It's Never Two-Sided

AN: Hello! Thanks to everyone for the lovely reviews! As always I'll reply with my own review, but one thing I would like to shout out about:

Thanks, Kukri, for reminding me to use that!! I totally didn't think to use it yet!

It helps me make a point about reviews: they're not only there to stroke the author's ego (notice I said 'not ONLY'), but also to point out mistakes and give ideas. This is a WIP, and while I try to keep ahead of things, that doesn't mean they're set in stone before they're posted. They aren't even set in stone after they're posted; I can and have gone back and fixed things (like code mistakes).

Also, your notes and thoughts help me to keep writing! Sometimes I don't know exactly what to write (I have a general concept and plot outline for the story, but as I'm not just jumping from one high point to the next there's more than a few spaces to be filled). And as I'll be using parts of HBP (like Slughorn teaching Potions and Snape teaching DADA), go ahead and mention your personal highlights of the book!

Now, on with the story!

Chapter Nine: Nine Cards, No Re-Uses


There really needed to be windows in the restrooms, Halle decided after being stuck in one for several hours. The fact that no one else on the entire car had needed to use the loo for the rest of the trip was a bit astounding, but Halle had felt the train stop a good twenty minutes ago, and no one had banged on the door aside from her.

It was another few minutes before she heard movement on the other side of the door, and it finally opened.

“Wotcher, Halle,” greeted the pink-haired Auror. “How the heck did you manage this one?”

“I think someone had it in for me,” Halle admitted, as Tonks helped her to her feet. “One of the other students. We had a bit of a row, and he must've seen me go in. Can't imagine why no one noticed.”

“There are six stalls,” Tonks replied, as the younger girl followed her out.

Halle stopped. She turned and opened the door, looking back into the restroom. There was one toilet, one trashcan, and one sink. She looked back at Tonks, who pulled her out and closed the door.

“The door goes to six separate rooms,” she explained, pointing to the number on the outside, which was a zero. “The number shows how many are occupied. 'X' means they're all full. It's the same on all Wizarding trains.”

“Oh.”

Tonks smiled. “Learn something new every day, huh?” They went to the compartment Halle had intended to spend her trip in and got her things. “I'd love to stay and chat, Hal, but I've got business to do. Your professor is going to escort you to Hogwarts.”

“My professor?” Halle asked, lugging her trunk along. “Which one?”

“Your new DADA teacher, Professor Snape.”

Halle dropped her trunk.

~*~

Later that night as the four sat in the common room Halle told them what had happened to her on the train (leaving out certain blood-related details, of course) and how Tonks had explained the restroom system to her. She also mentioned the less than pleasant trip with Snape, whereupon Ron interjected with a nasty comment about the greasy professor and Hermione berated him for it. They continued to bicker at each other until, just as it looked like one was going to bite off the other's nose, Ginny pushed Hermione forward and onto Ron. The fighting stopped immediately, and the two now red-faced teenagers glared as snickers traveled around the room, laughter catching Halle and Ginny just as easily as it did the rest of the Gryffindors.

An awkward silence followed.

“You need to cut your hair, Gin,” Ron commented, apparently taking the first out he could.

Ginny examined a pinch of her red sprouts and nodded. “Would you do it, 'Mione?” she asked. “I don't want my hair to end up permed and styled as well, and I can't do it myself.”

“Why do you need to cut it?” Halle asked. “I mean, you can just pull it back to play Quidditch, right?”

“It's not that, Halle,” Ginny said, still playing with the red strands.”It's to show I'm a younger child, and don't have my own family yet.”

Halle put on her best bewildered face which, considering the amount of use it got, was pretty convincing.

Ginny sighed, and Hermione, now officially residing in Ron's lap, rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Halle! I don't know how you manage to miss such fundamental keys in Wizarding society! Only the heads of a family unit and the eldest grown child, or Heir, wear their hair with any real length, traditionally. Sometimes people choose to wear it shorter because of a fad or wanting to be more modern, but no one lets it get too long. Unless they're Muggleborn or have a seriously estranged family.”

