Fan Fiction ❯ The flame-haired angel ❯ A bet, a contest and a plot ( Chapter 4 )
The flame-haired angel
Chapter 4: A bet, a contest and a plot
The life at Hogwarts went on calm and in few weeks the five teenagers from the future had made friendships and enmities, collecting in their little group many sixth years and some seventh and fifth years, from every House.
The only Slytherin, beyond Evan, was Tom. Though Evan, the twins and Attilius tried to make him fit in the group, the other students looked at him still with some suspect and Vy didn't bear his presence at all: every day the poor Tom risked paying a visit to Madam Pomfrey. However the redhead seemed to have the same problem with the other Slytherin, first between all Lucceius Malfoy and Camilla Letroie, the Hogwarts slut.
One morning, about two weeks before Halloween, Headmaster Dippet made an announcement: considering the sad situation in which many families were, the teaching staff had decided to organize a contest for Halloween, and many saw the eye of Dumbledore twinkle: anyone could take part. Every student pondered the possibility, and some were already arguing if sing a song or play something. The Phalangers had the feeling that that contest, no doubt Dumbledore's idea; it was the Transfiguration professor's apology; so they decided to take part. Besides it was extremely foolish not seize the chance. They spent all their free hours to choosing the song: even if two weeks were missing, they couldn't go on stage unprepared.
Choosing a song wasn't so easy, because they couldn't choose something too modern: after the selection, three songs stayed.
"We agree about a cover, singing one of ours would be a scandal." Said thoughtful Xavier," We have choose one among these. Any suggestions?"
"Why don't we write the titles on bits of parchment, put them in a container and sort one?"
Suggested Adrienne nibbling a chocolate bar. Attilius shook his head.
"No, we couldn't entrust it on the fate. We must do a keen-witted choice."
"Then if we know which kind of song the others will sing, we'll have a standard for the choice."
"Evan is right," Said Vy, "in this way we have to decide if someone goes against tendency as usual or if we should conform it to the crowd." "No! We can't and won't conform it to us!"
"Consider that, even if we decide to follow the common tendency, it will be also always something new and different!"
"We must follow our thing! Without exaggerating, sure, but we must not betray ourselves only for a contest: the main point is playing!"
"Hey! I don't have intention to have tomatoes on my face!"
While the others bickered, Xavier took a note on his notebook and he then announced:
"Well, within the next rendezvous we must individualize the common tendency and choose accordingly, do you understand?"
As every second hour of Tuesday, the Charms' class would have changed in a battleground: not the usual Gryffindor VS Slytherin competition, but the sour fight of Evan Zabini and Virginia Weasley against the Slytherin, and particularly Lucceius Malfoy and Camilla Letroie. Often the tension reached levels so high that it was impossible keep on the lessons, and that Tuesday didn't make exception: everything began when anybody, very carelessly, made a compliment to Virginia. Camilla, feeling herself ignored, had answered with a rough remark. Virginia, who wouldn't allow anyone to tread her, had answered yet more roughly: so the quarrel -fortunately still verbal- had gained ground.
"Tsk! It's obvious that you don't have charm: after all boys slobber behind you only because you are a new student, but once they've known you, they'll dump you."
"Ah ah, I'm laughing! If it weren't for the ten pounds of plaster that you use every day and for your /charitable work/, not even a dementor would dare to kiss you! Tell me, which are your rates? Are you paid at hours or service? Oh, sorry: it's /you/ that pays the boys for a quick snog in a broom closet!"
"How dare you! You, filthy Gryffindor, bloody redhead bitch! You.... you..."
"I am desolate to have offended you, Camilla /Letruie/, and queen of whores, first among sluts, grand duchess of mouth workers and tsarina of hand workers, first category streetwalker, scabby bitch...."
"AAAAARRGHHH!!!!!!"
Yelled the Slytherin rushing at the Gryffindor, nails ready to slash her face; Tom stopped his Housemate.
"What do you want to do? Do you want to end in the hospital wing?!"
"Let me go, Riddle: how could you protect that Gryffindor bitch?!"
"Yes, Riddle, let her go: if she wants a punch on that Pekinese dog-like face of hers, she's welcome! C'mon, slut, line up that cesspool colored right eye of yours to my left fist and run here!"
The students began to howl 'blood' in a Coliseum style while Professor Flitwick tried uselessly to regain control on the class; it was Evan, with an odd proposal, to put an end to the chaos.
