A/N: I am so sorry about the delay in getting this chapter up, and about how behind in review replies I am. I've been consumed by my job, real life, Las Vegas, and another fandom, namely the Star Trek: 2009 movie fandom. If you liked the movie at all, I invite you to read my two Star Trek stories — "The Things He Sees" (here at: fanfiction . net/s/5056873/1/The_Things_He_Sees), and "The Test" (here at: fanfiction . net/s/5062827/1/The_Test). I'm also working on an Uhura genfic story, and now, thanks to a challenge by my buddy respitechristopher over at the Sober Universe, I'm writing a Harry Potter story with a rather unique (femmeslash) coupling.
This chapter was inspired by the amazing Misanagi, and her fantastic Michael-centric story, "The House of Blue" (here at: fanfiction . net/s/4554130/1/), wherein she mentions a Ravenclaw rebellion against the Carrows. I took that idea and ran with it, but if you have not checked out her story, do so. And immediately! Her Michael is pure love.
Hopefully, this chapter has been worth the wait.
Chapter 43: Ravenclaws Make a Stand
The start of the new term brought a whole set of new anxieties, particularly for Daphne Greengrass.
Once breakfast was done, the Great Hall began to empty. The prefects lined the students up to go to their respective classes, and the rows moved out, disbursing throughout the castle to start the first day of the new term. Hagrid led a group of younger students outside for Care of Magical Creatures. A small, steady stream of students walked down into the dungeons towards Potions and up the Grand Staircase to Transfiguration, Charms . . .
As well as Dark Arts and Muggle Studies.
Daphne finished escorting two groups of third and fourth years to Transfiguration. She reached into the deep pockets of her robes, making sure her Wheezes were right where she had left them. She had snagged a couple of sweets from her Skiving Snackbox in case they might come in handy. She thought of making this a habit for the rest of the year; keep some Wheezes close to her to fake injuries.
She withdrew her hand at the same time that she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Greengrass," Ernie Macmillan said in an overly loud and pompous voice. "A word, if you will." Susan stood next to him, pursing her lips together in an exaggerated pout.
Daphne sneered at both of them. "Make it short, Macmillan. I'm far too busy to deal with your inanities!" She beckoned them over to a quiet corner of the corridor, as students started filing into the Muggle Studies classroom. They dropped the hostile act, Ernie and Susan both looking at Daphne with ill-hidden grins.
"'Inanities'? That's quite the word," Susan said with a raised eyebrow.
"What? Snape says it all the time. Thought it'd give that little show the extra Slytherin oompf. So, what's going on?"
"How easy will it be for you to steal more Veritaserum from Slughorn?" Ernie's voice was barely a whisper; Daphne almost didn't hear what he had said.
"What?"
"More Veritaserum. Do you have any left from September? Can you get any more? We might need it."
She blinked. "We have probably about eight doses left of that initial batch I nicked earlier."
"We'll need more than that." It was Susan this time. Her blue eyes were steely as she spoke. "What did we figure, Ernie? Enough for twenty doses?"
"Twenty?"
"Make it closer to twenty-five. Maybe thirty just to be on the safe side."
She stared at Susan. "What the hell are you two planning?"
The two Hufflepuffs both shrugged in a far too casual manner. He turned to Daphne, the tone of his voice nonchalant. "Nothing bad, don't worry. But do you think you can get some more?"
Daphne scratched her chin. "Well, Slughorn should have some more supplies, provided he's been able to gather all the ingredients and completed the two week brewing process." She nodded at him solemnly. "I'll check. And I'll get you what's remaining in the bottle that I have. I should have an answer for you in a couple of days."
The Hufflepuffs smiled at her. "Thanks Daphne," Susan said with a nod.
"You're not going to say what you need it for, are you?"
"Not until absolutely necessary."
She glared at Ernie, finally waving her hand. "Fine. We should get going. Apparently, there might be a big show today in Muggle Studies involving some idiot Ravenclaws."
Ernie's brow creased, but he smirked at Daphne's comment. "Isn't that a contradiction? Idiot Ravenclaws?"
"Does Michael have anything to do with this?"
Daphne huffed at Susan and looked at the classroom, her heart skipping as she caught Michael walking in with his other Housemates. They were patting each other on the back and Michael and Terry were holding out their fists to Anthony. He tapped theirs in an obvious gesture of solidarity.
"How should I know?" she spat back. "I'm not supposed to do anything to stop them."
"Thank you, Vincent, for that insightful presentation."
