Antares

Chapter Seven ~ Fateful Temptation

"Detention???" Daphne groused as they all stepped out of Ravenclaw tower.

"Yes," Aki replied.

"What for?"

"I was--err--I was going to the kitchens for some nosh, and Snape caught me in the halls."

"But I saw you sitting in the common room all last night," Victoria said suspiciously.

"I... ah... I went after you lot went to sleep."

"It was all that History of Magic studying you were doing," said Daphne. "It works up an appetite, doesn't it?"

"I have never seen you study quite as hard as last night," Victoria remarked.

"Do we have a test in History of Magic?" Daphne said. "I don't recall--"

"Ah, we don't," Aki cut in. "I just... needed a brushing up."

"Oy!"

Rachel was at the end of the hall that led to the Slytherin dormitory. She stuck her hand up in a greeting and made her way over. She had a big smile, bigger than usual at least.

"We're celebrating Terrence's birthday at the Three Broomsticks tonight," Rachel said, shaking Daphne's arm, "and you lot are my guests!"

"Terrence, you say?!?" Daphne squealed.

Rachel said nothing, and only bobbed her head in a nod. Daphne's mouth fell open and she blushed a deep pink within two seconds.

"Three Broomsticks???" Aki said, her face falling. "Tonight???"

"That's what I said. We leave just a little after breakfast with everyone else."

"A bit early for a birthday celebration, is it not?" Victoria commented.

"Who cares?!" Daphne said, smiling.

"But... I can't go!" Aki cried.

"Why not?" Rachel questioned.

"Detention," Daphne answered for Aki.

"Really?" Rachel said, her eyes lighting up. "Detention, you say? As in... the thing you have to do after you've been bad?"

"Snape's detention too," Daphne felt the need to add.

"It's such shit," Aki seethed. "I didn't do anything!"

"That's what they all say, eh?" Rachel jeered.

"I wanna go get pissed tonight!"

"Feh. So what else is new?"

"Damn detention!"

"I'm proud of you, Aki."

"Rachel!" Daphne said, slapping her lightly.

"What? She's becoming a troublemaker, she is!"

"What time d'you plan on getting back?" Aki asked hopefully. "D'you think I could just go for a bit and come back early for my detention?"

"Hah!" Rachel guffawed. "I know you Aki. You'll be coming back shitfaced out of your mind!"

"I won't do th--"

"Yeah, you say that now," Rachel predicted. "Sneaking sips of whiskey behind our backs, and before we know it, you're passed out."

"Heh..." Aki laughed skittishly. "Well...err... could you at least sneak me back something then? Ah... for after my detention?"

"I don't think the barman will let us try that, Aki," said Rachel.

"It's a bugger that you can't come," Daphne said.

"What about Victoria?" Rachel said, "Enjoy a nice party tonight?"

"Three Broomsticks?" said Victoria. "That is such a lewd place."

"Just come along," Rachel insisted. "It'll be fun."

"Beastly place..."

"Come on, Victoria. Don't be a wet blanket," Rachel pressed again.

Victoria tightened her lips awkwardly and gave a look to Aki. Aki nodded solemnly, trying to not look despondent. Victoria cringed briefly, just imagining the debauchery of the party.

"All...right..." she reluctantly agreed, not wanting to be ribbed for spoiling the fun.

"Excellent!" Rachel said.

"No one had better spill any Butterbeer on me, though!" Victoria announced sternly.

Daphne rolled her eyes so far back that it looked like she was about to pass out.

"Can I just skip the detention?" Aki said. "I'm in need of a bender!"

"Ah... I wouldn't do that, Aki," Rachel advised. "Snape will have your liver for breakfast tomorrow."

"Skip Snape's detention?!" Daphne shrieked. "I wouldn't even skip Professor Flitwick's detentions!"

"I need a drink so bad. You have no idea."

"Rotten luck, Aki," Rachel said. "Just have to wait another time."

Aki made a kind of low growl and pulled on her hair to vent her frustration. Fun times, celebration, and hard liquor - she was going to miss all of it.

"I would do anything for a drink tonight."

*****

Victoria, Daphne, and Rachel had left for Hogsmeade long ago, leaving a lonely Aki at the Ravenclaw table. It was already suppertime, but they weren't back yet. It must've been one raucous good party.

Aki sat with Cho, which made her feel stupid, since she was the only older student in a midst of first and second years. Every one of Cho's five friends was wailing with conversation, so Cho couldn't really pay much attention to Aki. It was a bit disheartening, but it was hard to pay attention to six people, after all.

