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"Again?" Astoria asks.
"Oh, she's just being a party pooper," I say, sticking my tongue out at Hermione. "She doesn't like my impressions because of my fantastically accurate attempts at an English accent."
She knits her brows in confusion. "A party pooper?" Then she shakes her head as if giving up understanding my apparently unfamiliar sayings. "Well, anyway, I didn't want to say anything, but yeah, the accent was pretty bad," the young Slytherin says.
I pout at her again. "Meanie."
"You better be careful calling me names like that," Astoria says slyly, "I could tell Daph what you said about her."
I grin. "Oh? How very cunning of you, Stori. Very well, what is it you want from me, then?"
"What?"
"I know how blackmail works, devious lady," I say reprovingly. "What is the price of your silence?"
"Hm," she says, tapping her lips, "I need time to come up with something suitable."
"Uh oh, I don't like the sound of that."
Her smile turns mischievous. "You shouldn't."
I laugh. "Nothing too crazy, now. You know I could just let you tell her and smooth-talk my way out of it."
Now it's her turn to jut out her bottom lip. "Party pooper."
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"Mr. Lerner, will you come to the headmaster's office after you are finished, please?" Professor McGonagall asks. Well, it wasn't really a question, an impression that is furthered when she walks briskly away before waiting for an answer.
"Sure," I say to the space she once occupied.
"Someone's in trouble," Harry says in a sing-song voice.
"Harry, honestly," Hermione says, shaking her head.
"It's okay, I'm sure she just wants to check on certain rumors that have no doubt reached her ears." I wink at Hermione suggestively.
She gasps. "You don't think—?"
"Could be she wants to try it out."
Hermione's face scrunches up in disgust. "Eww!"
"Hey, I'm sure it's not every day she has a sex god in residence," I point out reasonably while trying to ignore the rather frightening images that are trying to stab their way into my brain.
"It's been every day for the last four months," Harry says.
"Oh yeah," I say. "Well, she didn't know before now."
"That's disgusting," Hermione whispers, still making a face.
"Tracey did say that William likes older women," Harry points out.
Hermione shudders and then shakes her head as if to forget the last thirty seconds of conversation. "You aren't going to tell them, are you?"
"About our little secret that everybody knows? No, I'll be sure to keep it from them," I say with a grin.
"William!"
"No worries, my dearest. I'm sure I'll think of something." With a glance to verify that neither Dumbledore nor McGonagall are still at the head table, I push away from the Gryffindor table and make my way toward the headmaster's office.
The gargoyle seems to be waiting for me, since it permits me entry without asking for a password. Then the door to the headmaster's office opens just before I can knock.
"Mr. Lerner, come in, come in," Dumbledore greets me jovially. Professor McGonagall does not look so jovial.
"You wanted to see me, headmaster?"
"Yes, I wanted to see how your first term went," he says. "Lemon drop?"
I hold my hand up to refuse. "No, thank you. It has been quite an interesting term. I am rather enjoying myself."
"So it would seem," McGonagall says slowly and sternly, eyebrow raised.
"Now, now, Minerva," Dumbledore says, then he pauses, steepling his fingers and training his blue eyes on me. I shift my eyes back to the younger professor in what I hope is not too obvious a manner and I try to form the Void in my mind, just in case he had planned any Legilimency.
"What are your thoughts on the Prophet article about you and your friends?"
I shrug. "I was a bit surprised that the wizarding world doesn't protect minors from this sort of thing. Schoolyard gossip doesn't seem terribly important, all things considered."
"Indeed it should not be," he agrees. "But considering the relative fame of the subjects, I think you'll find that quite a bit of the population does care, more than you probably realize."
I frown first, but nod and drop my gaze. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. Obviously I would have preferred that no article was printed at all, especially one with so little truth in it."
"So little truth?" Professor McGonagall presses.
"We are close friends, most of the people mentioned in the article, but the...uh...juiciest parts are not true," I say, blushing. "I didn't speak with any reporters, and I certainly didn't want to drag the Misses Greengrass into it.
In my peripheral vision I see the two aged professors look at each other. "That's the other thing we wanted to speak to you about..." Dumbledore begins, but then pauses. "I take it we have you to thank for the unexpected but not unwelcome changes we've observed in Slytherin House."
I try to shrug but I can't help the grin that forms when I think of how Daphne had changed.
"I figured as much," he says, amusement plain in his voice, "I can't help but notice your circle of friends contains Slytherins and Ravenclaws...quite remarkable for a Gryffindor, and even more so since Mr. Potter is among them. I'm sure you are aware of his previous dealings with those of Salazar's House."
"I may have had shared some words with certain members of that House over the past few months, in an attempt to clear up some misconceptions," I say diplomatically.
"Just words?" Professor McGonagall asks, tilting her head forward with a stern look.
I cringe slightly. "There may have been some defensive spells on my part."
"I thank you for your honesty, Mr. Lerner," the headmaster says. "Professor Snape had grudgingly admitted to walking out of his classroom earlier this year and encountering a most impressive Shield Charm."
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Hey guys if u like the fanfic and want to read ahead by 27+ chapters or just want to support take a visit on my patreon.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
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