Horace Slughorn's move immediately drew the attention of everyone in the Great Hall.
The witches and wizards who had no idea what Horace was planning all looked at the new professor with curiosity.
Those who knew Horace, however, turned envious eyes on Hermione.
Sure enough.
When Professor Horace stopped in front of Hermione, he invited her without hesitation. "I would very much like Miss Granger to attend my party as well."
"But I..."
"If you're worried, I'm sure Mr. Malfoy will be able to offer you a bit of advice."
As he said that, Horace gave a slight bow. With how sincere he looked, Hermione found herself unable to refuse on the spot.
She knew perfectly well that he wasn't really after her, and that he was very likely aiming at Draco instead. Even so, looking at Professor Horace standing in front of her now, Hermione found it hard to dislike him at all.
"Professor... I'm not really sure."
"It's only a small party. It doesn't mean you have to join my club. Of course, if you're willing to, I would be delighted."
"If it's only..."
"Then it's settled. I'll be looking forward to seeing you both there."
Was it decisive efficiency?
Or simply an inexplicable confidence in himself?
Before Hermione could even finish speaking, Professor Horace had already patted his round belly and cheerfully left the Slytherin table, as if he had no doubt at all that Hermione would show up at the party later.
At a loss, Hermione turned to Draco.
She really did want some advice and help from him.
"That party?"
"Just like Horace said, it's meant to give outstanding wizards like you a chance to meet one another, and then, through that, he invites the people he's taken a liking to."
Excellent people were always drawn to each other.
That was how connections were built.
At that, Draco paused for a moment. "Part of the reason is because of me, but in a way, Horace really does think highly of your potential and your future. That's why he invited you."
"...Forget it. I don't really like that kind of occasion."
After hesitating for only a few seconds, Hermione gave up this very rare opportunity.
And from the look on her face, it was obvious that this was how she truly felt, not something she was saying because she had no choice.
What Hermione didn't expect, though, was that Draco had something else in mind.
"No. I'll go with you when the time comes."
"Huh?"
"There's something I want to ask Horace."
Hermione and Pansy both froze.
At that moment, they could see a thoughtful glint in Draco's gray eyes.
…
By October, Hogwarts' security measures had become tighter and tighter. Some classes that required students to go near the Forbidden Forest had even been canceled. But to everyone's surprise, they still had a chance to leave Hogwarts.
And that chance was Hogsmeade.
Maybe it was because the Dark Lord's threat still hadn't reached Hogwarts, or even nearby Hogsmeade village, so the scheduled trip there hadn't been canceled after all.
On the morning of the Hogsmeade trip, the wind outside was howling. The awful weather, mixed with snowflakes, beat mercilessly against the castle windows.
Even so, it did nothing to dampen the students' excitement and anticipation.
Even Hermione, who lately always seemed to have Advanced Potion-Making in hand and looked determined to win back what she had lost in the coming class, had temporarily turned her attention to the trip to Hogsmeade.
"Let me think... We have to stop by Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop. I want to replace my quill. Draco, do you have any recommendations?"
"Forget that. I'd rather go to The Three Broomsticks with Draco and spend this lovely break relaxing."
"That sounds good. We'll buy the quill first, then go to The Three Broomsticks."
"No, no, no. We're going to The Three Broomsticks first!"
"Tch. I'm buying the quill I want first!"
"Granger, if you want it that badly, then go by yourself. Draco and I aren't stopping you!"
"Hah? Don't think I don't know what you're up to, Parkinson!"
Just as Pansy and Hermione were pressing their foreheads together in a standoff, Astoria, who was able to join them this year, suddenly raised her hand.
"Before any of that, let Draco go to Honeydukes with me first."
"..."
"..."
Maybe it was just his imagination.
But Draco seemed to see sparks flying in the clash of the three girls' gazes. Instinctively, he lifted the steaming cup in his hand and quietly used it to cover the lower half of his face.
As though doing that could somehow make him less noticeable.
Fortunately, before the battlefield could shift to Draco, the sudden commotion from the Gryffindor table interrupted the silent showdown between the three girls.
"Oh my God!"
"That was nonverbal casting!"
"Harry, you did it!"
"But that spell doesn't seem to be one we've been taught. Harry, where did you learn it?"
"Forget that... Harry, put me down already... this feels awful."
A flash of bright light passed, and the Gryffindor boy who had just been hanging upside down in midair dropped to the ground.
Luckily, he hadn't been suspended very high, so he wasn't hurt when he fell.
But compared to that, what really shocked everyone was the fact that Harry Potter had successfully used nonverbal casting, along with a spell no one had ever seen before.
…
The commotion on the Gryffindor side naturally drew Pansy and the others' attention as well.
Hermione looked the most astonished of all. "That's a jinx? And one that isn't even in the books?"
"You're sure, Granger?"
"Of course. Don't question my memory. Unless that spell is something kept in the Restricted Section, but do you really think that's possible?"
"Then... where did Potter learn it? Could it have been Dumbledore?"
Unlike the girls, who could only speculate, Draco had recognized the spell at a glance, and he kept looking Harry Potter over with suspicion.
It wasn't that he suspected the Harry Potter who could perform nonverbal casting had been replaced by someone else.
What he was concerned about was the spell Harry had used.
"That's Levicorpus."
Levicorpus.
Just as the name suggested, it was a jinx that could leave someone hanging upside down in midair.
It looked like the kind of spell meant for pranks, but in truth, the wizard who had invented it was someone Draco knew very well.
And the wizard who had created that spell was none other than Draco's tsundere godfather.
Severus Snape!
...
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