Houses of Hogwarts Fest FIC: The Rupture of Hufflepuff House (PG)
Title: The Rupture of Hufflepuff House
Author/Artist: bluemermaid
House Category: Hufflepuff
Summary: Zach chooses an unfortunate young girl to become attached to, in the eyes of his housemates.
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Zacharias Smith, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie Macmillan, Pomona Sprout (with background Zacharias/Marietta)
Genre: Gen
Rating: PG
Word Count: 5,030
(Highlight to View) Warning(s): None.
Can we link from Tumblr?: No, thanks.
If yes, your Tumblr username: N/A
--- Zacharias ---
Walking through the common room was like walking through a gauntlet. Hufflepuffs stared at him, whispering, and through it all Zach kept his head up, sneered at those who would frown at him, flounced up to his dorm room and collapsed into bed, tearing the curtains shut before any of those fools had the opportunity to say anything to him.
He didn't see how it was any of their business, really. Zacharias Smith was his own man, and he was free to associate with anyone he wished. Anyone who disagreed could just sod off. None of them even knew anything; they didn't know her.
He clutched a wrinkled piece of parchment in his hands and lay staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep due to all the emotions roiling through him. He was furious with her for what she did; of course he was. But he was angrier at them, his Hufflepuff schoolmates, his supposed "family" within the halls of Hogwarts. One complicated mistake, and the entire house had turned against him, simply for his role as accomplice, regardless of what he had or had not done. She was guilty by evidence and he by association. Never mind that he'd had no clue about her stupid plans.
Hufflepuffs were supposed to be fair, but so far every badger Zach had met had fallen quite short of his expectations. Zacharias was fair to a fault, or so some others might say, looking at life from all of its angles and never being satisfied until he knew the whole story. He could not say the same about his classmates.
But why should he care about their judgements? He had his own problems; let the school populace deal with themselves. Zach would deal with his own world, and let the others think whatever they wanted. It didn't bother him.
Still, the fury burned within him, and he found it difficult to sleep.
--- Hannah ---
Hannah first heard the news at breakfast; the entire Great Hall was buzzing with it, swirling rumours of Dumbledore's ousting, and the Ravenclaw girl who'd been behind it.
Said Ravenclaw was nowhere to be seen, but Hannah knew her name: Marietta Edgecombe. It shocked her, sent a panic through her veins. Hannah had gotten away the night previous, in the mad escape from the DA, but if Dumbledore was gone and Umbridge had taken his place, things were definitely not over. What if Hannah was outed as a known member of the rebellion? What if she were expelled from school and arrested? She was frightened.
And she was surprised, because she wouldn't have expected the betrayal to come from one of their own. She had assumed that some Slytherin creep had somehow gotten a glimpse of their meeting. To have the whole thing brought down from the inside was a concept as foreign to Hannah as discovering some new unknown language.
And Marietta; Hannah knew her only as the object of Zach Smith's affections, his constant partner in DA meetings and the girl he snuck out of the dorms for after dinner. It had struck Hannah as being a bit odd that a Ravenclaw might be besotted with Zacharias; he was so illogical sometimes, and a difficult person to like. Not that Hannah disliked him, because she tried her best to like everyone. But he wasn't exactly a friend to her, or to many others.
And yet, she had seen them, the two of them with their adorable smitten smiles and the secret embraces they shared when they thought nobody was looking. Hannah had thought that it was sweet; her world was rocked by the revelation of Marietta's betrayal, and she couldn't understand it.
Zacharias wasn't at breakfast, and when Hannah did see him next, he was coming from the direction of the Hospital Wing. "Are you still visiting Marietta Edgecombe?" Hannah asked him, incredulous.
The look he gave her was frightening. "What business is it of yours?" he snarled, before stalking off.
Hannah couldn't make sense of it. How could anyone sympathize with a person who had betrayed so many in one fell swoop? Hannah had been scared, Hannah had been subject to the "hem hem" from Umbridge, smiled down on by eyes that held such malice behind the sickeningly sweet facade. They all had, every member of Dumbledore's Army, and still none of them had spoken. None but Marietta Edgecombe.
Everyone knew her name now, knew the exact reason she was lying in the Hospital Wing with bandages across her cheeks. Hannah believed that she knew more about it than Marietta herself did, as the whispers spoke of memory wipe charms. Everyone knew the story and everyone knew her name, and everyone looked askance at Zacharias whenever he went to visit her.
Zach loved being contrary to what anyone expected; he loved defying expectations in order to expose the many hypocrasies of everyday life, to pry away assumptions and false niceties to reveal the dark side of humanity. Hannah couldn't really admire that, as she far preferred to focus on the lighter side of life, and she liked to believe that she herself had no dark side, was as innocent and light as it was possible to be.
Still, unlike others, Hannah could see why Zacharias had been sorted into Hufflepuff house. It was just taking fairness and hard work to the next level, wasn't it? Zach Smith just had a fair view of the world, taking in all of its faults with an open and determined mind. And he would work as hard as he had to, to expose all of its truths.
But Marietta's betrayal hadn't been fair or just at all; it was biased and weak and completely disloyal. How could Zach, knowing all this, still defend the Sneak? "She's nothing like you think," he said, when Susan cornered him with her questions. "Move aside, if you would, please."
If it had been anyone else, Hannah was sure that Zach would have condemned them, said something about how he would never betray any cause against that ogre Umbridge, no matter how much of a liar its leader was. Or Zach would complain that the snitch had ruined his plan to undermine and investigate Potter. But, because it was Edgecombe, Zacharias was uncharacteristically quiet about the matter. He gave Hannah dirty looks and he took to avoiding the Puff dormitories. And he still looked at the Sneak with love in his eyes.
Hannah watched as Marietta entered the Great Hall, with her entire face covered and her head lowered in shame. Zacharias was beside her, hovering at her elbow and whispering furiously to her. No, Hannah couldn't understand it one bit. But she knew better than to say anything about it.
People were free to love whoever they wished, after all, snitches or otherwise. And Hannah did always try to see the best in people. She may not have been fond of Zach or his girlfriend, but she would leave them be. They had enough trouble from everyone else, anyway.
