Keep Me In Your Memory

Chapter 18- The Polyjuice Potion

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned had hat hitherto been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possible do that to a ghost? people asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead?

Students were now even more terrified of Harry, the second he entered a room that was not a classroom, students rushed to leave while trying to avoid eye contact with him, scared to be the next victim. The fact that Ron was now suspended didn't help matters either. Rumor had it that Ron was getting to close to the truth about Harry and he had him suspended. There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas after everyone found out that Harry was staying at the school during the holidays.

Hermione was once again in the library looking for any clues to where the Chamber of Secrets could be. She was going to find it and prove that Harry had nothing to do with any of this, because even though Harry tried so hard to hide it, she could clearly see that Harry was bothered by everything happening, especially all the rumors about him.

"I can't believe Ron actually got suspended." Haiden said scaring Hermione who had been so focused on her self-imposed task to notice him sitting down next to her.

"Well, I warned him that the way he was going about things would get him in trouble one day." Hermione muttered as she went back to reading.

"I guess yesterday was that day. What are you researching?" Haiden asked the tone of his voice caught her attention again and she looked up from her book to actually look at him. He actually looked like his age instead of trying to look older, there was fear in his eyes and behind the fear was a kind of lost look. He was a little boy who had lost his rock, and it finally hit Hermione why Haiden seemed to just sit back and let Ron do and say whatever he wanted to about Harry: Ron had weaseled his way into Haiden's mind as a foundation to lean on. Ron had most likely found Haiden at his most vulnerable and had used that to cement himself into Haiden's life, whether it was intentional or not.

Hermione thought back to their first meeting on the train. She was trying to help Neville find his toad, Trevor. She had just meet Harry and his Weasley Twins before stumbling upon Ron and Haiden. At first glance the two of them seemed to be new friends just testing the waters of their newly formed friendship. But thanking back on it, Hermione noticed that Haiden seemed to rely on Ron and his knowledge of the world that Ron grew up in and the one that Haiden had just been thrown into with no warning.

Hermione marked her place in the book she had been looking through, closed it, and turned to give Haiden her full attention. Haiden noticed this and a spark of hope flashed across his eyes before disappearing behind desperation and fear. Hermione cleared her throat before smiling at Haiden. "We're friends, right Haiden?"

"Of course Hermione." Haiden said almost looking like a little lost puppy looking for someone to take care of him. Hermione smiled a kind smile at him and rested her hand on top of his in a gentle way. Even if it turned out that she couldn't find the Chamber and help Harry that way, maybe she could help him with his relationship with Haiden. It hurt her to see them falling further and further away from each other. And, even though she didn't know them before coming to Hogwarts, she could tell just from the fact that the distance between them hurt them that they had at one point been very close to each other.

"I'm glad, I was afraid with me siding with Harry on this 'Harry trying to kill Ron' incident that you were mad at me, like Ron. And, because we're not as close as you and Ron are, that you didn't want to be my friend anymore." Hermione said, and it wasn't a lie she had feared that. Haiden shook his head and flipped his hand over to hold her's.

"Me and Ron may be best friends, but I will never stop being your friend for something you truly believe in, even if it conflicts with my views." Haiden said truthfully. Hermione's smile widened, she like this Haiden, she may have to get him away from Ron more often.

"Speaking of your view, just between us, you don't really think Harry would actually hurt anyone, do you?" Hermione asked.

"Well, Ron says-" Haiden stopped but Hermione gently covered his mouth with her other hand.

"Not to sound rude, but I don't really care about what Ron has said before. I've heard enough of what he thinks about Harry and this situation when he was here, I want to know what you think of this situation." Hermione said firmly yet still gently at the same time. She removed her hand and let Haiden think, she had a feeling this would be the first time Haiden had a chance to think for himself since he met Ron. Haiden looked away in deep thought, and Hermione waited patently for him to figure out his thoughts.

"Well," Haiden started slowly, "Harry has changed since we got here. He's speaking a lot more, he used to never really talk to anyone but me, and that was only when he was sure no one was around to hear him. He used to always rely on only me, but that may have been because I was the only one that used to be there for him, to not hurt him." At this point Haiden's eyes began to fill with unshed tears. "I remember one time, around the time Harry stopped talking where people could hear him, him and our cousin Dudley were fighting over a stuffed rabbit that a neighbor had given us to share before she moved. He had called Dudley a big, mean, idiotic bully and probably would have died at the hands of our uncle if I hadn't thrown myself over him and took most of the beating for him." The tears began to fall at this point. "Harry stayed up all night sneaking in and out of our cupboard with ice to place on all my bruises and whip marks from our uncle's belt." At this Hermione covered her mouth in shock, as she also began to cry, but Haiden continued, his hand tightening around her's.

