Another Me

In an abandoned classroom.

"Is this the real reason you wanted to investigate Lockhart?"

Gavin looked at the glass bottle in Cordelia's hand.

A silver cork sealed its mouth. The liquid inside was grayish green and thick, its color somewhere between mud and badly boiled, moldy cabbage.

Polyjuice Potion was a very honest potion—

it looked like something no normal person should ever drink.

"A necessary disguise." Cordelia raised the bottle to eye level and shook it, her tone perfectly natural. "Lockhart is more likely to let his guard down around you."

"Is there a single word of truth in that sentence?"

"Yes."

"Which one?"

"Lockhart."

Gavin's mouth twitched. "That was the most ridiculous part."

Cordelia was looking up at Gavin.

There was no embarrassment at being caught out, only an openness that said, "Since you already know, let's not waste time."

Of course Gavin remembered.

Last time, he had drunk Polyjuice Potion to turn into Cordelia and gone to Lockhart's office to fish for information.

Since then, Cordelia had brought up the word "fair" at least three times.

Once, she had even done it while eating pudding.

If someone from the United Kingdom brought something up while eating pudding, it meant they had been dwelling on it for a very long time.

Gavin understood her intentions perfectly now. "You're just looking for an excuse to turn into me."

Cordelia did not deny it. She set the Polyjuice Potion on the table and held out her hand, curling her fingers at Gavin.

"Hair."

"I remember telling you," Gavin said slowly, "that if you wanted to turn into me, you had to beat me first. You haven't forgotten, have you?"

"I remember." Cordelia nodded. "So, same rules. Rock, paper, scissors."

Gavin sensed something was wrong. "You lost eight to zero last