Late at night, Kyle led Hannah briskly along the corridor.
Moonlight from outside the castle slanted through the tall windows, casting patch after patch of frost-white light across the hallway.
Hannah followed behind him, clutching Kyle's wizard robes to keep from getting lost, her heart brimming with excitement.
To the delighted girl, tonight's little excursion was a date between her and Kyle.
Of course, she was completely overthinking it. Kyle was not a dead lolicon, nor did he want to sample a minimum three-year stay in Azkaban—or get kissed by a Dementor outright.
Of course, it would be another matter if little Hannah "grew up."
Kyle had mainly come out tonight to watch the show.
Earlier that evening, Hermione had poured her heart out to the two of them in the library, furiously complaining about Harry and Ron.
In Hermione's eyes, sneaking into the Trophy Room at midnight for a wizard duel with Malfoy was utterly incomprehensible behavior.
Kyle's suggestion had been for her to lie in wait outside Gryffindor's common room.
The moment Harry and Ron came out, she could hit them with a Stunning Spell, and the problem would be solved.
But little beaver probably would not do that.
In the end, she would most likely go to the Trophy Room with Harry and Ron out of loyalty to her friends.
Kyle had snuck out partly to watch the excitement, but also because if Hermione ran into Filch or a patrolling professor, he could lend her a hand.
With little beaver's temperament—like a smaller Professor McGonagall—getting caught on a nighttime outing and costing Gryffindor points would be the end of the world for her.
As a seasoned nighttime wanderer, bringing along a little tagalong like Hannah was merely convenient.
Having mastered the Disillusionment Charm, he was confident enough