Part 6

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As the days and weeks went by, Mephistopheles continued his surveillance of the professor and was surprised to discover some form of parasite. It seemed that Quirrell had picked something up in his wanderings and brought it back with him. But that didn't explain the strange mental connection. However, Mephistopheles didn't consider it a danger to himself and forgot about it for a while.

In the middle of the afternoon, after potions class, Draco and Harry were approached by Hermione Grainger, a nerd from Gryffindor and Ron Weasley.

- So what's that supposed to mean? - Lazily stretching his words Malfoy clarified, -Decided to attack in a dark corridor?

- Back off Malfoy, we're on business," Granger took the bull by the horns and turned to Harry, "Harry, we need to talk to you, can we talk alone?

- Why wouldn't we? Draco, go ahead and let me catch up.

Nodding, Draco walked towards the exit of the dungeons. Mephistopheles smiled with a wide grin.

- So, good gentlemen, what's so important to you?

- Do you know what's hidden under the trapdoor with Fluff? - Hermione whispered.

- What Fluffy? - Mephistopheles stared at her, not quite understanding what she was talking about.

- We know that you and Draco and Pansy saw Fluffy. Fluffy is a cerberus, that's his name.

- Holy shit! Who would think to name a deadly creature Fluffy? Now, wait, how do you know that? Walking around after lights out? That's not nice, is it?

- You don't say," Ron was indignant, but was stopped by Hermione's gesture.

- Harry, Fluffy was standing on the hatch, he's guarding something, and we think Snape wants to steal it.

- And what makes you think that? Where's the proof? - Mephistopheles was interested. He was really curious, but he hadn't climbed down that trapdoor yet, there wasn't time.

- We followed him. Snape was bullying Quirrell on the third floor and his robes were torn. He went to the forbidden corridor and Quirrell caught him doing it.

- The logic is interesting, but what makes you think Professor Snape wants to steal something?

- Well, he might not, that's not the point. We want to find out what's under the hatch.

- Hmm, did you ever think you could get kicked out of school for that, did you, Grainger? - Mephistopheles really didn't understand the kids' motivation. Either they wanted to get what they wanted on their own, or they had been encouraged to do it by someone, or it was some combination of the headmaster.

- Okay, Grainger, I'll think about what you said," the Prince pushed off the wall and walked towards the direction of the dungeons, "You should quit these spy games," Mephistopheles muttered in a half voice.

The prince was thinking feverishly. If Grainger had activated so suddenly, what the hell was going on. She couldn't just be interested in this out of nowhere, she'd obviously been told where to look, but by whom? And if it's her own initiative, the wench isn't as simple as she seems....

In spells, Professor Flitwick showed them a levitation spell, which everyone managed safely. Even Ronald, after poking Hermione, was able to lift the quill into the air and make it do a somersault. The next lessons went without incident.

The next day, during breakfast, an owl threw a note into Potter's lap.

Harry, my boy, come to my office this afternoon. I'm very fond of caramel currents.

- What is it, Harry,' Draco stretched his head out.

- 'The Headmaster's asking me to come in to see him, I don't know why, what do you think?

- The Headmaster likes to be foggy, so be prepared for anything. It'll probably affect your placement. Everyone thought you were going to Gryffindor.

- Well, I'm off then, I'll tell you when I get there," Mephistopheles stood up and strode towards the Headmaster's office. It was bound to happen sooner or later, the Headmaster was clearly not happy about his placement and would probably campaign for another faculty.

In front of the gargoyle, the Prince said the password and entered the office. The headmaster's office inspired respect. I remember that one of Mephistopheles' friends had made a similar office for himself and put weapons wherever he could. All the artefacts in the headmaster's office, which had no clear purpose, were quite suitable for the role of weapons. Mephistopheles walked to the director's desk and sat down in the chair opposite. Soon the door opened and the local headmaster appeared on the threshold. Dumbledore strode majestically to his desk, his movements were completely out of character.

Mephistopheles automatically noted his gait and movements and saw before him a fighter who had been through more than one altercation. And neither the multi-coloured robe, nor the bells in his beard, nor the hat slipped to the side fitted in with it. At last the Headmaster sat down at his desk and looked at the boy with a searching gaze.

The Headmaster, like his silent interlocutor studied him. Harry didn't seem to him like the battered teenager he was supposed to be because of his guardians. No, he looked like a normal kid, except that his gaze was too intense, and his posture suggested that Harry might be expecting an attack.

- How are your studies, Harry, how are you getting on with your friends? - The Headmaster began the conversation, mentally scanning his interlocutor.

- I'm fine, I've made friends, I like everything, Professor Dumbledore.

- Have you thought about transferring to Gryffindor, as Headmaster I can ask the hat for a reassignment.

- I don't think that would be appropriate, Professor. It'd make the whole school pay even more attention to me, and I don't want that. Besides, why would I want another faculty, I'm fine in Slytherin," Mephistopheles understood the Headmaster's motivation, but the Prince didn't think the Headmaster would go head-on.

