Chapter 61: The Third Attack

The Christmas holidays passed quickly.

Many students went home during this period, but there was no news in Hogwarts regarding the attack on the wizarding world. Apparently, Dumbledore used some means behind his back to block the news from spreading.

After the holiday, the students returned to the castle one after another, making the school lively again. On the day the students returned to school, Harry and Ron met Hermione after a holiday in the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione’s face was sour; her long, fluffy hair was gone, replaced by simple, shoulder-length short hair. Ron looked at Hermione in shock and asked.

“What happened to you at home? Why did you cut your hair?”

Hermione sat sullenly on the chair in the lounge and said miserably, “I didn’t cut my hair. It was burned by fire.”

Harry’s eyes widened, “How can it happen?”

“I thought I was careful enough at home.” Hermione said helplessly.

“Since I got home, I hid in my room, and even my mother took my dinner to my room. But I accidentally spilled the salad on the bed. I had to ask my mother to change the quilt for me. When I came out of the bedroom, I tripped over a chair, fell on the floor, and went to the fireplace.”

“The opening of my fireplace was not in line with the floor, so it’s not a big problem. But for some reason, a small piece of wood burst out of the fireplace and landed on my hair.”

She brushed her short, fluffy hair and frowned, “Then, it became what it is now.”

Harry and Ron glanced at each other; they could imagine the scene and hold back their laughter together.

“Relax, Hermione. Think about it from a different angle. It’s not bad for you to have short hair; at least it’s easier for you to take care of it.”

“That’s right, and it’s only that your hair is shorter now. It’s good that there are no more unfortunate things happening to you.”

But their comfort didn’t seem to have any effect; the more they said that, the more Hermione’s face became sour, “Who said that this is the only thing I have experienced? I just don’t want to talk about the other thing that happened to me.”

“When facing Professor Forrest in the future, you must be careful. Don’t be scared if he wants to greet you or wish you well. Be sure to divert the topic immediately and interrupt his words.”

Harry and Ron nodded. They already knew how powerful he was and didn’t dare to test Sherlock’s jinx like before. Hermione was satisfied with their attitude.

Although they encountered danger in testing Sherlock’s jinx, it also allowed them to figure out how terrible the jinx that Professor Forrest could bring to them. As long as they avoid it in time, they can avoid a lot of bad luck in the future.

“How’s the potion in the bathroom? Did Draco and the others do anything unusual during the holidays?”

Hermione shifted the topic. She hadn’t forgotten that Sherlock’s jinx was a secondary problem. The main problem they had to do this semester was to catch the heir of Slytherin, who opened the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry shook his head, “Ron and I checked every three days to see if the fire under the cauldron was finished; everything was under control. As for Draco…”

Ron said, “We haven’t found anything unusual about him recently, and there has been no recent attack in the school.”

Hermione analyzed, “He is smart. He probably knew that it would be easy to reveal his flaws if he committed things in a short time, so this time, he deliberately took a long shot, waited for everyone to forget about it, and started to make a move again.”

“Can we use the Polyjuice now?” Ron asked excitedly. He couldn’t wait to reveal Draco’s true colors.

Hermione got up from the chair and said, “I’m going to see the preparation of the Polyjuice potion first.”

The three of them walked out of the Gryffindor common room together, came to the corridor, and slipped into the abandoned girls’ bathroom together when there was no one around.

“What are you doing here again? You have been brewing this potion that bubbles every day for almost a month. When will you be able to take it away?” Myrtle, who stayed in this bathroom, said with resentment as soon as they saw Harry.

Ron responded with dissatisfaction, “This is not your private place. Why can’t we brew potions here?”

“You dare to yell at me?” Myrtle covered her face aggrieved, “You’re angry at me…”

She wept and floated into another place. Harry and the others didn’t care about Myrtle’s state. Everyone knew that Myrtle had always been like this. Hermione carefully observed the situation of the Polyjuice potion and finally said with satisfaction.

“Okay, this potion has been boiled successfully, but we still need to do the last step.”

“We still need something about the people we want to change into.” She said it lightly as if she was sending them to do a chore.

“It would be best if you could get hold of Crabbe and Goyle’s hair. They are Draco’s best friend, and he would tell them everything we need. We also need to make sure that before we interrogate Draco, we don’t let the real Crabbe and Goyle come in.”

“I’ve planned everything at home.” She continued, ignoring the expressions on Harry and Ron’s faces.

Hermione held up two chocolate cakes, “I put something in it. You just have to make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how always hungry they are; they’ll eat them up and drag them out as soon as they both fall asleep. Take a few hairs from both of them and hide them in the broom closet.”

Harry and Ron looked at each other’s faces, never realizing that Hermione could be so direct. Just as they were about to ask if this was a bit inappropriate, Hermione’s eyes flashed, similar to Professor McGonagall’s eyes.

“We want to interrogate Draco. The Polyjuice potion needs its last thing to be done. If you want to become Crabbe and Goyle, you must get what we need.”

Harry and Ron are just shocked that Hermione, who is usually a good and diligent student, can be so malicious sometimes. Harry and Ron finally agree to Hermione’s plan and want to prove that Draco is Slytherin’s heir.

When they walked out of the bathroom together and were about to find Goyle and Crabbe, a scream, including everyone in the castle, suddenly attracted their attention.

The three looked at each other, not thinking about looking for Goyle and Crabbe, rushed to the second-floor corridor where the sound was ringing, desperately squeezed into the crowd, and then saw the third victim of the attack.

It was a blond boy who fell to the ground. Even if the face was frozen in panic, it still did not prevent Harry and the others from recognizing him.

The person is the one they have always suspected, Draco Malfoy.