Vincent Crabbe bowed his head, grinning triumphantly as he received Alecto Carrow's compliments. She had just called on someone from Slytherin House to read aloud their assignments that she had tasked them with over Christmas holidays—
To write about various acts of Muggle violence, disease and degradation. Par for the course in Alecto's class.
For her assignment, Daphne managed about half-a-foot — in her biggest handwriting possible — and focused on the Holocaust. Unfortunately, it didn't have a particularly well-rounded viewpoint, in that she didn't delve deeply into the efforts by Muggle military forces to liberate the concentration camps, or the uprisings in the ghetto communities or any other broad statement of the resilience of Muggle spirit that that horrible moment in history had shown. But she had to consider the audience.
Including anything positive regarding Muggles could earn her the Cruciatus Curse and might open further suspicion that she was connected to the pro-Potter contingent of the student body.
As Crabbe sat down, Daphne thought that she was going to be sick remembering what he wrote. It was one thing to talk about Muggle disease and plagues; it was another thing to pass bullshit as the truth. Bubonic plague and influenza at least had a basis in history, but Daphne had no idea where Crabbe got the idea that there was a disease that made Muggles eat each other like savage cannibals and it was only the covert intervention of the Magical world that was able to cure the scourge before it could spread beyond Europe.
Alecto beat her palm with her wand; red sparks flew out of it, reminding Daphne of the Cruciatus Curse. The Unforgivable loomed above them, especially today as she anticipated what the Ravenclaws were going to do.
Carrow stomped around the desks, gracelessly manoeuvring around the space. The Muggle Studies classroom was packed tight with every seventh year from Slytherin to Hufflepuff. So filled was the classroom that it felt as if the room would burst from the overcrowding. Daphne had been lucky that Blaise had saved a seat next to him, which was behind the other Slytherins save for Theodore and Millicent. Pansy Parkinson sat directly in front of them with Tracey Davis.
Pansy's eyes kept flickering over to Draco Malfoy as he sat in the desk nearest the wall. He had spread out on his bench, his back leaning against the stone. He tapped his finger lazily against his own parchment, smirking occasionally at Crabbe as the boy read haltingly from his assignment. Daphne noticed Draco's skin, which was even paler than before. He had a sickly pallor about him, similar to last year when he had been struggling with whether or not to kill Dumbledore.
Except for his hands, which were red and blotchy, as if they had been scalded and still retained those painful scars. Otherwise, Draco looked fatigued and grey, and Daphne couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy — again — for him, despite his more bastard-like qualities.
She also felt disgusted that Draco, according to Blaise, may have a crush on her. It was odd. Disturbing. Daphne didn't like the thought of feeling objectified by the ferret if he felt he needed an attachment to something good.
However, despite everything she knew about Draco, Daphne still felt a small degree of compassion for him, although every cell in her brain telling her that he didn't deserve it.
"Now."
Alecto's voice snapped Daphne out of her thoughts. "Let us hear from one of the little Eagles."
Daphne felt her heart race; this was it, an open invitation for Michael and his Housemates to do whatever the hell it was that they were going to do.
(And for you to stay out of it.)
(Over my dead body!)
(That's a distinct possibility.)
Slowly, shakily, Anthony Goldstein raised his hand. Michael sat next to him, clenching the edge of their desk, his knuckles turning white. Daphne held her breath, waiting for the inevitable to happen.
"Goldstein." Alecto strode towards him. "You're volunteering for your House?"
"I am." Anthony stood up to his full height. Daphne noted with satisfaction that he was several centimetre's taller than the stocky Death Eater. He seemed heartened by this and he squared his shoulders, even as his parchment shook from nerves.
Alecto started making her way to the front of the classroom. He cleared his throat and began talking, his voice cracking.
"'H-Hogwarts Code of Student Conduct'—"
The Death Eater stopped walking.
"—'Section thirty-nine, rule thirteen, amendment five point five st-states that students may abstain from completing assignments that they f-find morally, ethically, or otherwise personally repugnant.'"
The entire class stilled. Daphne gasped. She looked over at Blaise, who swore under his breath, muttering, "Arse," as quietly as he could to not draw anyone's attentions. The Hufflepuffs, the ones involved in Dumbledore's Army, as well as Tamsin Applebee, Heidi Macavoy and the wizards Ewan Cadwallader and Wayne Hopkins — a bloke Daphne had a fling with during fifth year — watched the scene unfold with unmistakable pride. Only Zacharias Smith had an outright disdainful look, although Daphne noted the similarity between Smith's expression and Blaise's. Both wizards probably would've rather Anthony just shut up instead of drawing attention to himself.
