The Dark Gryffindor

Sheherazade: I was mainly cringing at the excessive detail. That’s why I was nervous in the email.


Sjauthor: Thanks for saying the writing is strong. I still feel that only once in a blue moon do I produce great writing. Yet honestly, I don’t think the last was one of those chapters. And yes, Valerie can be submissive…But really only with Snape. She is not completely submissive. As you may know in real life somebody can be non-submissive but then with their sex life the opposite. Everybody is different.


I hope you can review.


Chapter Thirty: Stealing the Sword


By the end of the day, Valerie had dealt with snide remarks from the Slytherins and congratulations from many of the Gryffindors. Neither of which she enjoyed. Many people had nudged her about whom had accompanied her to do it, but she didn’t give in Neville and Ginny, who had told her they wished to remain unanimous.

But that very night Ginny and Neville had told the entire D.A. that it was them who had ripped up the banners along with Valerie Powers. They had also ordered the group not to tell anybody else and everybody had agreed for they certainly didn’t wish to get the leaders into anymore trouble they were already in.

As usual in the hour before lights out, Valerie stalked over to an armchair in the tiny alcove that served as a library. She went through her schoolbag, organizing her notes and also working to study for the lessons with Snape.

But before she could even get started, she heard somebody approach her from behind. Valerie swung around in the chair and looked up to see the short stature of a girl with flaming red hair.

“Hey, Valerie…” she said.

“Hi!” she said surprisingly in a friendly voice. “Why not study together?”

“No…Not right now. Filch complained and the Carrows are also complaining that you’re not in the dungeons. So…How come you’re not in the dungeons this evening?”

“Well…er-“ Suddenly Valerie realized she was at a loss for explaining this fully.

But before she could reply, Ginny broke in again, “What I mean to say…what I really wanna’ know is why Snape didn’t do anything when Filch caught you?”

Valerie swallowed hard. She couldn’t tell the actual truth. “Snape did punish me, Ginny. I had to write him an essay,” she quickly added.

“That’s all? Write him an essay on your actions?”

“Well if you must know-“ spat Valerie angrily. Then she added, looking in Ginny’s eyes, her own eyes growing glazed, feigning tears, “Snape caned me. It was awful. Almost as bad as a time in the dungeons I guess.”

“Oh…I’m sorry,” said Ginny. Valerie noticed Ginny’s pitying glance as she spoke and she had sounded truly sorry. Valerie inwardly seethed at being forced to tell this lie. She hated to receive such sympathy and from Ginny of all people!

“That sounds right though,” added Ginny. “I heard about a few other students he used a cane on. Well good night, I hope you feel alright…”


*


A little over a week later, Dumbledore’s Army had another extensive practice session.

Neville and Ginny were talking with each other alone about plans for the next one. Valerie was also listening in, unlike everybody else in the D.A. The other members were occupying themselves with socializing, and Valerie was alone doing her spying job just in case Voldemort went calling on her again.

Ginny and Neville’s discussion was interrupted by Seamus Finnegan burst on the spot demanding, “I want to know why you didn’t ask me to go and rip up the banners with you!”

“Mate, we just didn’t think of it that’s all,” pleaded Neville diplomatically. “We didn’t mean any kind of slight.”

“Yeah, right…” said Seamus sarcastically and he added proudly, “I’m also a chaser on the Gryffindor team besides being in the D.A. I should have been with you!”

Ginny lurched back in surprise and stared at Seamus in disbelief. She had no idea why Seamus was acting this way. In fact, Seamus’s true motivation was his anger that he wasn’t promoted to a D.A. leader like Ginny and Neville and his fears that he wasn’t next in line and perhaps somebody else was. Somebody like Valerie.

“It wouldn’t have mattered. We got it done without your help,” said Ginny.

“Yeah, well that prank wasn’t that clever though was it? One of you got caught!”

Valerie finally intervened and added nastily, “And what? You could do better?” Valerie was now a bit insulted by Seamus complaining about the banners scheme. Afterall, it had been her idea.

Seamus, becoming riled up screamed back roughly, “Yeah!…I could!” At these words a few people were now staring at them with shocked, yet curious expressions.

“Then go on…Do it by yourself,” said Ginny and she sat down angrily on the couch, crossing her arms.

Seamus’s own fiery temper cooled in that moment. He sat down beside Ginny and Neville. Valerie remained standing nearby. For a long moment nobody said anything and the people who had been eavesdropping went away.

Neville spoke as if remembering something he had long since forgotten, a crucial piece of information. “The sword!”

Ginny said,“What sword are talking about, Nev?”