"I don't think he remembers this, but I do because this was the very first time he ever used his magic. He looked almost like an angel the way his magic covered his whole body, making him glow. His hair floated around him as if he were submerged in water. And he was crying and apologizing. And even though I was slipping in and out of consciousness, I still felt the warmth of this magic cover me, taking away all the pain and healing me. After that, he stopped talking around our relatives, afraid he would cause me to get that beaten again. And to repay him, I promised myself that I would protect him and never cause him to cry like that again." Haiden covered his face. "But I broke that promise."

"May I ask what caused you to break that promise?" Hermione asked.

"I became jealous and maybe even a little scared of him." Haiden said. "After Harry let the Boa Constrictor loose in the zoo after talking with it I started to somewhat fear because unlike the gentle white glow around him like when he healed me, for split second before the glass disappeared, there was a black glow around him. And then me and Harry got our letters, my uncle took mine before I could read it, but Harry had somehow managed to keep his. We read his letter in our cupboard, away from our relatives, and I didn't want to believe that Harry could possible be wizard, because if he was then there was a lot more things he would be able to do. And then Hagrid confirmed my fears while letting me know that I am also a wizard.

"At first I thought I would be able to keep him from slipping, and then I realized he was magically stronger than me because I never accidently caused anything strange to happen, while he always did. And that thought I made me jealous, and then add all the confusion about me being famous and not knowing anything about the magical world while being expected to do all these wonderful and powerful things because of something I did as a baby. I became angry and needed someone to blame, so when Ron started telling me what good wizards and witches were suppose to do and Harry befriending Malfoy and not being sorted into Gryffindor like me were we could once again be together… well it all added up and I just started blaming Harry for everything. I know I'm wrong for blaming him, he's done nothing but adjust to this new world and try to come out of the shell he created around him. I'm scared that I won't be able to stop blaming him now that I've started, I need help to stop blaming him for everything." Haiden admitted and Hermione pulled him into a hug.

"Admitting you were wrong and asking for help is the first step. I will help you, and maybe we can get another of his friends to help." Hermione suggested, but Haiden began to open his mouth to object. "We won't go to Malfoy, even though he seems to be the closest to Harry, maybe even closer to the Weasley Twins. Speaking of them, we could use them to help you or we can ask Luna and Myari."

"But isn't Myari a Slytherin?" Haiden asked and Hermione leaned back and folded her arms giving him a disapproving look.

"She may be a Slytherin, but she is a good friend to Harry, smart, and very funny. You shouldn't judge people by what house they are in, you should judge them by how they act." Hermione told Haiden who blushed in shame.

"You're right, I'm sorry." Haiden said and Hermione searched his eyes for any hint that he was lying to get her to stop reprimanding him like she noticed Ron would constantly do. When she found no hint of lying she smiled and motioned for him to lean closer to her as she leaned closer to him.

"Right, going back to Malfoy, what are we going to do about the plan? We had planned for you and Ron to take Crabbe and Goyle's forms while I take the form of a Millicent Bulstrode… I got this off her robes" Hermione whispered pulling out a small tube with a few strands of hair in it. "But you can't be Goyle without Crabbe, and I would rather not turn into Crabbe if I can help it. Plus it would be easier for a boy to play the part of another boy. So we need another boy to fill in for Crabbe."

"We could try and ask Neville?" Haiden suggested. "I know he doesn't really believe that Harry would be attacking other students, and he has been trying to stand up for himself against Malfoy. Maybe we could be able to convince him to help us."

"Good idea Haiden." Hermione said and Haiden blushed as a small smile.

"I know I'm not as smart as Harry is…" Haiden started but Hermione stopped him.

"You don't have to be smart like Harry, Haiden. You just have to be you. Plus, Harry wasn't the youngest Seeker in history, was he?" Hermione said with a kind smile.

"No, but he does seem to be better at everything else than me." Haiden muttered sadly while looking down. Hermione gently placed her fingers under his chin and made him look at her.