The Gryffindors watched the whole thing with varying reactions of awe and approval. Neville held up his fist and grinned. The other seventh year Ravenclaws stared at Alecto's with nervous defiance. The rest of the classroom focused their eyes on Anthony. He gulped, but continued reading.
"'Should the student find said assignment objectionable on any of these personal grounds, th-they are to submit to the teacher and to the Headmaster or Headmistress in writing notice of their objections. The t-teacher may not discipline said student if the objections are made with good and reasonable intent, but they may arrange for a meeting to discuss the conflict the student has with the assignment in question. This meeting may be attended by the following: the Headmaster or Headmistress, the teacher and the student, or students, affected by the objectionable assignment. The primary objective of said meeting will be to reach an acceptable compromise.'"
Anthony shook the parchment. Alecto's back was still turned, but Daphne saw her spinning her wand in her hand, just like Snape did before he asked her to curse Luna during the first raid.
"Professor Carrow," he continued, his voice growing stronger the more he spoke up, "please accept this written notice that we find your assignments, your lessons, and not just this one, but all the ones you've made us do since the beginning of term, objectionable. We have compiled them into several parchments to give you notice of our objections and we have also given copies to the Headmaster as well, delivering them early this morning. We assume he got them after breakfast."
Slowly, Alecto spun around. She bared her teeth, yellowed with age and lack of care; it gave her the appearance of a hungry animal ready to eat Anthony, the little bird who now taunted her with this show of rebellion.
"We? Who – is – this – 'WE'?"
With wide-eyed horror, as if watching a train about to collide with another, unable to stop the catastrophe, Daphne stared as Michael Corner, Terry Boot and Padma Patil all stood up at the same time, their stubborn, defiant expressions turned towards the Death Eater. And then, in short succession, Mandy Brocklehurst, Stephen Cornfoot, Lisa Turpin, and Morag MacDougal, who was even taller than Anthony, rose up off of their benches.
"The entire seventh year of Ravenclaw, those of us who are here, stand together in agreement that we find your assignments repugnant on several grounds. Therefore, we did not do them."
Alecto stormed towards Anthony. She raised her hand, bringing it behind her head and hit him across the face, as hard as she could. Anthony fell backwards, Michael catching him before he could hit his head on the desk behind theirs.
"You! YOU DISGUSTING TRAITORS!!" Alecto screamed at the Ravenclaw seventh years. "All of you are going to the dungeons! I'll whip you until your skins turn to mush!"
"Professor," Anthony said as he struggled to get up, clinging to Michael. "I'll remind you that the rule states you may not punish us—"
"FUCK YOUR RULES!" Alecto flicked her wand, tearing the parchment into shreds. "I'd piss and shit on them if I could!"
The Ravenclaws continued to stand at their desks, staring at Alecto. Daphne noticed that Mandy, Stephen and Lisa were trembling and panting, yet they did not sit down. Crabbe, Goyle and Draco Malfoy had their wands whipped out, ready to hex them if commanded.
She had to stop this, this madness! And sod Michael for telling her to not get involved; at this point, anything she could do to prevent bodily harm to them, she'd do it.
"Professor!" Daphne screeched. For added effect, she stood at the attention stance, her arms crossed in front of her chest, her wand pressed against her upper arm, gritting her teeth to prevent her face from quivering from nerves and fear.
"Greengrass, you have something to say?" Alecto walked towards her, her wand extended in front of her, still sparking. Red.
Like the Cruciatus.
Daphne collected her thoughts, managing to catch Michael as he stared at her, horrified. It looked like he was standing still, but Daphne could tell his head was shaking in small vibrations. He wanted her to back down.
Adopting her most cruel sneer, Daphne imbued her voice with forced malice, accurately imitating Alecto's cruel tone. "Allow me to escort them to the dungeons. It would be an honour to serve you in this capacity."
To her pleased shock, her ruse seemed to have worked. Alecto blinked and a grin broke out on her face. "For once, Greengrass, you've impressed me."
Daphne bowed her head. "Thank you, Professor Carrow." She choked back a gag.
The Death Eater nodded. "Mister Malfoy, you and Miss Greengrass will escort these disgraceful—"
"Actually, Professor, I want to do it myself."
Alecto raised her eyebrow. "Oh?"
