The Third Task - Part One

Alicia came back from the Easter holidays feeling refreshed and still riding high on the buzz of winning the second task. It still seemed surreal that she, a Gryffindor, would be the one to make the surly Head of Slytherin give a genuine smile. Every so often, she would check her bracelet, admiring how the onyx-like bead sparkled in the light, as deep and unfathomable as the Potions master's eyes.

Although she felt confident that detention with Snape could be easily won, part of her didn't want to be successful. Up until this point, her record was spotless; she'd never received a detention from any teacher, and she was hoping to keep it that way. Plus, getting a detention would negate all the positive interactions she'd had with Snape so far and would certainly cancel out the effects of winning the second task, meaning that she would surely drop in his estimation.

Therefore, she was somewhat torn about how to approach the final task. Might there be a way to achieve detention without being labelled a dunderhead? Was it possible to be punished for doing something noble, such as displaying her Gryffindor valour? These thoughts and more were all she could think of once the summer term began.

Similarly, Luca was in the same kind of quandary. Since winning the first task and gaining praise from Snape completely by accident, his run-ins with the Potions master seemed to have been fraught with trouble. First there had been the incident with Nikolai Mostovoi, when Snape's quick-thinking saved the Durmstrang student from expulsion, but Luca had been left feeling about two-feet-tall. And then there was the hideous, embarrassing episode in the previous task, when in desperation he'd fired a spell at his teacher and felt the fiery edge of Snape's wrath. If Snape didn't already think he was as a thick as a troll, doing something deliberately stupid in order to get detention from him would certainly change his mind.

Luca's predicament arose because he didn't want to throw Snape's help back in his face. He was incredibly grateful for the way Snape had handled the situation between him and Nikolai at the Yule Ball, and the discovery that the dark professor was not in the slightest bit homophobic had amazed him. So, despite Dumbledore's insinuations that the Head of Slytherin may be straight, Luca's admiration and desire for the brooding Potions master remained untarnished, and Luca was reluctant to fall further out of his favour. And yet, winning the Four-House Tournament would be in his grasp if only he could get detention in a way that wouldn't make him look as useful as a gnome at a Horklump convention...

It seemed like Catch-22 for both Alicia and Luca, and as the summer term raced by, the final task appeared to be increasingly impossible. However, the answer to both of their dilemmas came rather unexpectedly over a hushed conversation in the library one evening in the middle of June whilst the pair revised for their end-of-year exams.

"So, any new ideas for the final task?" Luca asked lightly as he riffled through his copy of Advanced Potion-Making and searched for the chapter on Calming Draughts.

Alicia, who'd been scribbling away frantically on her parchment, narrowed her eyes at him across the table and put down her quill. "Do you think I'd really tell you if I had? You're my biggest threat to glory, you are."

Luca shrugged idly. "I'm certainly out of ideas," he said seriously. "I just hate the thought of Snape thinking I'm an idiot," he sighed, resting his chin on his hand.

Alicia smiled. "I think it's too late for that, love, especially after the infamous Apparition lesson incident."

Luca scowled. "Don't remind me. That's why I'm struggling with this last task. He already thinks I'm on the same intellectual level as a Flobberworm. I just wish I could get detention without having to do something really awful," he finished earnestly.

"I know exactly what you mean," Alicia confided. "After making him smile like that in the last task, the last thing I want to do is get in trouble and piss him off. I know I have an unfair advantage, being a Gryffindor; usually all I'd have to do is sneeze and he'd dock House points. But still, I just don't want him to hate me in order to win this." She blushed, releasing she'd just verbalised her biggest fear. But to her relief, Luca was looking over the table at her sympathetically.

"Me too, Ciccia, me too," he agreed before joking, "If only there were some way we could get detention together. That way, we'd share the pain!"

Alicia looked back at him as if she had been Petrified by a Basilisk.

"Ciccia?"

"Sweet. Merlin's. Beard!" Alicia cried, suddenly animated. "Luca, you're a genius. That's exactly what we should do!"

Luca looked puzzled. "I was joking, Leesh."

