Robbers By The 1975
Chapter One: Robbers by the 1975
“What are some of the qualities of a Veritaserum potion? Describe the advantages or disadvantages of such qualities, contingent on its common use.”
Aemilia thought this question was, to put it mildly, easy for a NEWT level potion class, and Snapes’ at that. If he had asked to explain in detail how to brew such a potion, the length of time to brew, why it worked, etc, it would be an actual challenge. More of what she expected from the professor, but she reminded herself it was only September.
She copied down the basic qualities and started to list advantages and the few disadvantages she could think of. she’d have to go back and polish it some but for now she needed a simple outline.
My last year, she thought; This year will be my last year of Potions, Astrology, all of it.
Ignoring the twinge of sadness that accompanied that thought. She looked up from her work and stretched, she didn't even know what time it was. She had been so absorbed in finishing her homework she hardly knew how much time had elapsed.
It was Saturday, Aemilia sat in her favorite space in a small underwater rotunda that jutted off the side of the main large room. It sat nearest the girls dormitory, partially hidden by curtains. Simply furnished, an upholstered bench around the perimeter and a built-in stone table in the middle. The walls and domed ceiling were stained glass looking out into the erie lake bottom. An occasional shadow passed by but mostly plants swayed in the current just beyond the intricate windows, it gave the whole room a cozy underwater hue.
The rest of the Slytherin common room was mostly empty, a few shadows slinked around the smooth stone room. A ghostly teal glow permeated the large vaulted cathedral-like space of the main room. aside from the floor to ceiling underwater windows on the far side and a few candles and sconces it was now very dark. The fire roared in its large Ornate fireplace, crackling and popping sporadically, but doing little to cut through the chill that seemed to always accompany the subterranean dwelling.
The remaining few bodies were studying or talking quietly in the flickering candlelight, draped on rich chaise lounges and tucked away in the many curtained nooks. This was part of the reason she liked it here, it gave her an excellent vantage point of the room.
She checked her watch, it would be about the middle of dinner by now. Hunger, and the need to use the bathroom that she had been suppressing was now unignorable. Gathering her things she moved to take them to the girls dormitory.
It layed near her hideaway, a door hidden behind a large ancient tapestry. She pulled a cord and it moved aside revealing a long circular hallway, doors lining it on either side. Small glass domes dotted the ceiling along it letting in more of the ghostly underwater hue. The sound of water trickling and running underneath and down the walls filled the room and the small walkway. The water flowed into grates and into what she assumed were the many pipes that snaked behind the walls and floors of the castles.
She walked to the end of the passageway, passing the flickering sconces. The last door at the end; for the female prefect(s) and across the room for the new head girl from Slytherin, Gemma. Being the only female prefect now that Gemma was upgraded to head girl had it’s perks. A private room, and it was quite spacious.
A large round room with a domed ceiling and a few of the same intricate floor to ceiling windows. All in the familiar dungeon gray stone. Always cold and somewhat slimy. The floors were padded with layered dusty ornate Persian rugs. The ornate iron furnace in the middle crackled and burned brightly. The space was decorated mostly the same as the other dorms; An attached bathroom, two large medieval mahogany curtained beds on each side of the room, matching intricately carved wardrobes and desks. It was all in all quite cozy. Various decorations, coats, scarves, clothes and what you'd usually find in a girls dorm were scattered about. Old ancient portraits, antiques and the various added decorations on walls. Aemilia’s cat's bed sat near her own, He wasn’t there, probably off catching rats in the far corners of the dungeons. He’d slink in sometime tonight.
She slipped behind her green silk chinoiserie dressing screen. Looking at herself in the large ornate mirror of the vanity.
She was dressed casually: A Slytherin green pair of high waisted tartan trousers, a cropped raglan tee, and some tall gray socks scrunched down above her simple black loafers. She threw on a marbled gray cable knit sweater and her usual canvas bag holding a few essentials. She slipped on her headphones as something swam quickly across the window that looked out into the lake.
Technology, as everyone knew, didn’t work well at Hogwarts, but as countless people, herself included, had petitioned for some leeway students were permitted access to phones or musical devices like Mp3s; to be used sparingly in between classes. The internet, as far as everyone could deduce, didn't work until you got far enough away from the grounds (think Hogsmeade boundary). unless you were Dumbledore who posted countless Tik-Toks a day. Aemilia was just happy she could listen to her music. smoothing down some flyaways from her hair before leaving the dorm. She scrolled through her library and hit shuffle.
