"Of course I told him," Harry said, sounding somewhat flustered. "Is there something wrong with that?"
"How could you be so bloody stupid?!" Orli finally exploded at him. "Didn't it ever occur to you that something might be wrong with that Moody?!"
"Oh, come off it, Orli—why are you shouting at Harry? Moody's got problems? Don't be ridiculous! The one with real issues is obviously Snape! A former Death Eater turns up in his office, he's got some dodgy past that won't wash clean, and you're the only person in the entire world who thinks he's a good man..." Ron grumbled indignantly, but quickly fell silent when Orli fixed him with a look that could have frozen fire itself.
"Ron! Don't forget—back in first year we thought Snape was trying to kill Harry, but it turned out he was actually saving him. Remember?" Hermione shook her head at him disapprovingly, then pressed Harry for more details.
"So what else did Moody say?"
"He said the thing he hates most... is watching a Death Eater walk free..." Harry said with difficulty. After thinking for a moment, he added, "He also suggested I consider becoming an Auror—said I had sharp instincts."
"Does he need to spell it out any clearer than that?" Ron shot Orli a challenging look.
"I don't give a damn what Moody thinks," Hermione said firmly, still backing Orli. "Dumbledore isn't stupid, and he trusts Snape. Look at Hagrid and Professor Lupin—plenty of people wouldn't give them jobs either, even though Snape can be a bit—"
"—nasty," Ron cut in quickly. "So then, Hermione, why do those Dark wizard hunters—like Moody—keep searching his office?"
"You just always assume Snape's up to something sinister," Hermione retorted. "When are you lot going to start actually using your brains?"
"I just want to know—if this is Snape's second chance, what exactly did he do the first time around?" Harry said grimly.
"I think this conversation should end here," Orli said, turning toward the door.
"Orli!" Hermione called after her anxiously.
"Where d'you think you're going—off to tip Snape off? Tell him Avery's been discovered?!" Ron said in that infuriating tone of his.
"Don't make me hex you, Ron!" Orli whirled around, fixing him with a deadly stare. "I know plenty of spells, but I'd rather not use them on you."
"Like what? Some Dark Arts the old bat taught you?" Ron shot back defiantly.
For a split second, Orli genuinely wanted to hit him with Sectumsempra, but then she thought of Mrs. Weasley.
"Ron Weasley," Orli said, summoning every last scrap of patience she possessed, "as a friend, here's my final piece of advice—and this goes for you too, Harry. All of you need to stay away from that Moody for now."
She strode out and slammed the door behind her. Just before it closed completely, she heard Ron let out a loud, dismissive snort.
Well then. Orli gave herself a bitter smile.
It was first year all over again, but she didn't care. She sprinted down the stairs, racing toward Snape's office. Classes be damned—the priority now was catching Avery, no matter who he was impersonating.
Orli burst into Snape's office corridor, but the door was locked and no one was inside. Smacking her forehead, she rushed off to the Potions classroom instead. Sure enough, Snape was there, teaching the day's first lesson. She could hear his voice drifting faintly through the door, and for the first time that morning, her heart began to settle just a little.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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