Bad news threw a wrench in Sean's plans: Professor Trelawney was nowhere to be found.
"Professor Trelawney's a busy woman, always zipping between magical schools. Not seeing her is the norm," the Weasley twins' words echoed in Sean's mind.
It looked like finding her anytime soon was a long shot. So, Sean decided to tackle studying Ancient Runes and selecting materials on their own.
Or, maybe, Sean thought, the twins might have some tricks up their sleeves? Like the time they shared their Runes notes—clear, precise, and full of meaning, no fluff.
In the corridor, Sean caught a fleeting glimpse of a figure on a pony darting by. At the same corner, a tall silhouette appeared.
As Sean stepped into the hallway, an unexpected wizard greeted them.
"Mr. Green, good to see you," said the tall prefect, her tone polite but tinged with enthusiasm.
"Prefect Clearwater," Sean nodded, feeling this corridor was never quite free of interruptions.
"Oh, The Selection and Inspiration of Alchemical Materials? Studying ancient alchemy? That's sixth-year stuff," Penelope Clearwater said, eyeing Sean's notebook with a brighter smile.
"There are plenty of Ravenclaws taking Ancient Runes as an elective. Maybe we could help you out?"
Sean shook their head. Penelope's intentions weren't hard to guess, and she wasn't exactly hiding them.
"I bet your notes are thorough, but hear me out. Ravenclaw has a 'Magic Society.' Yep, a club. It's full of witches and wizards like you who love diving into magic," she said, watching Sean's reaction.
Sean showed a flicker of interest, but not much.
"We've got tons of notes on Ancient Runes—annotations on those obscure books. Simple, clear, and professor-approved. Totally reliable."
Sean's eyes lit up a bit.
"Some even date back to Ravenclaws from years ago," Penelope added.
Sean started to consider it seriously.
"They're all yours. And if you need to track down Professor Bathsheda Babbling for lessons, we can make that happen. All we ask is for you to play for Ravenclaw… three—no, two times!"
Penelope spoke faster, her words painting a picture where Sean's issues with Runes and materials might not be issues at all.
Sean had always believed magic was vast. Maybe no one had succeeded at what they were trying, but that didn't mean no one had failed. After all, some wizard had dared to eat a Venomous Tentacula and ended up on a Chocolate Frog card.
Magic wasn't always straightforward, but there was always something to glean between the lines.
So, Sean was tempted. If the Magic Society's notes were useful, it only seemed fair to give something back.
Penelope Clearwater's lips curved slightly. They'd been watching Sean for a while, especially since the Weasleys weren't exactly discreet about Sean's alchemy studies.
More importantly, she'd just struck a deal with… someone.
"I think…" Sean began.
Penelope's offer was tempting. Sean wasn't a fan of Quidditch—it took time and risked injury—but playing just once or twice as a short-term substitute? That was doable. Their health wasn't as fragile anymore.
It was a fair trade, and Sean respected that.
"Don't say no just yet," Penelope said softly. "I hear Professor McGonagall loves Quidditch. They say she's at every match."
She paused there, leaving the rest unsaid. "I'm sorry if I heard something I shouldn't have. If you're upset, I'll probably regret it, but this is something I had to do. Sean, we need you. The Ravenclaw Quidditch team needs you. The whole house—this is our best shot."
Penelope looked at Sean earnestly. "In Merlin's name, no one else will hear about this. I don't know why you're not called Sean McGonagall, but if you don't want to share, no one will know."
Penelope Clearwater was sharp. She owned her ambitions but kept them in check with a rare moral line. Sure, her cunning could rub people the wrong way, but Ravenclaws trusted her. At least she was upfront about it, right?
The corridor hummed with the sound of wind. Christmas garlands hung overhead, and the portraits on the walls flickered in the shifting light.
Penelope held her breath as the young wizard in front of her sank into thought.
Sean only reacted slightly at the mention of Professor McGonagall, then quickly regained their calm.
"How disgraceful! Such shameful scheming!" a voice suddenly boomed.
Sean immediately recognized Sir Cadogan.
Though his tone was stern and proper, the knight wasn't exactly in top form. His pony was dragging him into the frame, his legs scraping the ground with a rustling sound.
"You should be ashamed, witch!" Sir Cadogan declared, his body slumped over his pony, his deep, chivalrous voice clashing with his comical appearance.
Penelope lowered her head slightly. "I'm sorry."
"Love is not to be used like that, madam," Sir Cadogan said, winking at Sean. "You should make amends for your mistake. You've done your part for your house's honor—now it's time to apologize."
Then Sean watched as Penelope pulled a stack of notes from her bag, clearly prepared in advance.
"Sir Cadogan, you're right," she said, handing the notes to Sean. "Whether you join us or not, Ravenclaw's got your back. If you need to find Professor Bathsheda Babbling or decide to play for Ravenclaw, just let me know."
Her smile was genuine now. She mimed zipping her lips and left the corridor.
Truth be told, Sean had already agreed.
As for Professor McGonagall, she'd actually planned to share the news herself, but since Professor Snape wasn't keen on it, she'd happily let it be.
---
Shortly After
In a quiet corner of the corridor, Penelope paced, her earlier grace replaced by nervous energy. "Sir Cadogan, will this really work?"
"I know young Green better than anyone at Hogwarts!" the knight declared confidently.
"Let's hope so," Penelope muttered, pacing a bit more before leaving.
Sir Cadogan began humming a tune. "Of course, the big cat would've been fine going public, but keeping it quiet protects him, doesn't it, Severus? Just imagine seeing young Green soaring free on the pitch—ha! The big cat's probably as thrilled as I am! And I took care of a little problem in the process. Oh, young Green, how will you ever thank me? I certainly don't want to be hung by the dungeon door…"
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