Dreaming Of You

Dreaming of You

Part 20 - Payback's a Bitch

The means are right for taking, fade to grey
Trying to be ruthless, in the face of beauty
In this matrix, it's plain to see
It's either you or me.

Chapter 34

"I wonder if anyone would notice if I killed her." Draco kicked a tree stump savagely. "Or care. She hasn't been here long enough to make friends. Maybe if I bury her well away from the castle, they'll all forget about her." His eagle owl, Srosh, hooted encouragingly, perched on another tree nearby.

"Or maybe they'll give me an award," Draco added bitterly. "I mean, it would practically be a service to the school. Cleansing our hallowed halls of unwanted filth, we could call it. I could have a trophy."

He stalked across the grounds, scowling into the chilled air. Srosh obediently flew after him. Ostensibly, Draco was taking his pet out for a flight around the grounds. In actuality, he was taking the opportunity to rant to the only being in the school that wasn't avoiding him. The non-Slytherins normally hated him, of course, and Tabitha's crowd kept well away from his, but none of them really mattered. The ones who mattered were his followers - Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and Asin. And technically Blaise, as well, though he really wasn't bright enough to make an informed decision. Draco wasn't entirely sure why Blaise followed him, to be honest, though he rather suspected that it had something to do with the fact that their parents knew each other.

But apart from Blaise, who was in the hospital wing and could therefore be disregarded for the time being, all Draco's traditional followers were shunning him. It wasn't a permanent situation yet, or at least as permanent as Slytherin politics ever were, but Draco could see that he didn't have very long to find a solution. Pansy and Asin had already begun eying one another, evaluating their chances of becoming the new group leader, should Draco be deposed in the end. Draco gave it fifty-fifty odds - Pansy had more authority in the group, but Asin was much better at sneaky, underhanded schemes.

Not, of course, that Draco had any intention of letting either girl oust him. He'd played them off one another before, he could do it again. And he wasn't worried about Crabbe or Goyle making a power play. Those two would follow whoever won the battle, but they didn't have the brains to participate themselves. And as for Blaise - not even worth considering.

The students from other years probably wouldn't be problems, either. The seventh years were more or less indifferent to sixth year affairs, having their own schemes to worry about. And as for the younger students, well, the sixth years would never stand for a coup by anyone younger than a fifth year, and the only fifth years still around were too stupid to come up with a decent plan.

Noleta might have been able to, of course... but Noleta wasn't around anymore. Draco silently cursed her for transferring to Durmstrang, just when he could have used her advice the most. She'd always been able to keep herself relatively uninfluenced by Slytherin intrigues, and could always offer an objective opinion on the current events in their House.

She wasn't even answering letters, much to Draco's disgust. He'd written to her several times - or, all right, maybe a few more than several - and she'd completely ignored him. Srosh had brought back the letters unopened. Eventually, Draco had given up. Whatever she'd thought of him while she was at Hogwarts, her opinion had clearly gone drastically downhill.

Or maybe she just had no further use for him. It was a depressing thought. Draco and Noleta had spent most of the previous year as a couple, but it was closer to the political partnership his parents had than to the emotional relationships common to teenagers. Draco hadn't expected declarations of eternal love from her... but he'd thought she was at least fond enough of him to pick up a quill once in a while.

He'd asked her once why she stayed with him, when she knew that the only reason he'd bothered to date was that his father had ordered him to find a girlfriend. Noleta had laughed. "You're the Crown Prince of Slytherin, of course," she'd said. "If I stay by your side, I'm next in line to be queen."

It made sense, in a Slytherin sort of way. She wanted power, so she used her looks and bloodlines to get it, through Draco. It gave her a reassuring motive. Noleta had always made it clear that she viewed Draco as her better, submitting to his wishes even at the expense of her own. It had been a little disconcerting at times, to be around someone who placed his welfare above her own, but her theory did explain it. If she displeased him, she was back to her original place as a nonentity in the power hierarchy.

And, by that line of thinking, Noleta had no reason to even bother to tell him that she was breaking the relationship off now that she was at Durmstrang. She couldn't get anything from him anymore, so she didn't have to act the part of the obedient girlfriend. And it wasn't as if his feelings were hurt, Draco insisted to himself. Noleta hadn't been the one person at Hogwarts that he'd thought he could count on. He'd depended on her insights into the Slytherin minds, but he could easily get along without her. They certainly hadn't been friends.

At any rate, thinking about Noleta wouldn't solve any of Draco's problems. He brought his mind back to the problem at hand - his position at the top of the Slytherin hierarchy, and how to keep it there. Before he could worry about putting down threats, Draco had to worry about regaining his power. Autumn Vance, she was the key. Everything stemmed from her. Draco's eyes narrowed as he recalled the way she'd spoken to him in the hospital wing. And what exactly had she been doing there, anyway? He'd have to have a talk with Blaise about consorting with the enemy. He would do so, as soon as he'd put Vance in her place.

