Harry Potter and the Silver Serpent

Chapter 17 - A Squibb's Betrayal

Hermione's sleeping draught worked a little too well, three hours after their return to the Gryffindor common room, they were forced to use smelling salts to rouse the former Slytherin prefect from her slumber for some sustenance before questioning her.

"The Minister is aware that you are no longer in danger and has notified your family that you are safe and being looked after." Harry told her when they were all gathered around the fireplace.

Pansy sat with another fat mug full of vegetable soup and sipped at it tentatively whilst the others waited patiently for the answers they needed to prevent the attack on Hogwarts.

"I realise we've all had our differences in the past, Pansy." Harry started patiently. "But we need to work together now."

She nodded but looked reluctant still.

"Good. Now, is Draco the wizard who arranged the attack on St Mungo's and other Wizarding dwellings and establishments?"

"He never confided in me what his plans were."

"But you have heard things after being..." Harry stopped to consider his words before continuing, "in his company for so long."

Pansy swallowed, "Yes."

"So is he the wizard who rode in on a Doomsday dragon during the attack on St Mungo's?"

"I think so. He had a map of London with certain sites highlighted. When I woke up the day after St Mungo's was attacked, he'd burned it off the map. And some of the highlighted areas had been crossed off after attacks on them."

"What else did you discover? Did anyone come to visit him? Did anyone send letters to Draco?"

"He was getting letters all the time. But not to the cave. That would have looked odd for owls to be flying in and out of the cave."

"So how did he get them?"

"Someone in the village. Someone under his spell would bring his mail and anything else he required to the hillside, in the thick of the woods away from prying eyes."

"Rosmerta?" whispered Hermione.

"Can someone go check on Rosmerta please?" Harry asked.

"We're on it." Bill said, fetching cloaks for himself and Fleur.

"Since catching a number of his co-conspirators, Pansy, we've learned there's to be an attack on the opening day."

Pansy frowned, "Tomorrow? With all those kids coming back to Hogwarts?"

"Yes. Is there anything you can tell us about his plans for tomorrow? Anything at all? Who he might be working with? Is he planning on using other dragons?"

"He said something..." Pansy paused to think.

"Yes?" Harry pushed on patiently.

"He said something about the lake. He said something about a sinking boat."

"The Durmstrang boat." Ron gasped. "Remember how they arrived for the Triwizard tournament? They arrived on a boat that could travel under water."

"And we wouldn't be able to detect their arrival till it's too late." Added Hermione. "Good thinking, Ron."

"Thanks." He beamed proudly.

"We can't let the first years cross the lake then. I'll speak with McGonagall about it later." He ran a hand through his hair. "Anything else?" Harry asked Pansy.