The Mad Bludger

The children have a plan. They will change their appearance and enter the Slytherin house. They will ask Malfoy questions.

They want to discover if he is the heir of Slytherin. But to change their appearance, they need a special potion. The Polyjuice Potion.

They know where the recipe for the potion is. It is in a special book in the library. But there is a problem.

The book that they need is in the restricted area of the library. And to get the book out of the restricted area, they need a signed note from a teacher. Harry, Ron, and Hermione know only one teacher who might be able to read the book.

Professor Lockhart. The clever part of the plan is that Lockhart does not need to know that he is helping them. The next day, Lockhart's class is about to end.

Before you all go, yells Lockhart, you have homework for tomorrow. Write a paper about... How I defeated the Wagga Wagga Werewolf. Ten points for the best paper.

The bell rings and the children begin to leave. Harry, Ron, and Hermione wait until all the children leave. Hermione walks to Lockhart's desk.

She is holding a piece of paper. She seems nervous. Um, Professor Lockhart, she asks. I'm doing a book report on your book, Grooving with Goblins.

Oh, really? Interrupts Lockhart. Please, Miss Granger, tell me more. Well, continues Hermione. I wanted to take a book out of the library for research.

She shows Lockhart a piece of paper. Well, continues Hermione. I wanted to take a book out of the library for research. She shows Lockhart a piece of paper.

She shows Lockhart the piece of paper she is holding. But the book I want is in the restricted section of the library. I need a teachers signature for permission.

The book is about powerful potions, you see... Please, Miss Granger, say no more. Of course I will help my best student... Understand one of my books better.

Where do I sign? Lockhart picks up a giant feather pen from his desk. Hermione puts the paper in front of him. He does not even look at the paper. He begins to make an enormous, loopy signature on the paper.

So, Harry, says Lockhart as he is signing the paper, tomorrow is your first Quidditch game? Gryffindor versus Slytherin? I hear you're a very good player. I was a seeker too when I was a student here.

They asked me to join the national team. But I wanted to dedicate my life to fighting the dark forces. Come see me if you want some private lessons.

Lockhart gives Hermione the paper. She folds it and puts it in her backpack. Thank you, Professor Lockhart, she says. The children leave the room quickly.

When they are far away... Ron says with excitement, I can't believe it. He didn't even look at the paper. Now we have what we need, says Harry happily.

They run to the library. The librarian, Madame Pince, is an old, thin, impatient woman. She looks a little like a vulture.

What book would you like to take out, young lady? She asks Hermione when they arrive at the library. That is a restricted book, says Madame Pince in a suspicious voice.

We have permission, says Hermione too loudly. She gives Madame Pince the signed paper. Madame Pince holds the paper to the light.

She thinks it might be fake, but the signed note passes the test. She walks away towards the restricted section and returns after a few moments.

She gives Hermione a large, ancient book. Hermione puts the book in her bag. They thank Madame Pince. And then they leave quickly and quietly.

They run to the girls' bathroom, where Moaning Myrtle lives. It's the best place to read the book, explains Hermione. No one goes in there because of Moaning Myrtle.

As they open the book, they can hear Myrtle moaning in her toilet stall. She ignores them, and they try. To ignore her, Hermione turns the pages carefully.

Here it is, she shouts, the polyjuice potion. There are illustrations of people transforming into other people. The people in the illustrations look like they are in pain.

Harry and Ron are very nervous about this idea. This is the most complicated potion I have ever seen, says Hermione. We need many ingredients that are difficult to find.

Leeches. Powdered horn of a bicorn. Pieces of skin from a boom slang. And, of course, some little pieces of the people we want to change into.

Excuse me? What did you say? Asks Ron. We have to drink pieces of the people we want to turn into. I am not drinking anything with crabs or goyles fingernails in it.

Oh, stop. Stop whining, Ron, says Hermione, impatiently. We don't have to worry about that yet. Those are the last ingredients we need.

You know, says Harry, we're going to have to steal a lot of these things. We might have to break into Snape's office. That sounds dangerous to me.

Hermione closes the book. With a snap. Well, if you two are going to be chickens and run away from this, then fine. She is getting very frustrated with the boys.

Idon't want to break the rules, you know, she continues. But I think it is more important to protect muggle-born students. Either you discover if Malfoy is the heir, or I will return this book right now to Madame Pince.

Ron and Harry look embarrassed. Well, I never thought Hermione would convince me to break the rules, says Ron. Okay, we'll do it. But no fingernails, okay?

When will the potion be ready, Hermione? Asks Harry. Well, some of the ingredients will be difficult to find. And some of the plants in the potion must be picked when the moon is full.

So, the potion should be ready in about a month. A month, shouts Ron. Malfoy can attack many of the muggle-borns in the school by then.

The children leave the bathroom, and walk towards Gryffindor House. You know, Harry, Ron says, things will be easier if you just knock Malfoy off his broomstick during the game tomorrow.

Harry and Ron laugh together as they walk down the corridor. That Saturday, the whole school is at the Quidditch Stadium. All the fans are there.

They are excited to watch the game between Gryffindor and Slytherin. The weather is cold and rainy. Slytherin has better broomsticks.

But Gryffindor has been practicing harder and more regularly than Slytherin. Gryffindor feels confident that they will win. The two teams walk on to the field.

The crowd cheers loudly. The two team captains, Wood and Flint, shake hands. A little too strongly. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, says, Okay, children, wait for my whistle.

The crowd is silent. Madam Hooch blows her whistle. The crowd roars. Roars. And the 14 players fly quickly up into the sky on their broomsticks.

Harry flies higher than all of the other players. He is looking for the snitch. Suddenly, Malfoy flies just below Harry on his very new and very fast Nimbus 2001 broomstick.

Good! Good luck, Potter, Malfoy screams sarcastically at Harry. But before Harry can say anything to Malfoy, he sees something coming towards him very quickly.