Dirty Harry by Gorillaz
She walked through the dark dungeon halls, her feet taking her by memory to the Great Hall. She looked idly through her song list and wrote songs in her notes she wished to download on break or maybe on the next Hogsmeade visit. The boundary of town was always full of students, phones reaching into the sky, desperate for a bar of service to upload a video, download them, or try futilely to reach a faraway significant other. But if she was lucky sometimes she could get one of two downloaded before she gave up.
She skipped up the stone steps, passing a few Slytherins returning from dinner laughing.
She was made prefect in her 5th year and not many relished their job of Prefect less, she completed her duties when necessary, but definitely didn’t take it as seriously as some. If she was being quite honest the only thing the office offered worth coveting was the prefect’s bathroom. Well, and a few special study rooms and a more private dorm. The ability to wander the grounds and hallways even after hours without any real repercussions wasn’t bad, but having to patrol as a duty got boring quickly. Also all the little extra tasks thrown at her when she already had her class and N.E.W.T.s to worry about. But she loved baths, and there were no better baths in Scotland than that fifth floor bathroom.
Reaching the ground floor, the din of the Great Hall grew ever louder as she approached. She turned her music down almost fully. The room was filled with the clamor of many students eating and many more socializing.
The banners suspended above their respective house tables and thousands of floating candles glittered in the enchanted starlit ceiling. She made a beeline for the Slytherin table searching for a familiar face. She recognized Head Girl, Gemma Farley. Near her sat Aemilia’s closest friend, well basically only friend, Drusilla Falk. Drusilla was someone Aemilia unwittingly attached herself to early in her Hogwarts career, they seemed opposites, but I guess the old saying is true. They’d been attached since their first years. Aemilia sometimes looked up to her in a way. She’d never tell her that though her ego was big enough as is, but she was incredibly personable, proud at times, outspoken, a bit of an underachiever, but bright nonetheless. She was someone you couldn't help but notice and an excellent Chaser. Currently she was in what seemed like a heated argument with Adrian Pucey. As Aemilia closed in she heard bits of what she was saying, well yelling, across the table.
“You stupid fucking git, you couldn’t barely tell the difference between a quaffle and the snitch on the pitch, and you think you can give me pointers? How you even have a fucking place on the team is completely beyond me.”
Aemilia made herself a spot next to her, wordlessly, sitting down and looking for food to grab before the course changed. Drusilla looked away and her demeanor slightly softened.
“Oh Hey Em, I was wondering when you'd come up, can you believe this fucking wanker, giving me pointers? I’d rather take a flying leap” she jerked a thumb at Adrian with a coy smile
He made a rude hand gesture at her and rolled his eyes before turning to Graham Montague.
“We barely secured the win last year against Hufflepuff and honestly Gryfindor is gearing up to be a real challenge, between the twins and Oliver, I mean Angelina’s not half bad either.”
Ameilia barely had time to eat a few pieces of chicken and boiled potato down before the course changed to dessert. She was used to the Quidditch rants by now and didn’t really hear the rest of her synopsis.
“I think you’d just like to shag Angelina.”
Montague said smiling as adrian guffawed stupidly
Drusilla took a swipe at the cream on a pudding before smiling at Graham,
“Maybe I do Montague, 10x prettier than you and triple the chaser.”
This devolved quickly into another argument and Aemilia ate and watched the people around her idly. Turing her music up slightly.
Telescope by Cage The Elephant
Drusilla had sat back again, finally finishing her argument.
“Did you finish your transfiguration assignment?”
“Yes, and before you ask, yes you can use it, but you can’t copy it word for word again or we’ll be in actual serious trouble.” Ameilia said irritably
She still remembered McGonagall’s face as she held their two parchments side by side and the detention that followed.
Drusilla laughed “She was so fucking heated, red in the face and all,” she laughed again before taking another swipe at a chocolate pudding, “and I thought you were going to cry.”
“She said she would write to my parents. I don’t need a disappointing lecture from my father and I certainly don’t want to give my mother any reason to contact me.” Aemilia Grumbled, looking over angrily. She knew that she was only teasing but sometimes she wished Drusilla would care a little bit more.
