Chapter Twelve
Confronting the Faceless 💀 CompleteNovember 12, 1997
"It is the quality of one's convictions that determine success, not the number of one's followers"
Dumbledore's Army can't really be classified as an open secret since they haven't really been keeping their actions secret. It's only the membership that isn't blatantly advertised, and even then there are some pretty obvious candidates.
Unfortunately for Ava, all those people are Gryffindors. And that means none of them want to talk to her, or would even give her a chance to ask if she can join up. They write her off with the rest of her House, and she has never hated the Hat's stupid decision more than she has in these past few months.
Honestly she can't even blame everyone else for assuming what she must be like based on her classmates - they're all awful. The Carrows, as expected, have turned punishments into literal torture sessions and the snakes are all just going along with it.
"I swear the Hat must select Slytherins based on how close-minded and awful they are, with a few others like us sprinkled in for flavor." She grumbles to Astoria one day as they're leaving a Dark Arts class that included a demonstration of the Imperius on a shaking second year who'd been caught out after curfew. The Gryffindors had been disgusted (one had tried to launch himself over his desk, though his friend had restrained him - Ava really ought to learn his name, she's pretty sure he must be DA based on how he acts in class) but Anwen had been taking furious notes through the entire thing and the guys in their year had been just as engaged.
Astoria glances nervously around them before responding. "They say the Hat's never wrong Ava." She points out quietly, which isn't really a counter argument but Ava lets it rest.
"Hey! Hey are you two going to work on that new Defense assignment right now?" Anwen's voice echoes behind them and the willowy ravenette appears beside Astoria a moment later, slightly out of breath. "Do you have the free period?"
"I do." Astoria says with a smile, "But I think Ava has Care of Magical Creatures right now?"
Ava presses her lips together and jerks her head into a nod. She really doesn't understand how Astoria can still put up with their roommate, but the blonde is a Slytherin in her own right, so she's pretty good at playing nice when she needs to. Ava could as well if she cared to, but her parents didn't ingrain it into her the way Astoria's did. She really feels bad for her friend sometimes, having parents who value blood purity over decency the way Ava's family does.
She leaves Astoria and Anwen in front of the library and heads out onto the Grounds, admittedly starting to feel a little better. It's cool out, but Care of Magical Creatures is with Hagrid and the Hufflepuffs, and she's the only Slytherin still taking the class (Matangi had been the other but she'd never returned to school) so she doesn't have to deal with her Housemates - though she still has to suffer their reputation.
At least the Hufflepuffs are less blatantly biased when they interact with her, though Ava can still feel the animosity emanating off of them when they think she isn't looking.
"Only friendly to people they think agree with them I guess." She grumbles to herself just before arriving at Hagrid's cabin.
She's the last one to arrive which isn't uncommon on Wednesdays - she's pretty sure the 'puffs either have a free period before this one or have Herbology so they're already on the grounds - but it does mean everyone stares at her which is less than pleasant. She slaps on a smile and leans against the side of the hut a bit away from the four other people in the class.
Hagrid starts in with his usual blustering cheer and any tension left from Dark Arts slowly evaporates as Ava takes notes on the mating habits of Welsh Greens. She's still sitting apart from the Hufflepuffs but they're as wrapped up in the lesson as she is so the atmosphere is generally amiable.
Really, this is one of the main reasons this is her favorite class. Hagrid is certainly a bit biased but he's so excited about his subject matter that he never makes her feel excluded or judged, and the class follows his lead for the most part. It's only in this class that Ava doesn't have to constantly be reminded of the awful situation the Hat put her in sending her to the most close-minded, self-important House in the school.
That said, for all her complaining Slytherin has given her some good - Astoria for one thing is the best friend she's ever had. For another she has learned how to sweet talk from listening to her Housemates, and even she can admit it's a useful tool to have in her arsenal. This year especially it's been pulled out quite a bit since she's never once done any assignments or readings for the Carrows' classes and has been giving excuses every week for it.
