Birthday Surprises
Harry confides to both Hermione and Ron about Dumbledore's task to retrieve Slughorn's memory. Meanwhile, Slughorn assigns the Potions class the difficult assignment of brewing the antidote for various poisons. The notes in Harry's textbook provide no assistance. With only a few minutes left, Harry finds a scrawled note in his book, "Just shove a Bezoar down their throats." Harry also remembers that Snape once said a Bezoar (a stone from a goat's stomach) will protect against most poisons. He rushes to the cabinet and finds one. No one in the class succeeds in making a good antidote, but when Slughorn comes to his table, Harry simply holds up the Bezoar. Slughorn is amused, yet impressed, telling Harry that he thinks like his mother, then shoves the stone into his bag. Hermione, however, is critical. Harry lingers after class and asks Slughorn about Horcruxes. Slughorn, realizing what Harry is attempting, insists there was nothing more to the memory that he gave Dumbledore, and departs hurriedly.
Students sit their first Apparation training in early February with a Ministry Wizard. Malfoy, involved in a whispered argument with Crabbe, is reprimanded. Harry positions himself to eavesdrop if they start again. Apparently, Crabbe is upset at being told to guard something that Malfoy is doing, without knowing what it is. The class is called to order again, and they start practicing. This being their first lesson, students only attempt to Apparate a few feet away. After several attempts, no one succeeds except Susan Bones, who splinches herself on the fourth attempt, leaving a leg behind.
After overhearing Malfoy and Crabbe's conversation, Harry resolves to track Draco's movements on the Marauder's Map. He sees Malfoy in the Slytherin common room with Crabbe and Goyle. Over the next several weeks, he watches Crabbe and Goyle moving around the castle on their own rather more than usual, sometimes standing in an empty hall. Harry is often unable to locate Malfoy on the map and considers that Malfoy is actually leaving the school, but dismisses this due to Hogwarts' increased security.
While opening presents on his birthday, Ron mistakenly eats several chocolates that Romilda Vane gave Harry. When Ron becomes dreamy over Romilda, Harry realizes the candies were spiked with Love Potion to get Harry to take Romilda to Slughorn's Christmas party. Ron has developed an obsessive love for Romilda. Not knowing the antidote, Harry takes Ron to Slughorn. En route, they bump into Lavender, and Ron announces that Harry is taking him to Romilda. Slughorn administers an antidote, then decides they should toast Ron's birthday. Slughorn opens a bottle of mead, offhandedly mentioning that he had intended it as a present for Dumbledore last Christmas. Ron takes a drink, and it is quickly obvious he has been poisoned. When Slughorn is slow to react, Harry finds the Bezoar in Slughorn's bag, and forces it into Ron's mouth.
Students sit their first Apparation training in early February with a Ministry Wizard. Malfoy, involved in a whispered argument with Crabbe, is reprimanded. Harry positions himself to eavesdrop if they start again. Apparently, Crabbe is upset at being told to guard something that Malfoy is doing, without knowing what it is. The class is called to order again, and they start practicing. This being their first lesson, students only attempt to Apparate a few feet away. After several attempts, no one succeeds except Susan Bones, who splinches herself on the fourth attempt, leaving a leg behind.
After overhearing Malfoy and Crabbe's conversation, Harry resolves to track Draco's movements on the Marauder's Map. He sees Malfoy in the Slytherin common room with Crabbe and Goyle. Over the next several weeks, he watches Crabbe and Goyle moving around the castle on their own rather more than usual, sometimes standing in an empty hall. Harry is often unable to locate Malfoy on the map and considers that Malfoy is actually leaving the school, but dismisses this due to Hogwarts' increased security.
While opening presents on his birthday, Ron mistakenly eats several chocolates that Romilda Vane gave Harry. When Ron becomes dreamy over Romilda, Harry realizes the candies were spiked with Love Potion to get Harry to take Romilda to Slughorn's Christmas party. Ron has developed an obsessive love for Romilda. Not knowing the antidote, Harry takes Ron to Slughorn. En route, they bump into Lavender, and Ron announces that Harry is taking him to Romilda. Slughorn administers an antidote, then decides they should toast Ron's birthday. Slughorn opens a bottle of mead, offhandedly mentioning that he had intended it as a present for Dumbledore last Christmas. Ron takes a drink, and it is quickly obvious he has been poisoned. When Slughorn is slow to react, Harry finds the Bezoar in Slughorn's bag, and forces it into Ron's mouth.
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