"Listen, we couldn't keep on in this way: if we just want bicker, lets do it in Binn's class, but Charms are one of the basic subjects of magic. I propose you a kind of competition, which will establish who between you, is the best, ok?"
The students whispered something above the validity of the boy's topic; the two girls in question scowled at each other and then nodded. "Well! Considering that yours... er... /discussions/ is about who the boys like, we'd do in this way: Slytherin and Gryffindor will have Charms next Friday too; thus you two, for all day long, will wear a boy's uniform."
"I refuse to take part in such masquerade, Zabini! If at the beginning your proposal had made any sense, now it's absurd!"
"Camilla, listen," Said Evan placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, "it is common opinion that there nothing is sexier than a woman with a man shirt. Besides, all the presents, even our Housemates, would name you coward to have refused the challenge."
"This is the only thing I agree with you." Lucceius grumbled, "Camilla, think about the perspective to show that you are superior to that silly goose."
"Ok, I accept! Happy? Now hurry to expose the challenge's rules!"
The Slytherin mumbled nervously. Evan cleared up his throat and said:
"Next Friday, Virginia Weasley and Camilla Letruie... ops! Letroie will come at lesson wearing their House's boy uniform. The competitors will come as simpler and sober as possible. At breakfast I'll give some forms to the sixth years, which will vote for one of the two girls, forms that will be returned before lunch: the one with more votes will have a point. The other points will be given from the teachers: winner who has more points. The points will be assigned on these standards: beauty, naturalness and general appearance. Professor, I would beg you to write and certify the just mentioned rules and to do the due communication to the other teachers; six boys, three for each House and preferably prefects, sign the rules as witness. And now, girls, seal the agreement with a handshake with the spit."
"With the spit?! Eww."
"Ok. May the best man win."
Said Vy spitting in her right hand and hands it to her rival, whom imitated her with reluctance and disgust. In less than five minutes the rule had been written and signed and the lesson, finally, was about to be resumed; but before the Professor could open his mouth, Evan added:
"And to do the challenge more interesting, bets are allowed: everyone will bet on one competitor and hope to win a bit of gallons. From tomorrow morning till Thursday evening you can bet: just ask to me!"
After that, the lesson could begin without accidents.
"I understand that you have done it to resolve the situation, but making bets on it it's exaggerated!"
Attilius exclaimed after Evan had exposed to his friends his idea. The Slytherin sighed and patted the Ravenclaw's shoulder.
"Att, I want you to notice that we are penniless: no gallon, no gold, no money, no cash, no dinero! As band's treasurer, it is my precise duty to scrape together some gallons: in an ordinary situation our families helps us, but here we must use other money sources."
"And, what if, God forbid, the whore wins the challenge?" Adrienne added pessimist, "In that case we'd be more broke than before! I don't want to be offensive, Vy, just prudent."
"Don't worry Audrey: in such things is better be provident."
Evan puffed and passed a hand trough his hair.
"I have full trust on our Vy: do you remember this summer when we paid her a visit in Egypt? When she has opened the door she wore her older brother Bill's shirt and jeans: even Att wanted to tear them from her!"
"Just because, according to me, they were better on Bill than on Vy."
"However, ours actual financial situation is disastrous: you three will spread the voice in your Houses and you, Vy, search a uniform. According to my calculations, the greater wagers will be the Slytherin for Letruie, your word play is perfect, Vy; Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff will contribute with about the half of the bets while I expect almost zero from the Gryffindor. I think that best part will bet on the sure, thus don't become angry if only the four of us will bet on of you."
"It is not my problem," Vy said with not chalance, "Letruie is right only about one thing: they don't know me. And I think that your deduction is correct: who leaves the old street for the new one, he knows what he leaves but not what he finds."
"Well, this agenda is closed. Newness on the front "Halloween Contest"?"
Xavier took his notebook and made a summary of the situation: "I could give you a partial result: for a definitive one wait the next week. The tendencies in this moment are: 16% dancing; 42% singing, of which the 57.3% glucose full sappy love songs; 38.8% theatre, of which 51.6% Shakespeare, 33.6% classical theatre and the remaining 14.8% different authors or doesn't know; and the 3.2% doesn't have yet decided."
" I don't want to sing a glucose full sappy love song!" Vy whined," it's against my ethics!"
"None of our selected song is glucose full." Mumbled Evan," I must go: Tom is helping me with the forms, but I couldn't leave the heavy job on his shoulders."
