"There are other ways to get things besides stealing them Ron,"Hermione explained patiently.
"But Hermione," Harry interjected,"that potions restricted. Only qualified wizards are allowed to brew it"
"Yes, but the ingredients are quite common,"said Hermione," If we each buy a couple of the ingredients seperately, no one will know what it's for"
"I suppose you do know how to brew the potion,"Harry asked hesitantly.
Hermione sighed,would she never live down the cat incident,"Yes. I've studied it thoroughly. Mom and dad bought me an advanced potions text so we won't need to borrow it from the restricted section this time.But, the potion has a very short shelf life, so we need to brew the final stage of the potion immediately before we use it"
"Hermione,"asked Ron," How are we going to get Fudge to drink the potion?"
"Do I have to think of everything,"Hermione snapped.
The weeks went by and students in their fifth year were reminded daily of the upcoming Ordinary Wizarding Level Exams."Like Mum would let me forget,"Ron said glumly,"She only mentions it in every letter she writes."
Many parents shared the views of Mrs. Weasley. Nevilles grandmother had sent him a howler threatening to transfigure him into a urinal should he fail a single exam. Neville had been seen in the library more often than Hermione lately.
But the most popular topic of gossip among Hogwarts students was the upcoming Christmas feast. Dumbledore had invited Fudge to the annual banquet,that was to be held a mere two weeks before his trial.The school was in wild speculation over Dumbledore's motives. Lee Jordon was placing bets with the Weasley twins over whether Dumbledore was going to curse the minister or feed him to the blast ended skrewts.
It was the morning of the Christmas feast Holidays had started a week ago, but very few students had left for the holidays. The Slytherins were no exceptions."It's about time someone put that old fogey in his place,"Draco malfoy remarked to his two cronies. Crabbe and Goyle were sticking to him closer than ever this year after they heard that His father might become headmaster again.
Ron, Harry, and Hermione were seated under a back table in the Potions lab.
"I can't believe he didn't notice,"Harrywhispered pale as a ghost. He shuddered imagining what snape would do to them if he discovered that they had used His cauldro to brew the illegal potion.
"It couldn't be helped Hermione justified,"Our cauldrons would have melted at the temperature we needed to make the potion."
"Still,"Ron murmured,"When he looked into it during our last class,I thought I was going to faint."
"Weasley,if you are going to give into hysterics, please do it outside of my classroom,"Hermione mocked in a passable Snape imitation.
The three collapsed in a fit of giggles before Hermione straightened becoming serious once again.
"Okay, everyone remember what to d0.Good,while Ron guards the door,I'll finish the potion. Harry, you retrieve Rita Skeeter from Hagrid's cabin. She'll be in her usual disguise. Just get her close enough to the head table to hear everything."
"I thought you weren't black mailing her anymore,"Ron said questioningly.
"I'm not,"Hermione said smugly,"But she couldn't resist a story like this."