Child of Hogwarts: Part I

Chapter Twenty - Yuletide

CHAPTER TWENTY

Yuletide

Harry was sitting on his bed, working out his owl order to Hogsmeade for Dumbledore's Christmas gift, when Ron and Hermione appeared suddenly beside him, pulling off his father's invisibility cloak. Both looked excited.

'What's up?' he asked, glancing between them.

'It's ready, Harry,' Hermione told him, her face shining. 'The potion. I think we should do it at Christmas, right after the feast.'

Harry, Ron and Hermione had found it more difficult of late to work on their Polyjuice scheme. Dumbledore's increased security at the castle made it nearly impossible to sneak into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom between lessons, as they were led from one classroom to another by a teacher, and the corridors were all under patrol during breaks and after lessons had concluded for the day. They weren't forbidden from moving about the school – as long as they weren't alone – but Harry knew the three of them would draw suspicion if they were spotted together in the first floor corridor, where none but Hermione had any excuse to travel anyway. They'd been discovered there only a few days ago by Percy Weasley, who had been most disconcerted to find them 'investigating' the scene of the original attack. Percy – as a prefect – had permission to roam the corridors on his own, ostensibly to help the teachers in their efforts to patrol. He'd taken ten points from Gryffindor and given them a telling off that had left Harry's ears ringing for an hour.

After that unfortunate incident, Harry, Ron and Hermione had decided to take it in pairs to check on the potion, and to use the invisibility cloak for added cover. They reasoned that it would be less suspicious if the trio were not all together, in case they were discovered. Hermione had to be there, of course, because she was doing most of the legwork in the brewing of the Polyjuice, so Harry and Ron had alternated duties each day. It was even more paramount to use secrecy now, as most of the school had departed on the Hogwarts Express yesterday to spend Christmas at home.

'That's brilliant, Hermione!' said Harry with a beaming smile. Ron grimaced.

'Yeah, well, we've still got to work out how to get Crabbe and Goyle's hair though, don't we?' he pointed out, looking disgusted.

Hermione had decided that hair would be the easiest 'bit' of the Slytherins to add to the potion. She herself had already secured her sample – a hair from Millicent Bulstrode, who had partnered Hermione at the duelling club. Millicent had left for home yesterday – along with most of the Slytherin students – so Hermione planned to tell the others that she'd changed her mind and wanted to spend the holiday at Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy, luckily, was staying. As were Crabbe and Goyle.

'I've worked that out,' said Hermione. 'Wait here.' She tossed the cloak at Harry and hurried from the boys' dormitory.

Ron shook his head, looking after her. 'I'll never get it,' he said.

'Get what?' asked Harry, as he folded the cloak carefully and stowed it away inside his trunk.

'How she manages to keep it all straight in her head,' Ron explained. 'She's got an answer for everything, that one.'

Harry laughed, but then sobered as he thought about what they were plotting. 'Four days...' he mused, thinking of the time until they'd put their scheme into action. 'Are you nervous?

Ron shrugged. 'Not really,' he said. 'I mean, I don't fancy being stuck as Vincent Crabbe the rest of my life... or getting expelled if we get caught but... Hermione always seems to know what she's doing, doesn't she? We'll be good, Harry.'