Aki refrained from looking up during all of supper, not wanting to see anyone eye her with mocking gazes. She caught a hint of a girly, boasting laugh, Mandy Brocklehurst's laugh, and scowled. If Aki could take back welcoming her at the start of the year, she'd do it in a heartbeat.

"Sitting here, are you?" asked a soft voice.

Aki glimpsed up, and saw that it was Padma who was questioning her. Aki nodded in response.

"Where're the ones you usually sit with?" Padma said.

"Out on a Hogsmeade trip."

"Why are you still here then?"

"Have something to do tonight."

This was enough to satisfy Padma's curiosity, and she went back to her supper, smiling before she did. Padma was a nice girl, and one Aki could really take a liking to. Padma, in contrast to Mandy, was a proper young lady. Maybe not proper in a sense like Victoria, but at least Padma knew a thing or two about respecting those who gave her respect first.

After her meal, Aki went straight to the common room and did her homework in somber silence. The night was far from over, but it was already one of the lousiest Aki had ever lived. The worst was when the time was ten minutes until nine, and she had to force herself up off the cushy chair she was sitting on. Around the common room, other students were snuggled up on the sofa, relaxing by the fireplace, or just getting into their comfortable pajamas. It was a terrible feeling to have to be going out again when everybody else was settling in.

When she had arrived back at the gargoyle statues that night, Snape was standing there with his arms solidly folded across his chest. When he caught sight of her, he didn't say a word, only jerked his head towards the statues and walked off. He clearly didn't want to be there either. When he moved away, a footstool and a rag that was draped over a bottle of something was already set up there. She whipped off the cloth, and checked out the Mrs. Skower's Mess Remover that lay underneath. She wasn't sure how safe it was to get this stuff on her hands, but she didn't care. She just wanted to get this over with, and splashed a bit of the cleaner onto the rag, feeling it soak through onto her skin. Aki gave a meek glance to the gargoyles that towered over her. They weren't that tall; maybe six feet, but all three of them looked very unpleasant with their tongues hanging out or marble teeth exposed. The first and third statues had a lot of greasy fingerprints on them, but mysterious yellow splotches appeared on all three. Aki huffed at how people couldn't keep their damn hands clean when they touched the statues. She took a step onto the footstool and started off with a quick buff of the top of the first gargoyle's head. There was a dreadful amount of dust that settled there.

Aki spent more time on some spots than others. The yellow splotches made her sweat a fair bit since they were excruciatingly hard to get off. It took maybe forty minutes just to finish the one statue. She was starting up on the second one, polishing its back, when someone could be heard coming down the corridor. The person stopped, no doubt having spotted Aki scrubbing the gargoyle with all her might.

"Whossat?"

Aki leaned back slowly to get a look at the speaker. It was that Gryffindor boy, Oliver.

"Ah--"

"Oh, it's you," he said. "Err--What are you doing?"

"Cleanin' these."

"Why?"

"Snape's idea."

"They're quite big."

"I know. I'm so damn tired already."

"That Snape... filthy bugger!"

"Hah! I'll say."

"It's a little late to be cleaning."

"Little late to be wandering the halls too."

"I'm going out to practice flying," he said, puffing out his chest. "Big game coming up."

"Oh, right. Good luck with that."

"Thank you." He began to make his leave. "You be careful, now. Don't be falling off."

"Thanks. You too."

He walked an eager pace, looking a bit anxious to get out for some flying. She went back to speedily scouring the grime off the statue. All she wanted to do right now was to get into her pajamas and sleep with the thick blankets up to her chin. She couldn't imagine a worse place to be at this time of night.

*****

It was half-past eleven when Aki had wiped off the last grease mark on the third gargoyle. She drew out an exhausted breath and took a step back to observe her work. The useless statues weren't so much eyesores anymore, but she was sure that no one would look at them still. She slammed the mess remover down and threw the dirty rag to the floor. The wet rag made a not-too-great plopping sound. Aki gave lingering evil eyes to the gargoyles, feeling that her time spent on them was a complete waste. The gargoyles just remained motionless, their dead tongues hanging out, ridiculing her. She felt the urge to spit in the face of one of them, but she forced her legs to start moving away before she could carry out that instinct. She didn't waste any time in getting back to the Ravenclaw tower.

