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the noise of his feet masked by the music and loud talk still issuing from Slughorn's office behind him. Perhaps Snape had taken Malfoy to his office in the dungeons ... or perhaps he was escorting him back to the Slyt herin common room. . . . Harry pressed his ear against door after door as he dashed down the corridor until, with a great jolt of excitement, he crouched down to the keyhole of the last classroom in the corridor and heard voices.
" . . . cannot afford mistakes, Draco, because if you are expelled —" "I didn't have anything to do with it, all right." "I hope you are telling the truth, because it was both clumsy a nd foolish. Already you are suspected of having a hand in it." "Who suspects me." said Malfoy angrily. "For the last time, I didn't do it, okay. That Bell girl must ' ve had an enemy no on e knows about — don't look at me like that! I know what you're doing, I'm not stupid, but it won't work — I can stop you!" There was a pause and then Snape said quietly, "Ah . . . Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, I see. What thoughts are you trying to conceal from your master, Draco." "I'm not trying to conceal anything from him, I just don't want you butting in !" Harry pressed his ear still more closely against the keyhole. . . . What had happened to make Malfoy speak to Snape like this — Snape, toward whom he had always shown respect, even liking.
"So that is why you have been avoiding me this term. You have feared my interference.
You realize that, had anybody else failed to come to my office when I had told them repeatedly to be there, Draco —" "So put me in detention! Report me to Dumbledore!" jeered Malfoy.
There was another pause. Then Snape said, "You know perfectly well that I do not wish to do either of those things ." "You'd better stop telling me to come to your office then!" "Listen to me," said Snape, his voice so low now that Harry had to push his ear very hard against the keyhole to hear. "I am trying to help you. I swore to your mother I would protect you. I made the Unbreakable Vow, Draco —" "Looks like you'll have to break it, then, because I don't need your protection! It's my job, he gave it to me and I'm doing it, I've got a plan and it's going to work, it's just taking a bit longer than I thought it would!" "What is your plan ."
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