Astoria has bugged her about that a few times, but Ava's parents will be a lot more understanding of her failing grades that the Greengrasses would be so Ava remains firm. If she can't join the DA because of her House connections then she can at least rebel in her own ways.
And honestly she's hoping the Gryffindors in her class will take notice of her resistance and realize that she isn't like the other Slytherins. She wants to help and fully disagrees with everything Snape and the Carrows are doing to the school. If she can get the Lions to make the first step she'll finaly be able to really do something. The key is getting their attention despite the rampant bias her Housemates have fostered in everyone else in the school.
She wishes she had Care of Magical Creatures with the Gryffindors instead of the Hufflepuffs - she really thinks she could make good headway on her quest in this class specifically. She does what she can in Dark Arts and Charms but both of those are shared with other Slytherins like Anwen who make them all look bad. Here she can stand on her own, but there isn't really anyone useful to see it.
Still, it's her favorite class, and that doesn't change just because it's not the answer to all her problems. So she pulls herself out of her contemplations and fully focuses in on the lesson, eager to let the class distract her from the horrendous realities waiting for them all back in the castle.
They're assigned a paper on dragons, which is rare for Care of Magical Creatures (most of their assignments are a lot more hands on than essays) but they can't exactly work directly with dragons. Which is unfortunate.
She risks saying as much to one of the Hufflepuffs - a stocky brunet boy by the unfortunate name of Edmund Grover - and is rewarded with a surprised blink and a solid five second of him gawking at her silently before she rolls her eyes and stalks off, her good mood from class quickly coming back down at the reminder that no matter what she does she'll always have to contend with the reputation she's been given simply because of the colors on her tie.
She meets back up with Astoria for lunch and is distinctly put off by the fact Anwen is sitting with them as well.
"Um, hi." Ava offers as she sits next to her best friend, on the side that won't put her face-to-face with their other roommate. "Still working on that assignment then?" She guesses, and fights off a grimace when Anwen beams at her.
"Yep! Astoria had some great ideas so we're doing a little extra than just what was asked. I get how you're always top of the class now!" She adds to Astoria, who flushes and waves the other girl off.
"I'm not. I was first and second year but I was third after that and second last year." She says modestly.
Ava bumps her shoulder lightly. "Hey, second is still pretty dang awesome. And I bet you reclaim first this year easily."
"Definitely." Anwen says with a grin. "So Ava, how was class? Learn anything cool? I kind of regret dropping last year but I really had to crack down on Arithmancy."
Ava bites down a retort that the class is far better with Anwen out of it and forces a tight smile. She really doesn't want to play nice, but obviously Astoria needs a new study buddy since Ava is on homework strike so it's kind of her own fault for getting into this situation.
"It was fine, we're studying dragons right now." She offers instead, and Anwen groans.
"Oh man now I'm extra disappointed, I didn't think we'd study that until NEWTs which I was never going to take anyway so..." Anwen trails off, looking rather embarrassed. She clears lightly and smiles faintly. "Well, perhaps I wouldn't have been so hasty to drop the class had I known we'd study dragons fifth year. Hagrid really ought to give a clear schedule in third year of what will be covered when."
"He was only just starting out our third year, he wouldn't have everything set in stone yet." Ava says pointedly.
Anwen rolls her eyes. "Oh please. He'd been at it two years. The other professors all have clear outlines of their classes and frankly I can't imagine any of them were so unprepared two years in. It's a bit of an embarrassment on the Hogwarts staff's reputation."
Ava glares. And this is why she doesn't like Anwen.
This is why no one likes Slytherins.
She's in a bad mood that afternoon - thankfully she only has Transfiguration to get through, which is one of the few classes that's too difficult for anyone to bother focusing on biases or the rest of the nightmare that is their new school situation. She keeps her head down and sits quietly next to Astoria throughout the lecture, and hurries out of the room as soon as the class is dismissed.
