The newest readers, in Daphne Greengrass, Astoria Greengrass, Thea Queen, Nyssa al Ghul, and Nymphadora Tonks showed up. Some of them would be sticking around a bit longer than others.
"Wow, you weren't kidding when we have a crowded room," Thea said. "Especially with all of the time travelers."
"Things should settle down now that we've got the time assassin captured and we can go home," Lily said.
"Oh, come on, Lily, I want to see how the story ends," Sirius said.
"The purpose was to keep us safe," Remus reminded them. "But, if the danger is passed, we should be able to return without any problems."
"Spoilsport," Sirius said.
"Just reminding you the purpose of us being here," Remus said.
"Until we find the big boss, you can't go anywhere," Sara reminded them all.
"And our little time assassin isn't talking," Mia added grimly.
Hermione made her way back in. She looked in a daze.
"I'm not late am I?" Hermione asked quietly.
"No," Harry said.
"Granger," Daphne said.
"Greengrass," Hermione said. "So, are we all ready?"
Everyone nodded and Gideon prepared to read off the next chapter.
"Chapter Twelve," Gideon read. "The Polyjuice Potion."
"Here we go," Lily grumbled.
"What's the worst that can happen?" Lena asked.
"Oh, so much," Hermione murmured. "Oh, so very much."
"As far as plans go, this isn't one of your better ones," Nyssa said to Harry.
"No kidding," Thea agreed.
"Well, I was twelve," Harry said. "Took a while to get the fine tuning down."
"It's always nice to see the greatest at their humble beginnins," Mia said.
"I agree," Nyssa said. "It shows how much everyone will have to learn."
McGonagall takes Harry up to Dumbledore's office. And if Harry was not so afraid of being expelled, he would have liked a chance to really look around.
"The man's got a point," George said.
"That he does," Sirius said.
"We must have been up there dozens of times and there's always something new to be noticed," James said whistfully.
"Yes, say what you want about Dumbledore, his office is worth a visit," John said. "Of course, I've never been there for good reasons."
"Who has?" Astra asked.
Harry spies the Sorting Hat and on a whim decides to put it in.
"You were still insecure about the almost being sorted into Slytherin thing," Daphne said.
"A little," Harry said. "I got over it."
"Being surrounded by people who gave you the impression that Slytherin was the worst didn't help," Astra said.
"Yeah, I…I was wrong with that," Ron admitted. "There's plenty of rotten people in the other three houses. Getting rid of Slytherin wouldn't have solved anything."
"Damn right," Natalie agreed.
After a brief conversation, the Sorting Hat stands by its assessment that Harry would have done well in Slytherin.
"And you really would have," Astoria agreed.
"Thanks, Malfoy, you robbed us of Harry Potter," Daphne said.
"I do wonder how things would have gone if Harry hadn't been sorted into Gryffindor," Kara said.
"The only bad thing would be Snape would be his head of house," Zari reminded them all.
"No thank you," Harry said.
"True, that would have not worked out well," Daphne agreed.
"Yes, Greengrass, that's putting it mildly," Snape said.
After Harry tells the Sorting Hat is wrong, he turns around to see Dumbledore's pet bird in distress.
"Don't worry, it's just his burning day," Sirius said.
"Which, I didn't know at the time," Harry said.
"They really are beautiful creatures," Astra said. "Not sure how Dumbledore could bond for a phoenix."
"Well, there's a theory," Daphne remarked. "That Phoenix don't necessary bond with light wizards, but rather wizards who are on the edge of light and darkness. Where they need an anchor to prevent them from going over the edge or crossing the line."
"Dumbledore crossed a line when he sent Harry to those people," Astra said.
"Just imagine how bad he would have been, if not for Fawkes," Harry mused.
"Well, I don't think…I think Fawkes saw the good in Dumbledore," Hermione said.
"Honey, otherwise good people can make terrible choices," Charlotte told her daughter.
Astra would beg to differ that Dumbledore was good.
And the bird bursts into flames, much to Harry's shock and horror.
"That's about in line for Harry's luck," Lita said with a chuckle.
"Isn't it?" Sara asked.
"Oh, if I didn't know better, I would be freaking out," Thea said.
"I did the first time I saw his burning day," Lily admitted. "And I knew what a phoenix was."
Harry tells an arriving Dumbledore that his bird caught on fire. But, to Harry's surprise, Dumbledore says its about time.
"Say what you want about Dumbledore, but he's just really matter of fact about it," Lita said. "Got to appreciate it."
"About that, yes," Lily agreed. "About other things, not so much."
Dumbledore explains to Harry that Fawkes is a Phoenix.
"And they are pretty cool," Astra admitted. "Although not as cool as dragons."
"I agree," Astoria said.