But how to go about doing it? That was the heart of the matter. It would have to be in the Slytherin Common Room - away from the professors and other students, but in full view of as many Slytherins as possible. And it had to be magical, because he wasn't at all sure he could take her in a physical fight. He'd never been strong, and if the punch she'd swung at him was anything to go on, she could knock him out and make the situation even worse. Stupid muscular bitch... Draco had always hated tough-looking girls. Females ought to look delicate and fragile, like flowers.

So if it wasn't a physical confrontation, it would have to be magical. The question was, should he warn her first? He could have a formal duel with her, and he'd almost certainly win. Unless that wand of hers did something insane again. He frowned at that. No, best not to risk it. Whatever outlandish wand the fool girl had bought, it was clearly unstable. He couldn't give her a chance to try a spell on him. Who knew what would happen?

That left backstabbing. Of course, that was a dirty, ignoble way of fighting that implied he was nothing more than a despicable cheat who would shamelessly double-cross anyone to get what he wanted.

Another advantage was that she would never see it coming and thus would have no chance to run her mouth at him again.

So. A sneak attack it was, then. It was just a pity that, since Vance would never see the attack coming, he'd have no chance to make her eat those insults -

Draco paused, and a beatific grin spread across his face. It would take research, and preparation, and a lot more effort than he was used to expending, but he had it. He knew exactly how he was going to make that girl suffer.

~*~

"And this is the Owlery."

Mandy threw open the door, taking Autumn on the last stop in their tour of the school. Autumn had been grumbling that she couldn't find anything but the hospital wing and the Great Hall, until Mandy had gotten irritated and shown her the various important places of the school.

"And I can use the school owls to send letters? For free?" Autumn asked thoughtfully.

"If you can find an open one," Mandy said. "And if the letter isn't too heavy. There's a post office in Hogsmeade for bulkier mail, if you can get permission to go. Sinistra's pretty good about giving us permission - I think she figures we'll sneak out anyway if she doesn't let us go - but I've heard Snape only lets his favored ones go. And I gotta say, I believe it."

"I thought he liked all the Slytherins," Autumn said, frowning.

Mandy snorted. "He favors all of them, but they aren't all favored. He likes Malfoy, for some reason, and Parkinson, and Nott. He doesn't like Crabbe or Goyle - probably thinks they're idiots, which is giving them rather too much credit." She walked through the rows of owl perches with a quick, almost impatient step. "Here." She stopped, gesturing to one of the owls. "This one's mine - Irides the Third."

"The Third?" Autumn asked. "Do they die a lot?"

"Not all owls are particularly long-lived," Mandy said with a shrug. "Keeping the same name saves trouble." She gave Irides a perfunctory pat, then kept on going. "The owls from outside the school come through here," she said, gesturing to a separate wall of perches. "You can wait for breakfast to pick up your mail, since it's delivered every day, or you can come up here to get it straight from the birds, if you're that impatient. The birds ought to recognize you when you get here, and let you know if they've got a message for you. If they don't fly at you within about thirty seconds - good Lord, is that a toucan?" Mandy stopped abruptly as a bird glided gently towards them.

Autumn stared at the bird. It was, indeed, a toucan. What it was doing in the Owlery was another question entirely. It snapped its beak at the owls near the two girls, until the owls, trying not to look ruffled and indignant, fluttered away, leaving the toucan space to perch. It graciously extended its leg towards Autumn, showing her the message with "Autumn Vance" written on it.

Mandy raised an eyebrow. "Unusual," she said. "You'll have to tell me how your friend got hold of a toucan."

Autumn frowned. "Once I've figured out who it's from, I'll be sure to ask." She picked up the letter cautiously, as though it might explode, and started to stick it in her pocket for later.

"Oh, go ahead and read it," Mandy said cheerfully. "Don't mind me. Really."

Autumn gave the Ravenclaw a suspicious look, but opened the letter anyway. She wasn't really surprised when Mandy edged around to be able to read over her shoulder.

She read the message written on the letter:

Dear Autumn,

Oh my God, hi! I can't believe you're here! This is so cool! Oh, this is Lianne, by the way.

Autumn shook her head. "Figures," she muttered, half amused, half sad. Sounded like Li hadn't changed at all.

Erin just told me what happened, and it's really exciting. Not the part about you being stranded, of course, but about you being here. I really missed you. You'll have to be sure to write to me. I told Tinkerbell not to come back here till she's got a response from you.

"Tinkerbell?" Autumn eyed the toucan dubiously. "That's you, is it?" The toucan, unsurprisingly, did not respond.

