Snape acted quickly. At dinner, Su Er saw that the points in Slytherin's hourglass had dropped by a large amount.
It was about fifty points. Apparently, the word "Mudblood" had made Snape very angry.
As Su Er passed the Slytherin table, Malfoy even made a throat-slitting gesture at him, his expression ugly.
After dinner, Su Er received a note in his dormitory, delivered by a first-year Hufflepuff.
"Let's have a fair duel, Su Er Bones. If you have enough courage, I'll be waiting for you in the Charms classroom on the Castle's Second Floor at midnight tonight. -Draco Malfoy."
Su Er scoffed.
"What a lousy attempt to goad me."
He crumpled the note and tossed it into the fireplace, then took out the book he had borrowed from the Library, leaned back on the sofa, and began reading it carefully.
The night passed without incident.
The weather in the English Highlands changed at a moment's notice. It had been sunny when they left the Castle that morning, but an hour later, thick clouds covered the sky.
Cedric Diggory sighed regretfully and put away his wand, finally giving the poor frogs a break.
"Come on, Su Er. Breakfast should be about ready."
Su Er nodded and put away his wand as well.
The two chatted and laughed as they headed toward the Castle. It had to be said that Cedric really was an excellent older student; he had very generously shared what he had learned in yesterday's private lesson with Su Er.
"Huh? What happened to all Slytherin's points?" Cedric asked in surprise as soon as they entered the Great Hall.
"Who knows?" Su Er shrugged as though nothing had happened.
Inwardly, though, he was rather surprised. Well, well. Malfoy actually went there to wait for me?
Serves him right, Su