Sean passed two Hufflepuff students in the corridor, their whispers trailing behind him. "Hey, have you heard? Slytherin sixth-year Tarquin got beaten up in Hogsmeade. They say he picked a fight with a drunk and got knocked down before he could cast a spell. Just bruises, but everyone saw. Now all of Hogwarts knows. So embarrassing."
"Good riddance!" the other laughed. "Tarquin's the worst Slytherin, always ranting about pure-blood nonsense. He had it coming. But what about the guy who hit him? Will Slytherins go after him?"
"No way. The guy wore a hooded cloak, face hidden. After beating Tarquin, he snapped out of his drunken haze, realized he'd hit a Hogwarts student, and bolted. I heard he was stumbling as he ran. Probably won't show up in Hogsmeade again."
"That's lucky. Tarquin can't track him down, so the fight was for nothing. Give it time, and he'll give up."
Sean didn't catch the rest, but he didn't need to. Tarquin's beating had spread like wildfire through Hogwarts. From what Sean could tell, no one suspected a thing. They all thought it was a random drunken brawl. Hogwarts didn't even bother investigating. Tarquin tried rounding up friends to hunt for the drunk Sean had mimicked, but they found nothing.
Back in the Slytherin common room, Sean sank into a chair, the green torches casting a dim glow. He turned the plan over in his mind.
Soon, Tarquin's humiliation would fade from gossip. Once Sean got the unicorn blood, he'd slip out of Hogwarts and prepare the curse.
The unicorn blood was the last piece. It was trickier than getting Tarquin's hair, blood, and teeth—maybe even riskier. To stay clean, Sean couldn't buy magical creature blood through normal shops.
Hagrid's baby dragon was too closely guarded, or Sean might've tried for its blood. It'd be safer than hunting a unicorn.
"Sean, can we talk?"
Dorian Cook stood in the common room, his smile too smooth. Sean hid a scowl but grinned back. "Sure, let me drop my stuff in my room, and I'll be right with you."
Dorian nodded, still smiling. "Great, I'll get some tea ready and wait for you."
"Thanks," Sean said with a quick nod, his voice polite but curt.
In his room, Kulkan slithered off Sean's arm, curling into its snake den with a soft hiss. Sean swapped his robes for casual clothes, his mind racing, then returned to the common room and sat on the sofa across from Dorian.
"Sean, try this black tea I made for you," Dorian said, sliding a cup across the low table.
Sean sipped the warm tea and nodded. "Tastes good."
He set the cup down and met Dorian's eyes. "So, Dorian, what's this about?"
Dorian chuckled, leaning back. "What, can't I just share tea with you for no reason?"
Sean didn't bite. He lifted his teacup, took another sip, and stared back, his face blank.
Dorian's smile didn't waver, but who knew what he was thinking? Unless Sean could read minds like Dumbledore or Voldemort, Dorian's true thoughts stayed hidden.
Seeing Sean stay quiet, Dorian grinned again. "Alright, I do have something to say. I heard you work with Andy, buying and selling potion materials and finished potions. Sean, are you interested in switching partners? I can offer you a deal you'll like."
"My work with Andy goes well. I don't need to change," Sean said, his voice steady.
"No, no, no," Dorian said, shaking his head. "Sean, I know Andy splits profits with you, maybe 40-60 or 30-70. I'll give you 20-80, plus bigger sales channels. Work with me, and you'll have piles of gold before you graduate. You could live a life most wizards only dream of after years of work. Andy can't match that."
"Andy's share is fair enough," Sean replied. "A better split isn't worth changing partners."
Dorian set his cup down, leaning closer. "Sean, you're missing it. Let me break it down. Profit splits matter, but only if the potions sell for a lot."
He paused, his eyes sharp. "Andy only sells to Hogwarts students. How many are there, and how many can afford potions? He prices them cheap to compete with outside shops. If they weren't, students would buy from Diagon Alley for quality. That means Andy's potions earn less, so even a good split gets you pocket change."
Dorian's voice grew eager. "With me, it's different. I'm tied to shops in the wizarding world. We'll buy all your potions at full market price. Even if my split's close to Andy's, you'll make way more gold. And if you join me, I can get you a job as a potion master in those shops after graduation. You'd get a cut of their profits—not just wages, but real wealth."
Dorian's words were tempting, Sean had to admit. But something else caught his attention. Dorian spoke like Sean had no real tie to the Bulstrode family, as if he, a Squib's son, was just another common wizard. That bothered Sean.
