2002-08-01 08:05:00,
Owl from Harry,

Dear Sirius,

Yes, I was getting worried that I had not heard from you in a while, but like you say, "no news is good news". I LOVE the Boots. Ron is wicked jealous and wants to borrow them to get over on his brothers and Draco.

Perhaps you should have given HIM the warning. Anyway, I need to get going to breakfast, then t class. Can we meet sometime soon? I would like to see you again. Herimione sends her love too. 

Harry

2002-08-03 04:54:00,
Detention,

Well that was bloody pleasant. Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice? Malfoy dragging his feet almost made us late for Detention, then we get there and yes, he had to clean out all the beakers from the previous DAYS worth of potion classes with our toothbrushes. The potion of course was the Warding potion. God, if you think this stuff smells replusive when you are brewing it. Try smelling it after it has been stitting around for a day.

I thought the evening was going to get better when Snape announced that we were NOT going to be watched by him, then he announced it was the Bloody Baron that would be watching us. Terrific.

I wonder what important Midnight Matters Snape had to tend to.. Well, as long as it didn't involve harasssing me, I am fine with that. The Bloody Baron was a bothersome sod, but he didn't frighten me or anything. Malfoy groused about how this punishment was "servants work" all evening in a monotonous litany. He still seems to take a fancy to me, wanting me as a confidant and comrade. Fine. I can do that. I wonder if I shall get invited to any Death Eater Birthday Parties?

Anyway, I am beat, it's nearly five AM here. Four and a half hours of scrubbing beakers and Malfoy in the dungeon. I may sleep all day Saturday..

As ever.

2002-08-05 07:55:00,
Let me tell you about my weekend...

Well, as expected, I stayed in most of Saturday. I was beat from the Detention All-Nighter, and event though I was invited, and the weather was nice, I passed on going to Hogsmeade with my House Mates. It's odd something about that place gives me.. I don't know, the creeps. I felt uneasy at the thought of going there. So, I claimed illness from potion fumes, and spent the day in my rooms, except to leave for meals.

I cannot describe HOW it is I feel, just... off. I found Harry in the library Saturday evening. Yes, I know... odd for me to go there willingly, but lets drop that for now. He was researching something, or looking at something he wasn't SUPPOSED to be looking at for, he slammed the book shut right quick and put it in his bookbag as I approached. I sat with him for a while and and we even got in a smashing game of Wizard's Chess before his crew came and collected him for adventures unknown.

I stayed until they closed the library, then went back to the dorms to bed. Again. Just oddly off is the only way I can describe it.

Sunday was pretty much a repeat of Saturday, with one odd exception. As I was eating lunch in the Great Hall, Snape walked by the Slytherin table and paused near Draco and myself. He gave us both a scrutinizing sort of look, and I am not sure about the look I returned, but it prompted him to mutter, "You look well enough Grim." then as if an added thought or to cover something up, he aded, "Malfoy.", then strode off to points unknown.

Again, I have that odd feeling I am missing something, or have missed out on something. Could that "Well enough" comment have something to do with my new white patch of hair? My feigned illness on Saturday? Did something happen to me that I have forgotten or been MADE to forget?

Suddenly, I feel a chill coming over me at that thought... Damn, almost time for breakfast and Monday classes. I had better skip off.

As ever,"

2002-08-05 22:16:00,
OOC Character Notes

The "Allergy Potion" Albus has Jack taking not only causes the changes his appearance and reverses his age, it supresses the Sirius side of his personality, making him "Jack Grim".

He must take the potion weekly to continue the disguise, and as the week draws to a close, it begins to weaken, and more of Sirius and his personality come to the surface as we shall see. If he were go to longer than on week without the potion, he woauld beging to revert back to his real age and appearance. By day nine or ten he would be full back to his former self.

2002-08-05 23:20:00,"
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good..."

An IC Dual RP Scene with Draco and Jack Grim.

Jack came tromping down the stairs from the Boy's Dorms in Slytherin House, his hair still damp from his shower, and a brush in his hand. He pays no mind to who is in the common room as he enters. He goes straight over to one of the chairs before the fire, flopped down in it and began to come out his hair. He stared into the flames and lost himself in thought.

For once, Draco was not currently holding reign over the common room. But he wouldn't be absent from that throne for long. He had simply been retrieving a book from the library, not really feeling up to staying within the Great Hall and chatting up the night away. Thus, when he entered through that portal, he wasn't followed by his goons that usually follow in his shadow. A book nudged under his arm while the other pulled the miror closed. It didn't surprise him that when looking about the common room, that he spotted Jack by the fire. Pausing for a moment, deciding what to do, he finally made up his mind and placed the book down, before sitting down in a chair by the one Jack occupied.

Jack looked slowly over to the side when Draco arrived and sat down. He offered the lift of a chin, and a soft, "Oi Malfoy," as he continued to comb out his longish hair. "Where are your human bookends?" he asked in a bored tone.

"They're not always with me, you must understand. As menial as they seem, they have lives to live as well..away from me that is. Plus, I rather enjoy my privacy." Giving a half smirk before eyes wandered towards the fire that seemed to preoccupy Jack, it was..interesting, hm? "On to common small talk. How was your day? Or weekend rather? I noticed that you didn't accompany us to Hogsmeade."

Jack surpressed a shudder at the mention of Hogsmeade, and slowly looked back over at Malfoy, and shrugged. "Just didn't feel like going. That's all. Didn't feel well after inhaling all those potion fumes the night before. Must've made me sick," he said, repeating his story from two days before. "How was it?" he asked after a beat, chosing not to comment on Crabbe and Goyle any further.

Draco gave a nod, having that deep rooted feeling that Jack was still rather miffed about the severity of their detention, but didn't bring it up. Draco gave a shrug of his own as he made himself comfortable within the chair. "It was the same thing as the time before..and the before that.." To an extent.."You really didn't miss out on much..unless you wanted to be part of immature pranks that seem to be 'all the rage'." Grinning silently to himself.

Jack finished with combing out his hair, and tucked his comb into a pocket as he looked over at Draco, an eyebrow lifted inquisitively. "What sort of pranks?" he asked, suddenly fully interested in the conversation at hand.

Draco blinked, why were the pranks all of a sudden so interesting? He didn't even find them such, unless carried out by himself. "The usual, they usually contain little to no thinking. Mostly concerning the use of trick candy. They seemed to be rather amused watching chocolate frogs scaring first years and children in the village by jumping at them..." He rolled his eyes. "I would rather see pranks that actually contain some..craftmanship."

Jack settled back in his chair, bored again, "Oh... that sort of prank..." he drawled lazily. "I have to concur with you. A truly marvelous prank requires forethought, planning and sheer cunning to pull off the best of routs." Jack suddenly had a gleam in his eye for the briefest of moments, and a wicked grin crossed his face. The then looked back over at Malfoy. "What did you have in mind?"

Draco caught that wicked grin..and it was quite a sight to see indeed! Soon after, combined with his own. "Oh..something to stay in the minds of others forever. Something that could ultimately be talked about for days on end. But nothing too intense..of course..or more detention could be a horrible result. And..we really don't want that...." Running a fingertip over his lips in silent thought. "I haven't thought about performing pranks for sometime, almost thought I had grown out of them..but maybe not."

Jack leaned on the arm of his chair, mvoing his face closer to his compatriots, and whispered through a wicked leer, "You are NEVER too old for a good prank..." he said, then added, and on top of your game." he said then ran his tongue across his lips in anticipation of the game being afoot soon. "So... who shall the mark be Mr. Malfoy?" he asked with the delicate hitch of an eyebrow.

Chin was placed lazily upon outstretched fingers as Jack leaned in with a leer that made him grin in return. "I guess I underestimate how beneficiary a good prank could really be." A finger tapped his chin for a moment before a devious smirk ran it's course over his lips. "You know, revenge has always been sweet. And who deserves some revenge for the tedious task we performed Friday night?" Of course, that could only mean one person..and it might end up bad on their part...but it'll be worth it, he thought.

Jack smiled wide, showing bright white teeth, and a pair of canines that looked strangely just that. Feral. "I agree... Nothing would give me more pleasure than repay that greasy old git, and have the blame placed on someone else." he whispered softly into Malfoy's ear, then clicked his tongue on his teeth as he pulled back slowly. "I think I have just the thing... Simple, yet effective...." he said with a wink. "We swap bottle contents on the supply shelf he uses behind his desk. We could never get to the heavy stuff he keeps in the office, but this will be more fun when he goes to use them during class." Jack paused, rolling his eyes as he thought. "The key to this... is laying the blame ELSEWHERE... Evidence needs to be found. Evidence from say... Another house?" he grinned in a wicked way.

God, it just made him shutter in a sadistic sort of pleasure. The best sort..well..almost the best sort of pleasure out there. While people got their kicks out of helping somebody, it seems Slytherin's loved to get their kicks out of hurting others..and why not? They deserved it! A simplistic purr was uttered after a nod, listening closely at the anticipated prank. "Oh..I know it's so completely overdone, but putting the blame on Gryffindor is always so fun. Besides, not only that..but they're also known for pranks. Not to mention, they have an undying hatred for Snape as well."

Jack smirked, his slim lips pulling to one side as he nodded slowly. "Indeed. Now, we only need to figure out how to lay the blame..." he said lifting an index finger to his lips as he thought. "Switching the ingredients will be simple enough. You have gloves don't you Malfoy? We don't want to leave prints now do we?" He said with a stern look at Draco from under his long two toned bangs.

Giving a smirk, he nodded. "Don't take me as a fool..or a stupid Slytherin. Gloves are a necessity." Nodding matter-of-factly before returning to the matter at hand. "Well, the most plausible way in placing the blame upon the Gryffindor House would be to get something of theirs..but that means trying to sneak into their common room..and that isn't a good idea." Thinking a bit harder..a brow raised with a smirk. "Do you think that any of the teachers has confiscated any items from the Gryffindors? Something..we might be able to confiscate back?"

Jack rubbed his lips with the fingertips of his hand as he thought. "Filch would. Filch has an entire office full of confiscated magical and personal items..." he said then lifted an eyebrow at Malfoy. "Now, we first need to create a suitable diversion to draw him out of there, nick something, then begin stage two once the heat from that cools off. We may have to do this in stages..." he ponders.

"Of course, hmm..the best diversion for Flich would be to pull something off that Peeves would do..and alert Filch.. and while he goes to yell.. and possibly report Peeves doings to Dumbledore.. one of us goes and retrieves the needed item." It seemed like a good idea to him, after all, Peeves was a constant annoyance to Filch.. and any possibility of getting Peeves banned from the school was snatched up by his bony hands.

Jack nodded. I will handle making the distraction cause by Peeves. I already have an idea for that." he said as he got languidly up from the couch, and held his hand out to Draco, "Shall we?" he grinned.

Draco grinned as he clasped hands with Jack, and allowed himself to be pulled up to his feet. After collecting two pairs of gloves from his belongings, he gave one to Jack, and when everyone else had gone to bed, they slipped out of the mirror and into the halls.

They parted ways at the entrance to the Great Hall, and Jack waited until Draco was welly hidden in a far away alcove before he began, "Mischief Managed." he grinned to himself, then began at the back of the hall, and ran to the front, knocking over suits of armor as he ran, causing enough racket to wake the dead. He laughed aloud, feeling the rush of... days old? He reached the entrance to the Hall, and instinct told him which secret tunnel to take back to Slytherin House to await Malfoy and his stolen booty.

Draco was supreme cat burgler material, and he had to place his gloved hand in his mouth to keep from laughing aloud as he heard the racket all the way to his hiding place near Filch's Office. Right on cue, Filch came charging out foaming at the mouth, and screaming "Peeves!" at the top of his lungs. Mrs. Norris, his scrawny cat went racing after him, and after they were out of sight, Malfoy made his move and slipped into the office, unseen, undetected.

Jack reached the Common Room of Slytherin House first, and looked around the empty room. He could not supress a hearty laugh as the adrenaline coursed through his veins like a drug. His grin was from ear to ear, and his eyes were sparkling with mischievous energy.

Draco was slightly out of breath as he reached the common room once more, with desired object in hand. That had been rather invigorating..and wouldn't mind going through it again. But oh, they weren't done with this little prank yet, but it definately wouldn't be the last. Pushing through the portal door, mirror from the outside, he grinned down to the small bag of trick candy. Draco wasn't sure what the candy was capable of, but the scarlet and gold bag told him that it belonged to students within the Gryffindor house. More then likely by the Weasley Twins. Looking around, he spotted Jack..and a wide grin spread on his face. "Too easy, literally like stealing candy from a baby."

Jack was slightly winded as well, he was leaning on the back of an overstuffed chair catching his breath when Malfoy arrived with the prize. Jack stood up and walked over toward his partner in crime to have a closer look at what he has managed to nick from Filch's office. Jack smiled as he peered into the bag, and grinned. "I've heard about these. Don't eat any of them..." he warned Draco, then clapped his palms together dramatically. "Well, onto phase two my dear Draco?" he asked with a flirty flutter of eyelashes.

