Chapter 29
Innocent Little Beans
Harry

Harry spent most of his time trying to figure out how to get the memory from Slughorn. He mostly looked at the Prince's – Snape's book for help, though he did not like the fact that he was looking towards Snape for help.

While looking through, Harry found an interesting spell, Sectumsempra, which was noted for being 'For Enemies.'

Vlad noticed Harry staring at the spell and asked him what it was, leading to the two heading over to the Room of Requirements to test the spell out, just like Sirius advised Harry to do. It was the same room where the DA meetings took place; the cushions, the books…

"This ol' place," Vlad said, picking up a cushion, "Harry, maybe try to spell on these cushions."

"Good idea," Harry said, and pointed his wand at the pile of cushions. "Sectumsempra!"

What happened next made Harry and Vlad widen their eyes. The inner stuffing of the cushions went flying as the cushions were torn open. Vlad slowly approached the cushions and examined them.

"…Harry, never use this spell on a person," Vlad said, the smile on his face fading away, "It's as if someone used multiple swords to slash at the cushions. If you were to use this on a person – well… I'm sure you know."

Harry nodded slowly, understand what Vlad was saying.

"Let's just- go to the library. Hermione, Arthur, and Lukas are probably there… Ron is probably somewhere with Lavender – he really needs to figure out how to break up with her soon…"

-0-0-0-

"Well you two look shaken up," Hermione said when she laid eyes on Harry and Vlad, "Where have you two been?" Hermione was emitting a Mrs Weasley aura, which made Harry stutter.

"Um, so, we, uh."

"Tested out another spell from the Prince's book in the Room of Requirements," Vlad spilled, "And it wasn't pretty."

"Harry," Hermione said sternly, but before she said anything else, Arthur spoke first.

"At least he tested it," Arthur said, "Which is better than using is on a person straight awa- ahk."

Arthur then started to cough violently. Thankfully, no blood came out this time, but Arthur coughed for about a minute straight before stopping.

"…Can't wait to see the papers," Arthur said, sarcasm dripping of his voice.

After a talk about Apparition – which mostly consisted of Ron freaking out about the upcoming exam and Vlad calming him – the four Gryffindor students discussed how Harry could get Slughorn's memory

"Maybe a potion or a spell…" Harry was muttering as he flipped the pages of a spell book in the library.

"You're going about it the wrong way," Hermione said, "Only you can get the memory, Dumbledore says. That must mean you can persuade Slughorn where other people can't. It's not a question of slipping him a potion, anyone could do that – "

"How d'you spell 'belligerent'?" Ron said, shaking his quill very hard while staring at his parchment, "It can't be B – U – M –"

"Ron, please do not butcher the English Language right in front of me," Arthur said, looking down at Ron's parchment, "Jett already tore it into pieces."

"Who's Jett?" Ron asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Australia," Arthur replied, and Ron let out an 'oh' before England continued speaking, "Now, Ron, if you, an English citizen start to butcher it as well, I might cough up blood even more. Look here," England pointed at words written on Ron's parchment, " 'augury' does not start with 'O-R-G' and here your name is not 'Roonil Wazlib' and- "

"Yes, I get it, Arthur! Ahghghhg! What do I do? Don't say I'll have to write the whole thing out again!"

"We can fix it, Ron," Hermione said, "But let's not use whatever quill you are using. What are you using?"

"It's one of Fred and George's Spell-Checking ones… but I guess the charm is wearing off…" Ron said.

"Yeah, let's not use that quill," Vlad said, and he handed his normal quill to Ron, who received it with gratitude.

"Now, Ron, let's start here…" Hermione said, taking Ron's parchment from his hands to fix it with magic.

"I love you, Hermione," Ron said, making Hermione turn slightly pink.

"Don't let Lavender hear you saying that," Hermione said.

"I won't," Ron said, "Or maybe I will… then she'll ditch me…"

"Why don't you ditch her if you want to finish it?" Harry asked.

"You haven't ever chucked anyone, have you?" Ron said, "You and Cho just –"

"Sort of fell apart, yeah," Harry said.

"Wish that would happen with me and Lavender," Ron said gloomily, "But the more I hint I want to finish it, the tighter she holds on. It's like going out with the Giant Squid."

"Oh Ron, you have no idea how wrong that sentence can be," Arthur said.

"I imagine a certain nation who'd be shook when he hears 'it's like going out with the Giant Squid,'" Vlad said, and Lukas nodded silently.

"Who?" Harry asked, "And why – in what way – what - ?"

"You innocent little beans," Vlad said jokingly, "Stay innocent."

The Golden Trio, still with no idea of what the three nations were talking about, just looked at the nations with raised eyebrows before they continued to do what they were doing.

"There," Hermione said, after a while, handing back Ron's essay.

"Thanks a million," Ron said and proceeded to use Vlad's quill to write his conclusion.

"We should probably go now," Lukas said, looking at the clock, "Ron, finish your essay in the Common Room."

Everyone looked at the clock and nodded. Lukas put away his book and so did Arthur and Vlad. Ron packed up his essay and Harry put the potions book with young Snape's notes on it into his bag. The group was about to leave to their dorms when they heard a sudden crack.

"Kreacher!" Harry said, and quickly muttered 'Muffliato' to prevent Madam Pince from hearing their commotion.

The house-elf bowed low as he spoke, "Master and little master said he wanted regular reports on what the Malfoy boy is doing so Kreacher has come to give –"

Crack.

Dobby appeared alongside Kreacher, his tea-cosy hat askew.