--- Susan ---
Zach had been a prat about the whole thing since day one. He'd come snooping around the very minute there was even a whiff of conspiracy, and he'd stuck his fat nose in just to mock Harry Potter. Susan happened to have a lot of respect for Harry, and she didn't take kindly to Zach's continued probing over what had happened to poor Cedric. Couldn't a guy just let a friend rest in peace? Harry was probably all broken up about it, and there was loud, brash, infuriating Zacharias Smith harassing him for it.
Susan had only wanted to invite her friends to the meeting, but once Zach heard about something, there was no stopping whatever he wanted to do about it. It made Susan itch with annoyance. She wanted so badly to hex the boy sometimes, almost to the point of partnering with him during DA meetings, so she could practice offensive spells on him.
Almost. It was a relief when he'd latched onto the Ravenclaw girl, sticking by her side instead of pestering his fellow Hufflepuffs or making snide remarks to Harry Potter. At first, the girl seemed to be as annoyed with Zach as Susan often was, which was no surprise to anyone. But that sure changed.
Susan hadn't believed it when Hannah had first told her about it. "Zach? Our Zach, snogging a girl? Was she even a willing participant?"
Hannah flushed slightly. "They weren't snogging, really. You make me feel like a disgusting voyeur."
"I just want to know what sort of mad woman would kiss Zacharias Smith," Susan replied.
Never would she admit to a single living soul that Susan herself had once nursed a powerful fancy for one Zach Smith, back when she was young and foolish. She had doodled his initials in the margins of her parchment on more than one occasion. He was really incredibly fit, and his confidence could be alluring, before one got to know him properly. He'd grown up abrasive and offputting, and Susan wouldn't be caught dead drawing hearts over him now.
So maybe there were girls capable of kissing him. But there were rules to relationships when one was in school; you did not keep seeing a person after they were involved with a scandal. Especially the sort of scandal Marietta Edgecombe had gotten herself into. It was suicide, and it was stupid. But then, Zacharias was stupid, wasn't he? He put on this big front but he was an idiot, and Susan knew it.
"Why didn't you stop her?" Susan demanded, cornering Zacharias in their common room, staring him down with her furious gaze as she searched for answers. "Why are you still in the Hospital Wing every night? Is there something wrong with you? How can you still possibly fancy someone who would turn in every single one of her friends?"
"She's nothing like you think," Zach replied. "Move aside if you would, please." His voice sounded calm enough, but his expression could have frozen fire.
"This is really low, even for you, Zach," Susan called after him, her hands balled into fists. "She's a mess, and you're defending her? She got Dumbledore kicked out of this school! If we all die thanks to our lack of preparation and support, I am absolutely blaming you for all of it."
He had no response, he had not even a glance for her; he walked away slowly. And that just made Susan even angrier, than he could stay so calm, that he could walk away without letting her vent out her frustrations with him. "He is such a stupid prat," she said.
Hannah, who would stand by Susan in any argument, no matter how wrong she may be, shrugged. "I suppose he just really cares about her," she said softly. "Everyone needs a friend."
"Yeah, well, I guess she deserves a friend like Zach," Susan replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "Merlin only knows what's going to happen to us now that Umbridge is Headmaster. I expect to be arrested by the end of the week."
"Oh, I hope not," Hannah said quickly, starting to fret.
Susan didn't really expect to be arrested, but she had expected some Hufflepuff solidarity. They were one house and they were supposed to stick together, not break off into factions and abandon their home for the side of a traitorous Sneak. Susan huffed and stormed off to her room, where she would fish some old parchments out the bottom of her trunk and methodically tear them into shreds.
--- Justin ---
Justin, being a young male, understood completely Zach's infatuation with the Edgecombe girl. She was a fine young thing, with her shiny hair and the little half-smile she had when she was pleased with something. Her spellwork wasn't bad, either.
The Sneak Incident (as he took to calling it) left a bit of a bad taste in his mouth. It had been really dangerous, going to Umbridge to have those meetings revealed, and it had taken away the one thing that had made Justin feel brave. He'd never felt courageous about anything before, but the first time he'd entered that secret room, he'd felt a rush of excitement, that he could take such risks for the good of the world. Maybe he would never fight You-Know-Who, but he was flaunting Umbridge's rules right under her nose, and that was bravery enough.
Then Edgecombe had gone and ruined everything, and gotten Dumbledore sacked to boot. It wasn't right. "Oi, Smith, I heard that girl of yours was the one who ratted us out," he said, calling out to his housemate as Zach was leaving the common room.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, shut up, Finch-Fletchley," Zach snapped, and disappeared through the exit.
Justin didn't really bother too much with it after that; he continued going to class and studying for his O.W.L.s and worrying about the little things, like how much sleep he could get and still have time to copy over his class notes. The war had not come yet, and Justin was unaware of the shadows, unconcerned about the looming doom.
He only said one more thing, several days after Edgecombe was released from the Hospital Wing. "I heard her face is all scarred," he said, lifting his head from a book as he watched Zacharias walk by. "You aren't snogging her, are you? Seems like that would feel odd."
"You disgust me," Zach replied. "You and the rest of your lot. Keep your nose out of it."
Justin held his hands up in surrender. "Fine by me. Couldn't care less, mate. Truly."
It wasn't completely true; of course he cared, because Edgecombe had done a rotten thing and the punishment had been well deserved, in his opinion. But he certainly didn't care enough to keep putting his nose into it, as Zach would say. He would keep his distance and he would make it known that he did not agree with Edgecombe's betrayal, but he wouldn't say anything to Smith about her, if he could help it.
Still, he did mention it to Ernie, that Zacharias was still following the girl around like a puppy and it wasn't very good for Hufflepuff's image. "Best to keep our noses to the ground, yes? Don't want Umbridge thinking we had anything to do with those meetings," he said quietly, peering at Ernie over the top of his book.
"Don't worry, Justin, my friend," Ernie said, with his reassuring grin. "This will all blow over soon enough. Everyone's in a protest against Professor Umbridge; she's sure to fold under the pressure, and then we'll all be free again."
