Alright. One more round through the hallways, and I can go to sleep. thought Mina happily, stretching her arms as she strolled, on the lookout for students out past curfew.

Mina walked until she saw a group of wailing second year Hufflepuffs, dangling in the air by their ankles. What in the world? she thought before running over.

     A flick of her wand, and she lowered them slowly to the ground.

     “You are supposed to be in bed. What-

     “A big Slytherin spelled us into the air!” one boy cried, wiping his eyes.

     “Yeah, she was tall and blond, and she just left us like that!” said a girl, uncontrollably sniffling.

     Mina saw Sana, the Hufflepuff prefect, running towards them in her peripheral.

“Alright, Sojin is going to help you three. Can you tell me where this Slytherin went?” asked Mina, crouching to their level.

“She went that way,” muttered the third kid, pointing down the hallway. She nodded at Sojin before bolting down.

She heard talking just before she could turn the corner and stopped.

“Hey, come on. Those idiots aren’t worth crying over.”

Hirai?! Since when did her voice sound so gentle? thought Mina. She took out a compact mirror and angled it to see Momo, down to one knee and in front of a crying girl. She looked like a first year, a blue patch signifying Ravenclaw.    

“I...I just wanted to help make our project better...they...they called me a know-it-all…” the girl stammered in between sobs. Mina mentally cursed. Those little…

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

The girl shook her head, now calming down a bit.

“What...what spell did you use on them?”

“Now now, kid. You better not be getting ideas,” Momo chuckled.

“But I don’t want them to corner me again. I don’t…” the girl looked so vulnerable. Mina could hear Momo sigh.

“If you don’t want to be pushed around, you have to get stronger. The spell I used is a bit past your level, but you can look up other ones,” said Momo. What the hell are you teaching the girl, Hirai?! Thought Mina before deciding enough was enough.

“Hirai!” Mina shouted as she turned the corner. Momo stood up as the little girl hid behind her legs.

“If it isn't our friendly neighborhood pussycat. You want to this kid back to her dorm?” asked Momo. Mina glared at Momo’s use of Slytherin’s “affectionate” nickname for Gryffindors. Nonetheless, Mina kneeled down to reach eye level with the kid.

“Are you alright?”

The little girl nodded, still clutching onto the folds in Momo’s robe.

“You catch the punks that were bullying her?” asked Momo.

“I-

“Momo! What the hell are you doing out after hours?!”

Mina turned around to see Heehyun storming towards them, clearly irate. Momo’s expression, however, brightened.

“Heehyun, you take this child back to her room!” Momo said happily. Heehyun looked suspiciously at Momo, then at Mina, trying to piece the situation together.   

“Ki, could you do that please? I need to talk to Hirai,” said Mina. Heehyun sighed and nodded. Momo gave the little girl an affectionate pat on the head before the two walked down the hall and out of view.

     “Alright. What is it going to be? A week in detention? Helping Hagrid clean the hippogriff stalls?” asked Momo, expecting a punishment for leaving those kids in the air.

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