Apparently Harry's green eyes worked wonders on the school Nurse. Or maybe it was his incessant fidgeting and asking of unanswerable questions. There was a bit of a trick to that last - they needed to be on-subject enough to not get a "Because" or "And that brings us back to the Big Bang!"*, and tricksy enough that the teacher would get halfway through before realizing that she didn't actually know the full answer.

"How do cells use the energy that mitochondria generate for them?" was a good example. The truth was electrochemistry, but if you were a teacher, you didn't think to cut the question off at the knees.

At any rate, he was out, and quick enough that classes were still in session. He intended to skip, of course.

Earlier, he had wished for a council of war.

Now, he was going to war, and the council could catch up on its own good time.

He sat up on a balcony, watching a stocky 4th year Slytherin trotting upstairs. He flipped the Slytherin a knut. The Slytherin slowed, momentarily confused, and asked, briskly, "What?"

"Where's Malfoy right now?" Harry responded, knowing that the Slytherin had a sister in his class.

"First year charms, right beside my sister." The Slytherin responded, not bothered enough to negotiate over common knowledge.

Harry flipped him a galleon, which had the Slytherin looking wideeyed at him. That was some serious change. "You never saw me."

"Harry who?" The Slytherin smirked as he turned his back, continuing up the stairs.

Finding alcoves was easy. Harry needed something better than that, though. He found a nice tuck-a-way beside the classroom's door, and contented himself with staying small and quiet. Snape roamed the halls after hours, not in the middle of class. So, it was probably okay that he didnt' have a satisfactory answer for being tucked up under a stone bench.

Luckily, Malfoy headed the other way, taking the way downstairs. Other Slytherins split off to study, even Goyle and Crabbe splitting off to go play outside. Harry simply shadowed Malfoy, flattering himself to think he was quiet as a cat.

As soon as there were no witnesses, Harry aimed a bumrush directly at Malfoy's back, his shoulder hitting the boy's spine, and his forearm braced on the other boy's neck. The combination of momentum sent them both slamming into an alcove.

They were both down, and Potter took the time to not break Malfoy's spine (that'd probably get him expelled), by rolling him so he was sitting up. Potter squatted over Malfoy, his arm on the other boy's throat, keeping a steady pressure that made it hard to breathe.

It took a moment before Malfoy woke up fully, "Wha?" was his first incoherent response. Harry wanted to snort, but he kept his opinions to himself.

"Potter." Malfoy managed, "Why are you choking me?" Good. wakefulness. lucidity.

Harry cut him off before the threats could start, "Someone tried to kill me."

Malfoy's mouth opened wordlessly at that.

"Who?" Harry Potter asked, and watched Malfoy crumple, just a bit. Did he think I thought him able to try that bullshite?

"Haven't the foggiest." Malfoy said, the knowledge that Harry Potter might just crush his windpipe making him straightforward, "Nobody in my house wants to do more than knock you down a few pegs. Maybe make you crawl on the ground while they laugh."

Potter nodded, and Malfoy, relaxing just a hair more, asked, "Why don't you ask your friends? They might have a lead."

Potter scowled, and cuttingly replied, "They think it's Professor Snape."

Malfoy boggled at this, and was about to say something, when Potter continued, "I know, right?"

"Snape." Malfoy finally choked out, "Try asking him. I swear he's got eyes in the back of his head sometimes."

Potter nodded and stormed off.

Malfoy cursed absently at the vanishing Gryffindor. That had hurt! And he hadn't even been up to anything!

[a/n: got a bit more into Malfoy's perspective. Is harry doing a good job pretending to be a Gryff?

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*Green Mars Reference. Don't read the book.