𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹, draco malfoy

˗ˋ 32

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
✧
-: third year :-

── IN WHICH IT'S REVEALED

. . .

"Shocking business... shocking.. miracle none of them died... never heard the like.. by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape..."

"Thank you, Minister."

"Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"

"Thank you very much indeed, Minister."

"Nasty cut you've got there... Black's work, I suppose?"

"As a matter of fact, it was the two Potters, Weasley, and Granger, Minister..." "

No!"

"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. That Potter girl especially. They weren't responsible for their actions. On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape... They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now... I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves... and of course the Potter twins have always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster-"

"Ah, well, Snape... Harry and Marlene Potter, you know.. we've all got a bit of a blind spot where they're concerned."

"And yet - is it good for them to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat them like any other student. And any other student would be suspended, at the very least, for leading their friends into such danger. Consider, Minister - against all school rules - after all the precautions put in place for their protection - out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer - and I have reason to believe the both of them have been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too-"

"Well, well.. we shall see, Snape, we shall see.. The twins have undoubtedly been foolish..."

Marlie screwed her eyes tighter, trying to stop herself from jumping out of bed to knock Snape out again. The Confundus charm, really? She felt incredibly groggy, even worse then when she had woken up after the incident with Quirrel in first year and when she had woken up after being healed by Fawkes in the Chamber of Secrets.

The words bounced around her brain like a ping-pong ball, but she tried her hardest not to lose them, piecing them together quickly and feeling her anger rise despite her state.

"What amazes me most is the behavior of the Dementors... you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"

"No, Minister... by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances.."

"Extraordinary. And yet Black, and the twins, and the girl-"

"All unconscious by the time I reached them. Marlene had a rather hard time with Dementors all year so really it's a surprise I found her alive. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."