Chapter 54: Misunderstanding

"Oh, Miss Greengrass and Mr. Malfoy, what brings you here?" Dumbledore greeted them with a warm, kindly smile. Daphne and Malfoy felt like they'd been hit with a Silencing Charm. They wanted to speak, but no words came out. Especially when they caught sight of Snape's suspicious glare. To them, Snape's expression was dripping with malice, practically radiating ill intent, like he was ready to hex them into oblivion. They needed a subtle way to warn Dumbledore that the man standing next to him was a villain hiding in plain sight at Hogwarts. Think! Come on, brain, work! Should they just blurt out that Snape was the one who let the troll into the castle, tried to kill Potter with a cursed broom, and had probably imprisoned or even murdered Edward? That sounded way too reckless—not at all Slytherin-like. But with Dumbledore here, maybe he'd protect them? Could they even trust the headmaster? Gemma, standing nearby, had no idea of the whirlwind of thoughts spinning through the two first-years' heads. She stepped forward and dipped her head respectfully. "Professor Dumbledore, please accept my apologies. They've never spoken to you face-to-face before—maybe they're just nervous." "They're actually here looking for Edward. They said you called him away, right, Greengrass? Malfoy?" Daphne nodded vigorously, while Malfoy shook his head just as hard. After exchanging a quick glance, Daphne started shaking her head, and Malfoy began nodding. "What are you two even doing here? The headmaster doesn't have time to watch you perform a circus act!" Snape snapped, sweeping his robes forward as if to advance on them. The two flinched back half a step, but Dumbledore raised a hand to stop him. Dumbledore's eyes, peering over his half-moon glasses, studied Malfoy and Daphne for a moment before his smile grew even warmer. "Ah, I see!" he said, as if a lightbulb had gone off. Then he turned to Gemma at the door. "Miss Gemma, thank you for kindly bringing them here. Five points to Slytherin. You may go." Gemma was baffled. Since when did escorting someone earn house points at Hogwarts? But she wasn't about to let those points slip away. She thanked him quickly and bolted, as if afraid Dumbledore might change his mind. With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore closed the classroom door and turned to the two stunned students. "You came to tell me that Edward instructed you to inform me, if he didn't return on time, that Professor Snape is behind all the strange incidents at the school, correct?" The room fell silent, except for Dumbledore's voice. The other three froze. Snape's eyes widened in shock before narrowing into a dangerous squint, scanning Daphne and Malfoy like he was about to devour them. The two students' faces were a mix of panic and disbelief. They hadn't expected the headmaster to just lay their secret plan bare like that. Malfoy was convinced he was done for. For a split second, he considered dropping to his knees and begging Snape to spare him for his father Lucius's sake, promising to keep his mouth shut. This book first launched on 101kan.com, offering an error-free, seamless reading experience. Daphne's laurel brooch flickered with a rainbow of colors, mirroring her swirling emotions. But then, nothing happened. Neither Dumbledore nor Snape made a move. It was as if Dumbledore had just commented on the weather. Something felt off. "Professor Dumbledore, how did you—" Daphne found her voice again. "How did I know why you came to see me?" Dumbledore said with a twinkling smile. "Figuring out what two 11-year-olds are thinking isn't that hard for a wizard who's lived over a century." "But you—" Malfoy stammered, trying to get a word in. "But why did I say it out loud? Because this is all a complete misunderstanding." "Still, I must say, I'm quite impressed by Mr. Edward's deductive skills and the trust you three share. What a beautiful friendship, wouldn't you say, Severus?" Dumbledore teased, glancing at Snape. "Friendship? This is why you suspect your own head of house? You're all fools!" Snape scoffed, practically exhaling venom. "Bedivere, and you two! Don't you dare tell anyone you're from Slytherin House. Troll House or Flobberworm House would suit you better!" He seemed even angrier now. After all, three of his own students suspected him of causing trouble at Hogwarts—one of them the son of his friend, Lucius Malfoy! Hadn't he shown enough favoritism to these three in class? How did I end up with students like this? "There's no friendship between me and Edward, Professor," Daphne said coolly, latching onto the key point in Dumbledore's words. "Same here," Malfoy added quickly. "But, Professor, you said this is a misunderstanding. Does that mean someone else is behind the troll and the broom incidents? And where's Edward?" Daphne asked, voicing her biggest concern. Only now did she have the chance to take in the rest of the room, her eyes landing on an ornate, ancient-looking mirror. "Good question, Miss Greengrass, but I'm afraid I can't answer that right now," Dumbledore said, turning to face the Mirror of Erised. "What I can tell you is that Mr. Edward didn't intentionally break your agreement. After we ran into each other here, he was about to leave. Unfortunately, he's now... inside that mirror." "Inside the mirror?!" Daphne and Malfoy gasped in unison. It clicked—they finally understood what Dumbledore and Snape were doing in this classroom: trying to get Edward out of the mirror. Mirrors were often tied to magic, like two-way mirrors used for communication, but entering a mirror? How could a person be inside one? "Here's the situation. If you don't mind waiting a bit, Professor Snape and I will continue studying this fascinating mirror—" But before Dumbledore could finish, Daphne pointed at the Mirror of Erised behind him. "Professor, is it just me, or is the mirror's surface starting to ripple?"