Justin nodded, and accepted the words. He always felt better after listening to Ernie. Nothing Smith could have done would cast any shadows over Justin. Zach and he lived separate lives, and if Smith wanted to throw his life away for a shallow traitor of a girl, Justin certainly wasn't going to waste the effort in trying to stop him.
Nobody could stop the train that was Zacharias Smith, anyway, even when it was heading for a wreck.
--- Ernie ---
Ernie took it upon himself to solve the rupture of Hufflepuff House. They were one unit, one family, united in mind and purpose, a squad of devoted students who would help each other through thick and thin, light and dark. Ernie, as Prefect, had a responsibility to keep things the way that they had always been, to uphold the tradition of Hufflepuff's purity and solidarity.
"Zacharias Smith, just the man I was looking for," he said loudly, throwing an arm around Zach's shoulders and steering him across the courtyard, back up the hill towards the main entrance of the school. "I think perhaps we ought to have a chat."
Zacharias scowled and pursed his lips, but he allowed Ernie to lead him past the grand doors of the entrance and down along the side of the castle, until they were standing in a small patch of shadow with the mountains sloping away before them. "All right, get it out, Macmillan," Zach said, once they stopped walking. "I've been waiting for this for days."
"Listen, Zach, it's not my business who you spend your free time with, but I did think you'd be a bit more careful. Aren't you worried that she'll hurt you? She has a reputation for betrayal now. And look at everyone else, the way we shy away from her in the corridors. You don't want that for yourself, now, do you? Dark times are ahead, Smith. As your Prefect, I feel that I must attempt to set a good example and tell you to watch out for yourself. Choose your allies wisely."
Zach's face could have been made of stone. "Thanks," he said, with absolutely no emotion, and attempted to squirm away.
"Now, see here," Ernie said sternly, forcing himself to stand ever straighter, ever more confident, with the pride that comes from inspiring others. "I don't think this girl is worth throwing your life away for."
"I said, thanks. Dad." Zacharias rolled his eyes and darted backwards, slipping out of Ernie's grip. "Could I please be excused now? I promise to eat all my dinner."
Ernie was highly annoyed by the sarcasm. It was just like Zacharias to go against everyone else's best wishes, but Ernie did hope the boy would see sense and do the right thing. "At least don't defend her actions," he said, losing his Prefect demeanor and deflating, becoming a child again. "It makes us all look bad."
"Merlin forbid you should look bad, Macmillan." Zach turned away and stopped, standing with his shoulders slumped as he appeared to lose himself in thought. Ernie opened his mouth to speak, to reason, to feel for this troubled soul under his care. But before he could say another word, Zach spun back around and was yelling. "She's just a confused and frightened young woman, and you pretentious prats have condemned her for nothing but a simple mistake. You ought to just leave it alone, and then maybe she'll get herself back together and quit crying everywhere all the time. Merlin, it's like she's sold you out to You-Know-Who himself! Why are you so afraid of a toad? Umbridge is never going to last and you know it."
"I was merely trying to impart the severity of the situation," Ernie said, shaking, struggling to breathe, to keep his composure. How did one get through such a thick skull? "She's not an ideal partner."
"Like you would know," Zacharias replied. "Like you're so bloody fantastic. Do you know anything about her at all, other than she's got 'Sneak' on her face? No? I didn't think so. Have a splendid day. Keep your platitudes for the ignorant masses."
Ernie didn't like being made to feel like a fool, or a failure. Clearly this issue went beyond the normal Prefect's duties. He would have to take the next step. It wasn't at all the same for him to go to a Professor; he was looking out for the welfare of his schoolmates, his friends. He was protecting those he cared about. That was as important as anything else he was learning at Hogwarts. You had to protect the ones you stood beside. It was the exact opposite of what the girl had done.
Professor Sprout sat and listened to Ernie's problems with a look of concern on her face. "Mr. Macmillan," she said, once he was finished, "don't you think Miss Edgecombe has been through rather enough already? I believe she'd do well to have a friend in Hufflepuff. We make good companions, if I do say so." She smiled. "And Mr. Smith could use the affections of a nice young lady, himself. He can be a bit on the negative side, can't he? I think a relationship could do him a lot of good."
"But, Professor." Ernie felt as though he'd been Confunded. "She isn't really a very nice young lady, is she?"
Professor Sprout smiled again and patted his shoulder. "We all make mistakes, Mr. Macmillan. Especially when we're young. Let your friends be children for a while, won't you? They might not have much longer for it."
Ernie walked away from the meeting feeling very much a failure, indeed. But he was nothing if not open to the advice of his respected superiors. So he pulled himself up and dedicated himself to letting Zach be. Perhaps it would all work out for the best. Perhaps the uproar over Miss Edgecombe's actions and appearance would dissipate quickly, and the illegal defense classes would be forgotten.
There were classes to go to and exams to study for, and a life to be prepared for. There was no time to hold grudges. Ernie had to admit that, at the very least. He was merely holding a grudge for the girl having torn down all of his personal definitions of courage and duty and responsibility. What sort of a Hufflepuff fancies a girl like that? Well, it was no longer anything for Ernie to concern himself with. He would just have to be an even better Hufflepuff, to make up for anything the house lacked. Such was his job as a Prefect, and as a Puff.
--- Pomona ---
She kept a bit of a closer eye on Zacharias Smith over the next few weeks. Not to catch him at anything bad, or to chastise his choices, but for the simple reason of making sure he was all right. She didn't want to be smothering, so she kept her distance, watching him during his Herbology lessons only when she had a spare moment, and glancing his way in the Great Hall during meals.
It was important to Pomona that her students be happy. As the Hufflepuff Head of House, she felt an obligation to fight against the foolish stereotype of Puffs being empty-headed and useless. She wanted her Puffs to be strong and capable, and at the same time happy. "Happy hearts make strong minds," she would say, to the chagrin of her fellow Professors. Minerva would scoff and shake her head, though she wouldn't say a word against it. Severus would sneer, and he had many different things to say against it, none of them polite. Filius would grin and tell her, "I believe you've got it the wrong way around, Pomona." It was funny, the ways in which they differed. In more important ways, they were all the same, really. They cared about their students.
