f i v e

"Well you seem in a good mood today." Cedric noted.

"That's because today is a good day." Maeve smiled, biting into a piece of toast.

"Don't ask." Susan shuddered at Elizabeth as she glanced her a confused look. "She's been on a high ever since she came back to the dorm late last night."

"Late? Maeve?" Cedric laughed, believing the girl was joking until he noticed that she wasn't. "Wait. Really? But Maeve you never break the rules."

"Don't worry about it Ced, your baby sister probably has a lover." Henry chuckled.

Elizabeth's right brow rose questioningly.

"No, I don't." Maeve said, snapping out of her mood immediately. "Is it that hard to believe that I'm in a good mood just because today is a good day?"

"I bet it's Francis, that Beauxbatons prefect she was showing around on the first day of school." Zach teased, completely disregarding Maeve's previous statement.

Maeve scowled before standing up and grabbing her satchel. "You can think whatever you want to but I'm off to Potions." and with that, she left.

"Say hi to Francis for us!" Susan yelled as Maeve neared the exit, earning quite a few glances. The girl looked back and glared at the girl before colliding with someone. Thankfully, before she plummeted towards the ground, a pair of arms shot out and held her in place.

Maeve looked back and stood up straight, horrified. "Uh – hi Francis."

"Salut, Maeve." the blonde boy grinned, seemingly oblivious to what Susan had said as he scratched the back of his blonde head. The Hufflepuff could already hear her friends losing their calm as they guffawed behind her. "I was just looking for you, actually."

"Oh, really?" Maeve asked, surprised. The French boy and she had only ever exchanged pleasantries as they passed each other in the hallway. "Why?"

"Well, my potions professor has asked me to note down teaching methods at Hogwarts, and I asked Professor Snape if I could sit in on his classes today. He agreed, but I simply cannot remember where the classroom is." he frowned.

"Oh." Maeve smiled. "No problem. Potions is actually my first class. I'll walk you."

The boy nodded as they set off. "Potions was always tricky for me. My parents are both bankers. They have no clue how the wizarding world functions." he cracked a smile.

Maeve grinned along. "I must say though, Snape's methods are rather direct. He speaks the bare minimum. Besides, when he introduces a new potion, he gives a detailed speech about its uses and other things and then tells us to practice the Potion for the rest of the week." she explained.

"He doesn't show you how to make the potion?" Francis asked curiously.

"Well, sometimes he does. Only when we're practising difficult Potions. Even then, it's hard to keep up."

Francis nodded as they entered the room. Almost half of the class was already there. Including Draco.

Maeve had a frown on her face as she sat down, remembering what Draco had said the previous day.

Theodore was there too, and he smiled at Maeve. Pleasantly surprised, Maeve smiled back. "You're studying in the library with us today as well, right?"

"Of course. The sessions have been helping." Maeve answered.

"What are you two talking about?" Draco scoffed as Pansy approached the table. Maeve looked around the class, where Francis was sitting next to Hermione Granger. No doubt Snape wanted him to sit next to the smartest person in their year. Also, she was certain Francis would feel better around other muggleborns, especially since Hogwarts had quite a few students who believed in blood supremacy.

"None of your business, Malfoy." Theodore sneered.

Draco sneered back but said nothing.

"Draco." Pansy acknowledged, slipping into her seat. Her voice sounded cold, but when she greeted Theodore, her voice was the same as always. She even sent Maeve a nod.

"Pansy." Draco muttered, greeting back.

Everyone worked in silence until of course, Draco had to break it. "Who's that French git sitting in class? Next to the mudblood too. Losers stay together. Right, Goyle?" Draco smirked, looking behind his shoulder as Crabbe and Goyle readily nodded their heads and laughed.

Maeve didn't know if it was what Draco had said about Cedric the other day, or the way he seemed to be treating Pansy, or her patience just running out at the ignorant pompous boy, but she set her ladle down and turned to the boy with her lips set in a hard line. Neither Pansy nor Theodore seated across them noticed, both of them busy making their Potion and effectively tuning out any nonsense that spouted out of Draco Malfoy's mouth.

"Shut up, Draco." Maeve scowled.

That seemed to break the pair across the table out of their focus as Draco whipped his head around to look at Maeve.

"What did you say just now?" he glared. "What makes you think that you – a Hufflepuff-" he scoffed. "-has the right to speak to me that way? Crawl back to the kitchens where you came from. Anyway, mudbloods have no place in the wizarding world. They're useless and they don't deserve to share our magic."

Maeve decided she had had just enough of the arrogant little sot that was Draco Malfoy. "In my book, Draco, people like you who bully others have no place in the world. Without a wand, you're powerless. A nobody. And back in the muggle world, there's no magic. We learn to defend ourselves in ways that'll have you crying for your mummy. Meaning, it doesn't take a wand to get those words to stick." Maeve growled as she tightened her hand into a fist, surprising every single person at the table.