Fawkes is reborn from the ashes. Unfortunately ugly, because it's burning day. Quite handsome most of the time.
"To be fair, he is quite gorgeous," Natalie admitted.
"Yes, phoenixes generally are," Ginny said with a fond smile. "And they can be soothing during some dark times."
And Ginny went through some dark times.
Hagrid bursts into Dumbledore's office, and says that there's no way Harry could have attacked Justin, because Hagrid was talking to him just seconds later.
"Good, although Dumbledore couldn't think that you did it," Nyssa said. "You might be capable of that now, but when you were twelve, not really."
"But, how much did Dumbledore know?" Sara asked.
"The more I ask that question, the less I like the answers," James said.
"I've been that way for almost two books," Astra said.
"And to think, we have another five," Alex chimed in.
Alex and Kara exchanged a dark look which Astra rightfully read into, "it gets worse." She just sighed.
"Turns out I had quite a few people to vouch for me on that day," Harry said.
"Oh?" Lita asked.
"We'll get to it soon," Harry told her.
Dumbledore assures Hagrid that he doesn't believe that Harry attacked those people.
"You really could have used that reassurance much sooner," Kate said.
"Weeks ago, you should have," Kara chimed in.
"I should have told Harry that no one believed he was behind it," McGonagall said.
"The problem is, people did believe he was behind it," Daphne said.
"Mostly a bunch of idiotic, hysterical Hufflepuffs," Astoria said.
"Oh, I feel like I should be offended," Tonks chimed in.
"Given how they acted, you should be offended," Astra said.
Tonks shook her head. She had been brought up onto things. How that Ernie MacMillian acted back then, made her ashamed.
After Dumbledore left, but before Hagrid could respond, Susan Bones entered Dumbledore's office.
"Hannah told me what happened," Susan said. "And it can't be Harry. Because, I was talking to him."
"As was Hagrid," Dumbledore said.
"He couldn't have the time, Professor," Susan said. "He shouldn't…"
"It's not him, Professor."
And in come Cedric. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
"I take it you were talking to Harry, Mr. Diggory," Dumbledore said.
"Yes, he left the library, after trying to…well trying to clear the air after yesterday," Cedric said. "And Beatrice she…"
"Professor Dumbledore, it's not him! I don't know what MacMillian has been screaming about, but it's not him."
And in comes a very frantic Beatrice.
"You can't blame Harry for this, any of this," Beatrice said.
"I don't believe Harry's responsible, Miss Haywood," Dumbledore said.
"Oh, and are you going to do something about it?" Beatrice asked. "Because, sir, you have a nasty habit of not doing anything until one of your students actually has to step in. I swear, you better not leave Harry hanging out to dry like you did Cassie!"
"I can assure you, Miss Haywood, I intend to work with Harry, and get to the bottom of this," Dumbledore said.
"Oh, are you actually going to do your job?" Beatrice asked. "Because it's…"
"If you could wait outside with Mr. Diggory and Miss Bones, Miss Haywood," Dumbledore said. "I do have to talk to Harry about this situation. Although, I do believe that there is no way Harry can be blamed for this or any of the other attacks."
"Beatrice," Cedric warned her. "Let it go."
Cedric put a hand on his friend's shoulder and Beatrice snorted.
"Fine," Beatrice said. "I'll be waiting outside."
"And that's honorable, to look out for younger students like that," Dumbledore said. "Your sister would be proud."
Beatrice, Cedric, and Susan all left the office which left Harry alone with Dumbledore.
"Beatrice didn't fuck around there," George said with a chuckle.
"So, the player character is canonically a girl," Lita murmured.
"To be fair, is it canon if it's real life?" Zari asked.
Lita responded with a shrug.
"Damn, go for the throat," Astra said. "I like this girl. What happened to her?"
"Yeah, what did happen to her?" Kara asked.
"We'll get there," Harry said.
Kara and Astra tried to read Harry's expression, but they could get nothing out of it.
"I'm dying to know this too," Lena said.
"We'll get there, be patient," Sara said.
"So, do you know?" Kara asked Sara.
"Are you feeling a bit better about your fellow Hufflepuffs now?" Narcissa asked Tonks.
"Well, Susan, Cedric, and Beatrice, they really stood up when it counted," Tonks said fondly.
"Not sure why Joanne wanted to downplay the support you got," Nora said.
"Well, she didn't have as much freedom and had to cut some things for time," Harry said. "She did think that making me an underdog made me more relatable."
"The entire traumatic childhood thing and every adult failing you wasn't enough?" Mick asked. "That's a bit too much angst piled on."
"And she leaned into it too much later," Lita concluded.
"Along with inflating Hermione's importance," Kate said. "My sister has a swollen enough head as is."
