Will had a problem: he was running low on test subjects. In the days since Snape had spoken with Dumbledore, both men had given him complicated looks.
Will did not know what Dumbledore had told Snape, but Snape had stopped bringing him news of Death Eater hideouts. He began to wonder whether he should make another trip to Knockturn Alley for supplies.
After thinking it over and considering Dumbledore's current attitude, Will decided to make do with what he had until he had used up this batch of test subjects.
Ding-dong! Ding-dong! The clock on the wall chimed, reminding Will that it was time for class. "Breakfast, then Transfiguration!"
George and Fred had given him the clock in their first year to thank him for his initial financial support. Later, they had upgraded it to make it smarter; announcing his schedule was only one of its basic functions.
Even with the clock, Will rarely kept a regular routine. Losing himself in research or a book was nothing new.
Will closed his book and headed for the Dining Room. Along the way, plenty of students greeted him warmly, and he answered each with a smile.
Ever since the Triwizard Tournament the year before, a saying had circulated around Hogwarts: Will should have won the Most Charming Smile Award for both of the past two years.
Will had no interest in the award, and Sylvia had even less. She hated the Most Charming Smile Award, partly because of Witch Weekly's readership.
After all, "Witch Weekly" was aimed mainly at women, as its name suggested.
Lockhart's five consecutive Most Charming Smile Awards showed just how many female fans he had.
When Will reached the Dining Room, Sylvia was eating breakfast at the Slytherin table. Unlike Will, whose meals and rest followed no schedule,