"Yes! Finally! Hogsmede visit!" Alexas punched the air above her with her fist, full of energy.
Cliff looked at her sideways. "Why are you so stoked? It's not like we've never been before. I wouldn't be going if you hadn't asked me."
Adrian's eyes flicked around nervously. "Yeah, me neither." He stammered.
Alexas grinned wickedly. "I need to stock up on supplies from Zonko's. I'm gonna pull the mother of all pranks on Malfoy," she paused thoughtfully. "At least, as soon as I figure out what that is."
"So," Cliff said, leaning forward, suddenly businesslike. "Are we taking recommendations?"
"Got an idea?" she asked eagerly.
"Nope. I got nothing. Why?" he replied, his face bright and innocent.
"Thanks." Alexas rested her forehead in one hand and sighed exasperatedly. "What about you? Got anything Biggsly?"
Panicking, he stammered. "Me? You – you never ask me."
She looked up at him questioningly. "Well, I'm asking you now, aren't I? Got anything?" When he shook his head, she sighed again.
"Don't worry." Cliff said reassuringly. "We'll think of something."
Lying on his dorm bed, Draco sighed with relief. Everyone else in the dorm had gone to Hogsmede, and he finally had some time for himself. He opened the curtains of his four poster bed to let in a warming ray of sunlight through one of the high windows.
Unfortunately for him, he only had a few minutes of peace when the sharp screech of an owl roused him. It was one of the school's owls. As soon as he had taken the letter from its leg, it took off back to the owlery. "Hey! What if I want to send a reply!" he called after it, but the owl was long gone.
Scowling, he opened the letter. It read 'Draco. Come to my office immediately.' It was signed 'Professor Snape.' Draco was unsure if this note was genuine or not, but just to be safe, he headed off down towards the dungeons.
Alexas sighed, discarding yet another suggestion of Cliff's with a shake of her head. "There's nothing in here that's of any use to us!" she cried exasperatedly.
"You know," Cliff said casually, leaning against a wall; "I have a whole bunch of Wizarding Wheezes that I got from Fred and George."
Her face dropped. "You mean you've got lots of stuff already, and you didn't tell me!" She let out a cry of frustration. "That does it! I'm going back home!"
She stormed off without waiting for either of her friends. They merely looked at each other and shrugged, waited a few moments, then strolled out after her far enough to avoid running into her. By now they had both learnt not to try to understand her many moods, and just give her space.
Draco knocked cautiously on Snape's door. "Who is it?" he demanded abruptly.
Draco partially opened the door. "It's me sir. You sent for me?"
"Ah yes. Come in." He entered the room, still slightly wary. "Sit down Draco; I want to talk to you about something." Draco sat on the chair currently facing the desk, resolutely meeting Snape's gaze despite his twanging nerves. "As you know, these are turbulent times. Allegiances are being made and broken. Wizards from both sides hoard or trade information. Isn't that so?"
"Yes sir." he said, carefully keeping his face blank. Snape claimed to be a Death Eater, but his father had warned him to suspect Snape because of his closeness to Dumbledore.
"The smarter wizards know what side they want to help." Snape rested his elbows on the desk and pressed his fingertips together. "There isn't anything that you might like to inform me of, is there Draco?"
Draco swallowed heavily, trying not to show any emotion. "No sir."
Snape sighed. "Very well. You may go Draco." he said wearily, dismissing his with a wave of his hand.
Carefully controlling every movement, Draco stood up and walked as out of the room as quickly as he could without being obvious. He walked briskly for a couple of corridors, but then, unable to control himself anymore he broke into a run. He ran, not paying any attention to where he was going, not caring when he bowled over a heavily startled Professor Flitwick, scattering his load of books halfway down the corridor, not even noticing Crabbe and Goyle standing in the Great Hall. He just wanted to run forever, run from his life and never look back.
He only stopped when he physically couldn't run anymore. Draco flopped down onto the grass on his back. He lay there, catching his breath and watched the sun set. He stayed there watching the transition of day to night, and didn't move at all until the moon had trekked over halfway across the sky. He stood up, covered in dew and slowly traipsed his way back to his bed.
"That's the last of it." Cliff exclaimed, dumping the final armful of Wizarding wheezes products onto his bed.
"We do have transfiguration homework Alexas." Adrian scolded from behind his textbook.
"I think something this important deserves a higher priority than boring old homework." Alexas muttered, up to her elbows in pranks.
Adrian sounded mortally wounded. "Nothing is more important that studies! Honestly, sometimes I don't know why you were put in Ravenclaw."
Alexas ignored that remark. She was too busy in the realization that this was too big a prank. It would have to be done from scratch. It had to be something new. "It's no good." She sighed in defeat. "Well I might as well go and do my stupid homework then. Night guys." She walked slowly out of the room, closing the door behind her.