"No, seriously, think about it. We've both won a task each. If we pool our resources and get detention together for the final task, that way we both win, even if Georgina and Penny succeed in this task! Because then we'd both have won two tasks each!"

Luca raised his eyebrows in amazement. "Oh my god, I really am a genius! Who knew?"

"You are!" Alicia replied. "By working alone, it's more difficult to win outright. If one of the others wins this task, it means three of us draw. But by us working together, not only do we have a better chance of winning this task, we also eliminate the competition if we do and therefore win outright."

"I never would have thought of that! This is your Quidditch brain going into overdrive!"

"Well, what do you think?" Alicia pressed. "Are you with me?"

Luca grinned impishly. "You're on."

And with a quick handshake, the pair sealed the deal.

Dreaming up what they could do to score a double detention, however, was a challenge in itself. Alicia suggested that they start quarrelling in a lesson, but after consideration they decided that maybe it wasn't severe enough to warrant their desired punishment. When she suggested a fight, Luca flatly refused. "I know you don't mind getting your pretty face smashed in during Quidditch, but this gorgeous visage stays intact," he told her flamboyantly. "Besides, you'd flatten me." Alicia couldn't help but giggle at that.

It was only when Luca, off-topic, revealed that Nikolai had been sending letters weekly since the Easter holiday and was reminiscing how much better at kissing Nikolai was than Oliver Wood, that Alicia had a brainwave.

"Luca..." she said slowly, leaning across the table seriously and grabbing his arm. "I've got an idea."

"Another one? Has someone had Wit-Sharpening Potion for dinner?" Luca replied, a lopsided grin on his face.

"What if we get off with each other in class? Snape would shit in a cauldron with rage!" Alicia exclaimed.

Luca wrinkled his nose at his friend's rather crude turn of phrase. "Us? Kiss? I doubt Snape will fall for that. He knows I'm as bent as an eight-Galleon coin."

"You didn't see him patrolling the rosebushes at the Yule Ball," Alicia pointed out. "He was blasting snogging couples left, right and centre, a right sour look on his face too. If we did it in class, right in front of his deliciously large nose..." But then her face fell. "Sorry, Luca. That was really inconsiderate of me. Asking you to snog me is like asking me to snog Filch."

Luca said nothing to this for a few moments, thinking Alicia's idea through. "Well, well, Leesh, I think you've hit the jackpot with this one," he said eventually, turning to his friend and grinning.

Alicia looked stunned. "Really? You wouldn't mind kissing a girl? You wouldn't mind kissing... me? Or care what anyone else thinks about it?"

Luca assessed the young woman in front of him. "What's a little kiss between friends, Ciccia? But no funny business and don't get any ideas! This boy is not for turning," he answered, waggling his finger in the air for emphasis.

Alicia grinned. "Oh my god, this is going to be so weird! Do we need to practise, do you think?"

But Luca raised his eyebrow. "Now you're pushing it."

As time was of the essence, the pair decided to hatch their plan in their very next Potions class before either of them got cold feet and decided to chicken out. Sure enough, they were soon shuffling into Snape's classroom deep in the dungeons just a few short days later on a windy Friday afternoon.

"Are you sure you still want to do this?" Alicia hissed urgently as the other sixth-years noisily took to their seats amongst scraping of chairs and clanking of cauldrons.

"I'm not backing out now," Luca muttered in response, even though his heart was hammering in his chest at what he was about to do. "As soon as Snape comes in the room, remember?"

No sooner had he said this than the stern Potions master came sweeping past them in a flurry of black robes, expertly flicking his wand towards the door to shut it with a bang before turning towards the blackboard.

"Sit down and be quiet," Snape told the dawdling students as he waved his wand, effortlessly making rows of his cramped, spiky handwriting appear on the chalky black surface.

Whilst Snape had his back to the class, Luca seized his chance. Pulling Alicia towards him, he cupped her face with one hand and began kissing her softly. Even though they had planned it, Alicia was still surprised by the feel of his lips upon hers, but soon began to respond with a gentle kiss of her own as a ripple of shocked whispers started up around them.

