O, CURSED CHILD. ﹙ harry potter ﹚

XXVIII ; draco malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret

            "i don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned," growled moody as the ferret bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain. "stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do. . . ."

            elara watched with her mouth open. this was most certainly the best day ever. the ferret flew through the air, its legs and tail flailing helplessly.

           "never — do — that — again —" said moody, speaking each word as the ferret hit the stone floor and bounced upward again.

            "professor moody!" said a shocked voice.

            professor mcgonagall was coming down the marble staircase with her arms full of books.

            "hello, professor mcgonagall," said moody calmly, bouncing the ferret still higher.

            "what — what are you doing?" said professor mcgonagall, her eyes following the bouncing ferret's progress through the air.

            "teaching," said moody.

            "teach — moody, is that a student?" shrieked professor mcgonagall, the books spilling out of her arms.

            "yep," said moody.

            "no!" cried professor mcgonagall, running down the stairs and pulling out her wand; a moment later, with a loud snapping noise, draco malfoy had reappeared, lying in a heap on the floor with his sleek blond hair all over his now brilliantly pink face. he got to his feet, wincing.

           "moody, we never use transfiguration as a punishment!" said professor mcgonagall weakly. "surely professor dumbledore told you that?"

           "he might've mentioned it, yeah," said moody, scratching his chin unconcernedly, "but i thought a good sharp shock —"

            "we give detentions, moody! or speak to the offender's head of house!"

            "i'll do that, then," said moody, staring at draco with great dislike.

            draco, whose pale eyes were still watering with pain and humiliation, looked malevolently up at moody and muttered something in which the words "my father" were distinguishable.

            "oh yeah?" said moody quietly, limping forward a few steps, the dull clunk of his wooden leg echoing around the hall. "well, i know your father of old, boy. . . . you tell him moody's keeping a close eye on his son . . . you tell him that from me. . . . now, your head of house'll be snape, will it?"

            "yes," said malfoy resentfully.

            "another old friend," growled moody. "i've been looking for- ward to a chat with old snape. . . . come on, you. . . ."

            and he seized malfoy's upper arm and marched him off toward the dungeons.

            professor mcgonagall stared anxiously after them for a few moments, then waved her wand at her fallen books, causing them to soar up into the air and back into her arms.

            "don't talk to me," ron said quietly to harry, elara, and hermione as they sat down at the gryffindor table a few minutes later, surrounded by excited talk on all sides about what had just happened.

            "why not?" said hermione in surprise.

            "because i want to fix that in my memory forever," said ron, his eyes closed and an uplifted expression on his face. "draco malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret . . ."