"Ah!~~"
Being ambushed at the precise moment of urination provided an... intense sensory experience.
A melodramatic moan escaped Malfoy's lips as he instinctively tried to turn around.
"Don't move!"
Harry and Ron panicked, firmly holding Malfoy in place. "Turn around and you're dead! Just finish up!"
In this bizarre position, Malfoy tremblingly completed his business before growling:
"Potter! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"I'll have you know you're done for! I'm telling Snape about this!"
"Malfoy, unless you want your head dunked in there, you'll answer my questions properly," Harry sneered, applying more pressure to Malfoy's head and making him strain backwards in terror.
"Okay, okay! I was wrong! Let me go and we can talk properly!"
"I won't tell the professor, alright?"
"Shut up. I ask, you answer." Channelling movie villains he'd seen, Harry sounded ruthlessly cold.
Malfoy was nearly hysterical. "Then bloody well ask! Stop pushing!"
"Did you open the Chamber of Secrets?"
"Bullshit! We both saw Mrs Norris together! How could it be me?"
"So you knew it wasn't me, but still accused me?" Harry was furious.
Malfoy said matter-of-factly, "With our relationship, who else would I mess with?"
Harry nearly exploded with rage, but remembered his purpose. After kicking Malfoy twice, he demanded, "Who really opened the Chamber? Don't play dumb - you weren't surprised at all that day!"
"Don't slander me, Potter." When Malfoy tried to weasel out, Harry gave Ron a look.
Together they pushed harder, nearly dunking Malfoy headfirst into the urinal as he screamed in panic.
"Stop! I'll talk! I'll talk!"
"My father told me! He said the Chamber would open this year, but didn't say more! I really don't know!"
"Was it opened by your dad?" Harry thought of that mean-spirited, blond middle-aged man.
That was at Borgin and Burkes, where Lucius Malfoy had sold many items just to evade inspections by Mr Weasley's department.
"How could it be him!" Malfoy shouted. "My father hasn't even come to Hogwarts. There's no way he's the heir."
"Then who is it?!"
"Potter! I've told you everything I know, now let me go!"
Harry refused outright. "Impossible. You must know who opened the Chamber of Secrets. Tell me, or you can wait to be expelled!"
"You're talking rubbish!" Malfoy turned his face and sneered. "If I knew who the heir was, I'd have him deal with you first, then drive all those Mudbloods out of the school!"
"You're done for." Instead of getting angry, Harry actually laughed gloatingly.
"You dare say that word? I'm telling Wayne."
"That's different," Malfoy said righteously. "Lawrence and his friends aren't Mudbloods. They have outstanding bloodlines."
"Such bloody double standards," Ron muttered, then looked at Harry. "Let's tell Dumbledore."
Harry thought for a moment before slowly shaking his head.
"We have no proof Malfoy did it. Even if we tell the Headmaster, there's nothing he can do."
"So we just let it go?" Ron was unwilling.
"We'll talk later." Harry gave Ron a look. The two pushed Malfoy away together.
Only at the bathroom entrance did Harry toss his wand back, warning before leaving: "If you dare spout nonsense again, I'll come back to ambush you in the loo!"
Watching their hurried retreating figures, Malfoy let out a wail.
"Potter! Just you wait!"
The shrillness of his voice startled a young wizard about to enter, who hesitated before heading downstairs.
...
Harry hadn't expected Malfoy's retaliation to come so quickly.
He'd barely returned to the common room, about to share his findings with Hermione, when Professor McGonagall came looking.
Summoned by Percy outside the Fat Lady's portrait,
Harry knew he was done for upon seeing McGonagall, Snape and Malfoy standing together.
Professor McGonagall was visibly suppressing her fury.
"Potter, Weasley, what exactly have you done?"
Harry stayed silent, staring at Malfoy in disbelief.
'You actually went and snitched?'
He and Malfoy had fought several times, even having a midnight duel, but Malfoy had never tattled before.
This gave Harry the mistaken impression that their feud would remain private.
But he clearly didn't realise how much that sudden ambush had rattled Malfoy.
He'd nearly... well, let's just say it was a close call.
Now he just wanted Harry dead, forget about honourable one-on-one combat.
Besides, Harry had ambushed him with Ron earlier.
If you break the rules first, don't blame me for bringing in bigger players.
"Professor, I just suspected Malfoy might be connected to the Chamber's heir," Harry mumbled in defence, head lowered.
