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WITH THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS still being a hot topic around the school, everyone seemed to have their detective hats on trying to deduce who the "heir of Slytherin" was. Nyx had no clue who it could be, mostly because she didn't know everyone at Hogwarts and the heir could literally be anyone. Harry, Ron, and a reluctant Hermione seemed to have their own idea of the culprit and because of that they'd, mostly Hermione, had come up with a plan. But first, Nyx had put her connections to the test.
"I need a book," she told Severus after yet another one of Lockhart's ... interesting classes on Defence Against the Dark Arts; they had learned nothing other than "fun facts" about the man and then were quizzed on how much they knew about him.
Severus and Nyx were walking down the first-floor corridor together, much to his dismay. Nyx had sort of just sprung up on him, appearing out of nowhere.
"Why are you telling me this?" Severus sighed.
Nyx grinned while pressing her hands together. She'd promised the others that she'd get this book for them. Their entire plan was hinged on it; no pressure or anything.
"Because it's in the restricted section of the library; it's a Potions book."
Now Severus was looking down at his goddaughter suspiciously. He came to an abrupt halt causing Nyx to stop as well. She looked up at him with large, exaggerated innocent eyes.
"What do you need a restricted Potions book for?"
"To challenge me," Nyx gave a little shrug of her shoulders. "It's not that you're classes aren't challenging. I just want to under and attempt the fullest scope of Potions. I mean, I'm sure you've felt that way before too, haven't you?"
Severus continued to look her over while Nyx tried to remain relaxed and calm.
"What book is it?"
"Moste Potente Potions,"
⍣ ೋ
Nyx wandered into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom with the book in hand. She made sure no one had followed her or seen her before shutting the door behind her which altered them to her presence. She bid the gloomy ghost hello, but was ignored as Myrtle continued to sob. Nyx sighed and joined the others.
"You've got it?" asked Hermione.
Nyx held up the potions book, and they all gasped.
"How did you get Snape to get it for you?"
"I just asked." Nyx beamed.
Moaning Myrtle was crying noisily in her stall, but they were ignoring her, and she did the same to them.
Hermione opened Moste Potente Potions carefully, and the four of them bent over the damp spotted pages. It was clear from a glance why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about, and there were some very unpleasant illustrations which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head.
"Here it is," said Hermione excitedly as she found the page-headed The Polyjuice Potion. It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into people. Though hopefully for them the transformation wasn't as ... intensely painful.
"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Hermione.
They scanned the recipe.
"Lacewing, files, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass," she murmured, running her finger down the list of ingredients. "Well, they're easy enough, they're in the store cupboard, we can help ourselves ... Oooh, look, powdered horn of bicorn—don't know where we're going to get that—shredded skin of a boomslang—that'll be tricky too and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."
"Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it—"
"Why did your mind go to toenails?" asked Nyx curiously. "You could just use a hair."
Hermione continued as though she hadn't heard them.
"We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last ..."
"D'you realize how much we're going to have to steal, Hermione? Shredded skin of boomslang, that's definitely not in the students' cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snape's private stores? I don't know if this is a good idea ..."
Hermione shut the book with a snap.
"Well, if you two are going to chicken out, fine, Nyx and I can do it ourselves!" she said. There were bright pink patches on her cheeks and her eyes were brighter than usual. "I don't want to break rules, you know. I think threatening muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, Nyx can just return the book to Snape."
"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be persuading us to break rules," said Ron. "All right, we'll do it. But not toenails, okay?"
"What is with you and toenails?" asked Nyx as a bemused smile grew on her face.
"How long is it take to make, anyway?" said Harry as Hermione, looking happier, opened the book again.
"Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings got have got to be stewed for twenty-one days ... I'd say it'd be ready in about a month if we can get all the ingredients."
"A month?" said Ron. "Malfoy could have attacked half the muggle-borns in school by then!"
"I'm sure whoever the heir is probably laying low for the moment," Nyx assured.
Ron gave her a doubtful look, and she explained herself.
"Well, I've read enough storybooks to know that 'villains' always attack when their enemies aren't expecting it. Right now everyone's on guard, and all the teachers, including Dumbledore himself, probably have their eyes locked on the Slytherin House. If Draco is — and I'm not saying I believe he is— but if he's the heir, he'll wait a while until things settle down a bit before attacking again."
"Nyx's right, besides it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead, I say," said Hermione while checking that the coast was clear for them to leave the bathroom.
"It'll be a lot less of a hassle if you can just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow," Ron muttered to Harry.
The next day, Saturday, as eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air; Nyx contemplated not going, but Hermione dragged her out of bed. She and Ron had convinced her to put her fear of thunder aside to watch Harry play. Admittedly Nyx was intrigued to see what kind of sport Quidditch was so she managed to force herself outside.
They hurried over to wish Harry good luck as he entered the locker rooms before finding some seats in the stands.
