Stalking the inflicted was about as fun as afflicting the comfortable, Harry Potter had found, and he was enjoying the Slytherin witch's fate. In fact, that was all that his eyes were focused on, even as Hermione babbled about classes, and Ron talked about Quiddich. Somehow he managed to convey the idea that he was listening to both of them at once. Somehow.

By the time they stood to go to class, he found a slip of paper under his hand. Hermione, he thought, with an idle smirk that he hastily turned into a grin. What did she want?

We should meet to study. Hermione's note read, and Harry nodded, idly. He also needed to make sure she was targetting the right teacher for getting that permission slip to the Restricted Section.

Later that day, as they were walking back from Hagrid's hut (both Hermione and Ron had invited themselves along to Harry's invitation, which he didn't really mind, as he wasn't quite sure what he'd talk with the big man about without them), Ron had an Idea. And like all Ron ideas, it was looney.

"You remember, don't you, Harry, that trapdoor in the forbidden corridor?"

Harry's senses were on alert as he could smell a Gryffindor Plot a mile away, and those always faced squarely towards danger (and often ran towards it). "Yeah, what of it?"

"Well, wasn't that where we saw Snape coming from, on Halloween?" Ron said.

"Ron, you can't possibly mean-" Hermione started, only to be overriden by The Weasel.

"Something's there, something that Snape means to find! I bet he wants it for himself, the greasy git!" Ron said wildly, his arms flailing for emphasis.

Harry suppressed a full-hearted guffaw, saying with fake concern, "Why would he want that? What would he want?"

"He's a Slytherin, and they're always after everything that they can get their grubby paws on! Can't be trusted for an instant." Ron said, Hermione shot Harry a concerned look, which he responded to blandly.

"I guess we'll just have to see." Harry said, "I wonder what is there, anyway?" His gut was telling him that Snape wasn't after whatever was there - but that left the distressing question of Who was?

[a/n: Some book-plot for you. We'll get back to that Slytherin witch next time, with some more... wrestling. Leave a review!]