Harry Potter and the Year of Surprises by erinpotter

Just Five Hours

It was finally the 31st of October. Everything was ready. They were going to make the potion in The Hideaway. It was outside. Hermione had arranged the feast to end at eleven. That would give them plenty of time to get their stuff and get to The Hideaway. They had to have tree monkey saliva simmering in the cauldron for twenty four hours before that so it was already there. Ginny was especially excitable that day. Hermione was jumpy. She couldn’t get caught. They’d take her badge. Ron and Harry were pretty normal. They’d done this kind of thing before…and worse. Hermione didn’t think they had done anything worse than this.

‘Yes we have! The Polyjuice potion is harder than this but we made it in second year!’ Ron said.

‘Yes, but that was to save people’s lives…and I wasn’t head girl.’

‘This is to save people’s lives as well! And so what if you’re head girl. Don't you think our safety is more important than a silly badge?’ Ginny told her, while jumping from one foot to the other.

‘And in fifth year, we stole a few of those funny animals and flew to London!’ Ron told her.

‘Yes, yes. I get the point. Ginny, do you need the toilet?’

‘No, why?’

‘You are bobbing up and down on your seat.’

‘Nope, I'm just a bit hyper. I CAN'T BELIEVE WE ARE DOING THIS!’

‘Ginny, it’s not a big deal, honey.’ Harry said.

‘Is for me. I've never done anything like this! HEEHEE!’

‘Ginny please calm down. You’re making me nervous. Two hours till the feast. Five hours till eleven. Do you wanna go and get a sandwich or something, I'm starved.’ Ron said. 

‘Yeah, mate me too.’

They went down to the great hall where a few snacks were being served for the people like Ron who can't wait for a few hours. Harry grabbed a sandwich and sat down at the Gryffindor table. The rest followed him.

‘Hermione. Are you sure you’ve got all the ingredients? I saw the bag they’re in and it looks pretty small.’ Harry questioned.

‘Harry, think about it. It would look dead suspicious if I had a huge bag with me. And the one I have will fit nicely under the cloak.’ she replied. 

‘Yeah, but how do they fit?’ he exaggerated the ‘how’.

‘Harry. Can you fit more than two spells into that tiny little brain of yours? Don't you remember last year, we learnt a shrinking spell?’

‘Oh…yeah.’

‘Yeah. Harry. I'm all ready. I'll do a check when I go back up and then before the feast.’

‘You don't have to.’ Ron told her.

‘Yeah I know but I want to. Just to be sure. You never can be, especially with the likes of Malfoy walking freely about the school. I just wish he would do something so I could put him in detention!’ Hermione raged.

‘Now now, Hermione! We’ll get our revenge.’ Harry teased. ‘You must’ve had a personality transplant over the summer! Or else it’s Ron having a bad effect on you…’

‘My little Ron couldn’t have a bad effect on anyone. And Harry, I think the phrase you meant to use was “ill effect”.’

‘No Harry. She hasn’t changed’ Ginny said.

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An hour and a half later, the four friends walked down to the hall to make sure everything was in order. Harry and Ron sat down while the two girls ran about rearranging things and telling house-elves to get extra of one kind of food because it tasted nice and sending prefects to get extra banners and decorations, things like that.