Astoria hurries after her, brow furrowed. "Hey, everything alright? Did something happen in Care of Magical Creatures that you didn't say before?" She hesitates, and then adds, "Sorry for inviting Anwen without telling you, we just got caught up talking shop and I didn't really think about how you'd feel."
Ava waves her off. "No nothing happened there, that class is the best. Why would you think that?" She thinks to ask as they slow down near the staircase and head for the library.
Astoria shrugs. "It's with the Hufflepuffs, right? One of them was looking at you funny all through Transfiguration."
Ava frowns. It could be good, it could be bad, it could be nothing. She asks Astoria if she knows who it was but her friend has always been terrible at names (it took her most of their first year to learn the names of the Slytherins in their year, nonetheless everyone else) so she isn't sure.
"I could guess but you know there's a fifty percent chance I'd be wrong." The blonde jokes lightly as they reach the library.
Ava nudges her playfully. "Top student in our year, can't put names to faces." She teases, and Astoria laughs even as she blushes.
They settle in one of the quieter corners of the library to work, and Ava leaves her bag with her friend and goes through the shelves in search of books on dragons to use for her report. She finds a good twenty books and ends up sitting on the floor sifting through them for nearly an hour before stumbling back to the table with three heavy tomes in her arms.
She nearly drops them onto her feet when she sees who's joined Astoria in her absence.
Venus Burke is looking infuriatingly calm and put together for someone who has proven beyond a doubt in the past two months to be a depraved nightmare dressed up in human skin. Her blonde hair is tied in a high ponytail with a few escaped strands framing a narrow face and pale grey eyes, which scan steadily over the textbook the sixth year has open in front of her. She's the living definition of cold beauty and Ava absolutely hates her for it. The outside should reflect the inside in her opinion, and the inside of Venus isn't nearly that pretty.
Astoria looks up as Ava stomps up to the table and pulls on a nervous grin. "Hey, Venus is going to sit with us."
Ava knows Astoria can't turn Venus away - they're first cousins and Astoria would definitely get in trouble with her parents - but there's nothing stopping Ava from doing so.
"Actually I'd prefer if she didn't." She says flatly, dropping her books next to Astoria and narrowing her eyes at Venus.
The sixth year doesn't even look up. "Well it's a free country and there are plenty of other tables for you to use if you have a problem." She replies smoothly. "I'm helping Astoria study for the OWLs so you see why I need to be here."
Ava grits her teeth. Venus is tutoring Astoria in preparation for their upcoming OWLs, but they normally schedule ahead of time so Ava can avoid having to see the older girl's face and thus not be tempted to hex it.
Ava hesitates for a long time, but she's already collected the resources for her dragon paper so she reluctantly sits down as far from Venus as she can manage at the small table.
She tries to focus on her work, but she can't help listening to the two next to her as they study, and as such hears when Venus suggest Astoria take up some extra credit work for Dark Arts.
"Seriously? Astoria isn't going to help torture students just for grades." Ava snaps.
Venus looks over at her with a raised eyebrow. It's common knowledge that the Carrows offer extra credit in their classes to any students who wish to engage in "practical applications" of what they're learning - which is to say, using Unforgivable curses on people who have (unfairly) been given detentions.
"The professors have made clear there will be little practical work in their classes due to how much material we need to cover this year, so it's a good way to not only improve your grades but get a proper feel for how these spells work. They're quite unique in how they're cast you know." Venus speaks as if she's talking about the weather, rather than the unjust torturing of students.
"No, I don't know, because I don't have any interest in becoming a deatheater unlike you." Ava snaps. "Stop trying to convert Astoria, she's a good person unlike you, she knows that there's a reason the Unforgivables are illegal."
"Were illegal, and it doesn't change the fact that knowledge is knowledge." Venus says dismissively. "No one is telling you to do it Ava, but don't think you have the right to speak for others either."
"I have patrol most nights anyway, there are fewer prefects this year and the Head Boy and Girl tend to give more patrols to Slytherins since there are more of us." Astoria interrupts, clearly nervous. "So, um, I don't have time to go to the extra credit sessions regardless."
