Chapter 11
~ Royal selling booth ~
"What the heck, do you mean you're selling the book? You stupid girl, you gave it away for free, now you're selling it? How dare you, you crazy, idiotic, child and you're selling it for 45 Galleons?"
Everybody hears a screaming 6 year Slytherin student, who's insulting the shop dealer... The Queen, who's completely ignoring him, by looking at her Lovely Moon.
That only gets him even more pissed off, so angry in fact, that he tries to move around the shop table and walk to the three thrones and block the Queen's view of her Moon.
Big mistake.
The moment the Slytherin even reached the endpoint of the table and the start of the thrones, he was automatically blasted away from the booth, by the multiple charms that surrounded the place.
As the student was standing up, disoriented, he heard laughter, at first he didn't get why there's so much laughter, as he was finally coming around, he saw everybody laughing at him. But he didn't know what's wrong.
The Queen kindly helped him out, by floating a mirror in front of him, that was conveniently there... For occasions such as this.
The man shrieks like a baby, the instant he saw himself.
That only made everybody else laugh harder, Ginny tried to stay as composed as the Queen and Luna, but at that point, she couldn't hold it anymore. And just burst out laughing.
The Queen looked at her amused, before glancing back at the 6th year.
"Well good luck out there, you'll be like that for a while... How long is a while? Hmm... at least a month" She says without mercy.
The 6th year actually starts to shed tears from what he heard and sobbed lightly.
The Queen seeing this started acting with fake sympathy.
"Oh, no, Luna, Ginny, did I go too far? Can't be, it was only meant to be funny, but look at that, the big man is crying"
Queen frantically looks back and forth between her right and left, the other two only look back at her, Luna getting into the play instantly, remarkably, Ginny also got it instantly, careful, she's learning.
"Yeah, you have, you should help him out, apologize, it was too much" Ginny starts.
The Queen looks at nods sagely at her, before turning to Luna for her 'fake' advice.
"I do agree with her, maybe even a gift as an apology?"
The Moon adds the Queen nods yet again. Turning her attention to the student, who barely stopped crying because of what he heard. While everybody else who was laughing started to feel guilty for the amusement they took in the situation while the three Royalty figures shed the only sympathy... How wrong they were, for the next lines coming out of the little devil Queen's mouth completely made their guilt pale in comparison to her ruthlessness.
"Yes, of course, an apology and a gift are in need. Okay, I will do that. You, 6th Slytherin. I apologize for what I've done. Can you forgive me? I will even give you a better gift if you do"
The Queen patiently waited for his answer... She's starting to think that her favorite sentence will be 'Hook, line and sinker' from now on. It's just way too easy.
"Yes, I forgive you, now please, help me out," The man says, pleading.
The Queen looks back at Ginny, nods, then looks back at Luna and does the same. They, too, nod at her.
"Okay, the Queen will help... herself"
"Wha?" The man is left confused.
The Queen whispers to Luna's ear, Luna takes her wand out of her ear and casts the charm on the boy, that the Queen said.
No laughter was heard... only pity felt and immense fear, thanking all the gods that they weren't in his position.
The man takes the silence poorly, so he looks at the mirror again. He does and dread just consumes him.
Right there, on his forehead, streaming down to his cheeks, boldly and clearly written.
'Toyed with, by the Royally inclined, Weasley, Queen, Lovegood. Punishment: Cause-Ignorant trespassing. Mercy Gift-Transformation in animal parts. Duration-3 months, prolonged from 1 month for blatant disrespect to the Queen'
The man throws one last look at the trio on the thrones, the left, kinda shows pity for the guy, the right one, he can't even tell what she's thinking, it's as she wasn't even seeing him... The third, the middle, the Queen, only shows pure, utter, enjoyment at his suffering. And just like that he can't take it anymore and runs away.
With feminine, long bunny ears flopping around back and forth.
With a bushy cat tail swaying around messily.
With dog fur at the back of his neck all the way to his hands.
With goat fur from his waist to his legs, sadly, it can't really be seen, but he can feel it.
With a pig snout where he previously had a human nose, making slight 'oink' noises as he breathes.
And lastly... But most disturbingly disgusting. With fish whiskers on his face, coming from all directions, long, ugly, things, that make him sick.
All that... for 3 months, for trying to get the Queen's attention... just because he was complaining for a valid reason... And she called it a 'mercy' gift... He will be having nightmares.
Before he disappears though, he hears the Queen say, with an amplification charm on her, so he'd be sure to hear her. It only makes him start crying again.
"Hey, at least I left your arms and legs humane, so you could still be in lessons. Imagine if I turned them into animal parts, too. You'd be walking on fours and unable to write notes... I would've done that too, but I know that Lady Lovegood would've not appreciated that decision. So I let you go easily, you should thank her when you see her next time"
Ginny looks at Luna to see her shaking her head at the Queen's antics, but then only nod in agreement. She really would've not liked that. While all that happened is all fun and games, actively disrupting studying, isn't okay with her in any circumstances, so she's both proud of the Queen and disappointed... Just because she would've gone with her idea if not for her. She will need to talk with her later, back in their room.
"Well, anyway, now you see what happens when unworthy people step into the place where only Royalty like me and the people I choose can come to. So, try to do that and you will be going to your room, crying to your mommies for it"
Everybody just nods, understanding the threats fully.
"Now, the books are being sold, mainly, because yesterday was a charity, it was my speech, so I gave away some prizes, some rewards. They were always meant to be sold. Now on the topic of different prices. Simple. They cost more for Slytherin, for one simple reason. The rich love squandering money away, to show off their superiority... I would know, I do the same all the time. While for others it only costs 15 Galleons"
Slytherin students at first were pissed at hearing the inequality of prices, but then when they heard the reason, almost all of them puffed out their chests in agreement. The other houses are upset at being called poor.
