Hermione spoke with Muriel and Marcus and they were present at the
next D.A. meeting.
"So, you want us-more specifically me-to spy for you. Why?" Muriel's tone was confident, almost cocky.
"Because we don't trust the Slytherins, a lot of them are working for you-know-who!" said somebody.
Muriel shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm a Slytherin. You trust me?"
"Muriel, your case is different. We know you're not a Death Eater."
She grinned. "Prove it." She was certainly one sinister looking eleven year old; that was certain.
"We can't," said Harry. "But we've got reason to believe you aren't working for him and we're trusting you on faith."
"That's never really a smart thing to do in the world we live in," she chirped. "Why do you think Slytherins are evil? We're not evil. We're ambitious. The brains go to Ravenclaw. Real strength of character and loyalty go to Hufflepuff. The real reckless ones are in Gryffindor."
The final statement was greeted with a crowd of protests (from the many Gryffindors), until Harry quieted them down. "Please continue."
"Actually, it's your turn to talk," said Marcus. "Ree asked a question."
"Well, we thought the two of you would make good spies because you can move around with the Slytherins without suspicion-at least Muriel can- and you can find out what's being plotted."
"Maybe my question wasn't clearly. I'm not asking why you want me to do it; I'm asking why I should do it. It would put not only me in danger but my brother as well. And if word got out, possibly our family, which already suffered too much; though I'm sure you're already aware of that, being such a good detective, Potter."
Things were getting tense.
"Having lost someone I'd think you'd see the obvious reason for it," Harry tried to stay calm.
"And the obvious reason for not wanting to lose anyone else closer to me," Muriel countered.
"But what if you could save someone else the same pain?" asked Hermione.
She shrugged. "You're not really making me care. I've got enough to do. If I don't care about something I won't do it."
"He won't spare you just because you're a Slytherin. He won't spare you because you're a pureblood. He'll murder you and anyone close to you if you stand in his way. I realize that this isn't making you want to join us anymore but listen anyway. The only way to be sure that he doesn't hurt anyone ever again is to stop him. To stop him we've got to know what he's up to. I know some of the Slytherins are Death Eaters. In some cases I even know which Slytherins. But we need more information and that's where you come in. All we need from you is information. You don't have to be anymore involved than that," said Harry.
"Still not caring. I can take care of myself."
"Let's you and I and your brother and Harry have a little chat." Hermione stood up. The four of them went to a remote corner of the room and Hermione spoke quietly, "Well, what if I told you I had proof that you were planning to sabotage Gryffindor's game versus Hufflepuff scheduled for next Saturday?"
Muriel's eyes bulged slightly, but she recovered instantly. "Where's this 'proof'?"
Hermione took out some various pieces of parchment. "Curses to hex brooms. The schedules of various Gryffindor players. Different injuries you can inflict upon them. It's all here in your handwriting. Unless you want everyone in the room as well as the entire Gryffindor team, Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, and Madam Hooch to know about your little scheme: I suspect you'll be changing your mind."
"Where did you get those?"
"I have my sources. Will both of you be helping us?" Hermione smiled smugly.
"At your service. But be prepared, I'll find a way to match blackmail with blackmail," Muriel said.
"Ree's right. That is blackmail. And it's wrong, but I think you guys are right. I'll help any way that I can." Marcus went and sat by the Creevy brothers.
Muriel made her statement to the rest of the D.A. members plain and simple, "I'll help all of you and be your spy."
"Good. Sign this paper. You breathe a word of what goes on here and you'll deeply regret it," said Hermione, shoving the parchment of names as well as a quill and ink, at Muriel.
Muriel glared and signed. So did her brother.
Harry heard Muriel whisper to Hermione, "You're good, Prefect, but I'm better. You can count on it."
"We'll see about that. In the meantime, if anything happens to the Gryffindors before the game I'm holding you personally responsible," said Hermione cheerfully as she rolled up the parchment.
Harry looked around, "If there's no more business, then, this meeting is over." On the way back to the common room, he and Ron conversed quietly with Hermione. "How'd you do that?"
"Get the proof? Well, I thought she might need a little persuading. I remembered what you said about her Quiditch ambitions and figured it was the perfect way to blackmail her," said Hermione.
Ron asked, "How did you get the papers?"
Hermione shrugged. "Oh. I just coerced her brother into giving me parchments with her writing on them. Some of them did talk about Quiditch, and some of them about curses but none of them were actually about her sabotaging Gryffindor."
"You devious little imp," grinned Harry.
"Oh, yes," she said with relish.
Ron chuckled. "Harry, I think we're bad influence on her."
* * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * *
The Quiditch game went without incident. Hermione kept a sharp eye on Muriel throughout the match and Gryffindor won 180 points to 30 points.
