( Next Day )
"So what is it you wanted to talk about?" Penny enquired from her place by his bedside, which was ironic considering it was the same seat he used when he was talking to Penny a year earlier.
Looking around the hospital wing, he saw no one, only hearing the matron listening to her music in her office. "Can you put a privacy ward up, please," he requested, his eyes lingering on Penny slightly longer than normal.
"Give me a sec," the 6th year replied as her wand danced in her hand while muttering an incantation, a blue dome forming around them for an instant before fading from sight altogether. The only sign the spell was in place was the blue line of energy on the floor.
"I found out who stole my supplies," he stated, watching Penny carefully as he saw her consider his statement.
"So, what do you want with me? Is this some type of scheme? Otherwise, you would have told the teachers already," Penny stated with her own coy smile.
Smiling at her sentence, 'she really does know me,' he thought. "Well, Miss Granger is currently brewing Polyjuice Potion in the second-floor girls' bathroom, ironically the same one with Myrtle in it," getting a nod from the elder Ravenclaw that she was following, also making note to talk to Daphne about it, wondering how the Slytherin had missed it.
"Polyjuice is a Ministry-controlled substance, which allows an individual to take on the appearance of another for a single hour. It also has a prison sentence of up to 5 years if someone's caught illegally brewing it without Ministry approval," he stated.
"Neville and his crew plan to use it to sneak into the Slytherin dorm rooms and interrogate Draco Malfoy," recalling the discussion easily from memory. "What I want you to do is show a professor the potion, say you found it and saw Miss Granger working on it when you had to pop into the bathroom. Myrtle will be your evidence since she's been talking with the young lioness. If you time it right, you can get Neville, Ron, Dean, and Seamus all caught at the scene of the crime."
"I don't want to send the five of them to jail," Penny said firmly.
"I know, neither do I, and I doubt that would happen anyway," he admitted. He just wanted to make a point. "But I want to get back at them for stealing my stuff," he said firmly.
"Neville will be protected due to his fame, and the fact that his grandmother's on the Board of Governors. Ron's family is close allies with the headmaster, and the headmaster will protect the rest. Worst case, they will get a Ministry warning and a letter home. But they will probably end up with detentions and a major house point reduction. This will hopefully cause them to drop to last place for the house cup. And Neville might just be banned from playing Quidditch for the rest of the year," he lectured.
"Effectively making Ravenclaw favourites to win both cups," Penny ended, seeing where he was going with this.
"Exactly," he answered with a firm nod, smiling at his friend. "Now if you tell Professor Snape, the consequences will probably be the most extreme, and they may end up in the papers since Draco's father will hear of it and use it to strike at the headmaster. I'd rather avoid that, but you would properly earn the man's respect for turning in troublemakers and for it being Gryffindors to boot. You will probably also get his support to be the Head Girl next year," he said with a sly smile. "Or you tell the Deputy Headmistress instead," as he rolled his hand, gesturing for her to continue his frame of thought.
"And she will punish them firmly, and I can earn her favour," Penny said after a while. "But it wouldn't be as harsh to their records and will probably be kept quiet."
"Indeed, they will get punished, but not to the point where it would be on their permanent records and Neville probably won't get kicked off the team," he answered. "You can also say to the headmistress that you came to her over our own head of house to help keep it discreet, so it wouldn't affect their permanent records. You get seen as thoughtful, considerate, and responsible, all positive qualities one would look for in a Head Girl. Your grades are already top-notch, and you can position yourself as the early favourite to be the next Head Girl."
"So you want me to be the Head Girl then?" Penny asked thoughtfully, her eyes locking onto his own, seeing one of his motives.
"Yes," he answered firmly. "I want you to do well. The Head Girl position is a highly respected position and will help you if you decide to work at the Ministry. Even if I could find you a better-paying job working for me," he stated with a smirk. "It also will benefit me here in the school. I can't get my ingredients back, but I like the idea of having the Head Girl as my friend," he answered with a grin, 'and in my pocket.'
She shook her head in disbelief before saying, "Playing all the angles, aren't you."
"Well, I've had just over a week to think about it, plus I've spent most of yesterday stuck in this bed," patting the bed. "It's your choice. If you don't want to, I can always ask Daphne to do it," mentioning the cold Slytherin.
"I'll do it," Penny confirmed, clearly knowing the Slytherin wouldn't hesitate to tell Snape.
He smiled at her answer. "Thanks, Penny, I knew I could count on you," giving her hand a firm squeeze.
"Why me? Why not do it yourself?"
"If I reported them, I would gain nothing really but a pat on the back and a good job. It would also suggest it's personal, they stole from me after all; it is a conflict of interest. Plus, everyone knows I have a bit of an academic rivalry going on with Miss Granger," he answered with a half-hearted smile. "Or I could have told the 5th-year prefect and gained a favour or two from them, but I would much rather help you," giving her hand another squeeze, not mentioning that Percy would probably be Head Boy next year, and Penny's elevation would help get him off Harry's backside.
...
( That Evening )
"Miss Clearwater, what can I do for you?" Professor McGonagall enquired from behind her office desk.
Going over what she was going to say, she straightened her back and spoke. "Professor, I found Miss Granger brewing a potion in the second-floor girls' bathroom. I thought I'd inform you since it's against the school rules," she offered, having already checked out the second-floor bathroom after leaving the hospital wing, just to see the lioness brewing away in the middle of the bathroom floor, talking away to Myrtle.
"I believe it's Polyjuice Potion she's brewing, for whatever reason," she explained curiously. "I know from my own NEWT-level studies that Polyjuice is a dangerous, Ministry-controlled potion. I thought it best to inform you rather than let something like this get blown out of hand by the wrong people," playing the responsible adult card just like Harry had suggested.
"Show me," she stated, rising from her chair, a frown painted on her face.
She led the Head of Gryffindor House to the empty second-floor bathroom and straight over to the potion, hidden away in one of the bathroom stalls.
"Here, Professor," gesturing at the disgusting potion, her heart beating hard as the Professor stepped forward to examine it before sighing in disappointment.
Watching as the professor flicked her wand over the cauldron, she easily recognized the stasis charm she had learnt earlier in the year. "Miss Clearwater, are you sure it was Miss Granger?"
"Yes, I believe so. She was talking to Myrtle," Penny stated, wondering what was happening. The next couple of minutes passed as the deputy headmistress questioned her about what she saw, before the bathroom door opened and Professor Snape entered, his eyes locking onto them.
"Professor McGonagall," the smooth-talking Potions Master greeted. "I heard that there was an unknown potion being brewed in this bathroom. Is this the culprit?" His eyes locked onto her before looking away in annoyance, as she fought to keep the smile off her face as she remembered Harry's magical contract in place with the Potions Master.
"No, Miss Clearwater just reported this to me," the Headmistress stated, her back growing straighter like a puffer fish. "Could you please examine this potion," gesturing to the frozen potion. "Miss Clearwater just found it," as the Potions Master stepped forward to examine the mixture.
...
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