Why was Dorian so sure? Even after Sean beat Malfoy and Gavin Bulstrode himself came to Hogwarts, Dorian still thought this way. Sean didn't buy that someone like Dorian wouldn't know better.
Dorian didn't push Sean for an answer. He was sure anyone with a bit of sense would pick him over Andy. In his mind, Sean was already his.
Normally, Sean might've considered Dorian's offer. The deal sounded good—better profits, bigger connections. But after Tarquin's attack, Sean wanted nothing to do with Dorian or whoever backed him.
He'd lost all trust in Dorian and his crew.
Plus, Sean had bigger plans. After Hogwarts, he'd head to Muggle World, far from the small wizarding world. Dorian's promises meant little to him.
Leaving Dorian behind, Sean hurried back to his room, the common room's green glow fading.
As he reached for the door, Andy's voice stopped him. "Sean, can we talk?"
Sean turned, spotting Andy's tense face. He knew Andy had seen him with Dorian. Maybe Dorian planned it, maybe not. It didn't matter. Sean was ready to tell Andy everything—he had no intention of joining Dorian.
"Come in," Sean said, opening the door. "We need to talk."
Andy followed, sitting stiffly on a chair in Sean's room, the air chilly.
Sean checked on Kulkan, curled in its den. The cold weather made the snake sleepy, likely hibernating. Seeing it was fine, Sean sat on his bed, facing Andy.
"Andy, did you see me talking with Dorian?" Sean asked bluntly.
Andy's face paled. He nodded, his voice rough. "Yeah, I came back for something and saw you."
Sean didn't ask why or if Dorian had lured him. He wasn't here to play games or watch Andy squirm. "Andy, I'm not working with Dorian. As long as you stick to our deal, we'll keep our partnership until graduation."
Andy's head snapped up, eyes wide with relief. "Sean, really? You'll stay with me?"
"Dorian's offer is tempting," Sean admitted. "I get why your last two partners switched to him. But I don't like Dorian or his group. I'm sticking with you."
Andy grinned, then hesitated. He hadn't told Sean about Dorian stealing his partners, hoping to keep it secret. "You… you know about that?" he asked, embarrassed.
"I know some things," Sean said. "But I need more. Tell me everything."
Andy met Sean's gaze and nodded. "Ask away. I'll tell you all I know."
"Just one question," Sean said. "Dorian's targeting you. Why? Who's he working for?"
Andy's face tightened. After a long pause, he sighed. "Dorian works for my brother. He's the one after me."
Sean's eyebrows lifted. It clicked. Andy went on, "The Morgan family is new but strong. Since my grandfather's time, we've picked heirs based on business skills. Grandpa chose our father. Now, Father's choosing the next leader. I'm the youngest of five, so I started building wealth at Hogwarts. My eldest brother found out and sent his people, like Dorian, to ruin my plans. If I can't make enough money here, I'll never beat them, and he'll take the family."
Sean frowned. "But you're all different ages. How's that fair?"
Andy shrugged. "It's not. That's why my brother's scared of me. He has to crush me to feel safe."
"Got it," Sean said. "From now on, I'll sell all my potions to you at Hogwarts. You don't have to worry about me switching partners. But you better not betray me."
Andy relaxed, leaning back. "I understand. Thank you, Sean."
"No need to thank me," Sean said. "Your share's fair, and I'm making good money. I'm happy with our deal. The rest is small stuff."
They talked a bit more before Andy left, a weight off his shoulders.
Sean shut the door and sat at his desk, flipping through Gavin's notes. He reviewed the curse steps, his mind sharp and focused.
The next morning, Sean joined Blaise for a run, the castle grounds crisp with frost. After changing, they hit the Great Hall for breakfast. Sean noticed the Gryffindor hourglass was nearly empty, and Slytherin's wasn't much better. Blaise looked shocked, but Sean had a hunch.
He was right. As they ate, a Slytherin spread the news. Last night, Harry Potter and two Gryffindor friends broke school rules, sneaking around after hours. Each lost 50 points—150 total. Malfoy, caught out at night too, lost 50 points for Slytherin.
Malfoy's deduction stung, but it was nothing compared to Gryffindor's loss. Plus, nobody dared criticize Malfoy. Picking a fight with him wasn't worth it.
The Gryffindor trio took the brunt of the gossip, while Malfoy sat smug, unbothered.