Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

There was a Hogsmeade visit planned for the second weekend in October. Hermione thought it might be a good opportunity to learn more about the Half Blood Prince. But Harry wasn't sure if he would be allowed to go because he had been banned from Hogsmeade visits last year. So he went to see Professor McGonagall who said he was allowed to visit the village. She also let Harry have his Firebolt back even though he was no longer playing Quidditch.

Ron, however, had another reason for wanting to go to Hogsmeade. On their way to Divination one Wednesday morning Harry and Ron overheard Dean Thomas telling Seamus Finnigan that he and Ginny had made plans to spend the day together.

"We'd better follow them" Ron had said at lunch time. But Hermione put her foot down.

"Ron, did you follow Percy and Penelope around?" she asked.

Ron looked at Hermione as if she was mad.

"Why would anyone want to follow Percy around?" He asked "He's more boring than Binns"

"What about Fred and Angelina then?" said Hermione "Did you spy on them when they went to the Yule Ball"

"Course not" said Ron. "You saw the way those two dance. And...er..."

"What?" asked Hermione.

"Well Fred probably would have used my head for Bludger practice" mumbled Ron. "If him and Angelina were going out, I mean. I don't think they were, but if they were and I went near them, then...No Fred would have used my head as a Bludger anyway. What is your point, Hermione?"

"What do you think Ginny's going to do if she catches you spying on her?" asked Hermione.

"Good point" gulped Ron "Maybe I'd better take the invisibility cloak"

But the trip to Hogsmeade was uneventful. Harry and Hermione had talked Ron out of spying on Ginny. But they didn't find out anything about the Half Blood Prince either.

"What's the bet we're in the library by the next paragraph" muttered Ron.

"There has to be something in here" said Hermione impatiently as she, Harry and Ron wandered through the library.

Ron grabbed some books of the nearest shelf.

"Told you" he whispered to Harry "This is worse than looking for Flamel"

Harry agreed. When they had been trying to learn more about Nicolas Flamel in their first year, they at least knew the name of the person they were looking for. Now all they knew was they were looking for a Half Blood Prince. And they had no idea if he was dead or alive, what country he came from, what sort of book he might be in. Or, indeed, if he was in a book at all."

"I know he might not be in a book" said Hermione when Harry pointed this out. "But I can't think where else to look for him. Unless"

"What?" said Harry and Ron loudly.

Madam Pince, the librarian gave them a disapproving look.

"You don't think he might be a student" whispered Hermione excitedly.

"Could be" said Ron. "Wonder what house he's in?"

Ron and Hermione both seemed convinced that the Half Blood Prince was a student. Hermione sat down at the nearest table and pulled a roll of parchment and a quill out of her bag.

"What are you doing? Making a list of all the half blood boys in the school?" asked Ron sarcastically "Oh you are"

"Hermione?" said Harry reading the list over her shoulder "Dean's Muggle born"

"No he's half blood" said Hermione in an I know more than you sort of voice. "His father was a wizard, but he was killed by a Death Eater when Dean was a baby because he refused to join them. He never told Dean's mother what he was because he wanted to protect her."

"How do you know all that?" asked Ron.

"Well Muggles have this thing called the Internet" said Hermione. "And JK Rowling has her own website. That bit about Dean was on it."

"Did it say who the Half Blood Prince is?" asked Ron eagerly.

"If it did would we be sitting here?" said Hermione scathingly.

"Look!" hissed Harry pointing at the door.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had just come in.

"I wonder what they're doing" whispered Hermione.

"Homework" suggested Harry.

Ron shook his head.

"I'm not sure if Goyle can read" he said "I'm going to see what section they're in."

Ron strode off in the same direction Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had gone in. He came back about a minute later looking half confused half excited.

"Where are they?" asked Harry.

"Restricted section" said Ron "Wish I knew what they're doing in there"

"Not homework. I'm betting" said Hermione. "Do you think..."

Harry held up his hand to stop her.

"Here they come" he hissed.

"Let's go back to the common room" said Hermione stuffing her list into her bag.