Ava takes the hint and refocuses on her work, feeling a bit bad for putting Astoria in an uncomfortable position. She can't help who she's related to - Ava needs to work on her ability to deal with Venus and her superiority complex.
Venus drops it as well, turning back to Astoria and returning to the lesson they'd been working on as if Ava had never interrupted.
However, that doesn't turn out to be the end of it, as Astoria later leaves the two of them alone at the table when she goes to find some sources for the project she's working on.
"Some knowledge shouldn't be had." Ava can't help saying - she really is sick of Venus justifying everything with her stupid "knowledge is knowledge" crap.
"Nonsense. The more you know the more you can do. Understanding how and why the world works the way it does is incredibly useful, not that you would understand that. Ask Astoria sometime, maybe she could dumb it down for you." Venus replies, rolling those icy grey eyes and fixing Ava with an unamused gaze. "Honestly your complete blindness to your own situation is embarrassing to watch."
Ava bristles. "Excuse me? I know my situation perfectly, thank you very much. I'd say you're the one completely blind to what's happening here."
"Ava tells me you haven't done any work at all for Defense Against the Dark Arts or Muggle Studies. She says you never do the readings and don't answer questions in class even when you're asked directly." Venus continues on as if Ava hadn't spoken, and that just irritates her further. How dare Venus act like standing against a broken regime is something to be ashamed of.
"I haven't and I'm proud of it too." Ava says, sitting up straighter in her chair and locking eyes with Venus, who simply raises an eyebrow.
"Good for you." She drawls. "But you've never gotten detention. Not once. Why is that, do you think?"
Ava blinks, unbalanced by the question. It hadn't been what she was expecting Venus to say and now she isn't sure how to respond. "I don't..."
"I know you don't." Venus says dismissively, and Ava is pissed again. "That's your problem."
Ava doesn't get a chance to reply since Astoria chooses that moment to return to the table and cheerfully drop some books down, her smile not masking the tension in her posture.
"I found one on the Chinese Fireball too - that's the dragon you're writing the report on, right Ava?" She asks, smile growing a bit tight, and Ava sighs and gives her friend a wan grin in return. She hates that Astoria feels torn, but she really needs to work on getting away from her family so she can be herself more openly, all this repression can't be good for her.
Ava does somehow manage to finish her Chinese Fireball report despite Venus' continued presence - even after OWL tutoring had apparently finished the blonde stayed seated to work on her own assignments. Ava has never been happier to head to the Slytherin common room than she is when Astoria finally finishes her own work and suggests they leave.
The room has its usual scattering of students, mostly divided by year but with some overlap. A group of first years is piled by the large windows looking out into the Black Lake, shouting excitedly whenever they think they see something.
Ava quirks a smile at the sight - it's a bit of a tradition for the first years to play "spot the squid". Even Matangi had jumped in on it a few times when they were all still wide-eyed eleven year olds.
Ava even recalls sort of liking Anwen back then - it's too bad she grew up into such a massive tool.
"We have an hour or so until dinner." Astoria remarks. "Want to just chill out here for a bit?"
"I think I'm going to do some reading in the dorm." Ava responds, then hesitates when Astoria's face falls slightly. "But, um, you can hang out here if you want."
Astoria raises an eyebrow imperially, exuding the full force of her family's pureblooded pride, when she responds. "Well obviously Ava, you don't own me. I just wish you'd stop holing up away from everyone all the time."
"I don't have the same tolerance level for bullcrud as you do I'm afraid." Ava sighs with false dramatics, shooting her friend a grin as they reach their room. "Sorry Tori. Besides, the last chapter ended on a cliffhanger, I really do want to see what happens next."
Astoria sighs as she tosses her book bag onto her bed. "Fair enough. See you at dinner?"
"Of course." Ava says with a slight wave as she drops her own bag and grabs her Septimus Williams book off her nightstand, flipping open to her bookmark and eagerly diving in.