Are you having fun at Hogwarts? Believe me, it's a great place to be. If you have any questions about it, or anything, you can ask me. Of course, I heard you got put in Slytherin, so I don't know how much I can help you. Not my House, you know? More power to the Hufflepuffs!

So have you met anyone you recognize yet? Have you met Draco Malfoy? Is he nice? Is he really the one you were talking to on the phone? I just knew he would be! You've just got to get together with him - Erin and I both have our men, after all!

Anyway, you have to tell me everything that's going on with you, ok? I really missed talking to you. I know it hasn't been all that long for you - what's up with that, anyway? - but it's been ages for me. Tell me all about Hogwarts and stuff! Write back really soon!

Love,

Lianne

Autumn's internal battle between hilarity and horror ended in a short, sharp laugh. "Oh, that's Lianne, all right."

"So who is she?" Mandy asked curiously.

"A friend of mine from America." Autumn hesitated, wondering how much of what had happened to her she really wanted to spread around. "She came to Britain a little while before I did."

"And she thinks you ought to be romantically involved with Draco Malfoy?" Mandy snorted. "You're sure she's your friend?"

Autumn just gave a half-smile, and tucked the letter in her pocket. She looked over at the toucan. "So the bird won't leave till I've got a return message?" She shrugged. "It can hang out here for the night, then."

Autumn and Mandy started to turn to leave, when the sound of footsteps clattering up the stairs to the Owlery stopped them. The toucan squawked shrilly, and flew into the air.

"Hey," a voice came, from behind the rows of owls, "I know that bird."

Mandy, apparently recognizing the voice, raised her eyebrows. "Really, now?"

Two boys ducked around the owls to face the girls. "Hi - er, Mandy Brocklehurst, isn't it?"

Autumn's eyes widened as she realized who the two boys had to be. After all, there couldn't be that many black-haired, green-eyed boys with lightning bolt scars who went around with redheaded boys. She took the opportunity to size up the boys she'd read so much about.

Potter was short. Very short. This amused Autumn to no end, though she wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe it was because she'd never liked Potter in the books. She'd always thought he was a little idiot with a big hero-complex problem. She'd suspected that he was being set up to get someone he cared for killed.

Other than the height and the scar, Potter looked disappointingly clean-cut and boring. He had what kind people would call an "honest face." Autumn didn't know what she'd call it, but she'd probably start with words like "naïve" and "bland," and work her way down from there. Hazel, Autumn thought, suddenly depressed at recalling her friend in America, would adore him.

Weasley, on the other hand, at least balanced out Potter's height problem. He loomed over the rest of them, like a tower topped with flames. His hair was, indeed, extremely red, but Autumn felt a little cheated. She'd been secretly expecting the Weasleys to have red hair the color of fire trucks, or stop signs. Not red hair the color of red hair.

"Yep, I'm Mandy," Mandy said cheerfully. "And this is our new student, Autumn Vance. Autumn, these two are Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."

The two boys glanced at each other uncertainly. After a moment, Autumn raised an eyebrow. &ldqo;Do they speak?"

"You're a Slytherin," Weasley accused.

Autumn clapped her hands to her mouth in exaggerated shock. "No! Really?"

Weasley's eyes darkened. "Typical." He turned to go.

"No, wait," Potter said, holding up a hand. Weasley paused impatiently. "Whose bird is that?" He pointed at the toucan.

"It belongs to my friend," Autumn said. "Lianne. You don't know her."

"Oh." Potter deflated. "I - I guess I thought it was something else." He gave the toucan one last glance, then shook his head. "I must've been too far away." He tried to cover his confusion with a polite smile. "It was nice to meet you."

Autumn stared at him blankly. "No, it wasn't."

"Er - right." Potter backed towards Weasley. "You know, I've just remembered that - that thing. That I have to do."

Autumn smirked as Potter and Weasley hurried out. "That was more amusing than I thought it would be."

"How so?" Mandy asked curiously.

"Oh - nothing." Autumn smiled to herself. "Nothing."

~*~

"So this is your last night in the hospital wing, huh?" Autumn perched on the bed across from Blaise. "Must be exciting."

"I'll be happy," Mandy offered. "I want my evenings back."

"I guess it will be nice to be back in the dorms." Blaise frowned. "Except when Crabbe snores all night. Or when Goyle clips his toenails and doesn't throw them out. Or when Draco uses my eyeliner to take notes." He paused. "You know, I don't actually like the dorms all that much. Maybe I can stay here."

"I'm sure Terry could be persuaded to curse you again," Mandy said, smirking.

Blaise's face lit up. "Ooh, do you really think he would?"

"Um." Mandy blinked, thrown by this unexpected enthusiasm. "Not if you're going to get all excited about it."