As Harry, Ron and Hermione walked out of the library they bumped into Nott who was coming in. Harry and Nott looked at each other for a few seconds before Nott disappeared into the library.

"D'you reckon he's meeting Malfoy?" asked Ron.

"Could be" said Harry.

He stuck his head inside the library door. Nott was sitting by himself doing what looked like Transfiguration homework. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle didn't seem to notice that he was there.

"What's Nott like Harry?" asked Ron when they reached the common room.

Harry thought for a moment. He didn't mind having Nott for his potions partner. In fact if Nott were in a different house, Harry imagined that they might get along very well. He did not say any of this to Ron, However.

"He seems OK compared to most Slytherins" said Harry thoughtfully. "I mean he's not rude like Malfoy. And he's not a thug like Montague and Warrington were. And he's very smart. "Come to think of it, I don't know why Nott wasn't made a Prefect. He seems a better choice than Malfoy"

"Maybe that had something to do with Lucius Malfoy" said Hermione.

"Nott's dad's a Death Eater too, isn't he, Harry?" asked Ron.

"Yes. He was there when Voldemort returned" said Harry.

"I wonder why he isn't in Malfoy's gang then" said Ron. "Crabbe and Goyle's dads are both death eaters.

"Nott doesn't see any need for getting into gangs" said Hermione "And if he did I don't think Malfoy would want him"

"Why not?" asked Harry.

"You said it yourself, Harry. Nott is much smarter than Malfoy" said Hermione. "He's not like Crabbe and Goyle who just do whatever Malfoy tells them."

"And Malfoy would have to treat Nott as an equal. Or maybe as someone who is better than he is?" said Harry.

Hermione nodded.

"Was that on that internet thingy?" asked Ron.

"Yes" said Hermione.

"Did it say anything else about him?" asked Ron.

"Only that he was raised by his father, who's a very elderly Death Eater" said Hermione "I'm surprised you haven't looked any of this up, Harry!"

"Dudley won't let me near his computer" said Harry

"Wait a minute!" said Ron. "What were you looking it up for?"

Hermione blushed so her face was the same colour as Ron's hair.

"I...well...er...I was...Er...I wanted um...to see if...er...you and I would ...er... get together" she mumbled.

"Why?" asked Ron.

"Because you've liked me since third year, Ron. You just haven't realised it yet.

Hagrid sent Harry a letter on Monday morning.

Dear Harry, Ron and Hermione,

Have you lot forgotten where I live? Maybe you did because the movie directors keep moving my hut. How about having a cup of tea with me this afternoon

Hagrid.

Harry wrote a reply and finished his breakfast before leaving the Great Hall for potions.

"You will be testing your Polyjuice Potion today" announced Snape. "And those of you who have done it wrong will probably be poisoned."

Several people gulped or shuddered. Snape gave the class instructions to drop one of their own hairs into his or her partner's glass of potion. When Harry dropped one of his hairs into Nott's glass, the potion turned a very dark green. The potion with Nott's hair was the same colour as the oil Uncle Vernon put in his car.

Harry drank his potion quickly. It tasted like overcooked cabbage just like it had done four years ago. However, the effects were different. When Harry had drank Polyjuice potion to transform into Goyle, every part of his body had expanded. Now it felt like an invisible force was squeezing him from all sides. He also felt himself shrinking several inches. Snape looked highly disappointed that Harry hadn't been poisoned.

"Nott, Potter, full marks" he said bitterly.

Several other people in the class had clearly got their potion wrong. Neville and Malfoy still had half of their own bodies. A few other people still had their own ears or noses. Ron and Goyle's potion was easily the worst. Neither of them looked remotely human. In fact when they turned up at the hospital wing ten minutes later accompanied by Harry, Hermione, Malfoy and Crabbe, Madam Pomfrey had to ask who they were.

"Ron Weasley and Gregory Goyle" said Hermione.

"Well they're going to be in here for a while" said Madam Pomfrey.

Ron and Goyle groaned loudly.