"There's twelve trees," said Teddie. "We want four individual ones for each house, then we can decorate the others by mixing and matching colours."
"I can't see people being all to hyped about a Gryffindor/Slytherin tree, to be honest, Ted," said Blaise, scratching his head.
Teddie shrugged. "We're supposed to be showing solidarity in the upcoming war," she said. "Those who don't want to make enemies of each other will love it, and if there is any trouble, then we know who we can trust and who we can't."
"What about a Slytherin/Ravenclaw tree?" Mason suggested.
"Yeah," Astoria grinned. "That would be fun. Both our houses are close together in similarities."
Teddie looked thoughtful. "Hmm. I like that idea," she agreed. "Remember, no cheating by using magic."
"You just want manual labour," said Blaise, reaching for a nearby box.
"Yep. No pain, no gain, Zabini," said Teddie, laughing.
Blaise shot her a playful glare and then set to work.
With a smile, Teddie turned to her own tree and then reached for the box labelled 'baubles + tinsel' in front of her. She opened it and pulled out a garland of silver tinsel; with it in hand she climbed a very tall step ladder and started to wind the tinsel between the branches.
The four Slytherin's and two Ravenclaw's worked in silence for a good half hour before other students asked if they could join in.
Teddie explained the plan to them.
"I like that idea!" Robin gushed as she joined the fray. Alongside her was her best friend Aster. The pair grabbed a couple of boxes and hurried over to an empty tree.
"Remember, no magic!" Teddie called after her.
Robin saluted.
Smiling, Teddie turned back to her tree, stopping as she found Harry standing beside it holding green and red baubles.
"Where do these go?" Harry asked.
Teddie shrugged. "Maybe we should finish the tinsel and lights first?" she suggested.
"Good plan," Harry said, smiling.
~X~
Aside from the trees in the Great Hall, Teddie had taken it upon herself to also help with decorating the castle. Tinsel and garlands were twisted around banisters, everlasting candles glowed from inside the helmets of suits of armour and bunches of mistletoe had been hung at intervals along the corridors.
Large clusters of girls tended to crowd under the bunches whenever they saw Harry, which sometimes caused blockages in the corridor. This always annoyed Teddie's friends while they were getting to and from classes or were simply resetting decorations which had been removed thanks to Peeves, the Poltergeist.
"I'm so sorry about this, Teddie," said Harry, one afternoon. He had been coming out of the library with Hermione and Ron and had spotted Teddie fixing a garland.
"Why are you sorry?" Teddie asked. Replacing the tinsel stream with another one. "It's not your fault that people are assuming this prophecy thing as being true."
Harry shrugged and helped Teddie down from the ladder she was standing on. "I know, but they're lining up for me and you're the one stuck fixing the mess they leave behind," he said.
Teddie shrugged. "Harry, if I didn't want to fix things, I wouldn't," she said. "Doing this makes me feel like I have accomplished something. Besides, I miss decorating for Christmas. The Flints usually have their decorations up by the time I come home from Hogwarts."
"They get their House Elves to do it," said Ron.
Hermione turned to Hermione. "They have house elves?" she asked. "Are they -"
"Hermione don't start with SPEW again," said Harry.
Teddie furrowed her brow. "Spew?" she asked.
"Not spew," said Hermione, shaking her head. "S.P.E.W."
Teddie glanced at Harry. "Um, that didn't really clear it all up, I'm afraid," she said.
Hermione huffed. "Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare," she explained. "S.P.E.W - I created it last year to help the House Elves here at Hogwarts get equal pay, holidays, and other things that all servants should get."
"You created a civil rights act for House Elves?" Teddie asked.
"Yep. It didn't lift off, unfortunately, but my heart is still in helping them."
Ron snorted. "It didn't lift off because it was as stupid idea," he mumbled.
"Personally, I think it is a good idea," said Teddie.
"Really?" Harry, Ron, and Hermione asked, stunned.
Teddie nodded. "But," she added, quickly. "You can't force it onto them. The House Elves should want to have equal rights with their Wizarding counterparts, and if they don't, you can't force them to do it."
"But they do!" said Hermione. "Dobby does."
"Dobby was set free," said Teddie. "It's different. The other House Elves, not all of them were treated like Dobby was. The Flint's treat their House Elves with decency; sure, they don't pay them, but they do give them time off for like Bereavement and all that. Even get maternity leave."
