The Healer | Part 1: The Hogwarts Years

A Practical Plan

George

The following afternoon, right on cue, McLaggen cornered Fred and I in a corner behind the Entrance Hall steps  before supper. There was only half an hour to go before Quidditch tryouts.

'What were you two on about last night?' He hissed, looking around to make sure we weren't being overheard.

'I don't know what you're talking about,' I retorted, feigning innocence.

'Don't give me that tosh,' He said at once. 'You two know something.'

Fred and I exchanged a glance.

'No, we don't,' we answered in unison.

'Rubbish,' He frowned.

'You couldn't handle it,' I replied.

'But you know something!' McLaggen hissed.

Fred and I looked around again, pretending to be looking out for eavesdroppers. I suppose if any teachers caught wind of what we were doing, we could be in trouble. But that wasn't anything either of us were too worried about.

'We haven't tested it yet, only researched it,' Fred added quietly once we were sure the coast was clear. 'We don't test things we on other people before we test them on ourselves first.'

'What is it?' McLaggen said in a mixture of a whisper and a shout.

'Just something we discovered that supposed to enhance performance,' I shrugged.

McLaggen looked triumphant and I found I had to work harder than usual to contain my look of delight.

'How?' He asked.

'You know, make your reflexes sharper, your vision clearer, things like that,' Fred elaborated.

'What is it?' McLaggen asked eagerly.

'You won't like it,' I warned him.

'Try me,' he insisted.

Fred and I looked at each other again.

'Doxy eggs,' I told him.

He blanched.

'You're joking,' he raised an eyebrow.

'I told you you wouldn't like it,' I warned him. 'Anyway, we haven't tested it ourselves, waiting for the first Quidditch practice, you know?'

'Speaking of, we should get ready,' Fred told me, looking at his watch.

'Yeah, Angelina will go mental if we're late,' I said. She was already irate enough that Harry had landed himself in detention and wasn't going to be there. She was rather frightening now that she was team captain.

'Good luck, Cormac,' Fred winked at him. 'Not that you need it.'

I fought to contain my grin as Fred and I turned away briskly and ascended the staircase towards Gryffindor Tower.

Fred smirked at me as we climbed.

'So predictable,' He sighed. 'It's almost too easy.'

'I don't care,' I told him. 'I'm not having him on the team.'

'Ah, so it's not just about Falconer,' He grinned and shoved me into the railing.

'Maybe a little,' I admitted, it wasn't as if he didn't know already. 'But you have to admit, he's not a good fit for the team.'

'Right,' Fred rolled his eyes.

'Mimbulus Mimbletonia,' I told the Fat Lady and the portrait swung open.