Kevin threw up his arms. "We're getting off the point! What's going to happen to the potions professor? I really don't like him. He was nothing but nasty all class. Leanne almost cried! I right wanted to give him it."
Zach looked at her. "Yes, Miss Granger, Vassal of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin, what is going to happen to Snape?"
She fidgeted with the cuff of her robes. "I'm not sure yet. That depends on my lord."
Kevin's eyes widened. "Your lord? Vassal? So you're right nobby then?"
Justin and Zach rolled their eyes out of Kevin's view.
She opened her mouth to reply.
"Don't worry about it Hermione," Wayne interjected. "Kevin's just having an interesting time adjusting, isn't that right, Kev?" Wayne playfully elbowed the larger boy.
Kevin crossed his thick arms. "Look, the way mum raised me, I'm just not used to all this nobbyness, kay?"
She smiled, "Don't worry. You'll get used to it soon."
"Alright everyone!" A loud female voice interrupted them. "All attention on me and I'll show you how to properly mount your brooms."
...
Daphne climbed towards the Hogwarts castle after their first flying lesson, trying to ignore the feeling that she was going to fall over onto the grass. Despite a few tentative flights with Harry, clinging onto his waist for dear life, she'd never really gotten the hang of flying.
Harry made it look easy and the other Slytherins kept shooting him furtive glances, especially Malfoy, whose flying, while good, clearly wasn't as good her lord's.
She was actually glad for the distraction. Malfoy and the rest of them had distanced themselves from her, Granger, Tracey, and Blaise. Slytherin house seemed to be drawing lines, and she wasn't sure exactly what those lines even represented.
She looked around and paused.
Granger made it a few steps in front of her before turning in question. Tracey and Blaise continued on walking for a moment, before they too stopped.
At the edge of the forest, a man with a hard to miss turban disappeared behind a tree trunk, heading deeper into the forbidden forest.
She frowned, carried on climbing, caught up to Granger, and whispered into her ear. "Third floor, now."
Granger's eyes widened slightly before she gave a small nod.
"What's up you two?" Tracey asked.
"Nothing. Hermione and I have a few things to take care of. See you at Lunch?"
Tracey and Blaise looked at each other.
"Sure. See you then," Tracey said.
"Don't get in trouble," Blaise added with a wink.
A minute later she and Granger ducked into an empty bathroom near the third floor. She pulled out the invisibility cloak and cast a muffliato.
"What happened?" Granger asked.
"Just saw Quirrellmort head into the forbidden forest."
Granger nodded in understanding. A few moments later they were shuffling unseen along the passageway to the third floor corridor on the right hand side, dodging students and stealing glances at the many paintings who chatted happily among themselves with far more openness than when they could see students around.
They reached the corner to their target and paused.
"Wands out," she whispered.
"Yes."
She crouched down and stuck her wand under the hem of the cloak.
They edged forward, careful not to expose themselves or trip over each other.
Her breath hitched and her face scrunched up as one of the most foul things she'd ever tasted flooded her senses.
"Is there something?" Granger asked.
"Yes." She desperately wanted to wash her mouth out. "I think it's the gender ward."
"Does it taste like slugs and snails and puppy-dog tails?"
"If you mean, is it both slimy and furry? Yes. And it's horrible."
They edged forward some more.
She let out a breath. "Urgh. The taste is gone, thank Merlin."
"So, is there another ward?"
"Yes. Here you should record it too."
The visible tip of another wand joined hers, two separate inches of wood floating in mid air just above the stone floor.
"Got it?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Okay, let's get out of here."
"Wait!" Granger hissed.
"What?"
"I think I can decode this one now."
"…"
"…"
"Quickly then." They really mustn't be caught here.
She heard muttering from the empty space beside her. The corridor was still empty. She hoped it would stay that way. The last thing they needed was for Mrs Norris to catch them.
Granger seemed to shuffle around, pulling at the cloak and fiddling with something in her clothes.
"What are you doing?"
"Hang on. I've got just the thing."
She heard the rustle of parchment.
"Is that a book?" she asked, incredulous.
"Yes. I brought it just for this situation."
Said book appeared in view just under the cloak.
Minutes passed. Pages were turned. A few people passed at the end of the corridor, but clearly didn't see anything. Granger continued to mutter to herself.
"Okay," Granger said, eventually. "It's a containment ward."
"Excellent. Now, let's go." If they went quickly they could still grab lunch and get updated on the latest political situation.
"Wait!"
She glared at the empty space beside her, knowing full well Granger couldn't see her. "What?"
"We could go for the next ward line."
"What! No, we can't."
"Why not? The containment ward only keeps things in, and it's not keyed to us."
"We don't know what's in there!" She gestured to the door the ward line was protecting. "It could be anything."
"Yes and we need to find out what that is."
"But we could let Harry handle it."
"How's he going to get past the gender ward?"
"Harry obviously has a plan, but we don't know what that plan is. That's why we shouldn't just rush in."
"…"
"…"
"Fine," Granger snapped. "But only because I don't want to accidentally mess up Harry's plan."
She rolled her unseen eyes. "Good, now let's get out of here before luck turns on us."
They shuffled out of the corridor and down to their bathroom, just as Filch chose to make an appearance, heading the way they had just come, muttering about kids and manacles.
....
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