Hermione quirked an eyebrow. "Really?" she asked. "Wow."
Teddie smiled. "You shouldn't assume that all House Elves are treated the same, Hermione," she said. "That doesn't make you any better than those out there that lump all Muggles and Muggleborns together, otherwise."
A blush tainted Hermione's cheeks.
"In the meantime," Teddie added, checking her watch. "I should get back to my common room. The others want to do a quick study session before dinner." She waved and walked away.
~X~
At six o'clock that evening, Teddie and Daphne retired to their dormitories to get ready for Slughorn's party. They didn't exactly have dates but had agreed to go as a group - like how they had done with the Yule Ball, at least before Harry had asked Teddie to be his date.
"I know we're going as a group tonight," said Daphne. "But any chance you and Theo will admit your true feelings?"
"Oh, not you, too!" Teddie groaned, pulling her dress over her head. She smoothed down the skirt and turned to full length mirror on the wall. The dress was a simple silver A-liner with white sequins and a velvety skirt. It stopped at Teddie's mid-thigh with the bodice hugging her chest.
Daphne laughed. "Yes, me too," she said. "The guy has been in love with you since first year, and as much as you want to deny it, you've been in love with him since then, too."
"Love is a strong word, don't you think?"
"Nope. I don't," said Daphne. "Admit it, Ted, you love him."
Teddie huffed and turned back to the vanity mirror as she sat on the stool. In front of her was an assortment of bottles and makeup brushes. Even after six years of being friends with Daphne, she still didn't understand all this colouring and shades, and therefore simply tapped the hairbrush with her wand, and muttered a spell.
"What happened to no magic?" Daphne asked.
"I don't know what to do with my hair," said Teddie. "I obviously don't want to go with my usual hairstyle, may has well make an impression, after all. But I charmed the hairbrush to give me different styles until I find one that I like."
Daphne looked impressed. "Look at you with the fancy new Charms," she said. "Did you learn that with Flitwick?"
"Yeah. He is teaching Seventh Years about fashion Charms," said Teddie. "I had the privilege of sitting in his class yesterday during my free period. It was fascinating. I can't wait for next year."
Daphne shook her head. "Next year is going to be a breeze for you," she said. "You're already getting the practice in now."
"Yeah, but the theory isn't there," said Teddie. "As much as we hated Umbridge, she had a point when she said that the Theory of a spell was important."
"I hate to agree, but you're right," said Daphne. She flattened the skirt of her dress and wandered over the vanity. "Any chance you can bewitch a second hairbrush for me?"
Teddie smiled and nodded.
~X~
Theo, Teddie noted, looked handsome in his button-down black tuxedo and white shirt. He didn't have a tie on, which made his dress robes a little less formal, but nonetheless amazing.
"Hey," Theo said, his gaze sweeping over Teddie as she joined him in the Common room. He noted that she looked just as beautiful as she always did, even if she had dressed up for the evening.
Teddie smiled and looked up at him as she reached his side. In the end she had settled for lose ringlets in her hair and left it down. It flowed over her shoulders, a little longer than it normally was since Daphne had convinced her to add an extending charm just for tonight's events.
"You look amazing," said Theo.
"So do you," said Teddie.
"Yep. You both look amazing," said Daphne, appearing behind Teddie. "And you look amazing together."
Teddie and Theo blushed, and Teddie shot Daphne's a curt look.
Daphne beamed and winked.
"Shall we go?" Blaise asked. He held an arm out for Daphne and led the way towards the portrait hole. The rest of Slytherin's were still at Dinner; those who had been invited to Slughorn's party had been excused from the night feast.
Theo offered Teddie his arm, and she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow as they followed the others out.
Slughorn's party was in his office on the fourth floor. While he was the Potion's professor, he had requested an office away from the Potion classroom, claiming it was a shoe box - at least that is what Harry had said.
When they arrived, the door was opened from the inside, and as they passed through Teddie saw that it was Neville. "Hey," she smiled. At first glance she noticed his white trousers, white button-down jacket, and black tie. He was carrying a towel over his arm and a silver tray in one hand.
"Hey," Neville said, smiling bashfully.
"Uh, are you waiting on us?" Teddie asked. She looked around, noticing that a few other students were dressed the same way Neville was, and were serving other patrons around the room.