"We'll be continuing with your revision for next week's exam. Today, we'll be looking at the potion known as..."

But the class never got to find out what potion they would be revising, for Snape had turned around to find two of his students locked in a passionate clinch, temporarily leaving him speechless.

Luca Machali Caruso, an open homosexual, sucking the face of naive Gryffindor, Alicia Spinnet, in his class? A flash of several emotions passed quickly over Snape's face as he observed the scene before him. He didn't know what emotion to feel first; disbelief at the scene he was witnessing, annoyance at Luca's deception and Alicia's gullibility, or anger that they had the sheer audacity to behave in such a way in his presence. His face became an inscrutable mask once more as his anger inevitably won the battle.

"Mr Caruso, Miss Spinnet!" he barked, causing them to jump and break apart, slightly breathless. They looked at him and saw that whereas Snape's face seemed calm, his black eyes were gleaming with barely-disguised rage.

"Never before have I witnessed such inappropriate behaviour in my classroom. To my office, now!" he instructed them, in a tone that left no room for negotiation. "The rest of you, turn to page two-hundred-and-thirty-five of your textbooks and begin reading chapter twenty. If I hear as much as a heartbeat when I return, I will deduct five House points from each of you. Do I make myself clear?"

The stunned sixth-years silently fished for their textbooks as Snape followed the terrified yet excited pair out of the classroom and into his small, rather claustrophobic office next door. He slammed the door forcefully, once more making them jump.

"What the hell were you doing in my classroom?" Snape hissed at Luca, his oily black hair jumping around his face in anger and his eyes burning into Luca's.

Luca swallowed, suddenly feeling out of his depth. "Kissing, sir," he replied shakily.

Snape narrowed his eyes. "I am aware of that, Mr Caruso. I am asking you why."

"W-why, sir?" Luca stumbled, not prepared for this line of questioning at all.

"Why were you kissing a girl, when your sexual orientation is known by the entire school?" Snape asked impatiently.

Luca was floundering, his mouth opening and closing, but before he could come up with a response, Alicia spoke instead.

"It was a bet, sir," she said, thinking on her feet, and it took all of her courage not to start crying when Snape turned his venomous gaze to her. "I bet him a Galleon he wouldn't have the guts to kiss a girl. And... And to prove it, he snogged me, sir."

Snape appraised the Gryffindor girl in front of him carefully. "You bet someone who is openly gay to kiss a member of the opposite sex?" he asked incredulously. He noticed the girl was fiddling with her silver bracelet, and his keen eyes noted that a matching piece continued to adorn the Hufflepuff boy's wrist.

"Yes, sir," she replied whilst Luca nodded emphatically. "It was just a silly joke."

"A silly joke that you decided to perform in my classroom?" he asked, turning his gaze once more to Luca.

"It was spur of the moment, sir. I... I wanted to get my own back by surprising her," he finished, his mouth now quite dry.

"Surprising her? Did you want to get her into trouble, Mr Caruso?" Snape seized on this new piece of information like a cobra striking its prey.

"N-no, sir, I just thought it'd be funny to kiss her instead when she bet me to kiss a girl."

Luca's heart was racing as Snape's eyes bored into his. He looked back resolutely, hoping their little alibi was enough to appease the Potions master. But it appeared they weren't off the hook yet.

"This does not explain why your little clinch turned into a spectator event, Mr Caruso. You seemed to enjoy everyone watching you. It was almost as if you wanted me to catch you. Do you deny it?"

"I got carried away, sir," Luca answered. "Alicia is a good snog," he mumbled.

At this, Alicia blushed and looked down.

Snape breathed heavily through his nose. Something about this didn't add up, even though their story seemed to hold water. He watched the pair as they both looked down at their shoes, uncomfortable and embarrassed, awaiting their punishment.

"Regardless of your motives, you both behaved extremely foolishly today," he said at last. "Brazen behaviour such as this is not permitted anywhere in the school, least of all in my classroom," he emphasised.

Luca and Alicia nodded forlornly.

"You leave me no choice but to set an example to the school. Twenty-five points each from your Houses and detention with me on Wednesday evening. Eight o'clock."

