CHAPTER 12: MISCHIEVOUS SCHEMES FOR THE NIGHT OF NIGHTS

When Harry woke up, Professor Dumbledore was standing over his bed.

"Morning, Professor…" Harry mumbled, though he was quite confused.

"All right, Harry?" said a familiar voice from the other side of the bed. Harry turned and saw Hagrid.

"Hello, Hagrid. Yes, I'm fine." Harry smiled.

"Well…" Professor Dumbledore sighed, "In that case, I shall return to the Great Hall. All four of you have awakened. We'll leave you to relax." Professor Dumbledore nodded and turned to leave the hospital wing. Harry waved goodbye to Hagrid as he followed the Professor through the doors. Harry noticed how short the Professor had been and how nervous he had sounded. However, he shook off his worries and concerns when he saw that his comrades were also awake.

"Harry -" Hermione hissed, "We should tell them."

"Yes… we should." Harry agreed.

"But be quiet. The walls have ears."

Madeline crawled out of bed and proceeded to Harry's bed. Ron and Hermione followed suit and soon everyone was gathered around Harry.

Hermione began to explain the next clue from the book to Madeline and Ron. When she finished, one could have heard a pin drop. Ron was in shock, and Madeline was near tears.

Suddenly Harry smiled. Then he began to giggle quietly.

"What?!" Hermione demanded irritably.

"I've got a plan." Harry said wickedly, narrowing his eyes as he flashed a malicious grin.

"What?" Hermione repeated.

"We're going to… play some 'tricks' on Malfoy… you know, make a - a trap."

"Bob's your uncle!" Ron exclaimed, in the true British slang fashion. "What did you have in mind?"

"Well…" Harry thought hard as he stroked his chin. "I've not pondered it too much…"

"I've an idea, 'Arry!" Madeline cried. She lowered her voice. Everyone leaned in. "Fairst, we shall make sure zat Malfoy will some 'ow be zee last Slytherin een zee commons zair. Zen we set up a trap. Zee four of us shall work togezzer, and we shall cue each uzzer on when to play zee tricks as 'ee leaves zee commons."

"Then we could muck his memory!" Ron whispered excitedly. "So he can't blame us."

"I think these tricks are a splendid idea, but I think we should make sure he's the first one to leave, not the last." Hermione cut in.

"Why's that?" Harry asked.

"Well," Hermione replied, "If we're not at breakfast, people will notice. Then they'll be able to blame us because five people wouldn't have been at breakfast. Malfoy, who'll be the victim, and the five of us. But, if it happens before breakfast, we can run away as soon as its done and we've altered Malfoy's memory. No one can point the blame right at us because Malfoy won't remember and once we run away we'll fit right in with the crowd."

There was a silent pause as Harry, Madeline, and Ron tried to process what Hermione had said.

"I'm confused!" Ron whined. At once, Harry, Hermione, and Madeline all spoke at the same time, attempting to explain to Ron the new plan.

"Oh!" Ron said slowly after a while. "I picked up bits here and there. I get it now. Sounds ace."

"That's a first." Hermione mumbled, giggling.

"Wait!" Madeline nearly shouted. "I've got a good day to do eet!"

"When's that, Madeline?" Harry asked.

"The day after the Back-to-School Dance. Ere's my plan. At the dance, Hermione will ask Malfoy to dance while 'Arry ees getting zem pumpkin juice. 'Arry, you come over to zem, (providing Malfoy says yes, weetch I seenk 'ee weel) and you tell Malfoy to - uh - 'ow do you zay… 'bug off'. You tell 'eem zat you weel duel 'eem zee next morning

to settle seengs. You tell 'eem to meet you at seex een zee morning zee next day in some obscure spot so you wont get caught. But of course you wont really be dueling because when 'ee goes to leef zee commons we'll be ready and waiting."

"Brill, Madeline! Bleeding brill! Now, Hermione, you've just got to keep flirting with Malfoy-"

"Um… no, no, no, no, no!" Hermione interrupted.

"What?" Madeline said impatiently.

"Flirting is childish. I shan't do it." Hermione crossed her arms and pouted.

"You're almost sixteen, though you look more like four right now, and you're supposed to flirt. Please?" Ron begged.

"Harry?" Hermione glanced at Harry for approval. Harry nodded eagerly.

"Fine. All right. I'll do it. But I want all rumours silenced, you understand?" Hermione gave a look to each of her companions.

"Yes." The other three chimed, though they all had mischievous looks about them.

