The Gryffindor team needed to stay in the changing room to discuss new Beaters, so Hermione and Orli walked heavily toward the castle. Even the weather was turning increasingly foul—the previously bright sky had somehow accumulated thick clouds, and swirling snow began to fall, coating their eyebrows and hair with white.
As they passed the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Orli's gaze unconsciously turned toward Hagrid's hut—she felt something was different about the door, as if someone had been inside.
She took a few steps toward the hut, not realizing she'd fallen behind. Suddenly, an invisible hand in the air grabbed her wrist. She instinctively wanted to struggle, to cry out, but it was as if she'd been hit with a Body-Bind Curse—she couldn't move at all.
What was happening?
Orli's mind raced.
This person was extremely skilled with nonverbal spells—a very dangerous opponent. But this was Hogwarts; surely no great villain could have infiltrated here. Since this person hadn't killed her immediately, they must have some purpose. She could play along—Hermione would surely notice she was missing soon...
She was dragged toward the Forbidden Forest. Hermione ahead seemed to sense something was wrong and began looking around.
Just then, a low voice spoke near Orli's ear:
"Confundus! Obliviate!"
Hermione staggered in place, rubbed her head, and continued toward the castle with some confusion.
It was him.
Orli knew that voice all too well. She relaxed, letting herself be dragged to behind a large oak tree at the Forbidden Forest's edge. The panic disappeared, replaced by irritation and anger—he'd actually just dropped her on the ground!
The air shimmered. Snape canceled his Disillusionment Charm and tapped Orli lightly with his wand tip. The moment her body was free, she scrambled up from the ground and stared straight at him.
"Is there something you need, Professor Snape?"
"Orli Waters, shouldn't I have something to discuss?!" Snape paced irritably for two steps, then turned to glare at her.
"You said that between me and Potter, you would choose me! Are you regretting it now? Or were you just lying to me then?"
"I did say that, but that was for life-or-death situations, or other times when I had no choice but to pick one or the other—not during a stupid Quidditch match!" Orli felt he was being completely unreasonable.
"Now is exactly when you must choose!" Snape strode up to her.
"Slytherin lost the match today, Gryffindor ganged up on my student, and you hugged Harry Potter right in front of me—is this your choice?!"
"Then why did you side with Umbridge today?!" Orli shot back defiantly.
"Harry's been banned from Quidditch! And your punishment for Crabbe was just copying out the rules?!"
"Missing a few Quidditch matches won't make the Chosen One Potter lose any flesh!"
"Yes, Slytherin finally has a chance at the Quidditch Cup this year—congratulations!"
Snape seemed infuriated by her words. His chest rose and fell violently, and when he spoke again, his voice was suppressed and hoarse.
"Orli Waters, think carefully. I am the Head of Slytherin House. If you can truly accept me, you must accept this reality."
"And I'm a Gryffindor—nearly every player on the team is a good friend of mine." Orli felt her eyes stinging.
"You have to accept that reality too."
"Do you really expect me to coddle those Gryffindor players' feelings?" Snape's brow furrowed.
"There's only one Gryffindor in this entire school I care about!"
"There's only one Slytherin in this entire school I care about!" Orli instinctively replied, then suddenly froze.
For several seconds, they looked at each other without speaking.
Then Orli burst out laughing. A helpless smile tugged at the corner of Snape's mouth as well.
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