Luca and Alicia's mouths dropped in shock at the enormity of the punishment, forgetting for a moment that they'd actually achieved their aim, and as Wednesday was the final day of their tournament, their detention had been awarded just in time.

"But sir..." Alicia began, raising her hand to protest, but Snape cut her off.

"Do you want me to make it a round fifty points, Miss Spinnet?" he asked in a low, dangerous voice.

"No, sir," she replied, her gaze once more returning to the floor. The bracelet slid down her wrist and its gemstones twinkled in the candlelight.

"Very well." Snape drew himself up to his full height and crossed his arms. "Back to the classroom now, and don't let me hear another word from either of you."

As Luca and Alicia shuffled embarrassedly back into the classroom with all eyes upon them, they didn't even notice that the third bead on each of their bracelets had changed colour simultaneously: Luca's, a vibrant yellow, and Alicia's, dazzling scarlet.

Snape, however, had noticed.

And as he watched the pair shuffle out of his office, his keen and agile mind chewed over this new information like a hungry Hippogriff. There was certainly more to this story and more to those bracelets than met the eye, and he had every intention of uncovering the truth.

A short time later, one day before Luca's and Alicia's pending detention, Georgina and Luca made their way through the castle corridors after dinner. Walking towards the Marble Staircase, Luca nodded his head as he listened to Georgina ranting against their Ravenclaw contender.

"Can you believe the nerve of her? This morning, Penelope was complaining about the Protean Charm again, saying she should have won the last challenge, just because Professor Snape happened to agree with her actions when she punished Potter and Weasley." Georgina huffed with frustration. "The second task finished four whole months ago, and she's still going on about it!"

"Penny may be in Ravenclaw, but it beggars belief that she might actually believe she's better able to judge the winner of any particular challenge than our Protean Charm." Luca chuckled. "It's ludicrous that she even considers herself unbiased in the matter."

"But that's just it," Georgina snapped. "We all have to interact with Snape in some form or other. Why should Penny consider herself better than the rest of us?"

"Don't work yourself into a snit, Georgie." Luca flashed a sly grin before winking at her. "We all know she was seeking revenge-by-proxy when she targeted Percy-the-Prat's brother. The second challenge has been decided months ago. Alicia won. Who gives a rat's arse at this point?"

They reached the start of the moving staircases that appeared to shift without rhyme or reason. Fortunately the pair had learned to extract reason from chaos, allowing them to navigate the stairs to the ground floor with minimal hassle.

"So, do you have rounds tonight?"

Georgina released an audible sigh of resignation.

"Yes, and with Penny, of all people. I really could do with revising for this week's Herbology exam." She rolled her eyes. "Merlin help me; if Penny starts whinging about the second task again, I just may hex her whiny arse into next week."

Luca put his arm around her shoulder as they made their way to the top of the stairs.

"Georgie, darling, I've no doubt you'll survive the evening no worse for wear. As for me..." He gave her a forlorn smile. "Detention with Snape tomorrow night has never looked so unappetising."

Georgina bade her friend goodbye, watching him make his way to the Hufflepuff common room for a few blessed hours before he had to face detention with Snape the following day. Oh yes, Georgina had heard all about that, and so had the whole school; Alicia and Luca had really set tongues wagging, but Georgina knew they'd done it deliberately. The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff had conspired to jointly win the final task.

At first, Georgina had been furious about being outwitted in such a way, but then she'd had to concede their plan was worthy of the most devious of Slytherins. Although Georgina was no longer in the running to win the tournament overall, her competitive nature wanted to get a detention so she might at least draw on this task and beat Penelope.

Taking a deep breath, Georgina made her way to the Prefects' meeting room before the evening rounds started. The Head Girl was waiting there to pass around the patrol rosters. A quick glance revealed that she and Penny would be patrolling the fourth floor.

As the two young women strode towards the staircases, Georgina noticed that Penelope seemed preoccupied, and despite herself, she asked, "Is anything bothering you? You normally aren't this quiet – not that I'm complaining, mind you."

