Hi All,

Welcome to chapter 20 of Little Red Bird. Thanks for showing it love.

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As always,Don't like, Don't read. - DZ2

Disclaimer: All HP rights and characters owned by JK Rowling, and fics are created for entertainment only

The next few days were hell for Harry as the last snap in Colin's camera was of Harry little while before his attack. The Hufflepuff's were walking on eggshells ever since Colin was attacked and every House was now wary of Harry, even the Slytherins.

Draco had an inkling that it could be his secretive friend behind it, but he was still cautious enough not to bring it up. He followed the missive Ginny set and kept having a go at the Golden Trio, whenever he could. Of course, the added bonus was the pleasure of riling up the redhead and the mudblood.

Professor McGonagal had no other option but to punish Harry by docking 50 points from Gryffindor along with a week of detention with Professor Lockhart. The headmaster was much calmer and dismissed the idea that Harry could have attacked his Housemate, yet he didn't really redact the punishment.

It was just one of those long evenings, everyone knew Harry was writing up replies to shitty fan mail for Professor Lockhart.

Justin Flinch-Fletchley was still unnerved by the little show the Great Harry Potter had exhibited setting a snake to almost attack him a few weeks ago. It was only a few days that he started coming out of the Hufflepuff common room again, otherwise he preferred moving around in groups for classes and dinner. He returned the Transfiguration manual he borrowed for homework, to the librarian and cautiously walked down towards the Hufflepuff common room.

The classroom door on the second floor corridor banged open just a few metres away from him. The sound startled him, but after that everything settled into an eerie silence, as if nothing was there. His heart pounded hard in his ribcage and he felt his throat parched.

Trying to be brave, he pulled his wand out and called out nervously, "Oi! Who's there? C..co..come out!"

There was no sound, only a faint shadow of a person walking inside the classroom falling outside the door into the corridor. Justin walked slowly towards the classroom and peeked inside to see a girl in black school robes sitting with her back towards him with her head between her arms. He could hear faint sobbing and sniffing sounds from her, which prompted him to walk inside the classroom.

"Who are you? Hey, why are you crying? Excuse me!" he called out to the girl and with every word he moved closer to her concerned as to why a girl about his age is sitting alone in the deserted classroom, that too at this hour.

The moment he put his hands on the girl's shoulder, she stopped sobbing. The girl with ginger red hair lifted her head and suddenly turned around looking into Justin's eyes. He was feeling unnerved by her steady gaze with disturbingly glowing flecks in her eyes and heard the door close behind him suddenly before he could say anything.

"Hello there! Didn't expect me here, did you?" Ginny stood up as Justin faltered back tripping on the side of a desk trying to get away.

"You! You're Weasley's Slytherin sister! What a..re you doing here? Is… is Potter here too?" Justin looked around frantically trying to find Potter and his other friends, all the while scampering back trying to reach the door.

Ginny stood there watching him squirm as she bent down to get her white Yew wand from her holster on the right leg. She playfully twirled the wand in her hands as his back touched the closed door while he got up keeping an eye on her fruitlessly trying to unlock the door.

"Why don't you try something more wizard like, Mudblood! Use your wand." Ginny quipped cackling loudly, her voice ringing through the abandoned class running chills through Justin.

Justin took his wand and again fruitlessly tried to open the door using the unlocking charm, while the girl moved closer holding the wand right at his neck. He stilled his attempts frozen in fear at what this girl or Potter might do with him. Ginny took his dangling wand from his hands and pocketed it, pressing her wand harder into his neck as his face pressed hard against the door.

"Oh Muddy! You thought Potter's the Heir?" Ginny whispered in his ears with a cold voice, as he gulped and begged her to spare him. She laughed again, "All you mudbloods are the same!" she hissed, "Begging and groveling for mercy. Well, fear not muddy, there is no Heir."