Draco peered into the bag as well..and a raise of his eyebrow. There were about..oh..seven individually wrapped peices of unknown candy. Being the mischevious mood that he was, he pulled two peices out. "I wonder how my "bookend friends" would enjoy a free peice of candy." Oh hey, why not throw in two more casualties! "I figure..if we strike some people in Slytherin House..it would seal the blame on the Gryffindors. Why would Slytherin pull a prank on Snape, as well as students within the house itself? Hm?" He'd plant those where Crabbe and Goyle could find them without difficulty. Draco grinning towards Jack. "I'm well ready to begin phase two.." Slightly pushing him as he mocked that flirtatious look.

Jack gave Draco a sneer, and turned, sauntering out of the common room again, and went into stealth mode as he made his way along the dark and empty corridors. "Keep and eye out for the REAL Peeves..." he whispered to Draco. "That would throw a major wrench into this little soiree..." he said solemnly.

Hopefully, the racket that Jack had caused not only stirred Filch from his office, but caught the real Peeves attention..sending him to harass Filch personally. Maybe...hopefully. Draco gave a nod as they sneaked through the many corridors and intricate hallways. But after being here so long..it wasn't soon before they were a corner away from Snape's classroom. "Phase two..is most definately my favorite phase."

Jack moved like an animal on the hunt, and slipped into the classroom without incident. "Watch the door," he said to Draco with a grin as he made his way to the shelves of potion making ingredients. With gloves on and a few empty beakers taken from the shelves he began to quickly go to his work. He traded like colored liquids, and only things that looks similar in consistancy and thickness. He kept his ears open for trouble, and kept looking back over his shoulder at Malfoy.

A nod..and he stood on watch, looking left then right..then repeating every so often. A couple times looking within the classroom to monitor what Jack was doing. A couple times, he thought he heard footsteps, a bit tense before finding out it was nothing. But the fourth..maybe fifth time he thought he heard footsteps..it was no false alarm. There really were footsteps within hearing range. Draco inwardly cursed and pulled inside. "Somebody is coming, we need to make ourselves sparce..and damn quick." Ready to dash on the drop of a dime.

"Shit!" Jack swore under his breath and quickly finished up what he was doing and waved to Malfoy, "Quick, over here..." he waved heading for an alcove behind the rows of seats, and alongside a bookcase. "Toss the candy, and come on!" he hissed as he started to slip into the cramped hiding place, heart pounding with the rush.

Like said, Draco made himself rather sparce. With Jack's help of course. Tossing the candy that he had on hand just behind Snape's desk, but visible by anybody that looks. That done, he made a dash for the hiding spot where Jack currently was. A hiding place which..barely had room for one, let alone two. But manage he did, after all, he wasn't exactly huge, but he seemed to be such compared to the small space..and sharing with another. The fear of being caught was pushing his breathing into overdrive..or was that Jack's breathing he heard? Whatever the case maybe, it needed to be stopped before it gave them away. Draco's right hand was placed over Jack's mouth, while Draco's left hand...was clamped over his own mouth.

Jack opened his eyes wide at Draco's sudden motion and then lowered his eyelids partially, watching Draco closely. He stared deeply into the icy blueness of his eyes, and at the milky white skin on the other boy's face. He WAS an attractive young man, the taint of evil passed down from his father only seemed to add to that. Jack found himself concentrating on his own rapid breathing and pulse, and was confused by it. He stood there pressed tightly chest to chest with Malfoy, listening and waiting.

For the most part, Draco didn't realize their current situation, all he was concentrating on at the moment was detecting the footsteps, passing, coming, stopping, whichever it may be. That was the current hindering worry on his mind. Of course, you can't really ignore how close another is, especially when you're chest to chest with another. But..he would turn his attention to that..in a moment. Draco was taking in stuttered..labored breaths, seeing as he was limited, instead of being free to quench the air his lungs thirsted for. After a couple moments, he heard the footsteps pull closer..and closer yet, then stop..maybe a little away from the room..or maybe right in front? He wasn't sure. But soon a voice followed, not one..but two. It was..Dumbledore..? Most likely..and the second voice was predominately McGonagal, female..yet strict in tone.

Jack had been trying to breathe as hard as he could with Malfoy's hand over his mouth, then he heard the steps approach, and halt nearby. He opened his eyes WIDE again as he looked into Malfoy's, denoting his anxiety at the moment. He felt a rush of adrenaline in his blood again, and a twinge in his groin. He couldn't help it. Making trouble always gave him a boner, and the only downside to that was that it was pressed against Malfoy's slender thigh. He prayed he wouldn't notice. That could be bad...

"It looks like this room is undisturbed..." Albus said in a patient tone, "I am guessing it was just an attack in the Hall Peeves was up to this evening." he said softly. "I wish you would get him out of here Albus..." Professor McGonnagal added in a tense tone as she turned to leave, "He is such a nuisance to the school, the teachers, the students. Everyone!" she said, sounding exasperated. Albus smiled, "A little nonsense now and then, is welcomed by the wisest men..." he grinned, and followed Minerva out of the room.

Draco waited until he was absolutely positive that Dumbledore and McGonnagal were gone from the classroom..and better yet, anywhere NEAR the classroom. When he was positive, he drew that hand away from Jack's mouth. Soon after, his left hand dropped away. "Bloody hell...." Taking in a much needed deep breath before turning his eyes towards Jack with a brow raise. "Would I be wrong in saying that Fellatia isn't the only one that turns you on?" Grinnnig deviously..a classic Draco expression. Oh yes, that boner..was rather obvious. Then again..how could it go unnoticed when they were placed in such a small space? Please, unless they were dressed in exceedingly thick clothing, it was impossible to go unnoticed.

Jack narrowed his eyes and sneered at Draco in a playful way. "Conceited little wanker aren't you?" he whispered back, near to Draco's ear. "How do you know it wasn't the thrill of the chase, or Professor McGonnagal?" he panted, letting his warm breath wash over Draco's skin, then quickly and impulsively ducked closer, and placed a kiss on Malfoy's flushed cheek. He then grabbed him by the upper arm and led him towards the front of the classroom. "Follow me... I know a safer way back..." he said leading Draco to yet another secret passage he just somehow knew about...

Oh..there was a most obvious shutter as that breath lingered over his skin..and then that kiss. Interesting..and potentially dangerous combination. It took a moment to recompose himself before a word was uttered, but oh, words were his specialty. "If Professor McGonnagal was the one to turn you on, then I'd start to wonder about your taste...and sanity." Grinning was he was dragged to the front of the classroom. Damn..how did Jack know about all of the different passageways within the school? It was amazing you could say.</lj-cut>",The sound of my laughter,mischievous

2002-08-06 07:40:00,"Regrets, I have none...","Thinking about last night, and the pranks Malfoy and I have set in motion I can only wonder what "side" of me did that. I was a Gryffindor, yet now I am a Slytherin and it was my beloved Gryffindor I betrayed last night. Am I, Truly becoming Jack? Does this mean that if I am becoming more and more Jack, that I am also becoming more and more of a Slytherin? I have found, that just prior to my weekly taking of the potion I seem to be able to have this moments of clarity and reflection on my situation.

Then again, is this a good thing? The unleashing of the manbeast inside of the boy? Something still hovers at the back of my mind. Like I stated before, something I cannot recall, and there is a REASON for that. Since it IS time for my weekly dose of "medicine" I am guessing it was my inner dog that was at the helm last night acting as the Sirius of old, but acting in Silver and Emerald instead of Scarlet and Gold.

Then there is the issue of Malfoy and t he inquiry he made as we were shoved tight against each other in that alcove. He interpreteed my mischeif boner for something else, and, he seemed intrigued by that. I find myself wondering about it as well. I've accepted my bisexuality long ago. There are benefits to garnish from both sexes you can't get with the other, and so it goes. But Malfoy?? He's evil incarnate. Or That is how he is painted anyway. Perhaps there is more to that boy that was he wears on the surface. Perhaps it is all armor and glamour for simple survival. Just like me.

Well, time to dash off, Malfoy is calling to me, so I suppose he will tag along with me for my "dose" then escort me to breakfast. It's so nice to be loved... or at least lusted after.",Morning in the dorms.,contemplative

2002-08-06 08:29:00,
The Weekly Dose,

An IC Dual Post with Draco and Jack.

Jack put his journal away, and went to the hallway were his dorm joined the hall near Malfoy's. "What's up Malfoy?" he asked with a grin. "More trouble on your mind?" he said with a wink.

"Hmm..." Blinking as if caught in a daydream, or just a daze in itself. Jack caught him writing, but when Draco heard that voice, that quill was set down quickly and he turned in his chair towards Jack. A grin sneaked over his face soon enough. "Oh, not yet, I'm still anticipating the actions that will happen due to our eventful night. I need to savor that first, before starting up anymore trouble."

Jack jerked his head in the direction of the exit from Slytherin House. "I uh... gotta go take my medicine, then head down for breakfast." he said with a shake of his head, designed to get his bangs out of his eyes. "Wanna go with me?"

Draco pushed himself from the chair he was currently sitting in. The beginning of a yawn began to show, but he quickly repressed it without a catch. "Sure, there isn't much else to do around here. I might as well play the part of an escort." Grinning softly as he crossed over to the door.

Jack laughed softly and led the way out of Slytherin House and toward the Hospital Wing. "I hate this stuff..." he groused. "It tastes bloody awful, and I have to take it every week or suffer the consequences..." he said as they walked along the corridors, up and up.

Draco raised a brow was Jack went on about this..allergy medicine he has been forced to take, for how long? Draco wasn't sure. "And what are the consequences? I'm assuming that they're worse then the actual taste of the medicine?"

Jack paused, suddenly realizing he had to make this sound viable now. "It's a dander allergy. To House Elves of all things.... " he snarled. "Some people are allergic to cats, me, house elves... " he said with a wry smile in Draco's direction. "Pain in arse, eh?"

"Oh? My, that is quite a bother. Especially when everything within the castle is run by House Elves." Ha, what would happen if Draco were allergic to House Elves? He wouldn't be allowed to return home! If that were the case. "And you were just exposed to this allergy upon coming to Hogwarts?" Idle chit chat as they pressed their way to the hospital ward.

Jack nodded, "Yes. Quite odd in deed. So I take this potion that Professor Dumbledore came up with once a week, and now it's time to gag it down once again." he said with a tone of resolve in his voice. Once they reached the Hospital Wing, Jack went in followed by Draco, and addressed Madame Pomphrey. "I am here for my Allergy Potion." he announced when she came over to them from tending to a case of elephant ears cursed on a fellow student. "Ah yes, Mr. Grim. I have been expecting you..." she said as she went into her office, and returned with the potion, handing the flask to him.

Draco nodded as they pushed into the hospital ward. Grinning at the student inflicted with elephant ears. Leaning against the wall with arms crossed, he watched as Jack was tended to by Madam Pomfrey. Looking about at the next to empty hospital ward. Except for the student with the elephant ears..and alas, Crabbe and Goyle were there as well, both placed on a bed..and still showing the result of eating such tainted candy. A smirk from Draco, but it seems Crabbe and Goyle were a bit..preoccupied with their inflictions.

Jack uncorked the flask and after taking a steeling breath, tossed the concotion down his throat in one gulp. He shuddered and made a face at the awful taste, then set the empty flask down. Madame Pomphrey collected it and took it to the washstand to rinse out. "Bloody Hell that is AWFUL!" Jack growled. "Can I at least have a shot of Brandy to wash it down with?" Madame Pomphrey returned to scold him, and threaten him with points taken from Slytherin House for his language if he didn't leave straight away. With another shudder and a slight squint as his pupils again over dilated, Jack made his way back over to Malfoy, and followed his amused gaze to the fallen Crabbe and Goyle. This made him chuckle. "Oooh casualties of war. What is that they call it when civilians are caught in the middle? Collateral damage?"

"What is it called when you purposefully pulled them into the war? Eh, they're now..officially out of my hair for awhile. Believe me, that's enough to make anybody rejoyce, so I wouldn't exactly call them casualties." Grinning to himself as he pulled Jack by the arm..and out of the hospital ward under the glare of Madam Pomfrey. Seems loitering was a no go here. "They only back up the story of Gryffindor causing all the the pranks that are..bound to happen.." Making sure not to be overheard by the passing students, he whispered any discussion about last night. "I wish we could just skip breakfast and go to Potions, the anticipation is about ready to kill me."

Jack glanced at Draco's arm linked with his, and he smiled warmly. A relaxed, goofy sort of grin coming over his face. "I would hate to see you dead my dear Draco..." he purred back. His pale eyes looking a bit misty for a second, then he looked ahead as they walked along. "Besides. Anything worth having, is worth waiting for, yes?" he smiled to himself as he thought about the mayhem that would soon ensue, and the amusement they would get out of it. He seemed lost in thought from that point as Draco led him along the halls.

Draco raised an eyebrow as he looked towards the other at his side. That dreamy sort of girlish look placed on his face. It was an interesting look to see on anybody. A grin sneaked over his lips. "Would you really hate to see me dead, Jack?" Mocking a sniffle and a quiver of that bottom lip. "I feel..so..so loved."

It was nice to devel into that fantasy world for but a moment, masking reality. Then again, reality was going quite nice at the moment. "Hmm..yes, patience is a virture. But sometimes, you just want everything..right away..and when you want it. I suppose that's just human nature. But we're suckers for surprises as well." Continuing thier walk towards the Great Hall..a bit slower then usual.

