Next Year Will Be Better
"It could've gone better," Severus said, picking up the cards dealt to him.
"The Package is safe, and I've got Peta-Lorrum's word that she won't turn any students to stone," Minerva said. "Ten."
On her command, a few chips floated from her pile into the middle of the table.
"But how did she turn Quirinius to stone?" Filius asked, taking a sip of his drink. "Raise to 20."
"She called it flesh to stone," Minerva replied. "As usual, she didn't use her wand."
"I said before, many children that grow up on the streets learn wandless magic," Pomona said, ordering some chips into the pot. "It's not uncommon."
"But turning a man to stone?" Filius asked. "I think we'd know by now if someone else had discovered that spell."
"Has our fearless leader given any insight?" Severus asked after taking a drink.
"None, but he knows something," Minerva said.
"He always knows something," Severus said, adding some of his own chips to the pile. "I was asking if he'd shared any of that information."
"No."
"If Albus is withholding information, then there must be a reason," Filius said. "Even if the girl's a tad off, she's still a little girl. Like Pomona said, she probably just learned to defend herself."
"She's still got an attitude problem," Minerva said, adding more of her chips to the pot.
"Speaking of which, did we ever find out why she started screaming in the middle of class back in October?" Pomona asked as Filius folded.
"She claims she heard the castle shouting at her," Minerva said.
"Since then, she's turned a man to stone, apparated at will, and has Occlumency shields strong enough to keep me out," Severus said.
"I thought she was a house-elf in disguise before we found out she used Occlumency," Minerva muttered, glancing at her hand again. It wasn't a great hand, but she had plenty of chips to spare, thanks to a particular group of first-years.
"Don't forget showing up to breakfast one day pale as a sheet," Filius added.
"Why don't we talk about something other than Rose Peta-Lorrum," Pomona suggested, calling the bet. "Flush."
"Three of a kind," Minerva said.
"Pair," Severus said.
The chips in the middle of the table slid towards Pomona, and everyone's cards returned to the deck that floated above the pot.
"Let's talk about her friends instead," Severus said as a floating bottle refilled his drink. "Would anyone care to explain how a group of five first-years managed to get past the best we had to offer?"
"I'll be honest," Pomona said, grimacing at her cards, "the Devil's Snare was only the best I could do on such short notice. I didn't have anything else that wouldn't immediately kill whatever was caught in it."
"Filius?" Severus asked.
"What was wrong with my challenge? Twenty."
"You left the key in the room," Severus said as Pomona sent some of her chips into the pot.
"Albus didn't want the key left unattended. We agreed leaving the key in the room itself would be safest."
"And let anyone that passed through to take it. Call."
"That's why I made it as difficult as I could to get the key," Filius said.
"There's no need for finger pointing, Severus," Minerva said. "The only reason those children didn't pass your challenge was because we reached them first. Raise to fifty."
"Fold," Filius said.
"Peta-Lorrum said it was only Bathsheda's and Septima's challenge that gave them any real difficulty, and Albus asked them to do it because of her."
"When was this?" Pomona asked. "Call."
"After I told Albus that Peta-Lorrum could apparate in the castle," Minerva replied. "He wanted additional protection on the Philosopher's Stone, and Septima thought their dimensional prison would suffice."
"Because her judgment has been spot on this year," Severus said. "Call."
"I take it you're referring to her decision to allow Granger to take Arithmancy early?" Minerva asked. "Full house."
"What else?" Severus asked. "Flush."
They both turned to Pomona. With a broad smile on her face, she laid out her four Jacks.
"Hufflepuff never wins the House Cup," Severus said, giving her the same look he gave Longbottom when the boy handed in a pathetic excuse for an assignment.
"That's because we don't need to," Pomona said as she received the chips from the pot. "I get plenty of bragging rights from our game."
She took a celebratory drink as they began another round.
"Septima said Granger's earned her place in the class," Filius said. "In my experience, she's never late, never misses an assignment, and her work has only improved with time."
"I'm glad her run-in with that troll didn't take its toll on her," Pomona said.
"Never mind the troll," Filius said. "What about its friend?"
"Perks and Granger both described it as a cross between a dragon and a snake," Minerva said. "We still don't know where it came from, and that's what's troubling me."
"Let's change the subject," Pomona said. "Prefects. What does everyone think? I think this year's bunch has done splendidly, especially given the circumstances."
"They have," Minerva said. "I doubt next year's crop will be quite as accomplished, but they'll do." Muttering, she added, "So long as next year's Defence professor doesn't let a troll into the castle."
"That's the spirit," Pomona said. "Next year will be better."
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง