After a grueling hour of being scolded by McGonagall, I am given detention to be served with whatever professor that requested it tonight. Much to my pleasure, Flitwick is the one who requested that I help him grade papers.

This is a much better option than helping Snape, Filch, or Merlin forbid Lockfart. I happily walk back to the common room to see Harry and Ron laying on the couch across from each other acting dead. They must be tired because they don't even hear me come in.

"Why the long faces?" I ask with a cheery smile.

Ron looks at me with dead eyes "I have to help Filch polish trophies and clean the painting's picture frames."

Harry rolls over to face me "I have to help Lockhart reply to fan mail."

I shrug as I look at the bright side of things "That actually sounds kind of fun. You could mess with people pretty easily that way." I say sitting down on the chair next to the fireplace across from them resting until I have detention.

****

A few hours later I open my eyes to an empty common room. I check my wristwatch to see it's five in the evening. I decide I should go grab an early dinner then head to detention.

I make my way through the halls by myself but I stop as I begin to hear a voice behind me. I turn around but see nothing, so I keep walking without thinking much of it.

"K-killll theeee muggglllessss." A voice quietly hisses behind me.

A shiver runs down my back as I quickly turn around this time to still see nothing. I close my eyes and begin to focus looking for the souls around me. But I see nothing out of the ordinary, no human souls anywhere near me.

I narrow my eyes as I quickly make my way to dinner pondering what it could have been. I walk into the great hall and see not a single person I know. No one eats dinner this early so it's to be expected.

I sit down by myself and check the head table, sure enough, Flitwick is there eating already. As I begin to fill my plate up someone sits next to me and I feel a hand pat my shoulder.

"Hey." A familiar voice says.

I turn to see Theo sitting down next to me. I smile seeing him "What's up? Why are you here so early?"

He shrugs as he grabs a plate to fill "I usually grab food early and study while I eat."

"Are you not studying today?" I say gesturing at the lack of a book.

He shakes his head "Of course not! You have to tell me about what happened at lunch! The rumor says you beat up the entire Slytherin quidditch team with only your fists. Come one, you have to tell me, did you really break Malfoy's jaw?"

I roll my eyes "I only knocked out Malfoy and gave Flint a love tap. The rest were taken out by the Gryffindor team, and no I didn't break his jaw... I fractured it, I broke Flint's nose though."

He chuckles with a large smile as he fills up his plate "I knew it had to be exaggerated, even you couldn't take on 11 people with only your fists."

I ponder for a second "I mean I probably could, I'm pretty strong."

He rolls his eyes, "Sureeee," He says as he takes a bite out of the roasted ham.

I shrug as I start to eat too. After a few minutes of chatting, I see Professor Flitwick approaching us. We both turn to face him.

He nods as a hello "You may just come to my office once you are finished eating."

I nod "Yes, professor."

Theo turns to me as Flitwick is walking away "What was that about."

I sigh "I have detention with him for starting the fight. It's pretty easy though, I'm just helping him grade the tests from the first-year students."

"Sounds better than Filch, I heard he made a kid clean the torcher chains last year." He shivers a bit as he speaks.

I scarf down the rest of my food as I stand up "Guess I should get going."

Theo waves me off "Don't be too harsh on the first years."

I wave back as I'm walking away "I will."

As I open the door to Flitwick's office I see a second desk next to his. "Ah, Soren you're here. I have set up a desk for you to sit at. The answer key is on top of the pile."

I nod as I walk over to the desk. It only has a quill in an inkwell, six stamps labeled O, E, A, P, D, T, and a MOUNTAIN of test papers. I sigh as I sit down and look over the answer key.

I turn to Flitwick "How lenient with answers should I be?"

He looks at me with raised brows "Have I ever been lenient on you?"

I think back to my exam last year when I got a 98 rather than 100 because I spelled 'wingardium' wrong.

I shake my head "Not at all."

He nods with a soft smile "Exactly."

'For being such an uppity and kind person he sure is strict.' I think to myself as I grab the T stamp.

Much to my surprise, the next three hours were pretty enjoyable. Grading was tedious but also fun at the same time. Only about a fifth of the students failed but only seven got an O. Since I've always gotten O's I thought they were common. I was wrong.

Saying goodbye to Flitwick I walk out of the office and head towards the dorms. I once again hear the quiet whispers and I decided to follow them. I wander down the halls following against the walls I hear the whispers from.

"OW" I feel something hit my chest and fall to the ground. I look down and see Harry sitting on the ground rubbing his head. Sometimes I forget that he is so short...

I smile as I reach down and offer him a hand. "What are you doing out this late? Curfew is in a few minutes." I ask.

He grabs my hand and pulls himself up "I thought I heard something so I was following it."

My eyes narrow "I was as well. Did it sound like a hiss to you as well?"

He nods "I thi-" my words are cut off as the tower bell rings signaling the five-minute warning till curfew.

"Oh no." Harry and I quickly turn towards the tower stairs and start to run. Seemingly with an assist out of nowhere the stairs line up perfectly to the Gryffindor hallway.

We bolt our way up with reckless abandon stopping in front of the portrait of the fat lady. "Password?" She asks in her casual tone as we both are hunched over breathing hard.

"Wattlebird," I say standing straight up.

She nods and the portrait creaks open. Walking into the common room we find it full of people lounging around and reading as well as some playing chess. I wonder if today is special but then it dawns on me, it's Friday.

"Wanna go see what Ron is up to?" I ask Harry as we walk past everyone.

He nods and follows me upstairs.