Good Enough | hp

18| The Consequences of Cat Hairs

"Well, yes," Estella sighed. Harry was making this very hard to speak her mind. "But I'm coming with you while you take the Potion: I can't have anything bad happen to you, can I?" she gave a wry smile.

"But-" Ron protested.

"I'm coming," Estella said firmly, "And that's not a request."

Ron and Harry exchanged a look that Estella didn't like. She didn't want to them to think badly of her, but if she couldn't be there during the actual interrogation, she should at least be able to make sure they were safe during the transformation.

Harry shrugged, which Estella took to meaning, "It's fine, just let her come." She smiled inwardly.

Harry and Ron turned back to face her.

"Alright," Ron mumbled, casting a look in Harry's direction. "You can come."

I wasn't really asking, she thought, but said "Great!"

"If Hermione asks, this was your idea," Ron continued.

"Got it," Estella beamed.

"Then let's go," Harry cut in. "We've spent way too long in here."

They all agreed and sprinted up to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, pushing open the door hurriedly.

They could hardly see for the thick black smoke issuing from the cubicle in which Hermione was stirring the cauldron. Estella pulled her robe up over her face so that only her eyes peered out and in the reflection from the mirror, she saw the boys repeating her action.

Harry and Ron knocked softly on the door to the cubicle. "Hermione?"

They heard the scrape of the lock and Hermione emerged, shiny-faced and looking anxious. Behind her, they heard the gloop gloop of the bubbling, treacle-thick Potion. Three glass tumblers stood ready on the toilet seat.

"Did you get them?" Hermione asked breathlessly and then, "What are you doing here?"

"Hi," Estella replied, unbothered by Hermione's indignant tone of voice. "Did you get larger robes? These two will need them." Her eyes landed on a small sack lying by the cauldron base. "Ah, I see. You have. Good thinking."

"You're supposed to be down at the Great Hall," Hermione scolded.

"You're not mum," Estella rolled her eyes.

"I am your older sister-"

"Only by three minutes-"

"Okay!" Harry cut in, hurrying between them. "She's only staying while we drink the potion 'Mione, it'll be fine."

Hermione looked like she wanted to argue, but even she acknowledged their slowly dwindling time.

"Fine, stay. But don't touch anything," she warned.

"Yes."

"Harry, Ron, have you got the hair?"

They both held up the short stands of brown in their hands.

"Good," Hermione sighed in relief.

The four of them stared into the cauldron. Close up, the Potion looked like thick, dark mud, bubbling sluggishly. There wasn't much space in the toilet stall, and Estella found herself shoved off to the side, resorting to peering in the gaps between their heads to see.

"I'm sure I've done everything right," said Hermione, nervously rereading the splotches page of Moste Potente Potions. "It looks like the book says it should... Once we've drunk it, we'll have exactly an hour before we change back into ourselves."