Jack looked back over at Draco, a flash of color on his cheeks now. Whether it was a side effect from the potion or a genuine blush, one cannot be sure. "I... I think you are perhaps not as bad as I was informed prevously," he said softly, staring into Draco's icy blue eyes, then continued, "I think that perhaps even if you are... you are redeemable. Most people are...." he said, then turned away again blinking his eyes several times as if saying inwardly, "Did I just really say that?"

Draco gave Jack a genuine smile, which is something Draco wasn't use to giving mind you. The last time he let a person in on his genuine attitude..was..his first year, when he extended his hand for Harry. Due to the rejection that came after, being genuine wasn't in his everyday life.

"I thank you for those words Jack, it doesn't seem to come up a lot. In fact, I think that's the first time I've ever heard somebody say such to me. Reputations can destroy a lot of what a person is actually like." Leaning in slightly, his hand taking Jack's..and giving it a slight squeeze. After all, being told such..was rather..enjoyable. Now he understood the enjoyment of being liked..at least in one way or another.

Jack nodded at Malfoy, this time he DID blush, and looked away again as his hand was clasped. "You're welcome Draco. I suppose I should thank you too for taking me in, as your friend. I know not only am I new here, but considered.... odd by many..." he said quietly, then paused in the corridor, just around the corner from the Great Hall. he lifted up his hand, the one held in Draco's and gave him a lopsided grin. "I don't think marching in there like this would do either of us any good..." he mused, eyes twinkling slightly. There was an awkward pause as he stared into Draco's eyes.

Draco nodded softly. "You're welcome as well, besides..you're the only one within the Slytherin House for the want of an intelligent friend. I thought I could provide what you wanted." Grinning softly as they continued on their way, then came to a halt as Jack paused. A slight blink from Draco's part before he looked down to his hand, holding Jack's. "Oh..right, no, it probably wouldn't do us any good as I think about it." But Draco didn't let go of his hand just yet. Giving a coy smirk before leaning in for a small chaste kiss. "But I'm sure that might do some good." Before finally letting go and heading into The Great Hall for breakfast.

Jack shivered, and felt an odd twinge all over his body as Draco kissed him. It ran the length of his face, down his spine and bottomed out in his groin. He suddenly felt flushed, and paused for just a second before following Draco into the noisy and nearly full Great Hall. It was time to eat.",,groggy

2002-08-06 19:41:00,
Bad news.... Good News....

Well, something odd happened today. Again. We went for my dose of Potion, Draco escorted me and we chatted. He hung around while I drank the gawdawful stuff, then we walked to Breakfast. God, I don't know what came over me, or HIM but by the time we were arriving at the Great Hall, we were HOLDING HANDS.

Now, this doesn't really disturb me. Much. I mean, you know I like guys too, and I am SUPPOSED to be watching him and hating him... But I can't. Not yet anyway. Snape. Him I can hate. Easily. Gleefully. Eternally. But Draco... He seems a pawn in his fathers's game, and seems quite taken aback that I would care about him and want to be, simply his friend.

We ate breakfast, not much to tell there, then went to Potions with high hopes for some high jinks. It didn't happen. Snape wasn't in class, had assigned yet another unholy assignment, and that was that. Wonderful. Luckily I am feeling studeous, and will work on it tonight.

The rest of classes where blase' nothing to report except Draco stayed close to me and we talked about various things between classes. He seems up until now to not have had someone to truly confide in. Despite who he is alleged to be. That is truly sad. Maybe I don't need to spy on him to keep him off of Harry's ass. Maybe he just needs a friend...

Well, dinner is over now. I am working on my homework, and Draco is calling. Maybe I will go out for a bit, the heat in here is stifling.

More later, as ever.

2002-08-06 20:52:00,
Orchestral maneuvers in the dark...

An IC RP session with Draco, Jack, Ginny, and Hermione.

Draco, was to put in the simplest words, a bit dissapointed that all of his and Jack's hard work last night, would have to wait yet another day to be played out. As if it weren't hard enough to wait for thier plans to unravel, now they were completely postponed until tomorrow. However, seeing the Gryffindor house being yelled at was enough to tide him over until tomrrow's potions class. Other then that, the events of the day had been bland..but a bit surreal in feeling. Currently, Draco was outside enjoying the faint slive of the moon, sitting upon a tree stump in a state of thought. Seems he's been doing that a lot the last couple weeks.

Hermione was deep in thought as well, though she had her mind on other things. She kicked at loose stones, watching with bitter satisfaction as they clacked off into the night. She took little notice of her surroundings, she was so lost in her own thoughts; she hardly noticed that she had approached the lake until she was standing on the bank. She looked out over the calm, clear water. She calmly kneeled to pick up a few stones, and tossed them half-heartedly into the water. It rippled, and the splashes sounded incredibly loud in the quiet night air. Hermione looked around a little nervously, then retreated to the shelter of a rocky outcrop.

Jack sat near Draco, having been glad he had accepted the invite for a post dinner walk along the lake. They sat down on the grass, and were looking out at the water, just relaxing. He smiled as he listened to the crickets in the braken, and the sounds of God knew what in the Forest a ways off. He pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. He didn't offer Draco, one, he knew he didn't indulge and he thought about quitting. That was until he took the first hit and felt the nicotine hit his bloodstream and calm him further. "Nice night..." he commented. "Great place for snogging..." he said glancing around, and somehow having the feeling he had first hand knowledge of that.

Draco quirked a brow at that break in the silence..and what a break in that silence it was. Currently watching forming ripples over the lake, his attention drasticly changed from the mirror surface, to the one now smoking a cigarette. "Yea, I would assume so. Then again, according to a lot of students..there are tons of places with Hogwarts suitable for snogging." Eh, they were all hormone striken teenagers, it made sense that so many places have been discovered upon Hogwarts' ground.

Hermione had left the rocky outcrop once she realized that no teachers were out prowling the grounds that night. She wandered along a path, mosty obscured by trees; she slid behind one of those when she heard voices up ahead. She turned around quickly, and ran smack into Ginny Weasley.

Ginny looked up to see Hermy, and she smiled with relief. "Sorry Hermy, but what are you doing out this time of night?"

Hermione shushed her quickly, motioning behind her to where the voices had come from. "I was bored in the common room, I needed some fresh air," she whispered. "There's some people out here, so we should be quiet."

Jack looked over at Draco, and smiled shyly. "I know of several... Fellatia has shown me a few new places, but now... Now that she has moved onto Craig Whithorst, I am yesterday's news I suppose..." he said as he did a French inhale, and sighed softly. "Not like I am going to miss her... She was.... I don't know. Cheap." he said with a bit of distaste in his voice.

"Don't be too dissapointed about her moving on. It's happened over and over again. I don't think she understands the whole..staying to one person concept." Smirking softly at Jack, whoa wait, Draco was trying to be comforting. Who knew he had it in him. "And yes, she was quite cheap. In fact, I don't think there has been a day when she hasn't..been such a..well, slut." It was true..and everybody in Hogwarts knew it. But that didn't seem to deter people from trying her out for a week.

Hermione raised an eyebrow as she recognized one of the voices on the wind. Malfoy. She nudged Ginny and motioned in that direction.

Ginny shook her head at the whole situation. She looked up at Hermione and quietly said, "I don't think this is something I want to see, having just eaten a few hours ago."

Jack nodded, and took another long hit from his cigarette, and blew the smoke out into the night. "Yeah, well. I got my welcome baskety from her, and I suppose I am on my own now for... company if I should want it." he paused. "I don't know if I am looking for it now or not though... We have so much work to do now..." he mused softly, looking at the light as it played across the ripples on the lake.

Draco could vouch for that feeling of loneliness after going through Fellatia. It wasn't all that pleasant to be sure. He tore at the grass that he was currently sitting upon, ripping it from the ground before letting it settle back to the ground, unable to grow any longer. "Well, the way I'm looking at it is. Right now, you aren't exactly alone. Unless I'm classified as a simple breeze..." Peering over to Jack once more, giving a soft smile as he did so.

It wasn't like Hermione to spy, but she felt an incredible urge to listen in. She decided to chide herself later, and simply smiled at Ginny. "Alright, if you think so," she answered the redhead. "But I have to see who it is, at the very least." She smiled even wider at the look on Ginny's face, turned on her heel, and crept towards the voices. She peered around the trunk of a willow, noting the two pairs of feet on the grass. She looked back to Ginny, then slipped behind a giant bush of some sort, directly to the right of the speakers. It afforded a decent view of them, while concealing Hermione among it's leaves.

Ginny watched as hermoine crept up behind the bush. Ginny was not in the mood to see two people doing God knows what in the bushes, so she just sat down cross legged where she was standing and tried to listen to what was being said.

Jack heard the tone in Draco's voice. He was seeking acceptance. He was looking to be welcomed in by those he deemed "cool". This seemed somehow eerily familiar to him but he couldn't quite put his finger on the memory at the moment. He turned to look at Draco, and tossed his cigarette into the lake where it died with a hiss. "You are good company Draco. If no one has said that to you before. I will say it to you now. I like being here with you. Just sitting and talking. It's... nice." he said with a warm smile.

Draco paused for a moment, looking at the lake quite intensely for a couple seconds in sheer thought. A silence before speaking up soon enough. "It hasn't been said to me before. Hanging out with a group of people never really qualifies as good company..and I'm sure they think the exact same way." Actually, he wasn't sure if they even considered Draco as a friend.."I'm very happy to know that somebody actually enjoys my company." Smiling softly to Jack. "I enjoy your company just as much. I'm wondering what I did for company before you came along." Blinking slightly as he thought about such. What did he do for decent company?

Hermione's eyes widened as she recognized the owner of the first voice; Jack Grim had been on her bad side since day one. She settled onto the ground. That did it, she was staying. She looked back at Ginny, who was sitting in the middle of the path, straining to hear tidbits of the conversation. Hermione mouthed something to her, but Ginny couldn't catch it. Hermione pulled out her wand, and muttered a spell. On he ground in front of Ginny, shimmering gold letters began to appear: "What if a teacher comes?".

Ginny shrugged and turned to look behind her to see if anyone was coming. She quietly stood up and creeped away to go and look for anyone coming, not knowing if Hermione had wanted her to go and look or not, but she felt a lot safer the further away from them that she was. Ginny looked around and seeing no one she gave up on her search for teachers and headed back to the common room, not reall in the mood for spying anyways.

Jack shrugged. "Well. I like being around people. Fun people. Doesn't have to be girls all the time. I like having guy and girl mates..." he mused, resting his arms on the tops of his bent up knees. "Just talking is nice. Snogging is fun and all, but I find, especially now, just having someone to talk to, is really nice...."

Draco watched Jack for a moment, eyes squinted slightly as if trying to figure a puzzle out. He let out a deep breath before looking towards the ground once more, pushing a lock of nearly white hair over his ears. "About this morning, I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable. I mean..I just assumed that you've kissed a boy before..." Pausing in mid sentence, waiting for a protest... when one didn't come, he continued. "Have you?"

Hermione felt a pang of guilt for listening in on what what obviously a private conversation, but willed herself to stay. She needed to know anything she could about Jack Grim, the boy was definately off. Something about him set off alarm bells in Hermione, and she didn't trust him any father than she could throw him (well, sans wand, at least).

Jack blinked slowly, looking over at Draco with a surprised but yet serene expression on his face. He looked at Draco for a long time, weighing his own expression before speaking. "Uh... yes... I do recall doing that a few times..." he said with a sly grin crossing his face. He then moved a bit closer to Draco, blinking slowly again. "Have you?" he asked, then winked.

Draco raised a brow at the subtle change of their conversation, but not disliking it in the least. This time, when Draco looked towards Jack, he didn't look instantly back towards the ground. He gave a soft shrug. "This morning is about the extent of such experiences. Sure, I've thought about it, but who within this school would actually go along with it." Even most Slytherin boys seemed sheepish about such an outrageous idea. But Draco didn't see any wrong with such an idea.

Hermione shifted to a better position, intrigued.

Jack smiled at Draco, and then slowly ran his tongue across his lips as he leaned closer toward his Housemate, eyes half lidded. "Time for thinking is passed then Draco, time for truth... or..." he moved closer yet to Malfoy, his lips an inch away, his breath warming the pale lips of the other boy as he spoke, "Dare?" he whispered, hovering right there, not moving.

Draco could feel his heart beat run away with itself as Jack pulled dangerously close, invading his personal space. But as far as Draco was concerned, that personal space needed to be invaded once in awhile. And at this time, he wouldn't mind it being invaded. Eyes darted over that adjacent face..and how incredibly close it was to his own. "Then..I pick..dare..." That last word had been the soft shadow of it's true form as it faded off. For at that time, Draco had closed that small space between the two, it wasn't a brush of lips, no no, it was far more..and far more intense then Draco had anticipated.

If the pair heard the surprised gasp from behind the bushes, they made no move to acknowledge it. Hermione watched, eyes wide, as Draco pressed his lips against Jack's.

Jack let his eyes close when he felt Draco press his lips against his. The kiss at first was awkward coming from someone not used to a lot of kissing, or at least kissing boys. Not that it was THAT different. Really. Jack felt instinct take over and he turned his body to face Draco more, improving on the angle of the kiss, and as he lifted up his hand to cradle the back of the other boy's head, he parted his lips, and pressed his tongue along Malfoy's lips ever so gently, seeking entrance in to his mouth.

