Filch froze for a moment when he saw Marius Cloud, then his face twisted into a peculiar mix of obsequiousness and respect.
"Oh… oh! So it's Mr. Cloud! Well, in that case, there's certainly no need to trouble Professor Snape. I already know about this matter."
Filch was a squib with an unshakable sense for social status. Naturally, when dealing with someone from such an illustrious lineage as Marius, he was far more polite than with the average student.
After all, he was merely a lowly caretaker at the school, while Marius was the sole heir of the illustrious Cloud family — one of the pure-blood aristocracy's most revered names. The gap in their social standing was astronomical.
Moreover, word that Marius had been summoned for a private meeting by Professor Snape the previous evening had already spread across Hogwarts. Even without asking Snape, Filch knew it was true.
In fact, even if Marius were lying, Filch would gladly turn a blind eye out of respect for his status.
"This must be Mrs. Norris, yes?" Marius crouched down with a pleasant smile, reaching out to stroke the feline.
To Filch's astonishment, Mrs. Norris — who normally trusted no one except him — merely sniffed Marius' scent and then calmly allowed him to scratch her head.
"Oh…, that's… that's simply unbelievable," Filch stammered. "I was worried she'd scratch you…"
"Your cat's quite adorable," Marius replied with a warm chuckle.
The truth was, Mrs. Norris was gaunt, filthy, and possessed the same bulging, lamp-like eyes as her master. She was, by any conventional standard, not adorable in the least.
She was infamous for prowling the corridors alone and reporting the tiniest infractions — such as a toe straying over the line — to Filch, who would arrive, panting, within seconds.
Unsurprisingly, if there was ever a vote for the most disliked animal in Hogwarts, Mrs. Norris would win unanimously.
Still, Filch basked in the compliment. "Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Cloud. I also think she's very cute."
Then, in a tone dripping with resentment, he muttered about the other students: "You're far more polite than the rest — unlike those rude, brutish children. Truly the heir of a great family."
"Oh, his fawning is making me nauseous," George Weasley whispered.
"Didn't think Filch's boot-licking skills were this impressive," Fred replied, pulling an exaggerated face of disgust.
Still, seeing Marius successfully monopolize Filch's attention, the twins relaxed greatly. They were silently cheering him on — if he could somehow lure Filch away entirely, they'd be saved.
But instead of wrapping things up, Marius actually started making small talk with Filch!
George and Fred were nearly in despair.
For Merlin's sake, get rid of him! We're suffocating in this hidden passage!
Meanwhile, Marius continued to stroke Mrs. Norris, who was now lying belly-up in absolute bliss.
Filch's lamp-like eyes widened even further — nearly to streetlamp proportions.
"This is just so strange…" he muttered, clearly baffled. "Why would she behave like this toward someone she's only just met?"
His tone even carried a hint of jealousy.
"Perhaps I'm just good with animals," Marius said mildly. "All the pets I've had tended to like me."
Of course, he silently added — except for that stupid dog who only bullied others at home.
Truth be told, Marius himself was puzzled. He had only intended to test the waters by petting Mrs. Norris; he hadn't expected her to be this docile.
"Naturally — my scent is all over you, Master. Of course she wouldn't dare be hostile."
And right on cue, the familiar voice of the wretched mutt piped up behind him.
"Who's speaking?"
Filch looked around in confusion — until he glanced down and saw a grinning Shiba Inu.
"A talking dog!?" he gasped.
"So, the Silencing Charm's worn off, has it?" Marius said with a smirk, turning to see Crookshanks trotting along behind the dog for some reason.
Mrs. Norris, spotting the mutt, immediately rolled over, then lowered her head and padded deferentially toward him.
Marius' lips curled into an amused smile. Well, well. Looks like this dog's already become a campus overlord.
Apparently, just like with Crookshanks earlier, the mutt had managed to dominate every cat and dog within a hundred-yard radius in record time.
"In this area, you've actually done me proud. Not bad," Marius praised.
The Shiba Inu tilted his head smugly. "Naturally. Do you not see who I belong to? I'm the King of Slytherin!… family pet."
Marius rolled his eyes. Talk about puffed-up. He could practically picture the mutt swaggering around the school, exploiting his master's reputation to lord over the local animal kingdom.
"You! You're the wicked beast that's been stealing my cat!?" Filch suddenly exclaimed, jabbing a trembling finger at the dog. "And you can talk, too!?"
Ever since two nights ago, Mrs. Norris had been disappearing from his side more and more often — something that had never happened before.
Shocked, Filch had investigated, only to occasionally spot the mutt in her company.
To Filch, it felt exactly like discovering a third party in a relationship.
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T/N:
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