Harry was woken on Christmas morning by a veritable mountain of presents landing on, and beside, his bed.
Just as he began opening presents the door opened and Hermione walked in carrying presents for them. Her jaw dropped at the sight of his present pile and he shifted uncomfortably.
"Where did you get all of those?"
He shrugged and played with the tape on the package he'd been about to open, "My family."
"It must be a very big family…" Harry nodded.
Meanwhile, Ron had woken, "What're you doing in here?"
Seeming to get her bearings about her again she shot him a look that was equal parts fond and irritated, "Merry Christmas to you as well. And I've been up for an hour adding Lacewings to the potion, it's ready."
Ron seemed to wake up all the way at that, "Really?"
She nodded as she passed him his present then hesitantly put hers on the massive pile of Harry's presents. Harry smiled at her and opened her present first, which was a nice eagle owl feather quill. He thanked her for it and then began on the rest of the pile.
He allowed himself to be dragged away for breakfast but wanted to get back again.
"You're not really going to disappear again all day, are you?" Ron asked.
Harry shrugged, "I've got a lot to open and it makes me feel like I'm with my family all day. Your family is right here."
Neither Ron nor Hermione could argue with that, though Hermione did question why he didn't just go home for the holidays then. Harry sent a pointed look at the Headmaster which caused her to bristle indignantly. It was only her promise not to get involved that prevented her from going up to him and giving him a piece of his mind. Even then it was a near thing and Harry had to put his hand on her arm to stop her.
After breakfast, he went up and finished unpacking his presents. He quickly found his stocking and began to eat the chocolate snowman that he always started with.
His Christmas presents were widely varied, as they always had been.
First and foremost were the books; most were in Mandarin, and some were in French so he could keep up with it even though he hadn't studied it since before his first year. Regardless they were all much more advanced than the books from the prior Christmas and he doubted he'd be able to read them all before summer.
Of course, there were the various school and potions supplies he might be running low on, several pairs of robes, a pair of shoes with comfort charms enchanted into them, and a variety of magical knickknacks. Given that he'd kept all the knickknacks he'd gotten last year he had no idea where to put them all.
From the Prime Minister, he received a Christmas card reminding him that the immune system boosters would soon be released to the public and a box of chocolates. Hagrid sent him a large tin of treacle fudge that Harry knew he would have to thaw by the fire if he wanted to have any hope of eating them. Ron gave him a book called Flying With the Cannons, which was about Ron's favorite Quidditch team. Finally, Ron's mother had knitted him another burgundy sweater and sent along some plum cake. There were no mystery gifts.
He was halfway through watching Home Alone when Hermione rapped on his bedframe and informed him it was time for dinner.
Now that he was less mad about missing Christmas with his family he could admit that Christmas dinner at Hogwarts really was spectacular.
The Great Hall was spectacularly decorated with giant Christmas trees covered in frost and holly and mistletoe were hanging everywhere. A gentle and warm snow fell from the ceiling. The Headmaster led them all in a few Christmas carols, Hagrid steadily getting louder and louder with each eggnog he had.
After Ron and Harry had finished their third helping of Christmas pudding Hermione dragged them out of the Great Hall. "We still need bits of Crabbe and Goyle," she declared and then promptly explained how she planned to get some of their hair.
Harry found himself rather doubtful that it would work.
But work it did as, for some unfathomable reason, Crabbe and Goyle decided to eat the drugged cakes right off of the banister. Almost at once, they passed out and Harry and Ron had to drag them into a cupboard and steal their shoes and some hair. It felt particularly wrong to steal their shoes, for some reason. Like adding insult to injury.
Harry vowed to return them later.
As Harry watched the potion change for each of them (Millicent's turning yellow, Goyle's turning boogey green, and Crabbe's turning a darker brown) he found his nerves ratcheting up another notch. Not only had they drugged and stolen from two people, but now they were stealing their identities.
If the potion worked.
They each went to separate stalls and Hermione counted down from three. On one he forced himself to drink the boogey-colored liquid.
Unfortunately, it also tasted like boogies and he found himself gagging quite hard.
Then the change happened.
It wasn't like the Metamorphagus change, which felt smooth and natural, it was like his body was being sharply tugged out of place. His bones cracked and felt as if they were breaking as they changed place, his skin seemed to be boiling as both muscles and fat were added, and his hair seemed to be tugging on his scalp as it changed.