Kate was talking like Hermione was not in the room.
"Katherine," Harry warned her.
"Sorry, Dad," Kate said. "But…"
"Later," Harry said.
"Could be worse," Ron said. "Could have been the movies."
"There's a silver lining for everything, then," Thea said. "Seriously, those movies were hot garbage."
"A few hot actresses," Sara admitted. "Including the time Harry and I met Emma Watson…."
"Perhaps a story for later," Ava said.
"Oh, I'm curious about that one," Nyssa said.
"Oh, yes, because I'd like to hear about what about you do did to my character's actress," Hermione grumbled.
"Someone's in a salty mood," Astoria said.
"My fault, we had a talk about house elves and other things," Junior said.
"Mudblood didn't like she was being told she was wrong?" Bellatrix asked. "She…."
Narcissa flicked her wand and a bar of soap was shoved into Bellatrix's mouth. She gargled on the soap suds.
"Never speak that word in front of me again," Narcissa said coldly.
Bellatrix tried to protest the way Hermione acted, she was one by the original definition. However, Narcissa was not to be deterred.
Malfoy was really glad that his mother never found out about his verbiage when he was younger.
"Got to love how Beatrice never truly forgave Dumbledore," Tonks said.
"And rightfully so," Astra said.
Astra never would either, given what she learned about the man.
"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry, I believe that you're not responsible."
"Thank you," Harry said. "Who is Cassie?"
Dumbledore did not miss a beat or rather a twinkle.
"Cassandra Jacobs was a student who attended Hogwarts before your time," Dumbledore said. "She had both a knack for adventure and for trouble, not unlike yourself.
Harry blinked.
Cassandra Jacobs.
CJ.
"What happened to her, sir?" Harry asked.
"Well, I'm afraid that is a personal matter involving Miss Jacobs."
"To be fair, he's right," Tonks said.
"That's not going to put Harry in a good mood," Thea said.
"Given what Harry's been going through, I would think so," Lita said.
"It wouldn't put me in a good mood."
Harry was slightly annoyed.
"Do you have any idea what is going on, Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked.
"I'm afraid with the information I have, your guess is as good as mine," Dumbledore said. "So, is there anything you want to tell me, anything at all?"
Harry thought about all of the things going on, but denied telling Dumbledore anything.
"You should have told him," Hermione said. "It might have solved things earlier."
"You can't blame Harry for behavior he's learned from the adults around him," Daphne said.
"And the same could be said about if Dumbledore told Harry information sooner, things could have been avoided," Ron said.
The standard hysteria at Hogwarts happened with the latest double attack. Ron makes a comment about how it might only be the trio, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle left for the holidays.
"Oh, fuck no," Malfoy grumbled. "That's not a necktie I wanted for Christmas if that was the case."
Everyone shuddered.
"That got dark in a hurry," Sara grimly said.
Fred and George treat Harry being the heir of Slytherin with all of the absurdity it deserves.
"I really appreciated you guys and your refuge in audacity," Harry said.
"Oh, always happy to be of help," George said.
"You deserved to be perked up," Kara said. "And those two are always good at that."
"Ah, you're making us blush, Supergirl," Fred said.
Percy does not find this funny, and neither does Ginny.
"In hindsight, it was kind of funny," Ginny said. "It was just…I was worried about how people would take it too seriously."
"I understand," Fred said seriously.
"Given the collective intelligence of the Hogwarts population, they would, wouldn't they?" Zari asked.
"Yes," Astoria said. "They don't understand satire."
"Poe's law is alive and well," Lita said.
Malfoy, meanwhile, gets agitated by these rumors.
"Ah, poor widdle baby, Draco," Astoria cooed. "He's got his fee-fees hurt that someone gets more attention."
"They married you two off in the books?" Lita said.
"That play doesn't count," Astoria said.
"What play?" Sara asked.
Harry smiled and gave her a thumbs up.
"We know you weren't behind it, Malfoy," Ava said.
"Although his boo-boo face was amusing," Daphne said.
"That wasn't making them any less suspicious," Narcissa said while shaking her head.
Hermione enters the Gryffindor dormitory to wake Ron and Harry up on Christmas morning to say that the Polyjuice Potion is nearly ready.
Lily sighed deeply.
"Here we go," Lily said.
"Well, maybe everything will work without any problems?" Peter asked.
"Have you been paying attention, Pettigrew?" Regulus asked.
"And she can walk into the Dorm room without knocking," Sara said. "That's fair?"
"The founders thought girls were more trustworthy than boys," Hermione said with a shrug.
"Because, female on male rape isn't a thing that exists," Lita sarcastically said.
"And girls can be just as deviant as boys," Thea said.
"Speaking from experience, Speedy?" Sara asked.