The intoxicating feeling that came from kissing the other highly outshined the rush that he felt the night before. Seems the joy of causing trouble even took a backseat to certain things. For a moment, eyes stayed half open as he revealed in the action before slowly shutting all the way. He shifted as well, for it was an odd position to kiss somebody. A hand nervously settled upon Jack's leg for support as he leaned in just a bit more. Urging and wanting for more..and quite happy to allow that tongue said entrance. For at the same time, it gave him the same opportunity.

Hermione had to tell her mouth quite firmly to close itself as she watched the two boys get into the kiss. She felt her ears redden, and then a deep blush spread across her face. She shifted a little nervously, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the pair.

Jack made a soft little moan as Draco placed his hand on his leg, then accepted taking the kiss to the next level. He slipped his tongue past Draco's lips to stroke against his tongue, and pressed his mouth tighter to Draco's. His head was swimming, and other parts of him were starting to enjoy this as well. "Hm....." he hummed as he held Draco tight to him.

It was..quite literally, the best kiss he's ever experienced. Exceedingly glad that he wished to know what it was like..and the idea of kissing others within the school just seemed..less then grandeur. A soft purr was emitted from his throat as he was sucked deeper into that kiss, his tongue becoming a tad more daring with each passing moment. That free hand coming to rest against the small of Jack's back, succeeding in pulling him closer.

*Snap!*

Hermione jumped as the sound whipped through the air like a shot. She looked around wildly, trying to find the location of the shooter. She looked down and groaned inwardly. A broken twig lay under her hand where she had shifted a moment before. She scowled at the offending appendage, and decided she'd best run for it. She took off through the trees which surrounded the lake, not even pausing to look back.

Jack's eyes shot open, and he stopped in mid kiss, his lips still locked with Malfoy's. Panic washed over him, and he pulled back. "Did you hear THAT?" he hissed, then whipped his head around and looked in the direction the snap, then the sound of fleeing footsteps came from.

The feeling was returned full heartedly. Hearing the snap was quite a surprise, no, quite was an understatement. As soon as he heard it, eyes snapped open and heart was sent on a panic run. "What the..bloody hell!" Hissing on his own accord, hearing the same footsteps, quickly standing, just in time to see a fleeing figure with hair and robes flailing behind them.

Jack tried to get to his feet, quickly to look after whomever was there as well, and slipped on the damp grass, landing on his back with a resounding "WHUMP!" "Augh! Shit!" he cursed outloud and struggeld to get up. "Who was it? Who was it Draco?" he called out with a groan.

Draco stood there for a moment watching the one running until they dissapeared once more into the darkness. Growling low into the night before hearing Jack fall. Looking quickly to the other and seeing him having some troubles trying to stand. Giving a sigh he leaned down, lending him a hand and helped Jack up to his feet. "I'm not positive..but I have the distinct feeling that whoever it was, has a large amount of mudblood in them." That bushy hair was recognizable by all.

Jack gaped at Draco, "Hermione???" he gasped. "She saw us??" he squeaked, voice going high with the shock and quickly he whipped his head around, looking for other spies, then seeing none, he looked back at Draco. "What do we do?" he whispered.

Draco winced slightly at the sudden high pitched squeak Jack produced. My, he didn't know anybody could produce such a sound outside of the female gender..let alone Jack. He let the shock pass before he spoke up. "I'm not all that sure, but we'll see if she spreads it around? I've never heard her to be a gossip..but she might surprise us." Frowning, what would she do..and better yet, what would they do if she was a gossip?

Jack swore under his breath, the mood from before now gone, and panic setting in. He brushed the grass from his robes, then looked over at Malfoy. "Wait... Who's gonna believe her? No one. Think about it Draco. Just how ridiculous would that sound for her to tell everyone she saw us...." he paused, unable to stop his giddy grin, then continued, "Saw Draco Malfoy and Jack Grim kissing..." he sneered. "No one." he said confidently.

"I know that it might sound ridiculous and a tad hard to believe. But this school is known for rumors..and you know that about 99% of the rumors are lies. Simple made up lies. They'll believe anything..as long as you make it juicy." Sighing deeply as eyes closed, this could be extremely dangerous to let around school. Fingers tips massaged into his temples for a moment. "If this gets out, by the end of tomarrow, we could be married, already have a kid, and marching in the gay pride parade."

Jack stared at Malfoy as he predicted the doom to come, then a moment after he stopped, he started to laugh. "Draco... Don't worry about it. She's not the type. I mean... I don't know her that well, but I just don't see her telling anyone. Well, maybe not beyond those other Gryffs she hangs with, Weasley and Pott...." he seemed to almost choke in the middle of the second name he said, having to force out the last syllable. "..ter." He paused, and swallowed before continuing. "We will be fine..." he said in an asurring tone. Trying to convince himself as well.

Draco groaned slightly at the mention of Weasley and Potter. Now, Harry wasn't the one he was worrying about in such a situation..because even if he dispised Harry, he wasn't one to blab about somebodies personal life. Ron...on the other hand. Draco looked up towards Jack with one of those, "are you sure?" looks. "Let's damn well hope so..in fact, let's hope she doesn't even tell her friends. Weasley has it out for me..and I'm sure this would just make his bloody day." Straightening up slightly.

Jack smiled at Draco, a fatal, charming smile he utilized so well, and stepped up close to him, kissing range again if need be. "Well, he may give you a hard time, but look at it this way. WHO is the one getting snogged in the dark, and who probably has NEVER been snogged, and most likely will not, as long as he attends this school...?" Jack asked with a half eye-lidded leer and a wiggle upward of his eyebrows.

Draco gave Jack an uncertain look, an eyebrow peeking above to state that uncertainty just a bit more. Silent for a moment as he let those words echo through his head. Tossing them around..and the more he did so, the more it made sense. He nodded slowly...and not longer after a grin appeared. "Alright, you're probably right. If anything..he should be jealous of me, eh? I mean, not many get the pleasure of snogging such an attractive one such as yourself in the dark, hm?" Taking a step closer..and barely letting lips brush before continuing. "Well..of course Fellatia did..but I don't think she really counts."

Jack returned the smile to Draco, sighing at the soft brush of lips of lips, then lowered his eyes, and blushing slightly at the compliment. "Why thank you... Draco..." he whispered back, then added, "And no... Fellatia has nothing on you when it comes to the delicate art of osculation..." he said in a soft purr, then pressed his lips briefly to Draco's again. He stepped back almost as quickly and looked up at the dark sky overhead. "We should get back. She might not rat out on us snogging, but I wouldn't put it past her to alert someone we are outside..." he said now giving Draco a serious glance.

"Mm..." Wishing to prolong that second..well..techinically third kiss for the day, but alas, Jack was right..and he knew that one way or another, they weren't exactly out of danger just yet. "Alright alright..we should get going." What a pain, who wanted to go anywhere after having such a wonderful night? Not him. But he gave a reluctant sigh and after straightening out his robes..and quickly combing fingers through his hair, he gave Jack's arm a tug and headed back to the castle. Oh yes, the dreams that he would have tonight would be wonderful. Perhaps..pale slightly to the reality of the matter, but nevertheless, wonderful.

2002-08-07 01:14:00

As I sti here now, safely laying on my bed in the Slytherin House Dorm, I can reflect on the events of this past evening. I suppose there is no other way to say it, other than to just say it.

Draco Malfoy snogged me. I liked it. Then I snogged him. He liked it.

Now again, parts of me are utterly repulsed by this activity. Parts of my psyche are screaming at me that I have 'betrayed' Harry, and the memory of his parents, but there is more to this than simply hating Draco because his bigotted git of a sire was/is a Death Eater. I get the impression Draco is not eager to follow in his father's dark foot steps, and while he enjoys the wide birth and fear/respect that commands him for the time being. I get the impression he would be happy with an anonymous childhood. Just like Harry.

It seems that being a child NEVER gets any easier in our world. Hell, I am sure it is the same with the Muggles.

I don't mind being friends with Draco. He seems to relish a competant companion, (me) and having someone to just talk shop with without judging him, or beating him over the head with what it means to be HIM.

As for the snogging? I am sure it was the same sort of experimentation on his part that I did when I was his age... I recall well my fifth through seventh years at Hogwarts. I was hidden away with anyone that would have me anytime I had a free moment.

Why was I so promiscuous? Well, with age and time it's easy to diagnose. My fucked up childhood, looking for acceptance, popularity, affection in any form. Just like Draco.

I never thought I would come to Hogwarts and meet my soul mate.",,contemplative

2002-08-07 09:19:00,
Double Potions

An IC Group Post with Draco, Jack, Snape, and Hermione.

Jack sat on the edge of his bed, still trying to get in all straigh in his head, the events of the night past. he had put them down in a journal, and re-enacted them a dozens times over, but it still was in the forefront of his mind no matter how he tried to distract himself. He looked over at the clock near his bed, nearly 9:00 AM and time for Potions. He sighed, and got up. Then he wondered. What would happen in there today....?

The Potions Class had already been set out, for once, and the benches seemed to groan under the weight of equipment that would have made an Inquisitor go weak at the knees. Mazes of intricate glasswork, all elbows and points, confused anyone who looked at them for too long with their Mobius-like qualities. Snape stood back, at the front of the room, and admired his handiwork with something approaching pride.

Hermione paced nervously back and forth in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room. She had skipped breakfast, her stomach none-too-politely reminded her, and she had Potions class in ten minutes. She had dreaded going to class after the spectacle that was the night before; the knot in her stomach only tightened as the time approached.

Draco sat within the common room hurridly catching up on some last minute potions homework, the activities of the night before had lapsed into homework, setting him back perhaps half and hour. He had been up almost and hour before breakfast trying to catch up on potions, herbology, and various other classes that required his attention. Continously looking at the clock to make sure that he wouldn't be late for Potions.

Jack got up from his bed, and made his way down to the common room. He spotted Malfoy there, working on homework it looked like. Jack's own bookbag was over his shoulder, and he gave Draco a smile. "Ready for Armageddon this morning Malfoy?" he asked with a wink, then walked over to see what he was working on. "Oh.. still banging it out eh...?" he mused.

Hermione's wand began to emit a low ring, and she jumped. It was time for Potions. With a sigh, she shouldered her knapsack and pushed past the Fat Lady. She felt terrible for the night before, not only at what she had seen, but at what she had done as well. She felt, well, dirty for having spied on the two Sytherins, but she couldn't apologise and risk the chance that they hadn't recognized her. The cold stone walls along the path of the dungeon seemed to leer down at her as she passed.

Draco looked up at Jack as he addressed him, and the mixture of feelings that arose inside of him were astonishing. "Is it time to go already?" he asked. When Jack nodded in the affirmative, he gathered up his books, and supplies and after placing them in the book bad, followed Jack out of the Slytherin House and to the Potions Classroom nearby.

Snape stood- no, loomed behind his desk, his fingers beating out a relentless tattoo on the old wood as he waited for his students to arrive. They did, slowly, and looked about at the contraptions set before them, but didn't pass any comments aloud, nor were any so foolish to touch them, as those who happened to look too closely were treated with Death-Glares from the Potions Master.

Hermione took a deep breath outside the Potions dungeon, then casually walked in, being sure to avoid looking over at the Slytherin side. Harry and Ron took their usual places to each side of her, looking worredly at the various tools spread out along the table. There was a number of bottles, each filled with a different ingredient, and a few tools which looked better suited to a torture chamber than a potions classroom. All in all, it looks incredibly elaborate, and Hermione was glad that she had spent much of her missed breakfast time reading up on the complex theorems assigned the day before.

Jack came quietly into the Classroom, followed closely by Draco, and both paused and gaped at the elaborate contraptions set up on the long table desks. "Holy Christ..." Jack muttered, eyes going wide. "What the Hell are we brewing today? Frankenstein's Monster?" he wondered aloud. Draco swallowed nervously. The sight of the massive set-ups pushing all Non-Potions thoughts from his mind. Mostly.

When the ambient noise had died down, and all eyes were upon him, Snape straightened himself. "Well now, class, I do hope you did the work I assigned you, or you are going to find the next hour or so rather... interesting." A thin-lipped smile crossed his features, half-hidden in the dark and obscured by the tall equipment for most. "I want your Obfuscatus ready for testing with time to clear this up."

"That's IT?!?" Ron hissed to Herminone. "He's not even going to tell us what page to turn to, is he?" "Honestly, Ron, do you sleep through his class this often?" she whispered back, re-arranging the items on the table. "We went over all of this yesterday." Hermione shook her head at Ron's still bewildered expression, and pushed her notes over to him. Harry went to protest, as he had been copying down the finer points from her notes a moment before. He shut up quickly at the look on his friend's face.

Jack looked over at Draco, and both looked a bit concerned. Like most of the class. "Partners?" Jack asked with a weak smile, and a lift of a dark eyebrow. Draco smiled a relieved grin, and nodded. "I will measure and prep, you read the notes, and do the mixing, right?" Jack nodded, and carefully began to prepare the things they would need, passing the appropriate items to Malfoy for preparation.

Some faces looked blank in sheer panic, and more than one hand rattled the jars about audibly, but for the most part the students were getting on with their work. The apparatus rather hindered Snape from his usual stalking, so he dropped lithely into his seat, closing his eyes to the feel of the dark swathes of fabric settling about him, as he mentally ran through the potion, letting it simmer in his mental cauldron.

