The next morning, Hermione asked Layla if she knew whether Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin.
"Well, he does seem the type of person, doesn't he? I can't just go up and ask him, of course, but let's see…he hasn't said anything."
That evening she paid close attention to what Malfoy talked about to Crabbe and Goyle. It wasn't hard, considering he always talked in a lout voice for everyone to hear. The next morning, she went to tell Hermione what she had heard.
"Nothing. He hasn't said anything about being the Heir of Slytherin. However, he said that he would like to know who it is."
"Doesn't he know?"asked Ron.
"Not that I've heard. Then again, it's probably because the room is full of people, you know. I did hear him say that he's staying over the Christmas holidays."
"Malfoy is staying for the Christmas holidays?"
"Yes. That's what he said."
"Do you know why?"
"I don't have the slightest idea. He didn't say why."
"I think the Christmas holidays are perfect."said Hermione.
"For what?"
Hermione told her about the Polyjuice Potion.
"That does seem like a good way to get Malfoy."
"And you could show us where the Slytherin common room is."
"I don't know if that would be such a good idea. I don't generally walk to the common room with people. I just go by myself. I could probably tell you where it is. That way no one will be suspicious. Crabbe and Goyle don't like me, you know. No body really does."
"We'll tell you when everything is ready."
"Yes, and did you know about the Dueling Club?"
"Yes, we are definitely going. You never know when it could come in handy."
"I was thinking that, too. Maybe I'll go, if only for that reason. You never do know when it can come in handy."
"So then we'll see you in the Great Hall, then."
"Yes, see you in the Great Hall."
Almost the whole school was there for the first meeting of the Dueling Club. Gilderoy Lockhart walked up to the platform, and he and Snape made a demonstration that caused Lockhart to lose his wand. Then they broke off into pairs. Layla partnered with a girl named Susan Bones from Hufflepuff. A few minutes later, the Great Hall was in turmoil, and Lockhart called two volunteers, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy to perform a demonstration on how to block unfriendly spells. A giant serpent came out of Malfoy's wand, and was about to attack a Hufflepuff boy, but Harry spoke to it, and led it on. Layla stood speechless. She didn't know that Harry could speak Parseltongue. In the common room, everyone exclaimed that it wasn't just that the Heir of Slytherin should be a stupid Gryffindor, like Harry Potter.
"I didn't know you could speak Parseltongue, Harry. Last night, everyone was going on about how it was a Gryffindor who was the Heir of Slytherin."
"I am not the Heir of Slytherin."he said, and stalked off angrily.
"Oh, well, I was only curious, you know. It is kind of unusual that he's the one. The one who stopped You-Know-Who."
When Layla was in Charms, she heard Peeves screaming that there had been another attack. The whole class ran out of the classroom to find Potter and the Hufflepuff boy, whom he had tried to attack in the Dueling Club, and Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost.
Layla stayed during the Christmas holidays. When Hermione told her the Polyjuice Potion was ready, she gave them directions to the Slytherin common room and the password, saying that she would be there, when they came to interrogate Malfoy. As planned, Crabbe and Goyle, or rather Ron and Harry came into the common room, and sat close to the fire with Malfoy. Hermione said that she would be turning into Millicent Bullstrode, but she was no where to be seen. Layla listened closely while they were interrogating Malfoy, and even though she was not surprised, to hear that Malfoy didn't know whom the Heir was, she was surprised when she learned that the Malfoys had a secret chamber of their own under their drawing room. As soon as Malfoy said this, she got up, and went to her dormitory, wandering what would be the best way to alert the Ministry of the Malfoy's secret chamber.