Having realised his mistake, Magnus had detoured towards Ravenclaw Tower to get his books. Largely, he had done so to escape the question he had known Hermione would have been throwing at him, especially on where he had gotten the invigorating potion.
He was, however, surprised when he returned to find the stubborn girl waiting just above the stairs where she had tripped. And she wasn't alone—both Harry and Ron were waiting next to her.
All of them had their Pokémons inside the baskets. Snape had after all, made clear he would tolerate no free Pokémon in his classes.
'Damn you, Hermione, you should learn to give up,' Magnus thought as he reached where they were.
"Dude, Professor Lupin wants to see you… bet it's because you skipped the class… what were you thinking, mate?" Ron asked as soon as they caught sight of him.
"Or maybe he got lost and missed it… it's the first defense against dark arts lesson after all," Harry suggested.
"I'm doing fine, thanks… how about you guys?" Magnus said dismissively, though now that Harry had mentioned it, that excuse appeared to be the most sound amongst everything he had contemplated.
"Where were you anyway… I tried to answer for you when he called the register but he busted me, mate," Ron explained as they began to descend towards the dungeons.
"Thanks, Ron," he said as his attitude lightened at the revelation. It was admirable that Ron had tried to lie on his behalf despite the fact it did not work.
"Well, that was foolish seeing you were in Gryffindor robes and Magnus is a Ravenclaw," Hermione admonished and the three boys threw her a scathing look.
Her face blushed a deep red… Magnus knew that when it came to her, blushing had lots of meaning, the main one being stubborn rule-abiding Hermione had been triggered.
"Well, I don't seem to recall you saying something," Ron glared at her in distaste. She, however, didn't seem slightly abashed.
"Maybe that is because I didn't know where he was."
Harry was looking between his two Gryffindor friends with uncertainty, probably not knowing who to side with.
Hearing them squabble, Magnus found it hard to believe that these two had married in the canon events.
"Anyway," Hermione said, turning towards Magnus and ignoring Ron's furious glare. "I have been meaning to ask you something about her," she said, indicating her Pokémon.
Magnus looked at her, then at Harry and Ron. He silently wondered whether she had lost her mind.
"Oh… they know," she said matter-of-factly. "They have been helping me research about it."
Magnus should have expected it, seeing that the three were tight… It wasn't that he didn't trust Harry and Ron—in fact, he actually thought it was great for Hermione to have friends from her own house whom she could rely on—it's just that… well, with four people now in on the secret, it just stopped being that. Even if they were careful, it was only a matter of time before someone let something accidentally slip and then the whole school would know.
"The thing is we couldn't find anything about my Pokémon in any book," Hermione went on, "which is what I expected but it still feels like we are missing something."
"You are being hard on yourself, you heard the Ministry lady. Pichu is a new entry, so it means there is nothing in record about it," Harry added, but she countered him almost immediately.
"That is fine and all, but how does he know so much about my Pokémon if even the Ministry and all partners don't have any data?"
The question was directed to Harry, but they all turned towards him for the answer.
"Well… it's just like Harry says, there should be nothing in books," Magnus stuttered as he tried to find a way out.
"Yeah… but how is it you know so much?" Hermione persisted, unwilling to budge.
Magnus decided to change tactics; he was, after all, not about to tell them they had all been nothing but a work of fiction.
"And since when did knowing 'so much' become a crime?"
They noticed his tone had suddenly become hostile. He had been trying to guilt-trip them into leaving him alone, but his defensive instincts had taken things further.
"C'mon, mate," Ron stepped in, trying to salvage the situation, "all we are saying is that it could help us if we at least had enough data about the Pichu electric…"
Ron stopped and looked behind at the sudden slip. That is when they all seemed to notice the group that had been a good distance behind them had now edged quite close.
They might have assumed them and went on were it not for the fact that it was the Slytherins.
Specifically, Malfoy was accompanied by the Zabini girl and his two wannabe goons, Crabbe and Goyle.
Ron and the group stopped to allow them to pass. Instead, Malfoy also stopped, and his friends followed suit.
"I see you are learning your manners, Weasley," Malfoy taunted, his eyes scanning the group, then landed on Hermione.
"Hey, Miss Ratty," he called to Hermione, and his fellow Slytherins laughed stupidly. Malfoy seemed even more thrilled by his achievement. "Killed that poor rat yet?"
He stooped towards the basket and was about to poke at the Pichu when Magnus suddenly stepped forward and shoved him back, making him stumble and crash onto Goyle, who steadied him while looking uncertain.
It wasn't that the guy had broken past his nerves—no… he could withstand his taunting even though for a few more seconds before he knocked the air right out of him.
The thing is, Draco might have forced the Pichu to electrocute him publicly, which was something they couldn't afford.
Magnus noted both Harry and Ron had wands drawn and had pushed Hermione behind them.
He contemplated drawing his too, even though he had only mastered a few spells so far. He, however, decided not to—it would only escalate things.
For some seconds, Magnus could see the fear in Malfoy's eyes as he saw the anger on his face. For an instant he thought the guy would give in and head away, but then he pushed Goyle off him and stepped again toward them.
"So the rumor is true," he said, looking at Magnus. "Miss Ratty has gotten herself a boyfriend."
Ron might have hexed him then, but Hermione grabbed his hand from behind.
Malfoy seemed to get himself even more worked up by the second.
"Oh my bad… two boyfriends," he exclaimed mockingly, and his group burst out laughing again. "You, Miss Ratty, are quite a greedy, greedy girl. That is quite some love triangle."
"Why don't you get moving, Malfoy," Harry stepped in, looking equally ready to throw some hex. "You can't be jealous now. I mean, you seem to have a girlfriend and two thick boyfriends of your own."
Magnus laughed, mostly because of the reaction Harry's jest had elicited in the Slytherin group.
"What… you guys didn't realise you have a thing for each other?" Magnus added. Malfoy now looked pretty furious.
"Oh… sorry, I seem to have overlooked the Boy Who Lived," he said, now training his focus on Harry. "I guess you too want a piece of Miss Ratty, do you?"
Malfoy had once again brought himself too close, and Magnus was about to shove the idiot back once more when he suddenly turned to face him.
He barely came to magnus' chest, but at that moment there didn't seem to be any fear in his eyes.
"And you, you shouldn't have done what you did at my house. You will pay for that," he spat before Magnus pushed him back.
Their commotion had attracted quite a crowd, and anytime now a teacher or a prefect would walk on them.
Then again, Magnus decided they might have been played into Malfoy's trap… maybe that is what the guy had been pushing for. could he have been set on him by snape?. I mean the man had warned that he would have him expelled.
He reached and pushed back Ron and Harry. "Come on, guys… he isn't worth shit."
The two complied, but Malfoy stepped again too close this time and lowered his voice in a whisper.
"I know your secrets," he said, looking at him and Hermione. "Yours… hers," he added, pointing at Hermione behind them, "and your peasant brothers and that stupid troll Hagrid," he said to Ron.
For a second, Magnus wasn't sure how to respond… he was, however, certain that Draco wasn't bluffing… he looked too confident to be lying.
"Not so smart now, huh? We will see what the Ministry says about it," and then he and his group pushed past them.
***
Read 15 chapters ahead on:
[email protected]/Realmsinus