Preparation M

Millicent walks up behind Neville as the Gryffindors leave dinner on Thursday and taps him on the shoulder. Neville turns around.

"Yo, what's up?" he asks.

"Tomorrow night," Millicent says. "Third floor corridor, ten o'clock. Don't be late."

"With me, there's no such thing as late," Neville says. "Because everyone knows the party don't start until I arrive!"

Millicent rolls her eyes and walks away.

Preparation D

Behind them, an unseen Draco grins. He knows that he and Ron have been presented with all the information they need to get the drop on them: a location, a time, and even...well, okay, they don't know what's going on, but it's something! He just has to tell Ron and get them in position.

Wait, when did he and Ron become the Junior Detective Club, anyway? Their parents are mortal enemies! For all time, even!

Well, whatever. He just has to find Ron and tell him someplace nobody can hear them, and then they'll totally be able to figure out what the Hufflepuffs and Neville are up to!

Preparation B

After he finishes up his morning preparations on Friday, Blaise stares at his reflection for a few seconds.

"Sorry, self," he softly says to the mirror image. "It had to be done."

Preparation V

A note lands on Crabbe's desk in the middle of History of Magic. Vince, being oblivious, does not notice it. His neighbor does.

"Hey Vince, what's that?" Greg asks.

Vince looks down and frowns. "It looks like a piece of paper."

"But that's not your paper."

"No. Whose paper is it?"

"Maybe somebody dropped it."

"Who do you think dropped it?"

"Maybe it was Draco."

"Should we ask him?"

"He looks busy."

"Maybe he is busy."

"Should we be busy?"

"Doing what?"

"Figuring out this paper."

"Why's it folded up?"

"Maybe there's candy inside!"

"What kind of candy?"

"I dunno."

"I hope it's a Snickers."

"I hope it's two Snickers!"

"I hope it's five hundred Snickers and a Milky Way!"

"Open it! Open it! Open it! Open it!"

Mr. Binns clears his throat, and the two look up to see the ghost looming over them.

"Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle," he says. "What has you two so distracted in my class?"

Vince points at the paper on his desk. "We got this paper. There's probably candy inside!"

Mr. Binns wrinkles his nonexistent brow, picks up the piece of paper, and unfurls it.

"No candy in here," he declares. "I guess there's only one thing I can do."

The class watches with bated breath as he folds it into an origami goat with wings that proceeds to fly around the classroom.

"Now, let's get back to the lesson!" Mr. Binns declares. "As I was saying before Mr. Goyle and Mr. Crabbe got distracted by that strange piece of paper, the family is forced to take Sue Ellen's drinking problem seriously for the first time when she ends up in a detox ward, and after some deliberation they decide to try and make sure that she actually gets sober instead of attempting to sweep it under the rug again–an unusual action for the Ewings, but one that..."

Preparation R

After Potions, Draco grabs Ron from behind and pulls him into an empty classroom. Ron, who was not expecting this, flails at him.

"What the heck, Draco!" he complains, brushing himself off. "What the heck!"

"Big news, Ron," Draco says, slipping his sunglasses on. "We've got a lead."

Ron instantly stops being annoyed. "We do? When and where?"

"Ten o'clock tonight, third-floor corridor," Draco says.

Ron frowns. "Which one?"

"Which what?" Draco asks.

"Which third-floor corridor?"

Draco shuts his eyes, annoyed.

"Because there's more than one," Ron unhelpfully explains.

"I know that!" Draco snaps. "Fine. We'll just have to follow Neville when he leaves."

"What if Bulstrode sees us?" Ron asks.

Draco glares. "How about instead of shooting holes in my ideas, you come up with one yourself? Gah! We'll just follow Neville!"

Preparation G

It's lunchtime when another piece of paper lands on Gregory Goyle's plate.

He doesn't notice, and just eats it.

Preparation Z

Zacharias Smith glares at Blaise Zabini from across the Charms classroom.

"What are you hiding, Zabini?" he mutters angrily. "What are you hiding?"

"I think it has something to do with the giant three-headed dog in the third-floor corridor," Dudley says absentmindedly. "Why do you care, anyway?"

Zach turns his glare on Dudley. "Nobody pays attention to me!"

"Uh-huh," Dudley says, still focused on his Floating Disk spell. "So what?"

"So I'm Zacharias Smith!" Zach proclaims. "I could have gone to Eton! Or some other fancy British school! But instead I'm here, and nobody's paying attention to me!"

Flitwick wanders up to them with a smile on his face. "Pardon me, I couldn't help but notice you two were having some trouble–"

"Go away!" Zach snaps at him. "Nobody likes you! Leave us alone!"

Filius bursts into tears and runs out of the room. "NOBODY UNDERSTANDS ME!"

Preparation N

Neville takes a deep breath. His first two attempts to contact his homies without attracting attention may have failed, but he'll get it right this time. He just has to land the piece of paper in either Greg or Vince's hair, then get one of them to notice it, then get one of them to read it, then get them both to comprehend it. That's possible, right?

Well, the landing of the paper is at least possible.

He tosses the ball of paper. It lands in between Greg and Vince.

"Hey, look Vince," Vince says. "It's another piece of paper."

"But the last one didn't have candy," Greg points out.

"Maybe this one will."

"You think so?"

"Maybe. Should we try it?"

"I dunno, what if there's no candy inside?"

"That'd be bad."

"What'd be good?"

"TV."

"And not going to school."

"And tacos."

"Is it taco day?"

"I think that's Friday."

"Yeah, yeah. Friday night."

"Friday night, tacos!"

"Friday night tacos!"

"Frini tacos!"

"Frinita!"

"Frinita!"

"Frinita!"

"Frinita!"

"Oh for god's sake!" Daphne interrupts. "Let me see that!"

She snatches the ball of paper, unfurls it, and reads it. As soon as she's done, she slams her palm into her forehead, annoyed by what she's just read.

Greg and Vince merely laugh.

Preparation H

Hermione looks up from her book and takes a deep breath. It's time for her to go.

And right on cue, Blaise is at the entrance to the library, waving to her with a huge grin on his face.

She shuts the book.