[Revisions: Wednesday, July 17, 2024]

Basil, Draco, Marcus, and Adrian stepped out of the Come and Go Room, thanking Helena for escorting them. They watched as the ghostly figure curtsied and floated away.

"We should meet with Professor Snape and ask if he can chaperone us for Hermione's birthday," Basil suggested, looking at Draco, Marcus, and Adrian.

"I'm sure Snape won't mind. Having a teacher with us will keep us out of trouble," Draco said confidently.

"And it'll keep Filch and his cat off our backs," Adrian added, nodding in agreement.

Marcus groaned suddenly, catching their attention. "Here comes Mrs. Norris," he muttered, looking annoyed.

The group turned to see Mrs. Norris approaching, her sharp eyes fixed on them.

"She's going to start meowing and summon Filch, her husband," Adrian grumbled.

"Why do you call Filch Mrs. Norris' husband?" Basil asked curiously.

"It's just a joke among the older students," Adrian smirked. "But trust me, we don't want Filch catching us out of bounds."

Marcus attempted to shoo Mrs. Norris away discreetly, but the cat began meowing loudly, drawing attention.

"Norris! Who is bothering you now?" Filch's voice echoed down the corridor.

"Merlin's beard!" Draco muttered, looking around nervously.

Thinking quickly, Basil motioned for Draco to follow him back into the Come and Go Room. He nudged Adrian and Marcus to do the same.

Without hesitation, the four hurried back into the room, closing the door quietly behind them. They held their breaths as they listened to Mrs. Norris scratching at the wall outside.

"I hope she doesn't alert Filch," Marcus whispered anxiously.

Meanwhile, outside the room, Filch arrived and scooped up Mrs. Norris, who continued to meow and struggle.

"What have you found, my dear?" Filch asked the cat, scanning the hallway suspiciously.

Basil, Draco, Marcus, and Adrian waited in tense silence inside the room.

They exchanged worried glances, hoping Filch wouldn't discover their hiding spot.

Fortunately, after a few moments, Filch seemed dissatisfied that Mrs. Norris hadn't found anything amiss. He carried the cat away, muttering to himself.

Once they were certain Filch was gone, Adrian cautiously opened the door and peeked outside. Seeing the coast was clear, he signaled for the others to follow.

"It's safe," Adrian whispered, stepping out into the corridor.

Basil, Draco, and Marcus breathed a sigh of relief as they emerged from the Come and Go Room. They watched as the door vanished behind them, leaving no trace of its existence.

"We should get going," Adrian suggested, glancing at his watch. "Study Hall will be ending soon. Let's meet the others in the Great Hall for dinner."

"I still need to talk to Professor Snape about chaperoning Hermione's birthday," Basil reminded them as they walked toward the Great Hall together.

"Don't worry, we have some free time after dinner," Draco reassured him.

They arrived at the Great Hall and took their seats a few minutes later. Basil and Draco settled into the first-year section of the Slytherin table, while Adrian and Marcus joined their friends in the fifth-year section.

As they waited for dinner to begin, Basil turned to Draco with a soft expression. "I hope Hermione likes the surprise we've planned for her birthday," he said quietly.

"She'll love it," Draco replied with confidence, giving Basil a reassuring smile.

Just then, their friends approached the table. Blaise, Hermione, Theodore, Cordelia, and Daphne joined them, taking seats nearby.

"How did the tutoring session with Snape, Ron, and Harry go?" Blaise asked, settling in next to Draco.

"It went well. Having Snape there kept Ron and Harry in line for once," Basil answered, recalling the afternoon's events.

"I'm glad they behaved themselves," Hermione said, relieved.

At that moment, Dumbledore stood up with a glass in hand, capturing everyone's attention.

"Good evening, everyone," Dumbledore began, his voice carrying through the hall. "I have some exciting news to share. This year, we have two new additions to our Quidditch teams."

The students buzzed with curiosity as Dumbledore's gaze settled on Harry.

"Harry Potter has been chosen as Gryffindor's new Seeker," Dumbledore announced proudly. "And Basil Potter will be joining Slytherin as a Chaser."

Basil's expression faltered slightly as Dumbledore spoke, and he felt overshadowed by his brother's recognition once again. He glanced at Snape and McGonagall, who exchanged knowing looks.

Draco noticed Basil's reaction and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, silently acknowledging his feelings.

After a brief toast, dinner commenced, and the students chatted animatedly about the upcoming Quidditch season and Hermione's approaching birthday.

Daphne, however, listened quietly, her thoughts elsewhere as she recalled her recent correspondence with her father, Lord Zephyr Greengrass. She couldn't shake the feeling that something larger was at play beyond Dumbledore's usual favoritism towards Harry.