Sharon Maloney's Arc

Chapter 1 of 1

Sharon folded her Transfiguration notes into thirds, watching Priya two tables over. The plan was perfect. Six variations mapped, every pause timed, every word sharp enough to make the whole class remember. But across the aisle, a girl Sharon didn't usually track was staring at her with a look that said she knew something. The girl slid a diary across the table. Gold edges, fancy lettering. Sharon opened it and her stomach dropped. The pages spelled it out in ornate script: Sharon's plan, Priya's name, even the third Thursday timing. Someone had been watching her rehearse. Sharon looked up and met the girl's eyes. The girl smiled and tapped the diary. Not a threat. An audition. Sharon closed the book and nodded once. If this girl wanted in, she'd need to prove herself useful. The plan just got bigger. Sharon met her after dinner at the Quidditch pitch. Empty stands, cold wind. The girl handed back the diary. Sharon held it and said the first decision tree variation out loud, testing her. The girl finished it without hesitation. She'd been listening longer than Sharon thought. Sharon tucked the diary into her robes and offered her hand. Two architects were better than one. Priya wouldn't see it coming. Sharon pulled the golden yo-yo from her pocket and let it catch the moonlight. The swirling patterns mesmerized as it spun down and back. The girl's eyes followed it, hooked. Sharon stopped the yo-yo mid-spin and named her terms. The girl would sit three rows back during the demonstration. She would laugh first, loud enough to start the chain. In return, Sharon would teach her the spell sequence she'd been struggling with in Charms. The girl nodded and reached for the yo-yo. Sharon pulled it back and smiled. She'd keep it until Thursday. Insurance worked better when you held something someone wanted. The girl understood. Sharon had her first recruit.