Effervescence | h.p.

ii | xiv. merry mishaps

The double attack on Justin and Nick turned nervousness into full-on, real panic.

"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," said Ron. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."

Lyra cringed to know she would have to remind Ron that even she and Harry would probably be removed for the holiday. As much as she would enjoy spending the holidays with Ron and Hermione, she was actually glad she could get away from people skirting around her in the corridors as if she were about to curse them or sprout fangs and take a bite from their necks.

Fred and George, however, found this, like many things, very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of Lyra down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through. . . . "

Percy was deeply disapproving of this behavior, obviously.

"It is not a laughing matter," he said coldly.

"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Lyra's in a hurry."

"Yeah, she's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with her fanged servant," said George, chortling.

Ginny didn't find it amusing either.

"Oh, don't," she wailed every time Fred asked Lyra loudly who she was planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Lyra off with a large clove of garlic when they met.

Lyra didn't mind them; she appreciated that at least the twins thought the idea of her being the heir was ludicrous. Their antics did seem to irritate a certain Draco Malfoy, though.

"It's because he's bursting to say it's really him," said Ron knowingly. "You know how he hates anyone beating him at anything, and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work."

"We'll get the truth out of him any day now," said Hermione.

At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow descended on the castle. Lyra enjoyed that she, Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor Tower, which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practice dueling in private.

The day that the students were going home was a busy one for the quad. This was the day they would have to take the Polyjuice Potion and interrogate Malfoy before Remus, Sirius, and the Potters took Lyra and Harry out of Hogwarts.

"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," said Hermione matter-of-factly as she sat at the end of Ron's four-poster bed that morning. "And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoy's best friends, he'll tell them anything. And we also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him."

"Now, we've got that all worked out," said Lyra proudly. "Me and 'Mione filled these" — she held up two plump chocolate cakes — "with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."

Harry and Ron looked incredulously at each other.

"Ly, Hermione, I don't think — "

"That could go seriously wrong — "

Hermione had a steely glint in her eye not unlike Professor McGonagall's sometimes.

"The potion will be useless without Crabbe and Goyle's hair," said Lyra obviously. "That's the whole point of me making it!"

"You do want to investigate Malfoy, don't you?" Hermione asked with an air of mock questioning.

"Oh, all right, all right," said Harry. "But what about you? Whose hair are you ripping out?"