Thea just grinned. Oh, her wild teenage years. It was a wonder they did not find her in a gutter before Oliver got back from the island.
Hedwig has finally forgiven Harry and brings him a toothpick from the Dursleys.
No one was impressive by "the gift" the Dursleys sent.
"New or used?" Nora asked.
"Looked like something they pulled out of a junk drawer," Harry said.
"At this point, they might as well not get you anything," Lena said.
"Some kids got coal, I would have killed to be those kids when I was younger," Harry said.
"Unfortunately," Astra agreed.
"Could have sent you toilet paper," Sirius said.
"Would have been kind of valuable in 2020," Thea replied darkly.
"Why?" Natalie asked.
"You really don't want to know what we're going through in the present," Alex said.
"I'm keeping my mouth shut, because it veers too far into politics," Kate said.
"Thank you," Ava said.
"Well, this was supposed to be a sanctuary away from that," Nora said.
"Let's get back to the story then," Hermione said.
She was rather agreeable with not discussing the current state of politics in 2020, being magical or Muggle. It was a shame that everything had gotten political.
Harry's other presents are more satisfactory, and useful, although he does have a pang of guilt when gets the Weasley sweater about what he's planning.
"Ah, the home-made sweater, the ultimate guilt trip," Thea said.
"To be fair, it was rather nice," Harry admitted.
"They always were," Ron agreed. "Even if mine's maroon."
"I really wish we'd get this plan over with," Lily said.
"I'm curious to see how it goes off the rails," Junior said.
"Like a trainwreck," Zari admitted. "You can't look away."
Hermione plans on getting a part of Crabbe and Goyle to finish the Potions by drugging two chocolate cakes.
"Oh, drugging two students, Miss Granger?" Snape asked.
"Surprised you had it in you," Kate said with a raised eyebrow.
"Although the implications Hermione knows a potion which can knock out two people the size of Crabbe and Goyle is quite concerning," Natalie said.
"Yes," Charlotte said. "It is."
"I never used that potion for anything…bad," Hermione said.
"Not sure what you call this, then," Junior said.
"It's a good thing Crabbe and Goyle are dense enough to buy this," Malfoy said.
Hermione announces that she got her hair for the Polyjuice Potion from Millicent Bulstrode at dueling club. Her grand plan is to tell the Slytherins she's decided to come back.
"And where did you get this hair, Miss Granger?" Snape asked.
"From her robes," Hermione said.
"Granger?" Daphne asked.
"Yes, Greengrass."
"You're really the most book smart idiot I've ever met," Daphne said.
Hermione only responded with a scowl.
"That's what you were doing, when Bulstrode nearly choked you out," Lena said. "You tried to get hair."
"And Hermione managed to get it off of Bulstrode's robes," Lita said.
"It's not hers, is it?" Nyssa asked.
"Oh, bugger me, this is worse than I thought," Lily said. "Hermione, what were you thinking?"
Hermione threw her hands up. To be fair, she did wonder the same thing herself.
Ron asks Harry if he ever heard of a plan where so much could go wrong.
"Not up to that point," Harry admitted.
"In the future, there's been a few," Sara admitted.
"Comes with the territory of what we do," Kara agreed.
Crabbe and Goyle eat the cakes that just happen to be floating in midair.
"Those idiots," Malfoy said. "Those idiots. Those fools! Those imbeciles! Those complete and utter dunderheads!"
"And you didn't suspect anything off," Ron said.
"Well, you two did pull off a very convincing Crabbe and Goyle impression that night," Malfoy said. "By being completely clueless about anything. Goyle seemed a bit dumber than usual and unable to understand common knowledge. Guessing that was Potter."
Harry just smiled and nodded.
"Idiots," Malfoy said.
"Not even I would do that," Peter said.
"Well, you know that there's a chance mysteriously floating cakes could be chalked full of poison," Sirius said.
"So many missed opportunities where we could have tested our products on Crabbe and Goyle," Fred said.
"You could have put it in their hand and they would have eaten it," Malfoy said.
"Well, looks like they're not much smarter than the Crabbe and Goyle from our time," Bellatrix added.
"If anything, they get dumber with each generation," Astoria said.
The unconscious Crabbe and Goyle are dragged into the closet and Harry and Ron steal their shoes.
"Smart move," Nyssa said.
"Could have stolen their robes as well," Mia said.
"Oh, I didn't want to wear anything that Crabbe and Goyle wore," Ron said.
"Wearing Dudley's second hand stuff is bad enough," Harry said.
"But, just think of all of the strange fun new diseases you could get," Lita said.
"No thank you," Harry said.
"I agree with Potter and Weasley," Malfoy said.
"Words I'd never thought I'd hear coming out of your mouth," Daphne said.
