A Series of Very Weird Events
Part Four:
Harry had been waiting for this for a while; the first chance to go into Hogsmeade. When he got there, however, he wondered why on earth he'd been looking forward to it like he had. The place was packed with Gryffindors, for starters, and he'd found that he couldn't stand the sight of them, these days. As he walked down the street, hand-in-hand with Pansy Parkinson, he glared at the odd member of one of the other Houses, and they all shied away from him. Already, Harry Potter had managed to build up quite a reputation as a Slytherin. Pansy was almost glowing with pride, because, apparently, she'd had a crush on Harry for quite some time, and now, she finally had him all to herself. Crabbe and Goyle, however, weren't too thrilled about the relationship, since this seemed to have put them in second place. They were currently stalking behind Pansy and Harry, moping because Harry had only talked to them once, that day, and that was to yell at them. Pansy reached up a hand and brought her hands through Harry's locks, which had now become patterned with white highlights amongst all his black hair. It was the oddest thing, everyone said it was the oddest thing, but after Harry had joined Slytherin, parts of his hair had started turning white, while Draco Malfoy's hair was gradually getting darker. Odd, odd indeed. Pansy, however, never hesitated to tell everyone she met how she preferred this colour to what it had been before. She thought it made him look sophisticated. However, the rest of the school would make jokes about how his hair looked like a chess-board. Hushed jokes, mind you, since no one dared tell it to his face.
It was a cold day, and so the students were all dressed in warm winter coats, but Harry had decided to go without, insisting that he didn't feel the cold. Pansy was so proud, and kept referring to her new boyfriend as "her hero", simply because he could walk around without a coat. Crabbe and Goyle had been whispering about it all day, because they thought it was so foolish, but they hadn't said it to her face, because they knew she would just go running to Harry with it, and then he'd yell at them again, and they didn't want that. Of course, that would mean that he'd have to talk to them, which was what they had been wanting all day.
They had just decided to go to the Hog's Head when they saw Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy walking towards them. Harry smirked when he saw Draco's futile attempts to get on Ginny's good side. Right now, he was repeatedly offering her some chocolate he'd just bought, which she kept on turning down, each time becoming more annoyed with Draco's continuously grinning face.
"Oh, look," Harry said, half turning to Crabbe and Goyle, "Malfoy's in love."
The other two laughed, and Pansy giggled along and snuggled up to Harry.
"Just like we are, Harry!" she exclaimed, looking adoringly up into Harry's face. Harry, on the other hand, looked down at her with a sceptical look in his face.
"Yeah...sure..." he wiggled his way from her to create some distance between them, and then kept walking towards the approaching Gryffindors.
"Well, well, well," Harry said when they got close enough to hear him, "out taking a stroll, are we?" He let his gaze glide over the four Gryffindors, until it at last landed on the smiling Draco, "Malfoy, will you stop grinning like a fool, you're making me want to throw up."
"Stop it, Harry," Hermione interrupted.
"Oh, no," Harry said and turned towards his three friends, "It's talking to me. Crabbe, could you please take care of it for me, that...that..." he gestured towards Hermione, "there." Crabbe and Goyle broke out in brutish fits of laughter, while Pansy's giggling started again. Harry nearly flinched at the sound of her laughter, but managed to contain himself for now.
"Harry," Hermione continued, "You don't mean that. Harry...Look at me, Harry."
"No thanks, I just ate," Harry answered turning further around. Hermione walked around him until she was standing in front of him, and stared determinedly into his eyes.
"Harry Potter, look at me."
"No, you're disgusting," he said, turning from her again, but it didn't seem to affect her, something that annoyed him even more than her actual presence.
"Harry!" she suddenly yelled, "You will look at me right this instance!"
"My, my," a silky voice from behind Hermione suddenly said, "In my day, Mudbloods watched their manners around Purebloods."
Hermione slowly turned around, as Harry did the same, to look up into the cold face of Lucius Malfoy. She stepped back until she was standing next to Ron and Ginny, and glared silently at him. Harry smirked at the sight, before turning towards Lucius, the smirk still resting on his lips.
