A/N: This also is a revised version.

Chapter 13: Polyjuice Potion

The start of the next day was not any good. On one hand, Gryffindor team was being flattened by the Slytherin team and on other hand a rogue bludger was trying to flatten Harry. Fred and George were trying their level best to keep the bludger at bay from Harry, but that kept the other bludger free to hit the Gryffindor team. Harry was flying all over the Gryffindor pitch to trail off the bludger but it would not leave Harry.

Draco found it very amusing and was taunting Harry about it, when Harry spotted the snitch near Draco's ear. Harry went after it, scaring Draco, who thought Harry was attacking him. Harry was about to close his hand on the snitch but –

WHAM!

The rogue bludger had hit Harry's wrist. Harry could feel the broken bones. He also lost his balance on his broom. He locked his legs on the broom and extended his other hand to the snitch. At the last moment, Harry almost jumped off his broom to grab the snitch and lost his balance completely.

Harry fell down and hit the ground. He vaguely heard Lee Jordan announcing Gryffindor's victory. Dudley and Ron quickly took him to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey gave Harry some potions and left him with his friends. They were soon joined by the Gryffindor team which congratulated Harry for his excellent flying and spectacular catch. They had brought with them cakes, pastries and bottles of pumpkin juice. They had not even spent quarter of an hour enjoying the party, when Madam Pomfrey came storming over and made everyone go out. Harry was to be discharged next day.

The others decided to go ahead with the Polyjuice Potion. They spent rest of the day in the Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, brewing the potion. They went to meet him after dinner and told him about the progress of the potion. Madam Pomfrey didn't let them stay for long and Harry was again left alone.

He was thinking about the bludger when he heard familiar 'crack' and turned around to find Dobby staring him. A lone tear was running down his face.

"Dobby warned Harry Potter," he started, "but he still did not go back."

"Look Dobby," said Harry as gently as possible through the pain he was feeling in his arm, "I'm not going anywhere. Hogwarts is my second home."

"Dobby thought his bludger woul--"

"Your bludger?" said Harry, anger rising in his voice, "You tampered with that bludger? You better stay away from me once my arm is okay or I'll strangle you."

"Dobby only wants Harry Potter to be safe, away from danger. You mean a lot to us, the lowly, enslaved dregs of magical world. We were treated like vermins before you defeated You-know-who. Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, but for most the situation has improved. Dobby can't let you stay at Hogwarts where dangers are lurking and the Chamber of Secrets has been opened once more --"

Dobby suddenly stopped and then grabbed a jug from the nearby stool and hit himself on his head with it. Harry had to snatch the jug from Dobby to prevent him from hurting himself.

"Chamber of Secrets had been opened before?" Harry asked Dobby.

"Don't ask more of Dobby," answered Dobby, sobbing, "Dobby can't answer you, Sir. You must go back, Sir, you must go back."

"I'm not going anywhere," said Harry, firmly, "My cousin and one of my best friends are muggle-borns. They'll be in danger if Chamber of Secrets had indeed been open." Seeing the shocked look in Dobby's eyes, Harry decided to change the topic. "Whom do you serve, Dobby?"

"Dobby can't tell you, Sir," said Dobby, hanging down his head. "You are brave, Sir, ready to risk your life for others."

Harry was about to say something when he heard some voices. His eyes darted to the door, someone was coming. Harry immediately turned to find Dobby gone. Harry slumped into bed, his eyes on the doorway.

Dumbledore was backing into the infirmary, followed by McGonagall. They both were carrying a stone-like body of a student. Harry heard them whispering about another petrification. It was Colin Creevy. He was found by McGonagall on the stairs with grapes; he must be trying to sneak up here to visit Harry. Harry slowly raised himself and saw Colin lying on the bed with a camera held before his face. Dumbledore removed the camera and opened it. Harry caught the acrid smell of melted plastic.

McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey looked questioningly at Dumbledore. Dumbledore quietly said, "The Chamber of Secrets has indeed been opened again."

Both teachers gasped. McGonagall stammered, "But, Albus, who --"

"The question is not who, Minerva, the question is how?" said Dumbledore gravely.

Harry woke up next day to find his arm perfectly okay. Madam Pomfrey checked him and then freed him. Harry went to the Gryffindor common room but didn't find his friends there. He went to the Ravenclaw common room also but they were not there. He went straight to the Myrtle's bathroom. He found them brewing potion, all with grave expressions.

"We heard what happened to Colin," replied Hermione to Harry's unsaid question.

"Draco was in a very foul mood yesterday, after losing the match," said Ayesha, "I think he took it out on Colin."

