Here is the rewritten version for Chapter 17.
It turned out Hermione was partially right about the Polyjuice Potion. The authors and authoresses had their own separate mix of ingredients to turn them into other people. And yet, the ingredients for the potion were still available. As much as she would have wanted to go about brewing the potion the easy way, she decided on getting the book from the Restricted section of the library.
This part of the plan worked out easily, for Lockhart signed her permission slip to get the book Moste Potente Potions from the library. After some convincing, Madam Pince handed the potion book to Hermione. Harry, Ron and Hermione then left the library, doing the best they could to not look too suspicious or guilty.
At last, the three friends met up with Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin, who were already inside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Frodo stood up as the two wizards and witch entered the room.
"Did you find it?" Frodo asked.
"Yes," Hermione said, flipping through the pages until she found the right potion. "Here it is. The Polyjuice potion." She added, "It's complicated. There's ingredients we need to find. Shredded boomslang skin, bicorn horn… it'll take a month to make the potion and find all the ingredients we need."
"What if Lotho attacks the school, before the potion's ready?" Frodo asked. A silence fell, at which he gathered, "Well, Lotho was acting like he would attack anyone on sight."
"Yes, Draco and Lotho could be Slytherin's heirs," Hermione said, agreeing with him.
"With luck, we make the potion on time." Merry asked, discreetly, "What if Lotho and Malfoy attack the school before we're through making the batch?"
"Exactly," Hermione answered. She added, hastily, "Unless you lot chicken out before then."
"It's our best chance we have of catching Malfoy and Lotho in the act," Ron said with a sigh.
-.-.-
On Saturday morning, Frodo followed the Ravenclaws to the Quidditch stadium. Even though he wasn't allowed to play Quidditch, it was all right for him to be in the stands with the crowd. Although, he wouldn't have minded taking his broomstick, the one his parents gave as a gift for him during Yule, and flying around the Quidditch stadium. He wondered if brooms became tired easily, but then he was talking about an inanimate object.
As he stood up, when the game began, Frodo locked eyes with Pearl Took. He hadn't expected this, but where was Aria? She wasn't present at the game either. And yet, Pearl seemed more than willing to talk to him.
"You've grown, about two inches at least," Pearl said.
"Hm." Frodo looked himself over momentarily. "I haven't noticed before."
"Come on, Frodo. Surely you would have." She did sound more mature.
"Actually, I didn't… until you said something," he recovered slightly.
"Oh Frodo. When are you going to notice girls?" she asked him.
"What?" He was shocked.
"Watch out!" It was Aria. Aria was here at the Quidditch match? Frodo gazed up at the sky, right as a bludger sailed right at him.
"Duck!" Frodo screeched, covering Pearl as the bludger moved inches from his ears. He ducked again when Harry zoomed past him, again inches from his ears and face. Frodo leapt down to the bottom of the stands, hoping his hand magic would prove useful against the bludger.
Readying his hands, Frodo threw a large ball of white light into the bludger's path. He made sure that the light wouldn't harm the other students or Harry, but enough to confuse the bludger. Only the second bludger ricocheted right for him. Frodo threw another ball of magical light in the second bludger's path. He ducked as both bludgers zoomed past him and the crowds, inches from where they were. Eventually, one of the teachers stopped the bludgers, much to Frodo's relief.
"Ow." He checked his right ear, only to find dried blood that nearly turned wet again. His mind was caught in a temporary daze when Pearl approached him.
"Oh Frodo, you're hurt," Pearl whimpered, checking his right ear.
"It's a scratch." Frodo conceded. "I'll go and see Madam Pomfrey, if it pleases you."
"You will?" Pearl said, dazzled. She embraced him, "Oh, thank you Frodo."
"All right, let's go." Frodo said, moving Pearl off of him, gently. The second he looked up, Frodo met Aria's flustered gaze. Before he could catch her, she ran off. He wondered where she ran off to this time, and yet he felt dizziness surrounding his vision again. He was thankful for Pearl to help him climb down the steps and out of the Quidditch stadium.
-.-.-
"Ah. Ow!" Frodo winced in pain. Madam Pomfrey was pressing so hard on his ear as she bandaged it. Frodo was thankful for her help. However, he couldn't help but notice Harry and his rubbery arm. He supposed that Harry was suffering worse than he was.
"There. And here is some Wiggenweld Potion to heal your ear." Madam Pomfrey handed to the hobbit lad a glass filled with green liquid. She said last, "When your ear is better, you may go."
"Thank you," he said, drinking the glass' contents. He was amazed at the results. The moment he finished the glass, he could feel his ear healing itself. He pressed his hand to the bandage. It felt healed enough. But he didn't have the heart to take the bandage off just yet, for his ear rang for a few minutes. "Wow."
"You're feeling better now?" It was Pearl Took. Had she been with him the whole time?
"I feel better," Frodo said.
"Do you want me to help you with anything else?" Pearl asked. Boy, she sure was persistent.
"I'm good now. Thank you." Frodo turned his attention to Harry, who wasn't enjoying the Skele-Gro potion very much. Before he said anything, Madam Pomfrey checked up on him.
-.-.-
It took a good two hours before Frodo was allowed to leave the hospital wing. Afterwards, Frodo was free to wander the corridors again. He said farewell to Pearl, seconds into a voice whispering to follow him. Okay, he knew it wasn't the slithering voice but a higher-pitched, squeaky sound. He followed the voice right into an empty classroom, where the door slammed shut on its own.
Appearing in the middle of the room was a house elf. It was Kanker. What was he doing in the castle, on the same day after the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin?
"Kanker, what are you doing here?" Frodo asked, quite alarmed.
"Please Frodo Baggins, do not become upset. Kanker tried his best to keep Dobby in his place, but Kanker saw an opportunity to save Frodo Baggins' life. Kanker thought it was a good idea to ricochet Dobby's bludger with Kanker's own bludger," Kanker explained, hesitant.
"What? Why? Why would you use that bludger to attack…" Frodo understood, "You sent that bludger after me and Harry, didn't you? That's why they both attempted to attack me."
"Kanker didn't know Frodo Baggins uses hand magic," Kanker squeaked.
"But why attack Harry and me? Why do it now, with all that is happening in the school?" Frodo edged towards the house elf, wanting to teach him a lesson.
"Kanker doesn't mean to attack Frodo Baggins. Kanker was trying to help. Kanker doesn't want Frodo Baggins injured," the house elf pleaded.
Frodo paused. Kanker was so pitiful. It made the hobbit boy wonder who was in charge of the house elf. But then another thought struck him.
"Kanker, I wouldn't normally ask this, but why do you wear a pillowcase?" he asked, even though it wasn't what he normally asked anyone.
"This is Kanker's attire, to be a servant in a master's house. Kanker's freedom hangs on my master presents clothes," the house elf said, before changing the subject again. "Frodo Baggins must know that danger is lurking in the walls. If Frodo Baggins stays, more danger will ensue."
"Does this have to do with the Chamber of Secrets?" Frodo asked in a whisper.
"No. Kanker's said too much already." In a breeze, Kanker vanished into thin air.
Frodo looked about the room for any sign of Kanker's reappearance. The house elf didn't return that night, much to the hobbit boy's disdain and confusion. Kanker did admit about danger lurking inside the walls. Did that mean that whatever he, Harry, Sam and Aria were hearing was real? That the voice wasn't just inside their heads?
Whatever it meant, Frodo regrouped with his friends in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom the next morning. However, they learned from Harry that Colin Creevey had been petrified sometime in the night.
So far, so good. Thanks for reading so far. :) More chapters are coming…