"You think that scares me?" Draco rolled his eyes but gulped nevertheless. "Why do you care so much?"

"Because nor Francis or Hermione or any other muggleborn in the world deserves to be treated that way. And it doesn't take a genius to figure out that no one likes you. Not even those little cult followers of yours you call 'friends'." Maeve countered, narrowing her eyes behind him, where Crabbe and Goyle were cluelessly going about their potion, paying no attention to what was happening around them.

"And what's a Hufflepuff going to do about it?" Draco laughed. "You going to hug it out? Gonna be my saviour? Gonna try to see the 'good in me'? Tell me, Maeve, what are you planning to do about it?"

Maeve took a deep breath, turning back to her Potion. "Nothing actually." she forced a smile. "I know better than to get into a fight in the middle of Snape's class, who obviously favours you." she replied tautly. "Now if you want a good grade in Potions, I suggest you take over." she handed him the ladle and crosses her arms across her chest.

Pansy and Theodore, who had been watching the entire ordeal – fascinated – looked at her with confusion. Maeve just shrugged in response.

And in exactly a minute, the Draught of Peace blew up in Draco Malfoy's smug face as he stirred the potion, relishing in his small victory over Maeve. The sound was so loud that even Professor Snape turned to look at the back, where Draco stood shocked – his face and neck and robes covered with soot.

"Taken a page out of Mr Finningan's book, have you?" Snape frowned, nearing the table. "Go to the infirmary at once, Draco." the professor said before turning on his heel and taking his place at the head of class again.

Maeve smirked to herself. Although Severus Snape favoured Slytherins above all the other houses, she knew he favoured something over Slytherins too. That, being his Potions ingredients. And when those were wasted, no one could escape his wrath.

Draco glared at Maeve one last time before leaving for the exit. "You'll pay for this." he muttered before grabbing his satchel and getting out of class as a few people laughed.

_____

"That was brilliant." Theodore looked at the Hufflepuff wide-eyed as he and Pansy stopped outside and waited for Maeve. "I have to say, I never expected that from a Hufflepuff."

Maeve just grinned, before her gaze shifted to Pansy, who looked slightly angry and closed off. "It's about time someone put him in his place." she shrugged. "I'll see you both this afternoon at the library?" she grinned, waving back to Francis who was a few yards behind Theodore and Pansy.

The two Slytherins turned to look behind their shoulders to see who she was waving at.

"Of course. Bye Maeve Kingston." Theodore grinned with a smirk.

Maeve waved to him as well. "Bye Pansy."

The girl just shrugged and took off. Maeve, confused, made her way to Francis who had been waiting for her.

"Pity, what happened to your Potions Partner. He really must be bad at Potions to screw up the Draught of Peace." Francis joked.

"Oh, definitely." Maeve agreed, fastening her satchel on her shoulder with a small smirk playing on her lips. "He's terrible at the subject."

_____

Although Maeve shared only two classes with Slytherin, and to her joy, Draco hadn't shown up for Defence Against the Dark Arts either – she was exhausted as she packed her parchment and quill after her last class of the day with Professor Flitwick. Nevertheless, she made her way to his pedestal with a confident smile as the hoard of Gryffindor students shuffled out of class.

"Hello, Maeve. What brings you to me today?" the Charms professor asked with a pleasing look.

"Well, it's about Pansy, sir..." she started. "I've been teaching her the notes in public, but I think it would be better if I were to teach her in private. I believe she has what it takes, but introducing her in front of a large crowd all at once – especially when she has had no experience performing in front of one at all – may not be the best way to go."

"What are you suggesting?" he asked, intrigued.

"I think that instead of expecting Pansy to adapt to the rest of the choir immediately, I could help her build confidence in herself in private. So, instead of attending choir practices right now, Pansy might do better if it was just us. And slowly, I can match her up with the rest of the choir." Maeve explained.

Professor Flitwick nodded, taking her words in. "How long do you think that could take?"

"Till around Christmas, I think. And I'm sure by then she'll be comfortable singing in a crowd. Of course, I'll be attending our choir practices, but I believe that she needs some individual attention at the moment. After all – the frog choir is no easy feat." she smiled.

"I'll allow it. And I must say, Maeve, I appreciate the efforts you're taking to make sure the choir keeps up with its reputation. Your mother would've been proud." he smiled kindly.

Maeve's eyes twinkled as she grinned. "Thank you professor. I'm sorry, but I have a tutoring session to get to in ten minutes. Goodbye." she waved.

"Goodbye, Maeve."

