Phineas felt a bead of sweat forming on his brow as he heard the girl's incantation – he almost did not dare look at the result.

But – thank Merlin – his faith in Sirius had not been misplaced, and he was able to breathe a sigh of relief. "Commiserations, Miss Frost," he granted the Ravenclaw, liking her far better for being the loser here than he had a moment ago.

As for Sirius? Well, the five points to Slytherin would surely be adulation enough.

---