Neville shrugged. "I didn't make it into the Slug Club," he admitted. "But Slughorn said I could be here if I wait on people. It's actually been quite fun; I have met a lot of his old students and famous friends."
"But, you've attended every party that Slughorn has had since the start of term," said Teddie. "I just blew them all off. Out of both of us, you put in the most effort."
"Yeah, but Slughorn believes you can bring him great standing, doesn't he?" Neville asked. "It's okay, Teddie, I don't mind."
Teddie sighed. "I'm truly sorry, Neville, this is a double standard, and it's not right," she said. "Listen, if anyone gives you any trouble tonight, you point them in my direction, okay?"
Neville nodded and disappeared into the crowd.
"I hate to say this, but Slughorn's pompous attitude rivals Lockhart's," said Teddie.
Blaise shook his head. "Come on, you may not like him, but we have to go say hello to our host," he said. He patted Daphne's hand and led her through the crowd.
Mason and Astoria followed them. Both looked stunning in their dress robes. Mason was wearing black pants, with black suit jacket over a white shirt; while Astoria was wearing a floor length pale purple princess dress with a sparkly skirt and bodice. Her hair had been tied back into an elegant knot and rested on the back of her head.
"You okay?" Theo asked, bending his head towards Teddie.
Teddie sighed. "I feel like I'm on display," she said. "Like, a show monkey asked to do tricks for a crowd."
"You don't look like a show monkey."
"Thank. But, I don't understand how Slughorn can make me a part of the Slug Club when I blow him off every chance I get," said Teddie. "Then someone like Neville, who puts in the effort to attend these functions, gets discarded."
"It's simply a matter of heritage," said Theo. "My father is a Death Eater, and Slughorn has made it vehemently clear that he wants nothing to do with Death Eaters or any associations. But, he took an interest in me because I managed to get out from underneath my father."
Teddie shook her head. "It's still not fair," she said. "You are not you father, regardless of whether you managed to get out from underneath him or not."
"You can't change the customs of this world, Ted," said Theo. "They have been around for centuries."
"I can try," said Teddie, determinedly.
Theo smiled.
"Teddie, you made it!" Slughorn boomed as Teddie, and Theo stepped out of the crowd and approached his little group of people. Mason, Astoria, Blaise, and Daphne stood around him, with several other faces that Teddie didn't recognise.
Teddie drew herself up to her full height and plastered on the fakest smile she could muster. "Professor," she said.
"Come, come," said Slughorn. "So many people want to meet you. Do you mind, Nott?" he asked Theo.
Theo released Teddie, and Slughorn offered her his arm instead. Teddie took the offered appendage and allowed Slughorn to whirl her around the room.
Slughorn, Teddie noted was wearing a tasselled velvet hat and a matching jacket. Gripping Teddie's hand to his side, he placed his free hand over her fingers as he escorted her away from her friends. "Eldred Worple," he greeted a small, stout, bespectacled man. "You may recognise him, Miss Green as the author of Blood Brothers."
"My Life Amongst the Vampires?" Teddie asked. "I saw the book in Flourish and Blotts over the summer. My brother loved it."
Eldred beamed and swooped froward, taking hold of Teddie's free hand and clasping it between his own. He pressed his lips to the back and then looked up into her eyes. "The pleasure is all mine, Miss," he said, his voice excited. "You have such beautiful students, Horace." He gestured to a tall, menacing man at his side. "This is Sanguini, my blood brother."
Teddie eyed the second man cautiously. He was tall, slender, and emaciated within the shadows. He looked bored but was eyeing a group of girls next to him with a dark hunger.
"Your blood brother?" Teddie repeated. "You mean he's a -?"
"Sanguini, stay here!" Eldred hissed.
Teddie glanced sideways. Sanguini had been slowly edging towards the group of girls.' He slunk back to Eldred's side, looking disappointed.
"Here, have a pastry!" Eldred said, handing the creature a pumpkin pasty.
Sanguini stared at it mournfully.
Eldred turned back to Teddie. "Of course," he said, as if he hadn't been interrupted, "Horace has told me all about you, Miss Green. Very fascinating heritage you have. I was wondering, have you ever considered selling your story?"
"My story?" Teddie echoed.
