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"Meet you at the ledge?" Newton nodded at Jane and hoisted his book bag more securely over his shoulder before heading for his cell. It would not do to have it banging his sore rear end all the way across the common room. As he entered his cell, he spied a note on his bunk. He dropped his book bag on the cot and picked up the parchment. It was from Hawthorne.
H. Nice of him, Newton thought, to take the time before quidditch practice. He folded the note and shoved it in his pocket. As he did, the door to the next cell opened and two younger Slytherins emerged, deep in conversation. "Did anyone get in trouble today?" Newton heard one ask. "Newton and Jane." "Did Snape apply the wood?" "He did indeed!" In spite of his aching backside, Newton smiled. Would a time ever come, he wondered, when Slytherins would NOT have this conversation every single day? No other names were mentioned, so he assumed there was no hurry to get to the ledge. He unpacked his book bag and then pondered the advisability of removing his trousers. He decided against it, fearing someone might notice his bare ankles on his way to the window. When he returned to the common room, Jane was already in position on the ledge. He quickly joined her, wincing a bit as he climbed up. My, that cool stone was going to feel good! He eased into a sitting position facing Jane, tucking his robe flaps securely beneath his shoes. Then he reached carefully inside the black, hill-shaped tent of modesty his robe formed over his knees and slid his trousers down, gratefully settling his underwear-clad bottom on the smooth, cold stone. Ahhhhhhhhh. "Bliss!" he told Jane, who smiled and nodded. From their elevated vantage point, they surveyed the crowded, noisy common room. Occasionally a housemate glanced their way, shooting them a sympathetic smile. But no one said anything or approached them. They were used to this now. The only thing surprising was that only one ledge was occupied. Usually they were both full and other Slytherins were lying on their bellies on sofas nearby, waiting for a turn. If only powdered ivory for Healing Potion weren't so expensive! After a minute or so, Newton turned back to Jane. "I got a thank you note from Hawthorne." The girl snorted. "Probably the first one that tree skimmer's ever written!" she observed. But she seemed the tiniest bit pleased with his roommate nevertheless. Newton fell silent. After a while, Jane frowned at him. "Problem?" Newton shrugged. "I feel bad about lying to Snape." Jane thought about that. "Snape doesn't think you lied to him," she insisted. "Snape thinks you supported the house. Just show him a little extra appreciation so he knows you have no regrets. All will be well." That made sense. Newton was just about to say so when a loud "Hmph!" from across the common room made them both look up. Megan was rising indignantly from the round table where she'd been reading her spellbook, her wand clenched in her little hand. She was apparently engaged in an argument with the two boys Newton had heard talking in the corridor. The common room was too noisy to hear what they were saying, but things appeared to be escalating. Megan stomped her foot. Newton glanced at Mel and Coleman, talking nearby. Neither showed any signs of interfering, despite what Snape had said. Instead, Mel took a few steps and struck a thinly-veiled pose, showing off a sleek new skirt that hid her chubby thighs. Newton shook his head. "Mel thinks she's the cutest little Slytherin in shoe leather." "Little?" Jane wondered. Just then, Megan gave a cry and threw her spellbook at the two boys. They ducked, laughing, and Megan stamped her other foot. When that had no effect, she stamped both feet together, like an angry little elf jumping up and down, once, twice, three times, her wand clutched angrily in her fist. On the third stamp, her wand happened to be pointing straight at the floor. Newton gasped and sat up sharply. "Did you feel that?" he whispered. Across the window ledge, Jane stared at him, wide-eyed. She had felt it! It was like a shudder, a vibration in the stone right after Megan stomped on the floor with both feet, her wand pointing straight down. The two fourth years surveyed the room with anxious eyes. No one else seemed to notice anything out of the ordinary. Megan began to cry and raced off to the girls' corridor, presumably bound for her cell or the lavatory. A few people watched her go. Then they returned to their activities. Newton sat back against the window frame. Whatever had happened, only he and Jane had felt it, probably because they were the only ones with extremely sensitive bottoms pressed firmly against the stone. "Have you ever heard of anything like this?" he whispered. For some reason, it seemed appropriate to whisper. Jane shook her head. "Maybe it's a phenomenon peculiar to Hogwarts." That was certainly a possibility. Newton leaned closer to his friend. "What do you think we should do?" "Let's go back to my cell and experiment!" She hopped down from the ledge before Newton could reply and set off for the girls' corridor. After a moment, he followed her. It was an interesting discovery, no doubt about it. But he couldn't imagine any practical use for it. Suddenly Severus |