Justin relaxed visibly, his shoulders drooping as he let the breath he held on for so long. Ginny couldn't help but laugh out, "Oh! So relieved, aren't you?"

When he didn't respond, she prodded the wand again to the point it started hurting, "Answer me boy! I asked something."

Justin couldn't speak, he was hurting, and panicking inside. He sobbed at his helplessness yet nodded as much as he could with his head flat against the door.

"Hmmmm, maybe there's some hope for you." Ginny remarked with a smirk patting him on the back like a dog. "Well, there's no Heir but there is a Slytherin" Ginny hissed the last part closer to his ears, "a monster who will haunt your dreams. Now, before I send you to your other muddy mate, let's have some fun, shall we?"

Ginny pulled away and stepped back with a smirk, "Turn around, muddy! Look at me! We have little time left now."

The moment Justin turned around, he saw the bone white wand with a crooked handle pointed towards him. "CRUCIO!" was all she yelled with a look of utter loathing on her face as a red flash of spell collided with him. She watched him convulse on the floor for what felt like eternity with a blissful euphoria washing over her. Within 5 minutes she felt strained due to use of dark magic and she released the spell on the boy.

"Hmmmm, good boy! We'll play some other time. Good night for now!" Ginny mocked the weeping boy and pointed her wand at him once more, "OCULO REX-ANGUIS!"

Ginny wiped his wand clean of her handprints and placed it back in his pocket and called for her elf.

"Yes, Mistress!" the elf bowed.

"Dinky, can you levitate him to the corridor near the DADA classroom? Potter is still in detention, so make sure the body is hidden until he leaves the detention, and is found by Potter only. I will go back to the common room. You know the drill, clean up everything."

"Yes, Mistress! Dinky's be putting him in hallway when scar boy come out." the elf prostrated herself again, while levitating the body in the air with a snap of her fingers.

"Good" she remarked while holstering her wand back on her leg. "Two down, Potter!"

There was no respite for Harry Potter as the rumour mill was abuzz with news of another victim being claimed by the Heir a.k.a Harry Potter. The student body and especially the muggleborns were staying clear off him. The Headmaster had issued clear instructions that all students will be escorted to their classes by Professors and Prefects, which continued for the next week or so.

It was the festive season and within a few days Hogwarts despite it's gloomy atmosphere was decked up in Christmas decorations and soon it was only a handful of students that were left back at Hogwarts with most of the student body deciding to go home for celebrations. Most notably staying at Hogwarts for Yule were Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Greengrasses, the Weasleys, the Golden Trio and a few other students from Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Hufflepuff.

22nd December, 1992

Harry and Ron stood leaning by the stalls in oversized Slytherin robes as Hermione fussed about the cauldron doing the finishing touches to her month long brew.

"How long is it gonna take, 'Mione? We've been here for hours." Ron whined tapping his foot against the stalls.

"Honestly, Ron! It's hardly 15 minutes. I'm almost done anyways. Did you use those cupcakes I gave you?" Hermione questioned while stirring the potion three times in a stable clockwise motion.

"Yeah! We got the hairs from Crabbe and Goyle. Put them both in the broom closet." Harry answered, pulling two vials of hair out of his robes.

"Excellent, Harry! Come here guys, we're ready." Hermione beckoned both as she ladled the thick and dark potion into 3 cups.

"What about you, Hermione? Whose hair will you be using?" Ron quipped back as he moved to stand next to the sink where Hermione rested all the cups.

"Careful with the cups, Ron. We only have 3 doses enough for an hour at the maximum. I got the elder Greengrass. I've kept her in a classroom. Just wanted to be careful this time. I still feel guilty for Ginny." Hermione replied with a shake of her head.

"Yeah, we'll apologise to her on Christmas. I was thinking of getting her a gift." Harry seconded putting a hand on her shoulders in support.

"Come on guys, it's no big deal. She probably really didn't remember who attacked. We can worry about the apologies later. Let's get going before the cupcakes effects fade off." Ron pitched in with an irritated huff.

