Over the next week, Draco paid firm attention to everything. Better, he had Crabbe and Goyle pay attention to everything. You wouldn't believe what people would let slip, under the firm delusion that the two "dunderheads" were complete idiots. They weren't. But, unlike Draco, they didn't have to be good at everything, so generally preferred to go unnoticed. However, being rather big lunkheaded creatures, they were generally unable to make that happen (even in Magical Creatures, where Hagrid was bigger than they were), so they often settled for just looking like complete idiots.

Really, anyone paying attention could see that they were passing Snape's course, and if that wasn't an endorsement that they had at least a wit between them, what could possibly change your mind?

Draco's observations had one sole goal: "Who was in on it?"

His collected observations stood thus:

Snape continued to insult Bottomlong at all opportunities. This, however, wasn't new. It also wasn't something definitive, one way or another.

Sprout continued to have nothing... horrible... to say about Bottomlong, but his skills were noticeably flagging - and here, she did something interesting. Instead of trying to encourage her former best student, she covered him in hugs, telling him that it was alright if he couldn't pot the tentacula.

McGonagall was her usual exasperated self, curt and not terribly kind. Draco thought she was just acting normal, as did Crabbe, but Greg thought otherwise. "She smiles more around Granger and the Weasley brat. Makes a different contrast, it does." And if that didn't show you that Greg's a bit subtler than his weight makes him seem..

Flitwick was his usual genial self, but he seemed pretty forthright in expressing his disappointment in Bottomlong.

None of them so much as breathed a word about the boy who lived.

Which, of course, was perfectly alright, as Headmaster Dumbledore did enough of that, constantly, to put it on everyone's mind.

Draco found himself suddenly wondering why he was the only one bothered by all this. Was everyone in on it? No, he thought crossly. Certainly not the Gryffindors - particularly Potter's friends.

Was this a trap, then? Meant to catch him? They'd have to be crazy if they thought Draco would plan to beat Voldemort! Draco shook his head, thinking, I think I've stumbled into a trap for someone else. But who?

[a/n: bouncing down the yellow brick road!]