"Dobby has been helping too, Harry Potter!" he squeaked, casting Kreacher a resentful look, "And Kreacher ought to tell Dobby when he is coming to see Harry Potter so they can make their reports together!"

"What is this?" Hermione asked, "What's going on, Harry?"

"I'd like to ask that same question," Arthur said, still looking confused.

Harry hesitated before answering; house-elves were always such a touchy subject with Hermione, and he had never told the nations as he never got around the telling the nations. Harry sighed before speaking.

"Well … they've been following Malfoy for me."

"Night and day," Kreacher croaked.

"Dobby has not slept for a week, Harry Potter!" Dobby proudly, swaying where he stood.

"A week?!" Vlad said in disbelief, and turned to Harry with a face that asked, 'You didn't tell them to not sleep, did you?'

Hermione was also looking at him with the same look.

"No, I didn't, tell them to stay up for a week straight," Harry quickly said, "Dobby, you can sleep, all right? You can Kreacher can take shifts or something. But has either of you found out anything? Does he really sneak off to the Room of Requirements like Sirius suggested?"

"Master Malfoy moves with a nobility that befits his p-" Kreacher started, but was cut off by Harry.

"Don't care about that, tell me if he's been to the Room of Requirements, Dobby," Harry said as he turned his eyes to the cheerful little house-elf.

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby said, "He has been making regular visits to the seventh floor with a variety of other students, who keep watch for him while he enters the Room of Requirements! Other than that, Draco Malfoy is breaking no rules that Dobby can discover, but he is still keen to avoid detection, sir!"

"Brilliant!" Harry said with excitement, "Dobby, have you managed to get in to have a look at what Malfoy's doing?"

"No, Harry Potter, that is impossible," Dobby said.

"No, it's not," Harry said at once, "Malfoy got into our Headquarters there last year, so I'll be able to get in and spy on him, no problem."

"That's not how it works, Harry," Arthur said, "Malfoy found us last year because he knew exactly how we were using the Room, and therefore he could wish the Room to become the DA Headquarters. But you don't know what the Room becomes when Malfoy goes in there, so you don't know what to ask it to transform into."

"But I'm sure you can – we can figure out a way," Vlad said, "Everything has loopholes. Even the law."

"…Shouldn't you not be saying that, Vlad?" Hermione asked, and Vlad just shrugged in response.

"You've done brilliantly, Dobby," Harry said.

"Kreacher's done well, too," Hermione added kindly, but Kreacher, ungratefully said: "The Mudblood is speaking to Kreacher, Kreacher will pretend he cannot hear –"

"Get out of it – go back to Sirius' and get some sleep or something," Harry snapped at Kreacher, who immediately disappeared after Harry finished his sentence. Harry then turned to Dobby and spoke with a soft tone, "You'd better go and get some sleep too, Dobby."

"Thank you, Harry Potter, sir!" Dobby happily squeaked before he vanished as well.

"How good's this?" Harry enthusiastically said, "We've got Malfoy cornered now!'

"But what's all this about him going up there with a 'variety of students'?" Hermione wondered out loud, "How many people are in on it? You wouldn't think he'd trust lots of them to know what he's doing…"

"Yeah, that is weird," Harry said, frowning, "I heard him telling Crabbe it wasn't Crabbe's business what he was doing… so what's he telling all these… all these…"

Harry's voice trailed away as a realization hit him.

"Polyjuice," Harry said in a way that seemed like a sigh, "He must've stolen some from Slughorn during our first lesson."

"So, all these people we saw Malfoy hanging out with – including the girls – were all just Crabbe and Goyle!" Vlad exclaimed, "I have to say, I didn't expect him to be this smart with his ways."

"Agreed," Arthur said, impressed by Malfoy's thinking, "Though I guess he does have pressure upon him and therefore he must be clever… if he isn't who knows what'll be of Draco Malfoy."

It was true. Draco Malfoy, being a Malfoy, probably had pressure to hold up the reputation and also pressure to regain the honour to his family name to Voldemort, as his father failed the Dark Lord.

But that was none of Harry's business.

"Whatever becomes of Malfoy…" Lukas said slowly as he turned his eyes to Harry, "…You should just be focusing on Slughorn, Harry. Malfoy… we can keep an eye on him. Anyone can do that… but getting Slughorn's memory is something only you can do."

"Lukas is right, Harry, focus on Slughorn," Hermione said, "And we should leave before we get chased out by Madam Pince."

Everyone nodded in agreement and they all went to their dorms. On his way his dorm, and in his dorm, Harry's head was filled with thoughts about Slughorn and Malfoy. So much that he got close to no sleep that night.

-0-0-0-

I used to be a innocent little bean. I mean I managed to know literally nothing until I was like 14 or something, which, I think, is a pretty impressive span of time of knowing nothing. And by nothing I mean nothing.

Yeah.

Oh and if you don't get what

"Wish that would happen with me and Lavender," Ron said gloomily, "But the more I hint I want to finish it, the tighter she holds on. It's like going out with the Giant Squid."

"Oh Ron, you have no idea how wrong that sentence can be," Arthur said.

"I imagine a certain nation who'd be shook when he hears 'it's like going out with the Giant Squid,'" Vlad said, and Lukas nodded silently.

is referring to, I hope you never find out. Stay innocent, keep your brain clean. I'm forever traumatized and scarred after knowing that such thing exists.

-PotterheadNo.04

p.s. (whispering) I'm so sorry if I destroyed someone's innocence with this chapter. So sorry. Have like a million apologies from me.