Independent Thinker

Chapter Two - The Offer

Millicent hovered a few feet above the ground on her broom, holding her Beater's Bat casually over her shoulder. For the fourth year in a row, she was the only girl at the try-outs. Why none of the other Slytherin girls liked Quidditch, she had no idea.

The most she could hope for was being chosen a reserve Beater. That's the position she held last year, when Vince and Greg had been chosen over her. It didn't matter that Millicent flew better than both of them. It didn't matter that she was more accurate with her Beater's Bat. She wasn't best friends with Draco Malfoy.

She wiped away some sweat that had formed on her forehead. It had been a tiring try-out; more than two hours of intense flying. Her eyes scanned the crowd that had gathered to watch the try-outs. All her dorm mates, Pansy, Daphne and even Tracey Davis were sitting there. A few blokes that had no Quidditch skills, but didn't want to be left out were enjoying the try-outs as well. Professor Snape sat by himself, overseeing everything.

A whistle blew, and Millicent brought her broom to a landing position. Quentin Urquhart, the new Slytherin captain, was frowning over a piece of parchment. Everyone was extremely surprised when Professor Snape chose Urquhart over Malfoy. Urquhart had only been a reserve last year, and now he was the captain. Most Slytherins seemed to think that Professor Snape wanted some consistency. Urquhart was only a fourth year, so he would be captain for four years. The real question was if the veterans, like Bletchley or Vaisey, would listen to him.

The team needed two additional Chasers. All the other positions would be the same as last year. Urquhart first thanked everyone for trying out. He then announced that Malcolm Baddock and Daniel Vaisey (who had been a reserve last year) would be the new Chasers.

Millicent let out the breath she hadn't been aware she had been holding when Urquhart announced that she would still be the reserve Beater. She didn't even want to think about what she would do if they took that away from her.

She started to walk back to the castle by herself when she was flagged down by her dorm mates. Millicent stopped, simply because it was easier to deal with them now then dealing with them later.

Pansy and Tracey, Millicent really had no time for. But Millicent was extremely protective of Daphne. Sometimes Daphne reminded Millicent of a bird who wounded its wing. All the bird wanted to do was fly away, but no matter how hard it tried, couldn't get up off of the ground.

Pansy looked Millicent over with a critical eye. "Quidditch robes really aren't flattering on women, Millicent," said Pansy with a slightly smug expression.

"Aren't you lucky then that you don't have to wear them?" asked Millicent, rolling her eyes. Pansy wanted something. Now Millicent just had to figure out what.

"Daphne was telling us about your first Potions lesson with Slughorn," said Pansy, trying not to giggle. "About the Love Potion."

Millicent started walking back towards the school and the rest of the girls quickly followed. Only after a few steps did Millicent remember to slow down so that she didn't walk too far ahead.

"What about it?" shrugged Millicent.

"What did you smell?" asked Tracey, far too eagerly.

Millicent thought back to what she smelled when the fumes of the potion passed by the desk where the Slytherins had been sitting. The aroma of fresh baked sugar cookies mixed with the slight smell of leather had filled her head.

"I don't remember," said Millicent sullenly. That was a personal question, and she certainly didn't have an arm-in-arm friendship with any of the girls. She might possibly tell Daphne if they were on their own.

"Did Draco say what he smelled?" asked Pansy. She was obviously trying to sound casual, but failed miserably at it.

"I think he told Nott," said Millicent, trying to remember. She, Daphne, Malfoy and Nott all sat at the same table, being the only Slytherins in the class. "He didn't tell Daphne or me."

"Damn," said Pansy, crinkling up her nose while she and Tracey dissolved into a fit of giggles.

"I smelled the ocean," said Daphne quietly. "I felt so...so free. I would have loved to have won that potion, wouldn't you?"

"A perfect day?" said Millicent, ignoring the group of Gryffindor seventh years that were walking towards the Quidditch Pitch. She wouldn't lose her temper. She wouldn't lose her temper. She wouldn't lose her temper...

"Who wouldn't want that?" asked Daphne with a slight smile.

"Hey, Bulstone!" shouted one of the Gryffs.

