POLYJUICE POTION
It was almost Christmas. Alex was outside, in one of the courtyards, watching everyone with their trunks, ready to head home. Fred sat next to her.
- You're not going home this year either, Black?
- The Malfoys' manor? I'm starting to consider that house the summer hell. Hogwarts feels more like home. What about you?
- This time my parents are visiting Bill, another one of my elder brothers. He lives in Egypt, working for Gringotts as a curse breaker.
- Woah! That must be really interesting! I thought that people that worked at Gringotts were just bankers…
- They have different departments. Anyways, I don't see Malfoy around here, has he left already?
- No. This year he's staying here, with me. He said last year was super boring without me around. So, he told his parents he wasn't going.
- And they let him?
- Narcissa was a little bit sad, but she understood. Lucius doesn't really care that much. You know, he's the kind of person that can't stand children, but for some goddamn reason, he chose to have not only one, but adopt a second one. – they both laughed.
- Well, at least you get to be away from him for almost a year. That's a win. – Fred looked at her with sadness. Ever since he knew Lucius beat her sometimes, he had become more protective over her.
They stayed there, watching people leave, when Harry and Ron walked in front of them. People walked away from them with fear, since everyone thought that Harry was the heir of Slytherin.
- Make way for the Heir of Slytherin! Seriously evil wizard coming through! – Fred screamed, and Alex laughed. So did Ron. However, Harry didn't seem to like it.
- See you later, Fred! – Alex headed towards her friends. – C'mon, Harry! Fred's just having a laugh.
- He's the only one.
- Okay, so half the school thinks you're nipping off to the Chamber of Secrets every night. Who cares? – said Ron.
- Maybe they're right. – Harry said as Hermione walked in. - I didn't know I could speak Parseltongue. What else don't I know about myself? Maybe you can do something…even something horrible…and not know you did it.
- You don't believe that, Harry, I know you don't. – Hermione said.
- If it makes you feel better, Draco's staying over for holiday, too. – said Alex to the gang.
- Why would that make anyone feel better? – Ron asked her, and Alex punch him lightly in the arm.
- Because, in a few days, the Polyjuice Potion's will be ready. – intervene Hermione. - In a few days…we may truly know who is the Heir of Slytherin.
It was the Christmas feast. The Great Hall glimmered grandly as snowflakes tumbled from the ceiling. Alex, Ron, Hermione and Harry were sitting together.
- Everything's set. We just need a bit of who you're changing into. – said Alex to her friends.
- Crabbe and Goyle. – said Harry.
- I already got a hair from Pansy. – added Hermione. - But we need to make sure that the real Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating Malfoy.
- How? – wondered Ron.
- We've got it all worked out. – Hermione showed them a pair of small cakes. - I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. Simple, but powerful.
- And what about Pansy? – asked Harry.
- I'll lock her in a wardrobe. – said Alex amused. – No one will suspect a thing, because we hate each other. If she says that I locked her up, well, there are two options. One, I admit it, no one will complain. Two, I deny it and no one believes her because she just wants to draw Draco's attention. I'll choose whatever I feel like at the moment. – Alex smiled with malicious.
- You truly can be evil if you want to. – said Ron afraid of his friend. He glanced at Draco, who was surrounded by Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy. They were eating everything in front of them.
- You know how greedy Crabbe and Goyle are. They won't leave the Christmas Feast until every last drop of trifle is gone. – Hermione looked at them too. - Now, once they're asleep, hide them in a broom cupboard and pull out a few of their hairs. All right then…I'm going to check on the Polyjuice Potion.
- And I'm going to sit next to my dear friend Pansy and wait till she goes to the bathroom to attack her. It's going to be so much fun. – Alex got up and went to sit next to the Slytherins.
Alex and Pansy hostility had started during their first year. Draco was a handsome boy, that was obvious for anyone who had eyes. And Pansy had developed a fixation on him. She followed him around like a lost puppy, laugh at his jokes, walked around with Crabbe and Goyle. And she loved making herself notice. She would always show up with a crazy story about something that had happened to her that day. Most times it was all lies, she just wanted Draco's attention. And she hated Alex. She was Draco's best friend, and she got to live with him all year. Besides, Draco was different with Alex. He was sweet, nice, he gave her hugs…And Pansy wanted all of that. So, from time to time, Alex would hear her talking bad about her to Draco, trying to change Draco's mind about her. She was so annoying.
That night, after the feast, Pansy went to the bathrooms, to brush her teeth and comb her hair. And that's when Alex played her cards.
- Hey, Pansy, wait!
- What do you want, Alexa? – she looked at Alex with disgust.
- I see you're heading to the bathrooms, but those are broken. Apparently the Weasley twins messed with the toilets and there's an awful smell all over the place. I recommend you the one upstairs.
- Oh, thank you…Try to tell your nasty friends to control themselves. They're disgusting…
As easy as that, Pansy headed to the bathrooms upstairs, where the corridor was always empty at that time of the night. And Alex knew. She followed Pansy without her noticing, and when they arrived at the lonely corridor, Alex jumped against Pansy. She was stronger than the rich girl, so it was easy for her to get Pansy into a wardrobe. She pushed her firmly, making Pansy hit the wall at the back. Alex shut the door closed.
- Colloportus! – she pointed the wand at the door and casted the spell. It was a charm that locked doors, making it so that they could not be opened manually. Pansy started knocking and punching the door.
- Let me out, you dirty jade!
- Woah! Those are some nasty words to say to a friend, Pansy. I think you need some time out to think about your bad behaviour. See you later, okay? Byeeeee.