"No, no, Harry, if you put the arrowroot in now, it will boil over and we'll fail. See, we have to let it simmer..." Hermione was thoroughly engrossed in her work, jotting down notes on viscousity and colour as the potion bubbled in Harry's cauldron. Ron sliced aloe petals and measured the liquid ingredients, Harry stirred and added the parts, and Hermione supervised and instructed. It was a system that had worked rather well in the past.

While the potion slowly changed from a pale green hue to a bright shade of yellow, the Gryffindor allowed her eyes to wander the dungeon. She stopped on Draco and Jack, feeling her face go hot, and quickly looked back down at her work. "Are you alright, Hermione?" Harry asked, a worried look on his face. Hermione gave him a weak smile. "I'm fine," she assured him, "It's a little warm in here is all."

Jack and Draco worked in a pleasant silence, both preparing and adding the ingredients as and when needed. Both seemed content just to be near the other, as if it were, comforting for them. Occaisionally, they would look at each other and share a smile. What those smiles meant was anyone'g guess.

It was once in a blue moon that Draco didn't jest the others about their potions, but it seemed that there was a change in pace on how his attitude would be portrayed during potions, due to the presense of another. As hard as the potion seemed to be, it really wasn't as hideous as he thought. Simply making it harder on theirselves. It was a known fact that people (adults mostly) looked at things and made them far more complex then they actually were. Draco glanced over to Jack and leaned

Jack laughed softy at Draco's comment, and continued to carefully monitor the color and texture of the Potion they were brewing. He did NOT want to have this go ary.

Content that at least his students were working, if under duress, the Potions Master turned slowly in his chair and looked at the cabinet behind him. He closed his eyes briefly, preferring to do this task from memory as a little game and he reached out blindly, taking three small vials from the penultimate shelf. He frowned to himself, but set them before him. Hands cradled before him, he leaned on his chin and watched again.

Hermione grinned widely as the potion faded to a cloudy white, the exact colour her notes had said it ought to have been at completion. The two boys on either side of her grinned as well, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. Now all they had to do was wait for the others to finish, and hope that the potion had gone alright. Hermione pulled out her journal once she had determined that no one was looking in their direction.

Peering at the potion, he waited for it to turn the appropriate color, hoping that they had done it as planned, such a tedious one this was. Whispering nonchalantly to Jack while waiting for the desired effect. "If nothing has happened yet, which potions was it that you mixed?" Raising a brow in wonderment. The whole time, even through they had been working dillegantly..he had been waiting for something to happen but nothing had..and he was getting a tad impatient.

Jack added the final ingredient to the potion and it reduced down in size and changed color right on cue. It seemed he had found a competant partner in Potions in Malfoy. A partner in potions and what else he wondered. At that moment, when Draco spoke to him, he nodded slowly, then glanced up at Snape and the vials he was holding. "I think the ones he just took from the cabinet...." he said in a soft tone, then looked over at Hermione, and back to Draco, "She seems to be ignoring us with vigor today..." he commented.

Three small, scarlet-red draughts slowly settled to form miniscae in the slender-necked phials. Snape brought his hands down behind them slowly, resting his fingers, palms arched up from the wood. "Right then," he said, silkily when the last ladle was lowered. "Please, do continue..."

Ron looked stricken. "Does he mean we have to drink this stuff?" he asked, eyes wide. Hermione looked down at their potion with a bemused expression. "So who's the tester today?" she glanced at the two boys. "YOU," they said in unison, taking a step away from the cauldron. Hermione sighed and lifted the ladle.

Draco looked at the potion for a moment, a brow raised as he thought about drinking that stuff. Taking in a deep breath before looking over to Jack. "So who's going to drink it?" Taking up a vial of the stuff and expecting it to..perhaps..jump out and bite him? That was how cautious he was being instead of readily doing what they were told to do. "Do you suppose, there is an antidote for this..?"

Jack gave Draco a deadly serious look as he realized just how dangerous this potion could be to him if Snape asked him the right questions. The worry was plain to see in his eyes. "I know we brewed it right Draco, but I need you to drink it. This stuff will react with my allergy potions," he lied. "I can tell, the fumes along are starting to make me ill..." he said, staring directly into Draco's pale eyes as he plead his case.

Hermione plugged her nose with one hand, and brought the ladle to her mouth with another. She strongly suspected that Snape would find some way the embarass the Gryffindor's under this potion. This in mind, she swallowed. The potion had an overly sweet taste, like strawberries dried in the sun. She almost choked on it as it went down, and gasped as a rush of warmth spread through her body.

Snape watched as the students all took their potions, and then stood, slowly. He knew that anyone who had taken a successful doseage would now lie to whatever they were asked, and so with a malicious grin he set to his charges... "Salvi!" he barked. "Was your homework really eaten by your owl?" he started with. "Yes!" came the hurried reply, to bright-red cheeks. "Montego, do you like pink slippers?" "No!" a boy squealed and then covered his mouth, blinking up in surprise. Snape went on through half the class, nist of whom seemed somehow to have coped. "Granger, do you have a life?" he sneered at her. Then turned to Draco, the last unquestioned student. "Malfoy, is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

Wide eyed at the effects of the potion..and inwardly cursing himself as Snape called on him. This was turning out to be rather an adventure hm? Draco sighed, knowing what he wanted to say..but the end result of trying to say such was a simple "No". There wasn't really anyway in getting around the potion's effects..so there was no logical reason to try and fight them either. He knew that Snape enjoyed torturing students with his potions, why hasn't he learned by now that he was always in the line of fire.

Jack watched Draco with concerned eyes and pounding heart as he replied to Snape, then he looked over cautiously at Snape for his reaction. The Jury was coming in....

Snape looked... well, amused. In his own way. He indicated the three phials before him for everyone who had taken the Obfuscatus. But they didn't contain the anulling draught; but three, similar potions. He watched to make sure everyone took their dose, then smiled hawkishly at their retreating backs. Those whose potions had not worked, already told to spend their free time clearing the mess.

Jack gave Draco a congratulatory pat on the shoulder as he sat back down, and they began to clean up and put away their supplies. "That was close.... Too bloody close", he muttered to Draco. Draco managed a relieved look at Jack and nodded in agreement. "How right you are mate..."

2002-08-07 12:30:00,
Lunchtime Hijinks,

An IC RP with Draco and Jack, and various NPCs.

Draco had been expecting more elaborate things to happen when the antidotes had been taken, but nothing did..yet. He still wasn't sure what was in store for the future. After all, sometimes, these things needed to kick in. But he knew for sure that they would show up sooner or later. He just hoped they would sooner..then later. As he strolled into the Great Hall for lunch, with Jack by his side (it was a most welcomed change from Crabbe and Goyle), he took a quick look around, eyes lingering on the three that did take the antidote. Looking back to Jack he mused softly. "Perhaps lunch will be more amusing then Potions had been?" Wanting some excitement was a priority right now.

Jack was chewing on the nail of his right thumb and flicked his eyes over to Draco when he spoke to him, he had obviously been lost in deep thought until then. "Hmmm? Oh! Yeah. Yeah!" he agreed quickly, then took his seat next to Draco. He fiddled with his flatware, then cast sly curious glances at Fellatia, farther down the table, then over to the Gryffindor table across the hall at Seamus and Neville.

Seems their glances had been caught, for they got some rather suspicious glanced in return. Making Draco's eyes retreat over to Jack..and becoming a bit more obscure in his glancing. Grinning softly, well..it seemed that nothing was happening yet, but soon..he continued to tell himself, soon..something was bound to happen..and he would not miss it. "What do you think will happen?" Because, in the amount of time that Jack had to switch the potions, Draco was sure he didn't have time to figure out what each did to the person drinking them.

Jack looked over at Draco, a bit of a worried expression on his face as he shrugged. "Not sure... I don't know what I swapped around. I just did it...." he said then sighed long and deep. "I guess we will just have to wait and see..." Just then, from farther down on the Slytherin table, there came a shrill scream that had all in the nearby vicinity covering their ears. Jack winced, and turned his look of apprehension from Draco to the source of the screaming.... Fellatia.

I guess..that answered their silent wondering. Draco blinked as he looked down the table towards the apparent screaming. He stood up a bit to get a better look. Utterly confused, but completely excited that something was developing. There didn't seem to be anything wrong..until he got a better look. It seems..Fellatia was getting into the whole 'Medusa' look. For her hair was alive with snakes, small..but vicious garter snakes that were snapping at anything close. Not only that, but the grand majority of her skin had turned a pale..sickly green. Nothing overly dangerous mind you, but enough to give somebody a nightmare for quite sometime. She was crying, like the wench she was..and all Draco could do was laugh..along with everybody else within the hall.

Jack's mouth fell fully slack open and he also stood there, just staring at Fellatia. He could hear the raucous laughter filling the Hall, and the angry shrieks of Fellatia as she picked up plates and goblets and tossed them at the poor saps closest to her, then when she ran out of food covered ammo, she turned and ran shrieking from the hall, her living hair hissing and snapping at all she passed with delightful savagery. When she had gone, Jack looked back at Draco, his mouth caught between grimace and a grin, and he mouthed to Draco, "One down...."

Oh ow, the laughter was hurting. My, that was enough to make his day..but true enough, there were two more to go. Grinning widly while the rest of the students continued laughing, though it was starting to settle down into a constant ocean of voices. Draco leaned towards Jack. "I think it's rather befitting for her, don't you think? I mean, as the myth goes..Medusa was able to turn men to stone just by looking at her. That's how hideous she was. Of course, she went and got her head chopped off in the end."

Jack couldn't but help and laugh at that comment, and retook his seat by Draco, and tried to resume eating. "That was nasty..." he commented as he started in on his beef and gravy dish slowly. He then paused and looked over at Draco, making sure all others were involved in other conversations about Fellatia before continuing, "I uh was wondering.... about last night. That was... kinda. Cool." he said, then as a blush crossed his cheeks, he turned back to his breakfast and began wolfing down the food like crazy.

Prying his eyes away from where Fellatia had vanished, he looked back to Jack with a soft grin. "It was pretty..cool. It was something I wouldn't terribly mind happening again." Grinning a bit coyly to the other. "But of course, that's up to you." Before starting on his lunch. Munching happily before another startled outcry arose from across the hall from Neville's direction. Boy he could scream like a girl when the need arose. All eyes were instantly on the Gryffindor table..and people around Neville seemed to be clearing like the dead sea. Why you ask? Well, mostly because of the fact that mold (the type that grows on cheese) seemed to be melting off of his skin, building up about where he was sitting. That was a tad..gross, but it was enough to send another wave of laughter throughout the hall.

Jack winced again at the second outcry, and when all of Slytherin House stood on their benches to have a better look, he glanced at Malfoy, then raced him to jump up onto the bench for a look as well. Jack was tall to beging with, so he had a fairly unobstructed view of the mayhem ensuing at the Gryffindor Table. Even Hermione and Ron and Harry were shying away from their friend in utter grossed out horror. Jack gasped, and covered his mouth with his hand to try and stifle the laughter, but it was pointless. Once again the whole Hall had erupted into loud laughter and in the case of the Slytherin Table, a standing ovation. Jack looked over at Draco, and slowly cocked and eyebrow at him. "Bloody Hell.... Snape sure keeps some wicked shit on hand...." he said in a low tone.

Draco was holding onto Jack's sleeve in order to keep him from falling off of the bench in laughter. This was taking the wind out of him, making it hard for him to breath..and small tears of laughter started to show at the corner of his eyes. How classic was it to see a fellow student's skin basicly mold over..and just fall off. Oh..it was pretty bad, but it was also pretty funny. Wiping the tears away from his eyes before turning to Jack. "I'd say so..but something tells me, we got into his secret stash."

Jack looked over at Draco and nodded slowly, "Christ.... it only makes me wonder what the Hell he keeps locked up in his Office, eh?" He said with a raise of his eyebrows. "I bet he's got Death behind a Stopper and worse...." Jack said, then shivered uncontrollably. He shook his head as if trying to clear that thought from his mind, then sighed, "Well, that leaves one more..." he said in an ominous tone, and motioned with his eyes in Seamus' direction.

And as if on que, Seamus seemed to react to their very words. Well..color wise, he seemed to become a flashing light bulb of completely different colors. Draco had to blink for a moment as he watched. The colors went ballistic, certain parts, like his hair..and eyes, flashed different colors..like yellow, red, violet, while the rest of his body seemed to flash completely DIFFERENT colors. Mostly a bright pink, purple, black, white. He reminded Draco of one of those muggle contraptions, the colored strobe light..hell..he could probably pass as one. He could be the strobe light for a disco party..if he so much as posessed the want to be such.

Jack heard the laughter, not screams this time, and slowly turned back to where the light show was coming from. Seamus. He did a classic cartoon double-take and then went gobsmacked as he watched Seamus light up the room to coin a phrase. "Holy cats...." he gasped, and clenched his hand on Draco's shoulder as they stood there watching all the mayhem. It seems several other students had the same idea as Draco, and some began to sing and dance around the Gryffindor provided light show.

After the third happening, the entrie Great Hall was in a roar of laughter, there wasn't a whisper to be heard..because there was no room in the sea of laughter. Draco and Jack were more then happy to participate it seemed. Perhaps a couple mintues of laughter..before a loud boom was heard, the laughter stopped on a dime and every head turned towards the table where the teachers sat. Dumbledore was standing up, looking none to pleased.

