"Don't know why we're practicing so hard," Fred said darkly as him and Alanna plopped down at Alexandra's table by the fireplace. "We're only going against Hufflepuff."
"They're not as terrible as everyone thinks this year," Alanna pointed out. "They just got a new Keeper, and from what I've heard he's pretty good."
"I'll believe it when I see it," Fred shrugged.
"Where's James?" Alexandra asked. "He usually comes up from practice with you."
"Think he stopped by the owlrey," Fred replied. "He's been trying to get his dad to tell him more about that whole incident at the Cannons match."
"It's been almost a month," Alanna frowned. "Don't they know anything by now?"
"James said his dad said that they had trouble questioning the guy that had the potion," Fred said.
"Trouble?" Alexandra repeated. "What sort of trouble?"
"Trouble as in Veritaserum didn't do anything."
"What's Veritaserum?" Alexandra asked.
"It's a potion that forces you to tell the truth about whatever someone asks you," Alanna explained. "But I didn't think there was any way of beating it."
"If he works for Claridina, I'm sure she taught him some way of doing it," Fred shrugged. "Maybe she gave him a potion that counteracts the Veritaserum right before he headed to the stadium."
"That would have to be a strong potion," Alanna said. "Do you really think Claridina could make something like that?"
"If she's good enough with potions, I'm sure her twisted mind could," Fred said.
Alexandra almost opened her mouth to say something, but then she stopped herself. She was going to tell them that Claridina was gifted with potions; Slughorn had told her so himself. But then she remembered her promise…
"I suppose it would be possible," she said carefully.
"It's a shame they couldn't get anything out of that bloke," Fred sighed. "He could've led them right to Claridina."
"Yeah," Alexandra nodded. "It's a shame."
…
"Prophet's having a field day," Harry said, tossing a copy of the paper onto Ron's desk as he entered their office. "Still flooding the front page with different versions of the whole Athrimo story."
"You think everyone would get sick of reading the same thing every day," Ron said. "But no, I guess the public loves a good panic story…"
"Wonder why none of the articles have mentioned the fact that we couldn't get any information out of the guy," Harry said.
"Clearly the paper won't let Rita have a go at writing the story," Ron said. He opened the paper. "Excellent; the Cannons game is rescheduled for this Saturday at noon."
"Too bad I'm on duty," Harry sighed. "You mind taking Lily with you and Hugo?"
"No, that's fine," Ron nodded.
"We're going to have to triple security at the stadium," Harry said. "I suppose I should go talk to Hermione about stationing a few members of the Hit Squad there as well. Just for extra precaution."
"Good thinking," Ron said. "And I still have to finish up the paperwork on this whole thing…where's Teddy? Think I could just shove it off on him?"
"He's downstairs," Harry said. "I let him sit in on that interrogation of the witch who tried to hex that school bus that kept parking by her house."
"Sure he's enjoying that," Ron grinned. "Well, guess I'll slug through this paperwork myself then. Kingsley said he needs it on his desk by five."
"Enjoy yourself, mate," Harry laughed.
He took the lift to Hermione's floor and entered her office.
"Oh, hello, Harry," Hermione greeted him, looking up from the parchment she was scribbling on at her desk.
"Hey," Harry replied. "What are you working on?"
"Just proof-reading something for Wendy to bring to Kingsley," she answered. She placed her quill down. "Have you seen the Prophet yet?"
"There's nothing new in it," Harry shrugged. "It's got to be making Claridina mad, though, if she's reading it….seeing more headlines each day about her plan crumpling."
Hermione sighed. "Harry…I-I've actually been meaning to talk to you about that whole thing."
He frowned. "Okay…what's up?"
"It's just," she started. "Something about this whole thing has been…I don't know, sort of bothering me."
"Why?" Harry asked. "Sure, we haven't caught Claridina yet, but the fact that we caught her follower before he got a chance to expose the whole stadium to that potion is a step in the right direction. I mean, the way Draco was talking, that plan was supposed to be big; she had been planning it for some time."
"Yes, I know," Hermione nodded. "We were all thinking it would be the beginning of her rise to power."
"So why is this bothering you then?" Harry asked.
"Because," Hermione said. "It was just…to simple."
He blinked. "What do you mean?"
"What I mean, Harry," she said. "Is that this woman has successfully evaded the Ministry for months now; she's proven more than once that she knows magic that would make even Dumbledore astounded. And she's smart, Harry. Why would she put that vile of Athrimo in her followers bag to bring into the studio when she had to have known Aurors would check it before he got in. And like you said, she's been planning this for months. Why would she trust anyone but herself to do the deed? Harry, I'm-I'm starting to wonder whether or not this was the plan she's been working so hard on."
Harry sunk down in the chair across from her desk. "Why didn't I see that?"
"It's just a theory," Hermione said quickly. "I could be wrong."
"You're never, wrong, Hermione," Harry said. "It makes perfect sense, now that I think about it…"
"But what I don't understand is why she would go to all that trouble to have one of her followers bring that vile of Athrimo into the stadium if she knew he would get caught," Hermione said.
"Me neither," Harry said. "But I'm sure she's got her reasons…."