"Yes, yes, you could make thousands, you know," said Eldred. "The Daughter of Darkness? The Missing Heir? It's a gold mine."
Teddie ripped her hand from his. "It was nice to meet you, Mr Worple, but I'm not interested in selling my story," she said.
"Oh, but, are you sure?" Eldred asked. "If you're nervous about people knowing the truth, you shouldn't be. People are raving about you. They want to know everything, and I mean everything. I can offer you my services as a ghost writer, all you would need to give me is a minimum of four-five-hour interview sessions, and we could have a book by the end of the month."
Teddie tilted her head and smiled. "Thank you, but the answer is still no," she said. She slid her arm from Slughorn's, feeling his bicep tighten against her fingers, but she still managed to wriggle them free. She then swept her hair from her face, curtseyed to both men, and returned to her friends.
"That looked awkward," said Daphne.
"Was that Eldred Worple?" Mason asked.
"Yes," said Teddie. "His friend is Sanguini. They're blood brothers."
"So the rumours of there being a Vampire here are true?" Astoria asked.
Teddie nodded.
"What did he want?" Blaise asked, plucking a couple of drinks off a passing tray.
"My story, apparently," said Teddie. "There are people outside of Hogwarts wanting to know more about me, and Faye, I guess. Worple wants to be the author of my book."
"Course he does," said Theo. "Because then he would be privileged to any of the royalties you make on it."
Teddie shrugged. "It doesn't matter, anyway, because I told him no," she said.
"Maybe consider it for later in life?" Mason suggested. "You could write it yourself, then. People should know your story. It could make them less scared of you."
"Or give them a reason to hate me all the more," said Teddie. She sighed and shook her head. "Anyway, I thought we came here to have fun?"
"You're right," said Blaise. He held a handout to Daphne. "Dance with me?"
Teddie bit the inside of her cheek and stepped out of the way. No one else was dancing, at least not at that moment, but it didn't stop Daphne from taking Blaise's hand and allowing him to twirl her around.
Mason turned to Astoria. "May I?" he asked, holding out his own hand.
Astoria grinned and followed him forward.
Theo turned to Teddie. "Would you like to?" he asked.
"Sure," said Teddie. She took his hand, and the pair found a small opening on the edge of the makeshift dance floor. Teddie looped her arms around Theo's neck, while he placed his on either side of her waist, and they just moved slowly back and forth.
Theo stared at Teddie as they moved. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked. "We knew that Slughorn would use tonight as an opportunity to show you off, but I don't want it to upset you."
Teddie smiled and kissed his cheek. "People have known about me for almost a year," she said. "And, as much as I hate it, Worple is right. People do want to know more about my story, but I just don't want to give them the satisfaction of knowing either side of me. If they want to draw suspicions based on their own speculations, anything I say isn't going to change what they think."
"True. Besides, as truth worthy as your story will be, people always believe what they want," said Theo. "They could look at it as you just trying to clear the Sutherland name, or something."
"Plus, it puts Mason in the spotlight, and that's the last thing I want." With a sigh, Teddie looked up into Theo's eyes. "It also puts you in the spotlight," she added. "My life isn't just my life anymore. It has all my friends, and I don't like making any of you targets as it is. A book would definitely do that."
Theo slid his arms around her fully, pulling her flush against him. He then leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. "Our lives are intertwined," he said. "We are… what do the Muggles call it - a packaged deal."
Teddie snorted with laughter, a small smile curving her lips as she met his gaze. "Maybe I'll take Mason up on his offer if and when we win this war," she said. "I'll write my own book about my life. You have to admit - The Daughter of Darkness has a nice ring to it."
Theo smiled and shook his head. "You could always do two books - Your childhood and then first four years of school as a Muggleborn in Slytherin, and then your sequel which would be from the start of term to the end of the war."
"You really think my life can be contained to only two books?" Teddie asked.
"Okay, maybe not," said Theo. "It's a work in progress. We'll figure it out."
"We have to survive first," said Teddie.
Theo twirled her around. "We will," he said. "We always survive. We're Snakes."
"According to my Patronus, I'm a wolf," said Teddie.
"Wolf-Snake? Hybrid?"
Teddie laughed. "That's a scary image," she said, shaking her head.
"Well, you're a scary person, when you want to be," said Theo.
Teddie gasped and punched his shoulder. "You're being mean!" she said. "Apparently, I'm a princess. You can't be mean to a princess."
