Harry Potter and Claire Smith's Adventures Book Two

A Furry Problem

Chapter 11: A Furry Problem

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had been nervousness into real panic. There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.

"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told Claire, Harry, and Hermione as they walked into the Gryffindor common room. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle."

"What a lovely holiday it's going to be." Claire muttered.

"Make way for the Heir of Slytherin!" Fred and George said as they saw them walking into the common room.

Fred and George found the whole idea of Harry being the Heir of Slytherin as complete funny business. Claire rolled her eyes at their childish antics.

"The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready." Hermione said. "However, I don't think there will be enough for all four of us."

"I don't have to drink it. I could be the lookout." Claire said.

"Alright, then." Hermione said.

The term soon ended and the only ones in Gryffindor Tower were the Weasleys, Claire, Hermione, and Harry. They didn't mind this though as they could play Exploding Snap as loud as they wanted without bothering anyone. Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Harry and Ron were woken very early by Hermione and Claire, who both burst in, fully dressed and carrying presents for them both.

"Wake up!" Claire said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window.

"Claire-get out of here-" Ron said, shielding his eyes against the light.

"Merry Christmas to you, too," Claire said, throwing him his present.

"We've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready." Hermione said.

Harry sat up, suddenly wide awake.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," Hermione said, shifting Scabbers the rat so that she could sit down on the end of Ron's four-poster.

"I can't believe you let that rat sleep in your bed," Claire said to Ron in disgust.

"If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight." Hermione said.

Later that evening at the Christmas dinner, Hermione and Claire pulled Ron and Harry out of the hall to finalize their plans for the evening.

"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," Hermione said matter-of-factly, as though she were sending them to the supermarket for laundry detergent. "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."

"We've got it all worked out," Claire said, ignoring Harry's and Ron's stupefied faces. She held up two plump chocolate cakes. "Hermione and I filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught."

"All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them." Hermione said. "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.

"I don't think-"

"That could go seriously wrong-"

"Listen," Claire began. "We've spent weeks preparing the Polyjuice Potion. If you two don't agree to this, those weeks would've been a complete waste of time."