Hermione hurried over to Harry and Ron, who were already in animated conversation
with Colin Creavy.

"Why yes of course, you no longer have to have the hair of the one you are
impersonating," Colin said matter of factly. Harry and Ron just looked at each
other. "There was a wizard who was in the entertainment field and who wanted
to turn into the performers he was imitating, but it was quite impossible to
gather their hairs for every performance."

"So what's the secret," Hermione asked, breathlessly, hoping she hadn't missed
much after Neville's distraction.

"Well you guys are sure curious," Colin smiled, now finishing with his supplies.
All you have to do is say the Proximity charm using the person's name and a
mist essence of the person will appear before you, but the real person is unaware of what is
happening. You capture some of in a bottle and add it to your Polyjuice
Potion and there you have it. The only stipulation is that you have to be
in close range with the other person...like the same house or same town. I
believe that Heroldo the Hexy lived out in Muggle Hollywood and was close to
many of the stars he impersonated."

Hermione had just turned white and Ron and Harry were standing there speechless.

"Well I have to go...thanks for coming!" Colin said. "Oh wait!" Colin said,
taking the camera from his pocket again, "Get one of me and Harry," he asked,
handing it to Ron, who took it hurriedly and handed the camera back.

"Thanks!" Colin said, beaming, fairly glad to know that he had had some
information that his idol Harry Potter had wanted to know. "See you all at
the Dragon Ball," he said, skittering off toward his office.

"So it is quite obvious that whoever is doing this is having an easy time of
it," Harry said exasperatedly.

"I never saw any of this, even in the most recent editions of "Potions for
Everyone"!" Hermione said , disheartened.

"Well I reckon they don't want it advertised all over," Ron sighed. "So what
now?"

"It's obvious...we find the ones doing this and we stick together more so that
we are no longer fooled by imposters," said Hermione angrily.

"Well that will be pretty hard with us all going to the DragonBall tomorrow..
we all have to get ready in our own rooms and everything," Harry said.

"Then we will just have to think of a code word that only the three of us know
so that whenever we see each other, we ask for it and if the other
doesn't know the answer, then it's likely they aren't the true person, " Hermione said impatiently.

"OK, so what can it be..something no one else can guess?" Ron asked.

"Well..." Hermione said, smirking, "We'll have it be a fact from "Hogwarts A
History, since no one has read it but me. The password will be 1489 and the
answer will be "The year that the phantom frame in the North Tower was painted
and hung."

"Oookay.." Ron said, a little suspiciously, "The fact you know details like
that is a little scary."

"Oh get off it Ron," Hermione said impatiently. "The purpose is to capture
the culprit, maybe even at the ball tomorrow night."

"OK..sounds like a plan," Harry intervened before Ron could throw another
sarcastic comment Hermione's way, "Speaking of...did Neville..."

Hermione just looked at them. "Yes he did. I've known he liked me for a long
time, but we are just friends."

"I dont' think HE feels that way," Ron cut in.

"Well I'll gladly go to the ball but it's going no further than that."

Ron just glanced at Harry. "So picky....she'll never find a man, maybe I'll
still send an owl to Percy."

"I heard that," Hermione said as she turned away from them and headed back up
the stairs of the dungeon, on her way to the library. Ron just stood watching
her and shaking his head. "Women..."

"Speaking of...we better go and explain what we've found out to our wives,"
Harry said, frowning. "I don't know if Ginny will ever forgive me."

"Are you kidding, she IDOLIZES you Harry, just like she always has. She's just
putting on a front."

"Right," Harry said, but he looke unconvinced as the two of them also climbed
the stairs of the dungeon and headed back towards the Gryffindor dorms.

The next day everything actually went fairly smoothly. Harry and Ron had both explained everything to their wives and they were agreeable about the plan.

Excitement was in the air now as all the graduates prepared themselves for the Dragon Ball. This was a fairly new event in the history of class reunions, because up until now there had not been a good way to control dragons in a safe enough manner to have them close to humans. But dragon trainers had discovered a way to communitcate with some smaller and less dangerous breeds and had negotiated a trade relationship that benefited both parties.

The Great Hall had been completely transformed. In the middle of it stood a 5 story high ice sculpture depicting an Arctic Watertail dragon, it's eyes were full of determination and it's poise cautious, but it added a sense of beauty as well as mystery to the room. Upon the walls around the Great Hall stood tapestries of various breeds of dragons, each so colorful and unique that it was hard to pull away from them once your eyes caught sight. Along the back walls stood small pens that were richly decorated in large gems and had live game beasts running inside them. The tables had been cleared to the sides in order to open the rest of the room up as a dance hall.