Ron raised his eyebrows at Ayesha. "Since when you have become friendly with Malfoy, to call him by his first name?"

Hermione replied him instead, "She almost always calls everyone by their first names. You just noticed now."

"Why?" asked Ron.

"It's more of a habit. In India, we call everyone by their first names," replied Ayesha, "I try calling people by their surnames but most of the times, I simply forget." She finished with a shrug.

Harry told them about Dobby and what all he had told him.

"So, Chamber of Secrets had been opened before?" asked Dudley.

"Of course, Lucious Malfoy would have opened it during his school time," said Ron, "Now he has told dear Draco Malfoy how to open it."

"I wish this potion gets over soon," said Hermione, looking wishfully at the cauldron.

Weeks went by and fear had spread through the castle. Students moved in groups. The potion, still, was incomplete. They needed bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, and the only place they were going to get them was from Snape's private stores. Hermione decided to do the actual stealing in their Potions class. Harry and Ron were to cause a diversion. They were successful, but Harry had the feeling that Snape knew who had caused the mayhem in his class.

Ayesha added the ingredients in the potion and announced that the potion would be ready in two weeks. They thought that if only Malfoy stayed back at castle during Christmas holidays, they could get the confession out of him.

Coming back to the great hall for lunch they noticed that they students were talking excitedly, something that was missing since the second attack. Fred and George told them about the Dueling Club that would be starting that very night after dinner. Everyone was excited about it, so the hall was full at eight o'clock. The dining tables had been removed and at the centre was a long golden stage. All the students gathered around it.

"Who'll be teaching us?" asked Dudley.

"Maybe Flitwick," answered Hermione, "I heard he was a dueling champion at young age."

"As long as -" Harry started but ended with a groan when he noticed that walking onto the stage was none other than Lockhart.

"Hello, everyone," he said smiling, at the students, "Now Professor Dumbledore gave me permission to start this dueling club."

The five, however, didn't listen to his further drones about himself. They were thinking of leaving the Great Hall, when they saw Professor Snape walking onto the stage.

They saw him and Lockhart standing face-to-face, raising their wands like swords in front. Then they bowed; Lockhart did whereas Professor Snape simply jerked his head. Then they turned around and walked few steps before turning again to face each other.

"We will cast our spells on the count of three," Lockhart told the silent crowd, "One … two … three …"

Professor Snape cried 'Expelliarmus' and Lockhart was blasted off his feet. He got up and walked up the centre of the stage.

"This was a Disarming Spell. A bit too obvious, Professor Snape, but I didn't stop it. I felt it would be instructive to let them see." Lockhart finished, smiling widely.

Professor Snape looked murderous, a fact that possibly Lockhart also noticed.

"Let's have a voluntary pair for further demonstrations. How about --" His eyes moved over the crowd, "Miss Malhotra and Mr. Weasely."

"Weasely's wand causes devastation with simplest of spells. We would be sending what remains of Malhotra in a matchbox," said Snape. He added with a sneer, "Might I suggest someone from my house? Malfoy?"

Ayesha walked onto the stage and so did Draco, smirking. They stood facing each other, gave their heads slight jerk, turned and moved few steps. They turned again to face each other, wands at the ready.

"On the count of three," said Lockhart, "And disarm only. One … two … three …"

Ayesha raised her wand but Draco had already started on two. His spell hit Ayesha on the head and she fell on stage's floor. She quickly got up and yelled, "Rictumsempra."

The spell hit Draco in the stomach and he doubled over, wheezing. Before Draco could yell any other spell, Ayesha shot a Tickling Spell at him and Draco sank to his knees, unable to control laughing. Ayesha thought it unsporting to bewitch Draco while he lay on floor but it was a mistake. Draco yelled, "Serpentsortia" and a snake shot out of his wand.

There were few screams from the crowd as it backed away swiftly. Ayesha shot one look at snake and then smirked at Draco. "True Slytherin," she whispered at him. Draco was not looking happy with himself.

Before Ayesha could do anything, Lockhart took charge. He brandished his wand at the snake, but instead of vanishing, the snake flew some ten feet and then fell on the stage. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight towards Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, ready to strike.

Ayesha quickly moved towards the snake and hissed, "Ssstop."

The snake jerked its head towards Ayesha and then again turned back to Justin.

"Leave him alone," Ayesha yelled at the snake.

The snake looked at Ayesha and then slumped on the floor. Ayesha felt relieved and looked at Justin, hoping to see him thankful. However, Justin shot her an angry look and stormed out of the hall. Ayesha saw Dudley shaking his head and all the students looking at her disbelief and fear. Suddenly she understood and groaned. God!