As Alex got away of the door, she could still hear Pansy screaming and complaining. It was safe. No one wandered around that hallway at night time. Alex headed to the bathroom where her friends were getting ready, with a grin on her face.
When she arrived, Hermione was wearing a Slytherin robe that she got from the laundry, and Ron and Harry were getting ready as well.
- Did you make it?
- She's locked. She's not smart or capable enough to open the door, so, we should be safe.
- I'm sure we've done everything right. It looks like the book said it should. Once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly one hour before we change back into ourselves.
- Now what? – asked Ron
- We separate it into three glasses and add the hairs. – said Alex, kneeling in front of the nasty potion. – I'm so happy I don't have to drink any of this. – her three friends grabbed their glasses and drop the hairs that they have gotten.
- Ugh. Essence of Crabbe… - Ron looked like he was about to puke.
- Cheers. – said Hermione, the three of them drinking.
- Think I'm going to be sick… - Ron dropped his glass and ran towards a stall. Hermione did the same. Harry stayed there, feeling sick as well.
- Mmmm, I'm not sure if you're meant to feel this bad, guys… - Alex looked worried at her friends. Suddenly, she saw how Harry's face started morphing into Goyle's. Ron came out of the stall. Looking like Crabbe.
- Harry?
- Ron?
- Bloody hell.
- You still sound like yourselves, guys. – Alex said to both of them.
- Bloody hell. – said Ron imitating Crabbe's voice.
- Where's Hermione? – Harry asked imitating Goyle.
- I don't think I'm going! You go on without me!
- Hermione, are you okay? – Alex asked. – I know looking like Pansy must be terrifying but…
- Just go! You're wasting time!
The three of them looked at each other. Alex signalled them to follow her. They were running down the staircase.
- Don't swing your arms like that. Goyle holds them sort of stiff. – said Ron to Harry, who started walking more bent.
- Hurry up, guys, we need to be quick.
They were moving quickly, when suddenly, Percy showed up right in front of them, at the end of the corridor.
- Shit… - said Alex.
- What are you doing here? – said Ron with Crabbe's voice.
- I happen to be a prefect. You, on the other hand, have no business wandering the corridors at night. It's not safe these days.
- You're right, Percy. We were heading back to our common room…
- Crabbe. Goyle. Where have you been? Pigging out in the Great Hall all this time? – Draco walked towards them. When he saw Alex with them, his expression changed. – Alex…What are you doing with them?
- I'm…I was helping them with…homework.
- You always refuse to help them…
- Right…I just took pity of them. They looked really lost… - Draco didn't seem to buy that excuse, but he nodded anyways.
- Why are you wearing glasses? – he looked at Harry, well, Goyle.
- Well…Alex was helping us and…I was…reading.
- Reading? I didn't know you could read. And what are you doing down here, Weasley? – Draco faced Percy.
- Mind your attitude, Malfoy. You want to show a little bit more respect to a school Prefect!
Without even bothering to say anything else, Draco passed Percy, and the rest followed. When they arrived at the Slytherin common room, Draco laid in one of the couches. Alex sat on the floor, in front of the fireplace, as she used to do. Harry and Ron stood there like they didn't know what to do.
- What are you waiting for? Sit. – said Alex. Draco looked at all of them with suspicious eyes.
- What's going on?
- Nothing! – the three of them said at the same time.
- You never sit here when they're around…
- Well, I've been thinking. You're my friend and they're your friends so maybe we should try and…talk. That way things would not be so…awkward. – Alex smiled at Draco. He knew something was up with her.
- Okay…You know, I'm surprised The Daily Prophet hasn't reported all these attacks yet.
- I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He doesn't want a scandal… - said Alex.
- He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father always said Dumbledore's the worst thing that's ever happened to this place.
- You're wrong! – out of the blue, Harry got up from the couch. Alex looked at him with a face of circumstances.
- What? Did you say that I was wrong? You think there's someone here who's worse than Dumbledore? – Harry realised he had overreacted, and he needed to fix that.
- Harry Potter? – said Harry with fear. Draco stopped to think about it for a second.
- Good one, Goyle. You're absolutely right. Saint Potter. People actually think he's the Heir of Slytherin. – the three of them looked at each other.
- Then you must have some idea who's behind it all? – asked Harry.
- You know I haven't, Goyle. How many times do I have to tell you? But my father did say this much: it's been fifty years since the Chamber was opened. He wouldn't tell me who opened it, only that they were expelled, but I know this. The last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So, it's only a matter of time before one of them is killed this time. And I hope is soon. – Ron rose from the couch in anger, and Harry stopped him, but before it could be suspicious, Alex jumped in.
- Why do you always have to be such an asshole about muggle-borns, huh? Let me tell you something, Draco Malfoy. – she was mad at Draco for saying those things, of course she was, but she was trying to force her anger out to make a scene before Ron and Harry could say anything else. – You are…a moron.
- A moron? – Draco looked at her annoyed. She turned to Harry and Ron, and her face decomposed. They were transforming back into their own selves. They looked at each other and they realised. She needed to do something. She grabbed a cushion from the couch and started hitting them with it.
- And you are awful people! Bullies! You know what? I thought that I could try and be your friend in order to spent more time with Draco, but you're all unbearable! So, you better RUN before I decide to kick you in the ass! – she winked at them, giving them a sign. They understood and started running away from the common room.
- Hey! Where are you going? – asked Draco.
- Yeah! You run and don't come back in like, I don't know…thirty minutes! – Alex turned to Draco, who didn't seem to understand anything. – And you…I like you better when you're not surrounded by imbeciles.
She turned around and climbed up the stairs, towards the girl's bedroom, leaving a confused Draco behind.