"Hello, father!" Draco said and stepped up in front of his father, extending his arms as if to give him a hug. Lucius looked down at him with disgust, and stepped around him, not paying him any heed whatsoever. Draco followed his father with his eyes, his expression becoming more and more hurt with every step he took, until he stood there with his lower lip quivering as though he was about to cry.
"Young Mr. Potter," Lucius said as he approached Harry, "I was hoping to find you here. I've been wanting to have a word with you for...quite a while."
"Oh, really, sir?" Harry said as Lucius put a hand on his shoulder to tell him to follow him, and walked beside him further down the road, leaving both his friends from Slytherin and the Gryffindors behind. Pansy skipped after them, trying her best to keep up with them and grab Harry's hand.
"Now, Potter," Lucius started, but suddenly noticed Pansy, and stopped both talking and walking, "Potter, is this irritating little...person with you?"
Harry looked Pansy up and down as she stood there, grinning broadly at him.
"No," he said after a little while, and then turned away, following Lucius further down the street. Pansy was left standing, and soon ran into one of the nearby alleys, where passer-bys could hear her sobbing for hours to come.
"Now, where was I...ah, yes. I have been meaning to talk to you, Potter," Lucius continued now that Pansy was finally out of the way.
"Really, sir? Do you mind if I ask why?" Harry answered, trying his best to be as polite as possible, eager as he was to find out what it was Lucius Malfoy wanted him for.
"I have been...assessing your situation, you might say. You live with Muggles, correct?"
"Quite correct, sir," Harry answered, "appalling, really."
"I can sympathise," Lucius continued, "It is not healthy for a young wizard to live under such conditions. It gives a faulty impression of the wizarding world, or at least how the wizarding world should be. Wizards should not have to endure Muggles; it is beneath us."
"Couldn't have said it better myself, sir."
"That is why I have come to the conclusion that you should take up lodgings at my estate. Due to some recent...events...I have a room free. If you want it, it's yours," he paused for a moment, before he added; "Narcissa would be thrilled, I am sure, if you did us the honour of taking up residence with us."
"The honour would be all mine, sir, I assure you."
"Good. I understand you have a Christmas Holiday coming up?"
"Yes, sir, I do."
"I will be expecting you, then. Good afternoon, Potter."
"Good afternoon, sir."
Lucius Malfoy turned on his heel and walked away, and left Harry standing in the middle of the street, feeling replenished and proud, before he, as well, turned on his heel and walked the other way, towards the Hog's Head, where he expected he'd be able to find Crabbe and Goyle.
Later that day, Harry Potter sat in his usual chair in the Slytherin common-room, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, which Crabbe had brought him, and a good book, which Goyle had brought him. He was beginning to understand how those two could be useful, now. The fireplace was lit, as usual, and a big group of third-years were sitting in front of it, eating candy and talking about day-to-day activities, quietly, so as to not disturb Harry. No one ever disturbed Harry, especially not now, after everyone had heard that Lucius Malfoy had nearly adopted him. Not disturbing Harry, however, had proved to be a very difficult task, as Harry seemed to be annoyed by everything and everyone, these days. The third-years' whispered conversation was soon perceived as constant nagging at the back of his head.
"Leave," he finally said, after five minutes of having to listen to them, "You're getting on my nerves."
The third-years all rose as one entity, and darted out of the room, their little knees shaking with fear of irritating Harry further than they already had. Harry smirked to himself as they escaped from his presence, and turned to the next page in his book. The book had been lying on his nightstand when he got back from Hogsmeade, and was titled "Dark Magic, a short summary", and Harry had soon come to the conclusion, judging from the book's content, that it was against school regulations. The chapter he was now reading was solely concerning the Avada Kedava Curse, which had not yet even once been described as an Unforgivable Curse, and this was after Harry had read ten pages on the subject. There were detailed descriptions of how the curse worked, and when it had worked like that, and even detailed descriptions of how to best use it. Harry found that he was very intrigued by the subject, and ploughed through the pages as eager as a child on Christmas Eve. His delight, however, was suddenly brought to an end when a high-pitched, shaking voice made its way to his ears.
