Chapter 9: I Still Think its Snape

The morning sun streamed through the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall, casting golden light over the Gryffindor table. Harry and Daphne sat side by side, quietly talking as they ate, the other Gryffindors shooting them curious or disapproving glances. Harry ignored them, focusing on his plate while Daphne sipped her tea, looking as composed as ever.

Ron and Hermione entered the hall together, their eyes immediately landing on the pair. Hermione's expression darkened with disapproval, while Ron looked more curious than anything. They made their way over, sliding into seats across from Harry and Daphne.

"So," Ron began, breaking the tension, "I heard you both got detention last night. What happened?"

Hermione folded her arms, her tone sharp. "Yes, I'd like to know, too. And don't tell me it wasn't because of you, Daphne."

Harry bristled, his fork clattering onto his plate. "It wasn't because of her."

Hermione blinked, taken aback by the forcefulness of his tone. "Then what were you doing out there, Harry? You know you're not supposed to be wandering the grounds after hours."

"It was my idea," Harry said firmly, looking directly at Hermione. "I wanted to visit Hagrid. Daphne only came with me because I asked her to."

Ron raised an eyebrow, glancing between Harry and Daphne. "Why would you even want to visit Hagrid at night?"

Daphne set her teacup down, her voice cool but measured. "I was already outside. I saw Harry flying and decided I wanted to talk to him."

"Flying?" Ron repeated, frowning. "What were you doing flying around the grounds in the middle of the night, mate?"

Harry shrugged, feeling a little self-conscious under their scrutiny. "I went out in the afternoon I've been really stressed with all this homework we've gotten, so I went for a fly to clear my head. It's not a big deal."

Hermione sighed, clearly exasperated. "It is a big deal, Harry. You could've been caught by Filch—or worse, Snape. And now you've gone and dragged Daphne into this mess."

"I didn't drag her into anything," Harry said sharply, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "She's my friend, Hermione. She doesn't need me to tell her what to do."

Daphne gave Harry a small, approving nod before addressing Hermione directly. "I can take care of myself, Granger. And for the record, I was the one who suggested we head back when we saw Malfoy snooping."

Ron leaned back in his seat, looking thoughtful. "Malfoy, huh? Figures he'd be involved somehow."

Hermione still looked unconvinced. "But what were you even doing out there all evening? Just talking?"

Daphne's expression remained carefully neutral. "That's right. We were talking. Nothing sinister about it."

Hermione opened her mouth to argue further, but Harry cut her off. "Look, we got detention. It's done. Can we just move on?"

Ron looked between them, clearly debating whether to press further, but eventually, he shrugged. "Well, I'm glad Malfoy got detention, too. Bet he's fuming about it."

A faint smile tugged at Daphne's lips. "He certainly wasn't happy about it last night."

Hermione sighed, though she didn't press the issue further. "Fine. But, Harry, I just don't want to see you get into more trouble because of this…arrangement." She shot Daphne a wary glance.

"Noted," Harry said flatly, picking up his fork again. "Now, can we just enjoy breakfast? Or do you plan on just sitting there nagging at us?"

" Can you pass the sausages Harry?" Ron asked as if nothing had happened.

Harry poked at his scrambled eggs as Ron and Hermione argued about how to spend their Saturday. Across from him, Daphne sat quietly, sipping her tea with an unreadable expression.

"We can't waste the whole day doing nothing," Hermione said, glaring at Ron. "The exams are only a few weeks away. We could study."

Ron groaned. "It's Saturday, Hermione. We're not spending it with our noses in books. We should come up with a plan to stop Snape!"

Daphne raised an eyebrow, finally breaking her silence. "And why, exactly, do you think Professor Snape is after what ever is hidden down there?"

Ron slammed his fork down. "Because it's obvious! He's been lurking around the third floor, limping after that troll business, and he was muttering a counter-curse during the Quidditch match. He's dodgy!"

Daphne tilted her head, her tone icy. "That's your evidence? Lurking and a limp? If you're planning to confront someone like Snape with that, you'll look like fools."

Hermione flushed but nodded slightly. "Daphne's right. We don't have proof that it is Snape. We need to be careful, or we'll end up in serious trouble."

Harry sighed, finally looking up. "It doesn't matter if it's Snape or someone else. What ever is down there they want it, and we can't just sit around."