The four watched the dark-haired boy reach a table few distant, where Tom was writing on any pieces of parchment: at that hour many students were studying in the library; any making too much noise and receiving homicides glances from Mr. Page; other exchanging information in soft murmurs. The four heads, fling a last glance at the Slytherin, they converged in one point.
"While those two are busy with the challenge's preparations," whispered Adrienne," we have time to define our plan. Ok, tomorrow is, for the second time, Evan's sixteenth birthday."
"It's a shame that tomorrow is Wednesday: if it was Friday or Saturday we could organize a party," Xavier sighed unhappy, "with music, delicacies and rivers of margarita."
"Well, tomorrow at breakfast we'd do the Rite and for the party just wait till Saturday: after all this a Hogsmeade weekend, we could buy whatever we need for the party." The other Hufflepuff whispered thoughtfully," we could use the astronomic tower, or one of the secret rooms that only Vy knows how to reach."
The twins and the Ravenclaw glanced at the Gryffindor with admiration: only few students had the gift to know /every/ secret passage and secret room of Hogwarts. The redhead sighed.
"First we decide what kind of party to organize, and then I'll find a proper place, ok?" The four nodded and began to plan the party.
The next day, the four friends met at the dungeons' entry to wish a happy birthday to Evan: they didn't wait much, because at the usual time, Evan and Tom appeared on the staircases talking about something. Adrienne and Vy greeted the Slytherin with a peck on the lips and a "Happy Birthday Evan!"; but when the two boys wanted to repeat the girls' gesture, Evan raised his left arm in a defensive way and stretched the right hand exclaiming:
"You two must satisfy with a handshake!!!"
"You're so mean Evan!"
Attilius whined pouting; while the other four laughed happily. Also, Tom made his wishes to the friend, promising him something from Hogsmeade. The two girls embraced the boy and whispered naughtily in his ears:
" Considering that we have nothing for you...."
"... we have decided to remedy with this nice lil' gift... "
"... for the whole day..."
"... You can ask us... "
"... /any/ thing... "
"... and we will be more than happy...."
"... To grant..."
"... every your wish!"
Evan's eyes twinkled and he smiled malicious; he then putted his arms around their shoulders and they went toward the Great Hall.
"I think that don't let escape a so juicy chance: after all here at Hogwarts there are so many cozy broom closets... we will exploit every free moment between one lesson and the next!"
"Hey! Our offer is valid only till we reach the Great Hall!"
Now it was Evan's time to pout. The others three boys watched amused their friends go away; and few after, also Tom went toward the Great Hall, but taken not even a footstep, Xavier and Attilius grabbed him by the shoulders and dragged him in a broom closet. The Slytherin, as white as a mason and sweatier than a fat man in the Sahara at noon, watched the Hufflepuff and the Ravenclaw put a spell on the door, so that nobody could open it or hear what happened inside the room. Noticing the panic on the boy's face, Xavier sighed and whispered reassuring: "Don't worry, we don't rape."
"Even if..." Attilius sighed dreamy, "I won't mind to be raped from Bill, and Charlie, and Percy, and Fred and George and Ron... and why not? Even Mr. Weasley."
The other two watched him sickened.
"Att, you're so disgusting! I could understand Vy's brothers, but even her father.."
" Well? Is a crime cultivating the own love dreams?"
"Phf, do whatever you want. But go back to the true reason of this strategic meeting: Riddle, we must speak about Evan... "
They told him about their common friend's birthday party and they asked to Tom if he could keep Evan busy until the party was ready: in fact, excluding the other band's members, he was the only to have confidence with the boy to hold him enough busy without arouse suspicions. After having thought for some minute, Tom accepted, with the clause that Vy would be civil with him and that she gave up her inexplicable hate for him. The Ravenclaw and the Hufflepuff exchanged a doubtful glance, and they answered that they would be at least able to get a truce. The three boys nodded and sealed their accord with a handshake.
* * *
The big day was finally come: the last wagers had done their bets the night before just after dinner, and the sixth years were in a state of ferment. Evan's forecasts were right: excluding the five of them, only three seventh year Gryffindor and a small group of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had betted on the redhead; best part had gone on the safe side betting on the brown head and the Slytherin had betted dizzying sums on their housemate. In the lair of the lioness, the sixth year girls were restless while waiting with the friend; at 7: 36 AM, a third year girl carried the uniform of her brother, a fifth year. The five girls helped Vy to wear the white shirt; the trousers and the suspenders, both gray; the red tie with thin golden strips; the gray sweater vest hemmed with the Gryffindor colors; the blazer and the moccasins of black hide. When they finished, there was only one problem: Vy's hair was too long, and pick up them in a chignon would have been too feminine; but let them loose was feminine too; therefore they gave up to gel as the period's fashion wanted.