"Oh." Blaise sighed. "Have you asked him about me?"

"Yes."

Blaise grinned like a little kid. "And?"

Mandy snorted. "And he says that if you don't stay well away from him he'll borrow Morag's book on the history of Celtic curses, and come up with something really nasty." She frowned. "Or maybe it was Su's analysis of the effectiveness of Greek jinxes." She shrugged. "Anyway, it will be bad. So don't pester him."

Blaise looked down at his hands, dejected. "I just want him to like me."

Mandy gave Blaise a suspicious look. "You do know he's straight, right?"

"He might not be," Blaise said defensively. "Maybe he just hasn't met the right guy yet."

"And you think that you're this 'right guy?'" Mandy rolled her eyes.

"I could be!"

"Zabini, you aren't even the wrong guy." Mandy sighed. "Look, how about I introduce you to him properly some time? You could sit down, talk to him, be rejected in person. It would probably be good for you. And for your ever-reluctant go-between, of course." She bowed ironically.

The irony was, of course, totally lost on Blaise. "Would you really? That would be great!" He bounced up and down happily on the bed. "I get to meet Terry! In person!"

Mandy stared at Blaise, clearly beginning to regret the offer. "Right..." She shook her head and dismissed Blaise, letting him revel in his own little world. "So have you replied to the toucan lady yet?"

"Not yet. I just haven't had time," Autumn said. "Not to mention the complete lack of interesting things to say."

"Tell her about us," Mandy suggested. "I'm sure she'd be most amused."

"Maybe." Autumn shrugged indifferently.

"Well, you could always invent a torrid romance between you and Draco Malfoy," Mandy suggested. "Since she thinks it's so likely and all."

Blaise stopped his ramblings about Terry's superhuman virtues. "Autumn and Draco?" He tilted his head thoughtfully. "That would be kinda..."

"Crazy," Autumn said sourly.

"Oh, I don't think so," Blaise said, in all seriousness. "It would be cute. Really! You two should get together. I could play matchmaker!"

"Please don't," Autumn said hastily.

"But - "

"I'm sure you'll have more than enough to do attracting Terry," Autumn said, in the hopes of distracting Blaise.

"No, that will be love at first sight," Blaise told her.

"You're already seen him," Mandy pointed out.

"And I love him already!" Blaise grinned, delighted with this logic. "He probably just didn't get a good look at me. Maybe he needs glasses." Blaise's expression turned dreamy-eyed. "Terry would be cute in glasses..."

"I'll be sure to pass that on to him," Mandy said. Blaise didn't answer. Mandy leaned over and waved a hand in front of his face.

"He's lost in Terry-land," Autumn said, grinning.

"Good." Mandy bent over to pick up her books. "I've still got to find something creative to take a picture of for Magical Photography."

"Good luck with that." Autumn stood. "I think I'll go, too. See you tomorrow, Blaise."

Blaise waved absently as Mandy and Autumn left.

"Back to your Common Room, then?" Mandy asked.

"Where else?" Autumn said.

"Just wondering." Mandy paused. "Look, normally I wouldn't say anything, but Padma Patil says Malfoy's up to something. But she got it from her sister, who heard it from Seamus Finnegan, and I wouldn't trust him to tell me the sky's blue."

"Then why say anything to me about it?" Autumn asked warily.

"Because I know how Slytherin politics work." Mandy sighed. "Look, you must have some sense for this - you're in Slytherin, after all - but they've all had six years to practice living the way they do. You've probably been raised to sublimate your Slytherin instincts, so it'll take you a while to get up to their level of nastiness."

"What does that have to do with Malfoy?"

"You don't see it?" Mandy said, surprised. "You made him look bad. Worse than bad - you shamed him in front of his followers. You're one-up on him now."

Then Autumn got it. "So he has to get me somehow, to get prestige back."

"Exactly." Mandy nodded. "So... be careful, all right? I'd hate to have to come visit you in the hospital wing, now that Blaise is getting out."

"Thanks for the warning," Autumn said, smiling. "I'll try not to let him corner me."

Mandy hesitated, but couldn't seem to think of anything to add. "Right, then." She turned to go towards the Ravenclaw Common Room. "See you later."

"See you," Autumn echoed, heading towards the dungeons.

So Draco had it in for her, huh? Well, she'd dealt with him once. She could do it again.

She reached the Slytherin Common Room, lost in her own thoughts as she entered.

Until a hand grabbed her shoulder.

"Where are you going, Vance?" Malfoy drawled, yanking her around to face him.

"My room," Autumn snapped, shaking his hand off her. "Grab me again and I'll hit you."

"Ooh, testy," Draco mocked. "So you think you're too good to stay here in the Common Room with the likes of us? Too proud to socialize with the Slytherins?"