“Oh, I forgot the touchy subject with the ‘rents.” Drusilla mumbled.
Aemilia didn’t answer right away.
Her relationship with her workaholic father was distant at best. Many nights alone with carryout or leftovers. She’d rather not talk of those with her mother at all. In fact as far as she was concerned she didn’t have one.
“You can copy it but let me look it over before you turn it in.” Aemilia relented shoulders softening.
“Will you do mine? Lucian Bole asked, leaning over into Aemilia’s shoulder.
“She will not, and chew” Drusilla snapped, closing his jaw forcefully.
He turned away to flirt instead with a pretty second year on his other side. Surely she’d be impressed with his mossy teeth and vast family estates.
“I’m tired.” Aemilia said, posing to leave, dessert was drawing to a close and the din of the crowd grew to an unbearable point for her exhausted mind.
They both got up to leave Drusilla slapping Bole on the back of the head as they passed. The Hall was thinning now slightly as they retired to their common rooms for the evening. Aemilia was looking down at her phone again with one headphone on as she halfheartedly listened to Drusilla. She wasn't paying attention when suddenly she had smacked into something quite hard. Her phone was sliding across the flagstone, she stumbled back and only barely avoided doing the same.
“Ay watch where you're going.” Drusilla said angrily
Aemilia looked up to whom she was addressing, she thought for a second it was her, but instead she was looking unabashedly angry at the tall red head in front of them that had spun around.
“I should say the same to you.” he said pompously “you're the one that ran into me.”
Aemilia said nothing but moved forward to grab her phone from the floor, the screen was cracked and it was all around sufficiently scratched. She muttered a few curses under her breath annoyed before she reached in her pocket for her wand. Which wasn’t there.
Of course, she thought, thoroughly vexed.
She rolled her eyes, and with Drusilla began to move towards the dungeons.
“Wait,” the redhead called “you’re one of the Slytherin prefects aren't you.”
She was already annoyed, and his tone was not helping the situation much.
“Yes,” she answered simply, looking at him and feeling positively mutinous.
“You should really spend less time staring at that phone and more time on your surroundings, as a prefect it’s your responsibility-.”
“Thank you so much for the advice, I'll be sure to keep it in mind for the future,” she interjected, taking a step away
“-Well here's more. an apology would be in order for your lack of awareness.” He stated, his voice much louder and more annoyed this time.
She gave a flourished sarcastic bow and an equally acid apology, she could care less about this pompous asshole.
“Reparo” he swished his wand over her broken phone repairing it.
She did not so much as say thanks, shooting him an annoyed glance and turning to leave. There was a huff behind her and a mutter of Slytherin decency, but she did not care, she hadn’t the patience for people on most days especially not a pompous know it all Gryffindor. She was very much not impressed with their holy than thou attitudes and sense of superiority. It wasn't until she was halfway to the common room she stopped scowling and joined Drusilla on her defamation of the man
“I can barely stand a bloody Weasley on the best of days but that Percy is something else entirely.” Drusilla grumbled
“Serpens Iter” Aemilia said angrily, stepping in.
Percy, that’s right it was Percy. She recognized him from prefect meetings he was Gryffindor Head Boy and the most self important obnoxious prat to hold that position in some time. And that's saying something.
“He thinks he’s the best thing to happen to Hogwarts since Merlin himself.” Aemilia countered
She had to admit it was her fault she ran into him. she hadn’t been paying attention, but his tone and ridiculously pretentious attitude made it hard to not fault him. It was like he did his best to make himself unlikable.
They made their way to the dormitory, Aemilia was by now very tired, and a little chuffed. She dug through her school bag on the floor, finding her wand she left behind and her transfiguration homework, giving it to Drusilla. who lounged on Aemilia’s bed; asking if she could stay the night as Liz Tuttle had apparently been snoring incredibly obnoxiously.
What sounded the best right now was a long bath, and throwing some pajamas and a towel into her bag bitterly got up to leave.
“Don't you have rounds tonight ?” Drusilla asked.
She was starting to copy down the homework on her bed, Aemilia groaned, she’d almost forgot it was her turn to do rounds tonight, she’d have to report to Snape at 9, it was now a quarter till. Groaning, she stomped out of the room.
“Don’t forget your robe and badge!” called Drusilla.