"They're capable of having an intelligent thought that lines up with mine occasionally," Malfoy said.
"And modest as usual," Kara said.
"I would think something was wrong, if he was humble," Astoria said.
Harry and Ron return to the bathroom, to do the final part of the potion. And Hermione has gotten some spare robes so they could turn into Crabbe and Goyle.
"At least, she did that right," Daphne said. "Her entire Bulstrode plan could use work."
"It should have been shelved completely," Severus chimed in.
"Well, this is what you've wanted to see," Natalie said.
"I'm sure it wasn't too bad," James said.
"Not going to end up too good either," Lily said.
The Polyjuice Potion looks disgusting. The trio slips into separate stalls to drink it.
"Given Crabbe and Goyle are your subjects," Malfoy said. "I can just imagine it doesn't taste any better than it looks."
"And whatever Granger nicked off of Bulstrode's robes," Daphne said.
"Here we go," Astra said.
Harry tastes the potion which is like overcooked cabbage.
"The fact you're familiar with the tasted overcooked cabbage is concerning," Zari said.
"That's definitely Petunia's cooking," Lily said.
"It is," Harry said.
"Could have been so much worse tasting," Junior said. "Given the source."
"So far, nothing out of the ordinary," Severus said.
Ron and Harry have turned into Crabbe and Goyle. And they have to get used to their new bodies.
"You only have an hour," Lily reminded them. "And that's if you did it right."
"I think they might be okay," Sirius said. "Although they should get moving."
"It's going to take them at least a half of an hour to get from Myrtle's bathroom to the Slytherin common room," Bellatrix said.
"And that's if they don't run into any trouble," Zari said.
"Should have dry run this plan," Mick said.
"We should have," Harry agreed.
"With all due respect, great one, this plan is hilariously hideous," Nyssa said.
"I agree, this could have been better," Thea said. "But, twelve year olds aren't known for planning."
"Even the book smart one made several mistakes," Nyssa added.
"Too late to do anything about it now," Harry said.
Hermione tells Ron and Harry to go without her.
"Oh, what was that hair again?" Astra asked.
"You'll find out," Hermione said.
Hermione wanted to hide in a hole for this particularly bad mistake.
"Well, at least she's breathing," Lily said.
"Taking someone to the hospital wing for a botched Polyjuice potion would have ruined your entire plan," Tonks said. "I'm so glad I don't have to deal with that rubbish. And I get more than an hour to pose as someone."
"Providing you don't trip over your own feet in your excitement," Sara said.
Tonks stuck out her tongue.
Harry is bewildered at why Hermione is acting like this. Perfect Goyle face.
"I concur," Malfoy said. "That's Goyle. That's so Goyle. You are the perfect Goyle, Potter."
"Not sure if it was a compliment or insult," Harry said.
"A little bit of column A, a whole lot of column B," Daphne said.
"You're wasting a lot of time," Mick said. "You only have an hour."
Harry and Ron stumble and bumble around when trying to find the Slytherin Common Room.
"You didn't figure out where the Slytherin Common Room was before you went there?" Natalie asked.
"Well, this plan officially is one of the worst," Bellatrix said.
"Twelve," Harry reminded them. "Twelve."
"True," Ava agreed. "But that was the most basic part of the plan."
"We can brew a complex potion, well Hermione could," Ron said. "We did overlook a few details."
"So, Granger, did you find that out?" Daphne asked.
"We should have done a dry run," Hermione said.
"So, that's a no," Daphne said.
"At least three," Mia said.
"Because, no plan survives contact with the enemy," Junior said wisely.
They come across a girl with long curly hair and ask her the way to the Common Room. However, she's a Ravenclaw.
"Oooh," Lily groaned.
"I'm embarrassed, on your behalf," Thea said.
"You're normally more observant," Nyssa said.
"I'll make up for it later," Harry said.
"We all come from humble beginnings," Sara reminded Nyssa.
"True, beloved," Nyssa said. "I've forgotten how humble you were before you became the woman you were today."
"Did you even make it to the Slytherin Common Room?" Astra asked.
"Read on," Harry said.
They run into Percy. Who is lurking around quite suspiciously downstairs.
"Okay, that's…interesting," Mia murmured.
"Makes him look like he's up to something," Astra said.
"No, he was up to something that night," George said.
"Or, maybe he wanted to get into something," Fred said.
"Doesn't seem like the type," Sara said.
"Oh, he didn't get too far, because the girl had some sense," Ginny muttered underneath her breath.
To be fair, she was on edge for many reasons.
Percy declares that nothing's about to attack him because he's a prefect.
"Well, if that's the case, then let's make everyone prefects," Astra said while rolling her eyes. "Problem solved."