"But, unlike them, I don't waste my money, I flaunt it without spending a coin, so my riches go higher because theirs go lower. They aren't remarkably smart"
And they are back to being pissed at being insulted, while the other houses laugh at them. Luna pinches the Queen's arm, making her soundlessly squeak, to not embarrass herself, she didn't expect that certainly not from her Moon. She turns to look at her.
To see the previous note, now with big letters written, 'you're not making this any easier'.
Oh, right. she's supposed to sell her books, not push away the customers. Oopsies.
"Ahem, but I know that there are rich students from other houses and poor ones in Slytherin, so for those that have friends like that. There are combo deals. Buy two, get one for free. So you could gift it to your friend... or keep it for yourself if you're weird like that, I don't judge. And, yes, all that includes the bonus items"
That does help to calm the crowd, most of the students are happy again. with a few sad... because they don't have such friends. Well for them she will have a surprise challenge at the end.
"Okay, okay. Line up in three lines and come get your copy, Slytherin and Ravenclaw students to me, the Queen, in the middle. Gryffindor on the right, to Lady Weasley, my left-hand woman.
And Hufflepuff, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang on the right, to Lady Lovegood, my right-hand woman"
And they do just that.
And just as Queen thought, Ginny's line is longer than any other. Her own line is the second-longest, just because it has two houses. And Luna's line is the shortest, with the help of the few Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students it's longer than it should've been with only the Hufflepuff.
So they just start selling their books.
The Queen has already pulled out at least 200 copies, for efficiency. All three girls using the levitation charm with their wands, the Queen only for show, plus swaying the wand around feels pretty nice, so she doesn't mind it. It's like a dagger, the grip is decent, the length is nice, only it can't cut like one.
For the most part, it goes smoothly, some questions were thrown around, some are unpleased and try to be verbal about it, it doesn't go well for them, they are thrown all the way back to the line if they still want to buy, with an increase of cost by 2 more galleons. Most just walk away, but the persistent, wait again to buy it, this time without saying anything.
There are a few idiots, who have the gall to insult Luna, with her nickname 'Loony' right in front of the Queen. They instantly got hexed by the Queen herself, not her automatic wards put around the place.
They had to do 50 push-ups for as much time as they needed to do them. They couldn't stop fully, they could only slow down for rest, but they were forced to do it. And they got 'Punished for stupidity, by Lady Lovegood's employer' on their foreheads. Both genders had to do the same number, the Queen doesn't care who they are, nobody is safe from insulting her future wives. Especially her Moon.
And then there is... Ron, Ron Weasley. for whom the Queen purposefully left out from the charms, so he could bypass the forced lines and barge in as some sort of lunatic, heh, that word has her and her moon names in it. She might use it more.
And there he comes... Ah, she loves a good main event, can't have something happening without one, it just wouldn't be the same.
Okay, it's starting as her Moon predicted, there's the other two of the Golden trio, Harry, silent, following his best friend. Hermione shouting at him, to not do to something stupid.
And then the Queen hears her loudly and clearly say that the books aren't free... But he doesn't pay any attention to her and continues towards his flimsy goal, which leads him straight to the Queen.
Well, she has lost the best, but she may as well still have fun with it. Now, before it all though. She takes the note that was still near her from before. Write quickly a message to Ginny and gives it to her, then turning around to face her challenger... adversary? No, no, that's too high praise... ah, yes, the punching bag, training equipment. Yes, that's a worthy title.
Ginny reads the note and finally understands the thrown line from the Queen, about her being a weapon. She turns to look at her brother, then at the Queen, and then at the note again. She makes up her mind.
'Weasel insight, assist me, you're going to like what you see, put your trust in the Queen'
Sorry big bro, but this is going to be good.
"Ron, stop, you're going to make it worse for yourself"
Hermione can finally be heard clearly, that's how close they are and Ron still hasn't stopped his actions. Harry is silent, seemingly already has accepted that there's no stopping his friend. Kind of a dick move, giving up on stopping somebody from getting into trouble. Not very 'Chosen' like, but supremely appreciated.
Hermione seeing that they are already there, just stops her refusals and gives up, she glances at the trio, then at Ron, and shakes her head, turning around to start walking away, but a note floating in front of her face stops her.
She looks around, spots the Queen looking at her, ignoring Ron who's in front of her, then flicking her eyes to the note.
Hermione carefully takes the note, opens and reads it. She smiles and nods and stops trying to leave.
'Stay, enjoy the show, besides, I want to talk to you about something, it involves the book, that I know you've already read'
"You, you, how dare you to insult me like that yesterday, that free book was supposed to be mine, not Hermione's" Both the Queen and Hermione scoff at the same time from hearing that. But that doesn't deter Ron from speaking his mind.
"I asked you a question, that you chose me for from all the students in Gryffindor, instead of answering normally, you just insult me, make fun of me, and instead compliment Hermione, when she wasn't doing anything at that moment. So I demand that book to be given to me, I won't leave without it"
Everybody has stopped to look at the scene, everybody that was there to see the 6th year Slytherin being made a joke of are already starting to feel pity for the Weasley, but they for sure as hell ain't going to stop it. If his own friends couldn't stop him, then what are strangers going to do.
The Queen looks at her Moon, her Moon only smirking proudly... God damn her, why does she have to be some awesome, the Queen won't lose another time. Then she looks at Ginny, to see if she was against her, to which she only received a shake of her head, not only because she agreed to team up with the Queen, but because she's astounded by her own brother's attempt at getting something free.
And so, with no more problems ahead of her, the Queen does what she does best.
Make fools out of the clowns that dare defy her. Like the trash they are.
~ End of Chapter 11 ~