HP: Those Years Sleeping with the Half-Blood Prince

Ian was focused on a syrup pie that had been drizzled with too much syrup, while Kevin was excitedly describing a ghost story he'd heard from a Hufflepuff senior about a "crying Myrtle" in the castle.

As Aris sipped his pumpkin juice, he corrected Kevin's account of parts that didn't align with the basic logic of ghostly behavior.

Severus didn't eat much, and his gaze would occasionally drift to the Gryffindor table, where Lily was laughing heartily with a girl named Mary McDonald.

The dinner ended in a sweet and satisfying atmosphere. Dumbledore, as usual, made a few witty remarks and then announced that everyone was free to do as they pleased, but reminded them not to stay out too late.

The students left the auditorium noisily, the flow of people from the four colleges mingling together as they surged toward different staircases and corridors.

Laughter, conversation, and screams of terror as ghosts suddenly emerged from their armor filled the air.

Ian and his companions followed the Slytherin crowd toward the cellars. As they descended the marble steps and turned into a relatively secluded tapestry corridor, they heard deliberately heavy footsteps and drawn-out whistles behind them.

"Look who's here? A bunch of little snakes from the cellar, their bellies bulging from eating, about to crawl back to their damp dens?"

James walked ahead with his hands in his pockets, a nonchalant mockery on his face.

Two boys followed behind them, one short and stout with messy hair and looking somewhat nervous (Peter Pedirou), and the other tall and thin with a pale face but with curiosity and a hint of eagerness in his eyes (Remus Lupin).

"Get out of the way, Potter." Ian stopped, turned around, his face expressionless, and said in a flat tone, "A good dog doesn't block the way."

Sirius's gray eyes narrowed. "Quite the boast, Burke. You've been snorting in Knockturn Alley's sewers too much; your voice reeks of the cesspools?"

"At least it smells better than that stale, moldy pure-blood arrogance that some people carry around," Ian retorted calmly. "What's wrong, Black? Has the wind from Gryffindor's towers blown that old ash from your head yet?"

James's face darkened. "Say that again?"

“He said,” Severus stepped forward and stood beside Ian, “that some people are good for nothing but boasting about their surnames and bloodlines. They rely on brute force in flying class and nonsense in potions class. Their brains have probably been trampled by trolls, so they can’t understand human speech and can’t learn the most basic manners.”

"You—!" James's face flushed red instantly, his fist clenched tightly, and the tip of his wand was already sticking out of his sleeve.

Sirius also dropped his nonchalant demeanor, and his eyes turned dangerous.

"Want to fight?" Kevin stood up, his neck stiff, gripping his wand tightly. Aris pushed up his glasses and silently stood next to Kevin, holding a hardcover book, as if ready to use it as a shield or throw it at any moment.

Remus Lupin tried to grab James's arm: "James, never mind, it's not far from the Great Hall..."

"Shut up, Remus!" James shoved him aside, glaring at Severus and Ian. "I'm going to teach this venomous half-breed a lesson today, and his friend who crawled out of the gutter!"

"A lesson?" Ian suddenly laughed, a cold laugh, his sharp gaze sweeping over James and Sirius. "With your incantation that you can't even properly cast a levitation spell? Or with your 'superior' skill in ramming people with your broom?"

"Potter, I suggest you save your breath, lest you put on a show for everyone on Halloween about 'how Potter made himself a laughing stock'."

"You're asking for it!" James's sanity snapped completely, and he abruptly raised his wand—

"What are they doing here?!"

A stern voice came from the other end of the corridor. Professor McGonagall strode over, her sharp gaze sweeping over the two sides who were on the verge of exchanging blows.

"Potter! Black! Burke! Snape! And you all! Gathered here, wands in hand, are you trying to deduct a hundred points from the school on Halloween Eve?!"

James's hand, holding the wand, froze in mid-air, his anger replaced by resentment and frustration.

Sirius quickly hid his wand back in his sleeve, but his expression remained grim.

Ian put down the wand that he had somehow already put in his hand, and his face instantly changed to an expression that was both innocent and confused:

"Professor McGonagall, we're on our way back to the common room, and Potter and Black... seem to have some issues they'd like to 'discuss' with us."

Professor McGonagall's gaze swept over James's still-held wand and Ian's "calm" face before she said sternly, "I don't care what 'problems' you have to 'discuss,' Hogwarts forbids students from fighting in private, especially with wands! Five points deducted from each of you! For inciting a brawl and attempting to cast a spell!"

"Now, immediately, everyone go back to your respective common lounges! If I find any more conflict between you, it won't be as simple as just deducting points! Understand?"

"Yes, Professor." Ian nodded readily and tugged at Severus's sleeve. Severus lowered his eyes, concealing the cold glint in them, and turned to follow.

Kevin and Aris quickly followed.

James glared at their retreating backs, and under Professor McGonagall's stern gaze, reluctantly put down his wand and was pulled away by Sirius and Remus.

Back in the Slytherin common room, the green fire in the fireplace burned quietly.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber.

"Just like that?" Kevin kicked the sofa leg, saying resentfully, "They provoked us first! And they used such nasty language!"

"Of course not."

Ian shifted to a more comfortable position on the sofa, the green fire casting flickering shadows on his face, making his smile seem somewhat enigmatic.

"It's stupid to get points deducted for open conflict. We need to make them suffer in silence."

He looked at Severus, who was sitting in an armchair, his fingers unconsciously stroking the handle of his wand, his dark eyes fixed on the fire, revealing no emotion.

"Is there anything that would 'impress' Potter and Black, but that doesn't seem like a good idea to us, Severus? As for potions... is there a recipe that makes people feel unwell but doesn't actually cause harm, and has a slightly delayed onset, or whose symptoms look like... well, like someone has an upset stomach or accidentally touched something dirty?"

Severus looked up and met Ian's gaze.

He was silent for a few seconds, and the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch slightly.

"have."