"I think he's trying to prove to not only you but everyone else that you are not the only Potter to survive the killing curse. That he was also there when You-Know-Who killed your parents that night. That he had also been in danger of dying just as much as you were." Hermione told him and Haiden's eyes widened, it was obvious he had never thought about that. "I don't know if you know this, but Harry was also right next to you when they found you last year. He had passed out and lost a lot of blood. It had apparently pool around you two before they got there and placed him in stasis so they could rush both of you to the Hospital Wing. I only know this because I over heard Professor Flitwick and Professor Snape talking about it when I went to check on you two. They also said that after reviewing both of your memories of that night, had Harry not shown up and finished Professor Quirrell… Quirrell would have killed you after you passed out." Haiden look shocked and even a little scared.

"I never even questioned why Harry was also in the Hospital Wing with me." He whispered. " I just assumed it was because he was losing sleep again."

"He was also the reason Ron had been able to quickly get looked at… I know Ron doesn't remember this, but on my way back to Ron, I ran into Harry. And at first I thought I was seeing things, but after you told me about hearing Dumbledore say Harry had been possessed last year, I knew I hadn't seen things. But when I saw him, I screamed, not because he startled me, but because his eyes… One of them; his right; looked normal, but his left-" Hermione had to stop to collect herself. "-his left eye was messed up. The white of his left eye was pitch black and the black seemed to be moving as if it were alive. The black had also started to branch out away from his eye. He also seemed to be hovering of the floor an inch or two, he also had a glow around him, the right side of him had a warm, white glow, while the left side had a cold, black glow.

"After I screamed he whispered a cure before an almost animalistic snarl came out of his mouth. His lips had pulled back into a snarl, the teeth on the right side of his mouth looked normal, but the teeth on the left side looked more sharp and animalistic. It frightened me. He raised his arm, and I thought he was going to attack me, but he didn't, I blinked and found myself lying next to Ron on the floor of the Hospital Wing." Hermione whispered.

"Why didn't you tell anyone that?" Haiden asked.

"I don't know. I was scared and hopping I had just imagined it all." Hermione said and Haiden pulled her into a hug that she gladly accepted it. She closed her eyes and just allowed the warmth of another person to fill her. Ever since she started Hogwarts… no even before that… ever since the people at her old school started to bully her and her old friends stopped being her friend in fear of also being bullied for not only being smart but for also having a black mother and being half black herself, she hadn't really allowed anyone but her parent's to really hug her. The only other person out side of her family that she allowed to hug her was Harry. Before Harry had hugged her that day in the Restricted Section, she had almost forgotten how it felt to have someone other than her parents hug her. She slowly pulled away from Haiden just enough to look at him, and, for reasons she didn't understand, she kissed him. It wasn't a long kiss, just a peck on the lips, but it was still a kiss. One that caused both of them to blush. And then she saw Ginny standing, wide eyed, in between two bookshelves.

~Keep Me In Your Memory~

At last the term ended, and a silence deep as snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Harry found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that only him and Luna shared the Ravenclaw Tower. The morning everyone left, Luna brought some clothes into his room and informed him that she was moving in for the holidays. Harry was thankful for the company, because every since Ron had been suspended, Terry had taken to sleeping in the First year dorms.

Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Harry and Luna, who were laying in bed with Luna curled around Harry, were woken very early by Myari and Draco, who burst in, fully dressed and each carrying presents for them both.

"I'm going to turn around, give you the count of five, Luna, and when I turn back around you better not be in the same bed as Kitten." Draco threatened as he turned around. Luna slowly uncurled around Harry and sat on the edge of the bed with an amused smile when he turned back around.

"Merry Christmas to you, too." Luna said and her only response was Draco throwing a present at her face. Heimdallur flew into the room and dropped a present onto the already decent sized pile next to Harry's bed, before landing on the bed next to Loki who was still asleep. Everyone laughed when Heimdallur began to gently peck at Loki who would swat at him. Harry opened the present Heimdallur just dropped off, it was from the Dursley who sent him a toothpick and a note telling him to find out whether he's be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer vacation, too.

The rest of Harry's Christmas presents were far more satisfactory. Severus had given him a book on the history of Parselmouth and a book on magical familiars. Remus, Severus's lover who he was supposed to meet this Christmas, had sent Harry a letter apologizing along with a book on Werewolves and how to defend against them. Harry smiled sadly and silently vowed to find away to help him with his self image. Hermione had bought him a luxury eagle-feather quill and color changing ink. Molly had sent him a large plum cake and a letter apologizing for Ron. Myari had given him a never ending drawing book, pencils, and professional grade paints and paint brushes. Luna got him a book on the art of meditating and connecting with your inner beast, at opening her present Harry look at her and she smiled. Narcissa sent him a very expensive but high quality winter jacket with a letter to stay warm and apologizing for not being with him and Draco for the Holidays and to be good, along with expensive german chocolate. Lucius got him a book on how to talk his way out of trouble, and Harry had a feeling it would come in handy very soon.

