"Want to work on Ancient Runes together?" Draco Malfoy asked the former Harry Potter.

Potter shot him a startled look, "But you don't take Ancient Runes."

"I'm polishing Greg's homework for him," Draco said with a smile, "You know, for a sickle or two..."

Curt nodded, saying, "Oh, yeah. It's not a problem that you don't even take the course?"

Draco gave a smooth, watery shrug, "It's not like he doesn't know that. If he gets burned, well, I did my best."

Curt gave a quirked half smile, and said, "Hard work, I suppose. Of course I'll come."

/$$$$$$$$$4/

They were about halfway there when a splash of light bounced down the cross-hallway towards them. Curt turned, and shoved Malfoy back. Malfoy gave a bit of a squawk, as Curt's wand materialized in his hand. Curt looked forward, craning his neck down the hall.

"Always easy to fool a Hufflepuff..." Flint growled triumphantly, holding Malfoy in his well-muscled arms. Montague was behind him, and gave an evil chuckle, saying, "Hey, lookie! We got two!"

Curt turned around, only to feel the wrap of a full-body bind wrapping around himself. He started to kick, but it didn't do much good. Abruptly, Potter stopped fighting at all, looking down and trying to look like a lamb and not the mascot of House Gryffindor.

"Very good," Montague said.

"Let's dangle them off the Astronomy Tower by their robes." Flint suggested eagerly.

"If we kill them, someone else is going to die." Montague said.

"That's true, this buffoon's father is a true Slytherin." Flint said approvingly, "Probably by poison at that."

"Shackles! Old Man Filch has shackles!" Montague laughed, and Curt belatedly saw the prefect badge.

"Yeah, we'll just report these two, and 'encourage' him a little." Flint said.

"Can't take the fall if we didn't do nuffin!" Montague laughed.

/$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$/

They were about halfway to Filch's office, when Snape materialized - actually between the two bigger boys, yanking the two rapscallions out of their grasp by the scruff of their necks. Snape's glare could set fireproof mattresses on fire, Curt thought grimly.

Snape held both of the boys in his hands (their faces slowly turning purple from the robes digging into their tracheas), as he whirled to look at the rapidly changing expressions on the faces of his two older Slytherins. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Discipline" Montague said with an easy smile, and Draco was suddenly very thankful that "Curt" was not Harry. No way Snape would bother with Potter.

"Discipline. In a dingy hall, outside of the Slytherin domain, in front of witnesses?" Snape hissed, and their expressions shifted to absolute fear. "I will deal with you momentarily. Go to the Potions lab, and let yourself in. Think about what you have done." Snape snapped. The boys fled in fear, nearly tripping on the way down the hall.

Snape turned those black, beady eyes on Curt and Mafoy, "Did you do anything to attract their attention?"

"No sir," Curt cut in. "They were upset that Malfoy was hanging around Hufflepuffs."

"Draco" Snape corrected idly. "And that was all the rationale you were given?"

"yes sir," Malfoy chimed in.

[a/n: snape's fun. major clue in the chapter if you catch it. please leave review!]