---
Chapter 183 – An Angry Hermione
Because of what they had witnessed in Dumbledore's office, the trio were still simmering with anger by the time they returned to the Gryffindor common room.
Harry was in an awful mood.
While working on his Transfiguration essay, he kept splattering ink across the parchment. Each time he tried to clean it with his wand, he nearly set the homework on fire.
Boom!
It wasn't just Harry.
Ron soon realized that Hermione was in an even fouler mood than either of them.
She slammed her book onto the table so hard that it bounced, startling the nearby students who were quietly doing homework.
"I don't know what they're planning," Hermione hissed, her eyes blazing. "Or what this nonsense is about 'mysterious forces' targeting Harry and Darren. But I do know one thing—the voice the boys heard, the one only they could understand—that is the key."
She leaned forward, lowering her voice.
"Dumbledore obviously knows what language it was. And he knows why Harry and Darren could understand it. But he refuses to say anything. Fine. Then we'll find out ourselves. We'll track down who's behind all this, what they're trying to do, and what that voice really was."
Her voice grew firm. "Once we expose the culprit, everything else will fall into place."
"That's great," Ron muttered. "Except for one tiny problem—we don't have a clue who the culprit is!"
Hermione gave him a look that suggested he was the world's biggest idiot.
"It's not that difficult, Ron."
She spoke in a guiding tone, almost too calm.
"Who hates Harry and Darren the most?
Who despises Muggle-borns?
Who would be thrilled to see the Chamber of Secrets opened again…?"
Ron's eyes lit up.
"Oh! It's Malfoy! Of course! What he said the day the Chamber first opened—'the next one is you, Scarhead.' He must've known something!"
Malfoy hated Harry and Darren with a passion, and his contempt for Hermione's blood status was no secret. He'd said many times that Muggle-borns should be "expelled for the good of the school."
"So we report him to a professor!" Harry growled.
But Hermione shook her head instantly.
"No! You're forgetting Dumbledore. Every professor is under his authority. If Dumbledore believes we're acting under Darren's advice, he might drag Darren back into his office and force-feed him Veritaserum again!"
Ron swallowed hard.
Hermione's anger only grew.
"And Veritaserum is dangerous. The Ministry restricted its use for a reason—it can damage a person's mind. Dumbledore had no right to give it to Darren!"
Harry's hands clenched into fists.
"So what do we do then? It's not like the three of us can sneak into the Slytherin common room and interrogate Malfoy."
Hermione suddenly smirked—far too mischievously.
"There is a way."
She pulled Harry and Ron closer, whispering urgently.
"My plan may require breaking… oh, about fifty school rules."
"I don't care," Harry said immediately. "Not if it keeps Darren safe."
Ron nodded vigorously.
Hermione continued, "We'll use Polyjuice Potion. Transform into three Slytherins. Walk right into their common room and question Malfoy directly."
Ron gaped at her.
"How is that even possible?"
"Because the recipe is in the Restricted Section, in Moste Potente Potions," Hermione said. "Snape even mentioned it earlier this term. If we brew it, no one will know it's us."
"But Darren is in Slytherin," Harry protested. "If Malfoy brags about attacking Muggle-borns or opening the Chamber, Darren might overhear!"
"No," Hermione said firmly. "Darren is too trusting. If Malfoy boasts he's done something 'big,' we'll assume he means something horrible. Darren will think Malfoy helped a professor polish trophies."
Ron and Harry exchanged looks.
Yeah… that sounded exactly like Darren.
"So," Hermione pressed, "we only need to get the book. But the Restricted Section requires a signed note from a professor."
Ron's eyes brightened.
"Why not ask Darren to get it? He could tell Professor McGonagall he needs it for potion-related research!"
Hermione stared at him like he was hopeless.
"Yes, Ron, brilliant idea—have Darren request access, then watch him get dragged straight into Dumbledore's office for another round of Veritaserum!"
Ron flinched and quickly backtracked.
"Right. Er… bad idea. Terrible, even. So… Lockhart?"
Harry and Hermione responded in unison:
"Good idea!"
"Excellent!"
Meanwhile, Darren had absolutely no idea what the trio were plotting.
He was rummaging through every cupboard and drawer in his room, searching for his Reaper's Invisibility Cloak.
In his mind, only that cloak could have allowed anyone—especially Harry—to sneak around unseen.
And, sure enough, the place where he usually kept it was empty.
Harry must have borrowed it.
But who took it?
Dumbledore?
No—if Dumbledore had it, he would be doubting everything including whether Harry's cloak was a Deathly Hallow.
Snape?
Also impossible. Snape would never give Harry an invisibility cloak—seeing Harry at all was already a test of Snape's patience.
So…
Who on earth had taken his cloak?
Darren frowned deeply.
Something didn't feel right.
---
---
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Like it ? Add to library!
Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
Creation is hard, cheer me up! VOTE for me!