Chapter 61: The Third Attack
Chapter 61: The Third Attack
The Christmas holiday passed quickly.
During this time, many young wizards returned home, but the attack at Hogwarts remained a secret within the magical community.
It was clear that Dumbledore had taken measures to keep the news under wraps for the time being.
When the holiday ended, the students returned to the castle, bringing the school back to life.
On the day the students returned, Harry and Ron met Hermione in the Gryffindor common room after a long break.
Hermione looked terrible, and her once bushy long hair had been replaced by a simple shoulder-length cut.
Ron stared at Hermione in shock, hardly recognizing her.
"What happened to you at home? Why did you cut your hair?"
Hermione sat down on a bench in the common room, looking miserable.
"I didn't cut my hair; it was burned off."
Harry's eyes widened.
"Why did your hair get burned?"
"I thought I was being careful enough at home."
Hermione sighed.
"Since I got home, I stayed in my room most of the time, even having my mom bring my meals to me. But one day, I accidentally spilled some salad on my bed. The blanket was too heavy, so I had to ask my mom to help me change it. When I came out of my bedroom, I tripped over a chair on the floor and fell toward the fireplace."
"Normally, our fireplace isn't a problem because the opening isn't on the floor. But somehow, a small piece of wood flew out and landed right on my hair."
She fidgeted with her now shorter, bushy hair, looking dejected.
"And that's how it ended up like this."
Harry and Ron exchanged glances, trying to stifle their laughter. They then offered her some comfort.
"Cheer up, Hermione. Think about it, short hair can look great too, and it's much easier to manage."
"Right, and it's just a hair cut. At least nothing worse happened."
But their words of comfort seemed to have the opposite effect, and Hermione's expression grew even more pained.
"Who said that was the only thing that happened? There were other things, but I don't want to remember them."
She then said with a serious look.
"From now on, be extra careful when dealing with Professor Forrest. If he tries to greet you or bless you, don't hesitate! Change the subject immediately! Interrupt his blessing!"
Harry and Ron nodded rapidly, understanding the gravity of the situation. They no longer dared to treat Sherlock's jinx as a playful experiment.
Hermione was satisfied with their response.
Although they had faced danger while testing the Sherlock jinx, it had given them a clear understanding of Professor Forrest's terrifying capabilities.
As long as they were cautious, they could avoid many misfortunes in the future.
"How's the potion in the bathroom? Did Malfoy or anyone else act suspiciously during the holiday?"
Hermione shifted the conversation to the main topic. She hadn't forgotten that the Sherlock jinx was secondary; their primary goal this term was to catch the Slytherin heir who had opened the Chamber of Secrets.
Harry shook his head.
"Regarding the potion, Ron and I have been checking the fuel under the cauldron every three days, as you instructed before you left. Everything is fine. As for Malfoy—"
Ron continued for Harry.
"We haven't noticed anything unusual about him recently, and there haven't been any new attacks in the castle."
Hermione analyzed the situation calmly.
"He's smart. He probably knows that continuous attacks would make him more noticeable, so he's intentionally waiting for a long time to throw everyone off. He's biding his time until everyone starts to forget about the attacks before he strikes again."
"Can we use the Polyjuice Potion now?" Ron asked excitedly. He couldn't wait to uncover Malfoy's true identity.
Hermione got up from the bench. "I need to check on the Polyjuice Potion first."
The three of them left the Gryffindor common room and made their way to the first-floor corridor. When they found a moment when no one was around, they slipped into the abandoned girls' lavatory.
"What are you doing here again? You've been brewing that bubbly potion for almost a month. When are you going to get rid of it?"
Myrtle, the ghost who haunted the lavatory, glared at Harry and the others with resentment.
Ron retorted, annoyed. "This isn't your place. Why can't we brew our potion here?"
"You're yelling at me!" Myrtle pouted, covering her face. "Yes, you're being mean to me. You're all being mean to me. Waaah."
She sobbed and drifted into another stall.
Harry and the others paid no attention to Myrtle's state. They all knew how she was; her tears seemed endless.
Hermione carefully examined the Polyjuice Potion and finally said, satisfied. "Excellent. The potion is brewing very well, but there's one final step before it's complete."
"We need something from the people we want to transform into."
She said it as casually as if she were sending them to the supermarket to buy laundry detergent.
"If you can get something from Crabbe and Goyle, that would be ideal. They are Malfoy's best friends, and he'll tell them anything. We also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle don't interrupt us when we interrogate Malfoy."
"I've already planned everything out at home", she continued, ignoring the stunned expressions on Harry and Ron's faces.
Hermione held up two chocolate cakes. "I've laced these with a common sleeping draught. All you need to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are—they'll definitely eat them. Once they're asleep, take a few hairs from each of them and hide them in the broom cupboard."
Harry and Ron looked at each other, never having seen Hermione be so bold before.
They opened their mouths to protest that this might not be right, but Hermione's eyes flashed with a steely determination, much like Professor Mcgonagall's at times.
"You want to interrogate Malfoy, don't you? The Polyjuice Potion is almost ready, but to transform into Goyle and Crabbe, we need something of theirs!"
In terms of boldness, the three of them were evenly matched. Harry and Ron were just shocked to see the usually well-behaved Hermione act so recklessly at times.
Harry and Ron eventually agreed to Hermione's plan. They did want to confirm that Malfoy was the Heir of Slytherin.
They left the lavatory together, planning to search the castle for Goyle and Crabbe. Suddenly, a shrill scream caught their attention, as well as everyone else's in the castle.
The three of them exchanged glances, forgetting about their search for Goyle and Crabbe. They hurried to the second-floor corridor where the scream had come from, pushing through the crowd that had gathered. There, they saw the third victim of the attack.
A blond boy lay on the ground, his face contorted with fear, but still recognizable to Harry and the others.
The victim was none other than their long-suspected suspect—Draco Malfoy!
(End of Chapter)
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