"Alright! Just each of you pick a cup and add the hairs you've collected into the potion." Hermione picked her own cup and added a few strands of blonde hair which changed the consistency of the potion a bit thicker. Harry and Ron followed suit with their cups and all three of them shared a look before trying to gulp down the disgusting potion.

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Ron said as he ran inside one of the stalls trying to keep the potion down and Hermione followed suit.

Harry stood trying to keep the potion down and avoid retching into the sink. He could feel his skin bubble and morph with his insides twisting and churning. Within a few minutes the transformation was complete and in the mirror above the sink stood the bulky form of Vincent Crabbe.

Soon after another bulky boy exited one of the stalls, followed by a blonde in Slytherin robes.
"You look different." said Harry

"You still sound like Harry, you may wanna try Crabbe's voice" Ron replied sounding much more like Goyle.

"Come on, quick! We have very limited time. The potion will wear off in an hour!" Hermione replied shortly moving towards the door.

Harry led Ron and Hermione towards the dungeons, however, none of them actually knew how to enter the Slytherin Common Room or where exactly was it located. They were accosted by Percy in one of the corridors when the Malfoy heir found them passing by.

"Oi! Crabbe! Goyle! What are you two doing here? Greengrass?" Draco stood next to them acknowledging why Daphne was hanging around his lackeys.

"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Percy questioned them in a snobby tone.

Draco couldn't stop a sneer crossing his face as he stepped closer, "Who're you to ask me that! Weasley!"

"You may want to tone the attitude, Malfoy. I am a Prefect! And it's almost curfew." spat Percy, pointing to his badge.

"Come on guys" Draco turned sneering at Percy and walked away. Crabbe and Goyle gave an unsure smile towards Percy and quickly followed Malfoy alongside Greengrass.

All four reached a blank stretch of wall and three of them stood back as Draco gave the password. The wall transfigured into an ornate set of doors to open into the regal Slytherin Common Room.

Draco moved towards the set of couches and plonked down on one of them as the other three stood mutely watching him.

"Well, sit down." Draco quipped watching them sporting dumbfounded looks.

Hermione sat on the single chair, while Harry and Ron sat awkwardly on the plush couch opposite Draco.

"What were you doing with these two Daph? I thought you went to the library." the Malfoy heir turned his attention towards Daphne who was weirdly quiet and awkward.

"I… I did. But… yeah, I found them on my way back when that prefect caught them." Hermione responded gingerly trying desperately to frame a believable answer.

Draco glanced towards both who nodded dumbly. Hermione, meanwhile, took a look around the less inviting and archaic architecture. It was very posh, however it lacked any warmth that Gryffindor common room exuded. There were study tables in the corners and couches placed along the room. She found Ginny sitting on one of the tables probably doing an assignment. Couple of other senior students were chatting amongst themselves settled a bit away from their couch.

Hermione missed a fair bit of the conversation between Harry and Malfoy, and was brought out of her musings when the common room door opened again and a dark haired girl walked towards her.

"Hey Daph! I was waiting for you in the Great Hall. Thought you said you'd meet me back there." Astoria went around the back hugging Hermione standing behind her chair. A weird feeling crossed her mind, her sister smelled very different than usual.

"Hey, yes, sorry I kind of forgot. I came straight to the common room." Hermione gave her a sheepish smile.

"Oh! Okay, no problem. I'll just catch up with my friends. Will catch up with you later." Astoria felt something was very off about this whole thing. She went towards Ginny who wasn't paying much attention to things going on in the common room.

"Gin!" Astoria whispered, tapping Ginny on her shoulders.

"Oh hey Tori! What's up? You seem... tense."

"Keep it down, Gin. I have a very weird feeling that the person sitting there isn't Daphne."

"What are you on about? Why'd you say she isn't... your sister?" Ginny glanced towards the other Greengrass who was seemingly having a conversation with Draco, and Crabbe was wearing glasses weirdly for that matter.