"This kid really is something else," Junior said.
"Just imagine growing up with him," Ron said.
"My condolences," Regulus said.
"Seriously he does have his head up his ass," Thea said.
"Just a little bit," Sara agreed.
"I can't believe he would be this arrogant," Tonks said. "Hasn't he seen any horror movies?"
"Well, no," Ron said.
"My point still stands," Tonks said
"There you two are!"
Daphne Greengrass made her way towards "Crabbe" and "Goyle".
"Did you two get lost again?" Daphne asked. "Can you believe these two? They get lost about three times a week."
"Well, they should find their way back," Percy said.
"Oh, I'll make sure of it, Mr. Weasley," Daphne said. "MALFOY! DID YOU LOSE THESE?"
Malfoy came around the corner.
"There are you two. Have you been pigging out in the Great Hall all of this time?"
"Thing One and Thing Two forgot how to get back again," Daphne said.
"Oh, of course," Malfoy said. "What are you doing down here, Weasley?"
"You should show some respect to me, Malfoy," Percy said.
"Right, I'll do that," Malfoy said. "Come on, you two."
Daphne shook her head in disgust.
"I knew," Daphne said.
"I figured," Harry agreed. "We were on a clock."
"Must only have fifteen minutes, if that," Lita said.
"Talk about your time crunches," Ruby said.
"There's ways to increase that potion beyond an hour," Severus said. "But, it's not told in any books. The textbooks are useless if you really want to get ahead in Potions."
Hermione scoffed scandalized.
"Of course, it could use a bigger disclaimer not to use hair just randomly lying around," Daphne said.
"I'm never going to live this one down, am I?" Hermione asked.
"I'm afraid not," Astoria said. "Daphne really has a bone to pick with you, for some reason. Not sure why. Didn't bother to ask. None of my business."
"Fair enough," Hermione said.
Malfoy suspects that Percy hopes to find the Heir of Slytherin himself.
Ginny shifted. That was her fear.
"He would be the type who would want that," Astra said.
"From what we've read so far, I would agree," Lena said.
"But don't worry, that bright shiny prefect badge would be a deterrent for any danger," Remus said while shaking his head.
"If only it was that way, we would have used Moony as a shield everytime we did something stupid," Sirius said.
"Appreciate that, Padfoot," Remus said.
The password to the Slytherin house is "Pureblood."
"Okay, whose bright idea was to make the password that?" Lily asked.
"One of the prefects chose the password, I had no involvement," Snape said.
"You should have," Severus said.
"If you happen to get in my predicament, you will appreciate delegating some of the minor responsibilities to others," Snape said.
"Really that just shines a bad light on Slytherin," Kara said.
"To be fair, no one outside of our house was supposed to know," Daphne said.
"Oh, but it kind of would be easy to guess," Ron said. "If I had to guess the password, that might have been one of the first choices I guess."
"The M-Word being the other one," Sirius said.
"Yes, I wouldn't be surprised if they did," Natalie said. "Given who their head of house is."
Snape just sneered, but wisely said nothing.
Malfoy shows "Crabbe" and "Goyle" a newspaper clipping describing the fine that Mr. Weasley got over the flying car.
"Oh, you can't just resist flaunting that to your two minions," Lita said.
"Or, who you thought was your minions," Nora added.
"They were a very convincing Crabbe and Goyle," Malfoy stated. "Charming in how dense they were."
"Crabbe" and "Goyle" laugh when Malfoy asks them if they find it funny.
"Surprised you didn't think something was up," Thea said.
"To be fair, they always required a bit of hand holding," Malfoy said. "So, I didn't think anything out of the ordinary."
"Draco, you should have been more mindful of the people you surround yourself with," Narcissa said.
"She's right," Sirius said. "Could have been easy for one of them to stab you and you wouldn't know who it was."
"Sloppy, very sloppy," Nyssa said. "I had forgotten how inept your average child could be."
"Well, you didn't have what was considered a traditional childhood," Sara said.
Nyssa nodded. She could not dispute this.
Malfoy talks some trash about the Weasleys. "Crabbe" nearly gives it away.
"Nice save," Mia said.
"Don't know how Malfoy didn't notice anything," Sara said.
"Again, Crabbe and Goyle were not the sharpest knife in the box," Malfoy said.
Malfoy suggests "Crabbe" give all of the Muggleborns a kick for him. And talks about how Dumbledore's trying to hush things up.
"Asshole as he may be, he does have a point," Alex said.
"I hate that I have to agree with the twat," Astra said.
"The love and support from this room is outpouring," Malfoy said.
"Don't let it get to your head," Bellatrix said.
Malfoy does a malicious, but very accurate expression of Colin.
"It was a bit funny," Ron admitted.
