𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐜𝐞 | ʜ. ᴊ. ᴘ. [ hiatus ]

• 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 •

❾¾ ⌁☍ ♪ ‹ 𝓶𝓪 𝓭𝓸𝓵𝓬𝓮 › ♪ ☍⌁¾❾

Harry, Mal, Ron, and Hermione were sitting at the very back of the Charms class with a table to themselves. They were supposed to be practicing the opposite of the Summoning Charm today - the Banishing Charm.

Owing to the potential for nasty accidents when objects kept flying across the room, Professor Flitwick had given each student a stack of cushions on which to practice, the theory being that these wouldn't hurt anyone if they went off target.

It was a good theory, but it wasn't working very well. Neville's aim was so poor that he kept accidentally sending much heavier things flying across the room - Professor Flitwick, for instance.

"I'm trying to tell you about Snape and Moody. . . ." Harry said as Professor Flitwick went whizzing resignedly past them, landing on top of a large cabinet.

This class was an ideal cover for a private conversation, as everyone was having far too much fun to pay them any attention. Harry had been recounting his adventures of the previous night in whispered installments for the last half hour and he told them that he let Mad-Eye borrow the Marauder's Map; it made Mal's irritated.

"Harry, you know you're nothing more than a moron?" Mal hissed sharply. "I know it's yours but that's the most valuable asset, don't give it to just anyone."

"But he saved me, Dolce." said Harry.

"Not that you just give it to him," Mal said crossly, waving her wand at a cushion and it drifting across the room where the target should be. "It's like he has helped you, then there must be a reward, after all what is he borrowing for? For patrol? Godric, he must have memorized the streets of Hogwarts! What's so-"

But Ron covered her mouth to stop her from talking, Mal continued to grumble even though her voice was muffled.

"Snape said Moody's searched his office as well?" Ron whispered, his eyes alight with interest as he Banished a cushion with a sweep of his wand (it soared into the air and knocked Parvati's hat off). "What . . . d'you reckon Moody's here to keep an eye on Snape as well as Karkaroff?"

"Well, I dunno if that's what Dumbledore asked him to do, but he's definitely doing it," said Harry, waving his wand without paying much attention, so that his cushion did an odd sort of belly flop off the desk. "Moody said Dumbledore only lets Snape stay here because he's giving him a second chance or something. . . ."

"What?" said Ron, his eyes widening, his next cushion spinning high into the air, ricocheting off the chandelier, and dropping heavily onto Flitwick's desk. "Harry . . . maybe Moody thinks Snape put your name in the Goblet of Fire!"

"Don't be daft," Mal said disapprovingly as she manage free her mouth from Ron's hand. "Last year after first task, you said Karkaroff was the culprit, now Snape, if you have prejudices please be consistent, Gi-Angel."

"Why did he save Harry when he hates him too? Just leave Harry alone," Ron argued. Exactly what Harry thought.

"Yeah, just remember that you're not senile," spat Mal flatly to him in low voice. "Initially you thought Snape had stolen the Sorcerer's Stone but in fact he was protecting it, unexpectedly it was Quirrell, right? Snape saves Harry's life from a mad broomstick instead. Snape hated him but did he ever want to touch Harry's skin, didn't he?"

"Why has Mr. Crouch been pretending to be ill?" said Hermione. "It's a bit funny, isn't it, that he can't manage to come to the Yule Ball, but he can get up here in the middle of the night when he wants to?"

"Which Crouch do you mention about?" Mal asked Hermione, they looked at her confusedly.

"Which - wait what?"