A/N: Here's another chapter. Enjoy:)))
Chapter 73: Clues
The next days were hectic.
Theo basically disappeared after the talk in my room. On one hand, I was happy that I didn't have to run from him anymore. On the other, I was worried of how he'll react after taking the time to digest what he found out. The others were fairly pleased with the answers they got that day and those problems were solved.
Everyone from the ministry and the staff of Hogwarts was trying to figure out how I got in the lake without anyone noticing; that meant I had to stay through hours of questioning from everyone, from Cornelius Fudge to some creepy toadlike woman who looked like a candy cane threw up on her. They had all sorts of weird questions that didn't even have anything to do with the subject.
When I wasn't locked into a room with random ministry officials, I was assaulted by kids who acted like they would die if I wouldn't tell them the story of how I almost drowned again. But the twins and Eve managed to get me out of those situations every time. All three of them were now with me all the time. That meant that they began to forget about their childhood vendetta, even if unwillingly. At least one good thing came out of this.
I was nervous because of all the attention on me. One wrong word, and my secrets could be out. I couldn't get to my room for about a week, till the enthusiasm of the students died and there weren't people following me everywhere anymore.
We were at dinner one night when Harry came to our table. He supposedly met with the other champions, Hagrid, Fudge, Crouch and Bagman to talk about the third task.
"It's a maze."
"What?"
"The last task. It's a maze. It's small now, but Hagrid said it'll grow to be huge. It's in two months."
"Well, at least you have time to get ready."
"But how? What kind of spells? What will be in the maze?"
"Don't worry about that,"Hermione said. "we'll help you prepare."
"Blaise wants to talk to you."
I turned to look at the Slytherin table. Blaise made a slight nod towards the door.
"You ok?"
"I'm ok Eve, I just have to get out a little. Alone."
"No way, I'm coming too. Sticking to you like glue."
Eventually, we both got up. Her stubbornness couldn't be overgrown apparently.
"Where are you going?"
"None of your business Peter Pan." I snorted. You'd think after a while she'd run out of ginger characters to associate Ron with. Apparently not though. The Gryffindors couldn't quite accept Eve, since she was from Durmstrang. Therefore, they were wary of her, thinking she might try to sabotage us.
We left the great hall and met Blaise outside, behind the door. Eve was looking suspiciously at him.
"What is it?"
"I thought about what you said about the night before the lake."
"Oh no, not this again. Out of everyone, you are the only one who didn't pressure me with this."
"No, just listen. I think I have something. You said you smelled rotten eggs before being hit by the spell. "
"Yes, it was a strong smell."
"And you also said that You-Know-Who sent someone here with a task. Well, two."
"I did. But what's up with that?"
"Well, if there was someone here sent by him, they would not want to be discovered. And what's an easier way to do that than hiding in plain sight?"
I realized where he was going with that. But I didn't really know much about how it worked.
"Yes, but the Polyjuice-"
"Wait, I'll explain. My mom taught me about some potions. Luckily, Polyjuice was among them. The idea is that it has a really thick texture and it smells like rotten eggs. But it isn't a really strong smell. So my theory is that this person is constantly taking the potion."
"So that means it's probably someone who is seen frequently. But who?"
"Well, we can't go smell everyone we see. And in the mass of people, we can't sense one particular smell." Eve interjected.
"We'll have to think of something. But what you found out is a really huge step. Thanks Blaise."
"Anytime. And by the way, we have to think of something for the final project in Muggle Studies. So much happened this year that we kept delaying it."
"We'll think of something. We have to get back to dinner though. We'll go first, you should wait a little."
In the Great Hall, we told the twins about what Blaise said.
"You should focus on finishing..."
"...this year and we'll think of something"
"But you guys have OWLs this year."
"We're good Sel,..."
"...don't you know us?" they said, identical smirks gracing their faces.
Now that I was thinking about it, I never actually saw the two of them learning. Yet, they passed every year. And not with low grades.
"What about OWLs?" Mione's head suddenly raised over the others when the words left our mouths.
"God Hermione, I swear when it comes to school related conversations you have bat ears."
"Maybe, but what about OWLs? You guys have them this year don't you?" Her eyes went wide like she just realized something important. She practically jumped from her seat, took Fred's hand and dragged him from the table.
"What is happening?"
"You have two months left till the OWLs. We're going to make you a color coordinated learning schedule. But now that I'm thinking of it..." She contemplated something, looked back to the table and grabbed George as well, and dragged them both out of the Great Hall.
"Please loyal friends of..."
"...us, free us before we face the..."
"...terible horror of learning!"
The four of us that were left at the table started laughing and we let her take the poor boys. That way at least we were making sure they were actually passing their OWLs.
That night, we were all sitting in the common room (since she was a guest at the castle, Eve was allowed to be there too, as said by Dumbledore, even if some people weren't exactly accepting that). Fred and George fell asleep on Hermione's shoulders, after she made them learn for three hours straight, but the rest of us were still awake.
"You know what I remembered Mione? We have to think of something for our end of the year project in Muggle Studies."
"Oh, no, I forgot about it. And since there is the third task at the end of the year, we have to make it earlier. And it has to be a good one, and really well documented, because we have to get a high grade."
"Hermione, calm down, we'll figure it out. We have to talk with Blaise about it, he's on our team too."
"You're right, we'll find him tomorrow."
But by the look on her face, I could tell she already had a few ideas.
A/N: Hope you liked it.
Selene_the_twin