"You don't think I can't handle a bunch of silly Eagles? They know nothing other than what they read in books! I'm a Slytherin!" Her lip curled. "I know how to throw a decent Cruciatus. If they get out of hand, I'll disintegrate them myself. This'll be nothing."
She matched Alecto's arrogant expression with her own.
"Greengrass, they're all yours. Escort them. We'll have that meeting after classes are done for the day." The Death Eater turned her cold smile on the Ravenclaws. "All of you! Out the door now! Miss Greengrass will use any and all means available to her to ensure you reach the dungeons, you vermin."
She flicked her hand at them to dismiss the group.
Anthony moved towards the door, his eyes wide as he looked over at Daphne. Michael's mouth was pulled together; his face was turning red too. She knew he was angry, and would probably rail at her for getting involved.
She followed the last two Ravenclaws, Mandy Brocklehurst and Stephen Cornfoot, out the door, making sure she flung it shut behind her.
As soon as they turned a corner, walking towards the Grand Staircase, several paces away from the classroom, Michael halted and rounded on Daphne. "What did I say yesterday about interfering?"
The others stopped and stared at the couple, various expressions of surprise and gaping shock plastered on their faces. Anthony, Terry and Padma stepped aside but watched them as they argued.
"In case you missed it, Michael, I saving you lot from that sadist!" she hissed.
"Saved us?" This came from Morag MacDougal, whose imposing figure pressed close into Daphne's personal space. Suddenly, she remembered that Morag was one of the Ravenclaw beaters, and probably not someone she wanted to get into a physical altercation with. "You're taking us to the dungeons! 'I know how to throw a decent Cruciatus!' In my book — since you think that's all we're about — that makes you as bad as they are!"
"Morag, step back! Let me take care of this—"
"What the hell, Mike? Take care of what? This Slytherin bint's just serving her Death Eater overlords. She doesn't give a rat's arse about us!"
Terry stepped forward. "Oi, Rag! You don't know what you're on about."
"I hate that blasted nickname!"
"Morag, please," Padma pleaded. "You don't really know Daphne, all right?"
"Daphne?" Lisa Turpin said, her face a disgusted cowl. "You're on a first-name basis with her?"
Daphne was about to give MacDougal a piece of her mind, but Michael held her back. "Enough!" he said cautiously, "None of you know what you're talking about."
Morag's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What I'm talking about? She's the one taking us to the dungeons. She's the one that cursed Luna in the first raid! And I don't know what I'm talking about . . ."
Suddenly, Stephen Cornfoot gasped. He pointed at Michael and Daphne. "Oh! Oh bloody hell! She's the—! You and her've still got your little thing going on, don't you?"
Michael and Daphne both stared at him, and then at each other.
"Mike, is this true? You're still with her?" Morag asked.
Michael glared at his mates flatly. "Yes, as a matter of fact, I am." Daphne smacked him in the gut.
"That's supposed to be a secret!"
"Well, MacDougal's about to kick your arse, and I know from personal experience that that she'll be able to whomp you good." Michael turned to the taller girl. "Daphne and I are together. She was trying to help."
"Fat lot of good her 'help' did us!" The Scottish girl mimicked quotation marks with her fingers. "She has to take us to the dungeons, in case you've already forgotten."
Daphne shook her head, but she never took her eyes off of the sullen — and rather scary — Ravenclaw witch. "That's the thing. You lot aren't going to the dungeons." She held out two Wheezes: a Blistering Bon-Bon and a Swelling Sweet. "I need one of you to Stun me, all right? Like it's an attack. I'll use my wand to fire a couple of Cruciatus Curses, in case they check my wand for spells." She turned to Michael. "Then get away. Back to your common room or hide out or whatever."
"Even if we run, they'll still come after us. They'll tear up Ravenclaw and they'll probably Cruciate us anyways," Mandy Brocklehurst interjected.
"Maybe Flitwick and the other teachers can run interference. After all, you were following the student code to the best of your knowledge," Daphne replied. "And I made a valiant effort to stop you, but it was to no avail."
"Daphne, I don't want to curse you," Michael pled quietly.
"The way I see it, you don't have much of a choice!"
It was Anthony who strode forwards. "Mike, if you don't Stun her, I'll do it."
"Tony!"
"I don't want to, but she's got a point. We'll go find Flitwick and tell him what happened. Maybe we can minimize the damage to Ravenclaw if we think of something in time."
"One of you had better curse me and quick!" Daphne aimed her wand at a tapestry behind them. "CRUCIO!" she yelled.