"Now, what type of mischief shall we play, then?" Ron said thoughtfully, making himself comfortable upon Harry's bedside table. He knocked over the get-well cards and the glass of water on the table.

"Hydronomo." Hermione pointed her wand decisively at the puddle on the floor. The water evaporated, and the damaged cards were dried again. Ron grinned as he bent to pick up the cards.

"Well," Harry said pointedly, answering Ron's earlier question. "We would most certainly use the invisibility cloak. But if we did, why would we need to alter his memory?"

"I seenk we should make sure 'ee doesn't remember being asked to the duel but remembers zee things 'appening." Madeline declared, though she looked perplexed.

"I don't think we should need to mess up his mind because then we can approach him later and ask him why he wasn't at the duel. Malfoy should know it was us, but he shouldn't be able to prove it." Hermione pointed out wisely.

"An excellent proposition, Hermione!" Harry exclaimed. "I think only two of us should do the trick, though, because we can't all fit under the Invisibility Cloak safely. You know, it might slip and reveal four floating heads or eight feet without legs and wouldn't that be wonderful?" He laughed.

"I seenk you and Ron should go, 'Arry. Boys are always better at making mischief." Madeline insisted.

Everyone nodded their agreement. Ron's face lit up as an idea crossed his mind.

"We should prance about him and pull his hair! That slimy, blonde hair! And then back up quickly." Ron seemed quite proud of his decision until Hermione laughed.

He'd see your hands reaching out to pull the hair. Honestly, Ron, you can be so thick!"

Ron looked quite offended.

"I could bring my broom and put it under the cloak. I'd have to go by myself. I could bring coins and drop them under the bottom of the cloak. I'd stay in the corner. Out of view. He'd be hit in the head with some flying coins and get confused. I'd come up behind him and tap him on the shoulder, then dart backwards. Then I'd shriek. And laugh! And moan… 'Maaaaalfoy! Draaaaaaaaco Maaaaalfoy!" Harry climbed up onto his knees and stooped over Ron, who feigned a frightened expression.

"Oh no!" Ron screamed in a feminine voice. "It's - it's -" Ron's voice returned to normal. "Well, he's going to think it's Peeves the Poltergeist."

"Too bad." Harry said pointedly. "I just want to have fun."

Ron shrugged. "All right. Have fun. I wish you the best of luck in succeeding to frighten Malfoy half to death." Ron laughed.

All of a sudden, the heavy wooden doors to the hospital wing opened, and Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, entered.

"Oh, good. You're all awake. How do you all feel?" Madam Pomfrey sounded cheerful but preoccupied.

"Fine, I suppose." Hermione said airily, following Madam Pomfrey with her eyes. "Can we go back to class soon? I'm sure I've got ever so much work to make up."

"Don't you worry about getting out of here. I'll let you out when I feel you're ready to go." Madam Pomfrey was firm. "That stuff you all inhaled isn't exactly good for you, and it's no walk in the park treating it, either, believe you me."

Ron gave Madam Pomfrey a polite smile as she filled up the previously emptied glass with water from a pitcher.

"Excooz me, Madam Pomfrey, but will we be able to go to zee dance in a foo days?" Madeline appeared concerned.

Madam Pomfrey grinned warmly. "I believe so, my dear." Madam Pomfrey walked back out through the door, leaving the four children to themselves again.

"Oh, bogeys!" Ron cried as he spilled the glass of water over again.

Hermione glared exasperatedly at Ron as she pointed her spell at the water and repeated the anti-water spell for the second time that morning. "Hydronomo!" she commanded. "Honestly, Ron, can you be more stupid? That's the second time today. Here, come and sit on the bed and let me stand there."

The four friends stayed in the hospital wing for two more days. When they went back to class, hours upon hours of homework awaited them. Harry hardly had time to check "The Road to Nowhere" for new clues because he was constantly in the library, doing homework every night until all hours. Finally, one night before he went to sleep, Harry had time to check the book for clues. It was the night before the Back to School Dance. As Harry opened up the book, he stared in wonder and amazement at the picture before him.

The picture showed Harry and Hermione dancing at the Back to School Dance. They were laughing and appeared to be having a very good time. Suddenly, however, both gasped and looked over Hermione's shoulder. Hermione began to scream. The picture stopped moving.

Harry was frustrated and frightened. What was going to happen at the dance? Why was Hermione screaming?

Harry was thrust back into reality as he saw a figure standing in the doorway. It was Madeline, and she was holding her book.