Winning the Quidditch Cup had left all of Gryffindor basking in a state of euphoria. This mood lasted for at least two weeks, as if everyone had been hit with some sort of long-lasting happiness charm. With the arrival of May, the skies turned clear and cloudless. Everyone wanted nothing more than to take a stroll outdoors, collapse onto the grass with a few pints of chilled pumpkin juice, and perhaps play a few casual games of Gobstones.
But Orli was clearly an exception. Her weekly potion assignments had tripled. She now had to spend not only her Saturday and Sunday afternoons in the Potions office but also Wednesday evenings. It felt as though Snape wanted to keep her under his watchful eye. Sometimes, even when there was nothing to do, he would make her stay in the office brewing potions until curfew before finally letting her return to her dormitory.
Fred and George had started preparing for their upcoming O.W.L. exams, while Percy was busy studying for his N.E.W.T.s. Hoping to secure a position at the Ministry of Magic, he needed to achieve the highest qualifications. He had become increasingly irritable, handing out stern punishments to anyone who disrupted the peace of the common room at night. In truth, the only person more anxious than Percy was Hermione—her workload seemed never-ending, and she had forced herself to start revising for finals nearly two months in advance.
Harry and Ron couldn't even find anyone to chat with. Left with no other choice, they reluctantly threw themselves into studying as well. Surprisingly, this effort yielded some results: one Saturday afternoon, Orli secretly noticed in Snape's office that Ron's homework had earned an A instead of the usual P, D, or even T.
She quietly shifted closer to the edge of Snape's desk and saw the next essay was Hermione's. Snape's quill paused slightly before circling an O in the top left corner.
The next piece of parchment bore Harry's name, easily recognizable by the few drops of pumpkin juice he had spilled on it. Snape's expression turned into one of utter disgust, as if he were looking at a flobberworm. He slashed an A onto the blank space with such force it seemed like he might rip the parchment.
Finally, it was Orli's turn. She stared intently at the tip of Snape's quill, barely blinking. Just then, Snape's low, steady voice broke the silence:
# Snape: "How long do you plan to keep sneaking a look?"
Startled, Orli quickly straightened up and averted her gaze.
# Snape: "Back to your tower."
With a flick of his hand, the office door swung open with a bang. Reluctantly, Orli gathered her things and walked out through the round wooden door.
The evening sky had darkened, and the dungeon corridors felt even more eerie. The faint green glow of the wall lamps cast strange shadows on the walls. Orli lowered her head and quickened her pace, intending to head straight to the Great Hall for dinner. But in her haste, she failed to notice someone in front of her and collided headfirst into their chest.
## Orli: "Ouch!"
Clutching her forehead, Orli let out a pained cry. Looking up, she realized she had bumped into Draco Malfoy.
# Malfoy: "Don't you watch where you're going, you annoying Gryffindor!"
Malfoy grumbled, rubbing his chest.
## Orli: "And what were you doing lurking around the corner like a sneak?!"
The apology that had been on the tip of Orli's tongue was swallowed back down.
# Malfoy: "Ask yourself!"
Malfoy lowered his voice and snapped at her:
# Malfoy: "What trouble have you caused this time? My father is here at the school asking to see you by name. He's already waiting in the entrance hall!"
Orli froze for a moment before recalling the potion acquisition deal she had mentioned before. If Lucius wanted to see her, it could only be about that.
## Orli: "Where is he? Take me there."
Straightening her clothes, Orli began heading toward the stairs.
## Orli: "Who else is with him?"
She asked as they walked.
# Malfoy: "The Headmaster is there too."
Malfoy replied in a low voice beside her.
# Malfoy: "Whatever trouble you've stirred up, don't provoke my father again! You wouldn't want to know the consequences."
## Orli: "Consequences?"
Orli let out a soft scoff, glancing at Malfoy's indignant expression. She found it somewhat amusing.
## Orli: "I won't provoke him—unless he provokes me first."
They reached the first floor and stopped in front of an empty classroom near the Great Hall. Orli paused for a moment, as she always did before facing something significant, taking a deep breath. But Malfoy seemed to misunderstand her hesitation: he stepped forward and opened the door for her.
Startled, Orli glanced at him in surprise, then offered a small smile and nodded in thanks before walking through the open door. Behind her, Malfoy stood frozen, gripping the door handle, his jaw clenched in frustration.
"Draco Malfoy, you just opened a door for a Gryffindor!" he berated himself internally. "Look at you, acting like some foolish servant!"
He forced himself to recall the etiquette lessons Narcissa had taught him, trying to convince himself that he had acted out of politeness. But deep down, he felt nothing but irritation.
"It's all that wretched Waters' fault!" he thought bitterly as he stepped into the empty classroom.
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