Runes Master

Saving Sirius

The twins got to Harry at the breakfast table, wearing a huge smile.

"So, it begins today?" deduced Harry.

"Today," they answered in unison.

"We'll have to..."

"...find a way to..."

"...slip some stuff in his things," they finally said together.

"I've been working on some stuff myself," whispered Harry. "These past weeks, I've put some of that rune studying into practice. It works. It works damn well. Don't worry about those other pranks: I've got an idea. I'll be ready during Christmas break to infiltrate the Slytherin common room."

They looked at him, an awed look on their faces.

"Infiltrate?" they whispered.

"Wouldn't be the first time..." confirmed Harry, grinning.

Harry remembered the day he asked the twins for pranks. He did it as much for Hermione than for himself...

He approached Ron and Hermione right after the twins, resolute to include his two best friends in the plot. Harry spoke about it in a charm class.

"I think it's time we took another trip into the in the Slytherin common room," he said softly to them while Flitwick explained the mechanism of some charm that he didn't pay much attention to.

"What?" whispered Hermione sharply.

"It is time. We have to get back at Draco, once and for all and stop this sick circle. I'm tired of the insults, the traps and the sneers. I'm going to recruit Ron's brothers for an all-out war on him. Some strikes will come straight from his own dormitory. We'll need a good batch of polyjuice. We'll keep some in reserve."

"We can't do that! It's not... really that big of a deal, what happened that morning, Harry," pleaded Hermione. "It's nice of you, in an all vengeful way but, really, those names don't affect me anymore."

"Shame on you, then, Hermione," Harry whispered, serious. His friend didn't expected that. She looked at him, not understanding and kind of hurt.

"He's calling you a Mudblood," he slowly said, their group managing to escape Flitwick's vigilance. "A Mudblood. Meaning your blood is full of mud. You can live with that? Okay. But what about your parents?"

"My parents?" she squealed.

"Yes. 'Blood' refer to your direct lineage, your parents. Your sisters and brothers. Your grandparents, uncle and aunts. He's calling them a puddle of mud and that your blood comes from that mud. How would your parents like to be the cause of prejudice toward you? What if they learned of it? Would they feel ashamed for not being magical? How would they look upon you, brave Gryffindor, who won't even fight for them?"

Hermione's head was low and she looked really pained. She was shaking with rage. Thinking further about the meaning of those insults she bore for far too long hit her heavier than the first time she had them directed her way.

"That worm is going to pay," she whispered harshly. "I can't believe I blinded myself so much for the sake of not causing trouble. You're right. This is a matter of Gryffindor pride, family pride. It is not an empty or sinful concept: it is based on the love of our family. I'll do it, but I'm not too enthusiastic about stealing from professor Snape again..."

"No need," Harry reassured her. "I'm making a huge purchase at the apothecary in Diagon Alley where we buy our school stuff. It's going to have so many ingredients he won't even suspect polyjuice."

"Nothing... nothing harmful in this... war... Harry?" asked Hermione, her old self resuming control of her brain.

"Nothing... permanent," replied Harry, non-committal. "Ron, when the time comes, I'll need you to get in the Slytherin Common room. Meanwhile, I'll be quite busy myself. You'll have to take my cloak and spy at their entrance whenever you can. Learn the passwords, their schedule and the times of greatest traffic. If you can, find out the entrance of the third year dorms. It's going to be vital if we want to seem like we belong there long enough to put all the stuff in."