"Don't worry about your hair!" Vy smiled trying to raise their spirits, "before I go to the Great Hall, I'll ask an advice to Att: you know, he's the best hairdresser that I know!"
Perhaps it was only a coincidence, or maybe telepathy, but Attilius waited for his friend just before the Fat Lady, with a comb and a brush in one pocket and who knows what in the other: he made Vy sit on a stool and, after having watched her hair for at least ten minutes, he put a small dose of grease on her wavy hair, she had preferred let them in their natural state, and he tightened them with a dark ribbon in a low pony tail. He gave her a mirror and said:
"It's not much, but I'd be heartbroken if I'd cut them. I heard how Letruie looks like, and I could tell you that today will be hard. However Virginia, in this way you resemble so much your brothers that I'm having an erection."
The girl took his hands and said with firmness:
"Thank you Attilius, this is the best compliment that I could receive in my entire life."
The two friends nodded and, joined by the other Gryffindor, they went in the Great Hall, where the first confrontation would have take place.
The Slytherin waited the Gryffindor near the stairs, speaking with their housemate about her victory and laughing at the prospect to humiliate not only the redhead, but also the whole Lions' House. They hushed when they heard many footsteps on the staircases and they looked at their sworn enemies: the redhead was in the center of the group, with the Ravenclaw at her right. The two rivals stared at each other for a long time: Camilla began to sweat cold and she realized that it wasn't a game as she thought at the beginning. Virginia grinned sensing which thoughts crossed that brown head: sure, the Slytherin wasn't as ugly as she had thought, but instead of a girl in boy clothes, she seemed an effeminate man.
"Good morning /Letruie/, slept well?"
"Like a child, Weasley." Winced Camilla at her last name's misspelling, "do you know that you look like a tomboy?"
"And you like a eunuch."
Malfoy laid a hand on the girl's shoulder, blocking her movement, and he whispered something in her ear. Evan smiled and stooped toward the friend.
"I am proud to tell you that are having the first effect: even Malfoy, even if he would not admit it in one hundred years, is having an erection. The only thing that Letruie has been able of raise has been our right eyebrow!" Then he added louder, "Att has done well to let you the hair in their natural state, the effect is better."
"Let me give you my best wishes for today." Tom said smiling nervously," I didn't know that you have wavy hair, they are very... beautiful. "
* * *
Ginny looked around: that place resembled Hogwarts courtyard, only that the colors were faded, like an old photo. And the stone bench where she sat wasn't as cold as it would be. The young girl smiled a bit embarrassed to the boy: his uniform and the prefect badge made her feel uneasy; and she wore only her cousin's Martha's old nightgown. That was the first time that she met Tom, even if she wrote in his diary from more than three months: that night Ginny had woken up from a nightmare and she had done the first thing that popped in her mind, write to Tom. The boy, to distract her, had proposed her to do a chat face to face: at her approval, he had carried her inside the diary. At that time they were both embarrassed, and they didn't know what to say. Tom stretched a hand and passed it among Ginny's red locks.
"You hadn't told me that you have wavy hair: they are very... beautiful."
"Tom..."
* * *
The slap came unexpected, and everybody looked shocked the prefect put a hand on the offended cheek and the girl leave: Tom had never given a compliment to a girl, and this was shocking; that he has done it to a Gryffindor, then, was even more shocking; but the thing that had left everybody extremely shocked, first among all the prefect, had been Vy's reaction. Also the Gryffindor would have admitted that that compliment was without malice and double senses; but for an unknown reason, it had rung like an offence to the girl. Attilius watched the girl for a long time and he then said as an apology:
"It'll be the tension: wanna see what's going on."
Really he knew what had happened, he had heard it: he had clearly heard anyone in Vy's mind say words almost equal to Tom's.
Without thinking and without worry about her being in the girls' bathroom -after all he was gay- he reached her. Vy was watching in the mirror; the water ran monotonous from the faucet: her beautiful profile was tortured by panic, fear and something indefinite, as if she was planning about something. Sensing her thoughts, Attilius came near her in four, long footsteps, grabbed her by her shoulders, turned her and yelled: "Don't you dare think such things, do you understand? You couldn't fall again now that you are almost out and above all for a so foolishness!" "You... you have read my thoughts without permission! How...how could you do this to me?"