"My apologies your majesty," Theo teased, stepping back, and bowing to her.
Teddie laughed and, grabbing his arms, pulled him back to her. She re-wound her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder.
Theo re-threaded his arms around her waist and rested his head onto of hers. "I love you, Teddie," he murmured, holding her close.
Teddie smiled and squeezed him, her eyes closed as she listened to his heartbeat. "I love you, too, Theo," she replied, quietly.
~X~
The closer the time got to midnight, the slower the party became. Many students had already left for bed, they either had an early morning the next day where they would be heading home for the Holidays, like Teddie and her friends were planning, or they had been awake early the previous morning and were starting to run out of energy.
Slughorn bade many of his guests a goodbye as they disappeared into his office to Floo back home, and then continued to make his rounds as the gracious host he was trying to be. He had refound Teddie during the evening and whisked both her and her brother off to introduce them to some Ministry officials that he had taught many years ago.
Teddie had found Harry at some point and been roped into a discussion about her future. When she had said she had wanted to study Charms at a higher education, a tall witch with bleach blonde hair, a hooked nose, and wearing pink frills and swooped in and introduced herself as Gail Turner; head of the Charms Department at Magic University.
The pair discussed Teddie's possible future in Higher Education, and Gail promised to send information and pamphlets to Professor Snape, who could then pass them on to Teddie during the next school term. Gail even extended an offer to help Teddie prepare for a higher education after Hogwarts, all Teddie had to do was pass her NEWTs and send all grades she had in Charms onto the University once they were to hand.
While Teddie was shaking hands with Gail, and promising to send her grades off as soon as possible, there was a commotion on the other side of the office. The crowd that was left parted and Filch slouched inside, dragging a struggling Draco Malfoy along with him.
"Professor Slughorn," wheezed Filch. "I discovered this boy lurking in the upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and to have been delayed starting out. Did you issue him with an invitation?"
Teddie furrowed her brow at Malfoy. Late starting out. It was gone midnight and many people had already left. Why would he attempt to attend the party now? More to the point, why would he got to a Corridor that was above the party in the first place? He would've had to pass Slughorn's office, where the party was being held, to get to the next floor.
Malfoy pulled himself free of Flich's grasp. He looked furious. "All right, I wasn't invited!" he said angrily. "I was trying to gate-crash, happy?"
"No, I'm not!" snarled Filch. "You're in trouble, you are! Didn't the headmaster say that night-time prowling's out, unless you've got permission, didn't he, eh?"
"That's quite all right, Argus," said Slughorn. "It's Christmas. Not a crime to want to come to the party. Just this once, we'll forget any punishment, you may stay, Draco."
Flich's expression of outraged disappointment was predictable, but Malfoy's unhappiness was questionable. He had just got out of trouble by being allowed to stay at an event he wasn't invited to in the first place. Surely he would've been happy about that?
As Filch shuffled away, muttering to himself, Snape stepped forward and towered over Draco. "I would like a word with you, Draco," he said, suddenly.
"Oh, now, Severus," said Slughorn. "It's Christmas! Don't be too hard -"
"I'm his Head of House, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise, to be," said Snape curtly. "Follow me, Draco." He swept around the boy in question, casting a slight glance over his shoulder at Teddie as he disappeared into the crowd.
Draco adjusted his topcoat, nodded once at Slughorn, and then turned and followed his Head of House out of the office.
Teddie frowned after them. Why did it seem that Snape's glance was telling her to follow them? Or maybe he was warning her too not? The latter seemed more likely. Snape wouldn't have done anything to put her in trouble, especially not where Draco Malfoy was concerned. The two had been at odds ever since day one at Hogwarts, so surely, whatever he wanted to talk with Malfoy about, he did not intend for her to overhear.
"Pst, Teddie," Harry whispered.
Teddie jumped and looked to her left. Harry was standing at her shoulder, his head bent inwards towards her ear. She felt his breath on her neck as he spoke, his voice in a hushed and hurried whisper.
"You wanted proof that Malfoy did something to Parkinson," Harry said. "That what I have been saying about him all year is true. This is your chance. I have my cloak; we could sneak off and see what Snape wants to talk to Malfoy about."