Pomona showed that she cared by being open and kind and understanding the best she could. Yes, her childhood had long passed her by, but she tried her best to remember what it had been like, the many trials and tribulations of growing up under the roof of Hogwarts. It could be quite difficult, and it certainly didn't help that there were stories of war on the horizon. Pomona wanted her children to know that they could always come to her if they needed a kind listener. Ernie Macmillan had taken that to heart, bless him. Zacharias Smith was another story. And so Pomona just watched.
She watched him, and she was surprised by the tenderness he showed the Edgecombe girl, walking with her to meals and making sure she was all right before he reluctantly joined the Hufflepuff table. Yes, he sulked amongst his housemates and ignored their pointed stares, but when he looked at Marietta it was as though he looked upon all the treasure of Gringotts. It made Pomona's heart ache with a combination of sadness and joy.
She was sad to see a Hufflepuff so ostracized by his fellow men. They were supposed to be fair and understanding, and accepting of others regardless of their troubles. Still, they were teenagers, and Merlin knew how difficult it could be to go against the crowd. Zacharias had chosen an unfortunate young girl to become attached to.
However, he seemed to be thriving in spite of whatever his friends could throw at him, holding his head up high and refusing to cave to the pressure. It made Pomona proud, and she decided that there was no need to talk to Mr. Smith about his troubles. Zacharias would make his own way in this quickly darkening world, and it would take a lot to break his spirit. Pomona could only hope that his companion would do the same; the poor girl seemed so listless and downhearted.
She slipped Filius Flitwick a note, out of Umbridge's sight, and met his gaze with intense emotion. Care for your students, Filius. Especially those that need it most.
He knew exactly what she meant, and shot her a slow wink. Marietta Edgecombe would be receiving some secret chocolates in Charms class very soon. Pomona only hoped that such caring from a mentor, combined with the fierce devotion of a boy like Zacharias Smith, would bring the girl back from the brink, and give her back her humanity.
Pomona had seen love do so many wonderful things in her lifetime; this would hopefully be another one.
--- Zacharias ---
"Here, I brought you something." Zach strode into the Hospital Wing with purpose, and he dumped the parcel onto the bed casually, so as to seem impartial to its contents.
Mari had yet to feel comfortable showing her face to him; she hid behind the covers, peering over the edge of the blankets warily. "What is it?"
"Gee, I wonder how you could possibly find out."
Her brow furrowed, and he laughed, because he could still read her expression perfectly, even obscured. She was doing that fantastically adorable thing where she pretended to be furious with him while secretly finding him charming. Zach loved that about her. "Open it for me," she said to him.
"Why, have your fingers been cursed, too? If you try to use them, you'll just start writing 'Sneak' all over the paper?" He knew he'd gone too far then, and sighed when Marietta covered her head completely, sinking into the mattress. "Oi, Mari, stop that. You know I'm joking. Come up for air and I'll open your gift."
"You're an utter git," she mumbled, but she obeyed him, lifting her head up and peering over at him again. "You realize I'm never going to look at you properly again."
"I hope that's not true," Zach said in reply. He nearly made another crass remark, but bit his tongue just in time; Marietta glared at him anyway. Zach grinned and tore the package open.
He had expected her to do the girl thing and tear up; he had not expected her to burst into full on sobbing. "Oh, Merlin," he said, sitting down quickly beside her, and snatching the gift away. "What did I do wrong this time? I thought this would make you feel better." He lifted it up, a silky black balaclava, and frowned at it. "Thought you'd want to cover your face for a while. Feel it, it's really high quality."
"You, don't want to, look at me," Marietta managed to squeak out through her tears.
"Girls," Zacharias burst out in frustration. "You just can't win with them. You know damn well that I did not mean this like that. I was only trying to help. If you like, I can wear one too, and we'll be twins. Bet the Hufflepuff Posse would adore it."
He had already taken to calling them that, the group of Puffs who had joined Dumbledore's Army. They had looked at Zacharias as though he were a criminal when he'd mentioned going to visit Marietta, and he had a terrible feeling that it was only going to get worse before they let the whole thing go. But he didn't care; at the moment he was far more concerned with trying to get Mari to stop crying. "Now, now," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder, or as close as he could guess above the blanket. "Please don't cry, you know I hate that. Remember how I used to laugh at your friend Cho, whenever she went off?"
"That wasn't very nice," Marietta told him, though she sounded as though she were about to laugh. "Cho had a lot on her plate. Same as me."
"I know," Zach told her. "But you have me by your side, and that isn't changing, even if you did do something incredibly stupid. Did you really think telling Umbridge about things was going to help anybody in any way? It's all a lot of blackmail and bollocks in the Ministry, everybody with a brain knows that."
"I just, I don't know, I can't remember," Marietta said. One hand slowly slipped above the blanket, creeping along until it touched the balaclava. She yanked it towards her before Zacharias could remark on it. "I just felt like I needed to save myself. And my mother, and Cho, and you." She glanced away from him. "Did I save you?"
He swallowed, wondering how a heart could possibly hurt so much without breaking. "Yes," he said. "In every way that matters. You saved me."
Her eyes were shining when she looked at him, but the tears this time were not of sorrow. Marietta slowly lowered her blanket, allowing Zach the full view of the hex, the deep pocked scars that spelled the word across her face. "Hermione Granger is a vile, wicked woman," Zacharias said. "But to me, you're still beautiful."
Mari barked out a laugh. "You don't need to lie to make me feel better," she said.
"I don't believe in lies, remember?" And he didn't. Zacharias Smith was a man in constant pursuit of truth, who would be as honest as he needed to be, no matter what sort of punishment or contempt it got him. And he found Marietta Edgecombe beautiful, for her soft hair and nervous laughter, for her snide remarks and logic, for her own love of truth. The outside didn't matter; the outside people didn't matter, either. Let the Hufflepuffs think whatever they damn well pleased; if he had Marietta, Zacharias had everything.
