𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐬 | 𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐨 𝐞𝐫𝐚

Chapter 67. Second Week ☾

Ron's brown furrowed. "I…well, yeah, how'd you know?"

Hermione turned to Harry. "Well, we know some people tend to throw themselves into their work when they're upset."

"But why wouldn't they tell their family?" Harry asked, eyebrows knitting together.

"Ron, you got upset at us pinning it on the twins. Is anyone else?"

The redhead huffed. "Yeah, the whole lot of 'em. Dad seems to be a bit better, but Mum won't even speak to them. Bill and Charlie blew up at them three times and are now giving them the silent treatment, and Percy threatened to sue."

"And that would be why no one knows. I bet if any of them walked down there now, they'd see the humongous sign."

Draco smiled. "Do you think they're doing just as well as last time?"

"One way to find out," Hermione said with a shrug. "You can ask Sirius to take you there."

"Uhm, after I told Uncle…Professor Snape about the twin's business last time around, he made me swear an unbreakable vow I would never take Sirius there," Draco said, rubbing his arm.

Ron jumped from his seat. "There, see? I'm not crazy. Malfoy's a death eater."

"That," Professor McGonagall walked over to the table, "is a very serious accusation, Mr. Weasley. Do you have any proof?"

"He rubbed his arm."

"Indisputable. Mr. Black, would you please roll up your sleeve?" The blond complied. "And would you mind explaining who you lived with over the summer?"

"Sirius Black."

"And why did you do so?"

"Because Lord Malfoy disowned me."

"Because?"

"For my refusal to join the death eaters and follow Voldemort, he disowned me and disinherited me." He smirked. "I can still inherit, though. After his imprisonment in Azkaban, all of his previous assets were seized and his will nullified." Professor McGonagall glared. "But I couldn't have known that at the time."

"Therefore, can you explain the conclusion?"

"Why would I go through all of that, believing it would leave me penniless and without a name, if I then turned to Voldemort?"

Their professor smiled. "Exactly. Ten points to Gryffindor."

Sirius turned to Severus at the head table. "Was it always that easy for Gryffindor to gain points?"

"Why do you think I take so many away?" Severus asked, smiling into his pumpkin juice. "Did you reconnect with the woman from the broom closet?"

"First of all, it was a coat closet. Second of all, yes. And third of all, she is not excited to know an entire class of sixteen-year-olds knows of our escapade."

"Then don't bring your mutt to class."

Before the two could speak further, a school barn owl flew down to the Gryffindor table and perched beside Harry. He picked off the parchment and gave the bird a slice of bacon.

"Who's it from, Harry?" Neville asked. Harry didn't have a lot of friends outside the school. Actually, he had no friends currently living outside the school…except Fred and George, and no one should ever trust what those two sent.

"It's nothing," Harry said, side-eyeing Hermione. She pretended to slip a ring on her finger and pretended to slit her neck, sticking her tongue out. Harry nodded. He got up and walked over to the headmaster's office. "Thirty pieces of chocolate coins." The gargoyles split and he was able to walk up to the door. "Thirty pieces of chocolate coins? Are you kidding me?"