"SILENCE!" came the singular booming voice from the Staff table, and even Severus could be seen wiggling a finger in the ear closest to the Headmaster after his command. Snape had been watching carefully and without outward reaction at all the midfortunes befalling the students with cold, narrowed black eyes. "Students who are NOT affected by these strange... maladies.... Shall exit the hall in an orderly manner, and prepare for your afternoon classes. The affected students who have yet to leave for the Hospital Wing shall do so, and the staff will follow me there to investigate this." he said in a stern voice. Silence fell over the hall after he spoke, then only the sound of scraping chairs and somber footsteps was heard as the students exited the Hall.

Draco bit his lip as he listened to the headmaster, the raucous laughter had come to a complete halt..and soon enough, they were on their way out. Some people didn't even get the chance to touch their meals. Head bowed a bit, he looked over to Jack with a rather triumphant smile at the results..and he knew that now, when such things were investigated, Gryffindor would come up as the culprits. It was all too grand, and he nudged Jack slightly to express such.

Jack looked over at Draco and gave him a wink as they walked down the halls. People were of course discussing the odd events at lunch, and when the traffic in the halls thinned out a bit, he spkoe to Draco. "Well Mr. Malfoy, what do you have planned for the rest of the day?" he asked, then giggled.

Draco grinned over to Jack. "I'm not all that sure, I wasn't thinking that far in advance. Do you have any ideas?" Quirking an eyebrow at the other with a devious little grin. Purring in that sadistic sort of pleasure. "Though we have to suffer through classes first before accomplishing anything else." Placing a mock aguished look on his face. "Oh dear..Fellatia won't be attending the rest of her classes today, whatever shall we do?!"

Jack gave Draco a perfectly wicked smile in return, "Well, be able to sit in classes with out a "Fondling Spell" creeping it's way into our robes for one...." he chuckled. Just then, Hermione and Harry and Ron passed by them in the Hall. They looked concerned and Jack caught a snatch of conversation as they passed, they were talking about Neville, and wondering when they could get up to the hospital wing, and check on him. Jack waited until they had passed, then snickered again.

"Oh..I don't know about that." Giving Jack a truly wicked grin, for his eyes only mind you. "I would be more then willing to fill Fellatia's roll in that department." Before laughing softly as the continued their way towards class. Draco watched the trio wander pass them looking worried to all hell, my..they looked rather upset. Seems there was a chain reaction that Jack and Draco hadn't anticipated. Let's just call it..an added bonus him? For as far as he was concerned, anything that put Harry and his friends in a solemn mood was well worth anything that happened after.

Jack looked at Draco after his comment about Fellatia and taking over the nefarious acts she usually performed and he just, stared. "Uh.... sure..." he managed, as a blush crossed his face, and without another word, he followed Draco off towards their next class.</lj-cut>",,devious

2002-08-08 18:13:00,
"Pausing to reflect, to analyze."

Well, it is Thursday evening, after dinner and as I sit here penning this and working on Transfiguration Homework, and notes for Potions, I find myself again reflecting on yesterdays events.

The school was STILL all a flutter about the misfortunes that befell Fellatia, Neville and Seamus. Looking back, do I feel remorse? Yes. Even though that is so unlike me. But which me?

Sirius still likes to shag, Sirius still wants to drink, Sirius still wants to be a Marauder and prank everyone that crosses his path.

Jack. Wants to be a good student. Jack is trustworthy, kind to all, helps others, and makes friends with Malfoy, and bewitches Potions Masters.

I must keep making myself come back to the reason for all of this. Harry. Like a dog that needs to be swatted with the paper to get his attention. I need to remember it is all about Him.

I wish I could delve deeper into what Snape is up to. No, I don't trust him, and I know there is a GOOD reason why, I just don't have the evidence at my disposal. I suppose that Albus' trust of him should be enough for me. But it isn't. He trusts me after all, so who am I to throw stones? Perhaps he believes in the old adage, "Keep your friends close, your enemies closer."

Ah.... blonde hair and icy blue eyes are watching me from the other side of the room. The faux casual glances he gives in my direction are familiar to me, and uncomforting. Want. Desire. Lust. But Lust for what? I don't think he can conceive of love at this point in this life. I think he has been deprived of it so long that the simple friendship and peer respect I have shown him have turned his emotions on full tap. God knows I've seen this before. Girls. Snog 'em and leave them. That's the way, that's my creedo, but I always managed to grab the NEEDY one and would spend months trying to detach them from me and something that was never there.

I can't help you with love Draco, though you so sorrely need it. Sex won't cure your pain either. I could tell you that, but you wouldn't listen. You wouldn't believe me. You would spit in my face at my polite refusal, and call me every Mudblood hate word you could think of to save your again wounded pride.

It is my opinion the best thing that could ever happen to Draco Malfoy would be a cataclysmic disaster that would leave him a wealthy orphan. In his case, that would give him a sporting chance in life. It would not surprise me a bit if his ass and soul were not already on the To-Do List of Lucius, the Death Eaters, and Voldemort.

Enough of this for now. I think too damn much. I need a drink and yet, the thought of it brings and instinctual red flag. Like a bad taste at the back of my throat. Something buried, repressed.

Well, the hidden are always found, we just need be patient. And I need a smoke. I think I will go for a walk before curfew sets in."

2002-08-09 23:38:00,
Finally Friday,

Well, I have survived another week. I suppose that is worth noting and celebrating. It's too bloody hot to sleep right now, and so I am laying here writing in my journal and pondering my plans for the weekend.

It is another Hogsmeade visit tomorrow. I may go this time. Something about the place still makes me feel... off. But I need to get out of here.

I need to be able to come and go as I please after what I have been through so I think it will do me good. I am sure most of everyone here will be going, so I should be in good company, whether I want it or not...

So until something else exciting happens, and Lord knows I don't need it to.

As ever.

2002-08-10 20:07:00,
Saturday Night's alright for fighting....

An IC Dual RP with Jack and Ginny.

Jack walked along the halls of Hogwarts with a bag of purchases from Hogsmeade slung over his shoulder. He had spent most of the day with Malfoy and company, but still had managed to keep an eye on Harry and his gang of malcontents. He had parted ways with Malfoy at the main hall where someone had pulled him aside for a conversation. Jack was enjoying the silence now, and looking forward to a long night's sleep after a hot shower.

Ginny was very flustered from a long day in potions that she might have been able to avoid if it wasn't for her big mouth. She was walking very slowly down the halls carrying her books and longing for her bed.

Jack looked up when he heard someone walking out of the Potion's Class room. He spotted the red hair, and smiled. "Hey Ginny." he called out softly, in as friendly a place as he could muster.

Ginny looked up, noticing Jack she sighed. Well might as well be friendly she told herself. "Hello Jack, did you go to Hogsmeade today?"

Jack struck a casual, if not flirty sort of pose. He just radiated confidence. "Yeah. Just walked around a bit. Had some grub and grog, bought a few things." he said with a smile, then looked down at her bookbag and supplies, "Oh yeah... you had detention with Snape today. My condolences..." he said in a somber tone.

Ginny shrugged. "No big deal at all, I rather wanted it. All these students around here are starting to get on my nerves." She said kind of coldly.

Jack looked directly at her and cocked a dark eyebrow. "Students like me?" he asked unabashedly. "I must. You get this expression of a person with dung under their nose every time you see me..." he said in a soft voice. "I guess I will leave you be then..." he said as he turned to go further down into the dungeons.

Ginny turned around, "Wait...we can't go on like this...can we atleast try and work things out between us? I am sorry for the last comment. I just...i'm sorry" Ginny looked down at the ground.

Jack paused, and turned around to look at her again. "You think I'm slime because of Fellatia, don't you?" he asked, not accusing. "Well, she dumped me long ago. Used me like a teabag and tossed me aside just as quickly. I suppose that will make your day." He said, then shook his head, regretting that last part. "I am sorry if I hurt you in any way GInny. I didn't know..." he paused, looking over at her, his eyes seemed so sad now, "I didn't know I was hurting anyone when I was... with her." he finally said.

Ginny looked up to meet his gaze, her eyes were filled with tears. This was the first time she had actually confronted what was bothering her. "It's alright, it was never your fault. I just thought that there might be a chance someone likes me, but it doesn't matter now. I know I don't mean anything like that to you. I am sorry for dragging this out for so long and blowing up at you." Ginny never took her eyes off of him for one moment.

Jack set his bag down and walked over to Ginny, placing his hands on her shoulders as he looked deep into her eyes. "I had no idea that you felt.... anything for me. Honest." he said with a weak smile. "I will admit to my dying day that the things I did with Fellatia were a big mistake. Something... something I will NOT be repeating with her, or ... anyone here for that matter." he said giving her shoulders a squeeze. "You are a great girl, and I don't want you to judge yourself by others. I think that if this were a different time, and place. We might be able to be..." he stopped, then changed tacts, "But I can't have that now. Not just because it is you, but beause how _I_ am Ginny. I didn't come here to Hogwarts to whore around, and I know that now. I have a job to do, and I have to devote my life to that." He paused, sighing deeply.

Ginny smiled. "Don't worry about it Jack, I understand things can't be, and i've accepted this. You really are a good person, and i'm glad to have met you." Ginny's smile faded. "And about Fellatia, I understand natural instincts and all, and I know how she is, don't worry about it, really." She smiled again, wiping at her eyes.

Jack leaned down and placed a long kiss on Ginny's cheek, holding his lips there for a long time before hugging her fully. Lifting his head back up, he whispered to her, "I will tell everything someday. You are one of the few people I think I could trust with my secrets. But for now... I have to live the life set before me. It has nothing to do with you, but all me. I can't have.... attachments. Not even casual ones." he said with a sound of determination in his voice, not sadness or regret.

Ginny nodded at what he said. &quot;Don't worry Jack, whenever you want or need to talk to me, I am here for you. But I can be whatever you want me to be to you. if you'd like for me to ignore you or such, I can do that to. I just don't want to stand in your way.&quot; Ginny hadn't blushed at the kiss because she was long over her little crush, and knew that there was something serious she didn't want to mess around in.

Jack smiled down at Ginny, and held her chin in his hand, and winked at her. "You are a powerful witch, and you have a heart of gold. Brave too. You are everything a Gryffindor SHOULD be, and I am so glad Harry has you, and your family as good friends." he said with a twinkle in his eyes, then hearing loud and boisterous voices approach, he turned toward them, "Malfoy..." he hissed.

Ginny beamed up at Jack. "Well thanks for the compliment, but I uh guess we better part." She said, with a somewhat saddened tone in her voice.

Jack nodded, and grabbing her hand, gave a quick kiss to the back of it. He then pointed to a large statue of a Gryphon nearby, just across the hall. "Quick, hide behind that ugly bloke over there. He's carved out in the back, and I will get Malfoy and the rest inside soon enough so you can leave here in peace." He paused, giving her freckled cheek a soft pinch, "Take care Ginny. And thanks..."

Ginny nodded in response and ran quickly to hide behind the statue before she would be seen.

Jack collected his bag from the floor just as Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Flint came around the corner. Flint was one of the ugliest humans Jack had ever seen, and when he smiled, it would make a gargoyle faint. "I hear from Malfoy you are a fair Quidditch Player and want to try out for the team..." he inquired in his gravely voice. Jack nodded as he fell in step beside Malfoy and walked farther on down the hall. "Yeah... I was a fair beater in my day...." he said and their voices trailed off as they went farther down the hall toward Slyterin House.</lj-cut>",Voices in the halls.,guilty

2002-08-11 15:54:00,
Punishment due,

An IC RP with Snape and Jack. This follows the scene with Hermione and Jack in the Hallway.

Snape watched until Hermione was out of sight, then, wand still in hand, but held parallel to his arm, he growled lowly. "Follow me, Grim," and headed off down the corridor.

Jack nodded obediantly, then with head slightly lowered he turned and fell in pace with Snape, but a step behind. He was running over a dozen plots in his mind, trying to prepare himself for whatever lay ahead in this little fiasco. "Yes Sir," he said, saying nothing more for the time being.

Snape walked in silence, content to let the boy imagine his own horrors for now, and to try and get some rein on himself. Some small part of him was shocked, but he was used to that by now and had all but quashed it when he finally arrived at the door to the dungeons, his classroom, his office. Snape stood close to the door, opened it with a quick movement, ignoring the alarms it set off in his mind and bade the student enter with a curt nod, though not giving him much room.

Jack watched Snape closely, and held his breath as he had to pass so closely to him to enter the room. Snape's Domain. "Thank you, sir," he said softly as he entered the room, and remained standing until he was bade to do otherwise.

Snape bit his lip as the invisible warning-lines at the thresholds burned brightly in his mind each time they were crossed, and wondered at the texture of them. They didn't feel... right. He didn't have time to deal with that right now, and so followed into his office, motioning Jack to sit in the chair before his desk, and hovering over his shoulder. "You do, I trust, realise why I have called you here, Grim?"

Jack took the seat indicated, and slowly turned his head to look up at the Potions Master hovering over him. He did not show fear on his face, that would be deadly, but a calm exterior, and tone of voice. "It would be either for aiming my wand at a fellow student in a threatening manner, which is against Hogwarts rules, or..." he paused to take a breath. "For getting CAUGHT, which is against your rules, Professor." he added, then waited.