'Suspected?' McGonagall trembled with anger. "Just because of suspicion, you corner a classmate in the bathroom and bully him?!"
"No, Professor, Malfoy said he knew about the Chamber of Secrets," Harry said hastily, but before he could finish, Malfoy interrupted with a tearful voice:
"Professor, they tortured me into confessing! If I hadn't said that, they were going to shove me into a urinal..."
Harry swore he'd never seen Malfoy deliver such an Oscar-worthy performance before.
This only made Professor McGonagall's anger surge further. She pointed at Harry, then at Ron, unable to speak for a long moment.
Snape stared coldly at Harry.
This was genuine coldness, devoid of his usual complicated emotions when looking at Harry.
Even though he knew Malfoy wasn't innocent and had just lied to McGonagall... Harry and Ron's actions reminded him of the Marauders from back then.
Outnumbered, he'd been humiliated time and again by James Potter and his lackeys.
True, he hadn't been a good person either back then.
But who said those who bullied bad people were necessarily good?
They'd all been as bad as each other - a junior Death Eater and a schoolyard gang.
Neither had room to judge the other.
After pointing at them for a long while, McGonagall said expressionlessly, "Come with me to see Dumbledore."
"Professor, no." Harry looked at McGonagall anxiously. He didn't want Dumbledore to know what he'd done, to see that disappointed look in his eyes.
"This is beyond my authority to handle. Only the Headmaster can decide your punishment. Keep up."
McGonagall urged them before turning away.
Snape remained silent, walking ahead with Malfoy, who smirked triumphantly at Harry and Ron.
Like zombies, Harry and Ron dragged themselves to the Headmaster's Office.
Professor McGonagall spoke the password, leading them up the moving staircase.
Surprisingly, voices could be heard from inside the office - clearly someone else was there besides Dumbledore.
...
"Professor, you promised me you'd return it when I got back."
"Mr Lawrence, I must clarify that this is school property."
"Oh, then let me rephrase - you'd entrust it to my care upon my return. It's been nearly a week now."
"How about a few more days? The timeframe's too short for proper research."
"You can study it all you want after the agreed period ends."
"Merlin, old as I am, I might not live to see that day."
"With your excellent health, you'll surely live to a hundred."
"...I'm already over a hundred and ten."
"Two hundred still counts as a hundred, don't quibble over details."
Just as Wayne and Dumbledore were bickering, Harry's group entered.
'Oh? What brings you here?' Wayne said in surprise.
"Wayne." Harry greeted him distractedly. It was his first time in Dumbledore's office.
Under different circumstances, he'd have been thrilled - Dumbledore's office was more fascinating than any room in the castle. But right now, he wasn't in the mood.
"Minerva, what's this about?" Dumbledore looked at McGonagall.
"Allow me," Snape said coldly, finally breaking his silence with a sneer.
"Our saviour here thinks he can save everyone and has taken it upon himself to suspect Mr Malfoy, cornering him in the lavatory."
"Oh yes, along with his red-headed little sidekick."
"The two subjected Mr Malfoy to troll-worthy bullying, all based on baseless suspicion."
"How very noble – with all the professors dead, it falls to second-years to protect this castle now."
Snape's sarcastic remarks left Harry pale and Ron flushed red as his hair.
Wayne couldn't help but be amused – Snape's mastery of passive-aggression was certainly no worse than his potion-making.
Professor McGonagall frowned deeply but couldn't muster a rebuttal.
"Is this true, Harry?" Dumbledore's expression grew stern.
"I'm sorry, Professor." Any explanation would sound hollow now; Harry could only bow his head.
"Expulsion! They must be expelled!" Phineas crowed with glee.
"Dumbledore, look at Gryffindor house – nothing but troublemakers! The school would be a hundred times easier to manage without them!"
A single sentence that managed to offend four people.
Professor McGonagall shot Phineas a disapproving look before saying, "Albus, you decide the punishment. I've no objections."
"Thank you, Minerva. And thank you for your suggestion, Phineas."
Dumbledore spoke calmly, but the calmer he sounded, the more terrified Harry and Ron became.
Their legs trembled so badly they had to lean on each other to stay upright.
"Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, I'm deeply disappointed in you."
Dumbledore fixed them with a piercing gaze – not the cloudy eyes of an old man, but sharp and clear, bearing down on Harry and Ron with immense pressure.
