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"I'm sure."
He still shuffles uncomfortably, looking askance at the three Slytherins. "Okay, if you say so." He shrugs and starts to walk away until he realizes Luna is still there.
"She's pretty, William," Luna says, looking at Daphne with her head tilted. "Do you like her?"
I grin at Daphne's slight blush. "Yes I do, Luna," I say proudly. Tracey's eyes bulge and Blaise's face darkens.
"That's good. I'm sure I'll like her, too, then. Goodbye, William." Luna skips away after Neville.
"What was that about, Lerner?" Blaise asks threateningly.
"Mr. Zabini, isn't it? Surely you've heard of Luna Lovegood. She says exactly what she means. I had a nice conversation with Daphne, and now I wish to be friends with her. There's nothing more to it."
"Why would she want to be friends with a mudblood?" Tracey blurts out. Daphne elbows her roughly and Tracey blushes with embarrassment. I maintain my smile.
"Ms. Davis, right? I rather hope she found our conversation as intriguing as I did. And no worries, I take no offense at being called a 'mudblood.' Where I come from blood purity matters little. That should please you of all Slytherins, Ms. Davis, should it not?"
Their eyes widen and I grin at the bulls-eye...Tracey Davis is indeed a half-blood. "You are well-informed," Blaise says tightly.
"Ms. Davis' blood status is of little importance to me," I say, waving the half-compliment away. "I'm more interested in stealing Daphne from you for a while and having another enjoyable conversation, perhaps bouncing some ideas off of her."
"Are you sure you're in the right House?" Tracey asks. "You certainly speak like a Slytherin."
"I assure you it's all an act," I say with a grin. "Underneath this smooth facade it's all mindless bravery and optimism."
Tracey giggles at my description of Gryffindor, and even Daphne and Blaise crack a small smile.
"I suppose I shall deign to lower myself to speak with this lesser being for a time," Daphne says with a dramatic sigh.
"Your generosity knows no bounds, milady," I answer with an exaggerated bow, then I hold out a hand. "Will you sully your regal hand and allow me the privilege of helping you to your feet?"
Tracey giggles again and gives Daphne a nudge. She takes my hand and I pull her lightly to her feet.
"We'll be watching from here," Blaise says bluntly, earning an elbow from Tracey and an eye roll from Daphne.
"I'll be fine, Blaise," she says firmly.
"Why, milady, it wouldn't be proper for you to treat one such as me unchaperoned. You never know what duplicity we lesser beings are capable of."
"Would you cut it out already, William?" Daphne snaps.
"My sincerest apologies, milady. My Unctuous Formality Potion will not wear off for another thirty minutes."
She pulls out her wand and levels it at my chest.
"Okay! Okay, you win." I say, holding my hands up and laughing.
Tracey starts laughing along with me. "I almost believed you about that potion. Come on, Blaise, even you have to admit that was funny. Go on, Daph, take a walk with him already."
"You seem to have made an impression on them," Daphne says once we've made it some distance away.
"Tracey, perhaps, though Blaise doesn't appear to be convinced."
She rolls her eyes. "He didn't stop us. That's as high a compliment as you could have hoped for today."
"Are you two..."
"Together? Please. Our families have long done business together so I've known him a long time, but he's far too stiff and brooding for me. I think my father probably threatened him a long time ago to keep me safe or something, but whenever something like this happens he acts like he made an Unbreakable Vow. It's like he's permanently under the effects of the Unctuous Formality Potion with me."
I chuckle at that. "You liked that, did you?"
"It was funny."
"You didn't laugh."
"I almost did," she says with a small smile.
We walk silently for a few moments.
"So what ideas did you want to bounce off of me? Surely you didn't risk life and limb to exchange pleasantries."
"I am a Gryffindor," I say with a grin.
"True, but not a normal one," she says. "So what is it? The upcoming Task?"
"Nope, got that covered."
"Did you find out who put Potter's name in the Goblet?"
That brings me up short, and I cast the privacy charm. "You knew it wasn't him?"
"I assumed, and you just confirmed it."
"Clever. But no, I already know that, too." I almost stumble when I realize what I've just done. "That's a secret, though. You can't tell anyone, including Harry and Hermione."
"It was you, wasn't it?"
I lift my eyebrows at her. "I didn't expect anybody to come to that conclusion."
"I know you weren't touching your wand when you cast the privacy charm this time," Daphne says triumphantly. "And some of the other Slytherins were already considering that it might have been you even without that little wandless bombshell, after your little display."
I raise my eyebrow and grin. "Are any of them pretty girls?"
She scoffs. "Some."
"Hmm, I'll have to invite them on walks, dazzle them a bit with my air of mystery and natural charm. I hear the ladies fall for that sort of thing."
"Maybe foolish ones."
"You'll have to send me a list, then."
She makes her 'I am about to hex you' face at me.
I shake my head and chuckle. "Too bad. I considered giving it a go — the Goblet I mean, just to see if I could cross the age line. I had a couple ideas... But no, I'm not the one who did it. The one who did it wants Harry dead."
"That narrows it down," Daphne says sarcastically.
I look at her askance, and I realize I've already spilled that I know who it was, so she'll work it out even if I say nothing else. "It was an agent of the one who wanted him dead the most."
Her eyes widened. "Who?"
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Hey guys if u like the fanfic and want to read ahead by 27+ chapters or just want to support take a visit on my patreon.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
http://patreon.com/Marin_kitawaga