Of Horn And Halo | Draco Malfoy

Chapter 12 | 1997

Daphne gave Maeve a pleading look, "please, Maeve. It'll be fun!"

Maeve looked up from the three textbooks she had spread over the table in the back of the library, "I need to pass my N.E.W.T's, Daphne," she shook her head and rubbed at her throbbing temples, "Umbridge is a useless teacher and I need to pass the exam for Defence Against the Dark Arts with an Exceeds Expectations."

"We have ages until the exam!"

Maeve turned to Anthony, a pleading look in her eyes. He rolled his eyes and sighed, "we're studying, Daphne. You're not going to change her mind about joining the Inquisitorial Squad," then, after a moment, he added, "even if she wants to I won't let her. She has no idea what she's doing. If she ever were to consider being an Auror she should probably study day and night."

Maeve whacked him on the arm with a bit of rolled-up parchment and hissed an aggressive, "shut up!"

Daphne wrinkled her nose, "an Auror? Maeve, please, you could be so much more."

Her friend's words made her wince. There was a reason she'd never told Professor Snape during career consultation. There was a reason Anthony had been the only one she'd ever admitted her dream to.

Maeve knew. She knew that the aspiration made no sense. She knew that she had no chances. She knew that she wasn't smart enough.

But that didn't stop her stubborn Slytherin will. She wanted to be the best she could possibly be. The best of the best.

"I feel like an idiot," Maeve groaned, rubbing at her temples as she tried to make sense of the description of the Patronus Charm and the complicated process to cast a corporeal Patronus.

"It's not as hard as it sounds," Anthony assured her, giving her an awkward pat on her shoulder, "I can show you if you'd like?"

Maeve stared at him, "when did you learn how to cast a Patronus Charm? We haven't even done it in class yet!"

Anthony's ears turned pink, but he was saved from answering when Daphne threw herself to one of the empty chairs. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were shining, "did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Anthony asked, taking in Daphne's dishevelled appearance, "did you run here?"

Daphne began speaking at a rapid speed, "I was told by Blaise who was told by Cormac who was told by Seamus who Weasley accidentally let it slip that-"

"Stop it," Anthony waved his hands in front of his head, "just get to the point."

"I almost was," Daphne muttered frostily, "if you'd have just let me finish. Either way, the point is, Weasley let it slip that Harry and Draco had an actual duel in the bathrooms not too long ago."

"So?" Anthony snorted, "when have they not been fighting?"

"Apparently Harry almost killed him."

"This was today?" Maeve's eyebrows climbed in surprise.

"Not quite sure when. A few days ago at least. It took a while for the news to travel to us from the Gryffindors. You know how tight-lipped they are," Daphne just shook her head, "I just can't believe it. I didn't know Potter had it in him."

Anthony shook his head, "I'm just it's just gossip, Daphne. There's no way Harry Potter would actually try to kill another student, rivalry or not."

But it wasn't just a rivalry anymore. Maybe he knew the truth about Draco. Maybe he knew Draco was a Death Eater. Maeve's thoughts were whizzing by a million miles a second as her brain tried to make sense of the mystery.

Then, she squeezed her eyes shut. Maeve reminded herself that her mild curiosity had led to Draco Malfoy mugging her in the hallway because he was suspicious of her.

"I just need to be caught up in Defence Against the Dark Arts," Maeve groaned, "I don't think I have space in my mind for any more drama between Malfoy and Potter."

Daphne looked mildly offended, but Anthony grinned, "finally, some sense!"

"Is Anthony infecting you with his love of all things homework?" Daphne joked, "where's our Maeve?"

"She hides whenever she realizes she isn't going to receive and Exceeds Expectations in Snape's stupid bloody class. I was so used to him teaching potions and now I have to put up with his impossible standards for a class I was never good at in the first place," Maeve forced her gaze back down at the textbook, "the only reason I did well before was because we had a new and equally horrible Professor each year, or the bloody exams were cancelled!"

Daphne snorted, "the fact that our best teacher in five years was a man who turned to a mangey dog once a month is rather ironic isn't it."

Anthony shot the blonde Slytherin a stern look, "Lycanthropy is a disease, Daphne, just because — "

"Sorry, sorry," Daphne raised her hands placatingly, "I forgot you're a sympathizer."

Anthony shook his head, "will you ever learn to be accepting and empathetic, or is that an unreachable dream?"

"I am cold-blooded and Pure-blooded, Goldstein," Daphne pretended to snap her teeth together menacingly, "there's no hope for me."

"Charming."

Maeve forced herself to reread the assigned reading for the second time while Anthony and Daphne bickered. Eventually, Daphne resigned herself to return to the dormitories as the library was far too 'quiet and dull' for her taste.

"I wonder what shape my Patronus would take," Maeve mused, "they say you never know until you cast it, but that requires being able to make a corporeal Patronus and many are unable to."

"I have a pretty good idea what your Patronus would be," Anthony said with a twinkle in his eye.

"You don't mean ... " Maeve trailed off, unwilling to voice her thoughts where they may be overheard.

"I do," Anthony nodded, "it isn't widely known, but yeah."

Maeve shook her head, "Merlin, you're a walking wizarding encyclopedia."

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure, Selwyn."

Maeve closed the heavy tome and dragged another to take its place, cracking her neck with a sigh, "mind using your treasured wit to help with my Charms assignment?"