At lunchtime the next day, Leo was sitting at the Slytherin table, talking to Tracey (the only one of his friends who was speaking to him; Daphne was also furious at his threatening Theo) about the latest Transfiguration lesson. He wasn't entirely sure she was paying attention, or understood what he was talking about, but it was better than nothing.
"What are they doing here?" asked Pansy Parkinson suddenly.
Leo twisted around in his chair, sandwich still in hand, to see Potter and Weasley looking decidedly uncomfortable to be seen at the Slytherin table.
"We – uh – wanted to speak to Asriel. In private."
Leo stood up immediately, ignoring the inevitable awkward looks and questions sent his way by the rest of the Slytherins, and they walked to a space between the tables where they wouldn't be heard.
"Well?" he asked impatiently.
"I tried to speak to Ginny at breakfast," said Weasley, "and I – I think she was going to tell us something important, but… my brother Percy showed up and she just scarpered. And I haven't seen her since. She wasn't at lunch, I'm a bit worried. Have you seen her?"
Leo shook his head. "I'm a Slytherin," he said, "why would I have seen your Gryffindor sister?"
"We should look for her," insisted Ron.
"We shouldn't do anything reckless," said Leo, and a voice not unlike Marisa's whispered in his ear You hypocrite! "If she doesn't show up this evening, tell a teacher."
Weasley didn't look very happy at being bossed around by a Slytherin, but he accepted it and stalked back to the Gryffindor table.
Leo returned to his own seat and took a bite out of his sandwich.
"What was that all about?" asked Draco.
"I managed to get some information about the Chamber out of them, now I have to pretend I'm not just manipulating them to get what I want."
"You're being nice to Gryffindors?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, they aren't Slytherins, exactly, but they're not too bad if you don't expect too much of them. Plus having friends across all houses might come in handy someday. You never know."
Draco was looking at Leo as if he was insane, but Leo didn't mind that.