"Harry!"
He looked up from his book; his left brow cocked in a nonchalant manner, and stared right into the angry face of Pansy Parkinson.
"Yes?" he said, his voice revealing his obvious irritation.
"How could you just walk away from me like that, and tell...that man, that you didn't even know me?" Harry could see that tears were welding up inside her eyes, and that she was struggling to keep herself from crying. It was a pitiful sight, really. The woman truly was pathetic.
"Pansy," he said and laid his book down on the table, before sitting up straight, "I was trying to have a serious conversation with Lucius Malfoy," he paused for a moment, "Do you know who Lucius Malfoy is?" he asked her, talking to her like one would talk to an ignorant child.
"Of course I do," she said, putting her hands on her hips and trying to put on a brave face, "He's Draco's father."
"Draco," Harry said in an annoyed, and perhaps even angered, fashion, as he stood up and met her face-to-face, "is unimportant. He is nobody. Lucius Malfoy is one of the most powerful men in the wizarding world, Pansy. Do you have any idea how much he can do for me?"
Pansy hesitated, and shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
"Yes..." she said, but Harry could hear the hesitation in her voice.
"Lucius Malfoy wanted to talk to me, Pansy, and there you were, trailing after me like a lovesick first-year. I simply had to pretend not to know you, in order to hold on to that smidgeon of respect Mr. Malfoy still had for me. Luckily, your indiscretions didn't destroy too much for me, and you should count your blessings for that, Pansy. You really should."
Pansy stood there, staring at Harry with large, tear-filled eyes, her lower lip trembling slightly as an expression of pure terror spread across her face.
"Oh, Harry! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands around him. Rolling his eyes, he pushed her away and kept her at arm's length.
"I might," he said and took a step away from her, "but it will take some time. I'll have to decide if I can trust you. I can't have a girlfriend who is likely to do the kind of thing you did today!"
"Oh, Harry, I promise I won't do it again!" she yelped, stepping closer to him. Harry took another step away, and she lowered her head in disappointment. Harry stood there watching her for a while, while she silently sobbed. He tilted his head to the side, studying her with interest. What a pathetic creature she was, really. Truly a pathetic creature.
"Alright," he said after a while, "I believe you." Pansy looked up, smiling in relieved amazement, and stepped forward towards Harry with her arms extended. Harry held up a hand, stopping her before she reached him; "But!" he continued, "I am warning you, Pansy. Don't you ever interfere when I am trying to have a civilized conversation with Lucius Malfoy, or anyone of his stature, or I swear to you I'll..."
He stopped there, seeing that she suddenly looked overcome with panic. What was she expecting him to say? 'Kill you'? Was that what she expected? Oh, the drama, the drama.
"...leave you," he finished, and Pansy took a deep breath.
"I promise, Harry, I-" she started, but Harry cut her off.
"Don't promise, just do it."
Pansy nodded, still sobbing a little, and looked down at the ground.
"I will..." she whispered, still nodding. Harry studied her for a moment or two more, and then rolled his eyes at her, without her noticing.
"Go to bed, Pansy. You look like you could use some sleep."
It was the nicest thing he could think of to say, at the moment, and Pansy immediately obeyed, almost running into the girls' dormitory while she sobbed silently. Good grief, that girl could nag. Harry sat back down and picked up his book again, opening it at the page where he'd left off when Pansy interrupted him, and kept on reading. He had been reading for no more than ten seconds when one specific paragraph caught his eye:
'The Avada Kedava Curse was amongst the Dark Lord's favoured curses, and was used on many on his victims. It was this curse he used in the famous attack of Harry Potter, where the boy walked away with his life intact, while the Dark Lord was weakened and diminished.'
