Return to Hogwarts - HP UK Meetup Ficlet #3
I started with this little idea that grew. And grew and grew and grew. Alas, it was to be a ficlet between 100 and 1000 words, so I pared it down to 1400. It was the best I could do. But the scenes I cut are still kicking around. I may polish them up and expand upon this later, but since I know it won't be any time soon (I have WsiP that need looking at first), I'll post this version for now. Hope you enjoy!
Title: Return to Hogwarts
Author: sesheta_66
Beta / Brit-pick: alaana_fair / nursedarry
Characters: Pansy-centric, Draco, Harry, McGonagall, Slughorn
Rating: PG-13
Summary: After the war, Hogwarts instituted an Admittance Board to consider the worthiness of students wanting to return. Was it all a well-packaged way to keep Slytherins out, or was there something more to it?
Word Count: ~ 1400
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author’s notes: Originally written for Hereticalvision, for the hp_uk_meetup.
Return to Hogwarts
by Sesheta
Pansy stared at the vial on the table, then looked up at the faces before her. Talk about fixed! Potter wouldn't be testifying today. No. He was a bloody judge. She groaned and looked at the door. If she left now, she'd be going to Durmstrang.
"Miss Parkinson," McGonagall began. "Before you is a dose of Veritaserum." Like Pansy didn't already know that. Bitch. "You are not required to take it before pleading your case. I should like to point out, however, that your testimony may be called into question if you do not."
Pansy glared at the vial as though it were responsible for her current predicament. She'd really messed up this time, as her father had so deftly pointed out that morning. Now she'd pay. Alone.
"You really don't have to take it," Potter said. If she didn't know better, she'd say he looked apologetic. Yeah, right. She looked at the vial again and felt ill at the thought of drinking it. What would stop them asking her anything once she took it? Not that she knew anything important, but once under the influence, she'd have to answer anything they asked, no matter how personal.
She scanned the faces of the panel. McGonagall scowled and pursed her lips as though she'd just eaten something bitter, and Potter fidgeted uncomfortably. Her only hope rested with Slughorn - who wouldn't even look her in the eye.
"We won't ask you anything not directly related to the hearing."
Who was Saint Potter kidding? He'd never get a better opportunity for revenge. No one would stop him from asking whatever he wanted once she took it.
Potter fidgeted some more. "Would you be more comfortable if someone was with you?" he asked. What was he playing at? She scowled as he continued. "Your parents, perhaps?"
Right. Like her father would help her. Bastard wouldn't even let her mother accompany her here today.
"Someone else?" Potter said.
Pansy nodded and stood up cautiously. When no one stopped her, she crossed to the door and stepped into the corridor where Draco waited.
"Are you done already?" he asked.
She shook her head. "They want me to take Veritaserum."
"What!" He stood up, his face reddening and his body poised for a fight. "They can't make you do that!"
"They say it's voluntary."
"Sure it is."
"But they said someone could come in with me."
He scowled. "You don't have to do this," he said kindly. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "I meant what I said. I'll go to Durmstrang with you."
She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. "No. This is my home. I want to stay here. And Hogwarts is my school. Even after everything."
He squeezed her arms and nodded. "Shall I get your mother?" he asked.
"W-would you come in with me?"
"Me?"
"Yeah." She nodded.
"Of course I will."
She re-entered the room, Draco at her side. If anyone was surprised by his appearance, they didn't show it. She sat back down and the vial taunted her with its presence. Her hand shook as she reached for it.
"Pansy," Potter said, looking as surprised as Pansy felt hearing her given name spill from his lips. Then he did something she'd never have expected of him. He smiled at her. "You don't have to drink the potion," he reminded her. "Really, you don't."
Draco reached for the vial, put she pulled back, gripping it firmly. "No," she said. "I think I should. Then you'll know I'm telling the truth."
"And you won't ask her anything you shouldn't?" Draco said.
"We have no desire to treat anyone like a criminal," McGonagall said. She pursed her lips again in that way she always had with Slytherins, staring at Draco, then moving her gaze to Pansy. "However much they may deserve it."
Potter cleared his throat and shuffled around again. Slughorn said nothing.
"Well," Pansy said in mock cheer, raising the vial, "bottom's up!"
The liquid slid down her throat, water with a few drops of the truth potion, she surmised. Nothing happened at first, but slowly she felt herself relax. Draco placed his hand over hers and squeezed gently.
"State your name," McGonagall began.
"Pansy Parkinson."
"Why do you wish to return to Hogwarts, Miss Parkinson?"
"It's my school," she said simply. "I don't want to go to some other country for my last year of schooling." The reasons, assisted by the potion, spilled forth quickly once she started. "Any other school is too far from my home. And my friends are here - at least I hope some of them will be." She looked at Slughorn hopefully but he remained unresponsive. "It's the best wizarding school in the world, and I can't imagine going anywhere else."
Ordinarily she would not have expressed how much she loved the place, but for the damn serum. She would have expected Potter to roll his eyes or look otherwise unimpressed by her display, but he only smiled and nodded.
And then he asked it. The question they all knew he would. "Why did you try to turn me over to Voldemort?"