But out of all the presents he received, it was Draco's that he loved. Draco had gotten him charm for his necklace, it was two sleeping wolves wrapped around their sleeping pup. Draco explained that he saw bought it in hopes when Severus won custody over him, that it would represent the small family him, Severus, and Remus would make.

After they opened their presents, they went to the Great Hall that looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led them in a few of his favorite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed. Harry stopped Draco from making loud, snide remarks about Haiden's new sweater from Molly. Things were looking to be a good Christmas this year.

But his day changed later that day when him and Draco found Haiden and Neville talking to Percy in the hall near the Slytherin Dorm. But something wasn't right about them, it looked as if there was a thin film surrounding their bodies. Harry was about to call out to them and ask them about the film, but Draco called out to them first.

"Crabbe, Goyle, where have you two been? Have you two been pigging out in the Great Hall this whole time?" Draco said leading a shocked Harry to them, it was then that he knew what potion Hermione wanted and why there was a film around Haiden and Neville, they were using the Polyjuice potion to change into Crabbe and Goyle. "Why are you wearing glasses?" Draco asked Haiden who quickly took off his glasses.

"Uh, reading?" Haiden said.

"Reading? I didn't know you could read." Draco said looking impressed before turning on Percy. "And what are you doing down here, Weasley?"

"Mind your attitude, Malfoy." Percy growled out.

"He's a prefect, Draco, he has every right to be here." Harry told Draco who rolled his eyes and drug Harry passed Percy with Haiden and Neville following them. They made it to the Snake Pit, and Draco sat down and looked up at Harry waiting for him to sit next to him.

"I forgot that I need to go talk to Severus about something." Harry said and Draco got up to go with him. "No, you and, uh, Crabbe and Goyle relax, I'm sure Goyle needs it after forcing his brain to read printed words." Harry said then quickly left. So they were going to try to trick him into hopefully admitting to something involving the Chamber. Once out of the Snake Pit, Harry took off running.

~Keep Me In Your Memory~

Hermione's whole body hurt, she had been wrong. She had messed up. She made a huge, dangerous mistake. The pain and fear of what she had just done to herself made her cry. She didn't know how long she was standing in the stall with Moaning Myrtle giggling at her, her back to the door, crying until she heard Haiden and Neville return. "Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you-" Haiden called and Hermione felt her heart jump to her throat. Haiden couldn't see her like this! She didn't want him to see her like this!

"Go away!" She squeaked out.

"Is something wrong, Hermione?" Neville asked. "The hour is over, why not come out now?" Suddenly Myrtle glided through the stall door and out to Haiden and Neville.

"Ooooooh, wait till you see." Myrtle giggled out. "It's awful-" Knowing that she couldn't stay in the stall anymore now that Myrtle said that. Hermione turned around and unlocked the stall door and emerged, sobbing, with her robes pulled up over her head.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" Haiden asked and Hermione let her robes fall, both boys gasped in shock. Hermione's face and body was now covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.

"It was a c-cat hair!" Hermione howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potions isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"

"We have to get you to the Hospital Wing!" Neville cried.

"You'll be teased something dreadful." Myrtle said happily. Haiden moved so that he could gently lift Hermione's chin up so that she wasn't looking at the ground, but into his gentle eyes.

"It's going to be okay, Hermione. We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions…" Haiden whispered calmly to her before pecking her on the lips, causing Neville to squeak in embarrassed nervousness.

"I didn't know you two were dating." He squeaked out.

"We just started dating." Haiden announced and Hermione blushed. She allowed Haiden to cover her with his cloak and let him lead her out of the bathroom with Myrtle calling after them: "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a tail!" It didn't take them very long to get to the Hospital Wind, and when Madam Pomfrey took one look at her and ushered her away from Neville and Haiden shooing them from the room. She had Hermione sit on a bed as she disappeared after closing the curtains around the bed. When she came back, she wasn't alone. Dumbledore was with her, and suddenly Hermione was scared.