No major events had been planned for that day as most people wanted to rest up and prepare for the evening. Most families were looking forward to a relaxing and enjoyable time, but the Weasleys, Potters, and Hermione Granger felt differently. They were going to be on the lookout for someone up to no good who wanted nothing more than to ruin their friendships, their reputations, and their lives. To say that they suspected the Slytherins was an understatement, but proving it was another thing entirely.

At 6 pm Neville came to Hermione's chambers and knocked. His hands were shaking and he seemed to have developed a tic on the side of his mouth. When the door opened, he felt like his hands had just been dipped into a pool.

"Hi..Hermione.." Neville said, staring at her despite himself. She was dashing in long velvet green robes, high heel velvet black shoes, and ruby earrings and necklace. Her hair was curlier than usual and she had spent extra time on her makeup.

"Come in," Hermione answered, letting him in and smiling, trying to hide her nervousness about this whole thing plus the fact that she was concerned about the task that lay ahead of she, Harry and Ron.

"You look really really beautiful," Neville said sheepishly, blushing.

"Thank you," Hermione said, "but I've had this dress for ages," she pointed to her green robes, "just don't have to dress up that often." She went over and grabbed a small velvet purse that went along with her shoes. It held her wand and a spellbook securely inside and she held it to her almost possessively.

Neville acted like he was going to say something, but Hermione was so used to taking charge that she stood there awkwardly for only a second before saying "Shall we go?"

"Oh uh...yeah," Neville said, holding the door open for her.

Hermione walked hurriedly out, Neville kind of lagging behind, trying to catch up. Finally she realized what she was doing and stopped to wait for him.

"Thanks so much for coming with me," he said, smiling at her.

"Of course, it should be a good time, I've never seen many dragon species, have you?"

"No...I'm not so good with animals..you know..plants being more my interest." he replied, still twitching a bit. He was intensly attracted to her, but she didn't seem to be paying him a lot of attention, as if preoccupied.

"Oh um...I..I don't believe that stuff about you and Harry in the paper or anything," Neville said, thinking this might be the problem.

Hermione turned to him. "Well thank you Neville, it was all rubbish...just someone's idea of a stupid, cruel trick."

"Yeah, exactly. You'd never do anything like that, you're too nice a girl." Neville explained, now looking down because he was so fiery red.

"Thanks," Hermione said, now blushing herself. She felt really guilty because she really wasn't interested in Neville in this way and it was obvious he had a thing for her, but she wasn't going to be rude. They finally arrived at the front of the Great Hall and Neville nervously took her arm in his, making her arm pull away from being plastered to her side. She still was holding the purse to her in an iron grip with the other arm. It was obvious that she was not used to this and was only doing it as a favor to Neville. Besides, Hermione was not much of a touchy feely person anyway and wasn't used to physical shows of affection most the time. Neville didn't really seem to notice though, Hermione was all he could see and he was just taken away with the fact she had accepted her invitation to begin with.

Many people were already gathered there, and Neville led her over to the Gryffindor table where others were taking their seats. There was no staff table set up, so the Hogwarts employees who were also 2006 graduates had the opportunity to finally sit with their houses. There were no children here either, McGonagall had arranged for a babysitting service for the evening including a playroom with every toy imaginable available to keep the tykes busy.

The corner pens had now been filled with two different species of dragon, a large olive green one with hairy tendriles flowing off it's head like hair and covered with giant violet pustular like appendages that no doubt were filled with poison.

Hermione was staring at them amazedly.

"That's a Scandinavian Poisonhead," Neville said, trying to be impressive but not wanting to sound like it.

"I know," Hermione said absently, still staring at it, "I've read "Directory of Dragons" about 3 times and use it as a constant reference when I get questions from the students," she explained. "OH!" she now yelled. "How COULD they!!!"

The Poisonhead was making a roaring noise now and had knelt down and grabbed one of the lambeasts that had been running around in the pen and was eating it alive as it made whimpering noises.

"Oh uh...well, I think that was part of the negotiation," Neville said, concerned at her reaction.

"Well that's horribly wrong...just letting the poor thing be killed like that...I mean when WE eat meat at least we don't have to watch it being slaughtered...Ugh..." she turned away disgustedly.

"Well...it's just..nature I guess,"

Hermione ignored him. "It's brutal and uncalled for to do that in front of everyone."

"I agree but.."Neville began, but Hermione had turned her attention to the other dragon on the other side, which was smaller than the Poisonhead but looked far more fierce and ugly. It's already blood red face was dripping with blood from the meal it had just had as well and Hermione was put off immensely.

"I hate to say it but so far this has not been a very good reunion," she said in finality and sat down.

"Want something to drink?" Neville asked politely, trying to get her mind off the dragons.

"Oh uh..some pumpkin juice would be good...."

"OK," Neville said, walking over to a small kiosk where house elves were serving up glasses of butterbeer and pumpkin juice.

