Those Voices by Sinbad

Those Voices by Sinbad

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Seventh-year student Robin Banks was contemplating her 'girls night out.' It was a silly game to be sure, and she couldn't quite fathom how the hell she had gotten involved. Tormenting Severus Snape was the equivalent of poking a sleeping dragon with a stick.

She wasn't a coward per se, but bravery wasn't her strong point either. She helped Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing occasionally, assisting the Healer in taking care of students who were injured. She was seriously considering entering the medical field. Eventually there would be a war. Voldemort would go after Harry sooner or later, and she knew there would be plenty of skirmishes. The medical field would need more qualified personnel.

She would never admit it, but she admired Hermione, who had been in the thick of things. She may have been a Muggle-born, but she was smart, studious, and could fight quite well. Robin wondered what she'd think of this game. Shuddering and wishing they'd never opened that dratted Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes's game, she thought about what she would do while she dressed for the day. Her cards from the game were on her bed. She had been given two cards instead of one, because she jokingly said she could do the first joke with her hands tied behind her back. Both cards were giving off a yellow, signaling she was up next. Her moment of bravado certainly bit her on the butt. She had wanted to fit in and be popular instead of being the odd duck of the group with a studious nature, never quite fitting in.

Her one weakness was shoes. Like most teenage girls, she enjoyed nice clothes, makeup, and looking her best, but her weakness was shoes. She was a half-blood, and on holidays she would often go to the mall with her Muggle friends, hang out, giggle at the boys, and do some 'retail therapy.' At the moment, however, she was thinking about which shoes would go best with both her school robe and the outfit she had on beneath it. Suddenly, she smiled. She had a solution to her Snape problem. She slipped on a pair of black and turquoise, low-heeled shoes and went to the owlery, hurrying so she wouldn't miss breakfast.

She had to send her father a note.

A secret smile on her face was the only clue that she was about to set her classmates on their respective ears.

The day progressed normally with the exception of her doing as much of her homework between classes so her evening would be free. She was really eager for her dad's response.

That evening during dinner, the owl post arrived. A large, tawny barn owl arrived with a decent sized package wrapped in brown paper. She gave the owl a piece of her dinner roll, took the package, and sent the owl on its way. She would open it after dinner where she wouldn't have so many prying eyes to deal with.

With the day done, Robin changed into a comfortable sweat suit and opened her package. She was happy that her father sent her his books on psychological abnormalities. She told him she was researching Muggle mental health issues for a paper in her Muggle Studies class.

It didn't take too long to find the perfect illness...

After a good night's sleep, Robin was more than ready for breakfast. Potions class was today and she would be playing it by ear.

She waited for Potions class to begin on tenterhooks, ready to do the prank. It wouldn't be long now as she saw his black robes billowed in front of her. Robin took a deep breath and waited for Professor Snape to speak. One thing was for sure; this was going to be an exciting class...

"Open your books..."

Robin suddenly screamed. "NO! NO! It's those voices again! Not again, please!" She dove under the table, landing hard on her knees. She was sure they would bruise. She stayed under the desk, shaking, grateful that was something she didn't have to fake. The man is going to kill me!

There was a deadly silence that lasted only a minute but seemed like forever. Robin practiced breathing. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing, Miss Banks?"

"Not again, no, no, not again." She felt a hand grab her robes near her neck and she was unceremoniously dragged out from her hiding spot. No need to fake panic now.

Her teacher's face was white with rage, a vein throbbing at his temple so violently she thought it would burst. "What is the meaning of this display, Miss Banks?" he hissed in a cold, deadly voice.

Before she could answer, Lorraine, who was a Hufflepuff sitting next to her, threw up and then fainted. Poor Severus had to pull Robin away from her to avoid being decorated with this morning's breakfast. Well, she may be almost as stupid as a flobber worm and as clumsy as Neville, but her sense of timing is impeccable.

Severus was so furious he was literally speechless. He loomed over Robin, clenching his fists and working his jaw for a minute. The smell of fresh vomit must have affected him because he banished it as he snarled, "Twenty points from Ravenclaw, and for Circe's sake get that... Hufflepuff to Madam Pomfrey." He released Robin, making her stagger, and stalked to the front of the room. Robin could only guess that Professor Snape was so angry that he forgot Lorraine's surname was Flighty.

Today they were working on the Draught of Living Death. Robin decided she was not going to drag this out. She looked quickly at her cards, sighing with relief that on one the writing had turned green while the other still glowed annoyingly bright yellow. The sooner she was done with her part, the sooner she could lick her wounds (and never play this game again).

They were almost to the middle of the preparations for the draught, and the Frostyeye Eggs were being passed out. They had to be kept cold until they were ready for use, as they became explosive if allowed to warm. This was perfect timing.

Professor Snape gave the class their eggs and let them add the ingredient to their potions. So far, no one had managed to blow up his or her cauldron. The class was totally silent. So far, so good. When Robin's eggs were placed on her desk, she quickly said, "Professor, may I ask a question?"

"What, Miss Banks?"

"Well, sir, I was diagnosed Bi-Polar with Schizo Affective Disorder, and I ran out of one of my medications. Could you please brew me an anti-depressant?"

The Potion master blinked as if he had never heard such a thing. She could only imaging what he was thinking: Was the female population losing its mind? Several female students had been acting strangely lately. His classes had been in shambles.

Just as he was going to bark at Robin, he noticed the Frostyeye Eggs had begun to smoke. Before she knew it, he'd cast a containment spell. The eggs exploded. The desk was splintered. Thank Merlin no one was hurt.

Snape looked like he was in a fit of rage. He snarled at the class, "Get out! All of you! And Miss Banks, another fifty points from Ravenclaw and detention with Filch! Now get out of my sight!"

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. He definitely had a world-class headache.

The students scurried away, and Robin thanked any and all gods listening that her part was done and over with. She only paused when she heard a faint thud, like someone banged his head against a wall. She didn't dare go back to investigate.

Once she was out of the room, she took her cards out of her pocket. Both were green, showing that she had successfully completed her turn. Vera Sappleton from Hufflepuff is next in line. Hopefully she will be able to do her part without a detention.

She scurried down the hall and ran into Vera. Laughing hysterically, she told Robin that she did a great job, to which Robin muttered, "Thanks... and good luck on your prank."

Robin could not wait until the next meeting. They would be swapping stories about how their pranks went.

And the fun continues...

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Author's Notes:

Prompt used: #6 When Snape starts speaking to the class, start yelling, "NO! NO! It's those voices again!"

and #7 While handling a potentially lethal potions ingredient, walk up to Snape and ask him if he has any anti-depressants.