Snape stepped forward and vanished the snake. He was also looking at Ayesha in a strange way.

Ron grabbed Ayesha by her arm and they all scurried out of the hall.

"Everyone knows now," said Hermione, "whatever we were dreading has finally come true."

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office thinking about Chamber of Secrets and petrifications which have created a tense atmosphere in the school. It was then he received Severus' patronus. Albus, himself, wanted someone to discuss all these with someone and who better than Severus Snape. He sent his patronus with his reply and waited for Severus.

His thoughts drifted to Snape, his student once and a colleague now. How much of a mystery Severus was to everyone in the school. No one knew the real Snape, except, of course, Albus. Not that Severus was open with Albus, but age and experience had taught Albus a lot about people. The mask Severus always kept around people, Albus was sure Severus himself would forget his real self one day. The boy had seen too much at too young an age. The choices he made, the decision he took because of that … he had paid too much …

Dumbledore's musings were broken by a knock on his door. He called Severus in. Severus sat down in a chair across him.

"What brings you to my office at this hour, Severus," said Albus, his eyes twinkling.

"You must be knowing about Harry and Ayesha, I presume," said Snape.

Dumbledore nodded but didn't say anything. Snape waited for him to say something, but when he showed no inclination to continue the conversation, Snape had to ask him.

"And how on earth are those two students Parselmouths?"

Dumbledore kept silent for a moment. "I can only guess, Severus."

Severus gritted his teeth. "Then will you be kind enough to express your guesses?" he said, scowling at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore gave him a smile before saying, "Harry is a Parselmouth because, I assume, Voldemort passed on some of his powers to Harry, the night he gave him the scar."

"And Ayesha?" he asked, curiously.

"You, of course, know, Severus, how can one be a Parselmouth," said Dumbledore, peering at Severus.

Severus hated being asked questions in answer to his questions. Where he had authority on his students, he had none whatsoever here.

"Of course," said Severus, "Parseltongue is a gift which is passed on through blood. That's the reason I am amused. Ayesha is a Muggle-born. How could she be a Parselmouth?"

"Ah, Severus," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling more than ever, "You are so very wrong here."

Severus stared at him incredulously. Seeing the look on Severus' face, Dumbledore quickly added, "I meant about Ayesha. Ayesha is not a Muggle-born, Severus. She is a pure-blood."

"Still I know no Indian wizard who was a Parselmouth," said Severus.

"You do not?" asked Dumbledore, gazing at Severus.

Irritated, Severus replied, "Of course not." Then, as if sudden realisation dawned upon him, his eyes widened. "Except Sharma."

Dumbledore didn't reply for a moment.

"Will you explain anything, Albus?" asked Severus, scowling.

"You answered your own question, Severus," replied Dumbledore.

"What do you mean? Malhotra and Sharma are related?"

"Ayesha is Sanjay Sharma's daughter, Severus."

Severus raised his eyebrows in question.

Dumbledore continued, softly, "Ayesha's original name is Ayesha Sharma. She changed it to Ayesha Malhotra."

Severus continued to stare at Albus. He half-expected Albus to say that it was some kind of joke.

"How's that possible," whispered Severus, "His whole family died that day. No one survived … no one."

"Ayesha survived. She was the only survivor, though. Sanjay cast a Merlin Shield to protect her."

"What?" Snape gasped, "He … he could cast it?"

"Yes … he could," replied Dumbledore, "And I think that cost his life. Maybe he realised that he wouldn't be able to hold Voldemort for long and he had his only family, his daughter, to save. He chose her over himself."

Severus thought about what he had just heard. Well, that explains her mastery in Potions, thought Severus.

"Why did she change her name?" asked Severus.

"Alas! I can't answer you that, Severus," replied Dumbledore.

Severus opened his mouth to protest but Dumbledore said softly, but firmly. "Ask me no questions and I won't tell any lies."

Knowing that he wouldn't get any more information, Severus got up and left Dumbledore's office.

Harry and friends were sitting in the Great Hall at the Gryffindor table for their breakfasts. Students kept glancing at Harry and Ayesha. Hermione looked at the High table and found few teachers doing the same. Snape was looking peculiarly at Ayesha. Hermione told others about this, but the moment Ayesha turned, Snape made himself busy with food.

"I think, I should go and talk to Justin and explain him that I wasn't egging the snake on," said Ayesha.

"You can try," encouraged Hermione.

"No point," said Ron, helping himself with more toasts, "Justin is not at the Hufflepuff table. Dudley and I had decided to talk to him today morning, but, it seems, he skipped the breakfast."

"Is he okay?" asked Hermione.

