Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 41: Endgame (Pt 2)

9 May 1993
Gryffindor Tower
2:15 p.m.

In the aftermath of Greenhouse #3's destruction (along with that of the entire Mandrake crop), the student body, which had only begun to relax after Gilderoy Lockhart's capture, promptly went into panic mode once more. The school was rife with theories as to what had happened. Some thought it was a parting gift from the deranged former-DADA instructor. Others thought it was a Weasley Terror prank gone wrong. But those who still suspected Jim Potter of being the Heir of Slytherin made much of the fact that he had been seen leaving Greenhouse #3 moments before the explosion. That faction only grew as time passed and Jim remained conspicuously missing. At 2:00 p.m., McGonagall made a school-wide announcement that students were to remain in the castle for the remainder of the day (though they were not yet confined to their dormitories) and that there would be a mandatory Staff Meeting at 3:00 p.m. once Professor Sprout had finished her inspection of the ruined greenhouse and Professor McGonagall had consulted with the Ministry, the DMLE, and (for some reason) the Sorting Hat.

Meanwhile, Percy Weasley was in panic mode for a different reason. No one had seen Ron since breakfast, and with everything else that had happened, his absence was now officially alarming. After finishing a circuit of the Hogwarts grounds without finding his youngest brother, Percy returned to Gryffindor Tower to check there again. Ron's dorm room was empty, so Percy decided to check his own private study once more. As soon as he was inside, the door slammed shut behind him. Percy whirled around and his eyes widened.

It was Jim Potter pointing a wand at him and bearing a crazed look in his eye.

"Potter!" the prefect exclaimed. "What is the meaning of this?!"

"I don't know, Percy, old chap. What does it look like?" Jim smiled lazily at him while gesturing with his wand for Percy to move away from the door. Percy complied.

The young prefect said nothing for several seconds as he studied Jim to determine if he might be able to get a jump on the boy. But Percy Weasley, by his own admission, was more of an scholar than a warrior, and he certainly lacked the intensive combat training for which the Boy-Who-Lived was somewhat famous.

"You've never really liked me, have you, Percy?" Jim asked with a smirk. "Never. Why is that? I was friends with Ron and the Twins, after all."

Percy raised his nose somewhat haughtily. "To be honest, Potter, I thought you were a bad influence on Ron. Frankly, I wish I'd done more to separate you two."

Jim laughed. "I'm a bad influence on Ron. Oh, Percy. You have no idea."

Percy scowled and remembered that Ron had been missing all day. "What have you done with Ron, you little monster!?"

"Honestly, Perfect Prefect Percy?" Jim said with a malicious smirk. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Furious at the thought of his youngest brother at the hands of the mad child in front of him, Percy snarled and reached for his wand while attempting to dodge any attack as he did. He never stood a chance. A Banishing Charm sent Percy flying across the room into a wall, and then a Stunner left him out cold. Satisfied, the boy moved over to the desk and pulled out a quill and a sheet of parchment. As he wrote, the boy idly whistled to himself – "God Save the Queen." When he was done writing, he moved over to Percy's prone body where he took possession of the other boy's wand before ripping the prefect pin off of his robe and attaching it to his own. Then, the Boy-Who-Lived reached down to grab a lock of the boy's curly red hair.

The Gryffindor Common Room
2:20 p.m.

Percy Weasley exited his private study and then sealed the door with a powerful locking Charm before heading down to the Common Room, still softly whistling the same tune. Just as he arrived, Head Girl Emily Rossum entered through the main door.