Autumn stared at him. "What the hell are you talking about?" She was starting to get a very bad feeling about this.

"You know what I think?" Draco advanced on her, forcing her to back up with every step he took. "I think someone's been hanging out with too many Ravenclaws, getting her confidence pumped up all out of proportion. Someone who likes to run her mouth. Someone who doesn't know what kind of enemies she's been making."

"So do you have a point, or do you just like the sound of your own voice?" Autumn said, trying not to show her increasing worry.

"Do I really need a point?" Draco smirked. "I'm a Slytherin. I belong here. Whereas you..." He glanced her up and down ostentatiously. "Well, you're just an American Mudblood trying to pass for a better class of witch."

Autumn pulled back her fist to hit him, but before she could swing, he'd gotten his arm behind her and caught her fist. "I was expecting that," Draco said. He grinned nastily. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that violence is never the answer?"

Autumn's eyes widened as his hand tightened around her fist, nails gouging her flesh. "Let go!"

"No." Draco squeezed until his nails were just about to break the skin, then held the pressure constant. "This is payback, bitch."

"What - " Autumn broke off in a coughing fit as Draco used his free hand to splash the contents of a vial of potion into her mouth.

"Quae est foeda metat toxicum sererat," Draco said rapidly, in an almost casual tone, "atque venenata dicta edat!"

"What spell - " Autumn choked again, but this time not because of liquid. Something was forcing itself down her throat, something cold and slimy and invisible, blocking her breathing. Draco released her arm with a smirk as she collapsed to the ground, coughing and clutching at her throat.

"I'm astonished at how articulate you must be." Words rang out in the silent Common Room - words in Autumn's voice. They also scrolled quickly across the ceiling, then swooped down towards Autumn. She turned away, but the words twisted their way into her mouth, writhing into her throat to join the slimy lump already there.

"Even I can see that no one likes you," Autumn's voice continued, strangely magnified, as the words went on their path towards Autumn. "About as unbearable as your prima donna attitude?"

Autumn tried to swallow, to get rid of the increasing pressure on her throat, but it didn't help. The words just kept coming at her.

"And here I was thinking that you were just being spiteful."

"It can't be worse than this side of the table."

Autumn's eyes watered, whether from pain or from lack of breath she wasn't sure. The room blurred behind her tears, but she could still see vague forms that were the Slytherins surrounding her, as they refused to help.

"Well? Aren't you going to talk? Don't you have some stupid smart remark to make?" her voice mocked, as colors danced before her eyes. She couldn't see anything anymore. She could barely hear the voice through the ringing in her ears, as she struggled to breathe around the choking words. "Aren't you going to sneer and insult me and be nasty and evil?" The last thing Autumn felt was a contemptuous foot, kicking her while she was down. She realized, as she passed out from lack of air, that it could only be Draco.

"Well?"

Then even the voice faded.

~*~

"I don't care what that girl says - I've seen that bird before. I know it." Harry glanced down the hallway in both directions before he and Ron proceeded. He'd learned by now that, Invisibility Cloak or not, it paid to be cautious when sneaking around after curfew.

"Where would Snuffles get hold of the same toucan Vance's friend has?" Ron protested. "Look, it's probably really common over in America. Maybe they use toucans instead of owls. It could be a new fad."

"I don't think so." Harry was not swayed from his purpose. "I want a closer look at that bird, either way."

"Well - " Ron stopped short, almost jerking the cloak off Harry. "Did you hear that?"

"What?" Then Harry heard it. An uneven gasping, combined with the rough scraping of cloth and flesh against stone. "That sounds like someone in trouble - someone hurt." He switched directions.

"This late at night?" Ron asked.

"I don't know - I guess." Harry turned a corner, and stopped dead. Autumn Vance was leaning hard against the wall, all the color drained out of her face, her chest heaving as she struggled to breathe. "Oh my God - what happened?"

The Slytherin blinked at the space in front of her, and Harry realized he still had the Invisibility Cloak on. Before Ron could object, he pulled it off, thrusting it into Ron's arms as he hurried to Autumn's side. "Are you ok?"

"Stupid question," Autumn rasped, her voice rough from whatever ordeal she'd been through. "What do you want?"

"To help," Harry said, frowning. What did she think he wanted?

Her eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Because you're hurt," Harry told her, slowly and clearly. Maybe she'd hit her head or something. "And you need to get to the hospital wing."

"I noticed." Autumn tried to push past him, but she was still too weak. She stumbled, and had to cling to the wall for support.

"Stop that, you'll hurt yourself," Harry snapped. He paused. "Hurt yourself more." Ignoring her protests, he swung one of her arms around his shoulders, shifting her weight from the wall to him. "Help me out, here, Ron," he ordered.