There it was. Out in the open.
Draco squeezed her hand in support. "I was scared," she said.
"That's it?" Potter asked.
"Yes." The answer surprised Pansy too. She'd never liked Potter, never much cared one way or the other what happened to him, as long as he left her alone.
"You didn't want to see me dead?"
"No."
"Tortured?"
"No."
"Injured?"
"No!" She took a breath before continuing. The potion nudged at her to continue. "Look, Potter, I never liked you." Potter snorted. "But I never wanted anything bad to happen to you. I just wanted the war to be over. I wanted to go home to my family. I wanted to be safe. I wanted them to be safe. And he said we'd all be fine if we just handed you over."
She squeezed her eyes shut, remembering that day as clearly as if it were happening again now, minus the fear. Draco squeezed her hand again. "You were standing right there," she said, seeing Potter again, surrounded by everyone. "One person to save everyone else. To save my family."
"But you know you would have never been safe," McGonagall said. Pansy opened her eyes, afraid but unable to prevent herself facing the Headmistress. As expected, McGonagall didn't hide her disgust as her eyes bored into Pansy's. "Voldemort would have turned everyone into his personal servants - pureblood or not." She turned her gaze to Draco. "Isn't that right, Mr Malfoy?"
Draco's eyes lost focus. Curse McGonagall for making him relive all of that again too. Pansy wished he'd let her modify his memory so he'd never have to have another nightmare about that time. "Yes," Draco said. He turned to Pansy. "You know he would have."
Pansy nodded and gave him a wistful smile. "I do now."
"We'll be in touch, Miss Parkinson," McGonagall said. She wasn't satisfied, Pansy knew, not by a long shot.
"That's it?" Draco asked. Pansy kicked him under the table.
Potter caught the motion and stifled a chuckle. "That's all," he said.
They stood up to leave, but before they took a step, Potter spoke up. "One more question," he said. Pansy's back stiffened, bracing for an attack. "Would you do it again?"
"I can't honestly say," she replied. Potter's brow lifted in challenge. "But I'd like to think I wouldn't." He nodded, presumably satisfied.
"Would you fight?" McGonagall asked.
"Merlin, no!" Pansy said, unable to stop the laugh that burst forth. "I still have a sense of self-preservation. Besides --" She looked at Potter when she continued "-- there have to be some of us left for the Gryffindor hero to save." She winked at Potter, turned, and left the room with Draco.
She'd taken a few steps down the hall when Potter called. "Parkinson!" She turned to face him. "The Veritaserum won't wear off for a while yet."
"Your point?"
"Be careful around that one." He motioned towards Draco and grinned. "He may be your friend, but he's still a Slytherin."
Pansy looked at Draco, saw the hint of something he took a second too long to cover up, then looked back at Potter. Maybe he wasn't so stupid after all.
Title: Return to Hogwarts
Author: sesheta_66
Beta / Brit-pick: alaana_fair / nursedarry
Characters: Pansy-centric, Draco, Harry, McGonagall, Slughorn
Rating: PG-13
Summary: After the war, Hogwarts instituted an Admittance Board to consider the worthiness of students wanting to return. Was it all a well-packaged way to keep Slytherins out, or was there something more to it?
Word Count: ~ 1400
Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author’s notes: Originally written for Hereticalvision, for the hp_uk_meetup.
Return to Hogwarts
by Sesheta
Pansy stared at the vial on the table, then looked up at the faces before her. Talk about fixed! Potter wouldn't be testifying today. No. He was a bloody judge. She groaned and looked at the door. If she left now, she'd be going to Durmstrang.
"Miss Parkinson," McGonagall began. "Before you is a dose of Veritaserum." Like Pansy didn't already know that. Bitch. "You are not required to take it before pleading your case. I should like to point out, however, that your testimony may be called into question if you do not."
Pansy glared at the vial as though it were responsible for her current predicament. She'd really messed up this time, as her father had so deftly pointed out that morning. Now she'd pay. Alone.
"You really don't have to take it," Potter said. If she didn't know better, she'd say he looked apologetic. Yeah, right. She looked at the vial again and felt ill at the thought of drinking it. What would stop them asking her anything once she took it? Not that she knew anything important, but once under the influence, she'd have to answer anything they asked, no matter how personal.
She scanned the faces of the panel. McGonagall scowled and pursed her lips as though she'd just eaten something bitter, and Potter fidgeted uncomfortably. Her only hope rested with Slughorn - who wouldn't even look her in the eye.
"We won't ask you anything not directly related to the hearing."
Who was Saint Potter kidding? He'd never get a better opportunity for revenge. No one would stop him from asking whatever he wanted once she took it.
Potter fidgeted some more. "Would you be more comfortable if someone was with you?" he asked. What was he playing at? She scowled as he continued. "Your parents, perhaps?"
Right. Like her father would help her. Bastard wouldn't even let her mother accompany her here today.
"Someone else?" Potter said.
Pansy nodded and stood up cautiously. When no one stopped her, she crossed to the door and stepped into the corridor where Draco waited.
"Are you done already?" he asked.
She shook her head. "They want me to take Veritaserum."
