Rating:
PG-13
House:
Schnoogle
Characters:
Ginny Weasley
Genres:
General
Era:
Multiple Eras
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix Quidditch Through the Ages Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Stats:
Published: 08/05/2003
Updated: 09/12/2004
Words: 181,356
Chapters: 34
Hits: 75,719

Broken Fate

Qwi_Xux

Story Summary:
In a future world ruled by Voldemort and his Death Eaters, the next generation travels back in time in an attempt to change fate. SPOILER WARNING: Takes place after Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 09

Chapter Summary:
The future: where Voldemort and his Death Eaters rule. In a desperate act, the children of the Trio, Ginny, and Neville travel back in time in an attempt to stop something that changed everything for the worse.
Posted:
11/24/2003
Hits:
1,944
Author's Note:
Thank you so much to

Chapter Nine ~ Society of Slytherins

Shay didn't sleep in his dormitory on Friday evening. He had no desire whatsoever to see Draco Malfoy. He fell asleep in one of the chairs in the Slytherin common room. He didn't get to avoid seeing Draco in the morning, however. He was up earlier than Shay had expected, especially for a Saturday. Crabbe and Goyle were both trailing behind him, and all three of them were dressed in Quidditch robes.

Shay still had no regrets over binding him the previous evening; in fact, he felt a great sense of freedom. He had never been good at putting up a pretense of anything, and his actions last night had ended whatever thoughts Draco had about friendship. Shay felt so much better now that he didn't have to pretend to accept that friendship.

Well, I tried to get to know my enemy, and found there wasn't much worth knowing, Shay shrugged to himself.

It seemed a common thread among the Slytherins. They would join together as a House to defend each other from the other Houses. However, over the week and a half that Shay had been at Hogwarts, he had noticed that when the Slytherins were alone in the common room, they would often divide into groups. There was quite a bit of tension between some of the different groups, and occasionally arguments broke out among them--usually when it came to discussing Voldemort, the Death Eaters, or something relating to the battle between the wizarding world and Voldemort. Shay doubted that the other Houses had similar arguments.

Draco stopped directly in front of Shay, fingering his wand.

"If you're planning on trying to curse me, do it and get it over with," Shay said. "I'm hungry and want to go to breakfast."

"You made a very bad decision last night, Long," Draco told him, his voice almost a whisper. "And no matter how much you watch yourself, it's not going to be enough. I will make you pay for what you did." He deliberately tucked his wand deep into the pocket on his robe. "Not now, though. It will come when you least expect it."

"How typical of your honor," Shay said. "Get your opponent when his back is turned."

A nasty, cynical smile crossed Draco's face. He jerked his head at Crabbe and Goyle, motioning them to follow him. "See you later, Long."

"I see you got on Malfoy's good side," a wry voice said.

It was only then that Shay noticed a young man was standing on the threshold between the common room and the corridor to the dormitories. "You're Blaise, right? Blaise Zabini?" If it was, then he was one of those Slytherins that later became an Auror.

The boy nodded. "And you're Shay Long."

"You're a Sixth Year, right? So why aren't you in the Sixth Year boys' dormitory?" Shay asked.

"Well...let's just say that Malfoy and I had some differences of opinion that became so...heated that Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore decided to split us up. For safety's sake, you understand--it was that bad. I was moved into the Fifth Year room. There are only two Fifth Year boys, so it's not very crowded. Well, it was the Third Year dormitory when I moved there--I was in my Fourth Year."

"I might be joining you before too long," Shay said wryly.

Blaise chuckled. "I wouldn't doubt it, if you continue like you just were. They might just have to start a whole new dormitory for us troublemakers."

Shay had to smile. "Do you happen to know any other of these...er...troublemakers?"

"In Slytherin? Sure do. And actually, we've been talking about starting a group--I think you might find it interesting. We're going to meet in the library at noon today, if you want to come along."

Shay nodded. "I just might do that."

~*~

Harry pushed the Gryffindor Quidditch team into practicing several times a week. The first week of Quidditch practices went better than he had hoped. He had had Andrew and Daniel fly into the air by themselves with the Bludger, and told them to aim for the hoops on one end of the Quidditch pitch. It was the easiest way to let them practice for a while and limit the possibility of injuries to the other players. They needed improvement, but Harry was confident if he kept at them, they would be ready for the first Quidditch match in November.

He also worked with Sari on the side, learning sign language and picking out signs he thought would work best to communicate with her and the team while they were up in the air. Then came the task of seeing how well it worked to use sign language while flying on brooms, chasing Quaffle, and dodging Bludgers. To his delight, it worked even better than he had hoped, and much better than shouting at his fellow teammates. All he had to do was fly by and flash a quick sign at them to communicate what he wanted, and best yet, the other teams would have no clue what he was saying.

