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〃And； sir； I'll need this shrivelfig skinned；〃 said Malfoy； his voice full of malicious laughter。
〃Potter； you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig；〃 said Snape； giving Harry the look of loathing he always reserved just for him。
Harry took Malfoy's shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the damage to the roots he now had to use。 Harry skinned the shrivelfig as fast as he could and flung it back across the table at Malfoy without speaking。 Malfoy was smirking more broadly than ever。
〃Seen your pal Hagrid lately？〃 he asked them quietly。
〃None of your business；〃 said Ron jerkily； without looking up。
〃I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer；〃 said Malfoy in a tone of mock sorrow。 〃Father's not very happy about my injury 〃
〃Keep talking； Malfoy； and I'll give you a real injury；〃 snarled Ron。
〃… he's plained to the school governors。 And to the Ministry of Magic。 Father's got a lot of influence； you know。 And a lasting injury like this〃 he gave a huge； fake sigh 〃who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again？〃
〃So that's why you're putting it on；〃 said Harry； accidentally beheading a dead caterpillar because his hand was shaking in anger。 〃To try to get Hagrid fired。〃
〃Well；〃 said Malfoy； lowering his voice to a whisper； 〃partly； Potter。 But there are other benefits too。 Weasley； slice my caterpillars for me。〃
A few cauldrons away； Neville was in trouble。 Neville regularly went to pieces in Potions lessons； it was his worst subject； and his great fear of Professor Snape made things ten times worse。 His potion； which was supposed to be a bright； acid green； had turned
〃Orange； Longbottom；〃 said Snape； ladling some up and allowing to splash back into the cauldron； so that everyone could see。
〃Orange。 Tell me； boy； does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours？ Didn't you hear me say； quite clearly； that only one …tat spleen was needed？ Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice？ What do I have to do to make you understand； Longbottom？〃
Neville was pink and trembling。 He looked as though he was on the verge of tears。
〃Please； sir；〃 said Hermione； 〃please； I could help Neville put it right 〃
〃I don't remember asking you to show off； Miss Granger；〃 said Snape coldly； and Hermione went as pink as Neville。 〃Longbottom； at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens。 Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly。〃
Snape moved away； leaving Neville breathless with fear。
〃Help me！〃 he moaned to Hermione。
〃Hey； Harry；〃 said Seamus Finnigan； leaning over to borrow Harry's brass scales； 〃have you heard？ Daily Prophet this morning they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted。〃
〃Where？〃 said Harry and Ron quickly。 On the other side of the table； Malfoy looked up； listening closely。
〃Not too far from here；〃 said Seamus； who looked excited。 〃It was a Muggle who saw him。 'Course； she didn't really understand。 The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal； don't they？ So she phoned the telephone hot line。 By the time the Ministry of Magic got there； he was gone。〃
〃Not too far from here。。。 〃 Ron repeated； looking significantly at Harry。 He turned around and saw Malfoy watching closely。 〃What； Malfoy？ Need something else skinned？〃
But Malfoy's eyes were shining malevolently； and they were fixed Harry。 He leaned across the table。
Black single…handed； Potter？〃
〃Thinking Of trying to catch
〃Yeah； that's right；〃 said Harry offhandedly。
Malfoys thin mouth was curving in a mean smile。
〃Of course； if it was me；〃 he said quietly； 〃I'd have done something before now。 I wouldn't be staying in school like a good boy； I'd be out there looking for him。〃
〃What are you talking about； Malfoy？〃 said Ron roughly。
〃Don't you know； Potter？〃 breathed Malfoy； his pate eyes narrowed。
〃Know what？〃
Malfoy let out a low； sneering laugh。
〃Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck；〃 he said。 〃Want to leave it to the dementors； do you？ But if it was me； I'd want revenge。 I'd hunt him down myself。〃
〃What are you talking about？〃 said Harry angrily； but at that moment Snape called； 〃You should have finished adding your ingredients by now； this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk； so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's。。。 〃
Crabbe and Goyle laughed openly； watching Neville sweat as he stirred his potion feverishly。 Hermione was muttering instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth； so that Snape wouldn't see。 Harry and Ron packed away their unused ingredients and went to wash their hands and ladles in the stone basin in the corner。
〃What did Malfoy mean？〃 Harry muttered to Ron as he stuck his hands under the icy jet that poured from the gargoyle's mouth 〃Why would I want revenge on Black？ He hasn't done anything to me yet。
〃He's making it up；〃 said Ron savagely。 〃He's trying to make you do something stupid。。。。〃
The end of the lesson in sight； Snape strode over to Neville； who was cowering by his cauldron。
〃Everyone gather 'round；〃 said Snape； his black eyes glittering； and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad。 If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution； it will shrink to a tadpole。 If； as I don't doubt； he has done it wrong； his toad is likely to be poisoned。〃
The Gryffindors watched fearfully。 The Slytherins looked excited。 Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion； which was now green。 He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat。
There was a moment of hushed silence； in which Trevor gulped； then there was a small pop； and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm。
The Gryffindors burst into applause。 Snape； looking sour； pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe； poured a few drops on top of Trevor； and he reappeared suddenly； fully grown。
〃Five points from Gryffindor；〃 said Snape； which wiped the smiles from every face。 〃I told you not to help him； Miss Granger。 Class dismissed。〃
Harry； Ron； and Hermione climbed the steps to the entrance hall。 Harry was still thinking about what Malfoy had said； while Ron was seething about Snape。
〃Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right！
Why didn't You lie； Hermione？ You should've said Neville did it all by himself！〃
Hermione didn't answer。 Ron looked around。
〃Where is she？〃
Harry turned too。 They were at the top of the steps now； watching the rest of the class pass them； heading for the Great Hall and lunch。
〃She was right behind us；〃 said Ron； frowning。
Malfoy passed them； walking between Crabbe and Goyle。 He smirked at Harry and disappeared。
〃There she is；〃 said Harry。
Hermione was panting slightly； hurrying up the stairs； one hand clutched her bag； the other seemed to be tucking something down the front of her robes。
〃How did you do that？〃 said Ron。
〃What？〃 said Hermione； joining them。
〃One minute you were right behind us； the next moment； you were back at the bottom of the stairs again。〃
〃What？〃 Hermione looked slightly confused。 〃Oh I had to go back f