Chapter 10: Problematic Polyjuice

After a few busy weeks of Quidditch training, researching spells, and training in the Room of Requirement, Hadrian and Antoninus were now relaxing on their beds in their room. It was Yule break, and both boys once again stayed at the castle. There had been another attack, Justin Finch-Fletchley from Hufflepuff in Hadrian and Antoninus' year got petrified. Diana had surprisingly stayed this Yule break as well, determined to spend more time on solving this mystery after the recent attack. Fabian, Marcus, and the Carrow twins had all went home for the break. Hadrian woke up later than usual today. Both boys had slept in and got some much-needed rest from their hectic schedule.

"Oi! Get up! We've got presents! We've slept late enough already!"

Hadrian groaned and got out of bed. Both boys then changed into their acromantula silked Slytherin Robes and went downstairs to the common room. Hadrian and Antoninus had spent a lot of gold this year for Yule. Previously, they only got each other presents, Daphne, and Tracey gifts. Now the two of them got gifts for the other Serpents of Slytherin as well. This also had increased the number of gifts they each received from 2 to 7.

"Huh, we have an anonymous gift as well…"

Antoninus then also picked up the seemingly identical packaged gift he got as sent anonymously as well and gazed at it. Antoninus' smirked slightly after seeing what was inside.

"Let's go back to our room and open them."

Hadrian wondered what was inside. Hadrian first shot a bunch of curse detection spells to see nothing bad was inside. Both boys then each ripped open their present.

"Warding, for all wizards, witches, and magical creatures."

Hadrian's eyes widened as he scavenged through the ripped wrapping and found a note.

Happy Yule Hadrian,

I got your letter and I'm pleased to hear that both you and Antoninus are doing well. I have sent you a book that will hopefully help you solve your problem house elf problem. I also wish to take this chance to ask if both of you would like to visit for a few days during the next summer. I can arrange with the goblins for a secret international portkey. My wife, Pernelle, is very eager to meet both of you in person. Let me know around early June, I know both of you don't send mail due to certain security issues.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Flamel

Hadrian quickly skim read the book he received. There was warding of various kinds of creatures, or detection wards. Hadrian had found the house-elf wards, it involved a complex set of wand movements and a unique runestone made. This book was amazing as it even had wards listed here that prevented phoenixes from apparating in! I wonder what Antoninus got…

Hadrian looked up and saw Antoninus reading Unseen Magical Auras. Hadrian and Antoninus almost forgot about meeting up with Diana today at the table. The two of them had spent the entire day lost in their own books. When both boys went down they were nearly late. Antoninus was quite surprised when he saw Malfoy here during Yule break. He'd thought that he would have definitely gone home.

"Happy Yule, Hadrian, Antoninus."

"Happy Yule, Diana."

Antoninus then gave his greetings as well. It was a lot less noisy at the table, usually the Carrow twins would be making a fuss and Marcus would get riled up because of them.

"I see both of you have topped the academic charts in your year once again. All Os and 97% average for both of you. Very impressive."

"Antoninus and I did okay. We technically did worse than last time though… but that was mainly due to a certain new teacher and the marking criteria for that class… and that we haven't been focusing on second-year material after last year."

Diana only raised an eyebrow at that.

"I heard from Hestia that you two had started third-year material?"

"Indeed we have, Hadrian and I have already decided what courses we are going to take. We originally were going to start fourth-year material around March, but pushed it off to next summer due to the extra research assignment you gave us."

Diana smiled at that.

"And how goes that research assignment."

"As you know, we told everyone the other day about the missing book in the library. Antoninus and I then made due with what books we had available in the library. A thought then occurred to me that made a lot of sense…"

Diana leaned forward from her chair with her elbows folded on the table.

"... this creature or monster… it has to be some sort of rare-breed of a snake. This is Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets. It would make a lot of sense if the monster is related to our house's animal. It also makes sense as it would link to his Parseltongue ability."

Diana strummed her fingers against the table and contemplated what Hadrian just said.

"It is an interesting point, although there isn't a snake that has the ability to petri- Antoninus, what's wrong?"

"Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini, and Bulstrode… they seem to be… strange. They also are without Nott."

Diana and Hadrian then both looked at the entrance to the common room and saw the four second-year Slytherins looking around the room in shock. They then whispered each other whilst gesturing at Malfoy at one of the couch areas in the room. Diana and Hadrian both narrowed their eyes and watched the four second-year Slytherins walk towards Malfoy. Crabbe stumbling slightly over one of the small steps and Bulstrode snapping her head in four different directions, as if inspecting this place was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Diana, Hadrian, and Antoninus watched as Goyle and Bulstrode staring at their table area for a bit. That instantly raised red flags in all their minds. They should know better than stare rudely like that at the Seats of the Seven Serpents and make eye contact with Diana for that long. Diana canceled the privacy ward and averted her eyes from the group of second-years. She then turned back to look at Hadrian and Antoninus, who both did the same.

