The Battle

2. Sherlock

I took my time walking towards the library's exit. I picked up a book at random and skimmed the pages. I put it back and casually greeted the patient Death Eater. He was clearly not used to children approaching him, and his confusion amused me as I sauntered away. My eyes drifted across the library but didn't find anything particularly interesting except for a fourth year hiding a lot of Peruvian instant darkness powder in her pockets. What was her plan? I checked the clock and decided I might investigate later.
"You there!" a Death Eater shouted at me, "Get to class!" I wanted to annoy her, but not enough to earn a punishment. I made eye contact with her and wandered in the general direction of the door.
"Hurry up!" she ordered. I walked at my normal pace after pausing for effect. Classes had just started, so I had to sneak around to avoid being caught in the mostly abandoned corridors. I ducked behind a statue as a kid was dragged towards detention by an angry Death Eater.
Near the dungeons, I peered around the corner. No one was there. I carefully snuck over to the back door to the potions room which I had found in my third year. It led directly into the ingredient storage closet. Thank Merlin I found plenty of secret passages and shortcuts before Death Eaters got to Hogwarts. If the classroom was noisy enough to mask my footsteps, I could easily steal the ingredients I needed for my latest experiment. I slipped in through the ancient door, and when I heard the usual sounds of children using magic and blowing things up, I collected things from ten jars and filled the empty space with similar goop and chunks of food from my pocket. Of course, it was only a matter of time until the potions teacher saw they were gone, but my experiments are always top priority. I wanted to see if I could deafen someone just long enough for a giant crash to happen without them realizing it. Excited for the next few hours when I would test the ingredients, I walked back into the corridor. My excitement was abruptly halted when I saw a Death Eater I didn't recognize sneering at me. I froze. Why was I always too hasty? The patrols around the halls were scheduled and I forgot to time my exit. I had to think of something fast. Possibly something about the other I had seen only moments earlier. I spoke without thinking more.
"You look lost. Your slimy friend around the corner might help you," I said. He didn't find it funny. Fuck you, I thought to myself, fuck you and your snarky comments.
He grabbed me by the ear and started dragging me towards the dungeons while I struggled to get away from the blood stains on his sleeves. I knew what was in store for me. I had already been in detention four times this week, and it never got better.