Capítulo 60: Chapter 60: An Unpleasant Christmas
Despite the joyous onset of the Christmas holidays, the news of the vicious attack hadn't made its way into the general wizarding world, thanks to the skilled silence weaved by none other than Headmaster Dumbledore. With the conclusion of the holidays, the students, having gotten their fill of their homes, returned to Hogwarts, their safe haven. Their return rekindled the once muted buzz of lively chatter and reinfused the school with its characteristic warmth.
Harry and Ron spotted their ever studious friend, Hermione, in the Gryffindor common room upon their return; a sight they hadn't been graced with since the holidays began. She was noticeably different, appearing rather colorless, and her usually bushy hair now adorning a neat crop.
Overcome by the abrupt change, Ron blurted, "Blimey, Hermione! What happened to you and your hair?"
Hermione, seemingly worn down, snuggled into the couch and solemnly confessed, "I didn't cut it, it suffered a rather unfortunate burning incident."
Harry, surprised, asked, "And how did you manage to accidentally burn it?"
Lost in her predicament, Hermione gave an exasperated recount of her tale, "While I was cautiously spending my time at home, I had a salad mishap that lead to my bed blanket, wet with salad dressing, becoming too heavy for me to lift. In my haste to get help from mum, I tripped over a chair and made a beeline for the fireplace. All of this would have been fine had it not been for a perfectly timed dislodging of small ember that popped out of the fireplace onto my hair, otherwise I wouldn't be sporting this chopped look."
Pausing her animated narrative, she ran her stubby fingers through her newly shortened hair and continued, "To add to that, I had more misadventures that I simply don't wish to revisit."
Her morose revelations ended on a dismal note with a cautionary tip delivered quite strictly. "Beware of Professor Forester. If he approaches you, under no circumstance should you entertain his so-called 'blessings'. You must interrupt him immediately."
Harry and Ron followed her direction, grasping the seriousness of her warnings. Having understood the implications, they agreed dutifully and resolved to withhold laughter in light of the grimness of the situation. They had encountered danger in their pursuit of understanding Forester's ill-fated predictions, which revealed the frightening ability of the professor.
Hermione, content with their agreement, saw this as an opportunity to switch gears and inquire about the Polyjuice Potion hidden within the depths of the school bathroom; a potion which held the key to unmasking the audacious heir of Slytherin.
"What's the status with the Polyjuice Potion in the girl's bathroom? Did the Malfoy and his gang exhibit any strange behaviors during the holidays?"
Recalling the tactics they had utilized to ensure the potions proper brewing, Harry replied, "We've been frequenting the potion every three days to refuel as you directed. And as for Malfoy..."
Ron intervened, "While we haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary with him, there have been no recent attacks within the castle either."
Hermione, quick with her deduction, stated, "He's cunning. He's probably intentionally pacing himself to avoid unnecessary suspicion. My guess would be he's waiting for a lull before he strikes again."
As the discourse moved along, a buoyant Ron queried, "Is it finally time we used that Potion?"
"We'd best do a final check before we proceed," declared Hermione, leaving the warmth of the couch.
Stealthily navigating the deserted hallway, they arrived at the girl's bathroom only to be met with a disgruntled Moaning Myrtle. Living up to her reputation, she bemoaned, "What a dreadful sight to behold! How much longer should I bear the monstrosity of your concoction?"
Unfazed by her dramatics, a usually patient Ron retorted irritably, "It's none of your business, Myrtle!"
Myrtle, seemingly taken aback, shed her tears in solitude in the next cubicle. "Yes, yes, you despise me. All of you despise me."
Hermione checked the Potion meticulously and finally declared in satisfaction, "The brew is perfect, it's just missing the final ingredient."
Casually noting their next task, she chimed, "We need a physical piece of the person we are transforming into. If we can get something from Crabbe or Goyle, it would be perfect. They are Malfoys closest friends and would have access to the key information we need. But, ensuring that the transformation remains a secret is also crucial."
Unveiling two seemingly ordinary pieces of chocolate cake, Hermione revealed her audacious plan, "I've been productive during my break; I have infused these cakes with mundane sleeping pills. Knowing Crabbe and Goyle, they would eat anything and everything. Once they're knocked out, we retrieve a strand or two of their hair and lock them up in the broom cupboard, so they can't disrupt our plan."
Stunned into momentary silence, Harry and Ron exchanged baffled glances. Just as they began discussing the feasibility of this outlandish endeavour, a stern Hermione interrupted, significantly echoing the spirit of Professor McGonagall, "Do you not want to unmask Malfoy or not? A single step separates us from reaching our goal - adding a part of either Goyle or Crabbe - it's really not that hard, I've already prepared everything now you just need to go and do it."
Her level of daring usually didn't quite match that of Harry and Ron; well, until today. It was rather awe-striking to see Hermione, the ideal, obedient student, propose such a drastic plot. They hesitated briefly before eventually agreeing to Hermione's audacious plan, eager to validate their suspicions about Draco Malfoy.
As they devised their plan to fetch Crabbe and Goyle, a blood-curdling scream resonated through the castle walls, ceasing all chatter. The source of the scream, traced back to the second-floor corridor, revealed the horrifying aftermath of a third attack.
Amongst the throng of onlookers, they spotted the body of a terror-stricken blond boy - a sight that immediately sent ripples of surprise and dread. The victims identity was unmistakable even in the crowded corridor - it was the very person they had long suspected of being the culprit: Draco Malfoy.
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