𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐝 {𝐇. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫}

10

Harry told Ron and Johnny in how Dumbledore had convinced Harry not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the invisibility cloak stayed folded at the bottom of Harry's trunk. Johnny wished he could forget what he'd seen in the mirror as easily, but he couldn't. He started having nightmares.

"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said Ron, when Johnny told them about these dreams.

Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of the three of them being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had caught you!"), and disappointment that they hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was.

They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though Harry was still sure he'd read the name somewhere. Once term had started, they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks. Harry and Johnny had even less time than the other two, because Quidditch practice had started again.

Wood and Flint were working their teams harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen their spirits. The Royce's complained that Flint was becoming like Wood, but Johnny was on Flint's  side. If they won their next match, against Ravenclaw, they would win the Quidditch cup seven years in a row. Apart from wanting to win, Johnny found that he had fewer nightmares when he was tired out after training.

Johnny headed straight to the Gryffindor common room after dinner where he met Harry in his way back from training, where they found Ron and Hermione playing chess. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very good for her.

"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Johnny sat down next to him, "I need to concen -- " He caught sight of Harry's face.

"What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other three about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.

"Don't play," said Hermione at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.

"Fall down the stairs and break your neck," said Johnny. "Then you'll be dead."

"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

"Unlucky," Johnny said with a smirk on his face. "That cup has Slytherin all over it."

At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognised at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.

Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione and Johnny, who both leapt up and performed the countercurse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"

Neville shook his head.

"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."