The castle was devoid of all students when Harry left his dormitory the next morning. Like a swarm of terrified flies they flew home as soon as the chance arose. Everyone knew how dangerous the castle was and were willing to endure their families rather than spend anymore time in the castle. Anyway, Harry thought morosely, Christmas was a time for family.
Ron and Hermione remained in the castle, one for Harry and two because they were about to execute their Polyjuice Potion plan. Harry's nervousness grew over the next week. Visions of the strategy failing, one of them being hurt or being caught red-handed. Except he had faith in Hermione's intelligence and knew she would do everything in her power to ensure their safety.
He was slightly taken aback at the amount of Slytherins that were enthusiastic to reside in the castle for Christmas. As Ron blatantly pointed out, no Slytherins had been attacked or harmed in anyway nor were they viable to fear `Slytherins Heir'. Ron's assertiveness had him entirely convinced that the Slytherins were up to something. But as Hermione stated, this was a good thing as they had a large choice of Slytherins to choose from.
Christmas Eve was actually quite enjoyable. As they ate dinner, Harry's keen eyes roved the Great Hall, calculating the lingering students. Four Ravenclaws, including Abby Cole, three Hufflepuffs, sixteen Slytherins and then Ron, Hermione and himself. Hermione insisted that they shun the normal roast dinner as there would be plentiful of that tomorrow. Instead she dished out an enormous tub of pasta while informing them of the benefits.
"Pasta has a low glycemic index and is a great way to get grain-based food into your diet. It's is a good source of thiamin, iron, riboflavin, and niacin, and provides two grams of dietary fibre and seven grams of protein per serving. Thus meaning that pasta is a good carbohydrate and can help make your diet balanced and delicious," Hermione recited. Harry stopped his eating, while Ron examined the pasta suspiciously.
"Reading up on pasta?" he asked with a raised questioning eyebrow.
"My mother was always a major supporter of healthy foods."
Ron tasted the pasta warily before grinning elatedly and filling his mouth with it. "Who knew healthiness could taste so good?" he said excitedly. Hermione gave him a patronising sympathetic look before turning to Harry.
"Everything is prepared for tomorrow. We need to attain the hairs of those we are changing into, but we'll do that right before we take it. We have a large selection," she said, glancing over her shoulder. "You two should take Crabbe and Goyle. I'll tackle the frivolity of Ms. Pansy Parkinson."
"I don't fancy acting a Neanderthal…but I guess it is only for an hour," Harry sighed.
They finished in relative silence before Hermione took a look at her watch. "It's seven o'clock. I'm going to go check on the Potion. I won't be too long. Wait here for me," she said, getting up and heading towards the Entrance Hall.
"So…Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin. Who do you think is gonna win?" Ron enquired avidly.
"Well, Ravenclaw has lost one of its Chasers…so unfortunately I'm going to have to go for Slytherin," Harry replied sadly.
They remained in conversation for quite a while, ignoring the students who left the Great Hall and instead starting on their desserts. Just as Harry poked his treacle tart with his fork he suddenly realised Hermione had not returned.
"Didn't she say she was coming straight back?" he asked worriedly.
"She probably just got caught up by Moaning Myrtle. Poor Hermione," Ron commiserated, with a shake of his head.
"Lets go find her," Harry said climbing off the bench.
"But dessert!" Ron moaned, before throwing his fork down and following after Harry.
The bare corridors did not ease his troubled mind. Only their thudding footsteps could be heard, no voices, no whispers, no life. They reached the bathroom door and ignoring the `Out of Order' sign as usual, pushed the door in. It budged only slightly before something halted its progress. Harry winced as he squeezed in the small gap left between the green door and the doorframe.
"Hermione!" he gasped, practically throwing himself beside her still form. She was lying face down on the cold marble floor as if sleeping peacefully. Water poured heavily from taps and covered the ground, so that her hair and robes were soaked. When Ron entered he immediately turned the taps off before kneeling beside Harry, who pulled Hermione around to face him.
She moaned and Harry heaved a sigh of relief. He noticed a short shallow cut just under her hairline where her head must have connected with the hard marble.
"Hermione, what happened?!" Ron urged.
