The difference here was obvious—Snape only had to think for a moment to understand it.
And that sentence could also be interpreted as a veiled threat.
Sure, you could force me to join the Quidditch team, but I could just put in no effort at all. Then it would be no different from you never letting me join in the first place.
The problem was… if Marius Cloud really chose to do that, Snape would have absolutely no way to stop him.
But hidden within that statement was also immense confidence—no, arrogance. It was essentially Marius declaring:
"As long as I take Quidditch seriously, victory is inevitable!"
Even so, Snape's brow furrowed into a perfect 川-shaped crease.
If not for his duties as Head of Slytherin House, Snape wouldn't want to spend even a second in the presence of this infuriating brat.
In Snape's mind, Marius Cloud's sheer audacity ranked just below Harry Potter's.
In fact… in some ways, Marius's annoyance value might be even higher.
Still, it was undeniable—when it came to raw ability, Marius had more than just "a little talent."
The more Snape thought about it, the more irritated he became.
Impossible! he thought darkly. How much of my precious time would be wasted on this? Not worth it at all.
Just imagining having to tutor Marius personally during his free time—alone, for extended periods—was enough to make Snape's skin crawl. Naturally, he refused outright.
"Even without you, the Slytherin team will still be formidable," Snape sneered. "You're overestimating your own importance."
"Is that so?" Marius shrugged. "Then the deal's off. If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back to bed. Just make sure you don't regret this later, Professor."
Snape gave an irritated snort, glaring coldly at Marius as the boy sauntered away.
It seemed his usual cutting remarks had absolutely no effect on Cloud whatsoever.
For a man who had built a reputation on striking terror into students with nothing but his biting tongue, this felt like running into a natural-born nemesis.
Leaving Snape's office, Marius stifled a yawn and began making his way toward the Slytherin dorms.
He hadn't gone far when his newly enhanced hearing—courtesy of his recent level-up to Level 3—picked up a faint "click" from the nearby wall.
Marius tilted his head, eyeing an otherwise ordinary-looking stone surface.
Outwardly, there was nothing unusual. But the moment he unleashed his Mental Scan, he spotted them—two identical boys crammed into a hidden corner, whispering conspiratorially.
That faint click had come from the trigger of a secret door. Clearly, the narrow space could only fit one person, and even with the advantage of their small frames, the pair still had to leave half their heads sticking out.
The hidden door was impressively well-concealed. Without Mental Scan, Marius might never have found the Weasley twins.
"You sure this is a good hiding spot?" one of them whispered.
"I don't know, George," the other replied. "But at least Filch shouldn't catch us here… I think."
George nodded. "I hope so. Nothing's worse than being caught by Filch."
"Yeah, I remember just yesterday morning, Harry and Ron took a wrong turn and ran into him," Fred said in agreement. "They were trying to open the door that leads from the third floor to the outer corridor."
George shook his head sympathetically. "Poor Ron and Harry… I bet Filch didn't believe for a second they were lost. He probably thought they were trying to break in on purpose."
"You've got that exactly right," Fred smirked. "If the space here wasn't so cramped, I'd clap for you. He threatened to throw them into the dungeons, but luckily Professor McGonagall happened to pass by and saved them."
Then came the sound that made both brothers freeze.
"Come, my sweet… sniff them out. They're hiding somewhere nearby," came Filch's voice—clearly talking to Mrs. Norris.
The twins immediately shut their mouths.
"They're definitely in this area…" Filch muttered, voice drawing closer.
"Go, quick!" George hissed—only to notice Fred had gone rigid.
Curious, he leaned his head out as well, and both of them instantly froze.
Standing in the corridor, long robes swaying, Marius Cloud was staring right at them with an expression of amused interest.
Hogwarts was still buzzing from the legendary showdown earlier that day, and Marius's face was now known to everyone—including the Weasley twins.
We're doomed.
They could only pray silently, desperately gesturing for silence in the hopes that the Slytherin prodigy wouldn't give them away.
But would that really work? They weren't sure. And then… they remembered: Slytherins are always the mortal enemies of Gryffindors.
If Filch caught them, a bit of detention would be the least of their worries—losing at least fifty House points was almost guaranteed.
"Meow~"
Mrs. Norris's call drew closer. They had hidden their bodies well enough, but scent was another matter. No cat's nose could be fooled that easily.
"Aha! So you are nearby…" Filch's cruel voice echoed, growing louder. Sweat began to bead on the twins' foreheads.
And then, as if to seal their fate, Marius's lips curved into a devilish smile.
In that moment, their eyes met—and the silent negotiation began.
If you cover for us and help us get away from Filch, we'll give you anything in return.
Anything?
Anything.
By the time the wordless pact was struck, Filch's voice was practically right behind them.
"Got you—! Who dares wander the halls at night?!"
"It's me, Mr. Filch," Marius said smoothly, stepping out without the slightest rush. "Professor Snape wanted to see me about something regarding the Quidditch team. If you don't believe me, you can ask him yourself."
And just like that, the game was in motion.
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T/N:
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