Chapter 63: Pepper-Up Saves the Day!
It was already dawn when the two returned to Hogwarts. Both were very tired after having endless discussions back in the Herze mansion as Ianthé's father and uncles joined them in the sitting room.
"Oi!" Nikki nudged Ianthé.
They were having breakfast in the Great Hall and Ianthé fell asleep between the breakfast menu and the owl post.
"What? I need some shut eye before classes…" Ianthé swatted her friend's hand.
Nikki looked at the professors' table, "Looks like you're not the only one who didn't get sleep last night…"
The Defense professor looked like a hurricane had gone through him and was clutching a very large mug of steaming coffee.
"I think I'm gonna need a Pepper-Up potion by lunch," Ianthé mumbled.
Nikki sighed, "Tell you what. I'll save some toast and pumpkin juice for you while you doze off, and you can munch along while we get to class."
"Thanks a lot…" Ianthé mumbled again.
"Hehem hem…" Professor Fred Weasley cleared his throat much rather like in the manner of the former Defense professor Dolores Umbridge.
Nikki jabbed Ianthé in the ribs.
"Oops, sorry, professor…" Ianthé blushed.
George Weasley took a quill and wrote down on a small piece of parchment.
"This is a hall pass for the hospital wing, Miss Herze."
"Thanks, sir…" Ianthé smiled weakly.
She walked out of the classroom to go to the hospital wing.
"Madam Pomfrey?" Ianthé tiptoed to the nurse's office.
"Yes, dear?"
Ianthé handed her the piece of parchment written by her Transfiguration professor.
" 'I think she needs a load of Pepper-up to make her stay awake for the entire day…' What happened,dear?" Madam Pomfrey quickly assessed Ianthé from head to toe.
"I just did not get any sleep last night… I'm just tired…"
"Although I would recommend a day's rest for you but since the load on your shoulders are a bit heavy, George Weasley is right. Pepper-Up Potion is what you need…"
"Erm… could you make it for two, please? I know someone who's also in dire need of a Pepper-Up…"
Madam Pomfrey scrutinized her.
"We went through the entire escape plan last night, and we lost track of time…"
"Very well…." the nurse handed her two canisters full of potion, "Take it all at once when you get back for your next class…"
"Thanks, madam…" Ianthé received the canisters and walked towards the Defense classroom.
The class was dismissed early and students were getting out to go to their next class.
"Professor Krum?"
Viktor was slouching on his chair, "Come in…"
Ianthé smiled and walked towards the professor's table.
"The coffee is not working…" Viktor had his hand on his forehead.
"I have something that might…" Ianthé handed him a canister, "Pepper-Up Potion."
"You're an absolute angel…" Viktor sighed as he opened the canister and drank the content. Steam came out of his ears.
Ianthé laughed before following suit. She felt invigorated after drinking the potion.
"I better get back to my Transfiguration class."
Viktor kissed her forehead as she walked out of his class.
Ianthé silently slipped inside the Transfiguration classroom.
"What took you so long?" Nikki whispered.
"I dropped off a dose of Pepper-Up to Professor Krum. So, what did I miss?" Ianthé snooped at Nikki's notes.
"The entire lecture…."
"Come on, help me out here…"
"Fine, copy my notes leter… George is really doing a great job… More on practicals than theoreticals…."
"What??" Ianthé furiously whispered, "More wand-swishing than notes! No no no!"
"Relax, I think you know majority of them… and it's as if there's no professor willing to help you out… especially the Defense professor, might I add…"
"Shut up, Nikki!"
"Nah… I'm joking. I just love to see you squirm…" Nikki nudged her friend and handed out her notebook.
Ianthé opened the notebook only to find moving cartoons of every spell they have covered during that class.
"Thanks so much, Nikki… I owe you one…"
"Since you owe me one, I think I'm of need of that favor…"
"Shoot..."
"Place me in the defense squad for the main castle itself…"
Ianthé paled, "Oh no, I forgot about that…"
"See? I think I have a purpose in all of this…"
"Let's talk about it some more after Defense class… with Viktor and George…."
Nikki gave a nod.
Nikki and Ianthé stalled back after their Transfiguration class.
"George… We need to meet up after our Defense class."
George Weasley nodded, "What's this all about?"
"A revision in the whole plan! I can't believe I forgot about the castle itself!" Ianthé ranted.
"Thank Merlin, I suggested it to her a while ago…" Nikki rolled her eyes.
"Where do we meet?"
"In Viktor's classroom…"
Nikki and Ianthé walked out of the Transfiguration classroom.
Ianthé wrote a word in a piece of parchment and discreetly showed it to Viktor who gave a nod.
"What did you write?"
"It's a Bulgarian word for meeting."
Nikki nodded in comprehension and begun taking notes at the start of the lecture.
"So what is this all about?" George Weasley asked as he sat on a desk in the Defense classroom.
"The whole attack plan concerned only the students…"
"What's wrong with the plan is that my brilliant friend here forgot the entire castle…." Nikki pointed her thumb towards her friend's direction.
Ianthé gave another nod.
"So what do you suggest?" Viktor asked Nikki.
"Use resources at hand…"
"I didn't get you there…" George commented.
"Use resources at hand meant that we can use what's already available…" Nikki said slowly.
"No way, Nikki! I think I may have an idea on what you are suggesting…" Ianthé shook her head.
"Dad's willing to help out… We just have to smuggle a couple of them minimum…"
"Dragons? We'll be using dragons? Cool!"
Viktor was silent as he pondered on Nikki's idea.
"I could bring the almost-domesticated ones. Charlie almost succeeded in a way."
"You're writing to my brother?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I? I need to have reports on how my dragon Procyon is doing…" Nikki scoffed.
"Yeah right…" George said in a mumble.
"Are you saying we could control these dragons and maybe help protect the castle?" Viktor asked.
"Precisely…"
"And how are supposed to do that?" Ianthé asked.
"Leave it to me…"