"It's the bloody tournament," Penelope replied.

Georgina groaned inwardly.

Penny didn't notice the expression on her companion's face, and she brushed a stray lock of hair from her face in agitation. "How on earth are we going to get detention with Snape without marring our school records?"

"The brightest mind of Ravenclaw can't figure a way to get detention?" Georgina snorted. "Whatever you decide to do, I absolutely refuse to snog you in front of my Head of House. Besides, you are so not my type."

"Georgina, I'm serious. The last thing I need is a blemish on my otherwise pristine record. Hopefully, Professor Flitwick will be willing to look past this momentary madness and still give me a letter of reference. Good grades alone aren't enough to land an apprenticeship in Charms, and our exams aren't called Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests for nothing!"

"You're blowing things out of proportion, Penny." Georgina rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You are practically Flitwick's pet student. There is no way this could end badly for you. Think about it for a moment. Your grades are top of the line. You have an otherwise clean student record. You've been a Prefect the last three years. Short of you destroying the school, chances are he is more than willing to look over one pesky detention."

Penny shook her head in frustration.

Georgina had little sympathy for the Ravenclaw's dilemma. "I don't know why you're getting your knickers in a twist. I'm in a tougher spot than you are at the moment. Not only do I have to get detention with my Head of House, but I am also relying on a letter of recommendation from him as well. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place. Plus, you're bound to ace your NEWTs, unlike me. Your situation is practically a walk in the park."

Penelope could not help but notice the lingering note of irritation in her friend's voice. Their circumstances were very different from Luca's and Alicia's who were only in their sixth year at Hogwarts. Both she and Georgina were final-year students, they were Prefects and they had much to lose if they didn't play the final leg of the tournament carefully. The stress of their NEWT examinations was clearly getting to both of them. In retrospect, the stakes almost didn't seem worth the risks involved, especially as neither of them could win the tournament outright now. Penelope's brow furrowed as she contemplated how to make the best of her situation.

They finally reached the fourth floor and began their usual route towards the library in contemplative silence. Georgina glanced at her friend who seemed lost in thought. Despite their differences, she was well aware of just how precarious a line they were treading. They were both on the cusp of leaving school and entering a different phase of their young lives. Embarking on the life adventure known as adulthood, yet here they were playing foolish games – all for the brief attention of a man, and at the risk of jeopardising their exams and, therefore, their futures! What the bloody hell had they been thinking?

"Merlin, this whole tournament has turned into a right mess," Penelope said pensively as they turned the corner to the library.

Georgina nodded in agreement. "It wasn't supposed to be like this..."

Before she could finish, the massive wooden library doors opened, and Hermione Granger and Viktor Krum stepped through to the corridor. Caught off-guard, Georgina came to a sudden halt. Both she and Viktor had taken great pains to avoid one another since their clumsy, heated encounter at the Yule Ball.

Viktor stiffened as he caught sight of Georgina. A strange tension filled the air which left both of them staring awkwardly at one another. Krum's companion seemed oblivious to the strain.

"My apologies," Hermione said while adjusting the strap to her book-laden shoulder bag. "I lost track of time studying, and Viktor kindly offered to escort me to my House."

"Yes, well... Please mind the time in the future." Georgina stepped aside to allow them room to pass. Viktor met her gaze momentarily and opened his mouth as if to speak, only to close it again. Without uttering a sound he nodded his head in deference and allowed Hermione to precede him.

"Oh, my..." Penelope eyes widened as they watched the couple disappear around the corner. "What was that all about?"

Georgina took a deep breath, pulled herself together and tried her best to put on an air of indifference. "You act as you've never caught two students exiting the library after curfew."

"Slytherins may be renowned for the art of deflection, but you can't fool me, Georgina." Penelope cast a sly grin as her mind raced towards an obvious, though incorrect, conclusion. "You two have a thing going!"

"Don't be absurd."

"You have a secret romance brewing. I knew it!"

Georgina started moving briskly down the corridor with Penelope following close behind.

"And you have an overactive imagination." Georgina continued to deflect. "There is nothing going on. Now can we please drop it? Do not start grinding the rumour mill, Penny."

