Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor am I attempting to make any personal gain from this story.

Harry Slithers-in; Chamber of Secrets: Chapter 9: What's wrong with Crabbe and Goyle?

Harry and Tracey managed to spend most of their time over the first week of the holidays together. As they had done last year they concentrated on their assignments and homework so as to be finished well in advance. Malfoy started joining in with them after a couple of days claiming he was bored with only Crabbe and Goyle to talk to. When Malfoy was present they didn't do anything potions related – they didn't want him to find out about their annotated books. When they were alone they concentrated on their potions assignments.

By Christmas day they had finished their work meaning they were able to relax and enjoy the time off. At the Christmas feast Harry noted there were as many students at the Slytherin table as there were at the other three house tables combined. All the Weasleys were seated at the Gryffindor table along with Hermione and Neville but no other students while there were five students at Ravenclaw and only three at Hufflepuff. Also there were seven staff at the Teacher's table. This meant a total of just 37 people staying at Hogwarts over Christmas instead of the school's normal population of about 320.

"No surprise there are so few students really," Malfoy said as he sat down. "The rest are probably too scared to stay here because of the Heir." He nodded to Harry as he was speaking. Harry chose to ignore him. He had given up trying to convince Malfoy he was not the Heir and now simply couldn't be bothered with him.

After the feast Crabbe and Goyle stayed behind eating whatever they could get their hands on. Everybody else left for the Common Room.

Half an hour later Malfoy decided he should go look for Crabbe and Goyle who still hadn't returned. He said, "It wouldn't surprise me if those two had forgotten where the Common Room is, or maybe they've forgotten the password," as he left the Common Room.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they have forgotten the password," Tracey said to Harry after Malfoy had left. "They probably are that stupid." Harry agreed with her.

When Malfoy returned he had Crabbe and Goyle with him. Both appeared to be somewhat confused or nervous while Malfoy had a look of exasperation on his face. It seemed they had indeed forgotten the password.

"Honestly, that Peter Weasley, what a jerk," Malfoy said as he sat down.

"Percy Weasley," Crabbe muttered.

"Whatever," said Malfoy. "I suppose he thinks he can catch the Heir of Slytherin on his own, sneaking around the castle alone like that."

From that Harry guessed that Percy Weasley had caught Crabbe and Goyle and had been lecturing them about their behaviour.

"Do you think he knows who the Heir is?" Goyle asked. Harry was surprised; Goyle had asked an intelligent question.

"No chance," Malfoy said. "Harry is the Heir but he keeps saying he's not the one responsible and I'm beginning to think he may be telling the truth."

"I am telling the truth," Harry said. "What reason would I have for attacking muggleborns? Admittedly that Creevey kid was a real nuisance but he finally figured out I didn't want him hanging around, and I don't even know that Ravenclaw who was attacked a couple of weeks ago."

"What about Justin?" Crabbe asked.

"I have no reason to dislike him," Harry replied. "Besides, I don't think I've even spoken to him this year. Why should I attack him?"

Next to him Tracey was watching Crabbe and Goyle closely. Harry decided he would ask her what was wrong but not while the others were there.

"Do any of you have any idea who the culprit is then?" Goyle asked.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Malfoy growled. "Harry says it isn't him and I don't know of any other parselmouths at Hogwarts."

"Harry," Tracey said, "I just remembered I left a book in the library. I should get it before Madam Pince closes for the day. That's in about half an hour so I should get going. You stay here, Malfoy always says you should spend more time with the guys."

"Still taking orders from Davis are you, Potter?" Malfoy said as Tracey left the Common Room.

"I don't take orders from her, Malfoy," Harry replied. "And you are the one who's always saying I should spend more time with the guys." Crabbe and Goyle were both snickering. It even looked like they were blushing.

"What's wrong with you, Crabbe?" Malfoy asked. "Your face is becoming flushed."

Crabbe and Goyle turned to each other. Both suddenly looked alarmed.

"Gotta run. I feel sick," Crabbe said. He and Goyle both jumped to their feet and sprinted for the door out of the Common Room. Crabbe reached it first and shoved in open. He ran out and disappeared down the corridor, Goyle right behind them.

"What was that about?" Harry asked.

"No idea," Malfoy replied. "Maybe they had too much to eat?"

Tracey returned about 20 minutes later, bringing Crabbe and Goyle with her.

"You're back, are you," Malfoy said. "Where did you go in such a hurry?"

Crabbe and Goyle looked confused; nothing unusual there Harry thought.

"I thought you went to the library to retrieve a book, Tracey," Harry said.

"I got distracted. I found these two in a broom closet off the main entrance," Tracey explained. "Apparently they had a run in with some Gryffindors who thought it would be funny to lock them in the closet."

"Is that true?" Malfoy asked, looking angry.

Crabbe and Goyle nodded. "They tricked us," Goyle mumbled.

"That's not difficult," Malfoy said. "Next time you meet them beat them up, as long as there are no teachers around of course."

"Harry?" Tracey began. "Can we go somewhere for a private talk?"

