A head poked into the room. Zabini looked at Blake suspiciously. "What're you doing?"
"You haven't seen a Quill lying around, have you?"
"You're messing up our dorm this much over a Quill? They're like a Sickle in Diagon Alley. Hurry up, the train's going to leave soon."
Blake had no choice but to comply, not wanting to raise any more suspicion. He quickly wished Zabini a Merry Christmas, and left the castle.
When he arrived at the platform, Malfoy and his goons were already there, loudmouthing as always - but right now, Blake wasn't in any mood for that.
"Shut up, Malfoy."
For someone that thought himself at the top of the world, Malfoy sure did silence himself quickly.
As Blake boarded the train, sitting alone, he wracked his brain, trying to think where he could've lost or missed the Quill, but nothing came to mind. He always made sure to carry it on him. I have the ink, so why don't I have the Quill? Unless… someone took it? But who?
It wouldn't have been Zabini - he had no reason to. Neither did Tracey or Charlotte. Malfoy and his goons would have no access to it, and judging by the paper in the door strategy, no one else did either.
Blake's fury rose once more. That leaves one person…
"Looking for this?"
As if by magic, Daphne Greengrass appeared out of nowhere, holding his Quill, her normally expressionless face filled with smugness.
Blake immediately drew his wand, but Greengrass spoke quickly.
"No need to resort to savagery, Renshaw. There's something I want to talk to you about - I'll give back if you agree to do something for me."
So you're trying to blackmail me, then?
Blake slightly lowered his wand, and Greengrass took the opportunity to stroll over and sit opposite him, completely at ease despite the wand pointed at her.
"That's mine, Greengrass," he said quietly.
"I'm aware," she said idly. "I'm impressed. I'm assuming this is what you use to mass produce the essays? I still haven't found a spell that does that - does that mean you created a spell?"
Blake didn't answer.
"In what? A month of learning magic? It's almost impossible to believe a mudblood like you could do something like that."
Blake refused to give Greengrass the satisfaction of responding to her clear provocation, especially when there was no malice behind her words.
"I think you mean muggleborn, Greengrass. And besides, I don't know why you're surprised when you know very well I'm better than you at most subjects anyway."
The blond girl's nose twitched ever so slightly, and Blake smirked.
"Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration, perhaps. But Potions, Charms, and Herbology?"
Blake snorted. "You count Herbology? And you're barely better than me at Charms."
"Better is better, Renshaw. And Herbology is more useful than you could know."
"Aren't you embarrassed?" Blake suddenly asked.
Greengrass's smug face didn't falter as she asked, "Why would I be embarrassed?"
"That a mudblood like me is better than you at two of the most important subjects, and can already create spells?"
Greengrass's nose twitched once more, and her voice took on a more icy tone.
"Enough of this. Do you want your little peasant Quill back or not?"
"I could take it from you by force if I wanted to."
"Maybe, maybe not. Are you willing to risk it?"
Blake assessed his options. He hated the idea of having to negotiate with this witch, but the last thing he needed right now was to get snitched on - or fragment his friend group by fighting her.
"Fine," he said, almost growling. "But if you try anything, or ask for anything-"
"Glad we got the idle threat out of the way," Greengrass said coolly, interrupting him. I liked you a lot better when you didn't talk as much.
Greengrass snapped her fingers, and said, "Kipler!" Before Blake could wonder what type of new spell that was, literally out of nowhere, a weird looking creature appeared.
"Is that-"
"This is my house-elf, Kipler. Kipler, Blake Renshaw. Anyway, Kipler, I need you to do an Unbreakable Vow for us, please. The terms of it are here." She handed the house-elf a piece of scroll.
An Unbreakable Vow? Blake had read about that - if you break it, you…
The house-elf bowed deeply.
"Of course, Lady Greengrass."
What the hell? Is that her servant?
Greengrass turned back to Blake.
"Stand up and give me your right hand."
Despite himself, Blake blushed.
"No way!"
For a second, the boy could've sworn he saw a tinge of red on the girl's cheeks too, before she reverted back to her normal expressionless face.
