Chapter 2: Anticipation
Tonight was the night before the third task, it was past curfew and the halls were silent as almost everyone was already in his or her towers finishing their homework, or preparing for bed in anticipation of the final task of the Triwizard tournament, and the rewarding of the Triwizard Champion. Everyone, except the Golden Trio and their exact opposites, Merilinda, Draco and Blaise, the real Golden Trio as some would say. While Granger, and Weasely helped prepare Potter for his final challenge, the three Slytherin teenagers were preparing for something entirely different.
In the room of requirement stood the first trio, Merilinda, Blaise and Draco. In the middle of the three, a small, gold cauldron, filled almost to the brim with a bright-pink bubbling, gurgling liquid. As the clock tolled the twelve strokes of midnight, Draco waits till the last toll has rang out before swooping down flask in hand, and a huge evil grin on his face. As he stands now filled flask in hand and looks at both Merilinda and Blaise he is quickly met with identical grins.
"It's time boys." Merilinda said her evil smirk all the wider as the two boys exited the room of requirement in front of her, Draco pausing to stop the flask.
As the door slid shut behind them, Draco quickly stuffed the silver flask under his cloak as they made their way down from the seventh floor to the first floor, and sat on the marble staircase above the entrance hall awaiting the pre-arranged signal.
At exactly 12:15, Professor Moody walked by. Seemingly paying them no heed except for the slight nod in their direction, and an outstretched hand as he passes by Draco.
When the trio heard Granger say, "Nice One Harry! Lets try one more time, and Ronald make sure your out of the way this time. As funny as that was we really have no time to waste." They smirk, ready to implement phase two of the plan and quickly scale the marble staircase following the Gryffindors continuing laughter.
"Potter, Weaselbee, Granger." Draco greeted as the three Slytherins open the door and step into the room.
"Malfoy! What are you doing here!?" Potter challenged, startled by the sudden appearance of three Slytherins.
"Why hello to you too Potter." Merilinda replied equally as unhappy with seeing Potter as he was with seeing them, "What are you doing anyway Potter, preparing for your next press conference?"
"Actually, I'm preparing for the third task tomorrow, you know being Hogwarts champion and all." Potter snarled back.
"But Potter, being out past curfew the night before the task…it would suck if you got caught and had to say…serve detention tomorrow evening. I really hope I don't, say…run into Preofessor Snape…or anyone. " Blaise supplied with a smirk leaning against the side of the doorway.
"Why aren't you three worried about being out past curfew?" Weasley questioned, always the most brilliant of the lot.
"Because unlike you lot, we were actually doing something useful and besides we have a note." Snapped Merilinda before quickly looking at her watch and then sparing a quick glance at the two boys on either side of her, as if signaling that they were wasting their time and had better places to be.
"From who? Snape?" Potter demanded.
"Actually no, from Moody. We're doing a little extra…what you might call…research…for him. And we really must be going if we're going to finish on time. I mean tomorrow is such a big day after all." Draco explained with that evil grin starting to appear back on his face. "So if you two blood traitors don't mind, we will be on our way. Oh yes you too mudblood. Au Revoir."
"See you three later." Merilinda said sickly sweet, fluttering her hand in their direction. And as Blaise also waved goodbye the Slytherin trio exited before quickly making their way down to the dungeons, with the "golden trio" following behind them as planned.
As they finally reached their destination and slid into Snape's office, making sure to leave the door slightly ajar so that their followers could hear in, they knocked on the door to Snape's private sleeping quarters and waited till he emerged a few seconds later.
"Both plans are a go professor." Blaise said acting like he was some kind of secret agent or something. When the trio proceeded to pose in the classic Charlie's Angels fashion, with their fake guns in the air, Snape snarled at them saying, "Enough of that you three, you have it I trust?"
"Yes, professor" the three meekly responded, while Snape chanced a glance toward the ajar door to his office that Potter, Granger, and Weasley all were hiding behind.
"Very well then. We will continue as planned. Draco the flask?" As Draco handed the flask to him, Snape continued saying, "Well, you three better return to your dormitories then. I will see you in the morning. Not a word to anyone, not even Moody. Is that clear?"
"Yes, and goodnight professor." Responded Merilinda.
As the three made their way to the door, the "golden trio" quickly scattered before they could be spotted, surprised at the thought of a "plan" brewing in the dungeons of Hogwarts.
"We should tell Dumbledore!" Potter suggested immediately.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you Potter." Draco countered from where he leaned on a doorway up ahead of the trio.
"And how are you planning on stopping him, ferret boy?" Weasley challenged.
"Oh silly Weaselbee, he's not alone." said Merilinda as she and Blaise stepped up next to Draco from where they were hidden behind a suit of armor, "and besides we're not hear to fight. We are here but to explain you silly children. You see, our mudblood loving traitor of a headmaster is surely aware by now of the plans that you noisy's heard us talking about with Professor Snape. I mean nothing sinister could be going down in his school without him knowing…it would be simply horrid of there was a repeat of the Quirrel incident."
"Then what is it? What's the plan?" Potter questioned.
"That is none of your business Potter. Now if you don't mind, as much as we love talking to you three, we really must be going." Draco supplied.
"Goodnight!" Said Merilinda as Draco slid his arm around her waist and started steering her away towards the Slytherin common room soon Blaise caught up after a quickly muttered, "Sweet Dreams!" and put his arm around Merilinda's shoulders.