"You sure move fast," Rock said, patting Theo on the shoulder. "But we don't need that many people yet. As long as our core group gets results, more will join naturally."
Theo paused for a moment, then nodded. "I'll try reaching out to other houses then. Speaking of which, do we want any Slytherins?"
"What?" Adam's eyes went wide. They had just made House Slytherin look foolish, and now Theo wanted to recruit their little snakes?
"Are you sure you're not joking?" Adam asked, looking at Theo with disbelief.
Theo just kept looking at Rock, his expression unmoving.
"No," Rock shook his head at Theo, then suddenly smiled. "Not for now. We're just a study group, remember?"
"Fine," Theo shrugged at the answer. "Your call."
The two exchanged a look and started walking toward the tower.
Adam trailed behind, scratching his head, completely confused by the silent riddles Rock and Theo were playing. "Did they just forget I exist? I haven't even caught up yet!"
---
Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Dumbledore as he sat in his chair, flipping through the latest issue of Witch Weekly.
"Hmm... this spell is quite nifty. Witch Weekly still has some wonderfully whimsical ideas. Pandora runs it very well."
As he spoke, Dumbledore reached toward the candy dish on his desk.
"Headmaster, have you forgotten?" Snape asked, his face dark as he stared at the old wizard.
Since being summoned, all Dumbledore had done was read that magazine. The cover, featuring Malfoy's embarrassing state, was facing Snape, making him feel increasingly irritable.
"Isn't tonight the time for young Rock's detention?"
Dumbledore looked up and popped a Cockroach Cluster into his mouth.
"Indeed. Mr. Scamander's detention has been arranged." Snape ignored the affectionate nickname Dumbledore used for the boy.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Severus. The boy could probably use some extra drilling in Potions," Dumbledore said softly.
"Leave it to me?" Snape sneered. "You certainly have plenty of things to 'leave to me,' Headmaster."
"But you always handle them so well, don't you?" Dumbledore smiled.
Snape's expression was wooden. He stared quietly at Dumbledore for a long moment before turning and walking out of the office.
Watching Snape leave, Dumbledore—knowing the task had been accepted—looked back at the Cockroach Clusters on his desk. He smacked his lips, savoring the aftertaste. "That one tasted a bit off."
---
Dead of night. Rock stood outside Snape's office.
Clang—
The heavy door opened from the inside, bringing a draft that made Rock shiver.
It was December. Although it hadn't snowed yet, it was biting cold—mostly because he had been standing there for over ten minutes.
"Professor Snape." Rock nodded slightly in greeting.
"Oh? If it isn't our school's rising star, Mr. Scamander? The one whose fame has eclipsed the Savior himself?" Snape stood in the doorway, arms crossed, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Rock blinked. "Professor, if I don't go in soon, I'll be late."
He had actually arrived early. If he kept standing in the doorway, he was sure Snape would use it as an excuse to make things difficult.
"Why didn't you come earlier, then?" Snape asked.
"I arrived ten minutes ago. You didn't open the door," Rock explained calmly. "Judging by the smell, you were brewing the Draught of Living Death."
"Perhaps you were too engrossed to hear me."
Clap, clap.
Snape applauded with a mocking expression. "Do you expect me to award points for that observation?"
"No need, Professor. It's not class time," Rock said, sidestepping the trap.
"In that case, for missing the start of your detention..." Snape sneered. "Five points from Ravenclaw."
Rock stood there, stunned.
"Now, get in."
Snape turned and walked back inside.
Rock ignored the jars of pickled ingredients lining the office shelves and followed Snape's footsteps to the work area in the back.
Snape handed a bowl of Sopophorous beans to Rock. "Since you already identified the Draught, I assume I don't need to teach you how to extract the juice."
Rock looked at the large basin of beans in his hands and sighed softly.
"Yes, Professor."
He moved to a side table and began processing them.
Lift the knife, use the flat side, crush. His movements were fluid and practiced.
"Why aren't you following the standard method?" Snape glided over like a giant bat, his voice sinister.
"Because the juice releases maximum potency when crushed by metal," Rock said, working deftly to collect the juice in a container. "It's noted in the Herbology text, though vaguely."
Snape let out a cold snort that sounded like a snake hissing, then turned and walked away.
Rock sighed and went back to work. He had prepared himself for Snape's torment before coming here.
He just hadn't expected it to be this exhausting.
Just as he finished processing the massive basin of beans and was about to clean up, Snape's voice cut in again. "Can't you see the desk is a mess? Do you not know how to clean? One point from Ravenclaw."
"Stop swaying like a troll, you're interrupting my train of thought! One point from Ravenclaw!"
"Are you made of wood? Make yourself useful! Clean this up!"
It wasn't until past midnight that Rock finally bowed to Snape and turned to leave the office.
"Next Thursday. Same time, same place."
Snape's voice rang out from behind him. Rock paused, turned back, and nodded. "Yes, Professor."
He waited a moment, but when no further insults came, he exited the office. Standing at the top of the stairs, Rock looked back at the closed door.
"Honestly, I'd love to just burn the whole place down with a Fiendfyre curse."
Rock thought he could handle it, but he had underestimated his own patience.
No, rather, he had severely underestimated just how toxic Snape could be.
"Oh? Do you mean it, kid?" Peeves, whom he hadn't seen in ages, appeared in front of Rock, his face full of excitement.
Rock rolled his eyes. "Have you ever heard the expression?"
"What expression?" Peeves asked curiously, floating closer.
" 'Fooling the spirits.'"
With that, Rock walked down the stairs, ignoring Peeves, who was left raging impotently behind him.
That felt good. No wonder Snape was always so venomous; venting really did help relieve stress.
Feeling significantly lighter, Rock greeted Mrs. Norris in the hall and headed toward the Ravenclaw tower. The half-month of detention was halfway over.