HP: Those Years Sleeping with the Half-Blood Prince

It's Avery, Moorselber, and Rozier.

They were clearly not passing by by chance.

Avery stood in the middle, his face expressionless, simply looking Severus up and down as if assessing a less-than-satisfactory piece of merchandise.

Mulce crossed his arms and smirked, while Rozier leaned lazily against the wall, twirling his wand between his fingers.

"Good evening, Snape," Avery said, his voice low but echoing in the empty corridor. "So diligent? No wonder you're... Professor Slughorn's 'prized student'."

He deliberately slowed down the last four words, conveying an unspeakable sarcasm.

Severus stopped in his tracks, saying nothing, but gripping the strap of his schoolbag tightly. His dark eyes appeared particularly deep in the dim light as he watched them warily.

"What's wrong, can't you speak properly?" Muller sneered. "Did you go stupid from spending so much time in the library? Or is it that mixed-race brains just work a little slower?"

"Maybe they've been led astray by those Mudbloods and weirdo friends," Rozier chimed in, his gaze sweeping over Severus's faded cuffs. "Birds of a feather flock together."

Severus's hand was already on his wand, but his voice remained calm, "Get out of the way."

"Move aside?" Avery seemed to have heard something amusing, took a step forward, getting closer to Severus, and lowered his voice, but it became clearer.

"Who do you think you are, Snape? You think you're something special just because you have a little cleverness, make a name for yourself in Potions class, and have a couple of shady pure-blood scoundrels as your backers?"

He reached out and lightly flicked the strap of Severus's satchel with the tip of his wand—a light touch, but utterly insulting.

"Slytherin has its rules. Bloodline, strength, status... which one do you have? Hmm?" Avery's wand tip almost touched Severus's chest.

"A mixed-race person, especially one who lives in 'that kind of place,' should have some self-awareness. Professor Slughorn praised you because he's kind-hearted, not to make you take advantage of his kindness and think you're something special."

Severus's breathing quickened slightly, but he did not back down. He simply stared coldly back at Avery. "My affairs are none of your concern."

"No need for me to worry about it?" Avery laughed, a laugh devoid of any warmth. "But you're in my way, Snape. Your gloomy, self-important appearance, and those around you..."

"Especially that Burke, just a minor branch, dares to talk back to me? The whole bunch of you together are just dragging down the whole of Slytherin's standards."

He paused, then slowly raised his wand, pointing it at Severus's face. His tone turned dangerous. "Tonight, I'll teach you what rules are. It won't be too complicated; I'll just leave you with a... memorable souvenir."

Murseb and Rozier flanked Severus, blocking his possible escape route.

Moorselber drew his wand, while Rozier calmly crossed his arms, as if waiting to see a good show.

Severus gripped his wand tightly, knowing he couldn't defeat three upperclassmen, especially Avery, whose fifth-year spellcasting skills were not to be underestimated.

His mind raced, searching for a way to escape, or at least to alert the professor or Filch on night patrol—

"How about Cruciatus?" Avery uttered the word in a tone as casual as if discussing the weather, the tip of his wand faintly glowing with an ominous red light.

"Just a little bit... It won't leave any permanent damage. My technique is very good, enough to make you remember how to talk to people who are 'more noble' than you in the future."

Just as Avery's lips moved slightly, about to utter the incantation—

He collapsed to the ground, completely unconscious!

Two spells, one in front and one behind, were fired at Avery at the same time.

Avery reacted extremely quickly, dodging to the side. The red light grazed his robe, struck the stone wall, and exploded into a small ball of sparks.

He turned around in shock and anger: "Who?!"

Moorselber and Rozier immediately turned to attack, raising their wands.

Ian emerged from the shadows, wand held horizontally, his face expressionless, but his eyes, which always held a hint of a smile, were now as cold as stones at the bottom of a lake.

Kevin and Aris followed behind him on either side. Kevin gripped his wand tightly, looking somewhat nervous but unwavering. Aris's gaze quickly swept over the positions and postures of the three people opposite him.

"I was taking a walk tonight and just happened to be passing by." Ian's voice rang out in the quiet corridor. He even chuckled softly, though the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"You three seem to be having a lot of fun practicing spells here...? Like the Cruciatus Curse? We didn't teach that in the first year. Did you all teach yourselves?"

"Bock!" Avery recognized him, his face darkening. "It's you again. What, trying to meddle?"

"Mind your own business?" Ian tilted his head, his steps unwavering, and slowly walked over, forming a semi-circle with Severus, Kevin, and Aris facing Avery and his companions.

"My roommate didn't return to the dorm tonight, and I was worried he'd get lost, so I went out to look for him. Is that considered meddling?"

He glanced at Severus, who was gripping his wand tightly, pale-faced, but with his eyes fixed on Avery.

Ian breathed a slight sigh of relief—everyone was alright.

"Get out of here, Burk," Mullerseber snapped. "This is none of your business. Before we change our minds, get out of here with your two lackeys, or we'll teach you a lesson too!"

"A lackey?" Kevin couldn't help but speak up, his face pale but his voice loud. "We're friends! You three upperclassmen cornered a freshman, and you even used... used that kind of spell, have you no shame?!"

"Face?" Rozier sneered. "Do I need to talk about face with scum like you? Since you don't want to leave, then stay here! Turn to stone!"

He struck first, pointing his wand at Kevin, who looked the most nervous.

"Armor for protection!"

Almost simultaneously, Severus recited the incantation clearly and quickly.

A semi-transparent barrier instantly appeared in front of Kevin. Rozier's petrification spell struck the barrier and vanished without a trace.

"Left, three steps, forward!" Aris, wand raised, spoke rapidly, "There, block him!"

Kevin paused for a moment, then immediately understood. Following Aris's instructions, he took two steps to the left and waved his wand: "Obstacles Abound!"

An invisible force field suddenly slammed into Murseb, who was trying to bypass the barrier to attack.

Muller didn't expect that this seemingly clumsy first-year student would react so quickly and cast such a precise spell. Caught off guard, he stumbled and missed his target.

"Shatter to pieces!" Seeing that Aris and Kevin had blocked the first wave, Avery's eyes hardened. He stopped probing and fired a powerful shattering spell directly at Ian, who was standing at the front. He clearly intended to take care of the leader first.

Ian didn't take the hit head-on, but quickly retreated, simultaneously tapping his wand to "Stand Still, Dead."