"Look, when I hugged her, she smelled different. I know she could have used another perfume, but you know how caustic Daph replies to everything. The way she spoke was too polite. Ughh! I don't know Gin, it's giving me a bad feeling." Astoria remarked with a sigh.

"Oh! Uhmmm, have you ever seen Crabbe wear glasses?" Ginny's whole attention was towards Crabbe and Goyle who were having varied expressions of rage and both shared a few looks with Greengrass when Draco wasn't looking.

"No! Haven't seen him wear. Can he even read!" Astoria replied incredulously.

"Well, then. I have a very bad feeling of what's going on, and I don't really like where it's leading. Just, give this note to Farley quietly. That girl there, is not your sister. You have to make sure Crabbe, Goyle and fake Daphne don't exit the common room. I'll get Professor Snape quickly." Ginny scribbled a quick note for Gemma Farley, and quickly grabbed a rolled up parchment and moved towards the exit.

Once she was outside the door, she called for her elf who appeared with a small pop. "Dinky, I don't have much time. But just remain hidden and don't let anyone out of the common room until I come back with Professor Snape."

"Yes, mistress!" the elf disappeared promptly and Ginny practically ran towards the potions master's office.

She knocked on it twice, catching up her breath when the Professor opened the doors with a sour expression. "Miss Weasley? This better be urgent, I gave precise instructions I am not to be disturbed unless there's an emergency."

"Professor! Imposters! There… Sir, three unknown people have found and entered Slytherin Common Room, disguised as students. It's Polyjuice. Please Sir, come with me, before they escape." Ginny spoke between haggard breaths.

An ugly sneer crossed his face while he led Ginny back to the common room. There have been instances of stolen ingredients a month or so back for that very potion. He would skin the person alive for daring to steal and then have the audacity to trespass his House common room.

Ginny and her Head of House arrived inside the common room to see Crabbe, Goyle and the elder Greengrass tied up on their knees, their faces sporting a few bruises. Gemma and other Slytherins had their wands trained on the Trio.

"Can someone tell me, what in Salazar's name is going on here?" Severus asked, gritting his teeth.

"Professor, I think I can answer that. With your permission." Ginny remarked looking expectantly at her Head of House who nodded without taking his gaze off the tied up students.

"There are three polyjiuced students and I think we know who the famous Trio of Hogwarts are. Am I right, Granger?" Ginny smirked at the Greengrass imposter who had a disdained frown on her face.

"Assuming that's right, then these two are Potty! and the Weasel!" Draco quipped.

"How dare you three! How dare you steal from my stores! How dare you step into the Slytherin Common Room! You are a disgrace. Just like your father, an entitled Brat, and nothing but a glorified miscreant, Potter!" Snape sneered at the bespectacled boy.

"Professor, these three now have the location of the common room and I'm not sure what their motives were, but the location has to be erased from their minds lest they try and enter again for their nefarious activities." Ginny said with a genuine lopsided smile on her face.

"You traitor! I knew you were a snake. Slimy! Just like the lot." Goyle's face was flustered red with righteous anger at his sister for getting them caught.

"Shut up, Weasley! I will not tolerate any more of your insolence. Miss Farley, Mr Malfoy, take them to my office." Severus Snape whipped his wand towards a parchment lying on the table, which folded itself into a bird and flew outside the common room towards the Deputy Headmistress' office. "Miss Weasley, take Miss Greengrass' sister along to my office."
Severus Snape left the common room with his robes billowing behind as everyone followed him back to his office. Within a few minutes of waiting, the effects of polyjuice wore off showing exactly who the Trio was, as predicted by Ginny. That is when the office door swung open and the deputy Headmistress stepped inside with a concerned look, "Severus, what's the meaning of this? Why are my students tied up and on their knees?"

