So much had transpired in the past couple of days and Gwen just wanted a moment for herself. Between people trying to decide how best to deal with her (Malfoy was taking to skirting her in the corners, she almost laughed at the fear she caused him now) and buckling down for final exams she had little time to think on the future.
On Dumbledore�s avid insistence the hearing on her behavior had been canceled. There were to be no immediate repercussions for either her or Graves, nor would there be any rewards. Gwen was more than comfortable with that arrangement.
Dumbledore officially offered her the assistant teaching position to begin the term following her graduation. She immediately accepted and was more than excited at the prospect of becoming a full-fledged professor. There were other things that she needed to deal with first, however.
Her mother had been buried and she had not yet paid her final respects. She needed to find her Aunt Ann and Uncle George, in hiding she presumed. She wanted desperately to sort out this business with Harry and Graves before the term ended.
Before she could handle any of her issues however she had a bit of an idea. It started when she had accidentally overheard Snape and Hagrid talking in one of the corridors.
�If yeh treat �em like they�re stupid they�ll act stupid.� Hagrid said gruffly.
�I highly doubt I should take teaching lessons from such a junior member of staff, like yourself Rubeus.� Snape said coldly.
Gwen pushed herself as tight against the wall as she could and concentrated once again on appearing invisible. The professors passed by her slowly, allowing her to catch a bit more of their conversation.
�I�m tellin� yeh Snape, if yeh just tried ter talk ter Neville.�
�I will not talk to Neville. If he has a problem he can come to me.�
�He�s too timid ter talk ter yeh.�
�That is his problem.� Snape said, trailing off as they turned the corner.
Gwen waited a few moments before moving again. Something Hagrid had said struck her. If yeh treat �em like they�re stupid they�ll act stupid. If she just changed stupid to rotten she could apply it to Malfoy. Since her return he�d been acting awful again, but maybe if someone tried to be friends with him he would stop.
Gwen would offer him a truce.