Harry and Tracey went for a walk around the lake. It was cold but they were both warmly dressed. Once they were away from the castle Tracey began. "I didn't exactly tell the truth back in the Common Room. I did find Crabbe and Goyle locked in the closet but Hermione Granger used a sleeping potion to knock them out and then she, along with Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom, dragged them into the closet and took some hair from them to use in an illegally brewed Polyjuice potion. Crabbe was actually Ron and Goyle was actually Neville."

Harry looked at her, shocked. "How did they manage that without being found out?"

"They were using Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Nobody in their right mind ever goes in there."

"What were they hoping to achieve?" Harry asked.

"They were planning on infiltrating our Common Room. They believe you are that the heir of Slytherin and that you're the one attacking muggleborns. They hoped to trick either you, me or Draco into accidentally revealing the truth."

"I did admit I was the heir but I made it clear I'm not responsible for the attacks."

"That surprised them," Tracey explained. "Now they know they got themselves into a lot of trouble and gained nothing in return. I am going to enjoy the next few weeks. All I have to do is remind them of their debt to me for not handing them straight to Snape and they will do whatever I want."

"So you're blackmailing them. Is there something specific you want?"

"I'm still deciding exactly what I want, but it will be along the lines of information. You know Ron's brothers are the biggest pranksters here, right? I want to know the secret of their success but I haven't decided yet exactly what information I want."

"What was Granger's part in all of this?" Harry asked.

Tracey smiled evilly. "Let me tell you exactly what happened."

Flashback

Tracey left the Common Room. The excuse about going to the library was just that, an excuse. There was something odd about the way Crabbe and Goyle were behaving. She wasn't sure if it was a curse, a potion or something else but she was determined to find out.

When she reached the deserted Entrance Hall she paused, deciding where to go. She could hear a banging coming from the broom closet by the Main Doors and was going to open it when she heard running footsteps coming from the corridor to the dungeons. Quickly, she ran up the main staircase into the castle proper. At the she top stopped and looked down to where she could see Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom wearing oversized Slytherin robes. They were placing shoes on the floor outside broom closet.

Tracey stepped back out of site. She waited until the two boys climbed the stairs and hurried down the corridor away from her. Tracey was going to follow them but they turned off into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom so she went to the door instead. Leaning against it she could faintly hear voices.

"Hermione, we've got loads to tell you," Ron was saying. "Potter is the Heir of Slytherin but he says he's not the one attacking muggleborns. I think it might actually be Malfoy."

Tracey burst into the room, wand pointed at the Gryffindors. "Care to explain what you were doing in the Slytherin Common Room just now?"

Ron and Neville both looked startled at her arrival. Neville was still wearing Slytherin robes which tried unsuccessfully to hide from her.

"Alright then," Tracey began. "Let me see, you brewed some illegal Polyjuice potion then knocked Crabbe and Goyle out and shoved them in the broom closet in the Entrance Hall after stealing their robes and shoes. Then you used the Polyjuice potion to impersonate them so you could infiltrate our Common Room. And I'm willing to bet you lot had something to do with that exploding cauldron in potions class a couple of weeks ago, too."

"Well… we didn't take their robes but… um, apart from that, yeah," Neville mumbled.

Tracey nodded. "Granger, I know you're in there, come out."

"No. Um, I'd rather not," Hermione said. She sounded terrified.

"Fine," Tracey said. "Just FYI, Harry is the Heir of Slytherin but he is not responsible for those attacks on muggleborns. He, along with Theo, Daphne, Blaise and myself are attempting to identify the culprit so we can get them removed from the castle. Granger, I'm not going to speak to a door much longer. Remember all I have to do is go to Snape and all three of you would likely be expelled."

A lock clicked and the cubicle door opened. Tracey couldn't believe her eyes. "Granger, what on earth happened to you?"

"It was cat hair,' Hermione said through sobs. "Millicent Bulstrode must have a cat and it was a hair from it that I used."

"Millicent does have a cat, its name is Pixie," Tracey said. "If you were planning on infiltrating our Common Room as her you were lucky. The Bulstrodes are in Italy at the moment and she couldn't have come back early even if she wanted to, and she wouldn't anyway."

"You call this lucky?" Hermione wailed.

"If you had gone into our Common Room as Millicent everybody would have known you were an imposter. You would probably have been knocked out, stripped naked and thrown into the lake. Then you would have been taken to Snape's office."

"In that case, yeah, we were lucky," Ron said.

"What are you going to do?" Hermione asked.

"Firstly, you need to take Granger to the hospital wing. While you're doing that I'm going to free Crabbe and Goyle, then I'm going to decide what I want from you in exchange for not telling Snape about your exploit," Tracey said smiling evilly.

"So you're going to blackmail us?" Hermione asked.

"I suppose so, yes," Tracey replied.

Ron and Neville led Hermione to the door. As they were about to leave Moaning Myrtle poked her head through the door of another cubicle. "Oh, you're leaving," she said. "I was so enjoying it too. It's not every day I see someone with a tail."

End flashback

"That is so funny," Harry said, laughing. "Who would have thought Granger could make such an elementary mistake?"

"Remember, that is just between the two of us," Tracey said. "Nobody else is to know about it."

"Everybody will know Granger is in the hospital wing," Harry said. "I think we can keep the rest to ourselves, however."

With that, they headed back to the Common Room and re-joined their housemates.