PHANTOM FIGURES | harry potter

14. snake language

     While the class waited outside Lockhart's room for Defence Against the Dark Arts, Ron explained quietly to Aspen their plan of turning themselves into four Slytherins, using a Polyjuice Potion, to see if Draco Malfoy (who was their top suspect of the heir of Slytherin) would give them any information on the Chamber of Secrets.

     Aspen wasn't fully convinced; Draco Malfoy the Heir of Slytherin? The boy who ran away when they were in the forest last year? If he was scared of that, how would he not be terrified of controlling a monster?

     After class, where Harry was used as Lockhart's puppet again, Aspen, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went up to the Professor and managed to get him to sign the paper they needed to enter the Restricted Section.

     "I don't believe it," Harry said as the four of them examined the signature on the note. "He didn't even look at the book we wanted."

     "That's because he's a brainless git," said Ron. "But who cares, we've got what we needed-"

     "He is not a brainless git," said Hermione shrilly as they half ran to the library.

     "Just because he said you were the best student of the year-"

     They dropped their voices as they entered the muffled stillness of the library. Madam Pince, the librarian, was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an evil vulture.

     "Moste Potente Potions?" she repeated suspiciously, trying to take the note from Hermione; but Hermione wouldn't let it go.

     "I was wondering if I could keep it," she said breathlessly.

     "Oh, come on," said Ron, wrenching it from her grasp and thrusting it at Madam Pince. "We'll get you another autograph. Lockhart'll sign anything if it stands still long enough."

     Madam Pince held the note up to the light, as though to detect a forgery, but it passed the test. She stalked away between the lofty shelves and returned several minutes later carrying a large and mouldy-looking book. Hermione put it carefully into her bag and they left, trying not to walk too quickly or look too guilty.

     Five minutes later, they were barricaded in Moaning Myrtle's out-of-order lavatory once again. Hermione had overridden Ron's objections by pointing out that it was the last place anyone in their right minds would go, so they were guaranteed some privacy. Moaning Myrtle was crying noisily in her stall, but they were ignoring her, and she them.

     Hermione opened Moste Potente Potions carefully, and the three of them bent over the damp-spotted pages. It was clear from a glance why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about, and there were some very unpleasant illustrations, which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head.

     "Here it is," said Hermione excitedly as she found the page headed The Polyjuice Potion. It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into other people. Aspen thought it looked very painful.

     "This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Hermione as they scanned the recipe. "Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass," she murmured, running her finger down the list of ingredients. "Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves... oooh, look, powdered horn of a bicorn - don't know where we're going to get that - shredded skin of a boomslang - that'll be tricky, too - and, of course, a bit of whoever we're going to change into."

     "Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What d'you mean a bit of whoever we're going to change into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it-"