"This is too good to let go!" Penelope was practically dancing with glee. "I can't wait to tell Alicia about this."

Georgina stopped moving and turned around, her green eyes hard and defiant. She brushed her dark hair off her shoulder. "Get over yourself, Penny. This does not concern you."

Realising she'd hit a sensitive spot, Penelope continued her mock attack.

"The lady doeth protest too much, methinks."

Georgina finally snapped. "It's now become clear why Percy brushed you off. You just don't know when to back the bloody hell off!"

Penelope's face crumpled, and she spat, "Oh, shut up, will you!"

"Why should I?" Georgina replied nastily, clutching her wand. "You're the one who started this. You know nothing. You understand even less. I strongly urge you to keep your nose out of matters that don't concern you!"

"Are you denying that there's anything going on between you two?"

Georgina glared at her fellow Prefect indignantly. "Funny, you've never struck me as a hard-headed harpy. Whisper one word about this and you will regret it, Clearwater."

"Don't think for one moment you can threaten me, Smyth," Penny hissed, her own hand gripping her wand so tightly that her knuckles whitened.

Georgina's wand twitched upwards. "Who said anything about a threat?"

"Do I detect a problem, ladies?" Professor Snape's rich voice drawled just loud enough to catch their attention.

Both girls jumped, startled by his sudden appearance. Snape heard a tinkling of jewellery as the girls withdrew their wands, and in the flickering torchlight, the silver of the girls' bracelets sparkled. The items of jewellery were familiar, and Snape inclined his head, noticing two of the beads on each bracelet were coloured, blue for the Ravenclaw, green for the Slytherin.

Georgina quickly regained her composure and smoothly replied, "I am uncertain, sir." She then turned her attention towards her companion. "Is there a problem, Penelope?"

"Um, no... There's no problem at all." Penelope cleared her throat. "We were merely having an animated discussion, sir."

"That's a rather distinctive way to describe a cat fight," Snape said, moving steadily towards the two witches. "Would you like to know what I think?"

Both girls tried their best to remain calm and hide their building anxiety. His lip slightly curled at their obvious discomfort. It amused him how quickly a couple of felines could retract their claws when need be. However, this was neither here or there. The fact remained there was a matter which needed to be addressed.

"I daresay the two seventh-year Prefects standing before me are being less than... forthcoming... with regards to the circumstances."

Penelope cast a quick glance at Georgina only to find herself caught once more in the professor's darkened gaze. She shifted her stance ever so slightly and then stared at the grey stone floor guiltily. Snape zeroed in on her nervousness, finding her to be the weaker of the two. He would get to the bottom of this curiously heated squabble one way or another.

"Miss Clearwater, I shall ask you once again. Is there a problem here?"

"Er, it was more of a difference of opinion then an actual problem, per se." Her voice trailed off with an utter lack of assurance.

"Do my ears deceive me, or is a Ravenclaw arguing semantics with the Head of Slytherin?" His sarcastic tone left no doubt to the quietly controlled anger lingering just beneath the surface.

Unable to disguise her distress, Penelope's face reddened at the implication.

Professor Snape turned towards his own student and studied her calm outward appearance. Never let them see you sweat – the signature hallmark of any Slytherin worth his or her salt. He regarded her reply to his initial inquiry, inwardly smiling at how easily she was able to deflect the line of interrogation onto the other girl's shoulders. He expected no less from any of the students in his House.

"Miss Smyth, please clarify the situation for me."

"Certainly, sir." Taking care to choose her words, she continued, "Miss Clearwater and I did have a disagreement over a... personal matter that wasn't her concern. It had not yet risen to such a level as to be deemed problematic."

It was as diplomatic an answer falling from the lips of a Ministry official as he had ever heard. She would fare just as well with a career in politics as in Potions.

"I see. In that case, Miss Clearwater, please report to my office tomorrow afternoon so that we may discuss the terms of your punishment."

"That's not fair, sir – she was fighting, too!" Penelope sputtering indignation was short-lived when she realised she'd stepped over a line which a Prefect should never cross. "Dear Merlin, I'm so sorry for speaking out of turn, sir. It won't hap..."

