Chapter 421: Preparations
After Transfiguration had finished for the day, Hermione and Justin made a beeline for the hospital wing. For over a week, the patch of lawn directly beneath Sean's window had practically become their base of operations. From his bed, Sean had often been able to hear the muffled sounds of their debates drifting up from below.
But today, their plan was finally set to move from theory into action.
The two walked in silence, reviewing the final details in their heads as they waited for Madam Pomfrey to open the heavy double doors. The moment the latch clicked and they stepped inside, they were met by the sight of two unmistakable heads of flaming red hair.
"Water, or pumpkin juice?" Fred was asking, balancing a tray of crystal goblets.
"Water is fine... actually, better make it pumpkin juice," Sean replied, rubbing his temples with a look of mild exhaustion.
"Easy does it, Fred! The Great Green is an official casualty!" George cried out, leaning against the privacy screen of the bed.
"Naturally, George! But tell me," Fred said, setting the tray down. He was ostensibly addressing his brother, but his eyes never left Sean. "Have you ever actually seen the Great Green injured before?"
"Never," George replied, winking at Sean. "It's a freak occurrence. Easily the most bizarre thing to happen at Hogwarts in decades."
"And yet, he refuses to say a word about how it happened," Fred added with a theatrical sigh.
"His faithful followers have no one to demand satisfaction from," George chimed in.
"I swear, if I ever catch the rotter who cast that curse," Fred said, picking up a set of Omnioculars and peering through them until his eyes filled the lenses, "I'll shove a handful of U-No-Poo pellets so far up his nose he'll be whistling from his ears!"
"Aha!" the twins shouted together, clapping their hands in a high-five.
They leaned in, sandwiching Sean between them. "So, what do you think, partner?"
"I'll... have to take that under advisement," Sean said slowly.
Shoving U-No-Poo up Voldemort's nose? That would be a challenge, Sean thought. The man is notoriously difficult to lead by the nose, mostly because he doesn't have one.
"He's hopeless!" Fred joked, scurrying away just as Madam Pomfrey emerged from her office.
"Dull as dishwater!" George added, offering a mock bow before both twins vanished out the door.
Madam Pomfrey marched after them, her face a mask of indignation. "You two! If I hear one more peep out of either of you in my ward, you're banned until graduation!"
A distant echo drifted back from the corridor: "Sorry, Madam Pomfrey! Don't be cross! We'll be back for tea!"
"Wretched boys," the matron muttered under her breath. She turned around and spotted the two second-years standing awkwardly by the door. "Oh, hello dears. Not you two, obviously. Come in, come in. Those Weasleys are enough to give anyone a migraine, especially when..."
She glanced toward Sean and gave her head a bewildered shake. She couldn't understand how a boy as disciplined as Sean Green had become the unofficial ringleader for the castle's most notorious pranksters.
Justin and Hermione approached Sean's bed. He was propped up against several pillows, and the nightstand beside him was buried under a small mountain of sweets—it looked as though half of Honeydukes had been relocated to the hospital wing.
"Justin. Hermione," Sean said with a smile.
"Sean, look... are you really up for this?" Hermione asked, scanning his face for any lingering traces of the curse. "We can delay the plan, you know. It isn't going anywhere."
"She's right," Justin added. "But more importantly, we need you on your feet."
"Madam Pomfrey has already cleared me for discharge," Sean assured them. "She just wants me under observation for a few more days to be safe."
Madam Pomfrey, who was busy tidying a nearby trolley, looked up to see two pairs of pleading, puppy-dog eyes fixed on her. She sighed, her stern demeanor melting.
"Oh, very well. Take the patient for a walk, you lot. But keep him in the sun and have him back before dinner!"
As February turned to March, the weather remained stubbornly damp and windy. The three students walked shoulder-to-shoulder through the long corridors, their lips moving in what looked like silent conversation. To anyone passing by, they were merely enjoying a quiet stroll; in reality, they were deep within a localized Silence Charm.
"Right, let's go over it one last time to ensure there are no holes," Hermione said, her voice dropping to a businesslike whisper. "First, I'll approach Professor Lockhart for an autograph. I'll tell him we're forming an official 'International Fan Club' and lure him to the third-floor storage room Sean identified.
"Once he's inside, Justin, you'll be in position. You hit him with an Expelliarmus the second the door opens, then follow up immediately with Tarantallegra to keep him from reaching for his wand or a backup. Justin, are you absolutely certain you can land that first hit?"
Justin gave a solemn, steady nod. "I've been practicing the draw with Neville for weeks."
"If he manages to react, I'll step in and assist with a binding hex," Hermione added. She looked at Sean. "And the most important part—Sean, you'll be there as the anchor, right?"
Sean inclined his head. "I will."
"Perfect! I'm confident in the logistics, but we have to be ready to improvise if he tries anything tricky..." Hermione paused, pulling a small crystal phial from her robes. She looked at it with a mix of pride and nerves, glancing back at a stained page of Moste Potente Potions. "The Veritaserum looks exactly as the text described. Once he drinks it, we'll have a full hour of absolute truth."
"Hermione, listen to me," Justin said gently. "That is the sixteenth time you've confirmed the efficacy. Even if something goes wrong, we'll handle it together. Try to relax, okay?"
Hermione spared him a brief glare before looking to Sean for confirmation.
"The plan is sound," Sean's voice was calm and steady. "It will work."
Hermione finally allowed herself to exhale. "Right. Let's split up. I'll see you tonight."
She marched off, clutching the phial, intent on finding a safe way to test a single drop's potency.
"See you tonight, Sean," Justin said, heading off to find Neville for one last round of dueling practice.
Finally alone, Sean found a quiet spot in the central courtyard of the North Tower. He used a subtle bit of Transfiguration to coax a thick vine from the wall into the shape of a comfortable chair and sat down.
He opened his Tome. He had an abundance of reading material now: The Book of Ghosts, Dumbledore's personal Transfiguration journals, and the ancient texts he had salvaged from Rowena Ravenclaw's studio.
His time in the hospital should have been peaceful, but Fred and George had visited every hour on the hour, and he had been inundated with gifts from the student body.
Hannah Abbott had even cornered him with a very specific line of questioning.
"Mr. Green, sir... word is you've been dreaming constantly since the accident. You've seen the Lucky Black Cat, haven't you?" she had asked with wide-eyed sincerity.
Sean, holding his book, hadn't known how to answer.
"I thought so!" Hannah had cheered. "Congratulations on your Lucky Dream! You really ought to join our Society properly. And if you won't join the general club, you simply MUST join the Council of Luck. It's just me, Harry, and Ginny—the only ones who have been visited by the Guardian. There has to be a reason he chose us. Won't you help us uncover the secret?"
[End of Chapter 421]
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