The Darkwood Wand

Stunned

After Hermione revived Justin from the Stunning Spell, the Head Boy insisted on escorting her to Gryffindor Tower. The usual Saturday night common room party was in full swing, with the Hufflepuff a welcome guest. Hermione answered a cold question from Ginny about the D.A. galleons and Justin accepted two butterbeers from Seamus.

Hermione sank into a loveseat and took two gulps of her bottle, savoring the icy coldness down her throat. She felt flushed and off-kilter. Malfoy had been right: Tennant had followed Justin and lain in wait for her. And Malfoy then ... Stunned Tennant? It was hard to believe, but the evidence had been indisputably laid out on the third-floor corridor. Death Eater Stunning traps did not include buttercups.

She found herself stroking a leaf of the Cringing Vine, which was spreading out from its red pot atop a small table. A thin branch coiled over the loveseat's armrest. Neville had apparently acclimated the plant enough so it could sit out on its own among people.

Justin, on the other hand, was far less comfortable. He stood over her, looking every inch the disapproving Head Boy in his argyle sweater, his mouth pursed so tightly that it had almost disappeared from his face.

"Sit down, Justin, for Godric's sake." Hermione patted the loveseat cushion.

Justin took a seat beside her and twisted off his butterbeer cap. He held his hand out for Hermione's, then set down the two bottlecaps with finicky precision.

A wave of raucous laughter erupted near the fireplace, punctuated with small blasts from a nearby Exploding Snap game. Hermione smiled to see the First Years pretending to wandlessly launch wads of paper through a hoop with sleight-of-hand throws.

Justin's expression, however, remained grim. "Maybe I didn't see it," he said, continuing their earlier conversation, "but I know that Death Eater Stunned me in the classroom."

Hermione privately agreed but couldn't say so. "Why would he do that?" she hedged. "As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."

"He's Draco Malfoy," Justin said, as if that explained everything. When Hermione didn't answer, he continued. "He didn't want me there. He threatened to throw me off the Astronomy Tower if I insisted on meeting you!"

Hermione was shocked. "He didn't!"

Justin stiffened, offended that she would doubt him. "He most certainly did. This very afternoon, in fact."

"He never would have thrown you off the Astronomy Tower," Hermione said stoutly.

"He's Draco Malfoy."

Well, yes, he was. They drank their butterbeer in silence, Hermione now gulping from her bottle, Justin sipping from a glass he'd conjured. Malfoy had tried to put Justin off the meeting, and when that failed, he tried to warn Hermione. And then he'd .... Stunned Justin. And Tennant.

Hermione looked around the room as she tried to make sense of it all. Seamus was losing a chess game to Michael Corner. The scene reminded her of the nights watching Harry and Ron play chess while she knitted hats for S.P.E.W. A lifetime ago.

"Will you tell the Headmistress?" Hermione asked Justin. She hadn't yet decided what to do about Tennant, but she didn't need the Head Boy's interference. And she certainly didn't need Malfoy shipped back to Azkaban.

"Not at this time," Justin said, as if his judgment was all that mattered. "I'll admit I have no evidence. I do, however, reserve the right to report his behavior at my discretion."

Hermione rolled her eyes. It was very kind and fair of him not to report Malfoy, but he didn't have to be so Justin about it.

"One thing is for sure," Justin pronounced, "there will be no more meeting in classrooms. As Head Boy, I feel responsible for your security."