The chill that normally covered her whenever she had been forced to cast it one other time surged through her, like a cold shockwave. Her body felt like she had been dipped into a bath of slime and goo, but she watched as her spell hit the rock wall and tapestry. The group flinched as little chunks of wall blew in the air like brown dust.
She aimed her wand again at a large vase.
"Crucio!"
This time, her spell casting was less intense, but no less icky feeling. Her spell chipped a bit of the vase's lip and struck the wall behind it, leaving a singe mark.
Daphne turned back to Michael and popped both Wheezes into her mouth, chewing them and swallowing in one gulp, practically going down the wrong pipe.
"Michael, please! The Wheezes're going to take effect any minute. Stun me or let someone else do it."
He shook his head, but he pulled out his wand. "You shouldn't have gotten involved in this, Daphne."
"Should've, would've, could've. Now, get going!"
Daphne watched as Michael readied his wand. "You know how I feel about you—"
"You're stalling! Just do it!"
Shutting his eyes, he gave his wand a flick. "Stupefy!"
The Stunning Spell hit Daphne right in her upper chest. She arched backwards as she fell to the ground, fancying she could hear the quick footfalls of the Ravenclaws running away as the whole world went black.
Daphne stirred.
Her eyes opened slowly, and she hissed as the overly bright light from the room slammed into her pupils. Shaking her head, she lifted her hand, which felt like she was moving it through sludge, and pressed it over her face. Daphne became aware that something softer than the cold stone floor of Hogwarts surrounded her body—
Her rather overly swollen body.
"Ohhh . . ." she moaned. She grasped her head in her hands, realizing how puffy and how much bigger it was than normal.
(The Swelling Sweet.)
Something popped on her skin; looking down, she saw several boils that covered her hand. And pus that had erupted from one of them.
(The Blistering Bon-Bon.)
And then she remembered.
"Oh for the love of— " Daphne sat up in her bed, finally realizing she was behind one of Pomfrey's screens. "Hospital Wing."
"Hello, beautiful."
She turned to her right and saw Blaise Zabini's smirking face. "How're you doing, sweetheart?"
"Feel like kneazle shit." She coughed, her throat excessively dry. "How long've I been out?"
"Since this morning. It's three o'clock in the afternoon. Weasley and Longbottom were already in here, checking up on you." He leaned down, whispering as quietly as he could. "Longbottom says Saturday, in the Room. First meeting."
She nodded, deliberately. "Good."
"And, by the way, you look smashing, dear. Y'know, for a hag."
"C-Can I see? Is there a mirror around here?"
Blaise was ready with one. He held one up for her. "I will not be responsible for any heart attack you might have looking at your own reflection."
Daphne grasped the handle and moved it until she could see herself. Her face had expanded to nearly five times its normal size. Her skin was crimson red and she was covered in the biggest, nastiest, pus-filled blisters she had ever seen.
She yelped. "Bloody hell!"
At the same time the mirror did.
"AAACK!! MONSTER!! MONSTER IN HOSPITAL WING!!"
The mirror's little outburst snapped Daphne out of her stupor. "I'm not a monster!"
Blaise snatched the mirror as it continued to scream in fear. He reached into his robes and pulled out two pieces of green and blue candy. "Here you go. I took one look at you and diagnosed you with an acute case of Wheeze digestion. So did Eddie, in fact. Pomfrey had to be convinced that she didn't need to run any tests on you "
Daphne took the Snackbox remedies and tossed them into her mouth, chewing them very slowly. She grabbed the mirror again, and thrust it in front of her face. The glass wouldn't shut up.
"OH! THE HORROR! THE HORROR . . . !!"
Before Daphne's eyes, her face deflated, returning to its normal state. The disgusting blisters receded and disappeared altogether. Her skin smoothed out until it was back to her normal pale hue.
"Oh! Well, my dear, that's much better."
Daphne scowled at the mirror and set it down. "All right, do we know what happened with the others?" She kept her voice low, a hushed whisper. "Did the Ravenclaws make it back all right?"
Blaise's smile fell and he crooked his finger. "Follow me." He stood up and held his hand out. Daphne crawled out of her bed and, her hand in his, moved outside the screen and into the Hospital wing proper. But she didn't have to move far into the room to see.
Her breath halted in her throat, her stomach fell onto the floor and she nearly stumbled into Blaise. He caught her before she could fall completely.
"Oh no."
The other side of the Hospital Wing was filled with the Ravenclaws that had stood up to Alecto Carrow that very morning. Their eyes were shut and there were bandages on their faces, arms, and legs. She left Blaise's side and scanned the row for, looking for him.