"Is that so?" He arched a single brow, daring her to challenge him further. "We shall discuss this matter in more detail tomorrow, Miss Clearwater. For now, I suggest you conduct your patrols separately this evening. Off you go, Miss Clearwater, I wish to speak to Miss Smyth now."

Penelope cast one final glance at Georgina before heading down the corridor quickly. Turning the corner, she felt an icy-cold shudder; Penny had accidentally walked through one of the Hogwarts ghosts, but when she turned to look, the apparition had vanished into the wall.

Snape, meanwhile, turned his attention to Georgina. "Miss Smyth, am I right to assume that this disagreement concerned a certain visiting Durmstrang student caught escorting another?"

"Yes, sir."

"Was anything untoward said or hinted to you by this visiting student?"

"No, sir. Both students went on their way without hassle."

"And, Miss Clearwater...?"

"She had jumped to the wrong conclusion regarding any association I may have had with the visiting student." Georgina flushed at this admission but continued. "I advised her that it would be best if she kept her opinions to herself and not start gossip."

"Thank you, Miss Smyth. I appreciate your frankness in this matter."

"You're welcome, sir," she replied with relief.

"We will discuss this situation more in depth at a later date."

"A later date, sir?" she squeaked.

"Yes. We shall also use the opportunity to discuss the terms of your punishment. You may have a valid reason for wishing to hex Miss Clearwater, but sadly that is something that cannot go unnoticed."

Georgina was suitably chastised. Yes, she was so angry about the invasion of her privacy that she had felt like jinxing Penny. But would she have had the nerve to go through with it? Suddenly, Georgina felt very ashamed. "Yes, sir."

Professor Snape nodded his head curtly, turned on his heel and disappeared into the shadows.

Partially relieved that she might get detention after all and remain relatively unscathed in the process, Georgina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Now she had to deal with the small matter of her reaction to Viktor – and Penelope's runaway mouth. She wondered if life could get any more complicated.

Fighting the urge to scream aloud, Georgina decided to walk off her frustration and ruthlessly patrol the fifth floor. As she picked up her pace, adrenaline surged through her body, and her ears hummed with anger. She wrestled with her emotions silently whilst listening to the staccato of her shoes upon the stone floor, livid with Penelope for insinuating she had been caught in some sordid love triangle with Viktor under the nose of his Gryffindor bookworm. And now the nosy cow was threatening to blab about it to one and all – the Ravenclaw Prefect always did enjoy a chewy bit of gossip. Georgina sincerely hoped Professor Snape could put a stopper on any tittle-tattle that might arise.

Eventually she found herself at the door to the Prefects' bathroom. A quick spell revealed it was free for use, and she entered the room and cast the requisite Privacy Spell. After filling the pool-sized bath with a relaxing fragrance, she summoned the attending school-elf.

"Muffy, could you please bring me a clean change of night clothes, as well as my dressing-gown?"

A few moments later, the requested garments materialised on a bench underneath the large portrait of a mermaid languorously brushing her yellow hair. Georgina peeled off her clothes, left them in a haphazard heap on the floor, and made her way to the pool's edge. Carefully, she took off her bracelet and left it by the side of the bath before stepping into the foam, allowing the hot water to envelop and soothe the tight muscles in her back and shoulders. She closed her eyes and inhaled a long deep breath of steam and lavender, and soon the thoughts whirling around her mind began to drift into a state of calmness.

After a short time, Georgina sensed another presence in the room. Without opening her eyes she issued a warning. "Peeves, you bloody nuisance of a poltergeist, I shall alert the Bloody Baron if you're peeping into the Prefects' bath again."

Her words were met by the high-pitched giggle of Moaning Myrtle. Georgina groaned at the thought of her peace being shattered by an angst-ridden, boy-crazy ghost.

"Myrtle, dear, I'm not really in the mood for chit-chat at the moment."