"Don't be stupid, Renshaw. Or don't you know how Unbreakable Vows work?"
"You must be crazy if you think I'm risking my life to help you, Greengrass. I think I'll just take my chances in a duel instead."
Blake raised his wand slightly, but in an instant the house elf shot a wordless and wandless spell at him.
"Protego!"
If it wasn't for McGonagall's harsh training, it would've caught me off guard! Blake quickly realised that the house-elf wasn't just a servant - he served as a bodyguard too, and judging by the smug expression on Greengrass's face, she had accounted for that too.
The house elf was watching him carefully now, waiting for him to make a move.
I didn't think that thing could be strong - if I try to fight now…
"Still think you can take it?"
"Too scared to duel me like in tradition? What happened to your pureblood heritage and pride?"
Greengrass laughed. "I'm not Malfoy for you to be riling me up, Renshaw. I can summon Kipler wherever I want to, whenever I want to. The Anti-Apparation spells in Hogwarts don't apply to house-elves."
"So that's how you took it in the first place?"
Greengrass smiled tightly. "Who knows, Renshaw." I'm right.
"I think you should assess your options," she announced, smug again. "Either you take my deal and avoid punishment from the professors and keep your little business running, or you don't take the deal, and I show this to the teachers, you receive punishment, and your business dies. Kipler, you used to work in Hogwarts, did you not?"
"Yes, my lady."
"Tell me, what do you think would be the punishment for completing essays for 15 students in multiple different subjects, essentially cheating, and also charging them a hefty fee for it too?"
"Suspension or expulsion, my lady."
Greengrass turned back to Blake.
"So?"
Blake stood there for a moment, before smiling slightly.
"Your house elf seems to be quite capable and knowledgeable, Greengrass. Mind if I ask him a couple of questions?"
The girl's eyes narrowed slightly, but she kept up the bravado.
"Go ahead."
"Kipler, seeing as you worked at Hogwarts, do you mind giving me your guess on what the punishment for potentially lethal blackmail and extortion is?"
Kipler looked at Greengrass sharply for a moment, before turning back to Blake.
"Expulsion."
"Looks like I've better chances than you do, Greengrass."
The smug expression had been wiped off the blond girl's face now.
"Unfortunately, I'm not your average witch, Renshaw. I can pull strings in Hogwarts."
"Maybe, but somehow I doubt that even Mummy and Daddy's money can save you from something as serious as intended blackmail and extortion, with the possibility of lethal repercussions."
Greengrass didn't say anything for a moment, before sighing.
"It seems that you're not a total fool. But unfortunately, if you don't accept the deal, the best situation for you is that neither of us take it to any authority due to mutually assured destruction, and I still keep the Quill."
Blake smirked.
"What makes you think I can't make another?"
Greengrass shook her head dismissively.
"Oh please. You think I haven't noticed you sneaking around? It's clear that you're trying to improve your spell - that means it's mediocre at best, and it's not perfected. Even if you've kept a record of how the most recent iteration works, how do you know that the effect isn't a culmination of all the other iterations before it?"
Damn it. Of course she'd realised that. It was true. Right now, all Blake was doing was tweaking the Quill, adding iterations that worked and cancelling ones that didn't. He needed that specific Quill. But to take such a big risk for it…
"Fine, I'll hear you out, and I'll make my decision afterwards," Blake said after inhaling deeply, trying to calm himself down.
Finally, Greengrass smiled - a small, but genuine smile - and for a second, Blake couldn't help but smile too, before he quickly shook himself out of his stupor to finish his words.
"But on one condition." Greengrass narrowed her eyes again, waiting.
"I've had enough of the stealing and the deceptions. I refuse to operate with anyone in bad faith. You mentioned an Unbreakable Vow, right? I want to be able to impose a condition too, after I hear what this is about."
Greengrass nodded with a smile. "I accept your terms."
"Ok then. Tell me. What's this all about?"
Greengrass ordered Kipler to cast spells to avoid being listened in on and to guard their otherwise empty carriage, then leaned back in her seat.
"Tell me, Renshaw. What do you know about the Philosopher's Stone?"
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