Since that day, Pansy had started glancing frequently at Harry and his two companions.
Well—more accurately, her attention was mostly fixed on Hermione. The Chosen One and the redhead were just collateral.
Draco wasn't entirely sure why Pansy was doing this, but he had no intention of interfering or even getting curious.
What he didn't expect, though, was that Pansy's unusual interest would lead her to notice something strange about Hermione and her friends...
"Draco, have you noticed that redhead keeps looking over here?"
Catching another of those sideways glances aimed their way, Pansy frowned slightly and asked uncertainly.
She figured it was probably because of Goyle and Crabbe, but the sheer number of times it happened was starting to feel... off. It was hard not to be suspicious.
A wizard who didn't know the context might even assume Ron and Goyle had bonded through fighting—like some kind of bizarre friendship forged by brawls.
The very thought made Pansy shudder.
"No, you're wrong. It's not just us. It seems like Professor Snape is one of their targets too."
Draco, oblivious to whatever dramatic fencing scenario was playing out in Pansy's mind, tapped his fingers lightly on the page in front of him as he corrected her.
He had noticed it himself long before Pansy brought it up.
After all, Ron Weasley was the type to wear every thought on his face. He was the absolute last person you'd trust with a covert operation. If he were a detective or spy, he'd be the first one caught.
"Huh? Professor Snape? Why? You think it's revenge for the punishment? That can't be it... right?"
Draco's comment pulled Pansy out of her wandering thoughts, leaving her confused and full of questions.
"Who knows... Maybe they're hoping to get some kind of answer out of us."
"Answers? Draco, what are you even talking about?"
Pouting slightly, Pansy jabbed Draco in the arm with her finger in annoyance. Her expression and the way she ground her teeth made it seem like she was trying to pick the perfect spot to bite.
Draco, however, didn't notice that her little outburst—just a bit too familiar, a bit too close—happened to coincide with the moment a certain little witch happened to glance their way...
"In short, don't let your curiosity get the better of you."
Draco, seemingly concerned that Pansy might take things too far, gave her a gentle warning.
"And it's hot."
He glanced at her—she was nearly pressed up against his arm—and, feeling a little uncomfortable, lightly nudged her away.
"Hmph, do I look like some reckless Gryffindor to you?"
Clearly annoyed by Draco's rejection, Pansy let out a small huff, her cheeks flushing slightly, then pulled back a little.
It was worth noting that she also threw a quick glance toward the Gryffindor side of the room, and in her lake-colored eyes was a flicker of smug satisfaction...
Unaware of her little show, Draco narrowed his eyes in thought, mulling over the odd behavior he'd noticed from Hermione and the others.
"Seems like it only started recently…"
Perhaps their earlier conversation had been overheard, because Goyle wandered over as if he had something to add.
"Goyle?"
"Actually, it's not just Professor Snape. According to what I've heard, they've been spending a lot of time around Professor Quirrell lately. No idea why, especially since they barely interacted before."
"You mean... Quirrell?"
Goyle's report made Draco squint, surprised.
If there was any wizard at Hogwarts who most captured Draco's interest, it was Headmaster Dumbledore. But if he had to name the one who made his skin crawl, it was definitely their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor—Quirinus Quirrell.
So, hearing this made Draco feel it might be time to speak directly with that little wildcat.
She clearly didn't like him, but wasn't he already the villain in her story?
If that was the case, then being a little forceful wasn't exactly out of character...
...
And just like Goyle said, Harry and his friends had been visiting Quirrell far more often than usual over the past few days. The number of interactions had spiked—not to mention how often they seemed to seek him out for a chat.
The reason, of course, was to make sure Quirrell didn't cave under Snape's pressure...
Surprisingly though, Quirrell seemed a lot tougher than they'd expected.
Over the next several days, even though he appeared paler, thinner, and more withdrawn, he didn't look like he was about to collapse anytime soon.
To Harry and the others, this made him look like a brave soul standing up against tyranny—a true man of justice!
Because of this, every time Harry passed him in the corridors, he'd flash Quirrell an encouraging smile. Ron even started urging other students to stop mocking his stutter.
There was one thing, however, that Harry hadn't shared with Ron or Hermione.
Every time he ran into Quirrell, his lightning-shaped scar would twinge with a dull, inexplicable pain—like a warning, nudging him about something important.
Maybe it was telling him not to let Professor Quirrell fall into danger?
That was what Harry believed...
Aside from cheering Quirrell on in their own way, the trio had also gotten into the habit of pressing their ears to the door whenever they passed the third-floor corridor, just to make sure Fluffy was still guarding the Philosopher's Stone.
As for Snape, he seemed to have taken up pacing around the castle, striding through hallways all day with a temper even worse than usual. And whenever he saw Harry getting closer to Quirrell, his expression turned so dark it looked like he might explode on the spot.
Judging by all this, the Philosopher's Stone was still safe for the time being.
Apparently, Snape's mood had become their unofficial safety gauge.
If he ever found out, though, he'd probably unleash every ounce of venom he had on Harry Potter...
...
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
[email protected]/BlurryDream