When it was done he was left panting and in pain, feeling restricted and locked into place. He knew that no matter what he tried his Metamorphagus abilities wouldn't work right then.
It was a horrible feeling.
Ever since he'd learned of his Metamorphagus abilities he'd felt free and full of life. They represented a way to go home without being caught by Dumbledore and his crony.
"Harry!" Ron exclaimed, shaking his shoulder, "Harry! Are you okay?"
Harry stared at Ron unseeing for a few moments before nodding, "Yeah," he startled, his voice was different, something he couldn't yet do with his Metamorphagus abilities. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Okay," said Ron in Crabbe's uncertain voice.
"What about you Hermione?" Harry asked.
"N-no. It didn't work!"
They both frowned and moved to her stall but she'd shut and locked it. "J-just go on without me."
"Hermione don't be ridiculous we're not-"
"There's no time! You only have an hour! Just go!"
Harry looked at his new watch that he'd been gifted that day, five of their precious sixty minutes were gone.
They struggled to find the Slytherin Common Room, wandering down labyrinthian corridors and managing to accidentally insult a Ravenclaw and upset Percy Weasley. Eventually, though they were found by Draco Malfoy who led them to it while he babbled about how ridiculous it was that Percy Weasley was probably looking for the Heir of Slytherin and how he had something funny to show them.
Much like the rest of the dungeons, the Slytherin Common Room was a long room with a low ceiling. All of the walls were made of rough stone and the room was lit by green lanterns hanging from the ceiling. By the fire sat several older students in high-backed chairs.
"Wait here, I'll go get it."
Malfoy came back with a small piece of paper that he shoved in front of Ron's face.
Ron looked furious at what he read and Harry took it and read himself.
It was a newspaper clipping about the fact that Arthur Weasley, Ron's father, had been caught joyriding an enchanted flying car by three muggles after the invisibility booster failed and was getting fined. Lucius Malfoy called for his resignation and the scrapping of his proposed legislation.
"Isn't it funny?"
Harry laughed belatedly.
"Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand and go live with them. They've got no pureblood pride, those Weasleys."
"What's with you?" Malfoy asked Ron as the boy's face got even more furious.
"Stomach ache."
"Ah, well it's what you get for pigging out. Go up to the Hospital Wing for a stomach soother and give the Mudbloods a good kick for me." He laughed again to himself, "I heard Dumbledore's running around like a chicken with his head cut off now that it's being published in the papers, apparently he was trying to keep it quiet. Father says he's the worst thing that's ever happened to Hogwarts. A better headmaster would keep slime like that Creevey out."
Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel, but unfortunately accurate imitation of the boy, "Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes please, Potter?"
He dropped his hands, "What's the matter with you two?"
They both belatedly laughed and it seemed that was enough for Malfoy. Perhaps Crabbe and Goyle were always slow on the uptake.
"Saint Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," said Malfoy slowly. "He's got no proper wizard feeling or he'd never be running around with that jumped-up Granger Mudblood. And people think he's the Slytherin's heir!"
Harry and Ron waited with bated breath, Malfoy was sure to tell them it was him but then-
"I wish I knew who it is," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."
Ron's jaw dropped making Crabbe look even more clueless than normal.
Thinking fast Harry asked, "Surely you know who it is."
Malfoy snapped, "You know I don't Goyle. How many times do I have to tell you? And Father won't tell me anything about the last time the Chamber opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it. But I know one thing- last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them is killed this time. I hope it's Granger." He finished with relish.
Giving Ron a warning look as the boy was looking quite upset he asked, "Do you know if whoever opened the Chamber last time was caught?"
"Oh, yeah, whoever it was expelled," said Malfoy. "They're probably still in Azkaban."
Puzzled Harry asked, "Azkaban?"
"The wizarding prison, Goyle," said Malfoy in disbelief "Honestly if you were any slower you'd be going backward."
He shifted restlessly in his chair and said, "Father says to keep my head down and let the Heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it. Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our manor last week?"
Harry tried to look concerned.
"Yeah…" said Malfoy, "Luckily they didn't find much. Father's got some very valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily we've got our very own secret chamber under the drawing room floor-"
"Ho!" Ron exclaimed. They turned to face him and Ron's face turned red and so was his hair, and it was lengthening.
Their hour was up.
"Medicine!" Harry exclaimed, dragging Ron out of the room.