Teddie hesitated. She knew that Snape wouldn't want her sneaking around the castle after hours, especially since was forbidden, plus, she knew that Cruise and his team were outside, waiting to escort her back to the common room, if they saw her step outside with Harry, they would surely swoop in on the situation and stop them.
"What's it going to be, Ted?" Harry asked, urgently.
Licking her lips, Teddie looked around for her friends. Theo was chatting with Blaise and Daphne nearby, while Mason and Astoria were at the food table. "Okay," she whispered, nodding at Harry.
Harry took her hand and led her through the crowd. They were careful to not be seen by any of their friends, or teachers, and slipped out into the corridor.
"Is everything alright, Miss Green?" Cruise asked, stepping out of the adjoining corridor at the end of the hall. "Are you ready to return to the common room?"
"No," said Teddie, quickly. "I just need a bathroom break. Harry is also in need of one, we said we'd walk each other."
"I shall shadow you, just to be safe," said Cruise.
Teddie glanced at Harry. "We should be okay," she said. "The bathrooms are only one corridor down."
"It is my duty to keep an eye on you," said Cruise. "Unless, of course, you don't intend to go to the bathroom."
Teddie forced a smile. "Of course we do," she said. "Fine. If you insist. Come on, Harry." She grabbed his hand, tugging him along.
"What are you doing?" Harry hissed.
"Shh!" Teddie said. She dug into the concealed pocket on dress and pulled out one of the sparling black rocks that Fred and George had given her over the summer. She met Harry's gaze, nodded and, with a subtle toss of her hand, threw it onto the floor in front of her.
Instantly, a dark cloud exploded down the corridor, billowing towards the two students at a rapid pace. Teddie felt Cruise grab her wrist and pull her backwards, shoving her and Harry against the corridor wall.
"Back up on the fifth floor!" Cruise called. "Melanie, Quinn, Dominic!"
There were fast running footsteps from all directions.
"Where did they go?" Quinn asked. She appeared beside Cruise and Teddie, her wand was drawn and her eyes wild as she looked around.
"The smoke came from down there," said Cruise. "You and Dom check it out!"
Quinn nodded and disappeared into the blackness. Teddie could hear her calling to Dom as they disappeared further down the hall.
"Melanie -"
"I'll take upstairs," said Melanie, before Cruise could utter a command. She also left before anyone could stop her.
Cruise looked back at Teddie and Harry. "I want you both to head back to Slughorn's office, do you understand me?" he ordered. "No wandering. I'll come find you once we've sorted this out, and/or found the culprit."
"But -" Teddie started to protest.
"Go, Miss Green!" Cruise ordered, pushing her back towards the party.
As Cruise's hand disappeared from her shoulder, Teddie glanced at Harry. He threw the Invisibility Cloak around them both, and they snuck off down a clear corridor, searching for any signs of Snape and Malfoy.
~X~
Harry and Teddie found Malfoy and Snape in the last classroom on the same corridor as Slughorn's party. Adjacent to them was a set of stairs leading to the next floor, and where Teddie knew Melanie would be searching for the culprit of the Darkness behind them.
"We have to be careful!" said Teddie. "If Melanie catches me then I'm in deep trouble."
Harry nodded tapped the door with his wand. It opened with a soft click and the pair crept inside; a second door blocked their way to the actual classroom, but the voices of Malfoy and Snape could be heard more clearly from here.
"… cannot afford any mistakes, Draco, because if you are expelled -"
"I didn't have anything to do with it, all right?"
"I hope you're telling the truth because it was both clumsy and foolish. Already you are suspected of having a hand in it."
"Who suspects me?" said Malfoy angrily. "Green?"
Teddie perked up at her name.
"Pfft. She should've been the one to do it, you know," said Malfoy. "This was supposed to be her job. But the perfect little princess wants to play Muggleborn Slytherin, so it was given to me."
Harry and Teddie glanced at one another. What job was Malfoy talking about?
"Watch your tone," Snape warned, his voice dropping an octave. "Faye will know her place soon enough."
Harry clapped a hand over Teddie's mouth as she gasped.
"That's right, I forgot. You have a little soft spot for the princess, don't you?" Malfoy sneered. "Look, Pansy didn't get the damned necklace from me. What would I want with a cursed piece of jewellery? Pansy has enough enemies at this school, maybe she got it from one of them. Hey, maybe she got it from little ol' Faye, herself, before she decided to play hero in the face of everyone else."