Crystal/Hufflepuff/168 Points
Author/Artist: bluemermaid
House Category: Hufflepuff
Summary: Zach chooses an unfortunate young girl to become attached to, in the eyes of his housemates.
Character(s)/Pairing(s): Zacharias Smith, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie Macmillan, Pomona Sprout (with background Zacharias/Marietta)
Genre: Gen
Rating: PG
Word Count: 5,030
(Highlight to View) Warning(s): None.
Can we link from Tumblr?: No, thanks.
If yes, your Tumblr username: N/A
--- Zacharias ---
Walking through the common room was like walking through a gauntlet. Hufflepuffs stared at him, whispering, and through it all Zach kept his head up, sneered at those who would frown at him, flounced up to his dorm room and collapsed into bed, tearing the curtains shut before any of those fools had the opportunity to say anything to him.
He didn't see how it was any of their business, really. Zacharias Smith was his own man, and he was free to associate with anyone he wished. Anyone who disagreed could just sod off. None of them even knew anything; they didn't know her.
He clutched a wrinkled piece of parchment in his hands and lay staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep due to all the emotions roiling through him. He was furious with her for what she did; of course he was. But he was angrier at them, his Hufflepuff schoolmates, his supposed "family" within the halls of Hogwarts. One complicated mistake, and the entire house had turned against him, simply for his role as accomplice, regardless of what he had or had not done. She was guilty by evidence and he by association. Never mind that he'd had no clue about her stupid plans.
Hufflepuffs were supposed to be fair, but so far every badger Zach had met had fallen quite short of his expectations. Zacharias was fair to a fault, or so some others might say, looking at life from all of its angles and never being satisfied until he knew the whole story. He could not say the same about his classmates.
But why should he care about their judgements? He had his own problems; let the school populace deal with themselves. Zach would deal with his own world, and let the others think whatever they wanted. It didn't bother him.
Still, the fury burned within him, and he found it difficult to sleep.
--- Hannah ---
Hannah first heard the news at breakfast; the entire Great Hall was buzzing with it, swirling rumours of Dumbledore's ousting, and the Ravenclaw girl who'd been behind it.
Said Ravenclaw was nowhere to be seen, but Hannah knew her name: Marietta Edgecombe. It shocked her, sent a panic through her veins. Hannah had gotten away the night previous, in the mad escape from the DA, but if Dumbledore was gone and Umbridge had taken his place, things were definitely not over. What if Hannah was outed as a known member of the rebellion? What if she were expelled from school and arrested? She was frightened.
And she was surprised, because she wouldn't have expected the betrayal to come from one of their own. She had assumed that some Slytherin creep had somehow gotten a glimpse of their meeting. To have the whole thing brought down from the inside was a concept as foreign to Hannah as discovering some new unknown language.
And Marietta; Hannah knew her only as the object of Zach Smith's affections, his constant partner in DA meetings and the girl he snuck out of the dorms for after dinner. It had struck Hannah as being a bit odd that a Ravenclaw might be besotted with Zacharias; he was so illogical sometimes, and a difficult person to like. Not that Hannah disliked him, because she tried her best to like everyone. But he wasn't exactly a friend to her, or to many others.
And yet, she had seen them, the two of them with their adorable smitten smiles and the secret embraces they shared when they thought nobody was looking. Hannah had thought that it was sweet; her world was rocked by the revelation of Marietta's betrayal, and she couldn't understand it.
Zacharias wasn't at breakfast, and when Hannah did see him next, he was coming from the direction of the Hospital Wing. "Are you still visiting Marietta Edgecombe?" Hannah asked him, incredulous.
The look he gave her was frightening. "What business is it of yours?" he snarled, before stalking off.
Hannah couldn't make sense of it. How could anyone sympathize with a person who had betrayed so many in one fell swoop? Hannah had been scared, Hannah had been subject to the "hem hem" from Umbridge, smiled down on by eyes that held such malice behind the sickeningly sweet facade. They all had, every member of Dumbledore's Army, and still none of them had spoken. None but Marietta Edgecombe.
Everyone knew her name now, knew the exact reason she was lying in the Hospital Wing with bandages across her cheeks. Hannah believed that she knew more about it than Marietta herself did, as the whispers spoke of memory wipe charms. Everyone knew the story and everyone knew her name, and everyone looked askance at Zacharias whenever he went to visit her.
Zach loved being contrary to what anyone expected; he loved defying expectations in order to expose the many hypocrasies of everyday life, to pry away assumptions and false niceties to reveal the dark side of humanity. Hannah couldn't really admire that, as she far preferred to focus on the lighter side of life, and she liked to believe that she herself had no dark side, was as innocent and light as it was possible to be.
Still, unlike others, Hannah could see why Zacharias had been sorted into Hufflepuff house. It was just taking fairness and hard work to the next level, wasn't it? Zach Smith just had a fair view of the world, taking in all of its faults with an open and determined mind. And he would work as hard as he had to, to expose all of its truths.
But Marietta's betrayal hadn't been fair or just at all; it was biased and weak and completely disloyal. How could Zach, knowing all this, still defend the Sneak? "She's nothing like you think," he said, when Susan cornered him with her questions. "Move aside, if you would, please."
If it had been anyone else, Hannah was sure that Zach would have condemned them, said something about how he would never betray any cause against that ogre Umbridge, no matter how much of a liar its leader was. Or Zach would complain that the snitch had ruined his plan to undermine and investigate Potter. But, because it was Edgecombe, Zacharias was uncharacteristically quiet about the matter. He gave Hannah dirty looks and he took to avoiding the Puff dormitories. And he still looked at the Sneak with love in his eyes.
Hannah watched as Marietta entered the Great Hall, with her entire face covered and her head lowered in shame. Zacharias was beside her, hovering at her elbow and whispering furiously to her. No, Hannah couldn't understand it one bit. But she knew better than to say anything about it.
People were free to love whoever they wished, after all, snitches or otherwise. And Hannah did always try to see the best in people. She may not have been fond of Zach or his girlfriend, but she would leave them be. They had enough trouble from everyone else, anyway.