"Don't see why we have to help a Slytherin," Ron grumbled. "She made it clear she doesn't want our help."

"If you're only going to complain, you can go back to the Common Room," Harry told him. "Otherwise, get her other arm."

"Don't touch me," Autumn growled - but she clearly didn't have any bite to her bark.

"Look, you can't get to the hospital wing on your own," Harry said reasonably, as he and Ron helped Autumn one reluctant step at a time. "And the hospital wing is definitely where you need to be. So let's take a minute to put aside whatever hatred there is between our Houses, and get you some help."

"Weirdo," Autumn muttered. But she seemed to give in. She didn't complain again the rest of the way to the hospital wing.

Harry banged on the door with his free hand. There was no answer. He knocked louder.

"All right, all right, I'm coming."

It was with no little relief that the three heard Madam Pomfrey's voice approaching. The key turned in the lock, as she continued, "But woe betide you if you are students out of - " She fell silent as she got the door open, getting a good look at Autumn.

"She was like this when we found her," Ron volunteered.

"Get her inside," Madam Pomfrey commanded briskly, switching at once into nurse mode. "Put her on a bed. Weasley, you fetch me some chocolate - second cabinet from the right, third shelf up. Two squares." She gave Autumn another glance. "Two and a half. Potter, you come here and tell me what happened while I get bandages."

"I can - " Autumn began.

"You cannot," Madam Pomfrey snapped. "Whatever curse you've been hit with, I could see at once that it affected your throat very badly. You shouldn't be speaking at all for at least the next hour, and as little as possible for another day. Now you hush, Miss Vance, and Mr. Potter, you start talking."

"Well..." Harry wondered how to phrase this without getting any of them in trouble. Well, Autumn probably wouldn't get in trouble, being cursed and all, but he and Ron had definitely been out of bed after hours, no matter which way he told it.

"I won't punish you," Madam Pomfrey said impatiently, seeing the look in Harry's eyes. "Not for helping her." She paused. "Unless it was you who cursed her, in which case - "

"No!" Harry said indignantly. "No, we just found her like this."

"When? Just now? Or earlier?"

"Just now, when Ron and I - " Harry stopped.

"Ron and you... what?" Madam Pomfrey prompted, gathering together a collection of potions. Harry could smell some of them from where he stood, and if Autumn had to drink any of them he did not envy her.

"Well..." Harry hesitated, reluctant to mention the Owlery. That would lead to the toucan, which would lead to how Harry knew it, which would lead to Sirius, which was definitely not a good place to end up. "We were... we were going..."

Madam Pomfrey mistook the reluctance. "To the Astronomy Tower?" She nodded understandingly.

"No!" Harry turned bright red. "No, that's not - we aren't - "

"Don't worry, dear." Madam Pomfrey gave him the kindest smile he'd ever seen on her. "I won't tell a soul."

"Um." Harry blinked. Well, when she put it like that... "Ok."

"So you were walking about with your friend, and you heard Miss Vance?"

"Right. She was trying to get here, but we knew she couldn't make it."

"You don't know what happened to her? What curse it was?"

"No."

Madam Pomfrey sighed expressively. "Damn. That would help." She scowled. "Bloody Slytherins and their underground warfare."

Harry stared at the nurse, impressed. He'd never heard a teacher curse before. Well, not while said teacher knew he was listening in, anyway.

Oblivious to this, Madam Pomfrey headed back over to Autumn. "Here you are, girl." She started to hold out a cup, paused, and tapped the rim with her wand. The liquid inside the cup began steaming. She handed it to Autumn. "Drink that. All of it, mind. And while it's hot. Loses its effect if it's cold."

Autumn wrinkled her nose, catching the same scent Harry had, but shrugged and drank the potion anyway. Harry winced. She had to be in a lot of pain to drink that stuff willingly.

Meanwhile, Madam Pomfrey took the chocolate from Ron and started breaking it into tiny pieces, which she dropped into another cup of hot liquid. The chocolate melted, not into hot chocolate, but into something resembling chocolate syrup.

"Done?" Madam Pomfrey took the first cup from Autumn, and handed her the second. "Drink this one as slowly as you can, and let it coat your throat. It should dull the pain. And the chocolate will do you good."

As Autumn occupied herself with that, Madam Pomfrey turned to Harry and Ron. "You two had better get back to your Common Room," she said firmly. She went to the counter and wrote a brief message on a sheet of parchment. "Here. This gives you permission to be in the hallways on your way back to your Common Room." She smiled suddenly. "Straight back, mind you. No more detours to Astronomy Towers."

Ron had his mouth open to question that statement when Harry's foot conveniently collided with Ron's ankle. "Thank you," Harry said quickly, before Ron could recover enough to comment. "We'll go now." He looked back at Autumn. "I hope you feel better." He grabbed Ron's arm and towed the taller boy out of the hospital wing.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked, bewildered.