At first she did not respond. She seemed to be gathering her thoughts before she shifted her head to look directly in Harry's eyes and ordered fearfully. "Check the potion!"
She tried to sit up, but Harry, who had his arms wrapped around her, prevented her and told Ron to check it.
"Harry, really I'm fine. Just a bump," she said, covering his hand with hers. He carefully helped her to her feet before they heard Ron give an anguished groan. "Somebody knocked the potion over," he shouted out to them. Hermione rushed into the cubicle, Harry following after her. The glutinous liquid still bubbled in the thick cauldron but nearly a third of it was drifting, with the water, across the floor.
"What are we going to do?" Ron lamented, wiping his sweaty face with his sleeve.
"There's still enough for two of us to take," Hermione insisted, obviously trying to avoid being a pessimist. "Enough for us to continue to do this plan."
"Who hit you?!" Harry enquired fiercely.
"I don't know. They came from behind me. I had just opened the door when I heard a thud and I fell unconscious."
"Bloody cowards," Ron hissed angrily. "Evanesco," Harry muttered, clearing up the liquidized mess.
"That brings us to the penultimate question, doesn't it? Who takes the potion and who sits this one out? As for me, I'm most definitely doing the interrogating," Hermione declared resolutely.
"Well I stayed in the castle for Christmas in order to do this…so I'm absolutely going. Can't wait to question that highlighted little snake," Ron said firmly.
Harry pinched the bridge of his nose in thought. "How did somebody find out about this?"
"Probably a Slytherin. Saw us coming and going and decided to see what we were playing at. Hit Hermione, found the potion. More than likely didn't know what it was. Tried to destroy it…it's pretty simple when you reflect on the Slytherins and what they're capable of," Ron assured him.
"Yeah," agreed Hermione. "It might just be a coincidence."
"Hermione, you were attacked," Harry stated tensely. "Under any other circumstances, we would have reported it."
"But we can't…because we would be expelled immediately. I'm fine Harry. We didn't risk our lives in order to brew this potion and then refuse to take it because I was attacked. It's settled, tomorrow night, Ron and I will take the potion. We will investigate and then come right back here. At least having one of us remaining behind means that if something goes wrong…well then…" she paused, not knowing what else to say. Hermione's silence answered Harry's unasked question. When it came down to it, none of them could possibly be completely assured that their plans would be successful nor could they calculate up the amount of things that could go wrong.
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He rolled onto his side, the faded morning light drifting serenely through the dorm. Ron's contented snores were emanating from his bed, but that was not what was disturbing Harry. He could not dismiss the true fact that he had doubts. For weeks he had been anticipating what results the potion might turn up but now he feared what might happen. Weeks of preparation culminated on Christmas night and he would not be one of the two who felt the outcome of it. If anything happened to them, he could not nor would he, forgive himself.
Rolling onto his back again, he pulled the covers tighter trying to obtain more warmth from them. Suddenly the door swung open and he bolted up in his bed to see Hermione carrying a pile of robes. "Laundry," she said with theatrical servility as she bowed. Ron, who was startled awake, rolled his eyes and threw his pillow in her direction. She dodged it and dropped the robes to the ground. Picking up Ron's pillow she flung it back at him.
"These are Slytherin robes that I st…borrowed, from the laundry room. We'll wear them tonight," she explained.
"There's a laundry room?" Harry asked, amazed.
"Yep," she replied sitting at the end of his bed. "Basically all the robes are sent there every time someone places them into their wardrobes. Then voila," she indicated the robes with a dramatic wave of her hand "clean robes."
Though his vision was slightly blurred, Harry noted she had pulled on a green thin hooded jumper but still wore her mauve pyjamas underneath. Her hair was slightly tousled and twisted and he assumed she had not brushed it when she had awoken. Replacing his head on his indented pillow, he stretched out with a wide yawn. Hermione hopped onto the end of his bed and shook her head disappointedly at the two boys unenthusiastic behaviour.
"Well a Merry Christmas to you too," she deadpanned.
"Merry Christmas," Ron answered listlessly.