Snape was deadly still, like a cobra about to strike. His eyes flared, somewhere in their depths, but otherwise his face revealed nothing but pure hatred. "I see you do at least learn SOME things, Grim. You do know who it is you threatened, boy? What house she is in? Who her friends are? Who is her House Head?" The venom increased, and he had to look away a second, as if thoroughly sickened. "You have done something so stupid I wouldn't have dreamed it in a million years... and I dream such things, Grim, as the world would shake. Are you beginning to see a little clearer?"

Jack pursed his lips, not at all rattled by what he had done. After all, poor Snape was only seeing 10% of this Opera in progress. His reply showed his confidence in having Diplomatic Immunity. "Sir, I am fully aware of her friends, house head, and contacts. I am also well aware of the animosity that is poorly veiled between you and the same. I can only apologise for my actions of this day, and swear they will not occur again. However..." he paused, "It is far less of an issue for students to exact this sort of torment upon each other than say, a teacher? " he asked with the lift of an eyebrow. "I am not presuming to act upon your wishes or desires Sir, but I thought somehow, you might have, approved..." Jack finished, then waited.

"Presume you have, Grim," Snape said, with a mocking tone. He adopted a passable didactic preacher's tone; "'For the path to Hell is paved with good intentions,' and yours, well, they were debateable." He paused, physically slowing his breathing down, which nevertheless had his chest rising and falling all too much. "And, regardless of your intent, I am telling you once and for all. You are meddling in something that you ought not. You. Are. Out. Of. Your. Depth," he leaned closer to deliver this verdict, each word chopped off and severed from his lips. "If you do not, I will not be held responsible."

Jack bit down on his lower lip, an allowed himself the luxury of a long, slow blink, holdin his eyes closed for a beat before opening them again, and replying. "I am sorry.... Sir. I will not repeat my actions of today, and the next time I feel like doing you a good turn, I will ignore the impulse." he said in a low tone, looking away from Snape's burning gaze.

Now Snape afforded himself a snort. "Oh please, my heart is bleeding already. Save yourself the trouble, boy." His eyes rolled heavenwards as he started to pace behind his desk. "Now there is the matter of punishment." He reached the chair, but didn't sit. Preferring instead to continue his slow circuit of the room.

Jack watched Snape circle the room, and listened to his mocking tone. Part of him wanted to draw wand and smite him a royal hexing, another part wanted to just run out of here, then there was another part yet that felt.... something odd, and... sexual. Jack blinked and stomped on his own foot with the heel of his other foot to clear his mind of all thoughts but pain. "Yes Sir. I know that I am liable for my actions."

"It requires now only that a suitable punishment is discovered, hm?" he was drawing it out and he knew it, oh how well did he? He ran his tongue across his teeth as he ruminated, deliberately trying to wear at the other.

Jack nodded, trying to imagine just WHAT horrors now lay instore for him at Snape's hand, or wand. But, he wouldn't punish him like THAT, would he? Something in his mind said, no. "Yes sir, I suppose so." he replied after the pause and tense silence became almost painful.

Snape hmmmed deep in his throat, stopping at one side of his desk, facing Jack, and made a play of pausing on one heel, resting his chin on one hand and propping that elbow on his other arm, resting across his waist. "Perhaps, perhaps you need the First Years to teach you what obediance is?"

Jack shifted the position of his hands in his lap, and then looked upward at Snape, he was NOT liking the sounds of this. For some reason, he preferred Snape's bullying punishments to this possibly humiliating one. "If you think that best Sir, and do not want to see to it yourself..." he said, then inwardly winced and promised to run himself headfirst into a wall the first chance he got. What the hell was he playing at?

Jack sat more stiffly upright, and that wasnt the only thing that did likewise. He squinted his eyes shut, and thrust his hands into the pockets of his robes, and shuffled them around to provide hopefully a bit of, cover? He could NOT believe this was happening, it was SNAPE for crissakes. His mind spun, so much so, he forgot that Snape was talking to him for a moment, then... Dammit! Did he just ask him a question?

Snape was exulting; it seemed finally something was getting through to the boy. Perhaps not as untrainable as he had thought? No, this could serve to bring him in line perfectly, and might even have Minerva back off when she saw that he was punishing his own house just as much as hers. Or then, she might not. Too late. He grinned, let himself rest on the corner of the desk. "I think you'll have to buy another toothbrush rather soon, Grim."

Jack let out a long sigh, a clearing breath, and nodded his head. NOW he really wanted out of there, fast. "Yes Sir, I understand sir." he breathed softly, then when he thought most of the blush had gone from his face, he looked over at Snape again from behind messy fringe, "When and where shall I report with my toothbrush?" he asked in a voice that definitly sounded, choked with some sort of emotional stress.

Snape let one long, pale finger rest on his lips a moment, before looking down at the seated student, his own greasy hair falling forwards at the movement. "Tomorrow. After tea. You can do all the study you need to here before you work, and you will work until I let you go."

Jack nodded, and then before waiting for a cue, stood up, waiting to be dismissed. He kept his head lowered, staring down at the floor and his shoes poking out from under his robes. "I will be here tomorrow after tea Sir." he said in a soft voice.

"And I shall ensure you receive a copy of the First Years' timetables at breakfast, with the mail," Snape said, waiting for acknowledgement before waving him away like a bothersome insect. "I hope, this time, that you will learn," he says, unable to keep his voice totally level as Jack crosses the magical wards at the door.

"Yes, Sir," Jack said simply again as he turned and made a quick step towards the door of the office. His head was still spinning, like a motor with the clutch disengaged. He couldn't put a solid thought togther and hold onto it. "I will see you tomorrow then, after tea," he repeated, more over to fit it in his own dazed mind before he forgot it entirely.

Snape didn't move from his position, half-sitting on his desk. The after-effects of his memory still swirling in his head and making it a little difficult to breathe in an atmosphere that had suddenly become too close for the usually cold, sterile dungeons. A second shock-wave hit him behind the eyes as soon as Jack reached the Classroom door, and he watched, trying to decipher the messages it gave.

Jack left the classroom without looking back, and once in the hallways, broke into a loping run all the way back to the entrance to Slyterhin House. "Serpentfang!" he yelled at the mirror, and then dashed inside, through the common room, and into his dorm. He barred the door shut, against what, he wasnt sure. The worst of his tormentors was already inside here with him. His own fractured mind. He dove onto his bed, and drew the curtains closed with a quick muttering of a spell and then just laid there in the semi-darkness curled up on his side, panting.</lj-cut>","Again, the pounding of my heart",anxious

2002-08-11 00:39:00,
What was that all about?

Well, you KNOW what it was about you big idiot. Ginny Weasley has a crush on you, and it broke her bloody heart when she saw you emerge from the closet with Fellatia.

Great. Terrific. Well, I did the best I could to set things straight and make amens to her. Didn't I?

Yeah, so why do I still feel like crap, and beating the tar out of someone? I need to get to bed. Hopefully some sleep will help.

Not likely.

As ever.

2002-08-11 11:46:00,
Sunday Morning Owls

A Group RP with Jack, Hermione, Ginny, and Snape.

Sunday morning greeted the world rather abruptly, the sky was dark and overcast, the atmosphere close and oppressive. The Potions Master was walking to the Owlery, with long, purposeful strides.

Ginny looked over at Ron, who had been trying to catch her eye all of lunch. She finally takes the hint and stands up. "Well, you know what I think I have some homework I should be working on for tomorrow. Darn McGonnagal, she's always giving me a research paper."

Hermione set her sandwich down. "Are you going to the library? I'll come with you, then." she stood up and brushed a few stray crumbs off of her robes, not noticing the looks Ron was giving her. She tucked a piece of curly hair behind her ear and grinned at Ginny. "Is it alright if we stop by the Owlery first? I need to owl my parents about my classes." The two girls started off across the grounds. Hermione never noticed that Ron had wanted to be alone with her.

Jack was leaving the Great Hall, having breakfasted early today. He found himself unable to sleep in late today, something restless was running around in him. So he had gotten out of bed early, eaten and was now considering sending an owl to Harry. Harry had asked to meet with him, and frankly, he didn't know HOW he was going to pull that off...

The Owlery had a few people with similar intents in today, of those students who were up, but they quickly became much more efficient at sending their owls when the dark figure of one Severus Snape loomed at the doorway. The last to leave, a slight, winnowish Slytherin seventh year, gave the Professor an unfelt smile as she slunk past. Snape stood in the middle of the now empty room, and held up his left hand.

"Well Hermy, I actually really needed to concentrate on this, but i'll go to the owlry to send mum and dad a letter telling them I settled back in okay." Ginny smiled at Hermy, feeling bad about ditching her, but she had promised Ron, grr oh well. She secretly couldn't wait to go back to write in her diary about last night, since she had fallen asleep right away last night.

Hermione was a little disappointed, as she had planned to bring up the Jack questions once again; the look on Ginny's face stopped her from pressing the issue. She smiled and shifted her bag to the other shoulder. "I'll see you back in the common room later, then," she said. Ginny nodded, and Hermione turned on her heel in the direction of the owlery.

Jack made his way to the owlery, and ducked into a nearby alcove where there was a quill, some ink and parchment for students and faculty use. He grabbed a sheet of parchment, and quickly scrawled a note to Harry,

"Dear Harry, I would LOVE to see you sometime soon, but that may be difficult. I am close at hand, and keeping an eye on you, rest assured. I am glad that things have been going so quietly. It's nice to relax, eh? I will write to you again soon. Love, Sirius."

Jack then quickly folded up the note, and sealed it with a drop of hot wax and his thumbprint before turning to go into the owlerly.

Most of the birds in the room shuffled backwards on their perches, resettling their feathers and moving away from Snape. One eagle owl, a huge beast, swiveled its head around and blinked at him with snobbish disdain. Snape replied in kind to the Malfoy bird, knowing instinctively where it came from. One small bird flew down from somewhere high up, resting its tiny form on one finger. The talons curled around, but obligingly lifted one foot so the professor could attach his note.

Ginny walked towards her dorm room with one intent, to write in her journal. The events with jack last night had been swirling around in her brain for the past 12 hours and she couldn't wait to figure everything out, and what Jack was hiding.

Hermione paused as she came into view of the Owlery. Jack Grim was outside, pressing his thumb into a letter's seal. She watched him turn to go into the owlery. "Grim!" she called out. The Slytherin paused, and she walked towards him until they were a few feet from each other. Hermione blushed a the memory of a few nights previous, and what she had seen. She shrugged it off and gave a nervous smile.

Jack smiled amicably at Hermione, and if he was thinking about the other night, or what she may have seen, he didn't show it, or bring it up. "Here to send an owl?" he asked in a pleasant tone, guessing the obvious as there was no studying to be done in THIS part of the castle.

Hermione fished her letter out of her satchel and held it up. "To my parents. They need an update every once in a while." She shifted uncomfortably, and took a deep breath. "Listen Grim, I wanted to... to thank you, actually."

Jack pocketed his note, taking care to palm over whom it was addressed to, and smiled at her, confusion showing on his face. He knitted his dark eyeborws slightly, "Thank me? For what?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"For Ginny," she replied, looking down at her shoes. "Whatever happened yesterday.... she's a lot better. I get the feeling that you took part in that."

Jack grinned and looked a bit embarrased, and proud all at the same time. "Uh... I really didn't do that much... I just apologised to her. Seems she got her feelings hurt when she saw Fellatia and I..." He paused, voice trailing off. No need to go there again.

Snape retrieved a small roll of parchment from somewhere on his person with a quick movement, impossible to follow without going cross-eyed and possibly being committed to St Mungos too. He held it in his palm, mostly obscured, and was about to attach the little scroll when he heard voices outside the door. He bit his lip, blinking, as he stood locked in thought.

Hermione's eyes widened at the mention of Fellatia. "Fellatia? You, and Fellatia? But I thought you were-" she cut herself off before she could reveal something she really didn't want to deal with right then.

Jack narrowed his eyes at Hermione, and grinned in the most wicked of ways. She had let the cat out of the bag partially, and now the dog would chase. "Yes, I was with Fellatia." he said calmly, and so have most of the boys in Hogwarts I am told, but I am wondering... WHAT is it you started to say you thought I was?"

"I... I thought, I mean..." Hermione stammered nervously. She felt a blush begin to creep over her cheeks, and willed it down, though she was sure she must have been a decent shade of scarlet at that point. "It was n-nothing," she managed, avoiding the taller student's eyes.

Snape listened carefully to the voices outside, and after a moment was satisfied they weren't going to run in just yet. He tied the little package to the creature sitting on his hand, still listening intently as he worked in silence. Snape listened carefully to the voices outside, and after a moment was satisfied they weren't going to run in just yet. He tied the little package to the creature sitting on his hand, still listening intently as he worked in silence

Jack contiued to stare Hermione down, and pressed the issue. "Have you heard something about me perhaps Hermione? Something scandalous?" he said with a lift of his eyebrows. "Have you perhaps SEEN something about me that... unnerves you a bit?" he added, then grinning fully. "I would hope that you would NOT be the sort to gossip about another student unless you were sure of ALL of the facts..." He let his gaze grow a bit more intense, a subtle change coming over his personality as he stared down the Gryffindor, waiting for her answer.