--- Susan ---
Zach had been a prat about the whole thing since day one. He'd come snooping around the very minute there was even a whiff of conspiracy, and he'd stuck his fat nose in just to mock Harry Potter. Susan happened to have a lot of respect for Harry, and she didn't take kindly to Zach's continued probing over what had happened to poor Cedric. Couldn't a guy just let a friend rest in peace? Harry was probably all broken up about it, and there was loud, brash, infuriating Zacharias Smith harassing him for it.
Susan had only wanted to invite her friends to the meeting, but once Zach heard about something, there was no stopping whatever he wanted to do about it. It made Susan itch with annoyance. She wanted so badly to hex the boy sometimes, almost to the point of partnering with him during DA meetings, so she could practice offensive spells on him.
Almost. It was a relief when he'd latched onto the Ravenclaw girl, sticking by her side instead of pestering his fellow Hufflepuffs or making snide remarks to Harry Potter. At first, the girl seemed to be as annoyed with Zach as Susan often was, which was no surprise to anyone. But that sure changed.
Susan hadn't believed it when Hannah had first told her about it. "Zach? Our Zach, snogging a girl? Was she even a willing participant?"
Hannah flushed slightly. "They weren't snogging, really. You make me feel like a disgusting voyeur."
"I just want to know what sort of mad woman would kiss Zacharias Smith," Susan replied.
Never would she admit to a single living soul that Susan herself had once nursed a powerful fancy for one Zach Smith, back when she was young and foolish. She had doodled his initials in the margins of her parchment on more than one occasion. He was really incredibly fit, and his confidence could be alluring, before one got to know him properly. He'd grown up abrasive and offputting, and Susan wouldn't be caught dead drawing hearts over him now.
So maybe there were girls capable of kissing him. But there were rules to relationships when one was in school; you did not keep seeing a person after they were involved with a scandal. Especially the sort of scandal Marietta Edgecombe had gotten herself into. It was suicide, and it was stupid. But then, Zacharias was stupid, wasn't he? He put on this big front but he was an idiot, and Susan knew it.
"Why didn't you stop her?" Susan demanded, cornering Zacharias in their common room, staring him down with her furious gaze as she searched for answers. "Why are you still in the Hospital Wing every night? Is there something wrong with you? How can you still possibly fancy someone who would turn in every single one of her friends?"
"She's nothing like you think," Zach replied. "Move aside if you would, please." His voice sounded calm enough, but his expression could have frozen fire.
"This is really low, even for you, Zach," Susan called after him, her hands balled into fists. "She's a mess, and you're defending her? She got Dumbledore kicked out of this school! If we all die thanks to our lack of preparation and support, I am absolutely blaming you for all of it."
He had no response, he had not even a glance for her; he walked away slowly. And that just made Susan even angrier, than he could stay so calm, that he could walk away without letting her vent out her frustrations with him. "He is such a stupid prat," she said.
Hannah, who would stand by Susan in any argument, no matter how wrong she may be, shrugged. "I suppose he just really cares about her," she said softly. "Everyone needs a friend."
"Yeah, well, I guess she deserves a friend like Zach," Susan replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "Merlin only knows what's going to happen to us now that Umbridge is Headmaster. I expect to be arrested by the end of the week."
"Oh, I hope not," Hannah said quickly, starting to fret.
Susan didn't really expect to be arrested, but she had expected some Hufflepuff solidarity. They were one house and they were supposed to stick together, not break off into factions and abandon their home for the side of a traitorous Sneak. Susan huffed and stormed off to her room, where she would fish some old parchments out the bottom of her trunk and methodically tear them into shreds.
--- Justin ---
Justin, being a young male, understood completely Zach's infatuation with the Edgecombe girl. She was a fine young thing, with her shiny hair and the little half-smile she had when she was pleased with something. Her spellwork wasn't bad, either.
The Sneak Incident (as he took to calling it) left a bit of a bad taste in his mouth. It had been really dangerous, going to Umbridge to have those meetings revealed, and it had taken away the one thing that had made Justin feel brave. He'd never felt courageous about anything before, but the first time he'd entered that secret room, he'd felt a rush of excitement, that he could take such risks for the good of the world. Maybe he would never fight You-Know-Who, but he was flaunting Umbridge's rules right under her nose, and that was bravery enough.
Then Edgecombe had gone and ruined everything, and gotten Dumbledore sacked to boot. It wasn't right. "Oi, Smith, I heard that girl of yours was the one who ratted us out," he said, calling out to his housemate as Zach was leaving the common room.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, shut up, Finch-Fletchley," Zach snapped, and disappeared through the exit.
Justin didn't really bother too much with it after that; he continued going to class and studying for his O.W.L.s and worrying about the little things, like how much sleep he could get and still have time to copy over his class notes. The war had not come yet, and Justin was unaware of the shadows, unconcerned about the looming doom.
He only said one more thing, several days after Edgecombe was released from the Hospital Wing. "I heard her face is all scarred," he said, lifting his head from a book as he watched Zacharias walk by. "You aren't snogging her, are you? Seems like that would feel odd."
"You disgust me," Zach replied. "You and the rest of your lot. Keep your nose out of it."
Justin held his hands up in surrender. "Fine by me. Couldn't care less, mate. Truly."
It wasn't completely true; of course he cared, because Edgecombe had done a rotten thing and the punishment had been well deserved, in his opinion. But he certainly didn't care enough to keep putting his nose into it, as Zach would say. He would keep his distance and he would make it known that he did not agree with Edgecombe's betrayal, but he wouldn't say anything to Smith about her, if he could help it.
Still, he did mention it to Ernie, that Zacharias was still following the girl around like a puppy and it wasn't very good for Hufflepuff's image. "Best to keep our noses to the ground, yes? Don't want Umbridge thinking we had anything to do with those meetings," he said quietly, peering at Ernie over the top of his book.
"Don't worry, Justin, my friend," Ernie said, with his reassuring grin. "This will all blow over soon enough. Everyone's in a protest against Professor Umbridge; she's sure to fold under the pressure, and then we'll all be free again."