"Well? Sit down."

Crabbe, Goyle, Zabini, and Bulstrode then hurriedly sat down onto the couch. Parkinson also arrived at this moment and sat next to Malfoy.

"What were you saying early Draco?"

"Ah! Where was I, Pansy? Right! I was saying that you'd never know that the Weasleys were purebloods… the way they act… they are an embarrassment to the wizarding world. All of them!"

Crabbe then cracked his knuckles and stiffened.

"What's wrong with you Crabbe?"

Hadrian rolled his eyes, this was now so obvious. That was Weasley, which means the other three are his brother, Granger, and Finnigan. Hadrian then looked at Diana to ask if they should go expose them. Diana shook her slightly, indicating not yet. Goyle then gave a slight jab at Crabbe's waist.

"Uh… stomach ache."

That seemed to satisfy Malfoy as he went back into his rant.

"You know… I'm surprised that the Daily Prophet hasn't done a report on all these attacks! I suppose Dumbledore is trying to hush it all up… father always said that Dumbledore was the worst thing that ever happened to this place!"

"Your wrong!"

Antoninus leaned down quietly onto the table and slammed his head into his arms. Diana gave an even more sinister and sadistic signature smile. Parkinson, like Malfoy, looked at Goyle with shock and anger. Malfoy then got out of his relaxed position on the couch and stood up.

"What? Do you think that there is someone here that is worse than Dumbledore? WELL? DO YOU?"

"Hadrian Potter?"

Malfoy then quickly shot a look near Hadrian's way. He instantly whipped out his wand and blasted Goyle back off the sofa.

"Do not speak of one of the Serpents like that!"

Malfoy grudgingly ground that out. He had heard rumors, seen and experienced Hadrian's ability with a wand first hand. If he wanted any chance at a seat, he can't do it being on Potter's bad side. It was clear he and Black both had great influence within the Serpent circle. Malfoy would even admit that Wilkinson was even going to hand off her position to Potter after she graduates. Goyle was about to retaliate when Bulstrode stopped him with a glare.

"What's a Serpent?"

Everyone then turned their eyes towards Zabini. Malfoy venomously started at him for a long time before sighing.

"I keep forgetting you are from Italy, I probably haven't explicitly explained to you why I wanted to become one in the first place, Blaise."

Bulstrode then sat straighter and looked more interest. Pansy narrowed her eyes at her action.

"Serpents are the ruling student body of Slytherin. There are seven of them, as that is the most powerful magical number. Serpents are considered the elite of Slytherin House, respected, and feared. Only the best amongst us are given the privilege of sitting at one of the Seats of the Seven Serpents! Becoming one is a huge honor and allows-"

"Mr. Malfoy."

Draco recognized the voice instantly. He locked his legs together and stood up straight and lowered his head instantly before raising it back up as Diana approached. Malfoy then reluctantly also gave Hadrian a polite nod. Parkinson then stood up and repeated the same action as Draco whilst Goyle, Crabbe, Zabini, and Bulstrode just stared at her. Bulstrode looked slightly jealous of her slender hourglass figure, and her well-rounded assets on her chest. All three boys glued their eyes to the Head Girl as she approached. Malfoy, however, wasn't very happy when he saw four of his crew not show the Head Serpent, Head Girl, and seventh-year Slytherin Prefect any respect.

"GET UP! THAT'S THE HEAD SERPENT! AND ANOTHER SERPENT OF SLYTHERIN BESIDE HER!"

The four of them then scrambled to their feet and did a deep unceremonious bow instantly.

"Please, the four of you have no need for such bows..."

Malfoy and Parkinson looked outraged. How were the four of them were on such good terms with Wilkinson? Speaking of them, where is Nott! He is usually with them, where did he go?

"... as the four of you aren't from Slytherin House."

All four of them did a double take instantly and shifted backwards. Malfoy looked utterly confused now. There was a brief tense moment of silence before Goyle made the first move and went to fire a spell. The second Goyle's hand moved to grab his wand, he was instantly disarmed by Diana and then bound in ropes. He then became a flobberworm on the floor as Diana caught his wand. Diana then tossed Hadrian the wand she caught and proceeded to stun and managed to tie down Zabini and Bulstrode, who made an attempt to escape by running towards the common room entrance.