Daphne tensed up immediately. After all, she had been there earlier in the week, when Millicent tried to get her revenge on the Gryffs. "Please don't do anything stupid, Millicent," whispered Daphne, her hazel eyes wide. "You'll get kicked out of school."

Millicent stood tall, her hand on her hip, her Beater's Bat over her shoulder. Even Pansy and Tracey were looking at her warily. "You all go ahead. I'll catch right up."

It was four against one. Luckily, Millicent was taller than all of them. Her wand was easily accessible if it came to that. One of them, McLaggen, grabbed her arm. "Don't think we're not going to get you back for that stunt you pulled, Bulstone-"

Millicent ripped her arm out of his grasp. "My name is Bulstrode," she said forcefully. "At least I don't have to go running to a professor. I fight my own battles."

"Oh yeah?" asked Coote, taking out his wand and pointing it right at her. "We can fight battles, too. You want to fight a battle, Bulstone?"

"There will be no battling this close to the Quidditch Pitch," interrupted Professor Snape smoothly. "Five points from Gryffindor for threatening a fellow student with a wand."

The four Gryffindors stalked away quickly, obviously unwilling to engage Millicent any further with Professor Snape right there. Millicent simply stood there, waiting for her heart rate, which had been raised considerably at the thought of fighting, to lower back to normal.

She glared at Professor Snape, trying to mentally tell him that this is what she put up with. This constant bullying. And Millicent was so sick of it. Why wouldn't she try to stop it on her own?

"You have a free period after breakfast on Mondays, I believe?" asked Professor Snape, ignoring the look on her face.

"Yes, sir," said Millicent trying to put as much surliness into her voice as she could get away with.

"The Headmaster would like to meet with you during that time, if you are agreeable," said Professor Snape. "The password is Acid Pops."

Millicent stared at him for a moment. "I thought the password was Sugar Quill."

"I wouldn't make it a habit of keeping track of the passwords that the Headmaster uses, Miss Bulstrode. At least not out loud," said Professor Snape.

She waited for him to say something more. Every time she had seen Professor Snape since her talk with the Headmaster, she couldn't help but wonder whose side he was really on. The Headmaster had only spoken of how both he and the Dark Lord believed that Professor Snape worked for him. How in the world would any of that have to do with her?

"Have you made a decision yet?" asked the professor.

Her brow furrowed. "Pardon?"

"Have you come to a decision on whether you'll accept the invitation?" asked Professor Snape archly.

Anything Millicent said would be reported back to the Headmaster, she was sure of it. No point of ruining the surprise. Millicent shrugged her shoulders. "Haven't given it much thought yet," she said casually. "We'll see."

"Indeed," said Professor Snape. "Good day, Miss Bulstrode." He turned and walked away.

Millicent had the strangest feeling that that was some sort of test. A small smile crossed her lips, knowing that if it was, she had just passed with flying colours.

88888

"It doesn't hurt to hear what he wants," whispered Millicent to herself as she walked through the corridors, towards the gargoyle that protects the Headmaster's office. "It never hurts to listen."

The gargoyle was in front of her, staring at her. "Acid Pops," said Millicent in a voice far more confident than she felt.

The gargoyle let her pass, and Millicent stepped onto the stairs. A moment later, she was in front of the Headmaster's office. She knocked twice and the door opened immediately.

The Headmaster looked up from over a piece of parchment when the door opened. She stood at the doorway and looked uneasily at Professor Snape, who was sitting in a chair in front of the Headmaster's desk. Millicent wasn't sure if she wanted to speak with the Headmaster while Professor Snape was here.

"Miss Bulstrode," said Professor Snape with a nod of his head. He stood up and left the office without a look back at the Headmaster.

"Millicent, I can't tell you how pleased I am that you decided to accept my invitation," said Professor Dumbledore. "Please sit down. There is much to discuss."

Basic etiquette told her that no matter how much she would prefer to stand, she should sit. Millicent sat down in the chair that Professor Snape vacated and stared at the Headmaster.

"Have you given any thought to what was said last week?" asked Professor Dumbledore.