Justin nodded, and accepted the words. He always felt better after listening to Ernie. Nothing Smith could have done would cast any shadows over Justin. Zach and he lived separate lives, and if Smith wanted to throw his life away for a shallow traitor of a girl, Justin certainly wasn't going to waste the effort in trying to stop him.
Nobody could stop the train that was Zacharias Smith, anyway, even when it was heading for a wreck.
--- Ernie ---
Ernie took it upon himself to solve the rupture of Hufflepuff House. They were one unit, one family, united in mind and purpose, a squad of devoted students who would help each other through thick and thin, light and dark. Ernie, as Prefect, had a responsibility to keep things the way that they had always been, to uphold the tradition of Hufflepuff's purity and solidarity.
"Zacharias Smith, just the man I was looking for," he said loudly, throwing an arm around Zach's shoulders and steering him across the courtyard, back up the hill towards the main entrance of the school. "I think perhaps we ought to have a chat."
Zacharias scowled and pursed his lips, but he allowed Ernie to lead him past the grand doors of the entrance and down along the side of the castle, until they were standing in a small patch of shadow with the mountains sloping away before them. "All right, get it out, Macmillan," Zach said, once they stopped walking. "I've been waiting for this for days."
"Listen, Zach, it's not my business who you spend your free time with, but I did think you'd be a bit more careful. Aren't you worried that she'll hurt you? She has a reputation for betrayal now. And look at everyone else, the way we shy away from her in the corridors. You don't want that for yourself, now, do you? Dark times are ahead, Smith. As your Prefect, I feel that I must attempt to set a good example and tell you to watch out for yourself. Choose your allies wisely."
Zach's face could have been made of stone. "Thanks," he said, with absolutely no emotion, and attempted to squirm away.
"Now, see here," Ernie said sternly, forcing himself to stand ever straighter, ever more confident, with the pride that comes from inspiring others. "I don't think this girl is worth throwing your life away for."
"I said, thanks. Dad." Zacharias rolled his eyes and darted backwards, slipping out of Ernie's grip. "Could I please be excused now? I promise to eat all my dinner."
Ernie was highly annoyed by the sarcasm. It was just like Zacharias to go against everyone else's best wishes, but Ernie did hope the boy would see sense and do the right thing. "At least don't defend her actions," he said, losing his Prefect demeanor and deflating, becoming a child again. "It makes us all look bad."
"Merlin forbid you should look bad, Macmillan." Zach turned away and stopped, standing with his shoulders slumped as he appeared to lose himself in thought. Ernie opened his mouth to speak, to reason, to feel for this troubled soul under his care. But before he could say another word, Zach spun back around and was yelling. "She's just a confused and frightened young woman, and you pretentious prats have condemned her for nothing but a simple mistake. You ought to just leave it alone, and then maybe she'll get herself back together and quit crying everywhere all the time. Merlin, it's like she's sold you out to You-Know-Who himself! Why are you so afraid of a toad? Umbridge is never going to last and you know it."
"I was merely trying to impart the severity of the situation," Ernie said, shaking, struggling to breathe, to keep his composure. How did one get through such a thick skull? "She's not an ideal partner."
"Like you would know," Zacharias replied. "Like you're so bloody fantastic. Do you know anything about her at all, other than she's got 'Sneak' on her face? No? I didn't think so. Have a splendid day. Keep your platitudes for the ignorant masses."
Ernie didn't like being made to feel like a fool, or a failure. Clearly this issue went beyond the normal Prefect's duties. He would have to take the next step. It wasn't at all the same for him to go to a Professor; he was looking out for the welfare of his schoolmates, his friends. He was protecting those he cared about. That was as important as anything else he was learning at Hogwarts. You had to protect the ones you stood beside. It was the exact opposite of what the girl had done.
Professor Sprout sat and listened to Ernie's problems with a look of concern on her face. "Mr. Macmillan," she said, once he was finished, "don't you think Miss Edgecombe has been through rather enough already? I believe she'd do well to have a friend in Hufflepuff. We make good companions, if I do say so." She smiled. "And Mr. Smith could use the affections of a nice young lady, himself. He can be a bit on the negative side, can't he? I think a relationship could do him a lot of good."
"But, Professor." Ernie felt as though he'd been Confunded. "She isn't really a very nice young lady, is she?"
Professor Sprout smiled again and patted his shoulder. "We all make mistakes, Mr. Macmillan. Especially when we're young. Let your friends be children for a while, won't you? They might not have much longer for it."
Ernie walked away from the meeting feeling very much a failure, indeed. But he was nothing if not open to the advice of his respected superiors. So he pulled himself up and dedicated himself to letting Zach be. Perhaps it would all work out for the best. Perhaps the uproar over Miss Edgecombe's actions and appearance would dissipate quickly, and the illegal defense classes would be forgotten.
There were classes to go to and exams to study for, and a life to be prepared for. There was no time to hold grudges. Ernie had to admit that, at the very least. He was merely holding a grudge for the girl having torn down all of his personal definitions of courage and duty and responsibility. What sort of a Hufflepuff fancies a girl like that? Well, it was no longer anything for Ernie to concern himself with. He would just have to be an even better Hufflepuff, to make up for anything the house lacked. Such was his job as a Prefect, and as a Puff.
--- Pomona ---
She kept a bit of a closer eye on Zacharias Smith over the next few weeks. Not to catch him at anything bad, or to chastise his choices, but for the simple reason of making sure he was all right. She didn't want to be smothering, so she kept her distance, watching him during his Herbology lessons only when she had a spare moment, and glancing his way in the Great Hall during meals.
It was important to Pomona that her students be happy. As the Hufflepuff Head of House, she felt an obligation to fight against the foolish stereotype of Puffs being empty-headed and useless. She wanted her Puffs to be strong and capable, and at the same time happy. "Happy hearts make strong minds," she would say, to the chagrin of her fellow Professors. Minerva would scoff and shake her head, though she wouldn't say a word against it. Severus would sneer, and he had many different things to say against it, none of them polite. Filius would grin and tell her, "I believe you've got it the wrong way around, Pomona." It was funny, the ways in which they differed. In more important ways, they were all the same, really. They cared about their students.