"Okay?" said Dudley, bitterly, "He's avoiding any kind of confrontation with Ayesha. I heard few Hufflepuffs talking about it. That git--"

Hermione sighed. She glanced around. Everyone was eyeing Harry and Ayesha warily as if they will get up any moment and hex them. Hermione hung her head. Dudley is right; they all are gits.

"Hey, Heirs of Slytherin," cried someone.

They all turned at the same time to find Fred and George standing, grinning at them. Ayesha and Harry were sitting together. Fred sat on Harry's side and George on Ayesha's.

"Everyone's confused as to who the real Heir of Slytherin is," said Fred, loading his plate with food.

"So, we decided to have voting," added George.

"Would you two like to campaign? Or we should immediately start with the voting?" said Fred.

All five of them were gaping at them.

"What?" asked the twins in unison.

"You d-don't believe we – are --" stammered Harry.

Both the twins laughed heartily.

"Come on," replied George, "We know you all for over an year now."

"But I still think campainging would be a good idea," said Fred, "Let's see who is more frightening to students."

All of them laughed heartily. But that was the only time the five of them laughed that day. Classes turned out to be worse than breakfast. Though teachers acted perfectly normal, students were keeping themselves at distance from Harry or Ayesha. No one would pass them anything. Once when Harry asked a Hufflepuff to pass on a pot to him, he simply ran away.

Potions was better than any other class that day for Ayesha, where no student uttered a single word and she worked quietly with Dudley. Dudley, however, noticed Snape looking at Ayesha strangely. Dudley couldn't place the expressions of his face, there were not much anyway. Ayesha shrugged it off saying, "Maybe he also believes I am Heir of Slytherin."

They met for lunch but Harry refused to go to the Great Hall.

"Let them have their meals in peace," Harry said, bitterly.

Ayesha and Harry went to sit beside lake while the others brought food there.

"I didn't see Justin today," said Ayesha, "I wanted to talk to him."

"He was not there in the Herbology class as well," said Harry, gloomily.

"There's no need for you to talk to him," said Dudley, angrily. "I can't believe these students can be so idiot."

Ron patted Dudley on the back. They quietly finished their lunch and went to their classes. They again met beside the lake in the evening. Facing students was worse than the cold outside. Ayesha was still fretting about talking to Justin, at which Hermione suggested her to go and search for him. Hermione had seen second year Hufflepuffs going to library. She suggested Ayesha to start from there.

Ayesha went straight to the library. She saw few Hufflepuffs sitting at the back of the library absorbed in a conversation. Ayesha couldn't see whether Justin was there or not, so she moved closer. She stopped when she heard what they were talking.

"So, I told Justin to lie low for some time," a boy with a round face was saying, "I mean Malhotra tried to egg on the snake on him in front of the whole school. Who knows what would she do if she finds him alone?"

"But why would she do harm to Justin?" asked a girl with pigtails.

"He spotted Ayesha's snake curled around her neck few days back in the class and told others," the boy replied, "That is what I think angered her. Plus he had once told Harry that he is a Muggle-born. This is not what you tell Heir of Slytherin."

"But who is Heir of Slytherin? Potter or Malhotra?" asked another girl.

A girl with a pimply face replied this time, "I think it's Malhotra. She is a Parseltongue. She carries a snake. And she is a pure-blood herself."

"I think, it's Potter," said the boy, solemnly, "He's also Parseltongue --"

"But," interrupted the girl with pimply face, "he's a half-blood. Plus he defeated You-know-who when he was fifteen year old."

"That's the whole point," said the boy, lowering his voice, "I mean, no one knows how he survived the attack by You-know-who. Only a powerful dark wizard can survive that curse. Maybe that's why You-know-who attacked him at the first place." His voice was barely audible now, "Didn't want another Dark Lord competing with him."

"I would still say it's Malhotra," said the pimply girl, firmly. "Potter might be helping her, who knows."

Ayesha could take it no more. She stepped out from behind the bookshelf and cleared her throat loudly. The Hufflepuffs seemed to be petrified by the sight of her.

"Can anyone tell me where is Justin?" asked Ayesha.

"Why?" asked the boy, his voice slightly shaky.

"I want to tell him," said Ayesha, trying hard to control her anger, "that I was not egging on the snake on him. I simply told the snake not to attack Justin."

"We saw everything," said the pimply girl.

"I doubt that," snapped Ayesha, her voice getting louder, "Otherwise you would have seen that snake backed off after I stepped in."

