commiserating each other on the terrible news that there would be no Cup this year.

Rufus glanced up from where he was talking, heads together with Jason Dace and Hortense Truman, the sixth year prefects. His eyes met Eddies and he jerked his head at Jack. Eddie nodded, and touched Deirdres arm, bringing up his wand to point at Jack.

"Silencio!"

Jacks lips continued to move but his voice stopped abruptly. Deirdre shooed the first years up to their dormitories, and glared at the second years to do the same, while Eddie pulled Jack down and straightened his hat.

"Finite Incantatem."

Jack worked his lips extravagantly before grinning at Eddie. "Little harsh, Edward old chum, don't you think?"

"Jack, let me give this to you as straight as I know how. I have a girlfriend with whom I desire to spend every second of my waking time. Unfortunately, I also have OWL's to pass this year, and miscellaneous prefects duties to perform. No doubt with this tournament and dealing with these other schools, my workload just increased exponentially, further diminishing the time I get to spend in her company." Eddie's voice remained low but his tone grew harsher as he continued, "You would do well to make sure that through your actions, either directly or indirectly, you do not add to my work and steal from my time with Dee. I don't care what you do, so long as it is discreet. Rabble-rousing in the common room? That is not discreet. Already, I am forced to have this chat with you when I could be whispering sweet nothings to someone a good deal more attractive. Do not put me in this situation again. Do we understand each other?"

"Yeah, Eddie, I gotcha, heh, no need for the heavy stuff."

"Fond as I am of you Jack, I am not putting up with last years headaches again this year. Don't speak. Just nod."

Jack nodded.

"Good. Get out of my sight."

Jack swallowed, grinned shallowly and hurried off to the fifth year dormitory. Eddie took deep breaths to calm himself down. He had not meant to go off on Jack like that - but coming in to find him on the table, getting the first years all excited before bedtime and making a fuss, had brought all the hassle and rubbish from last year flooding back. He and Jack had been best of friends since first year, but while Eddie managed to stay close to the straight and narrow, Jack fell off and climbed back on so often he had lost count. Even the notoriously good-humoured Professor Flitwick's smile faded a notch when Jack was mentioned.

Jack had spent last year skiving around, getting in trouble and forcing Eddie to cover for him constantly, doing nothing all year before cramming for three weeks and clawing through his exams on reasonable passes. There was no question that Jack was as smart as they came, but he had the focus of a nervous field mouse, and seemed to have a pathological inability to stay out of trouble. Eddie was on reasonably familiar terms with Jason and Hortense just from having been around when they hauled Jack up time and again.

After he and Deirdre had become more than friends, Eddie had been less involved in Jacks misdeeds. But this year Jack fell squarely in Eddie's jurisdiction. The thought of having to go through all the hassle that he knew Jason and Hortense had been put through last year made Eddie's fists clench, and he had let it all out on Jack. Perhaps he should have been more prudent, but he could not regret having told the truth. It annoyed him that he had lost his temper on their first night back though.

Hands wrapped around him from behind and ran up his chest, someone hugged him quickly from behind, startling Eddie from his cross thoughts.

"You say the most delightful things," said Deirdre as she crossed in front of him to sit in one of the tall chairs at the table. Eddie felt his bad humour dissolve and he followed her with a grin.

"What particularly appealed to you?"

"I think it was 'whispering sweet nothings to someone a good deal more attractive.'" She swooned theatrically, laying the back of her hand across her forehead "Oh, Eddie such poetry, it quite overwhelms a girl."

"I think you have a chance here, Eddie." Rufus spoke from behind him. "She probably wouldn't argue with that silver tongue of yours being put to other uses either."

Eddie rolled his eyes and flicked out his open hand to smack lightly against Rufus.

"Don't you think those kind of thoughts about my girl, Rufus."

"He makes a valid point," Deirdre raised her eyebrows and tapped her fingernail against her teeth "I shall have to consider this..."

"Oh stop that, not here for goodness' sake, not now!"

"I don't know what you two are talking about," said Rufus nonchalantly, dropping into another chair at the table "I meant maybe he could serenade you or something, seeing as he's already well practiced at carving people up with it. Little harsh with Twitchy, don't you think?"

"He pushed me, Rufus." Eddie dropped into the third chair "And with OWL's and everything, I do not need to spend a year chasing about fixing up after him."

"Fair enough, but don't let the badge go to your head. Your duty is to uphold the rules of the school, not a license to enforce some grand vision of how things should be run. That's Slytherin thinking."

"I understand Rufus."

"Good. Since we're on the topic of getting things straight for the coming year, you see."

Deirdre nodded. "We get it, Rufus."

"Good. I have to go scheme with the rest of the prefects, plans for the Triwizard. See if we can break Gryffindors' monopoly on the heroics."

"Sure."

"See you later, Rufus."

"Will do." The big seventh year stood up, pausing before he walked off to put a hand on Eddies shoulder. "By the way, he didn't push you. You only thought he did." He said, and then walked off before Eddie could process this and respond. Eddie scowled at the tabletop in front of him, until Deirdre touched his arm.

"Its okay, Eddie."

"I know." He sighed. "It's just... it's just Jack. He's my best mate and everything but sometimes he just pushes my buttons without even trying. All I want is him to stop the blatant chaos-mongering from last year, so that I don't have to spend another year wasting my time picking up after him."

Eddie ran his hands roughly through his hair, before glancing worriedly at Deirdre. "Am I being unreasonable?"

"Not in principle. In expectation, maybe."

"Oh, Hell. I hope not."

"Me too." Glancing around to make sure they were not being overheard, Deirdre lifted his hand and kissed his knuckles, her eyes sparkling over her glasses. "We're back at Hogwarts now, and I want all of that silver tongue that I have due to me."