UnExpected

Chapter 22

For the past few days Buffy had been trying to figure out a pattern. But as luck would have it, there wasn't one. On any given day, any random time, the same people would leave the Gryffindor tower. Either in sets of twos or threes, never more than three, to wherever it was they were meeting. Something Buffy had also yet to figure out.

Then there was that other thing. The very funny thing she noticed when Neville had accidentally dropped a galleon on the floor. He told her she didn't have to pick it up, rather panicky actually, but she was already straightening up with the golden piece in her hand. A suspiciously hot golden piece that Neville immediately snatched out of her grasp and shoved into his pocket. It was definitely weird, but she ignored it...for now. But then on a particularly rainy day, while she studied in the library one lonely afternoon, she noticed something else that was very interesting.

Her hand had just barely been removed from the book she had placed back on the lowest shelf when she heard soft footsteps.

"Is there anyone around?" a female voice whispered.

Huddling closer to the ground and against the darkened wall, Buffy sat still and listened intently.

"No, it's clear," another female voice answered.

"Good, I think it changed again."

Buffy peered up from the nearest shelf and recognized the two girls on the other side of the stacks. Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott, fifth-year Hufflepuffs who had attended the meeting at the Hogs Head, which meant they were in the D.A., or whatever it was they were calling it. They were close together and looking at something shiny in Susan's hand. A galleon. Isn't that interesting.

"Where's yours?" Susan asked.

"I left it in my bag," Hannah answered unsurely. "I think."

"Hannah!" Susan whispered harshly.

"I know, I know. I have it somewhere. I do. I just don't know where that is at the moment," she replied hurriedly. "I've just been so frantic with O.W.Ls lately."

Susan gave a reprimanding sigh and placed her fisted hands at her sides. "Just don't tell Hermione. She'll chew your head off. But make sure you find it. I don't think she'll make you another one."

"All right, all right. I will. I promise," Hannah answered as she and Susan left just as quietly as they had come.

Buffy rose to her feet, taking in all the information she had just snooped in on. So that's how they were communicating their dates and times. It seemed so familiar but she couldn't seem to place it. Hermione must've jinxed the coins to somehow change every time a new date and hour was scheduled for the next meeting. That was very clever, very Hermione, and now all Buffy had to do was get her hands on one.

Another night. Another daring escape. As Buffy sneaked through the darkened corridors, she was still busting her brain on trying to figure out how to get her hands on one of those special galleons; which meant that her mind was not entirely focused on exiting the castle; which was not exactly the brightest thing to do. Passing through another empty hallway, Buffy was so deep into her thoughts that she nearly missed the light casting shadows around the corner. One that was glowing brighter by the second, meaning that whoever was coming just around the bend was about to catch her roaming around past curfew. Which was most likely Filch, who would most likely turn her in to Umbridge, and we all know how that would turn out. Swiftly and quietly, she began to move backwards, keeping her eyes forward and trying to find a quick escape before –

A hand abruptly wrapped around her mouth and the next thing Buffy knew, she was being pulled into an empty classroom. The shock of the situation caused her reflexes to hesitate, but once she was held against a wall with the hand still over her lips, her mind sprang to life and she began to raise her wand. And then Buffy recognized his face.