Luna Lovegood's appearance did not catch Pansy's attention.
Partly because of the distance between them, and partly because Pansy's attention had been completely drawn in by what Harry Potter had just said.
Although her little head was not as sharp or clear as Hermione's, her instincts were telling her just how much information Harry Potter's words contained, and how important it was.
That information was even more crucial than the Marauder's Map currently in her hands.
After checking the time and confirming that there was still a while before the Polyjuice Potion wore off, Pansy narrowed her eyes at Harry Potter across from her. "Even if that's what you think, Dumbledore shouldn't be that foolish... I mean, there's no way he would trust a spy. He's Dumbledore."
"I know what you're trying to say, but Snape is a master of Occlumency. There's no way to be completely sure he isn't hiding something. I'm even certain Snape is planning some terrible conspiracy!"
"What conspiracy?"
"..."
Seeing Harry Potter falter, his expression turning stiff, Pansy almost laughed out loud.
The scheming Pansy had asked that on purpose.
Although she did not know whether Snape was one of Voldemort's people, nor whether he was a spy planted right under Dumbledore's nose.
What Pansy was certain of, however, was that Snape was Draco's godfather.
And when anything involved Draco, Pansy was unwilling to hear even the slightest bad word about it.
After raising her brows smugly, Pansy cleared her throat. "So, what have you decided?"
"I've decided to go with Dumbledore."
"When?"
"Soon. After that, I'll set off with my Invisibility Cloak, and when the time comes... I need you to help me keep an eye on Snape. That's what I need from you."
"You want me to monitor Snape?"
As Harry Potter spoke, he tapped the Marauder's Map in Pansy's hand with his finger. "That's right. You have to watch Snape. Use everyone you can trust, but aside from Ron, you're the only person I can trust right now."
"..."
"Remember, what I said earlier is how to activate the Marauder's Map. Now I'll tell you how to close it. Listen carefully... Mischief Managed."
"..."
The moment those last words fell, Pansy watched with her own eyes as the map, which had just been covered in all sorts of secret passages and rooms, turned blank again at an incredible speed.
As if none of it had ever appeared.
But compared to the magical scene before her, Pansy's gaze was fixed on Harry Potter across from her.
Because she understood what Harry Potter meant. He actually wanted her to use the Marauder's Map to monitor Snape?
At that, Pansy's expression turned rather strange.
It was not a sign that the Polyjuice Potion was about to wear off. It was simply that Pansy had never imagined things would go this smoothly.
She had done practically nothing, yet the objective of this mission had been completed so easily?
Their original plan to seize it, the operation to silence witnesses, the mission codename "Brain Destruction," and so on had all become completely useless because Harry Potter had handed everything over of his own accord.
In any case.
Pansy could already imagine how surprised Hermione would be, and an irrepressibly happy smile appeared on her face. "Leave it to me. With this Marauder's Map, that won't be too hard."
"Then I'll leave it to you. After all, I have to go with Dumbledore to search for that Horcrux."
"..."
Stunned.
Pansy's eyes suddenly widened.
What had she just heard?
Had she been discussing Horcruxes with Draco and the others so often lately that her brain had started making things up?
Surely it could not be that everything Harry Potter had just mentioned was related to Horcruxes...
...
Before Pansy could recover from this astonishing piece of information, Harry Potter did not give her a chance to ask any questions. He simply hurried out of the common room.
It was worth mentioning that when Harry Potter left, he also saw the blond-haired wizards who had been so arrogant earlier now lying in a heap in the corner.
Although he was a little puzzled about what they were doing, Harry Potter had more important business on his mind and had no intention of going over to check on them. Instead, he quickened his pace.
Of course, after leaving, Harry Potter would never know that in the very next second, the Ginny Weasley he trusted went straight over and sat down beside the person he saw as Neville Longbottom.
Compared with her earlier behavior, her relationship with Neville Longbottom seemed even closer.
But very quickly, Pansy pulled away again.
"How strange. I'll wait until later to..."
"Ginny... you two?"
"Huh?! Luna, when did you get here?"
Fortunately, Draco was currently wearing Neville Longbottom's face, so Pansy, who would usually have moved close to Draco out of habit, stopped herself. Otherwise, she really would not have known how to explain everything to Luna.
Was she supposed to say the person she liked was Neville Longbottom?
Pansy was not only unwilling to say that, she was also afraid it would cause her to slip up later in front of the real one.
Just as Pansy breathed a sigh of relief, Luna tilted her little head in confusion. "Weren't you the one who asked me to come here?"
"Uh... well... Right! I did ask you to come!"
Having no idea what was going on, Pansy quickly cast a pleading look in Draco's direction.
In response, Draco first checked the time, then slowly straightened up.
Although he felt Luna was probably not the kind of person who would go around talking, it was still better to avoid unnecessary trouble. Draco decided to keep up the roleplay.
"Before that, Ginny and I have something important to discuss. As for the arrangement between you two, you can postpone it for a little while."
"Exactly, I was just about to tell you that. Luna, wait here for me for a bit. I'll be back soon."
As Draco and Pansy spoke, they headed toward the exit of the common room, giving Luna no chance to speak at all.
Fortunately, Luna was not the sort of girl with excessive curiosity, so she said nothing and simply watched the two of them behave in their rather strange way.
She seemed lost and puzzled, yet Luna's ethereal eyes, tinged with a hint of wisdom, also seemed as if they had seen through everything.