The halls in that area of the school were definitely not the kind you would want to be piddling around in late at night. They were a moody gray and with no windows in sight. There was nothing but weak torches at intervals that were too far apart, so there would be patches of darkness every so often. They were probably the most cramped halls in all of Hogwarts, or at least it seemed that way to her. Almost as if the above levels were crushing and compressing it gradually. Aki got the uncomfortable feeling that at any second, the ceiling above her would collapse. She walked quicker, wanting to get out of these basement-corridors as soon as possible. She dashed up the first flight of stairs and rounded the first corner, changing in to sort of a trot.

"Hey."

Aki followed the voice and was appalled when she saw the owner of it. Marcus Flint was leaning casually against the wall, one hand behind his back.

"Hey, you."

Aki had begun storming off before she had even finished her words. She could hear him hurrying to keep up with her.

"Would'ye slow down and talk to me?"

Aki felt her face get hot. She whipped around to face him, balled fists at her sides.

"You got me into trouble!" she screeched.

He stopped in his tracks sharply, taken aback by her noisy outburst. He needed a second to think of the right thing to say.

"Look..." he said.

Marcus put on his gentlest expression and inched towards her.

"Just hear me out..."

Aki made a very harsh grumble and walked away, stamping her foot down with every step.

"Last night... I was just about to meet you, but Snape came and ordered us to bed--"

"So you just left me there?!"

"I tried--"

"You couldn't tell Snape that you had to meet someone?!?"

"He still would've never let me out--"

"Pigshit!" she grunted, turning her heel.

"Don't you walk away from me!"

His rasping, demanding voice surrounded her, and she shuddered. Marcus' angry voice had to be the scariest there was. She turned submissively, and seeing her slightly groveling face, Marcus seemed to ease up.

"Don't be like that," he said, reaching for her hand to calm her down.

"Marcus, please don't touch me."

"You know that I--"

"Don't... touch me!"

She threw his hand that was trying to hold hers. She brought both hands close to herself, turning them away from Marcus.

"At least... lemme make it up to you," he offered.

"Get away, Marcus. I never want to talk to you again."

"But I--"

"Get away."

Marcus had that desperate look in his eyes again. He sighed deeply and lowered his head. He looked genuinely depressed as he turned away slowly; dragging his feet back to the Slytherin dormitories. Marcus did look sad, but Aki fought to not let her angry mood drop. Both of his thick arms dropped to his sides, and Aki saw that he clutched something big in his right hand. She squinted, but couldn't read the label on it. However, just from the size and shape of the object, she had a somewhat good idea of what it was.

"Is that... Odgen's Old Firewhiskey?"

With his back still turned to her, Marcus gave a very fiendish grin to himself. It was working. He faced her and looked at the bottle curiously as if this was the first time he was seeing it.

"Why, yes it is."

Aki had begun to knead her robes. She licked her bottom lip once, and then chewed on it.

"What are you doing with a bottle of that?"

"Happened to come into my possession."

"That's the big bottle, too."

"Yup. That's the big one."

Marcus saw the she had swallowed very deeply, and couldn't take her eyes off the Firewhiskey. She was so easily manipulated by such a stupid thing, and he hated himself for not thinking of this sooner. She was a bigger drunkard than he thought.

"Would you care for some?" he asked innocently.

"No!" she said, trying to sound as disgusted as possible.

"Come on. I won't tell anyone. You and I will share it."

She still hesitated, but any fool could tell that she really wanted it. He held it out to her with his one hand.

"A peace offering?" he said.

She looked back and forth from the bottle to Marcus for several seconds. It appeared as though this was the biggest dilemma she had ever had to face. After a moment of debating inside her head, she finally let go of her fistful of robes and stepped over to him. Aki snatched the Ogden's Firewhiskey greedily from his hand and hugged it close to her chest.

"You're having whatever I don't drink," she declared in a bossy voice.

Marcus refrained from bellowing with laughter. From the looks of it, he wasn't getting any Firewhiskey tonight.

"Where can we down this?" she said.

"I know a place."

He stuck out his hand for her to go ahead first. Still holding the Firewhiskey protectively, she glared at him and started off down the deserted hall. Marcus walked alongside her and put his hand on Aki's back to lead her. She tutted loudly and twisted to avoid his touch. Marcus snickered and withdrew his hand. He surreptitiously looked around; to the sides, behind, even above to see if any ghosts were camping out on the ceiling. There were no witnesses in sight.

Perfect.