"What!" He stood up, his face reddening and his body poised for a fight. "They can't make you do that!"
"They say it's voluntary."
"Sure it is."
"But they said someone could come in with me."
He scowled. "You don't have to do this," he said kindly. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "I meant what I said. I'll go to Durmstrang with you."
She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head. "No. This is my home. I want to stay here. And Hogwarts is my school. Even after everything."
He squeezed her arms and nodded. "Shall I get your mother?" he asked.
"W-would you come in with me?"
"Me?"
"Yeah." She nodded.
"Of course I will."
She re-entered the room, Draco at her side. If anyone was surprised by his appearance, they didn't show it. She sat back down and the vial taunted her with its presence. Her hand shook as she reached for it.
"Pansy," Potter said, looking as surprised as Pansy felt hearing her given name spill from his lips. Then he did something she'd never have expected of him. He smiled at her. "You don't have to drink the potion," he reminded her. "Really, you don't."
Draco reached for the vial, put she pulled back, gripping it firmly. "No," she said. "I think I should. Then you'll know I'm telling the truth."
"And you won't ask her anything you shouldn't?" Draco said.
"We have no desire to treat anyone like a criminal," McGonagall said. She pursed her lips again in that way she always had with Slytherins, staring at Draco, then moving her gaze to Pansy. "However much they may deserve it."
Potter cleared his throat and shuffled around again. Slughorn said nothing.
"Well," Pansy said in mock cheer, raising the vial, "bottom's up!"
The liquid slid down her throat, water with a few drops of the truth potion, she surmised. Nothing happened at first, but slowly she felt herself relax. Draco placed his hand over hers and squeezed gently.
"State your name," McGonagall began.
"Pansy Parkinson."
"Why do you wish to return to Hogwarts, Miss Parkinson?"
"It's my school," she said simply. "I don't want to go to some other country for my last year of schooling." The reasons, assisted by the potion, spilled forth quickly once she started. "Any other school is too far from my home. And my friends are here - at least I hope some of them will be." She looked at Slughorn hopefully but he remained unresponsive. "It's the best wizarding school in the world, and I can't imagine going anywhere else."
Ordinarily she would not have expressed how much she loved the place, but for the damn serum. She would have expected Potter to roll his eyes or look otherwise unimpressed by her display, but he only smiled and nodded.
And then he asked it. The question they all knew he would. "Why did you try to turn me over to Voldemort?"
There it was. Out in the open.
Draco squeezed her hand in support. "I was scared," she said.
"That's it?" Potter asked.
"Yes." The answer surprised Pansy too. She'd never liked Potter, never much cared one way or the other what happened to him, as long as he left her alone.
"You didn't want to see me dead?"
"No."
"Tortured?"
"No."
"Injured?"
"No!" She took a breath before continuing. The potion nudged at her to continue. "Look, Potter, I never liked you." Potter snorted. "But I never wanted anything bad to happen to you. I just wanted the war to be over. I wanted to go home to my family. I wanted to be safe. I wanted them to be safe. And he said we'd all be fine if we just handed you over."
She squeezed her eyes shut, remembering that day as clearly as if it were happening again now, minus the fear. Draco squeezed her hand again. "You were standing right there," she said, seeing Potter again, surrounded by everyone. "One person to save everyone else. To save my family."
"But you know you would have never been safe," McGonagall said. Pansy opened her eyes, afraid but unable to prevent herself facing the Headmistress. As expected, McGonagall didn't hide her disgust as her eyes bored into Pansy's. "Voldemort would have turned everyone into his personal servants - pureblood or not." She turned her gaze to Draco. "Isn't that right, Mr Malfoy?"
Draco's eyes lost focus. Curse McGonagall for making him relive all of that again too. Pansy wished he'd let her modify his memory so he'd never have to have another nightmare about that time. "Yes," Draco said. He turned to Pansy. "You know he would have."
Pansy nodded and gave him a wistful smile. "I do now."
"We'll be in touch, Miss Parkinson," McGonagall said. She wasn't satisfied, Pansy knew, not by a long shot.
"That's it?" Draco asked. Pansy kicked him under the table.
Potter caught the motion and stifled a chuckle. "That's all," he said.
They stood up to leave, but before they took a step, Potter spoke up. "One more question," he said. Pansy's back stiffened, bracing for an attack. "Would you do it again?"
"I can't honestly say," she replied. Potter's brow lifted in challenge. "But I'd like to think I wouldn't." He nodded, presumably satisfied.
"Would you fight?" McGonagall asked.
"Merlin, no!" Pansy said, unable to stop the laugh that burst forth. "I still have a sense of self-preservation. Besides --" She looked at Potter when she continued "-- there have to be some of us left for the Gryffindor hero to save." She winked at Potter, turned, and left the room with Draco.
She'd taken a few steps down the hall when Potter called. "Parkinson!" She turned to face him. "The Veritaserum won't wear off for a while yet."
"Your point?"
"Be careful around that one." He motioned towards Draco and grinned. "He may be your friend, but he's still a Slytherin."
Pansy looked at Draco, saw the hint of something he took a second too long to cover up, then looked back at Potter. Maybe he wasn't so stupid after all.