Harry Potter and the Fortunate Queen

One evening Chris sat with Harry, Ron and Hermione in Gryffindor common room. When they told her what they had found.

"Spiders? Really?"

"Yeah. The spiders were scuttling, apparently fighting to get through a small crack. A long, silvery thread was dangling like a rope, as though they had all climbed it in their hurry to get outside." Hermione explained.

"Can't you talk about something else? Like maybe where the water came from?" Ron said fiercely.

"It's ok Ron. Everyone fears something. Relax." She said then turned towards Hermione. "So Myrtle said anything?"

"No, she said she didn't see anything. But I think as usual she flooded the place and that explains the water under Mrs Norris." Said Hermione.

"That makes sense but we are still stuck. Who can be the heir?" Chris said, thinking.

"About that, Chris, we think we should at least check on Malfoy. You have to admit he is a very obvious suspect." Hermione said.

Ron and Harry nodded in agreement.

"And that's why I think it's not him." Said Chris and sighed. "But if you three think so, then it doesn't hurt to be sure."

"Exactly. But how?" Harry asked.

"There might be away," said Hermione slowly, dropping her voice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect ...."

"If in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" said Ron irritably.

"All right," said Hermione coldly. "What we'd need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realizing it's us. All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion."

"What's that?" said Ron and Harry together.

"Wait. Wait. No need to use Polyjuice Potion." Chris stopped Hermione.

"Then how?" Hermione asked.

"If we need truth, why not use the truth serum," Chris smirked.

"What? But truth serum is controlled by the Ministry. We can't just..." Hermione said getting irritated.

"It's not the potion controlled by Ministry. I found a recipe with less complicated preparation and less complicated effects." Chris said.

"Are you sure it will work?" Hermione asked sceptically.

"No. That's why we will first test it on Harry and Ron." Chris grinned.

"What?" Harry and Ron said together.

"Before using us for the experiment, will you two tell us what are you talking about?" Harry asked getting impatient.

"Yeah. What is Polyjuice Potion and what is less complicated truth serum?" Ron added.

"Polyjuice Potion transforms you into somebody else. And truth serum is something that forces you to spill all your secrets. But the recipe I have will only make the speaker answer in yes or no and the effect will wear off in 10-15 minutes." Chris explained.

"And first you will try that on them?" Hermione asked. "Yeah. I want to see how it works. It will be easy to make a trap for Malfoy after that. And don't worry Professor Snape passed the recipe that means it's safe." Chris said and Harry and Ron gasped.

"Oh. It will be fine then. We will make sure." Hermione said but Harry and Ron still looked unsure.

"You want to know about Malfoy or not?" Chris asked.

They nodded.

"Then it settled we are going to make that serum," Hermione said looking happier.

Chris smiled.

Saturday Morning, Chris was going to see her first Quidditch match. She got up early, dressed, and went down to breakfast with Colin. Colin was excited to take loads of pictures.

Luna joined them at breakfast. They talked a little about Quidditch. Finally, when they saw it's time for the match, three of them went towards the field. They met Ron and Hermione there. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. All five of them hurriedly went to wish Harry good luck as he went to the locker rooms.

After some time the Gryffindor Quidditch team entered the field and a roar of noise greeted them; 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 Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares.

"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. Harry flew higher than any of them, squinting around for the Snitch. But suddenly a heavy black Bludger came pelting toward harry; he avoided it so narrowly and it passed ruffling his hair. George went streaking past him with his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger back toward a Slytherin. Chris saw George give the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of a Slytherin team member, but the Bludger changed direction in midair and shot straight for Harry again. Harry dropped quickly to avoid it, and George managed to hit it hard toward Malfoy. Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at Harry's head. Harry put on a burst of speed and zoomed toward the other end of the pitch taking the Bludger behind him.

"It Isn't normal? Is it?" Chris asked Hermione.

"No. Something is wrong. Bludgers never concentrated on one player like this. It was their job to try and unseat as many people as possible." Hermione replied looking equally worried.

Fred Weasley was waiting for the Bludger at the other end. Harry ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course. But 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 had started to rain. Chris was looking at Harry and didn't realize what is going on other than that. Finally, she looked around when she heard Lee Jordan, who was commentating, say, "Slytherin lead, sixty points to twenty.."

"Oh no," Hermione whispered.

"I'm sure the Slytherins had done something to that Bludger," Ron said fuming.

Colin was clicking pictures non-stop. Luna was watching the match Dreamily.

Madam Hooch's whistle rang out and Harry, Fred, and George dived for the ground, still trying to avoid the mad Bludger. The Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered.

"I hope they inform Madam Hooch about the Bludger. Or it will kill Harry today." Hermione said.

The rain was falling more heavily now. After few minutes on Madam Hooch's whistle, Harry kicked hard into the air and heard the telltale whoosh of the Bludger behind him. Higher and higher Harry climbed; he looped and swooped, spiralled, zigzagged, and rolled.

"They didn't say anything?" Chris asked surprised.

"But why?" Hermione was surprised too.

"Does he want to go to the hospital wing from here?" Chris said as she saw Harry avoiding another fierce drive from the Bludger.

Slytherins started to laugh as the Bludger missed him again; he turned right over and sped in the opposite direction. Chris sighed and looked around when she saw it...

The most awaited Golden Snitch. It was hovering inches above Malfoy's left ear ... and Malfoy, busy laughing at Harry, hadn't seen it.

"Look, the Snitch," Chris shouted and everyone turned around her. "There."

She pointed at Malfoy.

"Really? He didn't realize it is flying around him. Idiot." Ron said laughing.

Chris looked at Harry to see if he had seen it. Harry was doing a stupid kind of twirl in midair to dodge the Bludger, and he fled, the Bludger trailing a few feet behind him and then, he turned around to look at Malfoy and stopped. Chris understood he saw the Snitch but in the next second, the Bludger had hit him at last, smashed into his elbow.

"Owww... It must be broken." Said Ron.

"It will hurt," Luna said.

Chris didn't say anything and watched as Harry dives towards Malfoy with his broken arm. With a splattering thud, he hit the mud and rolled off his broom. His one arm was hanging at a very strange angle and another hand was holding the snitch.

As soon as Madam Hooch whistle sounded Chris, Hermione and Ron ran towards Harry. Colin, Luna and many others following behind. But before them, Lockhart reached there. Harry was unconscious. Lockhart took out his wand, "He will be fine in a minute."

The crowd gathered around them. Colin was about to click his camera when Chris hold the camera and Colin stopped. Harry opened his eyes and saw Lockhart.

"Oh, no, not you," he moaned.

"Doesn't know what he's saying," said Lockhart loudly to anxious Crowd. "Not to worry, Harry. I'm about to fix your arm."

"No!" said Harry. "I'll keep it like this, thanks..." He tried to get up.

"Er... Professor, we will take Harry to the Hospital Wing." Chris said, trying to save Harry.

"Don't worry Miss. Norton. It's a simple charm I've used countless times ..." Said Lockhart soothingly.

"Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Harry through clenched teeth.

"He should really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. "Great capture, Harry, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say ..."

"Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.

"No .... don't," said Harry weakly.

"Please Professor, Madam Pomfrey will be furious if you do her job," Chris said.

Professor Lockhart looked up at her and missed Harry's injured hand. The spell hit on Harry's other hand which was perfectly alright. Everyone watched shocked as Harry's other hand looked like a thick, flesh-coloured rubber glove. Harry's arm was boneless.

'Kill me' Chris shouted in her brain.

"Ah," said Lockhart. "If only you hadn't distracted me, Miss. Norton. Though I guess you are right. I don't want to meddle in her job."