Chương 54: Halloween Layout

---

The next day dawned with a calm, clear sky.

Everything seemed as usual, except for one detail: Dyroth, who normally stayed quiet and followed the rules in class, was different today. Rather than waiting to be called upon, he actively raised his hand, eager to answer questions.

His impressive knowledge and practical experience shone through, leaving his classmates in awe and Professor McGonagall visibly pleased.

But not everyone was impressed. Ron Weasley sat fuming, jealousy written all over his face. Everyone even Harry noticed how much Ron disliked Dyroth's sudden enthusiasm.

Ever since starting school, Ron had seen Dyroth as his nemesis, and this display of intellect only fueled his resentment. To make matters worse, Ron's family, especially his mother, had taken a liking to Dyroth. Mrs. Weasley had even knitted him a sweater, something she hadn't yet done for Ron.

"That Slytherin is using dark magic, I'm sure of it!" Ron muttered angrily, his voice rising in frustration.

"Dyroth isn't a bad person.." Harry tried to defend his friend, though his voice was uncertain.

"No, he must be!" Ron continued, louder now. "He's always off somewhere, doing who-knows-what."

Before Ron could go on, Professor McGonagall interrupted. "Mr. Weasley, if you don't pay attention, I will have no problem removing you from the class."

The other students burst into laughter as Ron's face flushed red, his embarrassment obvious. Dyroth smirked slightly from across the room, a glint of mischief in his eyes. He didn't need to do anything to Ron; his own foolishness was enough to make him look bad.

After class, Ron and Harry quickly fled, leaving behind mocking whispers. Meanwhile, Dyroth was surrounded by admiring classmates, laughing and talking as they headed toward the Slytherin common room. Dyroth caught Ron's glare and smiled teasingly, further fueling Ron's fury.

"I'm going to expose him one day!" Ron spat.

Harry, ever the peacekeeper, tried to calm him down. "Come on, Ron. He is just answering questions. You can do that too, you know."

"If I could, I would!" Ron snapped, his anger showing. "You're supposed to be my friend, not his! Why do you keep defending him?"

"Of course I am, but Dyroth... he is just my—"

"my what? He is a Slytherin! An evil one at that!" Ron shouted, cutting Harry off mid-sentence. "He is our enemy, Harry. The enemy of Gryffindor!"

Ron's voice trembled, betraying a mix of guilt and panic that he hadn't even realized was there. Ever since arriving at Hogwarts, his greatest comfort had been his friendship with Harry, the Boy Who Lived. But now, if that support crumbled, what would become of him?

"I have to uncover his plan," Ron said, more to convince himself than anyone else. "There's something he is hiding. I just know it!"

Turning to Harry, his voice became almost pleading. "You'll help me, right? Harry?"

Harry hesitated, unsure how to respond. He didn't want to lose his friendship with Ron, but he couldn't help but think Ron's grudge against Dyroth was misplaced. Still, Harry reluctantly agreed to help Ron in his latest scheme: tailing Dyroth to see if they could catch him doing something suspicious.

---

That evening, as Dyroth finished his regular work in Professor Snape's office, he noticed Ron and Harry awkwardly trying to spy on him from a distance. He chuckled, inwardly—Are you really trying to spy on me? these two are Stupid and hopeless.

Later, after dinner in the Great Hall, Dyroth returned to the Slytherin common room with Draco and a group of friends. The students were already buzzing with excitement over Halloween, decorating the lounge with enthusiasm. Dyroth, seizing the opportunity, joined in, waving his wand and helping with the preparations. His sudden involvement surprised his classmates.

Draco couldn't help but tease him. "I thought you would be hiding away with a book, not decorating."

"I'm not a complete bookworm," Dyroth replied with a grin. "Halloween is important, after all. I can't miss it."

The students laughed, enjoying the festive spirit. But Dyroth had other plans brewing in the back of his mind. Casually, he steered the conversation toward Professor Snape, hinting that the Potions Master might be lonely, given that he always spent Halloween alone in his office.

Several older students picked up on Dyroth's hint. "Yeah, I have been at Hogwarts for three years and noticed that too. Poor Professor Snape, He never seems to celebrate with anyone" one of them remarked.

Dyroth smiled inwardly. He didn't need to push the idea further. The students would now take it upon themselves to visit Snape during Halloween.

Dyroth knew that once other houses caught wind of this, they would do the same, turning it into a tradition of the Halloween. And when professors became more involved in students' lives, it would be easier to keep an eye on those around him without raising suspicion.

inwardly "Even if Voldemort knew, he wouldn't blame me. After all, I didn't propose the matter, and I didn't even participate! Why should what he was doing have anything to do with me?"

As Dyroth continued to weave his subtle plans, Draco, Pansy, and the rest of his friends remained none the wiser, enjoying the Halloween preparations. But Dyroth's thoughts were elsewhere, already calculating how this small act could shield him from any future blame while allowing him to manipulate the situation to his advantage.

By the time Halloween arrived, everything would be set in motion.