All in all, he was very pleased with his Quidditch team. Ron had improved greatly as a Keeper, and Harry suspected it had something to do with the confidence he had gained when he helped win the Quidditch Cup last year.

Even better, he saw no sign of the Slytherin Quidditch team during the first week. He wondered how long it would be before they showed up and started something--it usually never took very long.

His question was answered on Saturday, a week after setting up the Quidditch team. The seven Quidditch players were up in the air, running through a couple of practice strategies. Hermione had come out to the Quidditch pitch to watch. She was sitting on the stands, eating a piece of toast and talking with a First Year boy who had arrived at the pitch with Sari. Harry also couldn't fail to notice Fifth Year Colin Creevey sitting at the top of the stands, his camera flashing as he took pictures of the practice session.

Harry noticed a flash of green out of the corner of his eye, and twisted on his broom to see the Slytherin Quidditch team walking toward the pitch, brooms in hand. "Oh, great," he muttered. He dropped to the ground, signaling to his team that they should do the same.

He noticed something else as the Slytherin team approached, and he thought, oh, you have to be kidding me... When they were within earshot, he said, "Don't tell me you've been made team captain, Malfoy. I suppose you had to buy your way into that like you do with everything else?"

Hermione and the First Year she had been talking to stood up from the stands and approached.

"I think they did better choosing captains for the Slytherins than the Gryffindors," Malfoy said snidely, eyeing Harry up and down. He peered at the team standing behind Harry. "I see your team is as pathetic as ever. Two Weasleys this year," Draco snorted.

Harry ran a skeptical eye over the Slytherin team. "And I see your team is as big and stupid as ever," he retorted.

Draco's eyes landed on a point somewhere over Harry's shoulder, and he chuckled. "Oh, this is rich. Don't tell me she's on your team. A First Year, from the look of her. She'll be destroyed by a Bludger the first game. I don't know what you were thinking."

The Gryffindor team immediately began yelling at Draco, and the Slytherin team cracked their knuckles and loomed forward, sneering. Harry glanced over his shoulder at Sari, who was standing beside the First Year boy that had been with Hermione. The boy was signing something quickly. Sari's eyes flashed, and she stomped forward to stand beside Harry. Even Harry had to admit she didn't look very intimidating; the top of her head reached no higher than his chest. Still, her words were angry. "I could take down either of your Beaters, any day."

Draco heard the way her words were slightly distorted, and he laughed. "Potter, is she deaf? A deaf First Year? I guess you finally really did snap. I knew it would happen sooner or later."

Before Harry could react at all, Sari had jumped forward and punched Draco in the stomach. Harry couldn't imagine that it could have hurt Draco all that much, but he looked surprised. He snatched Sari's wrist in a tight grip and yanked her forward, leaning down until they were eye level. "Do that again and you won't like the consequences," he told her in a low voice.

The entire Gryffindor team, Hermione, and Sari's friend all had their wands out and pointed at Draco. The Slytherins were a bit slower in getting their wands out, but they managed it and pointed them at the Gryffindors.

Harry and Draco locked eyes. "Unhand my Chaser. Now," Harry said in a deathly low voice.

"You going to make me?" Draco sneered. "You--ouch!" He released Sari on reflex when she kicked him hard in the shin.

This time Harry caught Sari's arm before Draco could react. He shoved her behind him. Not daring to take his eyes off of Draco, he said, "Katie, tell her to stay back." He was beginning to see why Sari had been placed in Gryffindor, but he really didn't want to be responsible for her being sent to the hospital wing. He had no doubts that Draco or one of the other Slytherins wouldn't hesitate to retaliate, First Year or not. He was going to have to make sure others kept a close watch on her around the Slytherins.

There is no way I caused this much trouble when I was a First Year, Harry sighed to himself.

They were saved from any countermeasures from the Slytherins when a voice called, "'Morning, all!"

Harry glanced over to see Charlie Weasley coming across the Quidditch pitch. He stopped when he reached the cluster of students. "Is there a problem here?" he asked, his sharp eyes looking from Harry to Draco and back.

"No," Harry and Draco said together. "We're just finishing our practice," Harry said. "I think Malfoy's team is about to start theirs." With a final glare at Draco, Harry spun and headed for the stands, his team following behind him. When he reached them, he sat Sari down and faced her. "While I admire your spirit, you're going to have to tread very softly around the Slytherins now. Malfoy won't forget what you did."

"He deserved it," Sari said staunchly.

"Malfoy deserves whatever he gets," Ginny replied from beside Harry. "That doesn't mean he won't retaliate."

Sari pursed her lips. "I can handle it," she said fiercely.

Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes. "All right. I think we're finished for today. You can all go, and I'll see you for practice on Monday evening." He watched as the team began to filter away. Hermione and Ron hung back, waiting for him. Harry stopped the First Year boy as he began to walk away with Sari. Sari stopped, and Harry held up a finger, telling her to wait a moment. Turning to face the boy so Sari couldn't see what he was saying, he said, "You were using sign language with Sari. You're her friend?"

The boy nodded. "Sari and I have been friends our whole lives, and my father and her mother have played on the same Quidditch team for three years now."

"What's your name?"

"Aiden. Aiden Connor."

"Well, listen, Aiden. If you could, I want you to keep an eye on Sari, and get her other friends to watch out for her, too. Can you do that?"

Aiden glanced over at Sari, then frowned at Harry. "You really think the Slytherins will try to hurt her?"

"I wouldn't put it past them," Harry said grimly. "Especially since she pretty much just begged Malfoy to mess with her."

Aiden nodded determinedly. "I'll make sure we look after her."

Harry let Aiden go. He felt a little bit better, knowing that Sari would have friends to keep an eye on her. He went to join Ron and Hermione. "Bloody Malfoy," Ron grumbled. "He's so tough he has to pick on First Years."

"Yes, well, that just goes to prove that some things never change," Hermione said with a sigh.

"Or that they just get worse," Ron replied.

Harry shook his head. "I forgot how much First Years think they're invulnerable."

Ron and Hermione looked at him in disbelief. "First Years think they're invulnerable?" Ron asked incredulously. "Have you taken a look at yourself in the mirror lately, mate?"

A dark shadow passed over Harry's face. "I might have thought I was invulnerable at one point," he said quietly. "But not since Sirius died." His eyes had a sudden, faraway look in them.

Ron and Hermione exchanged apprehensive looks. Hermione's voice was cautious when she said, "Er...do you want to get some breakfast?"

Harry blinked, and his eyes snapped back into focus. "Yeah. Yeah, breakfast sounds good."

~*~

Shortly after noon, Shay went to the library, where Blaise Zabini and fifteen or twenty other Slytherins were gathered around several tables that had been pushed together. "Shay! Glad you made it. Have a seat." Blaise waved at an empty seat.

Shay sat between a Third Year girl with short brown hair and a Fourth Year boy with strawberry-blond curls. Once he was in place, Blaise quickly introduced everyone around the tables, though Shay knew he wouldn't remember all of them. "All right, we're here today to discuss what we Slytherins are going to do about the threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Blaise began.

Shay was happy to hear that Blaise didn't call him 'the Dark Lord,' but not that pleased to hear 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.' He cleared his throat. "Before you start, I just think it might be better to address him as Voldemort."

Several gasps and murmurs ran around the table, but a red-headed Fifth Year--Kari, he thought her name was--nodded. "If we fear the name, it will only make fear of him worse."

"It might take some getting used to," Shay said. "But if we're here to discuss the threat the Voldemort, then it might be a good thing to get used to."

Blaise looked at him appraisingly for a moment, and then glanced at Kari and nodded. "You both have a point. All right, then. We're here to talk about what we're going to do to help in the fight against Voldemort."

Several winces were seen in the faces around Shay. "Now, as we know," Blaise continued, "Many of the other Slytherins will have nothing to do with fighting Voldemort, and there are some that support him--whether quietly or outspokenly."

Nods came from around the tables. "It's getting dangerous for those of us who openly stand against You-Kn...Voldemort," a Seventh Year named Filip said.

Xanthe, a small black Second Year seated directly across from Shay, said, "I had to take Alessandra to the hospital wing yesterday, because a group of V-Voldemort's supporters cursed her when her back was turned. Madam Pomfrey says she'll be in there all week." An angry shadow crossed her face.

"We can't turn our backs anymore," a Third Year whose name Shay didn't remember said. "We're not safe in our own House."

"Which is one of the reasons I've asked all of you to come here," Blaise stated. "Quite frankly, in Slytherin, there are more of Voldemort's supporters, or those that just refuse to do anything, than there are of us. We need to take action. We need to watch out for each other, and in order to do that, we need some sort of organization. Now, we're all in different Years, and so while we're in our dormitories, some of us can keep an eye on each other. When we're not in our dormitories--when we're at meals, in the hallways, or in the common room--we can all look out for each other. However, besides personal protection, I think we need to decide to do something to actively help fight Voldemort."

"But what can we do?" another Fifth Year girl asked.

"We can listen. We can look. We live in the one House that has produced dark wizards and witches. Even now, we have students in there whose parents are Death Eaters. It is our responsibility to learn what information we can from them. I know that several of you have parents who are involved in the Dark Arts, and I greatly admire and respect you for breaking from that mold and standing up for what's right.

"So here's the deal: we need to set up a way to keep an eye on each other and quickly pass information."

An idea blossomed in Shay's mind. It was one which he had gotten from Will's mother--Hermione had helped Harry set up a defense group in their Fifth Year, and Hermione had had a failsafe, in case any of the group decided to betray the rest. He didn't know how to do it, though, and to his knowledge, neither did Will. It was something he wanted to talk to Blaise about privately before he said anything to everyone else.

The meeting continued, and everyone was put in threes, and one of four, so that each person was accountable for keeping an eye on the others in their small group. They were arranged so that there was at least one older student with a younger. "And Alessandra will be with you, once she's out of the hospital wing," Blaise told Xanthe and the other two people in her group. "Then we'll have four groups of three and two groups of four."

With Alessandra, there was a total of twenty of them: two Seventh Years, three Sixth Years, four Fifth Years, three Fourth Years, five Third Years, two Second Years, and one First Year.

"We should have a name for ourselves," the only First Year at the tables piped up. "So no one knows who we are if we have to mention our gathering in front of anyone."

Ideas for names were thrown around, and it was finally decided that they would simply call themselves S.O.S.--Society of Slytherins. "You know, Salazar Slytherin underestimated what we purebloods can do against his noble work," Filip said, sarcasm in his voice at his last two words. "We're in this House for a reason--let's put our heads together and show Voldemort what we're capable of."

The meeting was adjourned. As everyone was leaving, Shay pulled Blaise aside. "I have a suggestion. I know of a way that can insure two things: one, that we can quickly tell everyone when we need to meet, and two, that no one in this group will betray anything to Voldemort's side," Shay explained.

"Oh? How's that?" Blaise asked.

"I don't know how to do it. You could probably get one of the Seventh Years to do it, but I know someone who can do it perfectly, and not make mistakes. The only thing is, she's a Gryffindor..."

~*~

"Hermione?"

Hermione looked up from her seat in the corner of the common room to see Neville Longbottom standing in front of her. "Yes?" It was Saturday evening, and she almost had all of her homework for the weekend done.

"Um...there's a Slytherin standing outside the portrait hole. He's asking to speak with you."

Suspicion rose in Hermione. Who in Slytherin could possibly be asking for her? "Who is it?"

"Blaise Zabini."

Hermione frowned. Blaise was in the classes she shared with the Slytherins, but she didn't know much about him. "All right, I'll go see what's going on. Thanks, Neville." She left her homework on the table and went out through the portrait hole. Sure enough, the Slytherin was leaning against the wall. He offered her a small smile when she stepped through the portrait hole.

"I was told you're looking for me," Hermione said.

"I have a favor to ask you," Blaise said bluntly.

Hermione's eyebrows rose. "A favor?" What on earth could a Slytherin want from me? Is this some kind of nasty trick?

"I was told that you can do a Protean Charm."

"Yes..."

"I need to put a Protean Charm on some fake Galleons for me." Blaise proceeded to explain that he was leading a group of Slytherins who were working against Voldemort. "We're getting a lot of resistance from other Slytherins who are fighting on the opposite side. One of the Second Years in our group is in the hospital wing suffering from a nasty curse that someone used on her when her back was turned. I was also told that you can put a jinx on a piece of paper that everyone in our group has signed, so that they can't betray us without being found out."

Hermione narrowed her eyes suspiciously. She did indeed know how to do what Blaise asked. He seemed sincere, but she still wasn't sure what to think. Of course, if she did jinx the paper, it would do exactly as she asked--she could guarantee that there was no way Blaise could use it for spying for Voldemort. "Who told you I could do this?"

"Let's just say I heard it through the grapevine."

"You understand that if I do this for you, you will only be able to use the jinx on the paper to work against Voldemort? It'll only work that way, because that's how I'll set it to work," Hermione said sternly.

"Of course, and that's precisely what I need." He pulled a piece of paper out of his robes and handed it to Hermione. "I've already told everyone in our group that if they signed this paper, they were stuck with us, and we would know if they betrayed us. Everyone signed it--even the girl we have in the hospital wing."

Hermione unfolded the piece of paper and looked down the list of names. She bit her lip, then sighed. "All right. You also understand that if I do this jinx, and you've lied to me, and you're really intending on using this to help Voldemort's cause, the jinx will work against you? I don't think you'll like what happens."

Blaise smiled. "I'm not worried about it, since I haven't lied to you. Regardless to what you Gryffindors believe, there are some Slytherins who want to get rid of Voldemort as much as you do."

Hermione was convinced. If he was lying, this would only serve to hurt him, but she believed he was telling the truth. "Come back here tomorrow at ten in the morning. I'll meet you right here and give you everything you need."

"I will. And thank you."