Suddenly, the scar on his forehead started burning, and, with a yelp, Harry put both his hands over it, clenching his jaw in agony. It felt like the scar was burning its way through his skull, like it was trying to get into his brain. He got to his feet and started walking towards the boys' dormitory, but his feet wouldn't carry his weight for more than a few steps, and he was forced to kneel on the floor, still clutching his scar with both hands. He bended to a lump on the floor, issuing weak cries of pain from time to time, before he started to crawl forward, trying his best to make it to the door. When he was nearly there, his hands gave away under him, as well, and he collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily and struggling to get up while the burning made its way to inside his head. He rolled over on his side and covered his scar with both hands, before curling into a foetus-position. The light in the common-room started stinging in his eyes, but he kept them open, looking for some way to escape from this room. The last thing he registered before everything went black was the sound of Goyle shouting his name.
Hermione Granger rushed through the halls, scowling angrily at everyone who got in her way. She didn't have time for this! Everyone she passed stared oddly at her, wondering how a little girl like her managed to carry that load, for in her hands she was holding the biggest book they'd ever seen. Finally she reached the library, and she rushed inside. When she was there, she quickly managed to locate Ron and Ginny at the table where she had left them fifteen minutes earlier, and she dropped the book on the table with a loud bang, which made everyone else in the library turn and look at them with a start. Ron and Ginny put on their best apologetic expressions, but Hermione was too busy to pay attention to the other people in the library, and simply hurried to sit down in her chair.
"I found it!" she silently exclaimed, "I had to borrow it from Professor Dumbledore's own collection, but I found it!"
Ron and Ginny looked at her with puzzled looks in their faces. She had simply got up and left fifteen minutes earlier, when they were trying to find out more about the Personovo Potion, which Hermione seemed to think had something to do with Harry's strange behaviour, these past weeks.
"You found...what?" Ginny asked, looking at Hermione with puzzlement in her eyes.
"This," Hermione said and pointed at the book, "is one of the most famous books on potions known to man, or wizard, in this case. It is world-renowned, but also almost impossible to get a hold of. Only a select few people in the world have a copy of this book! In here you can find recipes for and information about some of the world's most rare and complex potions. I hoped they'd have a copy here, and here it is!"
"So..." Ron said, still looking a bit confused, "you're saying that we might find some information about what's going on with Harry in there?"
Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes at Ron.
"Ron, here's an entire chapter dedicated to the Personovo Potion. If we can't find a way to solve Harry's problem in this book, we're as good as doomed!"
Ron swallowed hard, not at all liking the sound of that proposition.
"Well," he started looking at the book, "look it up, then!"
Hermione rolled her eyes again and opened the book, first taking a quick look at the page of contents, and then flipping through the pages while she muttered under her breath "567...567...". Finally, she reached the page she was looking for and looked up at Ginny and Ron with a delighted smile across her face.
"Here it is! Page 567, Chapter 22: Personovo Potion," she paused temporarily as she started reading down the first page and continued down the second. Ron and Ginny started reading their own books, which Hermione had looked up for them before she disappeared, earlier, and had just gotten started when;
"Oh, no!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed, and they both looked up at her with panic in their eyes.
"What is it?" Ginny asked, "Is he dying?"
"No," Hermione continued, "It's worse. It says here that if the individuals who have been affected by the Personovo Potion start adopting each other's features, it's a sure sign of a very strong potion. Guys," she looked up at them, worry etched on her features, "Harry's hair is turning platinum blonde."
Ginny and Ron exchanged worried glances before they looked back at Hermione. Ron's worried expression, however, suddenly faded and was replaced by a confused one.
"What's so bad about that?"
"Ron," Hermione answered, obviously disappointed, "Professor Snape says that a strong enough version of the Personovo Potion could induce full transformation, meaning that Harry could become Draco Malfoy! He also said that if the potion was too strong, it could cause severe harm to the individuals involved, and in this book it says that they could both die!"
Ron's eyes shot open, and he gaped at Hermione in terrified amazement.
"Blimey..."
"But, Hermione," Ginny suddenly interrupted, "it says that they're supposed to switch personalities, but Draco isn't at all acting like Harry! He's always pleasant, he's all too happy, and even the sight of a piece of paper can make him laugh and celebrate life! It's outright creepy! Furthermore, he's still behaving like a complete coward!"