Daphne's eyes narrowed. "I agree that its important, but rushing in without a solid plan will accomplish nothing. If you're wrong about Snape, you'll be wasting time and energy while the real threat slips by."

Ron scowled, but Hermione looked thoughtful. "So, what do you suggest, Daphne?"

"I suggest we gather real information before jumping to conclusions. The teachers know about the Stone, and they're protecting it for a reason. If someone is after it, they're not going to leave a trail of breadcrumbs for children to follow."

Harry frowned. "We're not just sitting around waiting for something to happen. I can't just trust that the adults will take care of it. Not after everything I've seen."

Daphne studied him for a moment, her expression softening slightly. "Fine. If you're set on doing something, at least make it worth your time. Let's start by watching the third floor corridor and observing who's going near it. That way, we'll know if Snape—or anyone else—is making a move."

Hermione perked up. "That's… actually not a bad idea. It's safer than barging in and accusing someone."

Ron still looked skeptical but shrugged. "Alright, but if it's Snape, I'm saying I told you so."

Harry glanced at Daphne, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes. "Alright. We'll watch the corridor, but carefully. No one's going to stop us from protecting the Stone."

Daphne smirked faintly. "If we're doing this, at least try to act like you know what you're doing. Let's see if any of you are as sneaky as you think."

Daphne glanced around the table as silence settled over the group, the weight of their decision hanging in the air. Finally, she broke the quiet. "If we're going to do this, we need to plan it properly. No rushing off without thinking."

Ron rolled his eyes but said nothing, shoveling more food into his mouth. Hermione leaned forward, clutching her cup of pumpkin juice. "What do you suggest? We can't just all go together; it'll be too obvious."

"Exactly," Daphne replied. "We'll need to split up. Smaller groups will draw less attention. Two pairs should work."

Harry nodded. "Makes sense. We can take turns keeping an eye on the third floor corridor. Daphne and I can go together."

Ron immediately stiffened. "What? Why can't I go with you, Harry?"

Daphne smirked. "Because you don't trust me, Weasley, and frankly, I don't trust you either. That's why this arrangement works. You and Hermione will keep each other in line, and Harry and I will actually get something done."

Ron opened his mouth to argue, but Hermione placed a hand on his arm. "She has a point, Ron. We'll cover more ground this way, and we'll be able to compare what we see after each shift."

Grumbling, Ron leaned back in his seat. "Fine. But if anything happens to Harry, it's on you, Greengrass."

Daphne rolled her eyes. "How noble of you. Don't worry, I'll take good care of him."

Harry cleared his throat, cutting through the tension. "Alright. So, we'll do shifts. When should we start?"

Hermione pulled out her notebook, flipping to a blank page. "We should time it so that we're not seen leaving the Great Hall together. Ron and I can take the first shift, starting right after breakfast. Harry and Daphne can take the second shift around lunchtime. That way, we're not all gone at the same time."

"Good idea," Harry said. "We'll meet back here at dinner to share what we find."

Daphne tilted her head, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "And what exactly are we looking for? If Snape—or anyone else—goes near the corridor, we need to know more than just that they were there. Pay attention to what they're doing, how long they stay, and whether they seem nervous or confident. Details matter."

Hermione nodded eagerly, scribbling down notes. "Agreed. If we see anything suspicious, we can compare our observations and figure out the next step."

Ron muttered under his breath, "I Still think it's Snape…"

Daphne ignored him, turning to Harry. "We should also think about a cover story in case someone catches us wandering around. Something believable."

"Good point," Harry said. "How about… we say we're exploring the castle? It's vague enough to work."

"Exploring the castle?" Ron said skeptically. "You think Snape—or Filch, for that matter—is going to believe that?"

Daphne smirked. "That's why it's called a backup plan, Weasley. Let's just hope it doesn't come to that."

Hermione closed her notebook and tucked it into her bag. "Alright, it's settled. Ron and I will start after breakfast, and we'll meet you two at lunch to switch. Come on Ron, let's get going."

"But I haven't gotten seconds yet!" Ron groaned as Hermione pulled him from the table.

As Ron and Hermione left the Great Hall, Daphne motioned for Harry to follow her. "We've got a couple of hours to kill before our shift starts. Let's not waste it."