"Oh... nothing." Harry tried to hide a grin. "Nothing."

~*~

The hospital wing would have been a nice place to wake up, if it hadn't been for the being sick part. Autumn woke up to the smell of coffee. She hadn't had coffee since she'd got here. Tea just wasn't the same. She sat up groggily.

"Oh, awake, are you?" Madam Pomfrey nodded at her. "Feeling better, are you, Miss Vance? No, just nod. Don't try to talk yet." She came over to Autumn's bedside, touching her wand to the girl's throat. "Hmm... not good, but not as bad as it could have been. You're lucky Potter and Weasley found you when they did. Your voice might have been permanently damaged." She frowned, considering. "I think you'd better stay in here for at least another day. Possibly two."

Autumn shook her head violently.

"Yes, you should," Madam Pomfrey said firmly. "One day, at least. I haven't worked at a school for - well, for a lot of years without learning something about how teenagers act. Two minutes out of here and you'll be chattering away, ruining your voice. Besides, healing magic takes lots of energy - and that means rest." She thought for a moment again. "Well, you shouldn't eat until your throat is healed, but would you like a drink? Some pumpkin juice?"

Autumn made a face. Pumpkin juice was bad enough during the day - she did not need it first thing in the morning. She pointed at the coffee pot.

Madam Pomfrey laughed. "Coffee, hmm? Well, I suppose I should have expected it - you are from America, after all." She poured some of the coffee into a mug and handed it to Autumn. "You know, dear, if you're that fond of coffee, you might want to visit the kitchens, and ask the House Elves about it. They don't bother to make enough for the whole school, since not many drink it, but if you ask them, they'll be glad to bring you a cup - or a pot - every morning."

Autumn nodded thoughtfully. She'd have to look into that - once she could talk again, of course.

"Madam Pomfrey?"

Hearing Blaise's voice, Autumn twisted around to look. He was standing in the hallway, looking adorably rumpled - like a fluffy teddy bear. He frowned, seeing Autumn.

"Autumn? How come you're in the hospital wing?" Blaise asked. "Did you come to visit me?"

Autumn shook her head, then hesitated, wondering how to tell Blaise what had happened without actually telling him.

Madam Pomfrey solved the problem for her. "Miss Vance was hit by a very nasty curse," the nurse explained. "It affected her voice, so she won't be able to talk for the next day or two. She got here in the middle of last night, assisted by Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley."

Blaise tilted his head. "They're Gryffindors," he said. He paused. "Did they curse her? She's a Slytherin, you know."

Autumn rolled her eyes.

"I'm fairly sure they weren't the culprits," Madam Pomfrey said dryly. "This seems to have been a rather premeditated attack."

"Oh. Premeditated. Right." Blaise nodded sagely. "Meditation clears the mind." His expression became one of horror. "Oh, no - did it clear Autumn's mind?" He turned to her. "Autumn, do you remember anything? Do you know where you are? Quick, what's Madam Pomfrey's name?" He looked at Madam Pomfrey, panicked. "She doesn't know!"

Autumn rolled her eyes again, and gestured for Blaise to come closer. He did so, bending down beside her. "Autumn? Autumn, can you hear me?"

She smacked him.

Madam Pomfrey's cough sounded suspiciously like laughter. "I assure you, Mr. Zabini, Miss Vance's mind is as sound as it ever was. What I meant to say was that this attack was planned, rather than spur-of-the-moment, and I sincerely doubt that Miss Vance has already made such enemies of a Potter and a Weasley."

"I don't know... Draco says they're awfully mean," Blaise said doubtfully. "They keep provoking him until he just has to be horrible to them."

Autumn snorted at this. "The hell they do," she rasped.

"Miss Vance!" Madam Pomfrey snapped. "Be silent! Do you want to finish that student's work and destroy your own voice?"

Autumn shook her head, almost meekly. No, she didn't want her voice gone forever.

Blaise seemed confused by something. "Autumn?" he asked. "Are you mad at Draco?"

Autumn raised her eyebrows in the most sarcastic look she could manage.

Blaise considered this, tilting his head from side to side as he did so. "Did he curse you?"

Autumn nodded. Blaise frowned pensively, a strange expression for him.

"Mr. Malfoy? He is the perpetrator?" Madam Pomfrey scowled. "Professor Snape will hear of this."

Autumn shook her head.

"Yes, he will. You Slytherins can feud all you like, but when it comes to this kind of curse, that's when the teachers have to get involved. Besides," her eyes narrowed, "I don't want you going after him yourself. That's not the way to handle these things."

Autumn raised an eyebrow.

"No, it's not, and don't give me that look," Madam Pomfrey said. "The teachers have to know about this."