"So, you want us-more specifically me-to spy for you. Why?" Muriel's tone was confident, almost cocky.
"Because we don't trust the Slytherins, a lot of them are working for you-know-who!" said somebody.
Muriel shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm a Slytherin. You trust me?"
"Muriel, your case is different. We know you're not a Death Eater."
She grinned. "Prove it." She was certainly one sinister looking eleven year old; that was certain.
"We can't," said Harry. "But we've got reason to believe you aren't working for him and we're trusting you on faith."
"That's never really a smart thing to do in the world we live in," she chirped. "Why do you think Slytherins are evil? We're not evil. We're ambitious. The brains go to Ravenclaw. Real strength of character and loyalty go to Hufflepuff. The real reckless ones are in Gryffindor."
The final statement was greeted with a crowd of protests (from the many Gryffindors), until Harry quieted them down. "Please continue."
"Actually, it's your turn to talk," said Marcus. "Ree asked a question."
"Well, we thought the two of you would make good spies because you can move around with the Slytherins without suspicion-at least Muriel can- and you can find out what's being plotted."
"Maybe my question wasn't clearly. I'm not asking why you want me to do it; I'm asking why I should do it. It would put not only me in danger but my brother as well. And if word got out, possibly our family, which already suffered too much; though I'm sure you're already aware of that, being such a good detective, Potter."
Things were getting tense.
"Having lost someone I'd think you'd see the obvious reason for it," Harry tried to stay calm.
"And the obvious reason for not wanting to lose anyone else closer to me," Muriel countered.
"But what if you could save someone else the same pain?" asked Hermione.
She shrugged. "You're not really making me care. I've got enough to do. If I don't care about something I won't do it."
"He won't spare you just because you're a Slytherin. He won't spare you because you're a pureblood. He'll murder you and anyone close to you if you stand in his way. I realize that this isn't making you want to join us anymore but listen anyway. The only way to be sure that he doesn't hurt anyone ever again is to stop him. To stop him we've got to know what he's up to. I know some of the Slytherins are Death Eaters. In some cases I even know which Slytherins. But we need more information and that's where you come in. All we need from you is information. You don't have to be anymore involved than that," said Harry.
"Still not caring. I can take care of myself."
"Let's you and I and your brother and Harry have a little chat." Hermione stood up. The four of them went to a remote corner of the room and Hermione spoke quietly, "Well, what if I told you I had proof that you were planning to sabotage Gryffindor's game versus Hufflepuff scheduled for next Saturday?"
Muriel's eyes bulged slightly, but she recovered instantly. "Where's this 'proof'?"
Hermione took out some various pieces of parchment. "Curses to hex brooms. The schedules of various Gryffindor players. Different injuries you can inflict upon them. It's all here in your handwriting. Unless you want everyone in the room as well as the entire Gryffindor team, Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, and Madam Hooch to know about your little scheme: I suspect you'll be changing your mind."
"Where did you get those?"
"I have my sources. Will both of you be helping us?" Hermione smiled smugly.
"At your service. But be prepared, I'll find a way to match blackmail with blackmail," Muriel said.
"Ree's right. That is blackmail. And it's wrong, but I think you guys are right. I'll help any way that I can." Marcus went and sat by the Creevy brothers.
Muriel made her statement to the rest of the D.A. members plain and simple, "I'll help all of you and be your spy."
"Good. Sign this paper. You breathe a word of what goes on here and you'll deeply regret it," said Hermione, shoving the parchment of names as well as a quill and ink, at Muriel.
Muriel glared and signed. So did her brother.
Harry heard Muriel whisper to Hermione, "You're good, Prefect, but I'm better. You can count on it."
"We'll see about that. In the meantime, if anything happens to the Gryffindors before the game I'm holding you personally responsible," said Hermione cheerfully as she rolled up the parchment.
Harry looked around, "If there's no more business, then, this meeting is over." On the way back to the common room, he and Ron conversed quietly with Hermione. "How'd you do that?"
"Get the proof? Well, I thought she might need a little persuading. I remembered what you said about her Quiditch ambitions and figured it was the perfect way to blackmail her," said Hermione.
Ron asked, "How did you get the papers?"
Hermione shrugged. "Oh. I just coerced her brother into giving me parchments with her writing on them. Some of them did talk about Quiditch, and some of them about curses but none of them were actually about her sabotaging Gryffindor."
"You devious little imp," grinned Harry.
"Oh, yes," she said with relish.
Ron chuckled. "Harry, I think we're bad influence on her."
* * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * *
The Quiditch game went without incident. Hermione kept a sharp eye on Muriel throughout the match and Gryffindor won 180 points to 30 points.