Polyjuice Potion

Christmas soon arrived. Hermione and Ron had both stayed at school this year, as had Draco, Theodore and the others because of the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry and the others breathed a sigh of relief only after hearing the news Mia brought.

As in previous years, Professor Flitwick had decorated the Great Hall beautifully. The enormous Christmas trees were hung with all kinds of ornaments, and the space above the hall mimicked the weather outside.

"Everything's ready," Hermione whispered to Mia, Harry and the others as she sat down beside Mia with her plate. "All we need is a bit of whoever we want to turn into."

Mia held up a bag containing Goyle and Crabbe's hair. Since both of them had short hair, it had been hard to find any. When Mia had quietly approached them during that time, Draco had thought she was finally willing to pay attention to him.

Strangely enough, the very next day, Mia had found the two of them asleep on a sofa. Their cups had smelled as though they contained Sleeping Draught.

Had they mistaken it for a drink and swallowed it by accident? Mia hadn't dwelled on it. She had quickly taken some hair and slipped away.

After she left.

"Hey, Nott, have you finished brewing the Sleeping Draught the professor asked for?"

Theodore shook the empty crystal bottle. "Not yet. It'll be ready soon."

"Good. We also have to make sure the real Goyle and Crabbe don't barge in while we're questioning Malfoy." Hermione nodded in satisfaction.

"How?" Ron asked.

"I've got it all planned out." Hermione took two cakes from beside her. "I put Sleeping Draught in these. It's very ordinary, but very strong. As soon as they fall asleep, hide them in the broom cupboard and put on their robes."

"What about you and Mia?" Ron asked curiously again.

"I'm not going. Draco and I haven't made up yet." Mia waved a hand. She thought that if she really wanted to know, Draco would tell her every last detail, but whatever Draco knew probably wouldn't be much use. Harry and the others wanted to go, so she was just helping them.

As for anything truly dangerous, that could wait until Harry was a little stronger and she could keep them safe.

"I already have mine. Millicent Bulstrode, from Slytherin. I picked it off her robe." Hermione held up the bottle in her hand.

"? When did you get that?" Mia looked at Hermione in confusion, took the bottle from her and opened it.

"Millicent has a cat, so we'd better check carefully. What if it's cat hair that got stuck to her robe?" Mia examined it closely. It was cat hair.

"If you wanted some, you could've just told me. Why did you have to sneak around on your own? What if you'd actually drunk it and something went wrong?" Mia looked helplessly at Hermione's smug little face.

"Huh? I got it wrong? I just happened to run into her, so I thought..." Hermione was a little annoyed with herself. She had nearly made a mistake.

"Pfft." Ron nearly burst out laughing, but fell silent the moment Hermione shot him a glare.

Harry looked at Ron and gave him a speechless glance.

"All right, I'll go check on the Polyjuice Potion. Make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them." Holding a cake in each hand, Hermione looked at the two of them.

"If you fail, extra Charms practice," Mia said lightly.

"!" Ron and Harry exchanged terrified looks.

"We guarantee we'll complete the mission!"

The lads had a weighty responsibility on their shoulders.

Mia followed Harry and Ron to the corner, mainly because she really couldn't trust the two of them.

"Ahem!" Ron raised his wand and was just about to cast the spell.

"Ron, let me do it." Harry hurriedly stopped him. Ron's wand was still wrapped in bandages. If it failed, they'd both be in trouble.

"Yeah, all right." Looking at his unreliable wand, Ron also thought of what would happen if they failed. Forget it. He couldn't afford to provoke those two women.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" The two cakes floated in midair, right where Goyle and Crabbe were bound to pass. They'd definitely spot them at a glance.

Mia had her doubts. They couldn't be that stupid, could they? Surely they wouldn't fall for such an obvious trap?

The next second, the two appeared in front of the cakes, exchanged a glance and ate them without the slightest suspicion.

"." Seriously?

"Just how stupid are they?" Even Ron couldn't stand watching.

"Let's get moving!"

Hermione divided up the finished Polyjuice Potion and added Goyle and Crabbe's hair.

"Ew." Harry and Ron were a little disgusted.

"The effects last a full hour." Hermione handed them the potion.

"Drink up." Mia really found it a little disgusting, so she decided not to watch. She'd have Harry rinse his mouth out afterward.

"Cheers." The two drank it down as though going to their deaths. Then their bodies began to transform. The process was rather unsightly.

"You two had better get going. Time's limited."

Mia didn't stay with Hermione either, but went somewhere else.

"The Slytherin Common Room is right over there." Harry had been here often enough to know the place very well.

But before the two had even made it inside, the plan nearly fell apart halfway through. Percy caught them while patrolling at night. Fortunately, Draco came out and took them inside.

"Why are you wearing glasses?" Draco looked suspiciously at Harry, who was disguised as Crabbe.

"Er, for reading." Harry hurriedly took them off.

"Reading? You can read?" What the hell? Draco had never seen his two followers do anything but eat.

As soon as Draco entered, he sat down on the sofa, crossed his legs and looked at the two of them.

"What do you think I should do? Mia hasn't spoken to me in ages." Draco was terribly worried. Now they weren't just unable to talk; he couldn't even see Mia anymore.

That damned Malfoy really is after my sister! Harry looked at Draco, grinding his teeth.

"What's with that expression?" Draco raised his eyes to look at Crabbe.

"I-I've got something stuck in my teeth." I can't give myself away now. Just you wait, Malfoy.

"What do you think I should do? I can't even see Mia now."

"Why don't you just apologize to her and Her-Granger?"

"No way! I'm not apologizing to that Granger!"

"Oh, then you've only got yourself to blame," Harry said coldly.

"Why do you two seem so strange tonight?" Draco stood up and looked at them suspiciously.

"Er, do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?" Ron hurriedly changed the subject.

"Didn't I already tell you?" Draco sat on the table, fiddling with the Christmas present Mia had given him that year. Although Mia was angry, she still had to give him a gift in return, which made him even angrier.

"Saint Potter! Someone actually thinks he's the Heir of Slytherin. My father said the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago. He wouldn't tell me who opened it; I only know that person was expelled. The last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mud—a wizard died, so sooner or later this time, someone will die too."

Ron noticed Harry's scar flickering in and out of sight. The potion was about to wear off.

This is bad! The two exchanged a glance.

Just then, Mia came in, holding a black notebook. Draco's attention was instantly drawn to her.

"Mia! You're back. Did you like this year's present?"

Mia gave the two a discreet look, then nodded indifferently at Draco and went back to her dormitory.

Harry and Ron took the opportunity to run off too.

Draco: ? Why did everyone leave?