“The one in Dumbledore’s office – I mean Snape’s now…The one Harry defeated the basilisk and fought off you-know-who with! It’s in there.”

At the mention of Harry a transient trace of melancholy passed over Ginny, but she instantly hid it from view, like she was always doing.

And Seamus simultaneously said, “So what?”

“It’s the sword of Gryffindor!” argued Neville passionately and he started to pace around the vicinity. “If we really want to get back at Snape, and more importantly if we really want to keep a piece of Gryffindor’s honour…We need-“

But Ginny interrupted him. “Wait…Are you saying what I think you’re saying? Steal the sword for Harry?”

Neville threw his head back like he would laugh and then took a deep, calming breath. “You know what Ginny…I think I’m daring enough that I can do it! With you helping that is…”

“Okay then…I guess that it’s it. We’re stealing the sword and once we have it, I’ll keep it nice and safe for Harry when he gets back. I have a feeling he might need it for something.”

Seamus broke in heatedly, “And what about me?!”

“You can be a lookout, Seamus…And what about you Valerie? Can you be one?”

Valerie gave a smug smile and said excitedly, “Yeah. Definitely!”

Ginny’s eyes narrowed slightly at her, but then she turned back to Neville.

“When should we plan this for?” she consulted him.

“Hmm…” said Neville pensively. “How about next week?”

“I guess that'll give us enough time to plan the break in. I really think…this isn’t going to be easy…” faltered Ginny and she sounded much less light-hearted at the prospect than before.

“We can use our fake galleons to communicate…Of course then the D.A. we’ll be expecting a meeting…” said Neville.

“Right,” said Seamus, biting his lip and sounding much less adamant. “You realize our headmaster will cane us. Or worse. He could send us to the dungeons! And that’s if he decides not to expel us!”

Ginny retaliated recklessly, “So what? If he expelled me I wouldn’t really care. Half my family quit school and so has Harry. This is important and as I’ve learned watching the Order of the Phoenix, there are things worth dying for! I’m not afraid of whatever punishment Snape might dish out, even if the crazy jerk who killed Dumbledore decides to kill us!”

*

It was a couple of days later that Valerie had another private Dark Arts lesson with Professor Snape. It was not until after the lesson that she finally divulged the crucial news.

She knew Snape was about to dismiss her but before he said a word Valerie spoke up. “Professor Snape I have something extremely important to tell you. It’s definitely a good thing that you and your master made me a spy for I’ve found out something I’m afraid is catastrophically important.”

“What is it?” said Snape, sounding a bit tense but casting a doubtful glance at her.

Valerie looked frightened but she went on with her story. “Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom are both going to break into your office here, sir. They’re after the Sword of Gryffindor and they want it for Harry Potter to eventually have in his possession.”

“Ridiculous!” spat Snape. “Especially since I have-“ But Snape did not say it aloud. He had already given Potter the true sword months ago and now his bratty friends wanted to steal the forged copy?! Of course, granted they certainly didn’t know Potter had the sword. Nobody had so much as sighted the Chosen One for months.

Valerie spoke delicately, as if treading on eggshells, afraid he would start yelling, “Especially since what?…Sir?”

“It’s none of your concern Valerie,” said Snape almost airily.

Snape did not speak for a long moment, as he was thinking of things much larger than just himself and Valerie. His entire role as a double agent for Dumbledore was being threatened because of the nerve of his students!

Snape rose from his seat and paced the room, hands curled into fists. He turned away from Valerie and stared sullenly out the window. He was thinking how Voldemort believed the so-called real sword was safe in Gringotts when really Snape had exchanged it with the forged copy, unknown to Voldemort last December.

“Headmaster, I think it will make you look good if you tell this to the Dark Lord…Not to mention making myself look good. He would reward us I’m sure.”

This made Snape turn around at once, and he shook his head. “This knowledge may make us seem quite loyal…However if we tell the Dark Lord - your cousin and her family could be placed in terrible danger. It is unnecessary I tell him and you will keep this episode from the Dark Lord to the best of your ability. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir. I don’t want my cousin to get hurt.”

“Good…Then tell me, when are they planning to steal the sword from me?”

“For now the tentative date is for next Tuesday evening.”

“Then I shall be there…I assume you’re pretending to be in on it with them?”

Valerie nodded with a grin, eyes sparkling at Snape mischievously.


NOTE: This explains in canon how Snape could of known someone was going to steal the sword. I’ve always wondered how Snape managed to catch them. Here’s a possible reason (though unlikely). Also, I always wondered what motivated Ginny and Neville to want to steal the sword in the first place?


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