"Yes," said Millicent, crossing her arms over her chest. She wasn't comfortable at all. Not in this office, not with Godric Gryffindor's sword staring at her underneath the protective glass, clearly showing the Headmaster's House preference for all to see. Millicent briefly wondered if he had an artifact of any of the other Founders. And if he did, would he display them proudly like the sword?

"I would like to know your thoughts on the matter, Millicent," said the Headmaster gently.

"What's there to say?" asked Millicent sourly. "All you said was that you believe that Professor Snape works for you and that the Dark Lord-"

"By the Dark Lord, of course, you mean Voldemort," interrupted Professor Dumbledore.

"Do you know how quickly I'd get hexed if I said the Dark Lord's name out loud in the Common Room?" asked Millicent angrily. "He's not...that name and he's not You-Know-Who. He's the Dark Lord."

The Headmaster leaned slightly back in his chair and rested his chin on his hand. "Professor Snape said the same thing when I tried to insist that he call Voldemort by his name. Of course, Voldemort isn't his real name at all, but that's a different story for a different day."

A silence fell over the office. An uncomfortable silence. Professor Dumbledore wanted something, that much was sure. But what? Millicent couldn't figure it out and she didn't like that at all.

"I apologize for interrupting you, Millicent," said Professor Dumbledore finally. "You were saying?"

"All I was going to say was that you believe Professor Snape works for you and that the Dark Lord believes that he works for him," said Millicent.

"That is indeed a condensed summary of the information that I provided you last week," said Professor Dumbledore gravely. He sat up straight and interlaced his fingers in front of him. "Millicent, I am concerned that Voldemort's reach has extended into Hogwarts."

"Well, if the Dark Lord believes he has a spy in Professor Snape, I would say that he has reached Hogwarts," said Millicent with a hint of satisfaction.

The Headmaster nodded approvingly, and Millicent felt her checks redden. She had never once sought the Headmaster's praise so why was she pleased?

"That is an accurate assumption, however, I am more interested in Voldemort's grasp of your fellow students," said Professor Dumbledore. "I believe that he is trying to use students for his own gain."

Millicent thought back a week ago, after the Opening Feast. The sixth year girls were all in their dorms and Pansy was crying, because she was scared of the task that Malfoy had been given by the Dark Lord. Pansy didn't even know what the task was, but the thought still terrified her. "Anything's possible, I guess," said Millicent, not willing to give away this information. Not until she had an idea what the Headmaster wanted.

"Now we come to the purpose of this visit," said Professor Dumbledore. "I'm looking for a Slytherin who is willing to make observations in the Common Room. And then in turn, report those observations back to me."

"A spy?" asked Millicent in surprise. "You want me to spy on my Housemates?"

"I would like you to observe, Millicent," said Professor Dumbledore, sounding maddeningly patient. "There is a difference."

"I don't really see one," said Millicent quickly.

"There is an enormous difference between the two, a difference that I will need to make sure you understand before you make any decisions," said Professor Dumbledore. "I am not asking you to go undercover, to become a Death Eater. That is spying."

Millicent simply tilted her head to one side, to indicate that she was listening.

"Observation is different. I am aware of the hierarchy in the Slytherin House. I believe that this year, the hierarchy may change. I would like to be informed of any changes," Professor Dumbledore told her seriously.

"So you want me to observe?" asked Millicent, using heavy sarcasm on the last word.

Professor Dumbledore obviously caught the sarcasm, but did not acknowledge it. "Yes," he said lightly. "However, I do not wish you to make a decision today."

"Why not?" asked Millicent in surprise. She would expect that he would want someone working for him right away.

"Because I can tell that you are unsure of what to think, Millicent," said Professor Dumbledore. "I believe you have a free period after lunch on Friday. If you believe you can provide the service I am requesting, please come and see me. If not, enjoy your extended lunch."

Millicent nodded and stood up. Just as her hand was about to push the door open, she turned and looked back at the Headmaster. "If I say no, will you have someone else do it anyway? Will I be under observation?"

"Those are very good questions, Millicent," said Professor Dumbledore, picking up a quill and turning his attention back to the parchment in front of him. "I hope the rest of your day is pleasant."

"Thank you, sir," said Millicent as she left the office, keenly aware that he hadn't answered her question.

She had a great deal to think about.