"Practicing you potions, Miss Granger?" Dumbledore asked kindly with a strange twinkle in his eyes. He gently took a hold of her face and turned it this way and that. "Polyjuice potion, it would seem." He turned to look at Madam Pomfrey. "Please call Severus up here." Hermione's heart was now in her throat. "Harry gave you the directions for the potions from the Restricted Section, didn't he Miss Granger." Hermione didn't answer him. "You don't have to say anything, he has already admitted it." Madam Pomfrey returned with Professor Snape who began to examine her as Dumbledore left.

"I must commend you for being able to create the Polyjuice correctly at your age, I must say it was quite idiotic to try using animal hair with the potion." Professor Snape drawled out.

"I didn't know it was cat hair." She muttered and Professor Snape 'tsk'ed and moved away.

"An easy mistake for beginners to make." Professor Snape told her before looking at Madam Pomfrey. "I shall be able to quickly brew up a potion to reverse the effects. But it will take time, I must order some more ingredients to make it. I seem to have miscalculated when I gave some to Miss Granger." Professor Snape said and Hermione had to fight to keep herself from gaping at him for covering the fact she stole from him. Suddenly Dumbledore came back with Harry following him. The second Harry's eyes landed on her he stopped walking and crossed his arms while glaring at Dumbledore.

"You're not seriously going to try and blame this on me." Harry said and Hermione gasped at Dumbledore, surely he wouldn't blame Harry, it wasn't his fault!

"If you had not given Miss Granger the directions to the potion she would not have done this to herself." Dumbledore accused.

"Don't blame Harry! It was my fault! I didn't double check the hairs I got!" Hermione cried.

"As you can clearly see, Headmaster, this was an accident, one that is commonly done with beginners. It was no one is at fault." Professor Snape hissed out.

"If you're going to blame me for this, then I guess you're also going to blame Ollivanders for many counts of murder and torture." Harry said.

"Now why would I do that? What does Ollivander have to do with this?" Dumbledore asked.

"Everything. If I'm to be blamed for Hermione accidentally turning herself into a cat-girl, then Ollivanders is to blame for Voldemort killing and torturing countless innocents, not to mention all the deaths that were caused by wands they sold to people since they opened." Harry pointed out.

"Ollivanders does not know what the person will do with their wand when they leave the store." Dumbledore defined.

"According to you, it doesn't matter. As I told you, I had no idea what potion Hermione was copying nor did I know what she was going to do with said potion and yet I'm going to be punished for it. So, by your logic, Ollivanders should be punished for his crimes." Harry pointed out and Dumbledore looked like he has sucking on a limon.

"So, you are suggesting that Miss Granger should be punished for this? I believe she has already been punished enough, do you not think so?" Dumbledore asked.

"I never said anything about punishing anyone. You are the one itching to punish someone." Harry said.

"This was clearly an accident. There is no one to punish for this." Madam Pomfrey cut in. "You may leave Mr. Potter." Harry spun and left without looking back, and Hermione understood why, if she could leave as well, she would have. Suddenly Professor Snape stepped up to Dumbledore and began whispering in his ear, and had Hermione's cat ears not given her hearing a boost she would have never been able to hear what was being said between them.

"I know what you're doing here." Snape hissed.

"Oh, and tell me what I am doing, Severus?" Dumbledore whispered back.

"You're frightened that I'm going to win custody over Harry, and you're angry at me for taking you to court for custody over him. And you're also angry Lucius caught you in your attempt to expel Harry so that he would be away from me. You're also trying to get me to chose between Remus and Harry by forcing Remus to stay with the wolves longer than he needs to. And let me tell you, if you mess with Remus, you mess with Moony, and Moony isn't as kind as me and Remus, he won't hesitate nor hold his punches if he feels like him or his bond with his pack is threatened, and that also now includes Harry. So I would think twice the next time you try and find a reason to expel my son." Snape hissed out.

"I would think twice about how you speak to me, Severus. Remember, I protected you from being thrown in Azkaban for being a Death Eater because you swore to become my spy. If I wanted to, I could have you thrown in Azkaban faster than you can blink." Dumbledore hissed to him.

"And right now, I'm regretting that." Snape hissed before turning and storming out of the Hospital Wing. Hermione quickly fixed her shocked look into a calm, blank look.

"Miss Granger." Was all Dumbledore said as a goodbye. And the second she was sure he was gone, she allowed her world to come crashing down. Everything she had known was a lie. Everything the books about Dumbledore said he was, was all a lie. He wasn't the man she thought he was. And neither was Severus Snape. Just as Hermione began to hyperventilate, Madam Pomfrey came rushing in.