Before anyone could say anything, she stormed out of the room. Why did I come in here? thought Ayesha. She stamped down the stairs to go outside at the lake. Her mind was full of conversation she had heard. She was halfway down the passage when she heard something. A voice. It was growing faint. Ayesha sprinted towards the voice. She had climbed up stairs when she could hear it clearly.

"I smell blood … I smell blood"

Ayesha froze. If this is the same voice Harry had been hearing, then … just then Ayesha noticed the scene in front of her. There lying on the floor was none other than Justin Finch-Fletchley, rigid and cold with a shocked expression on his face. Ayesha bent down to have a better look at him. At this point, Peeves came flying over. He saw Justin and went away yelling loudly -

"ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK IN THE SCHOOL!"

Soon there were students all around Ayesha. Ayesha found herself pinned against the wall. The scene was that of total chaos. Within moments, McGonagall came running. She rested her wand against her throat and ordered the students to keep quiet. After silence was restored, she removed her wand and ordered the students to move back to their dormitories. Ayesha saw the Hufflepuffs she had met in the library coming hurriedly over there.

"There you are," shouted the pimply girl, "Caught in the act."

"Silence," roared McGonagall, "You all," she looked at the Hufflepuffs, "Take Finch-Fletchley to the hospital wing."

The Hufflepuffs immediately obeyed. They were not even out of sight when Ayesha saw Harry, Ron, Hermione and Dudley running towards her.

"What happened, Ayesha?" asked Hermione, "We heard someone has been attacked."

"Yes," McGonagall answered, "Mr. Finch-Fletchley had been attacked."

The expressions on the faces of Professor McGonagall and the Hufflepuffs carrying Justin away told them everything. This time Ayesha alone had been found at the crime scene.

"Bloody hell!" Ron whispered under his breath.

"You will come with me, Miss Malhotra," said McGonagall.

"Professor," started Ayesha, "I didn't do --"

"This is out of my hands," cut in Professor McGonagall.

Ayesha glanced at her friends who nodded encouragingly at her. Ayesha quietly followed Professor McGonagall. After what seemed like eternity, they both stood before a stone gargoyle.

"Lemon drop," said Professor McGonagall. The stone gargoyle came to life and hopped aside, revealing a wall that split into two. Behind the wall was a staircase moving upwards.

"Up you go," said Professor McGonagall, "Headmaster is waiting for you."

Ayesha stepped inside and found herself at a door. She opened the door and went inside. All around were strange silver instruments. There were many portraits on the walls and at that time, all the occupants were sleeping. There was a large red bird at one corner. She was looking at it when Dumbledore came.

Ayesha told him how she was coming back from library and found Justin lying on the floor. To her surprise, Dumbledore didn't think she was responsible for it and let her go.

Ayesha went to her common room where others were waiting for her. She told them everything, starting from the moment stepped inside the library till she left Dumbledore's office.

"So, you also heard the voice," said Hermione, thinking.

"Yes," nodded Ayesha, "And it's a snake."

"What?" cried all four together.

"Yes," said Ayesha gravely, "It was Parseltongue."

"What how's a snake moving around the castle unnoticed?" asked Harry.

No one answered him. No one knew the answer.

"Hey, what are you doing?" asked Dudley, sitting beside Ayesha. They were in their common room. The moment they had stepped inside, other students had emptied the common room.

"Writing to Nanaji," replied Ayesha, as she opened her ink pot.

"About?" asked Dudley, raising an eyebrow.

All of them had suggested Ayesha to write to her uncle when there had been first petrification, but she had refused saying that since he had never been to Hogwarts he wouldn't know a thing about it. Plus he will get worried about the whole incident.

"I am going to ask him about the snake," said Ayesha, as he began writing the letter.

"Are you sure?" asked Dudley, anxiously. "You only said he was worried when he knew of the last year's incident. Are you going to tell him everything?"

Ayesha sighed, "Not everything. Only that chamber of secrets has been opened and students have been petrified and of course, about the snake." After a brief pause, she added, "There's no point telling him about the behaviour of students towards me. I am used to all this. People back home also didn't like me much. They also hate me for what I have got and not what I am."

Dudley had no answer to this. He simply put his hand around her shoulder. He watched as Ayesha finished her letter. He then called Hobbit and tied the letter to its leg. The eagle flew immediately out of sight.

"Did you tell your parents everything about last year?" Ayesha asked Dudley before going to her dormitory.

"Can't afford that, can I?" replied Dudley, "Mom would go mad if she comes to know Voldemort is back and that he came face-to-face with Harry. And that too in first year."

"I think you should tell her, Dudley," said Ayesha.

"Maybe this year … she might be less shocked hearing about it one year later," said Dudley, smiling.

"Maybe," nodded Ayesha.