She hadn't been lying about the cliffhanger - one of the other Aurors (Jane Allen, the self-important one who's always whining about the rules) had discovered Septimus's wolfsbane stash and had confronted him with it. If she figures out he's a werewolf he'll be fired for sure and have to finish the case without his usual backup and resources.
Ava of course doesn't doubt he'll manage - or that he'll give up the case which the book is currently trying to convince her is something to be concerned with - but it will be harder, and it will mean no fun witty banter between him and his love interest and professional partner Cadance Stewart.
The chapter is engaging enough that Ava is actually in a genuinely good mood by the time Astoria returns and informs her that dinner is starting soon and they should probably head out. Ava eagerly tells her about the new twist in the case revealed in the newest chapter and Astoria listens with amusement.
"You really ought to read the series, it's amazing." Ava concludes as they reach the Great Hall, and Astoria laughs.
"Is there a point? You've spoiled all of them for me, I already know what happens."
Ava pouts. "But you don't know details. I wish we made movies, Septimus Williams would be a massive franchise, I'm telling you."
Astoria just smiles slightly and shakes her head. "So you've said."
They enter the Great Hall just in time to see Amycus Carrow trip over thin air on his way up to the staff table and face plant in the middle of the Hall.
Ava snorts as most of the school bursts into laughter. Amycus rises, face red and utterly enraged, but whoever cast the spell must have done so silently as he doesn't call anyone out.
Astoria is frowning. "That wasn't very nice. You can dislike someone and not turn into a bully in turn." She says quietly, lips pursed.
"Aw, it's some levity. And can it really be called bullying if he deserves it?" Ava points out with a wide grin. This evening is definitely better than the rest of the day has been.
Ava does note that none of the Slytherins are laughing, and that does damper her mood slightly, but not too much considering Amycus's face is still fresh in her memory.
She and Astoria thankfully get seats that aren't beside Venus or Anwen and Ava is happy to keep talking about her book until one of the older boys sitting next to her decides to in uninvited and offer his own opinion.
"Those stories tend to be a little clichéd though, don't you think? I mean, seven books in and no one knows he's a werewolf? He works with the Auror department, someone should have figured it out. It makes the rest of the cast look like idiots."
Ava glares at him. "You would think that." She grumbles. "If the main character was a Slytherin pureblood you'd probably love them."
The boy rolls his eyes and turns away again. Good riddance.
"Theo was just trying to talk to you Ava, that wasn't very nice." Astoria says disapprovingly, and okay she might have a point. But he'd still insulted Septimus and he still probably would like them if the main character was a biased blood-purist like he is. But Ava doesn't say that and just tilts her head apologetically to her friend.
"Sorry, you know I love those books." She says instead.
Astoria hums and they sit in silence for a bit, focused on their food. Astoria is seated on the side of the table that faces her towards the rest of the Hall, and she finds herself watching the other three Houses interact. Closest to them are the Ravenclaws, their heads bent close together, possibly studying, possibly making plans for Dumbledore's Army's next move. The DA's actions so far have been really well planned - Ava wouldn't be surprised if it was the Eagles who were putting them together.
Past them are the Hufflepuffs, who are laughing together in groups unsegregated by age, first years eagerly questioning sixth years, second and third years chatting excitedly together, fifth and seventh years panicking about incoming exams and debating who had more right to be stressed. The Hufflepuff table has a sense of community that the rest don't, and Ava feels a stab of jealousy. She wouldn't want to be in Hufflepuff of course, but she does wish her own house had that much camaraderie and comfort instilled into it. That friendliness definitely has gotten some Badgers into the DA, Ava is sure of it, and she bets they make good recruiters because of it. If only they'd recruit her. But no, Slytherins have made themselves so unlikable that even Hufflepuff doesn't want to talk to them.
