Chapter 50: Penelope (Part 1)

It's been a few days, I've been working on the Quidditch pitch for a while now and I've got the hang of it. I've ridden my broom while doing restorations here and there, performing maneuvers and flying at high speed, that way I trained my aerial ability a bit. I must say that my Skills [Warrior Essence], [Learning], and [Dancer Essence] have made good progress for me.

I had my kisses with Pansy without any problem, nothing like the other time in my room, since it would be too much for the moment. She doesn't resist much, and sometimes if I ask her, she moves her tongue more, so it's progress.

I went to the greenhouse with Hannah and sometimes Neville, who has grown used to my presence. I can have fun with the girl, and now and then we give our shy partner some encouragement. Susan seems to have resented Hannah a bit at first and they stopped talking for a day or two, but after that I went to the Hufflepuff table a couple of times and the three of us hung out for a while and she got over it. Susan tried to come with us to the greenhouse, but she's not very talented in that area, so she just sat there and didn't do much.

And something quite striking was an event on one of the nights that I was lying in my bed, even without going out to do my night work...

-Flashback-

I'm lying in bed, practicing my guitar, when suddenly I felt a chill in my chest, from which a ghostly head suddenly emerged.

"Hey" said the moaning Myrtle's head that protruded from my body.

I quickly got up as the sensation gave me a sudden scare. And I thought I got used to the presence of ghosts, it was that I had not felt how one of them pierced my body out of nowhere.

"Myrtle! Don't do that, you gave me a major scare" I complained.

"That doesn't matter, I want you to give me more," she said, somewhat upset and excited.

"What's wrong with you? You're too excited" I asked about her strange behavior, considering that it's usual for her to be depressed.

"It doesn't matter what happens to me. If you don't give me what I want or I'll tell everyone about you and the other girl" she threatened.

I don't know if it was because I was still angry that Dumbledore was blackmailing me or if I already hated that someone wanted to take advantage of me, but I didn't take the way she said it well.

"Listen to me Myrtle Warren, just as I can make you do more than other ghosts, I can also take what little you have, so don't threaten me" I exclaimed furiously, but then I relaxed my expression and continued "Besides my ability only it works with friends, if you blackmail me you would go from friend to foe and my ability would no longer work on you, you would end up losing anyway"

"No, please, I'll do anything, don't take this away from me" she repented and begged for forgiveness.

"Let's be friends then"

"You wouldn't be my friend… you'd make fun of me behind my back like everyone else, even now you're going to take away the only thing I want" she started sobbing like always.

"Myrtle, I know that you are somewhat recent in being a ghost and your emotions are more attached to your last feeling in life and that it is difficult for you to cope... but believe me, I do not discriminate based on appearance, race or any attribute that has not been chosen by oneself, only by actions, like the one that you wanted to threaten me. Let's forget everything that happened and start over, I have no problem helping you, but let's try to get along for that... What do you think?"

"... Are you serious?" She was suspicious, doubting others was in her nature.

"Of course, who doesn't want to have a ghost friend, and unlike the others, I do like your glasses" I smiled at her as I released my auras. I didn't know if they would work, but if the ghosts could listen to my music, maybe they will.

"Okay, we can try to be friends" She accepted, still with doubts, but accepts.

"Well, what did you want to be so excited about? I think I have a yo-yo" I asked now that it seemed like I had an ally and to make sure she didn't tell anyone.

"I want another magazine" she said, excited to see that she would get what she wanted.

"I'll see if I have any" I said as I checked my inventory

"But I wants one like the other" she clarified.

"What was the other one like? Maybe I can get you comics later, you're a bit of a geek look, so I think you might get hooked on it."

"The one that had... had..." she seemed a bit self-conscious "The one on the cover that had a man shoving his thing in a woman's mouth while another girl shoved something purple up her ass" she said with very rare emotion.

"What did it have to?!" I asked in shock.

"You know... and on the back cover there was a girl tied to the ceiling with ropes and there was also this naked girl on top of that big triangle"

"Oh shit" I didn't realize, when I sent her some presents to get her to let me and Pansy go I must have inadvertently given her some of the magazines we used with Tonks to annoy Hermione that time "I'm sorry I guess I can't"

"Why not? You said you would, that you were my friend... with them, I could feel an emotion that I had never felt before" she started moaning sadly.

"It's not that I don't want to, but that's something…" I didn't know how to react to this "Look, I think I can, but we'll have to make some rules"

"Yeah, whatever" She floated excitedly very close to me.

"First, once you finish reading, you will forward everything I send you to me. No one, and I mean no one, should know that you are reading that and that I am the one who gives it to you"

"No problem as long as you give it back to me from time to time and other things too, the one you gave me is well hidden where no one can reach it, it's my precious"

"Second, you will not tell anyone or try to tell anything about what is in these magazines, it is top secret"

"Good"

"And the most important, you are not going to do anything in these magazines to any girl in the ladies' room, not even the slightest bit of perverted comment or attitude, that's the most important rule. If I find out that you did something to some girl while I was in the bathroom, you'll regret meeting me"

"Well"

"Well, I think I have more here" I said as I looked at them, I had a few that I used that time, but strangely enough I never looked at them for my own entertainment.

