Snakeskin (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

Chapter 11: Linguini Gets Schooled

Chapter 11: Linguini Gets Schooled

There was an attack over in Bristol yesterday, several Muggle families were killed and some students had to be called home because of it. Dumbledore set up a Dueling Club in response, hoping to prepare us for when we go home – whether it's for Christmas holidays or summer ones. I usually try to stay out of fights, but I know I have to be prepared for when I eventually get drawn into one. How can I protect my brothers and my friends if I can't even protect myself?

**

The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through Gryffindor tower by the following morning. Leo himself had heard it during the first of many early-morning detentions he had with McGonagall. Whilst writing "I must not attack a professor" - he put the word 'professor' in quotation marks, McGonagall was not amused – over and over again, Flitwick had walked in and asked her if the Creevey boy was alright. Naturally, this raised Leo's curiosity.

McGonagall had promptly shooed him from the room, instructing him to keep what he had heard to himself. Leo wasn't sure why she had told him this as, once he got to the Gryffindor Common Room, everyone in his house already knew. Amongst cheers and claps on the back from the Gryffindor boys for his attack on Lockhart, he managed to discover that Creevey had been petrified. Just like Mrs. Norris.

Shortly after that, Hermione and Ron had dragged him away to go work on the Polyjuice Potion back in Moaning Myrtle's – a girl who died fifty some-odd years ago in the girl's bathroom and now haunted it – bathroom. Leo was half-tempted to tell them about the passage on the fourth floor but ultimately decided against it since it was a Marauder secret.

They picked a stall and set up the cauldron – Leo lighting a waterproof fire beneath it – and Hermione set to work with Ron reading out instructions and Leo handing over ingredients. They were about to add in knotgrass when they heard the bathroom door open and fell silent.

"It's me," Harry's voice called, followed by the sound of the door closing behind him.

Hermione let out a gasp and opened the door.

"Harry!" she said. "You gave us such a fright — come in. How's your arm?"

"Fine," said Harry, squeezing into the stall after Leo exited to make room for him.

Despite the fact that Lockhart had been unable to do any sort of damage to Harry's already broken arm, Pomfrey had insisted on him staying overnight for observation after healing the break. Leo felt that was for the best – the strict matron would most certainly keep Lockhart out and stop him from interfering with her work.

"We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion," Ron explained. "We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."

Harry started to tell them about Colin, but Hermione interrupted.

"We already know — we heard from some of Colin's friends when he wasn't in bed this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going —"

"The sooner we get a confession out of Zabini, the better," snarled Ron. "D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."

"Nah, that doesn't sound like him," Leo remarked, leaning over to check on Hermione's work. "I reckon he's just flexing – figuring out what he can do and what his limits are. Colin was just a stepping stone to something bigger."

"Like what?" Ron inquired curiously.

Leo merely gave a shrug, not entirely sure.

"There's something else," said Harry as Hermione tore bundles of knotgrass and threw them into the potion. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."