And finally, on the complete opposite end of Hall, is the Gryffindor table. Ava has to strain slightly to view the students sitting there properly (maybe she needs glasses? Her dad does have them) but she can see them clustered together, and she can hear them despite the distance. Loud shouts and laughter echo from the far table as the Lions playfully tease each other, loud enough that they cover up the whispered conversations that Ava can definitely perceive are also happening at the table.
It's smaller groups, clusters of two or three at most, leaned close together as the people around them raise their voices obnoxiously (Gryffindor has its reputation for being annoying for a well-earned reason after all). Ava feels a twinge of frustration - she knows those small groups must be making plans for the DA. Plans she could be part of if only she wasn't in the House created by a horrid, biased jerk. "The Hat is never wrong" is a load of baloney in her opinion. Obviously she isn't close-minded enough to be in Slytherin and yet here she is.
She sighs openly at the thought, and Astoria glances over at her curiously.
"Alright Ava?" She prompts, her gaze following Ava's sightline until she too was studying the Gryffindors across the room.
"I just hate that good people like you and me get stuck labelled as evil just because we were unfortunate enough to land in this House." Ava grumbles. "We could do so much good fighting back, but we'll never get the chance because no one trusts Slytherins, and guess who we're associated with?"
"We are Slytherin Ava." Astoria says uncertainly. "So I think it's fair to consider us Slytherins?"
Ava does laugh a bit at that - she can't help it. Astoria is brilliant, but her sheltered upbringing does occasionally pop up in moment like this one. "Well yeah, but we're not, you know, Slytherins. We're the good ones. But centuries of bad ones mean that when times like this happen you and I are shunned by the people we want to help all because of their biases. It ."
Astoria purses her lips and hums but doesn't say anything. Ava knows that means her friend is processing the information and she leaves the blonde to it, going back to studying the table across the Hall in the vain hope that maybe she'll see something that will help her prove she's one of the good guys.
She gets absolutely nothing, and her bad mood is back in force when they leave the Great Hall about a half hour later. It doesn't help that Anwen decides to join them on the way back to the dorms and begins complaining about the Muggle Studies essay that Ava had refused to write.
"I'm still a few centimeters short but I have no idea what to add." Anwen says miserably as they reach the dungeons.
"So don't add anything." Ava says flatly. "It's not like there's much to say in that class, she just repeats the same thing over and over again."
Anwen glares at her. "I don't recall asking your opinion Ava, you haven't even done the work."
"We can compare Anwen, see if together we can find something to add." Astoria quickly interferes before Ava can snap back. "There's plenty of material to work with, but I'll admit Professor Carrow doesn't always tie it together clearly."
Ava rolls her eyes but leaves her friend to it as the three girls arrive in their room. The other two settle on Anwen's bed to read through their essays and Ava decides to take advantage of the empty bathroom to shower and brush her teeth without interruption.
Her thoughts wander under the hot spray, mind flitting over her day, searching for anything that might get her an in with the DA (it's a part of her routine to do this, and every day she fails to come up with anything beyond the glares she'd gotten from the Gryffindors during the day). As she thinks, her mind lands on Venus's comment in the library.
"Why is that, do you think?"
What exactly was she trying to imply with that? That Ava is somehow part of the Slytherins? It's all the more reason Venus infuriates her - she's always saying things like that, that sound like they mean something but are just there to mess with Ava's head.
She sighs and steps out of the shower, toweling off and grumpily finishing the rest of her nighttime routine. At least Astoria and Anwen had moved their studying out of the dorm when Ava steps back in, and she drops into her bed and grabs her book as she snuggles under the comforter.
So today was a bust, but there's still tomorrow. One day Ava will find a way out from under her House. She just needs to be patient.
Author's Note: And there's our Hogwarts check-in for the month! We won't always get one, but usually there will be something from the school ^^
Next Week: Sometimes Muggle methods are the best ones
So I'm thinking I might do a final 'afterwords' chapter to share my thoughts and feelings on writing this story, if that's something people would be interested in? I'm also open to answering any lingering questions people might have there as well!
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