"And a Happy New Year," Harry added with a grin, earning a frustrated swat at his feet from a smirking Hermione. He replied with a reproachful thrust of his foot that would have sent her falling to the floor had she not grabbed the nearest post of the bed. Closing his eyes, satisfied, he relaxed into comfort again. Hermione gave an annoyed scowl before clamouring up the length of the bed, reaching over Harry's head and unceremoniously ripping his pillows out from beneath him.
"Excuse me…I was using them," he said with mock sorrow, warranting a smack across the head with one of his pillows.
"Get up, Harry," said Hermione as she drew back, pillow in hand, readying for another blow. The corners of her mouth twitched as she watched Harry's eyes shift from the pillow to her determined face. As he tried to grasp one of the pillows from her clutch, she struck him again. Now both of them were in hysterics and Ron was watching lazily from his own bed, sighing at their childishness.
Catching her wrist he tried to pull her off the bed but as she went wheeling over the side she clung onto him so that they both landed, in a tangle of sheets, on the floor. Harry thought he would die of laughter as he tried and failed to take a breath. When their giggles had subsided, Hermione disentangled herself from the sheets and stood up. She piled the sheets back onto Harry's bed leaving Harry remaining on the floor alone.
"Your presents are in the common room…only if you want them of course," she said playfully. This caused Ron to bolt upright and scramble out his bed, nearly knocking Hermione aside.
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"I asked Fred and George to pick up some when they were in Hogsmeade last month," Ron explained as he handed Harry and Hermione a box of Honeydukes finest sweets.
Along with Ron's sweets, Harry had collected quite a few benevolent gifts. Hagrid had sent him an enormous box of toffees and Hermione had given him a book entitled `The Hobbit' which she had highly recommended. In return Harry had given her a hardback volume that listed and described useful Potions. He reckoned that she would enjoy it as she seemed to have been quite content while brewing the Polyjuice Potion.
For approximately an hour they lounged around the already fervent fire. "What time is it?" Ron asked.
"Ten o'clock," answered Harry, hanging his legs over the side of the armchair. "No rush…I mean we don't need breakfast since we'll be practically having a feast for dinner."
He hung his head back so he could talk to Hermione only to discover she was asleep. She was completely sprawled out on the couch, her arm tucked under her head substituting as a pillow. Harry sighed sadly while revolving in his seat and leaning forward. Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, he contemplated rousing her. "She mustn't have slept much last night," he said, deciding to leave her be for awhile. He sensitively pulled the throw over up to her shoulder and returned to the armchair. "After the attack I'm surprised she was even able to go to bed. I would have been wired. She'll need energy for tonight."
"Yeah," Ron agreed. "Do you have any reservations over the potion? I mean…I know you're not taking it but still."
"I'm not sure. I'm not convinced that it was a mere coincidence somebody just happened to find out about the plan. We have to be extra vigilant tonight. I can act as an extra pair of eyes around the castle. Everything should be okay as long as we remain alert."
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"Ugh…" Ron moaned while massaging his stomach. "I don't think I could eat another bite."
"Wow…three cheers for Hogwarts. They actually managed to fill Ron," Harry responded with teasing awe.
"I am in no fit state to flirt with Pansy Parkinson," Ron snapped back. "Usually I have to be…you know…in the zone. That confident state of mind. But all that eating just made me happy and tired."
"Flirt with Pansy Parkinson?!" Hermione asked in astonishment.
"In order to get the hairs you guys need we have to get close to them. You and I'll take Goyle," Harry explained.
When a tight troop of Slytherins prepared to leave the Great Hall, Ron sighed and stood up. Rubbing his hands together in a steeling sort of way he muttered "Showtime" before following them into the Entrance Hall. Harry noted gleefully that both Crabbe and Goyle remained behind in order to finish off any trace of food left.
Together Harry and Hermione manoeuvred their way over to the Slytherin table to a preoccupied Goyle. "Follow my lead," whispered Harry into Hermione's ear.
"Hello chaps," he announced when they were stood right behind a munching Goyle. "We just wanted to wish you both a Merry Christmas." The two Slytherins wore expressions of bewilderment that would have even sent Aunt Petunia into hysterics.
