Whatever the case, walking into the damp outdoors against the chilly morning wind was not a pleasant experience.
Though the steady drizzle of the past two days had stopped, Harry felt his eyelashes and hair grow damp the moment he stepped down the Marble Staircase.
Most of the students clustered around Professor Lahansen, asking what exactly this class was about. Harry, Hermione, and Ginny, meanwhile, dawdled along behind them, pretending to discuss something.
The plan worked.
Draco and his friends, who had fallen to the rear, merely glanced coolly at Harry before passing them and catching up with the main group.
"What are you going to do?"
Harry asked quietly.
"Just wait and see, Harry—"
Ginny flicked her bright red hair and smiled confidently.
In fact, it was not all that complicated.
Ginny swept her gaze around and found Ron.
"Hey, Ron, there's something I forgot to tell you. Mum sent me a letter yesterday!"
Ginny waved at Ron, who turned around looking slightly dazed. Then, with perfectly measured urgency, she hurried toward him. Under Harry's nervous gaze, her swinging arm brushed Malfoy's elbow.
"What are you doing, you stupid bitch!"
Malfoy jerked his arm back as if shocked and roared at Ginny as she passed him.
Harry had expected Malfoy to react, but not this violently.
In the second he stood there in startled doubt, Ginny had already responded.
With a swift motion, Ginny pulled out her wand and pointed it at Malfoy's eyes. Her face was icy, her gaze sharp.
"Who are you calling that, Malfoy!"
A chain reaction began. Harry drew his wand the instant he came to his senses, while Ron roared and broke away from Lavender's side, charging over.
Naturally, they were not the only angry ones. Fred and George, along with the Gryffindor House