Teddie shook with unrestrained fury. How could Malfoy think she was the one who had cursed Pansy, especially since she had been the one to call for the help of Cruise and his team? She had been the one to encourage Harry to get help. Plus, she hadn't been anywhere near Pansy and Millicent all day during the Hogsmeade trip.
"Don't look at me like that! I know what I am doing, I'm not stupid, but it won't work - I can stop you!"
There was a pause and then Snape said quietly, "Ah… Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master, Draco?"
"I'm not trying to conceal anything from him. I just don't want you butting in."
"Is that is why you've been avoiding me this term? You have feared my interference? You realise that, had anybody else failed to come to my office when I had told them repeatedly to be there, Draco -"
"So put me in detention! Report me to Dumbledore" jeered Malfoy.
There was another pause. Harry and Teddie shared another look. This was the first time they had heard Malfoy talk to Snape in such a way, normally he was the perfect Slytherin, and never spoke out of turn to his superior.
"You know perfectly well that I do not wish to do either of those things," said Snape.
"You'd better stop telling me to come to your office then."
"Listen to me, I am trying to help you. I swore to your mother I would protect you, I made the Unbreakable Vow, Draco -"
Harry furrowed his brow and glanced at Teddie. If the surprised look on her face was anything to go by, she knew exactly what Snape was talking about.
"Looks like you'll have to break it, then, because I don't need your protection! It's my job, he gave it to me and I'm doing it. I've got a plan and it's going to work; it's just taking a bit longer than I thought it would!"
"What is your plan?"
"It's none of your business!"
"If you tell me what you are trying to do, I can assist you -"
"I've got all the assistance I need."
"You were certainly alone tonight, which was foolish in the extreme, wandering the corridors without lookouts or backup. There are Auror's walking these halls, you will do well to remember that in future."
"Jonathan Cruise and his team mean nothing to me," said Malfoy. "Besides, I would've used Crabbe and Goyle, had you not put them in detention!"
"If your friends intend to pass their Defence Against the Dark Arts O.W.L this time around, they will need to work a little harder than they are doing at pres -"
"What does it all matter?" said Malfoy. "Defence Against the Dark Arts - it's all just a joke, isn't it, an act? Like any of us need protecting against the Dark Arts -"
"It is an act that is crucial to success, Draco," said Snape. "Where do you think I would've been all these years, if I had not known how to act? Now listen to me! You are being incautious, wandering around at night, placing your reliance in assistants like Crabbe and Goyle -"
"They're not the only ones I've got. Other people are on my side, too, you know! Better people. Like Greyback, for example!"
"Greyback?"
"He's an old family friend," said Malfoy, sounding proud.
"Then why not confide in me, and I can -"
"I know what you're up to! You want to steal my glory."
There was another pause, and then Snape said coldly, "You are speaking like a child. I quite understand that your father's capture and imprisonment has upset you, but -"
"My father's capture and imprisonment was a false accusation on your precious princess' part," said Malfoy, his voice dripping in ice. "If you're not in it for you, then you're surely in it for her. Both of you, stay out of my way. I don't need either of you."
Malfoy's footsteps approached the door quickly, and Harry barely had enough time to pull Teddie backwards against the wall, his arm around her waist as she pressed up against his chest, before the door opened, wedging against Teddie's foot, before Malfoy strode off down the corridor.
Hardly daring to breathe, Harry and Teddie waited as Snape stepped out of the hall next. He paused in the second doorway, watching as Malfoy disappeared at the end of the hall, and then turned to the door to the classroom he had just come from. He reached out and swung it shut, staring into the shadows before him.
"I know you're there," Snape said, his voice soft and silky.
Harry cupped a hand over his mouth, to keep from breathing. Maybe Snape could hear his breathes, and that's why he assumed someone was listening.
"Don't toy with me, Miss Green," said Snape. "I am not in the best of moods."
Harry felt Teddie slip away from him and made a wild grab at her hand. She squeezed his fingers and slipped out from under the cloak, stepping out of the shadows and looking up at Snape.
"You heard everything; I assume?" Snape asked, staring into her eyes.
Teddie shrugged. "Not everything," she admitted. "But enough. You made the Unbreakable Vow?" she asked, concern in her face. "Why?"