Percy Jackson and the Heir of Slytherin [Book 2]

24) The Polyjuice Potion

After the whole incident with the pixies, no more creatures were brought into Defense Against the Dark Arts. Instead, Lockhart re-enacted some of the more dramatic bits in his books. He mostly picked Harry to help him. He'd played a villager that was cured of a Babbling Curse, a yeti with the flu, and a vampire that could only eat lettuce.

On this particular day, Harry had been pulled up to the front of the class and acted like a werewolf, blushing the whole time.

"Nice loud howl, Harry — exactly — and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced — like this — slammed him to the floor — thus — with one hand, I managed to hold him down — with my other, I put my wand to his throat — I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm — he let out a piteous moan — go on, Harry — higher than that — good — the fur vanished — the fangs shrank — and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective — and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."

I frowned. So much of this story had flaws. Any Lycanthrope children of Lycaon would have fought back so much harder. He wouldn't have been able to take one down. And there is no spell that can cure a person of being a werewolf. Lastly, not all werewolves are evil. Haley, a Ravenclaw girl a year ahead of us is a werewolf. She's really cool.

Thankfully, the bell had rung. Lockhart climbed to his feet. "Homework: compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one.

The class began to leave, but Ron and Hermione stayed back.

"Er, Percy, just go on ahead, all right? There's something we want to ask Lockhart, you know... about the spell he used... I'm sure you wouldn't want to stay in here any longer than you'd have to..." Ron stammered, his ears a little red. Hermione looked down, shaking her head slightly.

"I... um, okay. I-I'll catch you guys later, then."

I knew he was lying. Just what he was lying to me about, I didn't know. Last time they had been keeping things from me, it was when they had told Dumbledore about my home situation. This time, I could see the guilt on Hermione's face.

I decided to go up to the library, maybe get a new fiction book. Madam Pince had told me the next book in my most recent series was in the Restricted Section.

I found my book, and then I saw my friends. They were handing a note to Madam Pince. She then walked past me, grabbed a book from the Restricted Section, and brought it back to my friends. I watched Hermione put the book in her bag, then walk away with my friends.

I had caught a glimpse of the title as Madam Pince walked by. Moste Potente Potions. I was confused. I had the highest potions grade in the year, yet they didn't talk to me about it. They were doing something they didn't want me to know about.

I sighed and looked around the Restricted Section for a moment. I found another copy of the book in the Greek section.

I checked the two books out and went to my room. I started to read.

Some of the potions were pretty gruesome. One of the potions caused a terrible paranoia to engulf the drinker. Another turned their skin inside out. I read each potion, memorizing them. Some I knew my friends wouldn't be researching. Others I figured they might be.

Then I spotted it. Polyjuice Potion. Transforms the drinker into another person. I figured it was to figure out if someone were the heir to Slytherin. That someone would be Draco. Harry had whispered about it to Ron one day, and neither knew I had heard them.

Draco climbed into my room not long after I had memorized every potion in the book. He sat on my bed and I stared up at him.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I think Harry, Ron, and Hermione think you're Slytherin's heir. I'm not so sure about Ron and Hermione, they could just be pretending, but they don't know you all that well. And I think they are trying to figure out if you are or not," I said, moving so he could sit on my bed with me.

Draco sat down and said, "Don't tell me how they plan on figuring it out. If they know I know, they'll just get more suspicious. So I'll just be chill and relaxed cause I've got nothing to hide."

I smiled and leaned against Draco, smiling as he wrapped an arm around me shoulder.

For awhile, we just sat together. Then I fell asleep. Draco shook me awake to tell me to get changed into pajamas if I was going to sleep.

I did, and was out again.

I had started writing this before Haley died. There had been another werewolf character, Jemma Greene. Once Haley died, I got rid of Jemma and made it Haley, but I guess the name is still floating around some places. They had different personalities, so the parts where Haley is actually in the story is Haley, but if she was only mentioned, it might say Jemma. If it does, please tell me. Thanks.

I'll see you guys on Wednesday.