"Well, according to this book," Hermione started, "some of the person's former personality will always remain after he or she has digested the potion, struggling to beat the new, fabricated personality. The coward that's left in Draco must be the last of his personality. Also, it says here that the transformation will, in some cases, be influenced by the affected persons' opinions about one another, especially if those opinions are very strong. So, obviously, Draco is behaving in the way he believes Harry behaves."
"That's stupid," Ron suddenly shot in, "Harry isn't like he's behaving at all!"
"And I'm sure the Slytherins would assure us that Draco isn't at all like Harry is acting, either!" Hermione argued, scowling at Ron.
"Actually," Ginny interrupted, "that might be right. I mean, Draco was mean, he really was, but Harry...he's just evil! I mean, did you see the way he was walking down the street with Pansy Parkinson, holding her hand and all, and then he just dismissed her and claimed not to know her! Not that she didn't deserve it, but it was a mean thing to do!"
Both Hermione and Ron stared at her for a little while. Of all the examples she could have mentioned, she brought up the one that involved Pansy Parkinson being ditched. Of course she would.
"Right," Ron finally said, when Ginny was starting to turn red under their staring eyes, "and I don't remember Draco being as judgemental as Harry's acting, now, or as irritable! I mean, everyone's afraid of him, even the other Slytherins!"
"Ron," Hermione suddenly interrupted, "do not refer to Harry as a Slytherin."
"Hermione," Ron answered, "he is a Slytherin."
"No!" Hermione answered, angrily, "Draco Malfoy is. His personality's just trapped inside Harry, that's all."
They were quiet for a while, staring at each other, until Ron finally decided to break the silence.
"So...how do we fix it?"
Hermione issued a disgruntled sound, before she turned back to her book and ploughed through it, looking for some kind of cure. She had just turned the page when her expression suddenly turned surprised.
"Hm...It says here that there is no cure."
"What?" Ron exclaimed, "You mean we could be stuck with happy-go-lucky Draco and evil Harry for the rest of our lives!"
"No," Hermione said and sighed, "It says here that the person's former personality will, after a while, depending on how strong the potion is, force the new, fabricated personality to step down, and take charge again."
"Let me see!" Ron suddenly exclaimed and pulled the book over to where he was sitting, snatching it out from under Hermione's eyes.
"Ron!" Hermione yelped, but Ron ignored her.
"Hang on!" he suddenly said, after he'd found the paragraph he thought Hermione was reading from, "It says here that even the strongest Personovo Potions are only supposed to last for a few days, at most! Harry and Draco have been acting odd for more than two weeks!"
Hermione stole the book back, glaring angrily at Ron as she did so, and found the part he was talking about.
"Oh, my... You're right. That means that someone has to be slipping them more potion before the old potion wears off!"
"Yeah," Ron said, "but who could that be? Dumbledore would have noticed it if someone was smuggling in poisoned food, wouldn't he?"
Ron looked from Ginny to Hermione, but only got a reaction from Ginny, since Hermione was staring down into the book with a terrified expression across her face.
"Oh, no..." she finally said, "It says here that if the Personovo Potion is digested periodically over a long enough span of time, the effect can be permanent! That, Ron, would mean that we'll be stuck with happy-go-lucky Draco for the rest of our lives, and that Harry will remain evil."
"Oh, no..." Ron whimpered, "But with Harry as their Seeker, the Slytherins are bound to win every Quidditch match this year!"
"Ron!" Hermione said, almost shouting, "Is Quidditch all that's on your mind? If Harry remains evil, he's likely to cross over to You Know Who's side!"
Ron gaped, suddenly realizing the actual danger in the proposition of Harry and Draco's personalities being permanently switched.
"That would not be good," he whispered, staring straight ahead into thin air.
"Ron," Hermione said, rolling her eyes, "that would be the worst possible outcome. 'Not good' doesn't even come close to describing what it would be."