Pomona showed that she cared by being open and kind and understanding the best she could. Yes, her childhood had long passed her by, but she tried her best to remember what it had been like, the many trials and tribulations of growing up under the roof of Hogwarts. It could be quite difficult, and it certainly didn't help that there were stories of war on the horizon. Pomona wanted her children to know that they could always come to her if they needed a kind listener. Ernie Macmillan had taken that to heart, bless him. Zacharias Smith was another story. And so Pomona just watched.
She watched him, and she was surprised by the tenderness he showed the Edgecombe girl, walking with her to meals and making sure she was all right before he reluctantly joined the Hufflepuff table. Yes, he sulked amongst his housemates and ignored their pointed stares, but when he looked at Marietta it was as though he looked upon all the treasure of Gringotts. It made Pomona's heart ache with a combination of sadness and joy.
She was sad to see a Hufflepuff so ostracized by his fellow men. They were supposed to be fair and understanding, and accepting of others regardless of their troubles. Still, they were teenagers, and Merlin knew how difficult it could be to go against the crowd. Zacharias had chosen an unfortunate young girl to become attached to.
However, he seemed to be thriving in spite of whatever his friends could throw at him, holding his head up high and refusing to cave to the pressure. It made Pomona proud, and she decided that there was no need to talk to Mr. Smith about his troubles. Zacharias would make his own way in this quickly darkening world, and it would take a lot to break his spirit. Pomona could only hope that his companion would do the same; the poor girl seemed so listless and downhearted.
She slipped Filius Flitwick a note, out of Umbridge's sight, and met his gaze with intense emotion. Care for your students, Filius. Especially those that need it most.
He knew exactly what she meant, and shot her a slow wink. Marietta Edgecombe would be receiving some secret chocolates in Charms class very soon. Pomona only hoped that such caring from a mentor, combined with the fierce devotion of a boy like Zacharias Smith, would bring the girl back from the brink, and give her back her humanity.
Pomona had seen love do so many wonderful things in her lifetime; this would hopefully be another one.
--- Zacharias ---
"Here, I brought you something." Zach strode into the Hospital Wing with purpose, and he dumped the parcel onto the bed casually, so as to seem impartial to its contents.
Mari had yet to feel comfortable showing her face to him; she hid behind the covers, peering over the edge of the blankets warily. "What is it?"
"Gee, I wonder how you could possibly find out."
Her brow furrowed, and he laughed, because he could still read her expression perfectly, even obscured. She was doing that fantastically adorable thing where she pretended to be furious with him while secretly finding him charming. Zach loved that about her. "Open it for me," she said to him.
"Why, have your fingers been cursed, too? If you try to use them, you'll just start writing 'Sneak' all over the paper?" He knew he'd gone too far then, and sighed when Marietta covered her head completely, sinking into the mattress. "Oi, Mari, stop that. You know I'm joking. Come up for air and I'll open your gift."
"You're an utter git," she mumbled, but she obeyed him, lifting her head up and peering over at him again. "You realize I'm never going to look at you properly again."
"I hope that's not true," Zach said in reply. He nearly made another crass remark, but bit his tongue just in time; Marietta glared at him anyway. Zach grinned and tore the package open.
He had expected her to do the girl thing and tear up; he had not expected her to burst into full on sobbing. "Oh, Merlin," he said, sitting down quickly beside her, and snatching the gift away. "What did I do wrong this time? I thought this would make you feel better." He lifted it up, a silky black balaclava, and frowned at it. "Thought you'd want to cover your face for a while. Feel it, it's really high quality."
"You, don't want to, look at me," Marietta managed to squeak out through her tears.
"Girls," Zacharias burst out in frustration. "You just can't win with them. You know damn well that I did not mean this like that. I was only trying to help. If you like, I can wear one too, and we'll be twins. Bet the Hufflepuff Posse would adore it."
He had already taken to calling them that, the group of Puffs who had joined Dumbledore's Army. They had looked at Zacharias as though he were a criminal when he'd mentioned going to visit Marietta, and he had a terrible feeling that it was only going to get worse before they let the whole thing go. But he didn't care; at the moment he was far more concerned with trying to get Mari to stop crying. "Now, now," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder, or as close as he could guess above the blanket. "Please don't cry, you know I hate that. Remember how I used to laugh at your friend Cho, whenever she went off?"
"That wasn't very nice," Marietta told him, though she sounded as though she were about to laugh. "Cho had a lot on her plate. Same as me."
"I know," Zach told her. "But you have me by your side, and that isn't changing, even if you did do something incredibly stupid. Did you really think telling Umbridge about things was going to help anybody in any way? It's all a lot of blackmail and bollocks in the Ministry, everybody with a brain knows that."
"I just, I don't know, I can't remember," Marietta said. One hand slowly slipped above the blanket, creeping along until it touched the balaclava. She yanked it towards her before Zacharias could remark on it. "I just felt like I needed to save myself. And my mother, and Cho, and you." She glanced away from him. "Did I save you?"
He swallowed, wondering how a heart could possibly hurt so much without breaking. "Yes," he said. "In every way that matters. You saved me."
Her eyes were shining when she looked at him, but the tears this time were not of sorrow. Marietta slowly lowered her blanket, allowing Zach the full view of the hex, the deep pocked scars that spelled the word across her face. "Hermione Granger is a vile, wicked woman," Zacharias said. "But to me, you're still beautiful."
Mari barked out a laugh. "You don't need to lie to make me feel better," she said.
"I don't believe in lies, remember?" And he didn't. Zacharias Smith was a man in constant pursuit of truth, who would be as honest as he needed to be, no matter what sort of punishment or contempt it got him. And he found Marietta Edgecombe beautiful, for her soft hair and nervous laughter, for her snide remarks and logic, for her own love of truth. The outside didn't matter; the outside people didn't matter, either. Let the Hufflepuffs think whatever they damn well pleased; if he had Marietta, Zacharias had everything.
Crystal/Hufflepuff/168 Points