"Can you also get me some of the things that appear in the magazine?" She asked as I used my ability.

"You're already overdoing it... but I think I could. You'll have to wait, I have a lot of things to do and I don't have time to go to a muggle shop to buy them, maybe on vacation"

"Yessss" She moaned happily.

After I sent her the gifts, she left while I was left thinking "I think I've created a monster".

-End Flashback-

Right now it's very early in the morning, I'm playing my guitar, one last practice before the big show. I already had my clone in a nice musician outfit and a big hat, even though it doesn't make much sense; I had some instruments that Fred and George helped me cast in exchange for letting them see what I was going to do, and I had also practiced the song and steps for today.

I was walking through the corridors looking for a good spot when I ran into Hermione, which surprised me, I didn't expect to find her.

"Hermione, what are you doing up so early?" Asked.

"It's not that early" She looked at me confused.

"Yes for you, compulsive reader"

"Yesterday I helped Parvati and Lavender with their homework so I was tired and I went to bed early" She explains "What are you doing?"

"Do you remember Penelope?"

"...?" She put on an expression that she didn't remember.

"The girl whose ass I squeezed" I said and she seemed to remember.

"Ahhh...wait, you said you accidentally touched her butt, no squeezing" she quickly changed her expression upon hearing me.

"Touch, squeeze, soap, soup, it's the same. I already chose a way to apologize"

"And which one is it?" She said, clearly reproaching me for what she just found out I did.

"I'll do it with the power of music" I said as I made my guitar appear.

"Did you write her an apology song?" She asks as she gazes admiringly at my instrument (the guitar).

"No, I'll play a song and make her forgive me, it has nothing to do with apologizing"

"And how do you plan for that to work?" She asks, confused by my idea.

"You don't know how good I am... Do you want to help me?"

"I was planning to go to the library, but I think I'd better follow you and see that you don't do anything wrong"

"Hey... I know you're right, but it still offends. I needed you to go find Penelope and bring her to... that hallway over there, but don't tell her why, just call her" I pointed to a place It seemed spacious enough and secluded.

"But I don't know her"

"Just ask any Ravenclaw for help, she's her prefect. While I'll prepare everything" I said while using [Message] to call my brothers.

Hermione attended and left, somewhat curious as to what I was going to do. I, on the other hand, took out the things I needed and by the time Fred and George arrived I already had several instruments on the floor and my clone with his suit and guitar, as well as a sound amplifier made by Fred and George, which worked as a small microphone

I also got ready, put on more comfortable clothes, and stretched a bit. Fred and George were preparing the instrument charms and some traps in case someone tried to stop us, they just wanted to have fun and they thought I did too, so they helped with everything.

At some point a small audience stopped to see what we were doing and soon after Hermione appeared accompanied by Penelope, Sue, Padma, Parvati and Lavander, I guess they met on the way and followed her.

As Penelope walked to the center of the hall, my brothers used spells and pushed everyone around her away. She was surprised, alone in the center of the place, and then she saw that I was in front of her, that I began to hit my feet on the ground, while I gave some small applause. Further behind me was another Red in a different suit who started playing the guitar along with other instruments that floated up and started to play themselves as well.

The music played and she watched in amazement as I approached her making turns on the road. When I was in front of her, I grabbed her hand and brought her to me, holding her waist, while I made us do a few laps at the beginning of the song...

*Ese amor llega así de esta manera

No tiene la culpa

Caballo de danza vana

Porque es muy despreciado por eso

No te perdona llorar...*

With the song running and with Penelope in my hands, I began to move more freely. Applying force with my hands, arms, and legs, I danced, taking her with me to my rhythm. She held on to me when I pushed and pulled her, making it seem like we were dancing in coordination and very naturally, even though it was almost a Puppet Show.

"Red, what are you doing?" She asked a little nervously once I bring her face closer to mine.

"Apologizing" I said before spinning her around and pulling her back to me.

"How? Making me dizzy?" She said as she listened to the cheers and applause from around, belonging to the students who saw those movements.

"Maybe, I don't plan on letting you go until you forgive me...and I practiced this song a lot, so it'll go on a loop"

I made her jump a little and with my hand on her back I slid her close to the ground to lift her up again and rest her against my body. Luckily, I have more strength than a normal child to be able to do these movements and handle her at my pace, but it would look better if she wasn't taller than me.

"Why do you think it would work?" She said something smiling, now half-consumed with emotion as she regained some of her balance and relaxed. She no longer resisted and let me handle her.

