Secrets To Keep

Potions and Braids

Minerva and Harry had decided to brew the potion, and were in the Dungeons, after classes had ended.

"Okay, first you'll need to slice up the Mandrake Leaf you have in your mouth."

Harry nodded, unreality the pouch she'd made, and taking it out. "How should I slice it?"

"She handed him a sharp knife. "Just curious it in half, then half again, and do that once more...okay, now put it in this bowl," she handed him a village with lemon juice. "Make aureus it's completely drenched in the lemon juice."

While Harry did that, she boiled water in the cauldron. Eventually, she plucked three hair's from Harry's head.

"Ow! Why didn't you warn me?" He yelped, holding his scalp.

She shrugged. "Sorry, must've forgotten. Do you have the Mandrake?"

He handed her the bowl, which she set down, and took the leaf out with tweezers. "You can't touch it, or it malfunctions." She explained.

"Now, I'll need to prick your thumb." She told him, taking a clean scalpel, and poking his thumb with it, bringing it over the cauldron, and dropping in seven drops of blood.

"Now, stir it 32 times. 16 times clockwise, 16 counterclockwise." She commanded, letting the sunlight in with a flick of her wand.

"It should bask in sunlight while you're stirring, but only then. Then, we let it sit in your cabinets, and you'll drink it at exactly midnight. Right after you drink it, you'll fall into a sleep, where you'll find out your form. Understand?"

Harry nodded, counting, "31...32! I'm finished."

She looked at it. "Good! It's the perfect shade, yellow as the sun. Now, contain it in a flask, and we'll have a house elf take it to your cabinets in your bathroom, that way it won't be found easily."

Harry nodded. "Kreacher?"

The elf popped in. "Yes, Master Harry? Headmistress?"

"Hi, Kreacher. We need you to take this to Harry's cabinets in his personal bathroom. Don't let any light near it, okay?" Minerva told him.

He nodded.

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Hermione was trying to straighten her curls. "I GIVE UP!" She screamed, flinging her --now very frizzy-- hair off her face.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked, poking her head in.

"I can't deal with it anymore!"

"Braid it. I've seen you--"

"I can't do it myself, it's too...big. Usually Harry or Ron helps."

"Oh. Well, I could try."

Hermione shrugged. "Good luck."
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[Several minutes later]

Ginny huffed, throwing herself onto Hermione's bed. "Sorry, Mione. I give up. Bun?"

"Can't. Hairbrush got stuck." Hermione told her.

A muffled yell floated up the stairs.

"What's that?" Ginny asked, dragging Hermione down the stairs.

Harry was down in the common room. "Is everybody here?"

"YES!" Came the yell.

He chuckled. "Okay, anyway, everyone needs to be in the Great Hall in fifteen minutes. The Headmistress has an announcement. Thank you!"

He made his way over to Hermione. "Want some help?"

She nodded.
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When they had gotten to he girl's dorms--as Head, he could go up--Harry sat on the bed with Hermione on the floor in front of him. "Is that a hairbrush?"

Hermione grunted.

"You'd think there'd be spells for this." Harry sighed.

"There is." Ginny piped up.

Hermione looked at her. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"Well, I don't know any that would help you. I only know what Mum's taught me. And those are for straight hair."

Hermione slumped, yelping when Harry pulled her hair.

"Sorry! So, braids?"

She shrugged.

Harry sighed. "Well, have you tried oils?"

"No, my mum--" She went quiet.

Harry nodded, proceeding to braid, until Ginny asked, "How do you know how? You're--"

"A guy?"

Ginny nodded, her face growing redder.

"Well," he shrugged. "Mione taught me back in...third year? She was tired of it, so she taught Ron and I on Hagrid's beard."

Ginny laughed. "I'd've loved to see that."

"There, finished." Harry said, securing the locks with a rubber band. He'd given her one, long, French braid.

"Thanks."

"Yeah, well, we should head to the Great Hall." Harry decided, leaving, the girls following.
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"Now, as you know, we want to integrate Muggle subjects into our curriculum. Hogwarts now provides several language classes, art, music, Muggle and Wizard Government, Journalism, and more to come! We also will be teaching Muggke sports. If anyone has suggestions, feel free to tell your Head of House or prefects! Thank you, now please feel free to chat until dinner, and move to other tables."

The professors all looked on in amazement as several first-years moved. Slowly, older students moved add well.