"Oh, it's just you," the ghost replied sulkily. "I thought you were Penny. Did you know the two of you wear the same bracelet?" Myrtle remarked, pointing at the jewellery at the water's edge. "Does that make you best friends forever?" The ghost giggled.

"Definitely not," Georgina replied emphatically.

"So why do you wear the same beaded bracelet?" Myrtle pressed, intrigued. "Are they part of a set?"

"Our bracelets are none of your business!"

Myrtle raised a silvery eyebrow at Georgina's curt response, studying the coloured quartz beads curiously. "It's weird how they change colour like that... Penny's was blue, but yours is Slytherin green..."

Georgina, alarmed at the Ravenclaw ghost's perception, attempted to quickly distract her. "You weren't by any chance hoping to see Cedric, were you?" she asked, knowing that Myrtle's crushes on male Prefects were legendary.

"That pretty boy?" she exclaimed, looking away from the bracelet. "Merlin, no! He's cute enough, but his shortcomings leave much to be desired, if you know what I mean." The ghost let out another round of giggles. "No, I was hoping my boyfriend would drop by again."

"You have a new boyfriend?" Georgina wasn't beyond listening to a bit of gossip herself, she realised. "Oh, do tell. If it isn't Cedric, then that narrows the field a little bit."

"He isn't a Prefect," Myrtle whispered conspiratorially.

"Are you saying that a student, other than a Prefect, has been using our bathroom?"

"Can you keep a secret?"

"But, of course, now... Who aside from the Prefects has been using our bath?"

"He's not just any student – he's a Triwizard Champion!" Myrtle flew a loop over the pool with giddy laughter.

Georgina's heart dropped as she absorbed the implications. Viktor Krum has been using the Prefects' bathroom. No, despite what had happened he would never stoop so low as to play peeping-tom in the bath. Or, would he?

"Myrtle, dear, does your boyfriend happen to be Viktor Krum?" She noticed her voice trembled slightly.

The ghost stopped her aeronautical acrobatics mid-flight and dived straight into the water, popping up beside Georgina.

"No, silly! Although, I wouldn't mind taking a peek at his package," she replied saucily. "It's Harry Potter – he's so dreamy, don't you think?"

Georgina released a sigh of relief, thanking Merlin for granting small favours.

"I'm glad your other friend has kept quiet about it. I swore her to secrecy, too."

"You told Penelope about Harry being your boyfriend?"

The ghost happily nodded in affirmation.

Several thoughts started clicking into place inside Georgina's Slytherin mind. Revenge, it seemed, was hers for the taking, without even having to raise her wand.

"Dearest, if you don't mind me asking, when did you tell Penelope about this new boyfriend of yours?"

"It was Valentine's Day. She was crying so loud I heard her through the pipes in my S-bend! Why do you ask?"

"Oh. That's a pity," Georgina said ruefully.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Myrtle asked.

"I hate to be the one to break this, but I fear your trust was misplaced."

"What?" The ghost wailed loudly. "She wasn't supposed to tell. She swore she wouldn't breathe a word to anyone!"

"Calm yourself, dear," Georgina chastised. "It's not really anything that Penelope said. It's more what she did to poor Mr Potter."

Myrtle stilled for a moment, pouting. "What did that witch do to my Harry?"

"Well, how can I put this delicately...? Penelope insinuated to Professor Snape that dear Harry had been caught in a compromising position with another student – a male student."

"That's outrageous! How could she lie like that?" Myrtle sputtered indignantly.

"Unfortunately, that's not all." Georgina cast a faux-sympathetic smile. "She also hinted to the Potions master that Harry might have been cheating in the Triwizard Tournament. He was nearly disqualified."

"Oh, that girl is a wretched, vile witch!" The ghost zoomed around the edge of the pool screeching at the top of her lungs. "How dare she? Penelope Clearwater will pay for this!"

Moaning Myrtle took one last look at Georgina's bracelet then gave a final cry before diving into the water and disappearing through the drain at the basin of the pool.

Georgina smiled at the thought of Penelope being haunted by the most vengeful of spirits. Feeling much better, she finished her bath in peace.

---

Authors' Note:

Written by star_girl and rosewood.

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