The Chamber Of Secrets (A Harry Potter Rewrite)

THE ROGUE BLUDGER

Getting the note from Lockhart and the book from the library proved remarkably easy. Once they had it, they were back inside the third floor washroom.

Hermione opened Moste Potente Potions carefully, and the four of
them bent over the damp-spotted pages. It was clear from a glance why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about, and there were some very unpleasant illustrations, which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head.

"Here it is," said Hermione excitedly as she found the page headed The
Polyjuice Potion. It was decorated with drawings of people halfway
through transforming into other people.

"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Hermione, scanning the recipe. "Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, andknotgrass," she murmured, running her finger down the list of ingredients."Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves. . . . Oooh, look, powdered horn of a bicorn - don't know where we're going to get that - shredded skin of a boomslang - that'll be tricky, too - and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."

"Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it -"

Hermione continued as though she hadn't heard him. "We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those
bits last. . . ."

Ron turned, speechless, to Harry, who looked even more worried.

"D'you realize how much we're going to have to steal, Hermione?", he asked. "Shredded skin of a boomslang, that's definitely not in the students' cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snape's private stores? I don't know if this is a good idea. . . ."

Hermione shut the book with a snap.
"Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine," she said. There were bright pink patches on her cheeks and her eyes were brighter than usual. "I
don't want to break rules, you know. I think threatening Muggle-borns is
far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find
out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in -"

"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be persuading us to break
rules," said Ron. "All right, we'll do it. But not toenails, okay?"

"Fine.", Hermione grunted, then turned to Ria. "You've been awfully quiet.", she observed.

"This isn't worth the trouble. I mean, yeah, making the potion will be exciting. Still, not worth the trouble."

"Trying to put a stop to some evil thing lurking in the Castle isn't worth the trouble?", Harry said, sounding indignant.

"No. But trying to prove it's Malfoy is a complete and utter waste of time. If you told me it was his father, I might have believed you. Him? There's no way."

"Well", said Hermione, "I guess we'll find out soon enough."

"How long will it take to make, anyway?", Harry asked.

"Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days . . . I'd say it'd be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients."

"A month?" said Ron. "Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!"

But Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously again, and he added swiftly, "But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead, I say."

Ria sighed. This so wouldn't be worth it if they got caught.

Next morning, Ria woke up at four in the morning. It was Saturday; the day of her first ever Quidditch match. She would like to say she was confident in her abilities, but no. No such luck. She was a nervous wreck!