The better Little Red felt, the more likely he was to pick a fight with Fang and the Mackled Malaclaw!
"Ugh! There's no arguing with you. Oh, right—when I told Hermione about this just now, she reacted a little strangely!"
"What was strange about it?"
"She didn't look shocked at all. If anything, she looked like she wanted to laugh at Harry and me. Harry, I'm not imagining it, am I?"
Ron bumped his friend's shoulder, hoping Harry would agree.
"Luo Bin, tell us straight. What did you and Hermione do?"
Harry refused to believe Little Red had survived the parasites through sheer grit. He was sure Hermione and Luo Bin had found a treatment.
That morning, he had seen Hermione, who had insisted on coming along, secretly drip something into the mixed-grain mash.
"Hermione didn't tell either of you anything?"
At Luo Bin's question, something clicked for Ron. "Uh, we're friends fighting side by side. Why would Hermione need to keep it from Harry and me? It's not like we'd reveal the plan to Salazar Slytherin's Heir!"
Uh, I hate to admit it, but you've stumbled right to the edge of the truth!
"Maybe she wanted to... wait for the right moment to tell you. Come on, don't look like your best friend stabbed you in the back. It's nothing serious."
"Fang found two useful things in the Forbidden Forest. One was Spider Incense, made from the droppings of Aragog's descendants. It's a powerful dewormer."
"The other was Purple Shadow Spirit Grass, which strengthens the body and rebuilds the immune system. Combine the two with Professor Snape's prized deworming potion, and of course Little Red's improving by the day!"
"Fang? The Forbidden Forest? I never would've guessed! Where does that Purple Shadow Spirit Grass grow? I'd like to pick