Nyx leaned forward when the Gryffindor walked out onto the pitch, around her there was a roar of noise that erupted as a greeting; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard too. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked the captains Marcus Flint and Oliver Wood to shake hands, which they did. Even from up in the stands Nyx could see it wasn't a friendly handshake.
"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three ... two ... one ..."
With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. Nyx watched as Harry flew higher than any of them; he needed a bird's eye view of the whole pitch to find the Snitch.
Draco was shooting underneath Harry, likely annoying him, Nyx guessed. At that very moment, a heavy black Bludger sped past Harry's broom and Nyx gripped her seat; Harry had avoided it so narrowly from where she saw it looked like it'd hit him.
George, or perhaps Fred Weasley, flew after the Bludger and whacked it in the direction of a Slytherin player but the Bludger changed direction in midair and shot straight for Harry again. Harry dropped quickly to avoid it, and the Weasley twin managed to hit it hard toward Malfoy. Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Harry's head.
"Uh, now that can't be right. Do Bludgers usually move like that?" asked Nyx as she turned to Ron.
"No," Ron frowned. "They don't."
At this point, Harry was just flying away from the Bludger as fast as possible, but it kept following behind him. Nyx wished she'd read up more about Quidditch, if she had a better understanding of the rules maybe she would fully grasp what was going on. But Ron had said Bludgers don't act like that ... so then what was happening? Why was it targeting Harry? At this point, she couldn't focus on the rest of the game or the fact that Slytherin had been scoring point after point.
Fred (or maybe it was George) Weasley was waiting for the Bludgers at the other end. Harry ducked and the Weasley twin swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course. But then as though it was magnetically attracted to Harry, the Bludger pelted after him once more and Harry was forced to fly off at full speed.
It started to rain; matters were just getting worse. Nyx thought about how hard it was going to be now for Harry to find the Snitch if his water was slattered on his glasses.
"Slytherin lead, sixty points to zero!" Lee Jordon commentated.
The Slytherins' superior brooms were clearly doing their jobs, meanwhile, Harry couldn't even do his job because of this rogue bludger.
"Call a time out already!" Ron was hollering continuously.
Finally, one was called after the twins signalled to Wood.
Madam Hooch's whistle rang out and Harry, Fred, and George dived to the ground trying to avoid the mad Bludger.
"Are they going to throw the game?" Nyx asked Ron.
"They should!" exclaimed Hermione. "Someone's got to take a look at that Bludger. They have to forfeit—"
"Are you both mad? You can't forfeit in Quidditch. Besides, I doubt Wood's going to just take a loss. They'll come up with something, Harry'll be fine — absolutely fine," said Ron, but he didn't sound fully convinced himself.
Madam Hooch walked over to each of the teams, and when everyone went to mount their brooms it was clear: they weren't forfeiting. On Madam Hooch's whistle, they kicked off the ground into the air.
Nyx watched Harry wondering what plan the Gryffindor team had come up with. He climbed higher and higher; he looped and swooped, spiralled, zigzagged, and rolled. Nyx was surprised he hadn't thrown up yet or fallen off. He really was an incredible flyer.
So this was is their plan? Nyx thought to herself. Just having Harry dodge the entire game without any help?
"They're insane!" exclaimed Hermione upon also realizing the plan.
"Go on Harry!" yelled Ron.
Harry hung upside down avoiding another fierce drive from the Bludger. There was a bit of scattered laughter from the crowd (the Slytherins). If Nyx wasn't so worried she would have laughed too; Harry did look a bit ridiculous.
Draco flew over to Harry and said something to him before laughing. Nyx squinted her eyes as she examined him closely ... was that?
"Is that the Snitch?" she murmured.
It was there hovering inches above Draco's left ear—and Draco, busy laughing at Harry, hadn't seen it. It seemed Harry wasn't going for it so Draco wouldn't notice, but in the agonizing moment where he just hung midair, it happened—
WHAM.
Harry had stayed still a second too long. The Bludger had hit him at last, smashing into his elbow. Nyx let out a sharp shriek before she covered her mouth, and the crowd 'Ooh'ed'. There was no way Harry's arm wasn't broken. Harry slid sideways on his rain-drenched broom, one knee still crooked over it, his right arm dangling useless at his side; Nyx almost threw up at the sight.
The Bludger came pelting back for a second attack, this time zooming at Harry's face. Harry swerved out of the way. In a final desperate attempt to end the game, Harry just sped directly for Draco.
Draco careened out of Harry's way, probably thinking Harry was attacking him. Harry took his remaining hand off his broom and made a wild snatch; his fingers closed on the Snitch only gripping his broom with his legs. Nyx screamed in her hands (that were covering her mouth) as Harry was headed straight for the ground.
With a splattering thud, he hit the ground and rolled off his broom. His arm was hanging at a very strange angle still he had done it. He had ended the game, he'd caught the Snitch ... he'd won it for Gryffindor. But he had stopped moving.
"He's not dead is he?"