"But, still doesn't make him deserve what happened, no matter how annoying he is," Lily said.
"No, it doesn't," Ron confirmed.
"No one deserved what happened," Ginny said.
"No, and Malfoy making light of it really is making him prone to suspicion," Sara said.
"It's too obvious," Nyssa said. "He's not capable of controlling this beast. No one that young is."
"That young, that inexperienced, that naive," Mia said.
"We lived in our own little bubble quite nicely," Harry said.
"Crabbe" and "Goyle" are a bit slow on the uptake laughing.
"Used it it," Malfoy said
"Didn't really have to act too hard to be dumb," Daphne said.
"And if Granger had succeeded in changing in Bulstrode, she might have raised a red flag," Malfoy said.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.
"You wouldn't be a convincing enough actress," Zari said.
"And that entire, you decided to come back thing wouldn't fly," Daphne said. "Bulstrode hated spending the holidays away from her grandmother. So, she wouldn't decide to just return."
"I didn't know," Hermione said.
"Thank Morgana for a botched potion then," Kate said.
"How bad was it botched?" Charlotte asked.
"In a little bit," Hermione said.
Charlotte gave her daughter one of those looks. Hermione avoided talking to her during the last break although Charlotte got the sense that her daughters talked plenty.
Malfoy is aghast that people think that Harry's Slytherin's heir.
"Hey, everyone, Malfoy believes in me," Harry said.
"You were too much of a goody two shoes back then," Astoria said.
"You got a bit more edge as time went on," Tonks added.
"Although not for good reasons," Sara said.
"He slowly became the person he should have been," Astra said.
Then, Malfoy drops the bombshell that he wishes he knew who was behind it, so he could assist the heir.
"Well, there goes your one and only theory," Sirius said. "Absolutely down the drain."
"That's what tunnel vision does," James said.
"I can almost feel the air being deflated from the room," Ruby said.
"Me too," Mia agreed.
"We all do," Junior said. "That's the only work."
"Wondered why Goyle looked like someone's puppy had gotten shot," Malfoy said. "Which come to think about it, he would be excited about someone's puppy getting shot."
"Lovely," Sara said
When "Goyle" asks if Malfoy has some idea, Malfoy snaps he told "Goyle" loads of times he didn't.
"Clinging onto that one desperate ray of hope," Ruby teased.
"Well, you have no other hints, you thought it was Malfoy," Ava said. "That's the problem with a lot of murder investigations, people focus on one suspect. And thus the other suspect gets away with, well murder."
Malfoy mentions that when the Chamber of Secrets opened a Mudblood died. And he laughs and hopes it's Granger.
A hand from Kate's direction whirled out and hit Malfoy in the side of the face. Charlotte could not even bring herself to reprimand her daughter.
"Sorry, slipped," Kate said.
"Draco, that was way out of line," Narcissa said.
Her son had been getting more out of hand with these statements. Narcissa knew now why Draco was in the situation he is in.
"Sorry, Granger," Malfoy said. "Never thought my own private conversation with my two bodyguards would ever be published because the point of view character polyjuiced as them."
"I'll take it," Hermione said.
Harry eyed Kate.
"Nice one," he murmured.
Kate just grinned and fist-bumped her father.
"Goyle" holds "Crabbe" back. It might be a bit of a getaway if he slugs Malfoy.
"Yes, that might have clued me in," Malfoy said, massaging the shiner that Kate just gave him.
"At least you were quick enough for that," Nyssa said.
Malfoy says that the attacker likely was in Azkaban from the last time and "Goyle" is confused. We find out its the Wizarding prison.
"Malfoy's observation skills on the other hand could use a bit of fine-tuning,"Sara said.
"Good thing he wasn't observant," Kara said.
"I just thought that Goyle was being a new breed of dense," Malfoy said. "Oh, and Potter, it really embarrasses me just how much you didn't know. And if you did shake my hand, I wouldn't let you be this ignorant for this long."
"And I would have ensured that you were removed from your relatives, if you had been a friend of my son," Narcissa said. "And with any hope, you could have tamed some of Draco's more…questionable impulses."
"Guess, we'll never know what happened if we shook hands," Harry said.
"Think that might have been a fan fiction somewhere," Lita said.
"Isn't everything?" Thea asked.
"To be fair, the fandom's so vast, what hasn't been done?" Nora asked.
"Still think it's weird that there are people writing fictional stories about us," Peter said.
"Oh, I think it could be cool," Sirius said.
"I guess," Remus said.
Malfoy talks about how the Ministry of Magic raided his home last week. But the really juicy stuff is in a secret chamber underneath their drawing room.
"Didn't do you any good to find that out," Malfoy said. "By the time Arthur Weasley got his wits together someone tipped off Father, and it was already moved."