Ginny and Ron nodded. “Mum's always on to Bill about his hair, but really, it's just his quirk of being both traditional and non-conformist at the same time that bothers her,” the elder Weasley said, picking at imaginary lint in his girlfriend's hair.

Halle nodded, then yawned. “You wouldn't believe it, but being stuck in a restroom stall for hours on end really takes it out of you. I'm going to bed.”

~*~

It wasn't until late the next night, after the first day of classes, that Halle managed to sneak away to the girl's bathroom that Myrtle occupied to perform the Blood Note spell. It was a simple process, really, just a drop of blood from both people, one on each side, dip in some East Asian Black vinegar, and one word with the point and twist of a wand, and you had a card that went back and forth once—for the message and the reply. Untraceable, it would not trip any wards, and it's only flaw was that it could be found by anyone near it's recipient. No one could read it until the person it was designed for touched it, but you couldn't be sure they got it until they replied.

It was perfect for Halle.

Cutting her finger (she needed less blood than she'd thought before), she placed a dab on the opposite side of each of the nine cards, and proceeded to enchant them all.

“Sermocinamur,” she said. “Estis.”*

The cards all glowed for a second, then faded to a dull maroon color. Halle smiled; who said she couldn't be devious when needed? Cleaning up, she thanked Myrtle for not splashing her.

“I still want to know who you're talking to,” the ghost said.

“I'm not telling. Not for now, anyway.”

“You're no fun,” Myrtle complained.

“I'm trying to stay alive,” Halle retorted.

“Why? I said you could share my toilet when you die.”

“Yeah, but I want to really miss it before I do.”

Myrtle made a face and sniffled. “There's no need to be rude.”

“Sorry. I'll see you later, okay?”

Myrtle just wailed and splashed into a toilet, leaving Halle to hurry out of the restroom before it flooded and soaked her robes.

~*~

As Murphy would have it, Snape was blocking one of the two ways back to Gryffindor tower, and Filch was waiting in the other. Strangling a sigh, Halle mentally ran over her options. She'd (stupidly) left her invisibility cloak with Hermione (and by extension Ron) who were no doubt putting it to their own use, and there was absolutely no way she'd be able to avoid detention if she just walked out in front of either man. She fiddled with her earring as she thought, and then nearly slapped herself.

She didn't need no stinkin' invisibility cloak! Rubbing the eye upwards, she felt a slight tingle, just in time to hear ominous footsteps behind her. She flattened herself to the closest wall as Snape strode up to Filch, scowl in perfect place.

“I heard some commotion and found Myrtle's bathroom flooded. Anyone come by this way?”

“Haven't heard anything,” the cranky Squib answered. “Maybe they ran back?”

“Or maybe they're hiding.”

“Well, Professor, I think we'd best start rooting, eh?”

“Indeed.” Snape turned, his robes billowing around him and missing Halle by only centimetres. The two headed back down the hall and Halle strode away as quickly as she could without making any noise, then broke out into an all-out run when she heard the measured steps of the Ex-Potions Professor returning half a hall behind her. She had no doubt the (ex?) Death Eater could see through a Disillusionment if he thought to, and she knew she'd be in so much trouble if the Blood Notes were found on her.

Glancing back, Halle realized she was further that she'd thought, then when she looked back in front of her she barely had enough time to stop before she hit the wall. Actually, she shouldn't have been able to stop... shrugging it off for now, she hurried up the stairs, frightening herself with the turns and speed she really shouldn't be able to perform.

She was breathless, but intact as she stopped in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.

“G-Gremlin Dinner,” she said.

“I can't believe it!” the woman groused. “Two invisible curfew-breakers in one night! What's this school coming too?”

“Let me in, please?” Halle tried.

“Oh, fine, you little hooligan.” The portrait swung forward, squeaking ever-so-slightly. No one was in the common room, so Halle rubbed the eye closed and walked quietly up the stairs, readying herself for bed as swiftly as possible. She had DADA first thing the next morning, and needed a good rest if she was going to survive.

******

*No, this is NOT a Latin sentance. It's two verbs, conjugated specifically to make sense as a spell. Yay.