She found Michael at the very end, sleeping. His body was pretty badly bruised. He had bandages on his top lip and the right side of his forehead. It looked like two of his fingers of his wand hand were wrapped with a splint. To top it off, he had what looked like the start of two black eyes developing rapidly.
Daphne's hand pressed against her lips. "They got them. They got them despite my efforts. Michael . . ."
She felt Blaise tug her back. "Snape's coming."
Daphne composed herself right as the Headmaster entered the Hospital Wing, followed by Draco Malfoy. Draco took one look at her and sneered. She glared back at him, her eyes narrowing.
"Miss Greengrass," Snape said, with his characteristic drawl.
Daphne stood at attention, bowing her head. "Headmaster."
"I take it that you've recovered from the attack earlier in the day?"
She mustered up all the attitude she could and jutted her chin out in a defiant manner. "These Ravenclaws seemed to have a few tricks up their sleeves, sir. I, unfortunately, was outnumbered."
Snape pursed his mouth. "Indeed."
"Perhaps, Greengrass, you should've let me come with you," Draco said, sauntering forwards to stand in front of her, his hands thrust into his pockets. He leaned into her, and whispered in her ear. "I could've protected you from these mean little birds."
She could hear the sneer in his voice.
"Yes, Draco. I'll bet both of us could've taken all seven of them." She shoved past Draco and walked up to Snape. "What happened to them?"
Snape stood next to Michael's bed, cocking his eyebrow at the still slumbering wizard. "After your skirmish with the Ravenclaws, they ran straight for their Head of House. Flitwick came to my office to plead their case with me." A smile spread across his face. "I told them that the Hogwarts Code of Student Conduct was no longer applicable, since I succeeded Dumbledore, and these students had, therefore, disobeyed a direct order given to them by Alecto Carrow. Then I gave them a choice."
"A choice? Sir?"
"Either accept punishment for themselves, or allow their entire House to suffer for their transgressions."
Daphne swallowed, blinking rapidly so as to erase any possible tears that might be forming. "S-so you punished them?"
Snape cocked his eyebrow, his smile curdling her blood. "I did not."
"But then, who did?"
It dawned on her. Only seven beds were occupied, instead of eight.
"Sir," Daphne began, as she looked down the row of unconscious Ravenclaws, "where's An-" She coughed, covering up her mistake. "Where's Goldstein?"
"I see nothing escapes your notice, Greengrass. Goldstein was the only one spared from punishment. Physical punishment at least."
"S-sir, I don't follow you." Although her sense of dread grew the more Snape spoke.
"Since it was Goldstein's insolence that led to this little insurrection, and the one who had the idea in the first place, we gave to him the task of punishing his Housemates."
Her jaw dropped. "He tortured them?"
"Oh, he protested. But, in the end, nobody can resist the Imperius Curse. It gave him just the right impetus to punish these idiots."
Snape strode forwards, standing so close to her, she could practically see up his beak-like nose.
"Don't you dare pity him, Greengrass! He knew the risks, and he led his so-called friends down the rabbit hole with him."
Daphne turned away. She couldn't look at Snape, at the bastard's revolting joy at the damage he and the Carrows had wrought on her friends. On Michael. On Anthony too. Goldstein must have been devastated when he realized what he had done.
"Don't forget, Greengrass. You and Malfoy are on patrol tonight. Don't let the attack on you stand in the way of your duties."
With a click of his heels, Snape left the Hospital Wing. Draco Malfoy, however, stayed behind, watching Daphne with an inscrutable expression.
"What do you want, Draco?"
He didn't wear the same Malfoy sneer that had during Alecto's Muggle Studies class. Instead, his grey eyes flickered between Daphne and Blaise, who had remained silent during Snape and Daphne's conversation.
"Blaise, you were here when Greengrass woke up?"
Blaise was startled by the question. "I was."
Draco nodded. "You know, Greengrass, you seemed so confident in Muggle Studies. Confident that you could take on the Ravenclaws if necessary."
She gritted her teeth, but tried to keep her expression mild. "I was wrong."
"So you were." He paused; Daphne reckoned it was for dramatic effect. "Before I forget, Amycus wants to see us tomorrow. After dinner."
He pivoted around to walk out of the wing, but stopped and turned back to face her, his hand on the doorframe of the exit.
"We're to meet him in the dungeons. He says he needs our help with something."
Without another word, Draco swept down the corridor, and all Daphne could do was face Blaise, dread evident on both of their faces.