Hermione's eyes widened, and she instinctively took a step back. She made a low sound as a sharp edge of stone dug into her back, and she winced. She swallowed compulsively. "Me? Gossip?" She let out a faint laugh. "Who d-do you take me for?" she finished lamely.

The little message was quite securely fixed to the owl, and it blinked up at Snape, wondering why it was being detained. The Potions Master hovered his hand lightly above its back, not wanting it to take off and make a sound, effectively revealing himself. He smiled in malicious delight at the Gryffindor's obvious discomfit.

Jack continued his look of ill intent, and kept the pressure on, "I take you for a very SMART girl, Hermione." he said lowly, in a voice not terribly unlike Snape's when he was pressing an advantange. "I think that myself, and Mr Malfoy have NOTHING to worry about when it comes to you." he said with a wicked grin, "I AM right about that, am I not?" he said with the lift of an eyebrow.

All of the color drained from the Gryffindor's face. She opened her mouth to protest, but no sound came out. He seemed suddenly taller, and she felt guilty wash over her like a tidal wave. "I- I didn't mean to... honestly, it wasn't- I..." she trailed off. Her heart was running a marathon, it seemed, and she was having trouble breathing.

Jack smiled wider, and even though there was no real threat behind his voice, the underlying intent was easily read in body language. Tense, and upright. "I am sure you THOUGHT you saw something, but you know how the night sky : can play tricks on the eyes, am I right Hermione?" he asked, then continued without giving her a chance to reply just then, "I am sure what you THINK you saw, has no concern for you, or Ron or Harry to worry about, so why not just... Obliviate it from your memory..." he said, voice going to a low growl.

The long, thin fingers absently began to stroke the bird's small back, and eventually the tiny being stopped shivering, mesmerised by the regular, gentle touch. Snape closed his eyes, as if it would help him to hear better, mind whirling as he wondered at the conversation, breathing slowing as he momentarily forgot his errand.

Hermione's eyes narrowed as she felt anger rush to replace fear. "I know what I saw out there," she argued, "and I have never been affected by the night sky. If you think you can threaten me..." she trailed off angrily.

Jack's eyes became dark, and he quickly reached into his robes and had wand drawn in a flash, aimed at Hermione. "Oh I don't think about making threats..." he said, voice low, and cold. "I carry them out if need be..."

Snape bristled automatically, unable to stop the hissing intake of breath at that tone of voice, and a rush of memory, long buried, sent a rush of blood to his brain.

Hermione flinched visibly when Jack removed the wand, and knew she would not be able to reach for her own. She licked her lips nervously, prepared for the worst; she saw the cold expression on Grim's face and sighed. "You would hurt me for that?" she asked, her anger rushing away, and the fear slinking back in. Her voice sounded very small to her ears, and she couldn't imagine what it sounded like to Jack.

"I know that Gryffindors are know for their honor, and loyalty. I suspect that you are one of the finest examples of that in a hundred year's time. I suppose, it you were to give me your word... of silence on this matter, and this little, "encounter" we are having, I could be satisfied with that." He paused, "However, if word of this ever DOES get around, I am sure that Mr. Malfoy would seek a far more... serious form of revenge, and I am not sure I would be able to prevent it..." he said, voice trailing off again.

Snape stormed to the door, the little owl sent flying up with a startled sqawk. He moved faster than it would appear possible for one his size, and was out through the door to the Owlery, standing alongside Jack's wand-arm, almost but not quite in the way. His own wand was drawn, and he looked between the two of them from under his unruly hair, eyes dangerous. "What is this, I see? Causing trouble again, Granger?"

"I most certainly am not!" she snapped, indignant. It was a rare occasion for Hermione Granger to talk back to a teacher, but this was certainly called for. She was scared, and worried, and there was a knot in her stomach that wouldn't leave, no matter how much she willed it away. She lifted her chin and glared into the Potion's Master's eyes.

Jack was startled when Snape burst forth out of the door, and appeared next to him. His first instinct was to duck and run, but he paused, and was glad he did. Snape was aligning himself with him, for the moment, and turning his vile temper on Hermione. The gut freezing fear turned quickly to confidence, then somthing else as he realized the oddness of this scenario. He continued to hold his position, perhaps a bit more relaxed, and let Snape take the helm of the situation now.

Severus Snape might never look fully hinged, but right now whatever gate usually creaked back and forth in his mind had not just blown off its hinges, but had gone down the street, hitting several small children and leaving a path of destruction in its wake. He growled, and the words, whilst still honey-smooth, were tinged with cyanide. "You were in my book, Miss Granger." He emphasised her name. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for malconduct, twenty five for sheer bloody impudence."

Hermione's jaw would be scraping the floor, were it big enough. As it was, her mind had to yell at the muscles in her face to close it. She was shocked, and angry, but smart enough not to open her mouth against the teacher again. She decided the best course of action would be to tread softly, though there was no way Hermione was going to take the blame for all of this on her own. "He threatened me, sir," she said, motioning to Jack.

Jack felt his gut tighten as the amount of sheer hate in Snape's word's and he could not surpress the shudder tha ran up his spine. "Poor Hermione" he thought, but didn't dare show weakness now. Steely-eyed contempt was his best form of defense at this point. At Hermione's accusation. He merely lowered his wand, and his eyelids partially at the same time. He neutralized his expression, then looked slightly to the side at Snape, letting him have the next say.

The voice dropped to a hiss, and Snape leaned in closer to the fifth-year. "Miss Granger. Only one of us is the teacher, here. Do you presume to tell me my job? I would be careful, very careful, if I was you." He drew up, wand still in his hand, but now these rested on his hips, balled into fists in definite aggression. "You will now go back to your dormitory, where you will stay, until someone is sent to deal with you. And if you are NOT where I say you shall be, you will be facing more than just detentions or points, summer school or no. Do I make myself QUITE clear?"

"Yes, sir,' Hermione muttered, feeling hot tears well up behind her eyes. She fought them down, refusing to allow either of her antagonists to see her cry. She turned on her heel, mumbling a few words under her breath. Similar to the night which had caused all of this, golden letters appeared in the air in front of Jack, for his eyes only: "YOU AREN'T WORTH MY WORD."

Jack made a scowling expression at the message sent to him, and surpressed the guiltly feelings he was getting over all of this for he knew... Now he would have to deal with Snape. Putting on a solemn and contrite face, he put his wand away in his robes, laced his hands down low in front of himself, and waited for Snape to speak for he knew he would, verbosely, and viciously no doubt.

Snape watched until Hermione was out of sight, then, wand still in hand, but held parallel to his arm, he growled lowly. "Follow me, Grim," and headed off down the corridor.

2002-08-11 18:06:00,
Why why...oh why

How do I get myself into these messes? I know, my big mouth. Can't keep it shut, and there I go. Now, as I sit here trying to figure just WHAT makes me provke Snape like that, make myself have to spend more time with the decrepit old git?

I am going insane. I know I am. I will not be able to pull this off for much longer. I don't know which way is up, which way is down. God, help me. I am passing up dinner tonight, I have the last bit of meade from Hogsmeade yesterday, I think I will finish that off and go to bed.

Maybe after a shower. I dunno. God, I need someone to talk to. To confide in. But there is no one. They would run in terror, kill me on the spot, or make me a date with a Dementor. I guess it all has to be spoken here, and no where else.

As ever.

2002-08-12 13:05:00
Potions on Monday

AN IC RP with Hermione, Snape, Jack and Ginny.

Hermione left the Great Hall at the very end of breakfast, when she could no longer put off going to class. In fact, if she didn't hurry she would be late, and she didn't want to get any further onto Snape's bad side. She followed the other stragglers in the direction of the dungeons. As she approached the potions class, she checked her watch and sped up. She had two minutes, plenty of time to get there, but Snape had a tendency to punish students for being within five minutes of class.

Jack finished eating his normal three plates of breakfast and pushed his plate away as he leaned back from the table. He glanced at this watch, then at Malfoy. "Just about time for Class. Potions..." he grinned wryly as he nudged Draco in the ribs. Malfoy nodded and they, along with several others at the table, gathered up their book bags and headed off back to the dungeons.

Snape hadn't been to breakfast this morning, and neither had Albus, for one reason or another. The headmaster had only released him a short time before, giving him practically no time to sort his lesson out at all, despite the forward-planning he normally exercised with meticulous care. Thankfully, though, he had a few contingency plans.

Ginny had been avoiding everyone for most of yesterday and today. Ever since her encounter with Herm she hadn't wanted to talk to anyone, not even Hermione. But soon enough she would be needing to since it was almost time for Potions and she had turned her breakfast into an ugly color of brown from stirring so frequently. She glanced around one last time and picked herself and her stuff up, headed for her, it seemed, most frequently visited class.

Hermione slowed her pace to a casual walk as she passed through the door into the class. Her eyes flickered around the room, and her heart took a hopeful leap as she noticed the two still empty seats on the Slytherin side. She reminded herself that they often came in late, with no repercussions whatsoever, and willed herself calm. Harry gave her a worried look as she took her seat between him and Ron and began unpacking her bag.

Jack and the rest of his Slytherin "gang" weren't the last to arrive at Potions that morning, but they weren't the first. Jack and his housemates sat down in front near Snape's desk, and he gave a passing glance at Hermione, Harry, and the other Gryffindors present. His gaze was cool, neutral, and giving nothing away. He took his seat with casual ease, and leaned over to whisper to Malfoy as they waited for Snape to arrive. It was going to be an interesting day.

Snape entered from the corridor, carrying a largish pile of books. He placed them at the front of the room, where they un-shrunk into a towering stack, dust clouds rising from it and clogging up the air. He began to dust himself down, before looking up to see if bums filled seats.

Ginny hadn't hurried to class until she realized that there was no one else in the coridoors. She quickly picked up speed and hurried around the corners of the dungeons. When she reached the open door to the Potions classroom, she slowed for a moment and entered the classroom with her head held high. She took one look around the classroom to find Hermione or someone she knew, but being the last one in class does have its disadvantages. There was an empty seat next to Malfoy of all people. She sighed and tried not to change expressions on her face, quietly taking her unwanted seat.

Hermione tried not to panic when her two antagonists swaggered into the room. She failed horribly when Ginny entered and was forced to sit by Malfoy. Ron gave her an odd look. "Are you getting sick, 'Mione? You're really pale.." the redhead asked, concerned. She made an excuse about having trouble sleeping (which was true, though she wasn't planning on saying why), and her friend turned his attention back to the Professor.

Jack was watching the room with feigned bored interest until Ginny entered and was forced to take the seat on the other side of Malfoy. This was not good. He kept an eye on Malfoy in case he decided to start something, and he knew that he would eventually.

Snape was not really feeling much like teaching. Not that he did usually, but he couldn't even be bothered with some of his mosy fundamental little... quirks, to annoy his students. So he set the old books flying, and landed one before each pare of students quickly and efficiently with no polish or gloss. "Chapter One, and then the assignments on page twenty-five," he instructed. These pages had a lot to do with the naming of Potions; a dreary subject if ever there was one.

Ginny reached in front of her to grab the book just as Malfoy also reached for it. She was not about to give the book up to Malfoy. "Excuse me, I do believe this book is mine. So you can just take that one over there, in front of Jack." Ginny was shocked and appalled at what she had just said. She swallowed, knowing she was in for a brutal verbal argument.

Hermione hid her smile at Harry and Ron's simultaneous groans as they read the title of the day's chapter. She actually found this portion of Potions to be very interesting, and had read up on it a bit already. This wasn't the same book though, so she was looking forward to it. It was better than wocky potions, she supposed. She tried to immerse herself into her reading, but couldn't keep her mind on the Gryffindor side of the room. She glanced in Ginny's direction and bit her lip. She and Malfoy were giving each other deadly glares.

Jack looked over at the brewing confrontation, and more trouble from Snape was the last thing he wanted right now. He knew that even if he wasn't directly involved, he would get the blame and switch.

"Malfoy... knock it off..." he hissed in Malfoy's ear. "I already have a bloody nightmare Detention with Snape today from putting the pressure on Hermione to keep her yap shut, so LET IT GO...." he growled in the other Slytherin's ear. Malfoy turned a cool expression to Jack, and there was a moment of cool staredown, then without looking he gave the book in question a shove in Ginny's direction and took one of the ones that was in front of Jack. "Fine." he clipped in a terse tone, then turned to his reading.

Snape shot glares at the small group who seemed less settled than the rest. Ah. No prizes for guessing, really. But he wasn't in the mood for a supernova-esque confrontation that would probably land him in even more trouble, so he let an unspoken menace do his work for him, pacing forwards to stand in front of Nevile Longbottom, and drop his hand to the desk, loudly. Neville squirmed and tried to look up, but couldn't see the professor's face, and so threw himself into the archaic prose.

Ginny sneered at Malfoy and slid the book towards her. She was just fed up with the treatment she recieved from Malfoy and shook her head at the thought. She thumbed the pages of the book stopping at the correct page and pulling out some parchment and a quill. Quickly, she started scribbling down the work, wanting to finish sooner rather than later.

Hermione pulled her wand from her pocket, careful to keep it concealed under the desk. She muttered a spell she had been using a lot lately ("Nuntium latito") and words shimmered in the air in front of

Ginny. :What was that?: they asked. Hermione hoped Ginny remembered the spell, she had shown the younger girl a few weeks before. A few glances around the classroom ass