Sebastian allowed himself six-weeks to prepare for his plan, starting from November. Two weeks to get the ingredients necessary for the potion (that wouldn't be easy – he still hadn't figured out how he'd do that), and a month to let it brew – as to where he would brew it, he still had no plan; that, too, was yet to be decided. Sebastian had, without trouble, obtained a note from Professor Slughorn to enter the restricted section of the library and taken out a copy of Moste Potente Potions. Sebastian had borrowed the book before – Madam Pince had thrown him more than one suspicious glance when he checked it out for a second time. He had Amanda's hairs already, but his list of ingredients was quite extensive.

· Fluxweed

· Knotgrass

· Lacewing Flies

· Leeches

· Horn of Bicorn

· Boomslang Skin

It was with nail-biting anxiety that Sebastian realised he would need help – at least partially. But the thought about telling anyone what he was doing – or more accurately –why he was doing this, made his stomach churn. There was only one person in the world he trusted enough to ask for help.

"Sebby, what are you doing moping around the common room at this time of night?"

Speak of the devil and she shall appear, thought Sebastian, glancing up from the book.

Willow Shacklebolt, daughter of Kingsley Shacklebolt, current Minister for Magic had been Sebastian's friend since second year. She'd sort of made up her mind to stick to him one day; decided he was a lonely creature in need of pity and company – both of which she plied Sebastian with endlessly. Neither of which he particularly wanted or asked for. Sebastian guessed he was probably refreshing company given that most of her so-called friends only hung around because they viewed her as a source of influence. Her father was the Minister for Magic after all.

"I'm not moping, I'm reading. And don't call me that." He said flatly, turning the page, despite not even having finished the one he was on. The action made him seem busy. Maybe she'd go away.

"Sebby, what are you up to?" Willow mused, leaning over his shoulder. "You've been quiet recently."

Sebastian frowned. "That's hardly new. You always tell me I'm quiet"

She pursed her lips and tapped her chin. "Well, yes. You're practically mute. But you've been… differently quiet. You're distracted by something. That's rare. It's a bit unnerving, actually."

"You must be getting bored." Sebastian sighed. "You pick on me when you get bored."

Willow swung around his armchair and threw herself into the one opposite. She crossed her legs and regarded him in such a scrutinising way that he had to avert his gaze. Her almost-black eyes glared straight into his soul and she used the armchair as though it was a throne.

"You keep avoiding my question."

"Well spotted."

She narrowed her eyes, focussing her soul-splitting glare. "Are you in trouble, Murlock?"

Not yet. "No. And I don't intend to be."

"You will be if you go and make a Polyjuice potion in school."

Sebastian almost choked on thin air. "Poly – what? Who said anything about Polyjuice potion?"

Willow smirked. "I knew it." She said triumphantly, leaning forwards with a cunning glitter in her eye. She was the definition of dodgy. If Alex was Gryffindor's poster boy, Willow would be Slytherin's poster girl.

Sebastian felt the flush of heat rise to his face. He grit his teeth.

"I'm not – I mean – I've not done anything yet." He said defensively.

"Oh, good." She hummed, "So I can help, then."

Quickly, Sebastian glanced around the empty common room. It was definitely empty. The shimmering, green reflections from the Lake-window tricked his eyes from time to time. Occasionally, the shadow of the giant squid zoomed by. It sometimes struck him how close they were to Hogwarts' monsters.

He sighed deeply. "I didn't ask for your help."

Willow flashed him a grin. "But you need it. You've been staring at that page for half an hour at least."

Sebastian stared. "How long have you been in here?"

She shrugged. "Long enough to guess what you're up to. For god's sake, man, you have a list of ingredients out on your knee. How could I not notice?"

He chewed his lip. She didn't miss a trick.

"You won't tell anyone?"

She scoffed. "Why would I do that? I'd lose my only real friend if you got kicked out."

Sebastian couldn't help but smile a little. Real friend – how nice. "And besides," She continued, "I've done a lot worse than dabble in a little illegal potion-making."

"Yeah, right."

"I have! Who do you think transfigured Natalie Ford's cat into one of Hagrid's rock cakes?"

Sebastian's jaw dropped. "You didn't."

"I won't tell you who ate it. I don't want to shock you too much, dear. But that's beside the point: I can help – if you'll let me."

Sebastian regarded her. In truth, he'd already made up his mind. She was the one human being on the planet he'd considered asking as it was, but he didn't want to seem so easy.

"What do you want in return?" He asked carefully.

"Hmm…" She leant back in the armchair. "Tell me why you're doing it." She demanded.

"No freaking way."

"Is it something to do with Fawley?"

Sebastian leapt from his chair. "If you already know that then why are you asking?" He growled.

Willow threw back her head and laughed. "You're so easy to read, Seb."

"You're a Legilimens, aren't you?" He accused, jabbing a finger at her.