Crabbe was now hobbling along to the door, running as fast as he could. Just when Crabbe thought he made it out, he was stunned and bound out of nowhere. He was then hoisted up into the air and banished all the way back to where the other three infiltrators lay. Diana then lined the four of them together in a horizontal line facing them. Hadrian meanwhile didn't even bother with what Diana was doing, just inspecting the wand he was tossed. The four spies struggled in their bindings until Antoninus materialized out of thin air next to Diana. This shocked everyone around, including Malfoy and Parkinson.

"Hadrian, I believe you are an expert on potions tell me... how much longer do you think the polyjuice potion will last?"

All four eyes widened beyond belief. A cold rush of fear went through them as they had been exposed.

"I'd say another 10 minutes at best."

Diana then gave her signature smile at him. Goyle, Crabbe, and Zabini looked shocked at the smile Diana gave Hadrian. Gosh… those idiots don't understand anything… probably just thinking with their dicks… well, they happen to be dicks anyway. So that at least makes sense.

Hadrian passed the wand he held over to Antoninus. Goyle looked murderously at Antoninus as he held his wand. Antoninus then inspected the wand before pointing the wand's hilt at his ear. He leaned in and looked as if he were a wandmaker and was listening to the wand. He mimicked Ollivander when he gave them one of his many wands the first time they went to Ollivanders. He was pretending that he was an expert at wandlore as a cover story for his eye! Nice one Antoninus! Diana looked impressed at Antoninus' examination of the wand, giving him a calculating look.

"Antoninus, any guesses who that wand belongs to?"

Antoninus then held out the wand with his two index fingers from his right and left hand. He then looked at Goyle with a smile. Goyle at that moment knew he was done for.

"11 inches, Holly, with a... Phoenix feather core. This wand belongs to... Julian Potter. I am quite certain of it. This matches the description that Ollivander told us when he accidentally let slip the wand that Julian Potter received from him. This means that the three around him are definitely, Weasley, Finnigan, and Granger."

The last part was a brief lie. Antoninus never heard of that from Ollivander, he knew from Hadrian, when he had his argument with his parents in Dumbledore's office last year. All four now exposed Gryffindors shriveled on the floor in fright as Diana gave them a predatorial smile. Malfoy and Parkinson looked completely livid.

"Malfoy, Parkinson, please go get Professor Snape, I believe he would like to witness these four's transformation back into their original selves… I will be having words with all four of these… Gryffindors."

That was enough to satisfy Malfoy, he gave a nasty smirk at the four tied up on the floor and left with Parkinson.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING JULIAN JAMES POTTER!"

Julian sat in a chair in the Headmaster's office, eyes glued to his shoes as his mother bellowed at him. His parents had been called to the school. Ron's and Seamus' had been as well, whilst Hermione was getting chewed out by McGonagall in her office. Julian had no doubt the rest of them were getting it as bad as he was right now. His Dad seemed to be figuring out how to calm the situation down.

"YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS BREWED A HIGHLY RESTRICTED POTION! WHY? AND MERLIN FORBID! THAT WASN'T EVEN THE WORST PART OF IT! YOU ATTEMPTED TO SPY ON ANOTHER STUDENT USING SAID POTION AS WELL!"

Julian then looked up at this moment.

"But Mom, I was-"

"NO BUTS! DO YOU EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW SERIOUS THIS IS JULIAN! THIS ISN'T ABOUT BREAKING SCHOOL RULES AND ENTERING ANOTHER HOUSE'S COMMON ROOM! NO, THAT IS THE LEAST OF YOUR CONCERNS! THIS IS ABOUT BREAKING THE LAW SET BY THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC!"

"Lily, I think Julian understands that-"

Lily then gave a killing curse look at James with her eyes. This silenced the man immediately.

"You are lucky that Headmaster Dumbledore is willing to keep this as an incredibly foolish school prank. 800 points from Gryffindor have been removed. Yes. If you did the math, it was 200 points for each of you! You and your friends will have detention permanently for the rest of the year as well."

Julian then rose out of his seat.

"MOM! But that means I can't practice for Quidditch! I need-"

"NEED NOTHING! Julian, you violated a MINISTRY DECREE! Do you understand? What you did was considered as a crime! You could have been put on trial!"

Julian then gulped loudly. Mom doesn't understand… it is because of the Chamber of Secrets being opened!

"I thought I gave you explicit instructions to just focus on yourself and stop bothering Hadrian. What caused you four to sneak into the Slytherin common room?"

Julian then nervously looked around the room, not willing to meet his mother's eyes. Julian briefly looked at both his Dad and Dumbledore before returning his gaze to his shoes.

"Ah Lily, this might have to do with a few recent school events."

Julian let out a sigh as Dumbledore came to his rescue. It was as if he read his mind and knew he needed help. His Dad and Mom then turned to Dumbledore.

"In the past two months… the Chamber of Secrets has been opened."

UPDATE*

Chapter 11: The Greengrass Family is out →