Chapter 105

Chapter 105

Hermione prodded the leeches to the bottom of the cauldron, completing the initial stage of the Polyjuice Potion.

From here, it was a matter of patient, painstaking work.

“If it takes a month, does that mean you’ll be staying at school for Christmas this year?” Suer suddenly asked as he pulled on gloves and swept all the discarded ingredients into an empty bucket.

“I…” Hermione hesitated. “If I go home, there won’t be anyone here to tend the potion. We certainly can’t rely on Harry and Ron.”

“All right.” Suer nodded. “I need to go back home.”

“I’ve already prepared Angel’s present,” Hermione said. “Take it to her for me.”

Working together, the two quickly tidied the workbench and left the cauldron bubbling away.

When it came to telling Harry and Ron about the room, Hermione decisively chose to keep it secret.

There was no other reason. Ron had a loose tongue; all anyone had to do was provoke him and he would reveal a secret.

At least until the Polyjuice Potion was finished, no third person would be told about the place.

On the third floor, they ran into Harry and Ron.

Looking mysterious, Harry pulled them into a vacant classroom nearby and locked the door.

“Someone else was attacked last night,” Harry told them in a low voice. “Colin Creevey.”

“We already know about that,” Hermione interrupted. “I overheard Professor McGonagall talking to Professor Flitwick this morning.”

“Then we have to finish the–” Ron said angrily. “The Polyjuice Potion–”

“Malfoy’s been in a foul mood ever since the Quidditch match. I reckon he took it all out on Colin.”

“There’s something else,” Harry said. “I met Dobby last night–”

Hermione stared at him in surprise.

“Remember when Ron and I missed the train? Dobby did that. He sealed the barrier so we couldn’t get through,” Harry said. “He’s been doing everything he can to keep me from coming back to school.”

“He says the school is dangerous this year. He knows something, but whenever I ask, he starts banging his head against the wall…”

“Surely you managed to learn something from him?” Hermione pressed.

Harry swallowed. “The Chamber of Secrets is real. Dobby let a few things slip.”

“This isn’t the first time it’s been opened. A long time ago, someone opened the Chamber once before!”

“The Chamber has been opened before?” Hermione’s eyes widened.

“That’s what I was just thinking about.” Ron clapped his hands together. “You all know I’ve told you the Malfoy family went to Hogwarts, and every one of them was in Slytherin.”

“So Lucius Malfoy must have opened the Chamber when he was at school, on Vol–You-Know-Who’s orders. We all know the Malfoys are among his most loyal supporters. Lucius Malfoy tried to purge every wizard here whose blood wasn’t pure, but he failed.”

“And now he’s taught little Draco to do it.”

“It’s obvious.”

It sounded completely logical. Every step formed a neat, closed circle.

There is always only one truth! Draco Malfoy was the rumoured Heir of Slytherin!

And yet it was utterly wrong, Suer thought with a private sigh.

He had no intention of correcting them, however. For now, it was best to let events follow their original course.

Once he got his hands on that diary, he could bring the whole matter to an immediate end.

It did not matter. He would take care of it.

…

By Monday morning, the news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and now lay in the hospital wing like a corpse spread rapidly through the school.

At once, rumours flew and everyone became suspicious of everyone else.
The first-years began moving about in groups of three or five, terrified that anyone caught alone would be attacked.

Fred and George sprang back into action. They mixed pointed green garlic with newt tails, packed the mixture into a sharp piece of amethyst, and strung it on a cord to make an amulet, which they then sold in great numbers.

Naturally, Suer had given them the idea.

In return, he received thirty per cent of the profits.

Who would turn down Galleons?

There were still several chests of money in his vault, but he could not simply sit back and watch them dwindle.

Unlike Harry, his family did not own a gold mine.

During this period, everyone hid their activities from the teachers and noisily traded objects for warding off evil, along with anything else that might offer protection.

The second week of December soon arrived. No third attack had occurred, and the young wizards’ fear was dispersed by the approach of Christmas.

With Hagrid’s permission, Suer had already ground off a little bicorn horn. He used the same excuse as before, claiming that he wanted some for research. Hagrid did not ask what kind of research. Generous as ever, he tried to give Suer the entire horn.

Suer refused.

On his way back to the castle with the powder, the Weasley twins caught him in their familiar meeting place. George was extremely curious about the little paper packet in Suer’s hand.

“Do you realise how many Galleons you turned down?” Fred’s eyes widened as he divided Suer’s share of the money. “That whole horn would sell for at least five hundred Galleons. At least!”

“More than that…” George said. “This single ounce would fetch five Galleons, and the entire horn must weigh at least two kilograms…”

“I was only curious about the ingredient.” Suer carefully wrapped the paper packet as he spoke. “I can’t keep fleecing Hagrid.”

“What does fleecing mean?” Fred finished counting and handed over Suer’s share, asking curiously, “Is that something Muggles say?”

“That isn’t important.” Suer waved the question aside, took the gleaming silver Sickles and casually stuffed them into his little cloth bag.

“Always taking from a friend and never giving anything back isn’t a good way to maintain a friendship.”

…

That evening in the common room, Justin moved his bishop three squares diagonally. Ignoring the white chessman’s furious jumping and swearing, he looked curiously at Suer.

“What’s been wrong with you lately? You hardly say anything.”

“Nothing.” Suer answered vaguely. “I’ve eaten too many sweets lately. My tooth hurts.”

“You just lost your bishop.”

“Ah! That’s underhanded.” Justin immediately looked at the board and saw Morn moving his bishop to the side. “Couldn’t you go easy on me?”

“Sorry. At the chessboard, there are only fathers and sons, never brothers,” Morn replied solemnly.

With a leaf pressed beneath his tongue, Suer naturally could not speak as fluently as usual. His performance in Charms had also been less than satisfactory of late.

Professor Flitwick had shown great concern for him as well. Suer had offered the same excuse, and Professor Flitwick had not discovered that he was performing the preliminary work for an Animagus transformation.

Suer had placed a Mandrake leaf beneath his tongue at the full moon in November. Ever since, he had taken the greatest care not to let it fall out or accidentally swallow it.

It had been sheer torment.

Imagine a table laden with delicacies prepared by house-elves, when all you could do was look at them.

Fortunately, the second full moon was not far away.

He could only hope the sky over Hogwarts would not be smothered in clouds that day. Otherwise, he would have to start all over again.

It was also time to decide where to keep the potion for his Animagus transformation.

It had to be somewhere sufficiently quiet, sufficiently dark and entirely free from disturbance.