He opened his eyes and looked around, confused and misplaced, and sat up. He was in his bed, he realized now. He was in his bed in his room at the dormitory. But why was he here? He had some faint recollection of suddenly feeling a strong, burning sensation in his scar, but other than that, he remembered very little. He remembered having talked to Pansy about something, but he could not for the life of him remember what it was. He swung his legs off the side of the bed and stood up. Immediately, his head started pounding and the room started spinning, and he sat down, rubbing his temples.
A knock on the door told him that someone was coming, and he called for them to enter. The door slowly opened, and Crabbe and Goyle stuck their heads through the opening. Harry motioned for them to come in, and, looking rather relieved, they walked inside.
"Can we get you something, Harry?" Goyle said, and Harry shook his head. He didn't say anything; he just shook his head, not really feeling like talking just yet, since his throat felt dryer than a desert stretch.
"A glass of water or anything?" Crabbe decided to bring Goyle's question to the next level, and this time he caught Harry's interest.
"Yeah," he croaked, "a glass of water would be nice."
Goyle nodded eagerly and ran out of the room to fetch him the glass of water, and Crabbe pulled up a chair and sat down. Harry really wanted to yell at someone, but between his dry throat and the pain in his head, he decided to save it for later, when he felt better. Instead, he looked up at Crabbe, squinting slightly because he suddenly realized how bright the light in the room was.
"What happened? And do something about that light, it stings my eyes."
Crabbe nodded and blew out the candle they'd placed on Harry's nightstand, before he looked back to him.
"We don't know, Harry. You were lying on the floor when we found you. You kept saying it burned. And you -"
"What burned?" Harry said and cut him off.
"You didn't say," Crabbe answered, immediately forgetting what he was about to say.
"Oh...alright. Say what you were going to say."
Crabbe hesitated, and Harry could see he was struggling to remember what it was he'd been planning on saying. He could not believe how stupid that man was! He had to fight the urge to roll his eyes, and tried his best to wait patiently for Crabbe's reply. Suddenly, his face lit up, and he looked like he remembered what it was.
"You told us not to take you to the hospital wing!" he exclaimed, grinning broadly. Harry looked at him with a sceptical look on his face, before he looked down again and kept rubbing his temples.
"Good. You two stupid sods probably would have brought me right there if it wasn't for my telling you not to, what with your sparkling genius, and all."
Crabbe furrowed his brow, and when Harry glanced up, he could tell he was trying to figure out if what Harry had just said had been a compliment or an offence. He'd learned, these past few days, that if you misjudged one of Harry's sarcastic comments, you were in for a lashing unlike any other. It was only these past couple of days, though. Before that, he'd only rolled his eyes or muttered "bloody idiot" under his breath while he walked away. He'd become much worse, lately.
"Why didn't you want us to take you to the hospital wing, Harry?" he settled with the safe approach, and avoided confronting him on what he'd just said.
"Because," Harry answered, "the Quidditch match against Gryffindor is in three days, and if the teachers found out that I'd collapsed again, they might not want me to play. Are you still with me?"
Crabbe nodded, finally understanding that what Harry had said earlier had, in fact, been sarcasm, and he even knew the reason for it, now. The door to the room opened again, and Goyle came inside, carrying a glass of water. He marched right over to the bed and handed it to Harry, who gladly accepted. He gulped it down in a matter of seconds, and handed the empty glass back to Goyle.
"Now, leave. I need to sleep," the two boys nodded and scrambled towards the door, eager to be the first to leave. Harry watched them with amusement, before he lay back down on the bed and closed his eyes. The Quidditch match against Gryffindor was in three days, only three days. Three days until he and his team could humiliate the Gryffindor team in front of the entire school; he could humiliate Dumbledore's precious Gryffindor House right under his nose, and everyone would be there to see him. Severus Snape, for whom he had experienced an increase in respect, would be there, and even Lucius Malfoy was going to be there. He'd show them all that Slytherin could make it to the top. He'd show them all that he, Harry Potter, could bring Slytherin House to the top.
...to be continued