"Happy Christmas," Hermione put in with a painful smile.
"Listen Potter," Goyle chortled stupidly as he got to his feet and turned around to face him. "We don't want to have to hurt you so why don't you just go back to your table with your little girlfriend."
"But we're here to bring cheer," Harry said feigning overwhelming disappointment.
"Holiday cheer," Hermione added meekly, glancing warily at Crabbe who was eyeing her enviously in a perverted sort of way. Hermione would have expected him to start drooling if he did not at that point jam a chicken leg into his mouth.
After a moment of unresolved silence Harry sighed heavily. "Oh well. I suppose we cannot see through our differences, even on this spectacular day. We'd better be going." And with that he threw his arms around Goyle's broad back in a manly awkward hug. Goyle did not shift or flinch just remained silent and stunned. When Harry withdrew after a few rough slaps on the back he muttered a sad "Merry Christmas" before ambling miserably down the aisle.
Hermione sniffed while pretending to wipe her eyes. "He really did have his heart set on this," she cried before scurrying from the Great Hall. It took her all the willpower that she possessed not to burst into laughter which she did when she reached the Entrance Hall.
"Well…that was brilliant," Harry laughed, coming out of the shadows. He held up a few hairs he had pulled off the back of Goyles' robes when he had hugged him.
They rushed enthusiastically back to Gryffindor Tower still panting from fits of laughter. Ron awaited them sullenly, a hand pressed to his cheek.
"She hit me!" he exclaimed, handing a glass phial containing a hair to Hermione. "I managed to separate her from the rest of the Slytherins, then we talked…well I talked and she didn't listen. When I went to give her a hug she shoved me away, hit me and then told me I was a conceited demanding prat."
"Maybe she isn't as obtuse as we thought she was," Harry joked, his eyes on the almost imperceptible hairs. When they were safely put in the glass phials he handed them to Ron and Hermione.
"Well… I guess this is it," Ron said bracingly, bouncing on the balls of his feet nervously.
The anxious trio climbed through the portrait hole and Harry decided to rid them of the uncomfortable silence by giving Ron an in-depth description of how they managed to get Goyle's hair.
"Oh…shoot," Hermione cursed loudly. "We forgot the robes. We're on a tight schedule; we'd better hurry back and get them."
"I'll get them. You two go on ahead." Harry turned back with one last longing glance at them before he broke into a run. Through the oddly quiet portrait hole, up the winding staircase and into the vacated waiting dormitory. His brain seemed to be running through all possible scenarios of anything that could prevent them. As he trudged down the staircase he stared at the snake of the Slytherin crest on the robes which he held in his arms.
Was a Slytherin really capable of hurting another student for the sake of mindless curiosity? Was there another logical reason why they had knocked over the potion or was it mere insolence? Harry forbiddingly pondered the idea that whoever did this knew they were on to them. The Heir of Slytherin? In that case why did they not completely destroy the potion?
`Because' a sinister voice in his head said `the evidence would still remain with the potion brewers'. And it suddenly clicked and he realised just how lethal that potion had come to be.
Flinging the black robes on the couch he leaped through the portrait hole and sprinted down the Fat Lady's quaint corridor. Down dark hallways and through embellished tapestries and still he refused to slow his pace. His breath was coming in gasps and perspiration drenched his hair but he continued to rush before he ran out of time as well as breath. He ripped through the door, leaving it bouncing on its hinges.
"STOP! Don't take it!" he yelled to the apparently empty bathroom. Ron stepped out of one of the small cubicles, the glass of the muddy green potion still in his hand. Harry dived over to him and knocked it from his grasp.
"It's poisoned," he responded to Ron's stunned expression.
He thought he heard shuffling of feet in the cubicle next to Ron's. "Hermione," he roared, pounding on the locked door. Suddenly there a loud thud, the sound of a body falling and the crash of tingling glass reached Harry's ears.
"HERMIONE!"
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I just keep walking into these cliff-hangers. It is quite baffling to be honest. Bet you weren't expecting that. Not yet anyway.
Well thank you for reading. Hopefully have the next instalment soon. Hope you liked it and don't forget to review as all are welcome.
Take care,
Radagast.
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