"Say what you will about Lucius, but he's always about three steps ahead of people," Sirius said.
"Unfortunately, there's trouble when he runs into someone who is at least five to ten steps ahead," Sara said with a knowing smile towards Harry.
"To be fair, it did take Dad a while to get that first raid together, and the second one, well they dug their heals from what he told me," Ron said with a sigh.
"Crabbe" is triumphant. But Harry and Ron are beginning to change back, so they beat a hasty retreat.
"So close, you almost blew it," Severus said.
"Well, at least you're changing back," Lily said.
"I can't think of a plan which was more sloppily executed if I tried," Junior said.
"It's such a twelve-year-old plan," Kara replied grimly.
Ron mentions that he will tell his father to check underneath the Malfoy drawing room.
"It's the thought that counted," James said with a shrug.
"Just wish we could have nailed him on something," Ron said.
Ginny wished as well. Then again ,if Lucius had been caught on something, or maybe the Ministry found the diary and confiscated it, well hard to tell what could have happened.
When Harry and Ron return to Myrtle's bathroom, Hermione angrily tells them to go away.
"Mmm, here we go," Lita said.
"Two out of three isn't bad for an advanced potion," Astra said.
Moaning Myrtle arrives and looks happy.
Lily, Natalie, and Bellatrix all shuddered simultaneously.
"Now, I'm scared," Lily said.
"Myrtle? Happy?" Bellatrix asked.
"Does not compute," Fred said.
"Actually, it doesn't," Gideon said. "Although in this situation, you'll have to see what happens."
"You made her happy," Daphne said. "Now, I'm really curious."
"Well, let's not wait any longer," Lena said.
Hermione reveals the hair she took was a cat hair. The Polyjuice Potion wasn't supposed to be used for animal transfiguration.
Gideon played the Price is Right fail horn over the intercom.
"Sorry, couldn't resist," Gideon said.
"I had it coming," Hermione admitted. "Oh….well…I walked into that one."
"To be fair, your blunder made sure Weasley and Potter wouldn't be caught," Malfoy said. "Because, Slytherins would have seen through your Bulstrode act in a second."
"Cat hair?" Astoria asked with her lip twitching.
"To be fair, there could have been worse animals you could have used for that potion," Severus said.
"Not making me feel better," Hermione said.
"Never see you show humility before," Astra said.
"Kind of nice," Kate said.
"Ladies, enough," Harry said. "Hermione learned a very valuable lesson on this day."
"Did she, Potter?" Snape asked. "Did she really?"
Harry assures Hermione that Madam Pomfrey does not ask too many questions.
"Obviously, she knew," Daphne said.
"She's good for just treating the malady and getting the information on very little information," Tonks said.
"I never was told about this," Charlotte said.
"We…assumed Miss Granger would have informed you," McGonagall said.
"And funnily enough, I'm beginning to think your assumptions hurt these students a lot," Charlotte said. "And drove a wedge between myself and my daughter."
"Don't blame Professor McGonagall for this," Hermione argued.
"Your mother has a point," Ava said.
"She does," McGonagall agreed. "And I'm sorry I failed you. Perhaps if you had been brought home…"
McGonagall got tongue-tied.
"Oh, bloody hell, what didn't you tell me this time?" Charlotte asked Hermione.
Hermione slumped in her seat. She was not looking forward to what was to come.
Astra blinked and realized. She leaned over and buried her face into Harry's chest while hugging him.
"I'm sorry," Astra said.
Myrtle teases Hermione about the fact she has a tail.
"Nice to see she can tease people," Lily said dryly. "But the most innocuous comments set her off."
"That's pretty much on brand for Myrtle," Tonks said with a sigh, remembering her run-ins with the ghost. "Always teased me for having two left feet. Which technically I can literally have thanks to my powers."
"Well, that's the chapter," Sara said.
"Could have gone better," Ruby said.
"Oh, yes, but Daphne brought up a good point," Harry said.
"Of course she did," Hermione said curtly.
"You didn't know Bulstrode well," Daphne said. "Therefore, the plan wouldn't have gone as well."
"So, it's not Malfoy," Kate said.
"Then it could be anyone," Bellatrix said. "My money is on that Peter Weasley…."
"Percy," Ron corrected.
"Sorry, reminds me a bit of Pettigrew," Bellatrix said.
"Please don't compare me to that uptight prick,"Peter said crossly.
"Take a deep breath everyone," Sara said. "Things are really picking up."
"I'm going to need another drink," Charlotte said.
"Here, Mum," Kate said.
"So, the mystery continues," Mia said. "In the next chapter."
Ginny braced herself. And Harry caught her eye. They both knew what was coming next.
To Be Continued.