"I don't know, but I trust that my voice and my steps can soften your heart. Relax, I'm good at dancing, you just have to let go and enjoy yourself, just trust me"

"Let's see then" she said and then let go and stopped holding herself to see what she was doing.

*Bamboleo bambolea

Porque mi vida yo la prefiero vivir así...*

When she did, I held her arm and the back of her knee, spinning her in circles around me with what seemed like a compass. After we turned around, I brought her towards me, putting her leg on my waist held by my hand, both colliding body to body, and she with her hands behind my head. After a slight moment, I continued my act with Penelope, who was now carried away and enjoying the thrill of moving in this way, almost like a roller coaster.

When the others saw us, they were surprised and shouted something excited, rarely could you see something like this, so they were entertaining themselves. Hermione and the other girls who knew me better, since they didn't know I could do this, some even got jealous.

At one point Filch could be seen running over to see what was going on and possibly stop us, but at that moment my brothers yelled "Activate the Great Wall" and with that, they caused a rolled-up curtain left on the ceiling to come loose. This burgundy curtain stretched across the hallway, forming a wall into which Filch slammed. He tried to push it and go through it, but he couldn't, so he had to go take another path to go through the other side of the corridor, but there was another one that when he approached, the first one got up again and it was activated.

With Penelope, we took a few more steps until I finished this part of the song. Stopping, our bodies sweaty and pressed together, we let go and I bowed as she followed me. We won the applause of the entire crowd present, which increased over time.

"Wow" was what she said as she smoothed her hair, which was a little messy and wet with sweat.

"Yes, but now go, I'll wait for the punishment and then I'll find you for your answer. If you say no this will be repeated" I quickly pushed her away.

"What's wrong? Why are you kicking me out so suddenly?" She asked me, confused that I told her to leave out of the blue.

"Filch gave up trying to get in, so he must have gone to find a teacher. I can't get away from this, but you can. I'll wait for my punishment and then I'll find you, you go now" I pushed her into the crowd again.

She nodded and mingled with the others as she left. Hermione and the others were about to walk up to me but stopped with everyone else when they heard Snape's voices.

"Weasley! You seem to have set up a whole stage in the middle of the corridor, even though it's forbidden" he said with a pleased smile "I think you should know that's against the rules. You'll follow me to my office, both of you" he said pointing to me and my clone

"Fine, I'm coming with you" I didn't resist.

"Professor Snape, these too," Filch said, holding up my brothers' clothes.

"You can take care of them yourself, I will take care of the student who belongs to my house"

I was taken to Snape's office and there he enjoyed scolding me and making fun of me, he had a lot of pent-up frustration at not having had any chance to punish me, so he took the opportunity. He punishes me cleaning cauldrons for a week and bathrooms for two.

I wasn't worried, since on the way here I had sent a [Message] to the director telling him to show up or I might end up doing things like I used to.

The headmaster arrived shortly after my detention began and asked Snape about it, though he probably already knew. We exchanged glances for a moment, and then he went to convince Snape.

With the excuse that I am already making a great contribution to the school by fixing up the Quidditch pitch, as well as 'music is the most powerful magic of all and the greatest gift' my punishment was reduced to just three days of cleaning cauldrons and 5 Minus points for Slytherin.

I was released from my detention for today by dinner time. During the detention, I talked to Fred and George with my [Message] apologizing for the detention, but they took it pretty well and said it was fun, they also joked that I dedicate myself to dance.

On my way to the great hall I ran into Hermione and she asked me questions.

"Red, I didn't know you could dance like that" she said surprised, she wanted to talk before, but I was grounded.

"Yes, it was a newly discovered talent"

"It was very impressive, you never danced before? You seemed to do very well"

"No, I only practiced recently when I knew I could do it, it was interesting"

"We all thought you could be a great dancer, we had never seen anything like it, I didn't even see anything like it on TV" she told what they talked about between girls once I left.

Do you want me to teach you?

"Can you? I mean, normal dance, not as close as you two" She ask a little embarrassed to think about it and worried about what I could do with it, "It looked great, it would be interesting to learn although... I don't have much coordination" said this part even more embarrassed than the other.

"We can try, but in the future, I don't have much time right now with so many things to do and don't worry, I know worse" I said imagining Tonks dancing.

We entered the great hall and received a little applause from some people who were in the show, the others were surprised by that. As I got closer, I could see several of the first-year girls from the houses approaching me, except for Slytherin, where only Tracey came from.

I was a bit surrounded, it seems that I had formed enough friendships with several that they dared to ask me. I sat at the Ravenclaw table with all of them and my brothers Fred and George who joined in, plus a few people from other tables who stood around us.

First of all, I sent a message to Penelope so that we could meet after dinner since I could also see her surrounded by people asking her about our performance today. After that, I started talking and answering questions at a lively table, filled with Eagles, Badgers, Lions and the occasional Serpent.