HP : THE TRAUMA AND CHOICE

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As one, every Slytherin in that hallway narrowed his or her eyes at Harry.

"You know how to charm this off?" Draco demanded in outraged tones. "And you let us walk around looking like this?"

"I told you, the marks won't come off. They have to wear off. But I do know how to hide them."

"Then why do you look like that?" Daphne Greengrass asked suspiciously.

Harry shrugged. "S'more fun. I didn't know everyone in Slytherin House was so bloody serious. Good thing I didn't sort myself into your house, eh?" None of the Slytherins looked even vaguely amused. Harry sighed. "Just line up already."

Several minutes of flicking, swishing, and jabbing later and the five Slytherins looked like they always had. It had been difficult to resist the temptation to give Crabbe a pale purple snorkack horn in the middle of his forehead though.

Luna would have appreciated that.

"How long will this last?" Nott asked as he looked at his pale, unblemished arms.

Harry shrugged. "I dunno. I expect until lunch at least."

"Thank you" Daphne said sincerely. Her expression turned smug. "Professor Dumbledore said that all of Slytherin House has to attend meals. I'll be the only clean girl in our year – except for maybe Hermione."

Harry laughed. "Hermione complains a lot but I don't think she really minds the ink."

Daphne looked even happier when she heard that.

Draco squinted at Harry suspiciously. "The fifth years said they didn't know the charms for this."

Harry smirked. "I like to be prepared." He tried not to remember moments when he had been utterly unprepared – in a graveyard, in the Department of Mysteries, on the Astronomy Tower, and all of the last year of the war.

"Harry?" Daphne asked, her expression worried.

Harry startled and tried to remember to smile. "I'm hungry! Let's get to breakfast!"

Draco, Daphne, and Nott looked at him oddly but all five Slytherins followed him out of the dungeons.

At breakfast, the talk was all about who could have inked all of the Houses.

"Bet it's a graduating seventh year" Seamus said over breakfast. Across the room Harry's Slytherin friends – acquaintances – whatevers were basking in the glares of Lavender, Parvati, and all of Slytherins under sixth year. "No one else would want all four Houses after him. Only a seventh year wouldn't care."

"I expect that we probably have a new poltergeist" Percy sniffed when Harry asked him at lunch. "I expect Professor Dumbledore will sort it out and clean us all up."

"Maybe it was the Patil twins" Angelina said cheerfully that night in the common room. Harry had just gotten back from sneaking out to get his first batch of pictures developed. He made sure to get duplicates. Angelina pretended to squint at Parvati suspiciously. "You know what they say about twins."

"No. What?"

She cut her eyes meaningfully to where two redheads were bent over a piece of parchment with a dark-haired boy. The three were whispering furiously.

Harry grinned. "Ah. I see."

Two days after the prank it was Saturday morning and the school was still buzzing with excitement of the multicolored student body. Rumor had it that Filch had sworn eternal vengeance on the culprits – provided he ever found out who they were. Ron and Neville had wide, goofy grins and even Hermione seemed particularly pleased with herself. No one had seen hide nor hair of the bulk of the younger Slytherins outside of classes or meals.

"Hey Ron" Harry said after swallowing a mouthful of sausage. "Can I borrow Scabbers?"

Ron blinked. His mouth full of eggs, Ron asked "You actually want to touch him?"

"Yeah. I need a couple of whiskers for an experimental potion" Harry lied. "Just something I'm looking into… for later."

Ron grinned and fished his fat pet out of a pocket to pass him over the table to Harry. Scabbers lazily popped one eye open but otherwise didn't protest the move. Harry gingerly took the animagus and slid him into a pocket.

"It won't hurt him or anything, right?" Ron asked anxiously.

In Harry's pocket Wormtail squirmed.

"No. Not at all."

Ron looked relieved. Wormtail settled down again.

When the twins finished breakfast, Harry hurriedly grabbed a couple pieces of bacon and another piece of toast.

"Wait up!"

"Harry! You have to take your work seriously! You won't be able to get it all done on time now that you have detention all the time if you don't start working on it right away!"

"Er…yeah. Don't worry Hermione. I'll get some of it done today. I just – um – need a quick word with the twins. About quidditch!"

"Quidditch!"

"How about we study together tonight? I'll meet you in the commons room around nine."

"Harry – "

"Bye Hermione!"

Harry hustled the twins out of the Great Hall. He passed the map off to Fred and tried to ignore the way that they were snickering at him.

"Mind helping me get out through the witch?"

The twins grinned identically evil grins.

"Whatever it is don't forget –"

" – that it's our turn!"

Harry nodded. "I won't cheat."

Half an hour later Harry James Potter snuck out of Honeydukes and strolled into the Three Broomsticks. There was not a single smudge of ink to be seen on either his face or clothes.

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Want to know what happens next? 100+ advanced chapters await you on Patreon! Be the first to read what others will have to wait for. Join the community and read ahead today!

(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

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