"Time and time again, I have warned you Minerva to keep your brats in check. Today is the last straw, the list of charges is long and I'm sure you'd be proud of the extent, you noble lions have gone." Severus Snape snapped back at the Transfiguration professor.

"Why is it always you three? What have you done? Miss Granger! You too?" Minerva McGonagal hadn't felt more bashed in her life.

"I will tell you, Minerva! First, they stole expensive and rare ingredients from my personal stores. Second, they brewed Polyjuice Potion with it illegally! Third, they assaulted three second year students of whom they're yet to reveal the locations and lastly, they broke the most important rule and without permission trespassed into the Slytherin Common Room."

The shame returned threefolds at what her charges had done. It would be a miracle if they're not expelled. "Who brewed the Polyjuice?"

"It was me, Professor!" Harry answered instantly.

"Lies! Polyjuice is an advanced potion, professor. It was likely Miss Granger did it. Potter doesn't even have the skills to brew basic ones." Ginny cut in between.

"Shut up, Ginny! You have no business here!" Ron yelled back at her.

"ENOUGH! I will not tolerate squabbling like immature baboons! You three have shamed the honour of the Gryffindor House! I expected better of you. Thieving? Attacking students? Is that really what you've learned? For Shame! Answer me NOW! Where are those students!"

"Crabbe and Goyle are in the broom closet off the left side exiting the Great Hall next to Sir Remmington's portrait." Harry replied quietly, hanging his head in shame.

"And Greengrass is in classroom 124" Hermione added, tears flowing down her face.

"Farley, take Miss Greengrass and locate her sister. Mr Malfoy and Mr Montague, go and find the boys. Take them to the medical wing, I shall be there shortly." their Head of House instructed.

"Severus! I apologize for their behaviour and rightfully, I leave the decision of their punishment to you. I'd request for my sake, please be a little lenient." the Deputy Headmistress stepped back to let him take charge.

"Very Well, Minerva. 100 points from each of them for their infractions. For the rest of the year, I shall place them on probation for my classes. They will pay for the stolen ingredients equally. They have to bring their own ingredients to class and will not have access to the stores until I deem them trustworthy enough. They will serve one month of detention with me. You know very well Minerva that I could push the Board of Governors for expulsion. Also, the students they've attacked are Heirs and Heiresses to their houses. I would expect for your sake, that they behave, henceforth." The Potions Professor removed the ropes as all three stood up with Harry and Hermione's heads hung in shame and Ron's head bowed with trying to keep his temper in check.

For him, they were only doing the right thing trying to find the Slytherin Heir and save other students from getting attacked. His sister was the one who should have been punished for being a tattletale. He'd write to his mother telling her about the slimy snake. Little did he know about the backlash they'd be facing in the coming days.

Before they could leave the office the potions professor stopped them, "There's one last thing to be done, Minerva."

The Transfiguration Professor stopped in her tracks with a sigh and turned around, "What now, Severus?"

"They still have the location and details about the Slytherin Common Room. It is only fair that I obliviate that memory from their minds to protect the sanctity of the Slytherin House." he responded with a light shrug.

"What! No, Professor, you can't let him obliviate us. That's against the rules." Hermione protested.

"The very rules you broke, Miss Granger. You have trespassed into the Slytherin Common Room and as their Head of House, Severus has every right to protect its location. If you wish to contest this, I have to take that up with the Governors. Although bear in mind, that I'd also have to give them the reasons why he has requested to obliviate you. Reasons that are severe enough to warrant your expulsion, should any of the student's parents raise concerns. Lord Greengrass is one of the members on the Board of Governors, whose daughter you attacked and impersonated." the Deputy Headmistress remarked and nodded towards Severus when Hermione stepped back dejected.

"Very well, Let's start with you Miss Granger. Step forward." Severus Snape smirked, taking his wand out.

Ginny stood at the back of the office smiling at the Trio's misfortune. The year couldn't get any better. She would give this memory to Bella as a Yule present, she'd love the entertainment for sure.

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