(1384 words)

Your POV 

After it being so long since you've caught up with Hermione, Harry, and Ron, the trio told you about everything they've been up to. Ron told you about how Fred and George have their own shop in Diagon Alley. that was before the air of the conversation changed and Harry leaned in a bit more. 

"Malfoy went into Bargin in Burkes. He did something with a really weird looking wardrobe." 

"What?" 

Harry shook his head. "We aren't sure, but we think he's become a Death Eater." 

"Just like his Father." I mumble. Shaking my head I look at him for a moment. 

"What are you two going to do about it?" 

"The same as we always do, figure out how to stop him." 

It had been a couple of weeks after that. Snape is no longer the potions instructor, but now he's got the position he's always wanted. Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. His potions classroom was taken over by Horace Slughorn. 

The change that was happening was happening quickly, no matter what we tried to do about it. Taking a slight sigh, I decided to move my study time to the dark arts classroom. With Slughorn being the new teacher. Harry was able to be in the class from the N.E.W.T program. Though my understanding from Hermione is that he's got a book from someone called the 'Half-Blood Prince'. 

Apparently there's new spells and ways to brew potions in it, that aren't what the standards are for anything else that can be found in the school. I've never been able to see the book since Harry doesn't let it out of his sight, so if it's real, I'm not sure. 

Humming slightly as I sit in the Dark Arts classroom, Snape being out of doing only Merlin knows what, I stare at the wall for a moment. Something was going on, more than we could ever know. Harry gets called to Dumbledore's office more than I'm sure any student has ever at Hogwarts. 

Snape has been acting a little differently than normal with Malfoy lately too. As if he's now, scared of Lucius, which I'm not sure if there's anything more preposterous. I would attempt to talk to him about it, though I doubt even I could get through to find out what's going on. The door opens and I hear the usual fast footsteps of Snape. 

Tilting my head slightly, as I hear him better I hear an abrupt stop in his steps. Turning around the rest of the way I see him looking at me before I go back to facing away from him. Still in my thoughts about everything that was going on. 

"Normally when I come into the room you don't look away from me first." 

Humming in response, I sit there before I'm spun around in my chair, looking at him to see he has his wand in his hand. 

"First you start favoring Malfoy, now you're using magic on me?" 

He puts his wand back into his sleeve as he sighs slightly. "You know I don't appreciate being ignored. Especially not by you." 

Raising a brow I look at him. "You've done nothing but ignore me it seems." 

"Things are changing." 

"Tell me something I don't know, Snape. Everyone in Hogwarts knows things are going on, I bet even the damn paintings can feel it! The only ones that are in denial is the Ministry!" 

He holds his hand up slightly as he tries to get me to relax. "Everything will work out." 

Growling I shake my head before standing. "Ron, Hermione, and Harry want me to walk with them today, I'm sure I'll only see you around and probably nothing more." 

Leaving the room before he could say anymore, I was out into the hallway and making my way to my dorm to put my things in my trunk before meeting up with the rest. Getting outside, I practically stomp through the snow, my anger keeping my warm as the wind blows against me, trying its best to knock me over. 

"For weeks, you carry around this book, practically sleep with it and you have no desire to figure who the half blood prince is?" 

"I didn't say I wasn't curious, and I don't sleep with it." 

"Well, its true. I like a nice chat before I go to bed. Now all you do is read that bloody book. It's just like being with these two." 

He motions to Hermione and I and I pretend not to notice. Having more pressing things on my mind. 

 "Well, I was curious, so I went to the library and nothing. I couldn't find a reference anywhere to a half-blood prince." 

"There we go, that settles it then." 

Before I could say anything Slughorn interrupted. 

"Filius!" 

He was talking to Flitwick, who was making his way back to the school for an emergency choir practice. Sitting in the Three Broomsticks, I lean in my chair as I have my arms crossed. The waitress brings us butterbeer as we sit there. Warming up from the outside cold. Harry sits where he can watch Slughorn and tells us about what Dumbledore's plan. 

"Dumbledore wants me to get to know him." 

"Get to know him? 

"I don't know. It must be important. If it wasn't. Dumbledore wouldn't ask." 

Looking at the three I drink my butterbeer as we sit there, listening to Slughorn after Harry and Hermione were invited to his party. Something he used to do around the first time he was a professor at the school. After warming up we were headed back to the school, at least that was before there was some screaming. 

"I warned her. I warned her not to touch it." 

Getting close to Leanne a girl in a red coat named Katie Bell was pulled around on the ground before being lifted in the air. Her arms out stretched and sections of her hair floating around her. As she was in the air it looked as if she was in the middle of a silent scream, before she was thrown back onto the ground.  

"Don't get any closer. Get back, all of you." 

Turning around Hagrid was walking up behind us. Hagrid picks her up as Harry notices the things on the ground. He walks over to it.

"Do not touch that, except by the wrappings, do you understand?" 

Harry picks it up and we head back to the castle. Hagrid telling us to take it to McGonagall as he goes to see Madam Pomfrey in the hospital ward. Going with them I stand there as McGonagall talks to Leanne, who told her that she had the package when she got back from the bathroom. 

Snape was walking by as Mcgonagall saw him, using his first name he walks in, giving me a slight side eye as I watch him. Using his wand he picks up the necklace as they stand there. 

"What do you think?" 

"I think Miss Bell is lucky to be alive." 

Harry started talking as Snape put the necklace back into its case. 

"She was cursed, wasn't she? I know Katie, off the pitch she wouldn't hurt a fly. If she was delivering that to Professor Dumbledore she wasn't doing that knowingly." 

"Yes, she was cursed." 

"It was Malfoy." 

They turn around and look at us, McGonagall was shocked from the words. "That is a very serious accusation, Potter." 

"Indeed." was all that Snape said as he watched us. "Your evidence?" 

"I just know." 

That makes a lot of sense Harry good going. 

"You just.... know." 

There's a break in Snape's words as he looks at us, stepping closer slightly. 

"Once again your gifts astonish me, Potter. Gifts mere mortals can only dream of possessing. How grand it must be to be the Chosen One." I roll my eyes slightly as Snape stares Harry down. 

"I suggest you go back to your dormitories. All of you." turning we make our way out of McGonagall's classroom and I stop just outside of the door. In a couple of days was supposed to be Slughorn's party. There's got to be a way for me to be able to eavesdrop on the festivities. See what's going on with my own two eyes.