CHAPTER 1391: SNAPE'S FEAR

Once upon a time, Filch and Malfoy had a good relationship.

But now, he acted as if he had never met Malfoy before and behaved in a businesslike manner.

Malfoy pulled himself free of Filch’s grip, looking furious.

“All right, I wasn’t invited!” he said angrily. “I was trying to gatecrash, happy?”

“No, I’m not!” said Filch, a statement at complete odds with the glee on his face. “You’re in trouble, you are! Didn’t the headmaster say that nighttime prowling’s out, unless you’ve got permission, didn’t he, eh?”

“That’s all right, Argus, that’s all right,” said Slughorn, waving a hand. “It’s Christmas, and it’s not a crime to want to come to a party. Just this once, we’ll forget any punishment; you may stay, Draco.”

Filch’s expression of outraged disappointment was perfectly predictable, but Malfoy was almost equally unhappy.

There was another person who was unhappy. Snape was looking at Malfoy as though both angry and a little afraid.

Uh, Afraid?

Evan turned to Snape. He had never seen him look like this before, but it was gone in a flash.

Evan narrowed his eyes. Snape should know about Malfoy’s task, so why would he be both angry and afraid?

Logically, he was supposed to be assisting Malfoy, even if it was an impossible mission.

Setting aside other aspects, Snape had a good personal relationship with the Malfoys.

Back when he was in school, he had been Lucius’s junior and was said to have received considerable support from him, both in Hogwarts social circles and in becoming a Death Eater. He was also Draco’s godfather, which was proof enough of their close ties. So, even though Malfoy had received this impossible task from Voldemort, Snape would undoubtedly assist him.

Of course he was willing to help, and he would also report everything to Dumbledore.

Seeing Malfoy show up tonight, maybe he was planning a second action.

If Snape was angry, that meant he hadn’t known about this action beforehand. That meant Malfoy hadn’t told him.

Perhaps, he didn’t trust Snape at all now, and was acting alone.

Judging from the last incident, Malfoy’s solo action was ill-considered and crazy.

He might have killed someone else before he could have hurt Dumbledore.

This was probably why Snape was afraid. After all, no one wanted to deal with a madman…

Evan’s eyes moved from Snape to Malfoy, and Harry was staring at him too.

This was their first close look at Malfoy since the start of the term, and he looked a little ill, with dark shadows under his eyes and a distinctly grayish tinge to his skin.

Was this the result of extreme mental stress, or was there something else at play?

Besides the possibility that he was simply going mad from the pressure, there were many Dark magical practices that could leave a person looking like this — or even worse, more drained and sickly.

Evan guessed maliciously that maybe Malfoy was over-exerting his energy and magic power…

By this time, Filch had turned and shuffled away, muttering under his breath.

Malfoy had composed his face into a smile and was thanking Slughorn for his generosity, and Snape’s face was smoothly inscrutable again.

“It’s nothing, nothing,” said Slughorn, waving away Malfoy’s thanks. “I did know your grandfather, after all. …”

“He always spoke very highly of you, sir,” said Malfoy quickly. “Said you were the best potion-maker he’d ever known. …”

“I’d like a word with you, Draco,” said Snape suddenly.

“Oh, now, Severus,” said Slughorn, hiccuping again, “it’s Christmas, don’t be too hard —”

“I’m his Head of House, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise, to be,” said Snape curtly. “Follow me, Draco.”

They left, Snape leading the way, Malfoy looking resentful.

“Severus is always like this,” Slughorn hiccuped again. “Come on, kids, you really should try some of these mince pies. I have a few celebrities to introduce you to.”

“Sorry, Professor, I need to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” said Harry, turning and disappearing into the crowd.

Evan and Hermione looked at each other. Harry was definitely planning to eavesdrop on the conversation between Malfoy and Snape.

Neither of them wanted to stay here, being paraded around by Slughorn.

Evan gestured in the direction Harry was leaving, and Hermione nodded imperceptibly.

“We’d like to have a dance first. You don’t mind, do you, sir?” said Evan immediately.

“Not at all, enjoy yourselves,” said Slughorn, helping himself to another large slice of mince pie.

Evan and Hermione walked towards the crowd, only Luna did not leave.

She was telling Professor Trelawney about the Rotfang Conspiracy, and Professor Trelawney seemed sincerely interested.

“Where are they?” Hermione asked, not seeing Harry, Snape or Malfoy.

“Outside!” said Evan, pointing to the office door.

They walked out and the corridor was quite deserted.

Then they saw Harry suddenly appear out of nowhere in front of the door of the last classroom in the corridor.

He pulled off his Invisibility Cloak and waved quickly to them.

Evan and Hermione hurried over, the noise of their feet masked by the music and loud talk still issuing from Slughorn’s office behind them. Evan’s body was changing rapidly. In the blink of an eye, he turned into a black cat. Hermione glanced at him and also transformed into her Animagus form.

The two cats slipped under the Invisibility Cloak, while Harry pressed his ear against the keyhole of the classroom door.

The voices inside were intermittent, and Evan and Hermione missed the previous content, but the conversation was getting to the point.

“You’re too impatient, Draco. You cannot afford mistakes. If you’re caught and expelled…”

“I didn’t have anything to do with it, all right?” snapped Malfoy.

“I hope you are telling the truth, because it was both clumsy and foolish. Already you are suspected of having a hand in it.”

“Who suspects me?” said Malfoy angrily.

“Everyone who was present at the time, Potter, Granger, Mason, and Dumbledore, I warned you before.”

After a brief silence, Malfoy continued, “They already suspect me. It doesn’t matter whether I do anything or not.”

“That’s because that thing was too stupid. You should have discussed it with me in advance…”

“For the last time, I didn’t do it, okay?” Malfoy interrupted Snape impatiently, “That Bell girl must’ve had an enemy no one knows about — don’t look at me like that! I know what you’re doing, I’m not stupid, but it won’t work — I can stop you.”

There was a pause, with only the music from Slughorn’s office still echoing.

“I must say, I’m surprised, Draco — you’ve actually learned Occlumency,” said Snape softly. “What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master?”

“I’m not trying to conceal anything from him, I just don’t want you butting in.”

Occlumency, Malfoy had learned Occlumency, it seemed that he was not a fool after all.

Although not much was said in the conversation, a lot of information was revealed.

Snape was questioning Malfoy, and it was obvious that he also suspected that Malfoy was the one who did what happened to Katie Bell.

Just as Evan had suspected earlier, Malfoy didn’t trust Snape. He was planning to act alone.

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