Compared to Hermione Granger or Luna Lovegood, Pansy was far more concerned about Astoria Greengrass, who had suddenly appeared this year.
As a member of the Parkinson family—one of the 28 pureblood houses—Pansy knew all too well what kind of man the current head of the Malfoy family was.
More precisely, she understood what nobles were like in general.
They believed firmly in pureblood superiority—cunning, dangerous, skilled at self-preservation, and always placing family interests above all else. Lucius Malfoy, in particular, was the very definition of a pure, traditional aristocrat.
Pansy's parents, like most pureblood families, shared those same traits to varying degrees.
Growing up in such an environment, Pansy had a deep understanding of what these nobles valued most.
Simply put—bloodline and status.
That was why she felt no real threat from Luna, who came by every morning for tea, nor from Hermione Granger, who wasn't even a half-blood witch.
Neither of them could ever pass Lucius Malfoy's standards. Even if Draco himself didn't care about such things, Pansy still held a natural advantage over them.
For that reason, she had never bothered to interfere or stop them from approaching Draco.
But Astoria Greengrass was clearly different.
Not only was the Greengrass family one of the Pureblood 28, but Astoria's beauty was also well-known among the wizarding aristocracy.
Poised, graceful, gentle, and refined—Astoria's reputation among noble wizards was impeccable. As far as Pansy knew, at every social gathering, Astoria was the focus of attention—considered the ideal candidate for future alliances between pureblood families.
Of course, Pansy had no idea that Astoria also had another, lesser-known side to her...
...
This was probably the first time Draco had ever been completely ignored.
Both Pansy and Astoria were now staring straight at each other. There wasn't literal thunder and lightning between them, but the tension in the air was enough to make Goyle and Crabbe break into a cold sweat.
In the heavy silence, they couldn't help but glance at Draco with admiration. If they were in his place, there was no way they could lie so calmly between two girls—especially when it was obvious those two didn't get along.
"Do you even know what you just said, Greengrass?"
"Hmm... if you mean what I said earlier, then yes, I do, Parkinson."
"..."
"..."
Their voices were clear and pleasant, yet there was an unmistakable chill that crept into everyone's hearts. The surrounding Slytherins immediately ducked back into their sleeping bags, curling up like snakes preparing to hibernate.
Draco, seemingly unaware of the rising tension, turned to Astoria with mild curiosity. "I see. That's quite an interesting idea."
Hearing the faint grinding of teeth from the other side, Astoria's lips curved into a small, triumphant smile.
But the moment she realized what she was doing, regret flickered across her face.
From the start, she had never intended to antagonize Parkinson. She wasn't nearly as calculating as Pansy imagined her to be. In truth, it was simple curiosity that had drawn her toward Draco in the first place. She had no idea how things had escalated to this point.
This makes me look like some shameless girl, she thought.
Who would even like a guy with no sense of chivalry at all!
That thought flashed through her mind, and in the darkness, the tips of her ears turned slightly red. Even knowing he couldn't see her, Astoria still cast Draco an annoyed glare.
"After all, I've never heard of a Dementor sparing a wizard who walks right up to them—unless they're allies. And if Sirius Black really is what the Ministry claims he is, then that possibility doesn't seem so far-fetched, does it?"
"That theory..."
"Of course, there's another possibility."
"Oh?"
"Sirius Black must know a way to evade the Dementors without using any spells."
Though the only light came from the starry ceiling above, Draco could almost see the glimmer in Astoria's eyes.
Her words silenced everyone around them.
If that were true, it would mean the Dementors weren't actually under the Ministry's control—a deeply unsettling thought.
As all eyes turned toward Astoria, an irritated Pansy abruptly cut in. "If that's really the case, then sure—it could explain how Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban and slipped past the Dementors to get into Hogwarts unnoticed. But have you thought about one thing?"
"You mean why, if he could have escaped earlier, he waited so long to do it?"
"Exactly. I can't imagine Sirius Black enjoying that miserable place. Why would he stay there all this time?"
"Honestly, I don't know either. That's what I can't figure out," Astoria admitted without hesitation.
Her straightforwardness caught Pansy off guard; she clearly hadn't expected such an answer.
Draco, meanwhile, turned his eyes away, watching quietly as the enchanted ceiling began to lighten.
It looked like morning was coming.
After thinking for a moment, Draco said, "Crabbe, I recall someone in your family works with Azkaban matters. Look into it."
"Draco!? You actually believe that scheming... Greengrass?"
Astoria, whose hearing was perfectly fine, smiled faintly, a dimple appearing on her cheek—though the expression carried a hint of mockery. "Isn't it obvious? If what I said didn't make sense, Draco wouldn't bother investigating. Surely, as a Parkinson, you can tell that much?"
"Huh?"
Pansy glared, tense and suspicious.
Astoria smiled back, calm and self-assured.
It seemed she had one more person she'd need to keep an eye on...