Sometimes It's Good to be Bad

Chapter 48 The World Revolves Around Zabini

When Hermione walked into her NEWT Transfigruation class that afternoon she dropped a note on the professor's desk that held a charm making it so none of the other students would notice the action. The class went smoothly as usual. "Good work, today. Class is dismissed. Miss Granger, Mister Cornfoot, may I please see the two of you for a moment."

Hermione sent Harry on ahead instead of waiting for her as she went to the front of the room, the Ravenclaw following. When the two reached the professor's desk, Davis spelled the door closed, locked, and silenced.

"What do you want to speak with me about, Professor?" asked Cornfoot.

"I don't know at this moment. Miss Granger, can you enlighten us as to why you wanted this meeting?"

"Cornfoot here (she jerked her head in the general direction of the other student) knocked out Zabini on his rounds last night. If I hadn't found him, he probably would have bled to death."

"Is this true, Mister Cornfoot?"

"Is that what Zabini told you? That he was on rounds? Professor, he was trying to get me to join You-Know-Who! So if there's anyone who should be punished, it's him for being a Death Eater!"

"Who have you told this to?" the professor asked, shrewdly looking at the student.

"No one. Just you. Why?" The professor took the opportunity to look him in the eyes and practice a bit of Ligilimancy on him to see if he was telling the truth.

"Mister Cornfoot, if you are so upset about what Mister Zabini approached you about, then why have you not told anyone about it before now?"

"I was afraid of what could happen to me if I turned him in."

"At least you have some of those Ravenclaw smarts I've heard all about," the Professor smirked. "Miss Granger, please hold him in place."

Hermione tiptoed behind the boy before whispering in his ear. "Petrificus Totalis." He fell back onto her and she held him up while the professor scanned his memories and Obliviated all that had to do with Zabini and the Dark Lord, exchanging them for ones of sleeping the night before and now talking to Hermione and Professor Davis about helping out with the study sessions, as there were still quite a lot of people involved, even with the ones that would be gone by the end of the week.

After a minute of him looking confused, Hermione having taken off the spell and standing next to him, rather than behind Cornfoot finally said something. "I'm sorry, Professor, I couldn't possibly help out with your study sessions, I have so much to do already that I wouldn't be able to find the time."

"That's perfectly fine, Mister Cornfoot. Just thought that I would ask. Now if you don't mind, I would like to speak to Miss Granger." As the Ravenclaw left, Davis silently took down all the wards only to put them back up after he was through the door.

"So, Hermione, is that all you needed to see me about?"

"Unfortunately, yes. No information on any other front."

"Alright then, I'll let you go and tell Zabini that he doesn't have anything to worry about from Cornfoot. Though, the Dark Lord is another thing. He won't be pleased." Hermone shivered at the thought of what Zabini might be in for that night.

After visiting him and finding that he would indeed be let out just before dinner she told him what had befallen the Ravenclaw and warned him to be more careful when going about his recruiting.

She then spent the rest of the day with Harry. He was becoming more and more anxious as time wore on as to what come of his plans by way of the Order. To calm his nerves they went over every angle they could think of that could go wrong in the plan he was thinking of, should he be alone in his crusade.

The entire time Zabini was with the Dark Lord Hermione sat on his bed reading and waiting to see what shape he would be in upon his return. When he came into the room he was barely walking. Hermione helped him to his bed and magicked off all his clothes except his boxer briefs. She went over his body healing his bruises and scrapes, but there was nothing she could do for his insides. He had been under Crucio for quite a while.

"Do you feel any better, Zabini?" she asked wiping off his brow.

"Yeah, thanks," he mumbled before falling asleep. She stayed with him for a few more minutes before she herself went to bed for the night.

The next day, Wednesday, both Harry and Hermione were given notes summoning them up to the Headmistress' office. When they got there they were told that the Order would only comply if they were in charge of how everything would be gone about. Neither were too happy about this and Harry even considered turning them down, but knew they would be needed.

He agreed and they were told to be back in her office in two hours to go to the next meeting, though it was to have far less people present than the last.

At this meeting strategies to get rid of Nagini as well as Voldemort were discussed, narrowing down ideas until they only had three possible scenarios to go over with the other members to get more opinions and thoughts.

Getting back to her common room after leaving Harry at his to hang out with his friends without her she found Zabini's group of Slytherins. "I'm glad you're feeling better," she noted as she went over to her desk. She still had some homework to get through.

On her desk was a rolled up parchment with her name on it. After checking it for curses she found that it was just spelled to only open for her and be read by her. When she opened it up, she looked to the bottom of the parchment to see who had sent it - Professor Davis. It was the incantation for the Marking Ceremony and she was told to memorize it. She soon finished her homework and went to her room to get started on her real task.