Coup de Foudre [Fred Weasley] [4]

⚡️ Chapter 20 ⚡️

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"

Vega's grey eyes ran over the Entrance Hall and caught sight of Professor Moody, who was now limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret, which was shivering on the stone-flagged floor, exactly where Malfoy had been standing.

Following this, there was a terrified silence in the Entrance Hall. Nobody but Moody was moving, even a muscle. Moody himself turned to look at Vega and Harry – well, at least his normal eye was looking at the two students. The other one, the blue one, was pointing into the back of his head.

"Did he get you?" Moody growled in a voice that was very low and gravelly.

"No," Harry answered when Vega said absolutely nothing in response. "Missed,"

"LEAVE IT!" Moody shouted suddenly.

"Leave – what?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"Not you – him!" Moody growled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at Crabbe, who had just frozen but had been on his way to pick up the white ferret from the floor.

It was not news to Vega that Moody's rolling eye was magical and could very see out of the back of his head, as well as many other obstructions. It was, in fact, quite uncomfortable for Vega.

Then, suddenly Moody started to limp toward Crabbe, Goyle, and the ferret, which gave a terrified squeak and took off, streaking toward the dungeons. It was clear that he wasn't just scolding.

"I don't think so!" Moody roared, pointing his wand at the ferret again – it flew ten feet into the air, fell with a smack to the floor, and then bounced upward once more. It went up and down.

"Wait..." Vega breathed when she realised just where the ferret came from, and the lack of a very key person in the Entrance Hall. "Is... that Malfoy?"

"I think so..." Harry trailed off from next to her, his eyes following the movement of the ferret.

"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back is turned," Moody growled as the ferret bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do..."

The ferret flew through the air, its legs and tail flailing helplessly.

"Never – do – that – again –" Moody went on, speaking each word as the ferret hit the stone floor and bounced upward again.

"Professor Moody!" exclaimed a shocked voice – Professor McGonagall was making her way down the marble staircase with her arms full of books.

"Hello, Professor McGonagall," Moody replied calmly, bouncing the ferret still higher.

"What – What are you doing?" Professor McGonagall said, her eyes following the bouncing white ferret's progress through the air.

"Teaching," Moody answered

"Teach – Moody, is that a student?" Professor McGonagall shrieked, the books spilling out of her arms.

"Yep," Moody said.

"No!" Professor McGonagall cried, running down the stairs and pulling out her wand.

A moment later, with a loud snapping noise, Draco Malfoy had reappeared, lying in a heap on the floor with his sleek blond hair all over his now brilliantly pink face. He got to his feet, wincing.

"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment!" Professor McGonagall scolded. "Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"

"He might've mentioned it, yeah," Moody replied, scratching his chin unconcernedly. It wasn't what Vega expected from him. "But I thought a good sharp shock –"