"Well, I just ' heard ' your heart; and however that's not the matter!" Then he softened the voice and he whisper so low that Vy barely heard him, "Have you forgotten what happened last March? If Snape hasn't prepared the antidote right then, you would have died: the horii is only a source of troubles. Besides you must stop living in the past: that guy could have even ruined your life, but five whole years have passed!" "Att, you must understand that..."
"I couldn't understand if you don't tell me what has happened that day! Listen, I am your friend and as such, my job is to help you; but I couldn't do it if you don't spit it out, 'k? Cheer up and smile, we couldn't let that that slut win!"
The redhead looked her friend and then nodded with a feeble smile.
The absolute silence fell upon the Great Hall when the two rivals took place at their respective tables; and almost all the wagers ate their own hands: it was obvious that the best between the two was Weasley. And not only because she was extremely sexy with male clothes; but also the way she carried them: her naturalness was such that they had the impression that she hadn't worn them in her entire life, which was partially true, considered that many jeans and sweater had belonged to her brothers before came in her closet. Letroie, instead, seemed uneasy and left rather indifferent. That day each rivalry between the two Houses had been suspended, also among the students of the other years: it was common belief that every stupidity would have influenced the teachers and their judgment.
After lunch, Evan collected the students' votes and delivered them to some seventh year prefect, so nobody would have doubts about the counting, and one hour before the end of classes the teachers' forms were delivered. The tension grew to reach unimaginable levels: though the counting had been entrusted to the Hufflepuff, the Slytherin insisted on their representative was there to check that there are no frauds. The Gryffindor accepted, provided that there also they had a representative and a teacher. Two hours after, the result had announced: the winner was Virginia Weasley.
While the Slytherin were consumed by the anger to have been humiliated in that way; the Gryffindor celebrated with those few wagers that had won; in the Library the "Phalangers" had reunited to split up the earned gallons. Evan was at the seventh sky, thanks to the success that his idea had had, and the others congratulated with Vy for her superb victory.
"Well, now that the matter is closed," said jovial Evan piling up the gallons, "we have time and energy to think about more important things: Saturday we'll go to Hogsmeade, we'll raid a couple of shops for the Halloween contest."
"Er... I think that you will do fine without Att and me," Announced Vy," Professor Brosca has foreseen a DADA's surprise test, and they had assured us that she isn't a charlatan like Sib."
Evan raised an eyebrow watching the two fellows: he didn't know it, but just that Saturday they had been organized a party for his birthday, and Attilius and Vy must buy what they wouldn't find in the castle's kitchen.
After having discussed once more about which song propose to the public, Vy apologized, saying that her housemates were waiting her to celebrate. When the redhead got out of the room, Evan recalled the attention of the other three and whispered:
"We must do something: Vy couldn't slap the poor Tom every time he tries to speak with her."
"Yes, her hate for the Tom kind is about to reach the safety levels. However, I think that first we should understand the origin of this resentment."
"I think I know something about the subject." Three pairs of eyes stared Att. "Not that I know what is really happened, moreover Vy doesn't allow me to read in her heart. But every so often she drops the guard and I am able to sense something."
"Then if you know something what are you waiting?!"
Xavier exclaimed amazed; Adrienne hushed him and then watched the Ravenclaw with anxiety.
"I think that in her first year, something happened to her, from what I have understood, she trusted very much somebody called "Tom", and that this guy must have betrayed her trust. I'm sure that he was older, and who knows, perhaps she caught him sleeping with another girl."
"It would be the same thing that has happened last year!" Hissed Evan full of anger, "If at March she did that foolishness, it was because she had found Harry and What-the-hell-her-name-is snogging together!"
"But now Vy doesn't hate Harry; and for what concerns that guy, there are past almost five years! Her visceral hate for the Tom kind could bring her downfall. What if one of her college's professors is called Tom? Or worse, what if her boss is called by that name?"
"Then we'll help her to overcome this hate!" Adrienne Exclaimed, "It won't be different from trying to put them together!"
"Calm down Audrey! We mustn't put Vy and Tom together, we must be satisfied to make them become friends!"
"Whatever, the main point is that they become friends. If they then become a couple..."
"Audrey, you're forgetting everything." Whispered Xavier, "sooner or later, Dumbledore and Dippet will find the way to send us go back: it's better if we not overdo, ok?"
The four teenagers nodded, giving the go-ahead to a new operation.
TBC
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No bonus this time, however there will be with the next chapter XP : you know, with a new fanfic whirling in my mind...
P-chan