"Mr Malfoy is your fellow student. This behaviour constitutes a severe breach of school rules regardless of circumstances."
"Professor, we—"
"Let me finish."
Harry lowered his head again.
"First, you will apologise to Mr Malfoy and seek his forgiveness."
"Sorry, Malfoy," Harry muttered dejectedly.
"Professor, what if I don't accept their apology?" Malfoy turned to Dumbledore.
"Then I shall expel them," Dumbledore said evenly.
Immediately, both boys stared pleadingly at Malfoy, begging for mercy.
Even Snape's expression flickered, though he remained silent.
It was useless – Malfoy's smirk only widened.
Ahem!
Wayne suddenly cleared his throat, drawing all eyes towards him.
"Lawrence?" Malfoy frowned, assuming Wayne meant to defend Harry, which displeased him greatly.
"Malfoy," Wayne stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"If Harry really gets expelled... how will you get your revenge later?"
"He bullies you, then just gets to leave? Would that really satisfy you?"
Malfoy froze.
He hadn't considered that.
If Harry were truly expelled...
At first, he'd undoubtedly revel in it – he'd probably bark at dogs in celebration.
But afterwards... just endless emptiness.
Without Harry around, who would he antagonise? Whose flaws could he pick at?
Blaise Zabini?
A seven-time turncoat? He couldn't muster any interest in that.
Lawrence?
No, he wasn't ready to die yet.
Having reached this understanding, Malfoy had an epiphany and shot Wayne a grateful look.
He wouldn't let Potter leave!
Only then did he address Dumbledore: "Professor, I choose to forgive them, but you must punish them severely – extremely severely. And this matter cannot be made public. No one else can know about it."
A glimmer of amusement flashed in Dumbledore's eyes as he subtly glanced at Wayne.
"Of course, Mr Malfoy, is this your request?"
"Yes, Professor."
"Very well." Dumbledore scrutinised Harry and Ron.
"Due to your deplorable behaviour, two hundred points will be deducted from Gryffindor, each of you will receive a disciplinary mark, and I shall also be writing to your families."
"If there's a next time—"
"Professor, I promise there won't be a next time," Harry hastily interjected, genuinely unwilling to hear the word 'expulsion'.
"I hope you remember your words, Mr Potter," Dumbledore said solemnly. "The school and your fellow students are things you should protect, not harm."
"I understand, Professor."
Wayne lowered his gaze to himself.
Were those words meant for Harry... or for him?
"Albus..."
While Harry and Ron had no objections—nor dared to have any—to Dumbledore's decision, Professor McGonagall spoke up stiffly.
Dumbledore looked at her questioningly.
McGonagall took a deep breath, her face burning with shame. "Gryffindor doesn't have two hundred points left to deduct."
"Pfft—"
Wayne couldn't suppress a laugh, hurriedly straightening his face under McGonagall's murderous glare, his handsome features contorting.
What kind of hellish joke was this?
"Is that so?" Dumbledore hadn't anticipated Gryffindor House leaving him no room for punishment.
"Then let the missing points translate into detentions," Snape sneered.
"Don't think lacking points will let you off lightly. For every point short, you'll spend a day dissecting toad carcasses."
Harry and Ron agreed, their faces green-tinged.
After calculations—with Gryffindor symbolically retaining ten face-saving points—the duo faced thirty days of detention with Snape, five days per week.
Still, they'd narrowly escaped worse.
Wayne frantically signalled Dumbledore with his eyes until the old wizard sighed resignedly and retrieved the sword from his drawer, handing it to the youth.
Only then did Wayne follow the others out of the office, thoroughly satisfied.
Once the professors had left, Harry spoke gratefully.
"Wayne, thank you for speaking up for me earlier."
Though he hadn't caught the words, he knew Wayne's whisper in Malfoy's ear had changed the latter's mind.
"Hmph," Malfoy said irritably. "Shouldn't you be thanking me?"
"Thank you?" Harry ground his teeth. "Oh, I thank you very much!"
"You're welcome, you're welcome," Malfoy preened, flicking his hand dismissively.
"Enough, this matter's over," Wayne said dismissively. "Are you two still attending remedial lessons later?"
"Of course we are!"
They spoke in unison before glaring at each other, sparks flying between them—a sight that made Wayne shake his head.
What an inexplicable bond...