_____

"Oh my god." Daphne shrieked excitedly as she made her way to Maeve just as the girl had entered the farthest table in the library where Theodore, Blaise and Pansy were already seated. "You're telling me you did that? Like actually did that?"

"I didn't say anything... did what?" Maeve asked confusedly, continuing walking as she finally settles into a seat next to Theodore Nott.

"Oh don't act all coy on me Kingston." Daphne scoffed. "Theo told me all about how you blew a Potion up in Draco's face."

"Oh... that." Maeve smiled. "Yes, well I didn't mean for it to get that violent but impulses are hard to control."

"Get that violent? Maeve that was a perfect revenge plot! Remind me to come to you the next time someone crosses me." Daphne grinned, slipping in next to Pansy.

"Yes, we'll have plenty of time for that – after you can tell me all the ingredients for Polyjuice Potion." Blaise said, intervening. "Now, Maeve."

"Um – leeches, powdered bicorn horn, knotgrass, fluxweed picked on a full moon, shredded boomslang skin, a bit of the person one wants to turn into.... and lacewings."

Blaise opened his mouth to speak but Maeve beat him to it.

"Which have been stewed for 21 days. I haven't forgotten." she grinned smugly.

Blaise nodded, pleased. "You've come pretty far for someone who couldn't even spell Veritaserum." he smirked.

"Hey, it's complicated okay? Practically a tongue twister." Maeve said defensively but nevertheless went back to her Potions textbook.

Maeve couldn't help but notice that Pansy was rather off throughout the whole session. She didn't say a word to the girl, which hurt her a little bit, especially since they'd spent practically the entire previous night together. Nor did Pansy glance at Maeve every time Daphne tried and failed to catch Blaise's attention. Maeve could hardly focus.

She waved goodbye to Daphne, Blaise and Theodore in the corridor outside the library after three hours before turning to look at Pansy. "Okay, what's going on?" she frowned. "Is this about Draco? Because I swear-"

"It doesn't have anything to do with Draco." Pansy muttered angrily, taking off for the winding staircases.

"Then what's wrong?" Maeve asked, keeping pace with the girl.

"It's – it's nothing, okay? Now let me go to dinner." Pansy frowned.

"Well, it's not nothing. And unless you want me in your dorm getting destroyed at a game of exploding snap by the end of the night, you would tell me what's going on." Maeve huffed stubbornly.

"I swear, it's nothing to do with you, Maeve." Pansy groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I had a bad start to my day, okay? I'll see you at choir practice." she mumbled, heading for the staircase to the Great Hall.

"Oh, about that. I spoke to Professor Flitwick." Maeve continued, no way hinting that she was letting Pansy leave anytime soon.

"And I care because..."

"Well, I convinced him that you need some one-on-one training before you're ready to sing in public, or with the choir."

"Wait." Pansy stopped right in front of the entrance and looked at Maeve. "Are you saying I don't have to go to practice anymore?"

"More or less." Maeve shrugged. "I thought about what you said. That you don't like being vulnerable. And that's completely fine. We'll go step by step, okay? And you'll be ready to sing in front of everyone in no time." she said with a smile.

"So I don't have to look after Croyle anymore?" Pansy asked, her eyes dancing.

Maeve frowned confusedly. "No, he's still your frog. You have to take care of him."

"Oh." Pansy's shoulders slumped slightly. "Oh well, better than having to leave dinner early."

"I suppose." Maeve laughed, glad that Pansy was in a better mood.

Before either of them could say anything, a voice called out. "Maeve!" Susan cried out, "Get over here."

Both girls turned to look at the Hufflepuff table where Francis and another Beauxbatons boy sat with Elizabeth, Henry, Susan and Cedric, the last three making suggestive glances at Maeve and Francis. Elizabeth just watched them uncomfortably. It was clear to almost anyone what they were trying to do.

Maeve frowned, and turned back to Pansy. "Well, enjoy your dinner, Pansy. I'll see you tomorrow after classes for practice."

"Yeah, whatever." Pansy muttered, her frown coming back in an instant along with her rotten mood. With that, she made her way to the Slytherin table with a huff.

Maeve frowned, wondering what had gone wrong before feebly making her way to the Hufflepuff table.

"Was that Pansy Parkinson?" Henry asked confusedly. "What were you doing with a Slytherin?"

"We were talking about choir practice..." Maeve trailed off, her eyes still looking at Pansy who sat on the Slytherin table.

"I didn't know Pansy was in the choir." the boy noted.

"Well whatever it was, I'm glad she didn't unload her bitter mood onto you." Francis observed.

"Yeah..." Maeve said uncertainly, finally turning back to her front after tearing her gaze away from Pansy. 

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