HSWW Part 4

Hogwarts Grand Hall

"What exactly are you planning, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape said quietly, though he sounded more curious then unpleasant. He kept his dark emotionless eyes on the young man, but he seemed to be trying to smile--though with much effort. To say the least, Severus looked amused, not alarmed and suspicious.

Draco looked up at Snape, "Absolutely nothing." He smirked. He noticed the non-believing look on Snape's face and he rolled his eyes, "Oh come on, you can't actually believe that of all people, I would be the one to start something up."

"I have my doubts, Mr. Malfoy." Snape replied cooly. "Yet, you seem to be acquiring a different taste in..." His eyes wandered to Luna, "...companions," He finished delicately, returning his gaze back to the Slytherin, "So I can only wonder."

Draco looked blankly from Snape to Luna and back to Snape. He gave a chuckle in disbelief, "You're joking right?"

A smile teased the ends of Professor Snape's lips but he did well to not show it fully. "I am only observing." He said.

Draco smiled in reply, "Well don't get that in your head." He glanced over at Luna again, "Honestly, I don't even know why she's here."

"I thought I heard you muttering amongst yourself about banding together?" Snape asked, then glancing about stiffly he sighed. "Though I can't all together blame you. Though I'll give you this warning. Teachers are given the orders to confiscate any wands that are displayed in the open. I would assume most teachers have kindly ignored this demand, but certain staff members would quite enjoy wrenching away your wands." He frowned, "Though, recent installments of 'protection' have rendered magic nearly useless for most invidiuals."

"The Ministry can't seriously expect us to listen to them, can they? I mean, why isn't Dumbledore doing anything?" Draco replied.

"Oh, I imagine he is." Snape said, "Though he doesn't always make his personal visits obvious, now does he? I would assume we will get limited magic spells back--though nothing more then a childs vocabulary worth. The Professors, including Professor Dumbledore, already have very limited useage of spells." His dark eyes wandered about the room, absently, obviously growing detached from the conversation. "If we, however, cannot get back a decent amount of magic, I'm afraid that the school will most likely be closed. It would defeat the purpose of having 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'"

"And what are we supposed to do, huh?" Draco rose, now slightly frustrated that he seemed to be the only one determined to fix this, "Just leave and hope for the best? I can't do that. What if anyone from Azkaban got out? Because I don't remember the Ministry banning anyone at the prison. Actually I don't recall them banning themselves either. So doesn't it seem a bit suspicious that this is only happening to us?"

"Indeed." Severus replied, smiling somewhat. "If you're figuring this out by yourselves, then it's only a matter of time before things begin to change..." He glanced about, as if searching for Filch, or perhaps Peeves. "I suggest you start doing some...research."

"Pardon the intrusion, but we were actually hoping that you could help us." Pansy replied as she walked through the doorway, followed by Susan. She glanced questioningly at Draco and discreatly nudged her head in Snape's direction.

Draco caught the nudge and looked back at Pansy and Susan, slightly disappointed that more people didn't follow them. He gave a slight nod back to Pansy, "The professor and I were just discussing that."

Snape gave the new arrivals a slight, barely noticeable nod. "And what kind of assistance are you searching for?"

"Finding out exactly why the Ministry is doing this." Draco replied, "There has to be some logical reason as to why."

Pansy chuckled to herself at how Draco had changed his mind so drastically in the past hour but stopped when she noticed Snape and Draco looking at her.

Professor Snape gave Pansy a blank stare before he spoke. "I don't exactly know what you think I can do that Professor Dumbledore can't, or isn't doing." His brow furrowed in thought, as if he suddenly realized something.

Draco smiled a little as he noticed Snape's realization, "Why not round up the staff and take a little trip to the Ministry?"

Snape frowned at him. "I think that could be unwise. Considering there is very limited magic here as there is, and taking away the staff who has very little means of protecting the students as it is, would be a bad idea."

"Protecting us from what?" Draco asked suspiciously.

Snape had the look of someone who had mistakenly given away more information then he should have. The Professor opened his mouth to speak, closed it and then gave Draco what he deemed was a guarded glare.

Draco immediately caught the glare. He glanced at Pansy, who he guessed had seen it too. He turned back to Snape, "Well then, I suppose we'll just have to hope for the best on this." He said, turning to leave. He glanced at Pansy and motioned for her to follow him, "I guess I'll see you soon, Professor. Luna, Susan." He said nodding towards Susan and rolling his eyes when he saw Luna still spinning around. He turned around again and he and Pansy walked out into the hallway.

Luna stopped spinning and waved rapidly after Pansy and Draco. She turned to Snape and looked at him in confusion as she stumbled a little in her dizziness, "Wow Professor, I'm seeing three of you!"

Snape pursed his lips in non-reply and decided not to question her. "Don't you have somewhere to be, Miss Lovegood?"

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