Annabeth Chase and Things Are Getting Intense

Chapter Twenty One

A/N: So I might be switching the schedule back to once a week, because I have work until 4pm and unlike at school I can't just sit on my laptop and pretend to be doing what I'm supposed to be doing. It's not official or anything, I just wanted to let you guys know that it might happen.

I really hope I can keep up the current schedule, but I'm not sure if I'm going to have time for it. Hopefully nothing will change.

Annabeth raised an eyebrow at Hermione as Filch and Malfoy passed. "Want to see what that's all about?"

"Oh, absolutely," Hermione said.

They pushed through the crowd and followed the caretaker as he looked for Slughorn. He sped up when he found him, and Annabeth and Hermione quickened their pace to compensate. Annabeth was never going to miss an opportunity to see Malfoy get in trouble. The guy was a prat.

Annabeth spotted Harry next to Slughorn and Snape, looking very uncomfortable while Snape had a suspicious expression on his face. Percy was there too, and he seemed to be enjoying himself. He was using Harry's shoulder as an armrest as he paused talking to Snape to see what this new thing was about.

"Professor Slughorn," Filch said in a wheezy voice. "I discovered this boy lurking in the upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party and to have been delayed in setting out. Did you issue him an invitation?"

Malfoy pulled free from Filch, face red with fury. "Alright, I wasn't invited! I was trying to gate-crash, happy?"

"No, I'm not!" Filch said despite the glee on his face. "You're in trouble, you are! Didn't the headmaster say nighttime prowling's out, unless you've got permission, didn't he, eh?"

"That's alright, Argus, that's all right," Slughorn said while Percy did a double take. "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 drooped, which was expected, but Malfoy's equally unhappy face wasn't. And why was Snape looking at Malfoy like he was angry and... was he afraid? His fists were clenched, his eyebrows were drawn together just a bit, and his lips were pursed tightly like he was trying to hide a grimace.

But then Filch turned and walked grumpily away and everything was gone. Snape's face was wiped of expression, though he still stood tensely. Malfoy turned to Slughorn and started thanking him very dramatically for his graciousness.

"It's nothing, nothing." Slughorn waved him off. "I did know your grandfather, after all..."

"He always spoke very highly of you, sir," Malfoy said, jumping on the opportunity to be a kiss-ass. "Said you were the best potion maker he's ever known..."

For a while, Annabeth had been seeing less and less of Malfoy in the common room. He'd missed the last Quidditch match against Gryffindor, claiming to be sick. Annabeth hadn't really believed him, but now, under the lights in Slughorn's office, she noticed that he did look a little worse for wear; there were dark shadows under his eyes and he was paler than usual.

"I'd like a word with you, Draco," Snape said.

"Oh now, Severus," Slughorn hiccuped. "It's Christmas, don't be too hard—"

"I'm his head of house, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise, to be," Snape said, standing up taller. "Come with me, Draco."

Snape led the way out of the room and Malfoy followed, looking resentful. A second later, Annabeth saw Harry excuse himself and follow, pulling out his invisibility cloak.

Now that that was over, Annabeth decided it was a good time to grab Percy and go get food with him and Hermione. Not wanting to get roped into another conversation with Slughorn, Annabeth snuck over and grabbed Percy's arm, pulling him towards her when no one was watching. He jumped a little, but the second he saw it was her he relaxed.