“Sribblingonapieeofparhment.”
Hermionegavehimalookthatshowedshewasnotamused.Ronshruggedandreturnedtohisbreakfast.“JusttellmewhatyouomeupwithsoIanhelpthistime.”
HarrymanagedtoutBiseoffinthehallwaybeforetheMedusaportrait.
“GetoutofmywayPotter.”
“Idon’tthinkIwill.”
“I’mnotinthemoodtodealwithyourightnow.”
“Idon’tthinkDrao’sinthemoodtodealwithyourightnow.”
Bise’seyestookonanappraisinglook,likeaateyeingaanary.“Well,well,itseemsasifrumorsaretrueforone,Potter.Don’tyouthinkit’sstrangethatyou’reusingDrao’sfirstnamesoasually?Idon’treallyoudoingsoinpreviousyears.”
Harryrefusedtobebaited.“Ireallydon’tarewhatyoureallornot.Ithinkyoumusthaveasstogetto,Zabini.Whydon’tyougothere?”
Bise’seyesnarrowedashetookasteplosertoHarry.Harrydidn’tmove.
“I’vegotonethingtosaytoyou,Potter.I’veknownDraosineIwasfour.Youan’tsaythesame.I’mwathingyouPotter,andyou’dbetternothurthim.“Causeifyoudo,I’llstringyouupbeforetheDarkLordfasterthanyououlddrawyourwand.”
“Strange,andhereIthoughtitwasonlyDraoyou’dbetraytotheDarkLord.GuessIwaswrong.”
Bise’sfaetwistedinfuryandhismouthopenedtospeakonlytobeutoffbyaalmandiyvoie.
“Ithinkyoushouldleavenow,Bise.”
Draostoodofftoonesideasifhe’dbeenwathingtheseneunfoldbeforehim.Bise’smouthsnappedshutwithanaudiblelik.HenoddedonetoDrao,gredatHarry,andwalkedbakuptheorridor.
“Youdidn’thavetodothat.Iouldhavetakenareofhim,”DraosaidsoftlyasBiseroundedaorneranddisappearedfromsight.
“I’maGryffindorremember?”Harrygrinnedlopsidedlyattheblond.“IdoweirdthingsliketrytoprotetthoseIareabout.”
DraoswirledhispumpkinjuieinhisrighthandashewaitedforCrabbeandGoyletofinishtheirnarrativeofhowthey’dbeatenonsomefirstyearHufflepuffthatafternoon,noddingabsentlyintheirdiretiontoshowhewaspayingattention.Hiseyessannedtheroom,meetingafewautiouslooksthatweresenthisway.Bise’sommenttoHarryhadbeenaurateafterall.Talkhadbeenspreading.Whywoulditnot,afterall?