⍣ ೋ
Madam Pomfrey was infuriated. During the whole mess, Lockhart had somehow managed to get himself onto the field and fooled himself into believing that he could "mend" Harry's broken arm, but he could not. Instead, the idiot had completely removed the bones from Harry's arm leaving it looking like a thick, flesh-coloured rubber glove.
"You should have come straight to me!" Madam Pomfrey raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been Harry's working arm. "I can mend bones in a second—but growing them back—"
"You will be able to, won't you?" said Harry desperately.
"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Harry a pair of pyjamas. "You'll have to stay the night ..."
Nyx and Hermione waited outside the curtain drawn around Harry's bed while Ron helped him into his pyjamas. It took a while cause he had to stuff the rubbery, boneless arm into a sleeve.
"How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Hermione, eh?" Ron called through the curtain. "If Harry had wanted de-boning he would have asked."
"Anyone can make a mistake," said Hermione. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, Harry?"
"No," said Harry. "But it doesn't do anything else either."
"I'm still not sure how that man became a professor," chuckled Nyx from next to Hermione. "At least he's good for laughs. No offence, Harry, but you've got to admit ... this is all really funny. I mean, your arm doesn't have any bones!"
When Ron was finished dressing him, Nyx, Hermione, and Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain.
Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of something labelled Skele-Gro.
"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring a steaming beakerful and handing it to him. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."
Harry took the Skele-Gro which made him cough and splutter. Still tutt-tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving Ron, Hermione, and Nyx to help Harry gulp down some water.
"We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face ... he looked ready to kill ..."
"Oh, and you should have seen the Captain (Flint's) face afterward. He was furious at Draco for paying too much attention to you and not on the Snitch," said Nyx.
"I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," said Hermione darkly.
"We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said Harry, sinking back onto his pillows. "I hope it tastes better than this stuff ..."
"If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron.
The door of the hospital burst open at that moment. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team had arrived to see Harry.
"Unbelievable flying, Harry," said George. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy."
They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Harry's bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over shouting, "This boy needs his rest, he's got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!"
They all shuffled out again followed by Ron and Hermione. Nyx went to nick some of the sweets and treats left behind and turned to leave when Harry said, "Uh, could I ask you something?"
Nyx glanced over at Madam Pomfrey, who sighed and nodded but grumbled something about "quickly" under her breath. Nyx pulled up a seat next to Harry's bed and opened a bottle of pumpkin juice.
She offered him some but he shook his head.
"More for me then," she said before drinking.
"Is what you said that other day ... is it true?" asked Harry reluctantly. "About the Sorting Hat almost putting you into Slytherin."
Nyx swallowed her juice, before pulling the bottle away from her lips. She let out a refreshed "ah", before looking down at Harry with a raised eyebrow.
"You know," she said while swirling the bottle around so the liquid inside would form a little twister. "I thought you'd been a bit quiet during that conversation. Don't tell me you were considered to be a Slytherin too?"
"I was," confessed Harry.
He looked dispirited and conflicted.
"I can see it," said Nyx truthfully, and Harry looked at her with wide eyes. "You're pretty ambitious when it comes to Quidditch, and resourceful you proved that today. Plus I can see you being a good leader and Slytherin House values leadership."
"I'm only in Gryffindor because I asked to not be in Slytherin." Harry sighed. "... I haven't even told Hermione or Ron that."
Nyx perked up at that revelation. So he trusted her that much? She was flattered.
"Want to know why I'm in Gryffindor?" Harry looked at her with intrigue. "It's cause I told the Hat to just pick randomly; I didn't care what house I was put in. At least you had the courage to ask for something else. Besides after what you pulled on the field today I think you might be the bravest person I know."
"What if we'd lost?"
"Well, then you would be the dumbest," Nyx joked, and Harry laughed. "Really, I misjudged you, Harry. You're a far more interesting person than I gave you credit."
"You thought I was boring?" Harry rose an eyebrow at her.
"No ... I thought you were awfully quiet. But I see now that you're just the type of person who keeps things to himself. I suppose I tend to do the same thing though; pot calling the kettle black." Nyx looked into the boy's bright green eyes. "Harry, I feel like this heir of Slytherin nonsense is really getting to you and it shouldn't. A name, or title, or House doesn't define who you are, only you're able to do that."
"What happens if I am the Heir of Slytherin," Harry looked at her inquisitively, "what would you say then?"
Nyx got up from her seat, arms full of snacks.
"I'd say: hurry up and kill that monster already so we get back to our normal lives." Nyx smiled at him. Harry looked a lot brighter than before. "You should get your rest, you've got thirty-three bones to regrow!"
Nyx stepped away from his bed but then stopped.
"Oh and Harry, thanks ... for trusting me with your worries."
"Sure."
Nyx's smile widened. With warm cheeks, she bid him goodnight and walked out of the Hospital Wing while popping a small piece of cake in her mouth.