"Why?" Blaise spoke up.

Madam Pomfrey turned to look at him, irritated. "Because it is our duty to keep you students safe, that's why!"

"But everyone will think Autumn's a snitch," Blaise said. "They might hurt her. That would be... really bad. I don't want Autumn to get hurt."

"Neither do I, I assure you," Madam Pomfrey said. "But as a faculty member of this school, it is my duty - " She stopped. Blaise's eyes were tragic, and his lower lip was quivering. "Stop that, Mr. Zabini," she ordered. "I've seen far too many pouts in my time." Blaise sniffled. "You aren't going to win this." A single tear trickled down Blaise's cheek. Madam Pomfrey sighed. "All right, Mr. Zabini - but mind you don't tell anyone about this. I'll say Miss Vance didn't inform me of her attacker's identity. Understand that, Miss Vance?" Autumn nodded. "Good. But in return, you are going to rest." She looked over at Blaise. "And you are going to leave her be. You're completely healed, and you are free to go. Return to your House, and do whatever it is students do when they aren't getting themselves injured."

Blaise nodded. "Bye, Autumn," he said. "I'll come back and see you later." He waved, walking backwards, and just barely managed to get out of the room without crashing into the wall. Autumn smiled... then frowned. Something had been odd about Blaise - ever since he'd heard that Draco had been the one to curse her. She hoped he wasn't planning to do something stupid.

Then she dismissed the thought. After all, it was Blaise.

~*~

"Would you like me to carry your books today, Draco?"

Draco smirked as Pansy simpered at him. God, it was good to be back. "That's all right," he said offhandedly. "Asin already offered. Maybe tomorrow."

"Oh, whenever you like," Pansy assured him, before shooting a venomous look at the other girl. Since the previous night, the two girls had been fighting to prove their loyalty to Draco - as if being the most eager to write his essays or bring him cocoa had anything to do with whether they'd been plotting to steal leadership from him.

The door to the Common Room door opened suddenly. Draco looked up, and smiled. Zabini was back. Good. All his minions were together again.

"Hi, Draco," Blaise said, almost shyly. Well, it made sense. The boy had been stuck in the hospital for a week, with a bloody humiliating curse. He should tremble to approach Slytherin's Prince.

"Zabini." Draco nodded graciously. "Welcome back to the Common Room. I trust your stay in the hospital wing was not too arduous."

Blaise shook his head, biting his lip. "Um... Draco? Did you really curse Autumn Vance?"

Draco smirked. So the news was already spreading? Excellent. "You don't doubt me, do you?"

Blaise considered Draco for a long moment - then burst into tears. Violent, noisy, childlike tears. "You hurt Autumn! I hate you!"

Draco stared at Blaise incredulously. Was that boy actually upset for Vance's sake?

"Don't tell me you feel bad for her," Pansy said scornfully. "The bitch had it coming."

Blaise glared at Pansy through his tears. "You're mean!"

Draco and Pansy exchanged looks. "So you're that fond of Vance?" Draco asked pleasantly.

Blaise nodded.

"Then maybe you'd like to join her in her position as the local outcast." Draco's smile turned dangerous.

"You could even be her outcast boyfriend," Pansy suggested.

"You might as well," Draco said ruthlessly. "You know - since Terry Boot wouldn't have you." Pansy and Draco snickered.

Blaise froze. Then, without warning, he slapped Draco across the face. It was an extremely girly slap - girly in the sense of vicious backhand across the jaw.

Pansy jumped to her feet. "How dare you..." she hissed.

Blaise tilted his head at her contemplatively. "My mum told me never to hit a lady," he said disappointedly.

Pansy smirked. "Very gallant - almost worthy of a Gryffindor."

Blaise slapped her as well.

"Mum also said that ladies are supposed to be nice."

And with that, he turned around and flounced out of the Common Room.

Draco reached up and touched his cheek gingerly. Yep, he was definitely going to have a bruise there. Who knew Zabini had the balls? It had been like being attacked by a kitten - almost cute, but surprisingly painful.

And it looked like Draco's group had lost a follower. That was depressing, especially if Zabini was finally going to start acting like a real Slytherin, instead of a would-be Hufflepuff.

Or maybe he wasn't. As Pansy had pointed out, instant violence was more of a Gryffindor reaction than a Slytherin one. So maybe he was well rid of Zabini, after all.

Draco stood, offering his arms to Pansy and Asin. "I believe we have Care of Magical Creatures first this morning. Why don't we go to breakfast, before suffering through that ordeal?"

Pansy smiled at him flirtatiously. "I'd be delighted," she purred, sliding her arm through his. Asin just laughed, and slipped his other arm around her shoulders. Draco grinned. Life was good. Nothing could touch him now.