- My boy, your parents were Gryffindor students, and you should be careful with your friends, not all of them have good intentions towards you," the Headmaster seemed to be on his own wavelength, "you should understand that your fame implies a lot of responsibility.

- I understand, Headmaster, and I would like to continue my studies at Slytherin," Mephistopheles said stubbornly.

Dumbledore sighed. The superficial scan had yielded nothing, the boy's thoughts were simply unreadable, even emotions were hard to pick up. And yet, the Headmaster still didn't take Potter seriously.

- Well, Harry, every serious decision you make is worthy of respect. This was left to me by your father shortly before he died. It couldn't be given to you while you were living with your aunt and uncle, but this is a school of magic, so I'm giving this item to you, in the hope that you will use it properly," the Headmaster said, holding out an almost weightless cloth to the teenager.

Mephistopheles accepted the item from the headmaster's hands and was surprised to find his palms uncovered. Looking with auric vision, Mephistopheles also saw nothing. Amazing! It seemed like the artefact was really serious and not an ordinary punching bag. Moreover, where the author's signature, a kind of seal, should have been, was something very ancient. Deciding to find out later, the Prince raised his eyes to the headmaster.

- Is it an invisibility cloak? - Mephistopheles gave an example from a cartoon.

- Not quite, my boy. It's an invisibility cloak, and it belongs to you, Harry.

The Prince left the office pensive. No, it was understandable, sooner or later, the Headmaster would have to give up the generic item, but why now? Or did it have something to do with the cerberus guarding the unknown?

So, pondering, Mephistopheles walked in the direction of the dungeons, as suddenly heard some fiddling nearby.

- Why are you breaking, you'll like it, baby, - whispered a slightly hoarse voice. The second voice belonged to a girl, who was clearly against the guy's actions. Entering the room from where the voices were coming from, Mephistopheles saw an interesting picture. A crying girl in a torn robe and a smirking guy with two sticks in his hands. Mephistopheles had no sympathy for rapists. Just one wave of his hand and the surprised guy flew towards the wall. The girl looked at the freshman with horror.

- What are you looking at? Get out of here, you'll thank me later," Mephistopheles said irritably, turning away from the girl. She quickly picked up her wand and slipped out the door.

- And now you, mistake of nature, - Mephistopheles smiled predatorily and chains tightly bound the boy and hung him from the ceiling.

- So, still want to rape girls, eh? - The metal ball at the end of the link merrily flew into the hapless rapist between his legs. The guy howled, his mouth was full of English mate.

- What did you say? - The next blow hit him in the ribs.

- I won't do it again! - wailed the guy, seeing the red-hot rod, which slowly crawled towards him, - don't please, - whimpered the scum.

- Why don't you do it, I do," the rod touched the boy's leg and he screamed again.

- Please! - It looked like he was ready to drop his skates out of fear.

- All right, I'll let you go, but you understand, I have to make sure you won't tell anyone, - the chains let go of the guy, throwing him into the far corner.

- I'll... I'll make a magical oath," the sixth year whimpered.

Mephistopheles walked over to the brat and gave him a hand. As soon as the senior swore not to tell anyone what had happened, the Prince pulled his hand away and wiped it defiantly on his robe.

- All right, get out of here. If I need anything and I ask you for it, you will do it, do you understand me? - Mephistopheles pressed the boy with an aura of fear and walked out the door.

His mood improved noticeably and Mephistopheles whistling continued on his way to the dungeons.

- Draco, did you miss me? - The Prince came into the room.

- Not really... What did the Headmaster want from you? - Malfoy was lying on the bed, methodically eating sweets.

- He motivated me to go to Gryffindor and gave me this," Mephistopheles handed his friend a robe.

- Wow, it's an invisible robe! Where did the Headmaster get it? - Malfoy was really surprised. No, such robes were not uncommon, but to just give it to a student like that?

- 'The Headmaster said it was my father's,' Mephistopheles began to recount, 'told me to use it properly.

- To the girls' shower room? - Malfoy snorted.

- You're thinking small Draco... Oh, we're going to make a mess of things.

Mephistopheles' eyes burned with anticipation and Draco shivered. He didn't know what to expect from Potter with such an artefact in his hands. The prince, meanwhile, pondered the secret the cerberus was guarding. He couldn't get to it that easily: the dog could see in almost every spectrum, unless he was put to sleep. But the Prince didn't know what he could use to take such a carcass. He could kill a cerberus, but he could calm it down... Yes, that's right, it could be calmed down. With such thoughts Mephistopheles went to bed, and Malfoy could not sleep for a long time.

He was tormented by vague speculations about his friend. He wasn't sure of Potter's abilities, but even the minor details Draco had managed to pick up on gave a hint of apprehension. But his father had firmly expressed his desire to get closer to Potter and Draco tried his best. And Harry seemed to believe him, at least Malfoy thought so.