After dinner in the Great Hall, Hermione led her two useless companions to the Clock Tower first. According to her, this was to prevent an ambush.
"Thanks for coming with me, Hermione," Harry said, looking at his friend. He was well aware of how much Hermione valued the rules and house points. Despite this, she was still taking the risk of losing points to come with him to face Malfoy.
"Please, Harry," Hermione replied with no sign of kindness. "I just chose Quidditch over you getting detention. Even if I didn't come along, I couldn't have stopped you. So, to avoid you causing a bigger mess and to make sure you don't miss tomorrow's Quidditch match, I had to be here!"
"Don't worry! I've got this covered!" Ron said confidently. "I've been wanting to punch Malfoy for ages!"
"Don't leave it to you!" Hermione screamed.
After a few minutes, except for some passing upperclassmen, the Clock Tower was still empty. And, of course, Malfoy, who was supposed to show up, was nowhere to be seen.
"Are you sure you saw Malfoy get up from the table in the Hall?" The longer they waited, the calmer Hermione's expression became. She almost hoped the whole thing would fall through. "I think he's just lying, Harry. This is Slytherin trying to mess with you!"
"Maybe we should leave soon," Ron suggested. "Don't dwell on it. Tomorrow, I'll be cheering you on from the stands and laughing at how Malfoy is such a coward."
"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you just said something decent, Ron," Hermione said sarcastically.
Harry was silent, genuinely unsure how to face tomorrow's match. The thought of possibly embarrassing himself in front of thousands made his stomach churn.
"There won't be thousands," Hermione said, noticing his unease. "The entire student body at Hogwarts doesn't even add up to a thousand. Plus, not everyone is going to the Quidditch match, so don't put so much pressure on yourself."
Harry had unknowingly said the words that had been bothering him in his head because he was so nervous.
"Listen, mate," Ron came over and patted him on the back. "You're the best Seeker in my eyes!"
Harry felt a bit better; his stomach was no longer as tight. He decided to stop thinking about Malfoy and instead lie down for a good night's sleep to be fully rested for the game.
Before he did, however, he needed to tease Ron a little. "You really mean it? Even if my opponent is Calvin Gudgeon, you'll still cheer for me?"
Calvin Gudgeon was the Seeker for the Chudley Cannons, and Ron had posters of the team all over their dorm.
"Ugh…" Ron hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "Of course, mate! I totally support you."
"Hahaha," Harry laughed. "Then let's go back. Maybe we can find some candy in the common room."
However, just as they exited the Clock Tower, they ran into a few Slytherins, but not Malfoy—just a group of first-year girls.
"Are you waiting for Malfoy?" The leader of the group, a blonde girl, asked. Even without speaking, she naturally became the center of attention, though her status was slightly diminished because of another Slytherin, so she wasn't drawing as much focus.
The Gryffindor trio was unsure of what they wanted, so they just nodded in silence.
"Well, I have to apologize to you all," the blonde girl said, though there was no apology on her face, and neither did the two followers behind her look apologetic. "Malfoy won't be coming. Slytherin doesn't use such childish tactics to win, and we don't think a first-year Seeker could really catch the Golden Snitch."
Maybe she was right.
Harry thought despairingly, I'm just a first-year Seeker. There's no way I could really catch the Golden Snitch.
"Let's end this here," the blonde girl said, extending a hand. "Let me apologize one last time because Slytherin will completely defeat Gryffindor tomorrow, and also, because you're friends with Ivy."
"Don't speak so confidently!" Hermione snapped, shaking her hand and giving it a firm shake. "Harry can do it! Right, Harry?"
Before Harry could answer, Hermione let out a startled cry, "Let go! You're hurting me!"
"My name is Cassandra, Cassandra Worre. Remember this name," the blonde girl said, not intending to release Hermione. She growled lowly, "Now, do it!"
The two Slytherin girls next to Cassandra pounced on Hermione, each grabbing one of her arms and restraining her from moving.
Harry and Ron were caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. No one expected someone who had just shaken hands kindly to suddenly turn aggressive.
"Let go of Hermione!" Ron didn't know where to put his hands, so he just yelled, "She took down a twenty-foot troll with one spell. You don't want to end up like it!"
The two girls holding Hermione looked hesitant, but Cassandra had already pulled Hermione's wand from her pocket. "Even if she really could defeat a troll, a wizard without a wand is nothing."
Harry and Ron exchanged a look, knowing they needed to step in and help. But before they could act, figures suddenly appeared in their line of sight, covered in a paint-like dull color, and the Slytherin robes became clear.
Harry and Ron immediately recognized them. Goyle, Crabbe, and Zabini—first-year Slytherins, and it looked like everyone but Malfoy was here.
These big guys immediately shoved Harry and Ron to the wall.
Harry heard Goyle's menacing laugh. "Heh-heh! Looks like we've caught you, Potter!"
"Stop it!" Cassandra whipped Hermione's wand at Goyle, "Remember what I said? Harry Potter cannot be harmed. Tomorrow, Slytherin will beat Gryffindor in style."
The blow stung Goyle, and the fat on his face trembled. He didn't dare protest, merely muttering in response.
"Let's have a little chat, Miss Granger." Cassandra's voice dropped, and Harry heard her ask Hermione, "On Halloween night, were you with Ivy? Don't shake your head, the person sitting at the Slytherin table that night wasn't Ivy himself."
"Even if you don't answer, I already know the answer." Cassandra didn't stop her questioning. "Now, tell me, did Ivy help you with that troll?"
Harry didn't catch Hermione's response because he was too focused on Ron's agonized cries.
"That spell! The one that blasted the troll apart—did Ivy teach you that?" Harry tried to listen more carefully. "I really don't get what he sees in you. Messy hair? Big bunny teeth? Oh! I get it—tears. That's definitely the strongest weapon for a girl…"
Ivy and Hermione? Are my two friends really like that?
Harry was shocked, and even Ron's cries couldn't pull his attention back.