Hermione just sat scowling at the table, not wanting to admit she was having a horrible time and just wanting to get out of there. And where were Harry and Ron's families? They still hadn't shown up and it was already 6:30. "Figures they'd be late," she sighed, just looking around self consciously because she knew there were still people who thought she had actually done what the "Daily Prophet" said she had.

Finally Neville came back, giving her a drink and then asking her to dance. Reluctantly she nodded and they went on the dance floor, Hermione now really wondering where Harry and Ron were, it was nearly 7 and they were almost an hour late. Upon dancing for about 15 minutes, there was a stir at the entrance of the Great Hall and Hermione caught a glimpse of McGonagall talking with Malfoy in what appeared to be a very urgent tone. She had never seen Malfoy look more genuinely upset about something before. Then Malfoy walked off back down the hallway and McGonagall was looking around the room frantically before finally setting her eyes on Hermione and rushing over to her hurriedly, her face as pale as a ghost.

"Hermione..." McGonagall shrieked in a mouse like voice, "You are....come with me please," she said breathlessly.

Hermione and Neville stared at each other, concerned.

"You too Mr Longbottom if you wish," McGonagall said chokedly, and without another word they followed her back toward the Gryffindor common room. Right around where the fat lady's portrait was on the wall a small group of people were gathered around something. McGonagall pushed her way through the white faced crowd with Hermione and Neville right behind her and then they saw what all the commotion was about....before them lay the body of a woman. There were tiny spatters of blood about the floor but it was mostly unscathed. Harry, Ron and their wives were looking down at it pale faced on one side and Malfoy was on the other, equally pale faced.

Harry and Ron looked up at Hermione, their faces reddening very little but they were unmistakabley relieved at the sight of her.

Ron stared from Hermione to the body on the floor. "We...we..thought at first it was you."

Hermione stared down horrified at Pansy Parkinson, who lay dead on the floor, dressed in the exact same robes and shoes as Hermione was wearing.

"Oh my God.." Hermione said, covering her mouth with her hands, pushing back the urge to get sick. "What happened?"

Harry now spoke, his voice shaking. "We saw you..or rather..Pansy under the influence of Polyjuice Potion...walking by the fat lady's portrait just as we were coming out of the common room to head for the ball..." his voice seemed stuck in his throat.

"Then, we asked you..her...what the password was, the one we agreed on and where Neville was and she just, she just stared at us with this horror striken look and she tried to speak but blood just came out of her mouth." Ron just seemed in a daze.

"Then she just..collapsed," Harry added. "We were terrified and tried to help, but it was too late, whatever killed her did it quickly and she soon after transformed back into her original self."

Malfoy was now looking at Hermione with contempt. "Yeah...someone thought she was you and so they killed her, they killed Pansy!" he said, almost on the verge of tears.

"Oh you're REAL nice Malfoy...what compassion," Ron scowled.

"I..I didn't do anything..why would anyone want to.." Hermione had now sunk to the floor, tears streaming down her face and just looking horrified beyond belief.

"That's enough," McGonagall snapped.

Neville just was staring at the floor, so petrified he coudln't move.

"Well I'm sure he KNOWS why she used Polyjuice Potion and now he's saying big deal that someone wants to kill Hermione," Harry said increduously.

"I care that my friend is dead," Malfoy said, anger in his face. "I know nothing of why she was using Polyjuice Potion."

"Mr. Potter, Mr Weasley, Mr Malfoy, I said that is enough. Our concern now is figuring out the cause of death and the motive...the fact that Miss Parkinson used Polyjuice Potion to disguise herself as Miss Granger is another issue..just as important, but not primary at this moment."

Harry and Ron groaned but didn't say another word. Malfoy just looked awestruck, as if he was well aware that something had gone completely wrong but that he had no idea what.

McGonagall now had her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "I think it best that you go to the hospital wing...this hasn't been easy for you of course."

"I'..I'll go with her.." Neville said, stuttering nervously. "I'm her date."

"We want to go too," Ron impulsively said, but Eloise held him back with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Neville can take care of it Ron, we can go see her later. They need our testimony now, it's important we figure out what happened."

Ron slowly nodded and McGonagall helped Hermione up and let Neville take her arm. She was in a sort of spaced out state and just let Neville lead her along.

"Watch her carefully," McGonagall warned. "If indeed there is someone who wants to attack her, she needs protection."

"Well PANSY didn't get any protection," Malfoy said, trying his best to remain cool headed as much as tears were in his eyes. "We were engaged to be married."

This news only seemed to affect the group for a few seconds. There were some half hearted mutterings of "I'm sorry" before McGonagall arranged to have the body taken away and led all the witnesses to her office.

Harry didn't mention that once again that doomsday feeling had run through him..it wasn't just the shock, it was real, as real as the day his scar had burned......