With a strange turn of events, Draco stole the victory out of Daphne’s hands.
As the hot air bombarding the smoke finally thinned it out, letting everyone see clearly, they found Draco standing over Daphne’s petrified body.
Draco’s face was covered in blood, but, mostly, he still looked fine.
In front of him, and over Daphne’s head, the strange black mist-covered book was still hovering.
How did Draco manage to hit Daphne with a spell through the smoke?
How did Draco even manage to find her?!
The students and the Professor didn’t know; nor did they get the ti to think over it for long.
Daphne had been petrified, true enough, but her summon was still on the dueling platform.
Seviper, now not getting any command from its master, followed the last order.
Under the stunned gazes of all, the beast covered the distance between itself and Draco in one great slither.
Madam Villanelle’s heart jumped to her throat.
Behind Draco, Umbridge just turned around and ran to the high table, putting herself behind a jumpy Lockhart.
Professor Snape, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout left their chairs.
But even they weren’t that fast.
Hissssssssssss!!!
Draco, now tired beyond recovery, stupidly looked as the serpent ca for him.
Let’s not even ntion the use of Apparation right now; he couldn’t even see properly. There was this yellowish blurriness in his eyes, blinding his vision.
If he hadn’t put his wand on Daphne’s body, he wouldn’t have found her, either, despite apparating right behind her.
Eyes glowing red, Seviper murderously charged at Draco, its fangs glowing purple.
Madam Villanelle’s silver-colored eyes narrowed as she recalled the Grimoire.
However, before she could execute the command, two students rushed at the dueling platform, one faster than the other.
-Step away from my brother!- Darcie scread, tiny bolts of green lightning snaking around her.
-Leave him alone!- Harry shouted, his eyes going wide behind the round glasses.
-STOP!!!- They shouted together, silencing everyone.
Seviper jerked, snapping its head at them.
Pin drop silence reigned in the Grand Hall.
All the students stupidly gawked at Darcie and Harry, their jaws hanging lower and lower.
From the one side of the Grand Hall, all the Professors too slowed down, their eyes falling on the two students.
Madam Villanelle, also taken aback, was still more experienced.
With one swift wave of her wand, she forced the Grimoire to disappear.
Losing its connection to the Grimoire, Seviper let out another hiss and fell... secretly lting into Daphne’s shadow.
As the whispers roared through the students, Darcie and Harry realized what had happened.
Harry had already told the boys about him being able to talk to snakes. That’s why he had been hearing the strange hisses.
It was then he had learned that he was a Parselmouth.
Black had also heard those hisses. Contrary to Harry, though, Black had only heard the hisses; he couldn’t understand what the hisses ant.
Still, Draco had told them to not reveal this to anyone as people would begin associating with the dark things... especially in these tis.
However, never had Harry thought that Darcie was a Parselmouth, too. And if she was, then why...
The mumbles and gazes had overwheld the two students so much that when Draco fell unconscious on the dueling platform, they didn’t know.
But they didn’t need to hear them to know what they were talking about.
Only recently had an ill event occurred, becoming the talk of the schools.
The Heir of Slytherins!!!
As the students slowly stepped away from Harry, making him frown because they were still surrounding Darcie like before, one of the Grand Hall’s doors opened with a...
BAM!
Filch, the caretaker, limped his way into the Grand Hall, gasping for air.
As everyone looked at him in silence, shaking, the old man pointed behind him, and said, "... student... another attack..."
And roaring whispers beca horrified gasps in monts.
...
The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked, and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing, had spread through the entire school by Monday morning.
Suspicions were thick in the air, but, other than the first years, the students didn’t seem extrely worried about it.
First, Professor Dumbledore had already told them that the petrified ones would be alright.
He hadn’t downplayed the situation, though, clearly telling them all that a monster was roaming in the Hogwarts. So, he had advised students to always remain in pairs.
The Professors had also distributed whistles to all students, courtesy of Madam Villanelle.
As soon as one blew a whistle, Madam Villanelle would know where that student was, letting all Professors rush to the student’s location.
Second, and perhaps the greatest reason behind students’ relatively calm handling of this situation, was that this was an enemy at ho... an enemy who was actively hiding from the students... an enemy that was singling people out to attack...
Everything told them that the enemy couldn’t be worse than the Lord of Azkaban, the Dark Lord, and the Yellow Warlock... especially the Yellow Warlock.
The darkness looming on the wizarding world, and the constant expectations thrown at them, had made the students grow up sooner than they would have otherwise. Not only ntally, but they were growing powerful in magic as well.
"How’s Ginny..." Black asked Ron as the boys walked toward the classroom.
Ron shrugged. "... Not too good, I guess," he replied.
Ginny used to sit next to Colin in Charms.
Black wanted to make sure that the Diary was with her or not. "Was she crying?" he asked.
Draco had to intervene. "Aren’t you two basically cousins?! Have so sha, you black heart..."
Harry’s lips twitched from the side.
Black stared at Draco as Ron stared at him. "At least I don’t take advantage of a duel to put my wand on soone’s chest..."
"You!"
"Co on, guys!" Harry broke a fuming Draco away from a smiling Black.
"Look who’s playing the monk between us..." Black quipped.
Draco’s fuming expression suddenly gained a sneer. "Potter the Parselmouth... Slytherin’s long-lost son... In his free ti, Lord Potter likes to show the Hufflepuffs where they belong..."
Ron almost balled over with laughter.
Harry adjusted his glasses, his cheeks going red.
Just today, in the morning, Harry had a fight with Justin Finch-Fletchley over sothing stupid.
"I don’t understand!" Harry complained, throwing his hands. "Darcie was there, too! She’s a Parselmouth, too! We both said the sa thing! If there’s a Slytherin’s heir, then isn’t she the best candidate? Then why everyone’s acting like I did sothing wrong?!!"
That wasn’t all, though.
Harry hadn’t told anyone that the Sorting Hat had almost sent him Slytherin as well.
Now, after what happened at the Grand Hall, Harry had been forced to undergo hours of interrogation because of him being a Parselmouth.
If it was in Umbridge’s hands, then he would be in Azkaban right now, just as a precaution.
Madam Villanelle and Dumbledore could not let that happen.
Darice, of course, gained a free pass because...
"... She’s Darcie..." Black said, ignoring a silent Draco. "... If you want to compare yourself to her... grow a pair..."
"I am...!!!" Draco lunged at Black and both went rolling on the floor.
Harry and Ron kept walking, ignoring the two in the corridor.
"They canceled the Christmas holidays..." Ron mumbled.
"Yeah..." Harry rembered the notice. "They should be declaring the top 10 of our group this week..."
Ron and Harry looked at each other.
"Oh, man! This is such a drag..." Ron complained, hunching his back. Harry had to agree.
Only a miracle could prevent them from fighting each other this Saturday.
*****************
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