She raised an eyebrow. "Yes, but I didn't have to read your mind to figure it out. You spend half of dinner staring at him and the other half reading poncy Potions books. The only thing I can't work out is whether you're trying to shag him or kill him."

Sebastian glared at her. "You're despicable."

"Or is it both? Oooh, that would be interesting. There's more to you than meets the eye, Seb."

"Look who's talking." He breathed.

"Well then? Why are you doing this?" She asked.

Sebastian sank back into his chair, staring at the stone floor. "There was an – incident in first year. It happened during the battle of Hogwarts, actually. Something happened and I want to put it right."

Willow's eyes widened. "So this is a revenge thing? What are you gonna do? Disguise yourself as one of his roommates and then jump him in his sleep? God, I'd kill to see that."

Sebastian met her eye. "Not exactly."

When Sebastian told Willow who he was going to transform into, she gaped at him like a fish, lost for words for once.

"Amanda Parson?! A – a girl?! You're going to transform into a girl?!"

Sebastian nodded slowly, his serious mask not cracking for an instant.

She puffed up her cheeks and blew outwards in a long, low huff. "Merlin's beard. I didn't expect that. And what does Amanda Parson have to do with Alexander Fawley?"

Sebastian was silent. "At least let me keep that to myself."

Willow glowered at him for a full ten seconds. "Fine. For now. But if things start heading South, you tell me everything. And I mean everything – deal?"

"Deal." Said Sebastian. And he meant it.

Having Willow on board made all the difference, and Sebastian couldn't deny it. She was quick, efficient and was crafty with solutions to say the least. She'd definitely been bored, too. Sebastian hadn't seen her this excited since fourth year when half of Slytherin house teamed up for a food fight against the Gryffindors in the kitchens (a fair few house elves were taken to St. Mungo's for Post-Traumatic Stress. This had earned Willow a permanent ban from ever holding ownership over one herself "s'alright," she'd said after being told the news by a livid Professor McGonagall, "it's slavery, anyway").

"Where are you going to make the potion without getting caught?" Willow probed one chilly afternoon in the library. It was a free period and they'd finished their Transfiguration homework. The library was quiet at this time of day so they could talk relatively safely.

"I was thinking… I dunno… my room?"

"What, and set your bed curtains on fire? Genius." She rolled her eyes. "No. How about the girl's bathroom on the first-floor? It's flooded and no one goes in there. They all think it's cursed."

"It is cursed!" Sebastian protested. He lowered his voice after a rather forceful hush from behind a bookshelf, "The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is in there. Obviously no one goes in for good reason!"

Willow regarded him with disdain. "You're not that stupid, Seb. The Basilisk is dead. Harry Potter killed it. I doubt its skeleton is going to rise from the depths and bite us in the arse. And besides, can you speak Parseltongue?"

"Dunno, never tried."

"Then there's nothing to worry about, is there? The Chamber isn't going to open on its own - certainly not for the likes of us."

Sebastian grimaced. "It's not just that. What about Moaning Myrtle?"

Willow sneered. "You don't need to worry about that. You're a boy. She'll like you."

Sebastian wrinkled his nose. "I don't want Moaning Myrtle to like me."

"I thought you cared about this plan."

"I do!" Said Sebastian, mortally offended.

"Then stop whinging!" Willow hissed. "You don't get to pick a nice location – not if you don't want to get caught."

Sebastian bit his tongue to keep from retorting. She was right. "Fine. Girl's bathroom it is then."

"It'll be good practice." Willow winked. "You'll be using the girl's toilets yourself soon enough."

Sebastian shivered. "Don't remind me."

Two of the ingredients on Sebastian's list were impossible to get hold of legally. He'd either have to travel to Africa and skin a Boomslang himself, or raid Professor Slughorn's store cupboard. Both feats sounded as difficult as the other, but when presented to Willow, she assured Sebastian that she'd "take care of it." Sebastian didn't like the sound of that because it definitely meant she was going to do something she wasn't allowed to. Then he thought of Natalie Ford's cat and decided she probably knew what she was doing.

A few days later, Willow slipped Sebastian a sealed envelope in the Slytherin common room.

"You got them?" He whispered, awe-struck. The common room was still fairly full of students doing homework, playing chess – and probably eavesdropping. He couldn't be too careful.

"Not everything." She said darkly. "Sluggy's out of Boomslang skin – would you believe? I got the Bicorn horn, though."

"You raided the store cupboard." It wasn't a question – more a statement of disbelief.

She rolled her eyes. "What else was I supposed to do? Anyway… that's all I could get."

Sebastian ran a hand through his hair, restless. "Thanks and all, but where am I going to get Boomslang skin? I can't exactly ask him for it."

Willow shrugged.

"I know someone who can get it." Said Sebastian. "But I really wish I didn't have to ask him – agh, blimey…"

"Who?" Asked Willow.

"My brother."