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attack on Olly Jowett and Emilia Kallantar, another double attack occurred two before the end of the term and they only made Harry look more suspicious. Justin Finch-Fletchly and Nearly Headless Nick were added to the list of petrified victims. Speculation ensued as to why Harry was at the scene of the crime and motives were whispered around the school by students. That Harry resented Nick for the Deathday party and Justin for accusing him of being the Heir of Slytherin, thus blowing his cover.

While Saffron didn't believe that the actual Harry was the Heir of Slytherin, she still had an inkling that he was being possessed in some way shape or form. They had no other leads other than the obvious theory of Draco being involved.

Pursuing the Draco theory was paramount, for at the very least they could be able to exclude that theory from the very short list. Then, Saffron, Hermione and Ron could come together again to discuss if it could indeed be Harry in some way. Saffron almost hoped it would just be Draco at this point so it wouldn't get to that stage.

The Polyjuice potion had almost been completed and none of them could wait for it to finally be put to use. The perfect opportunity, that being the Christmas holidays, was on the horizon and they just hoped that it would work as they needed it to.

Whilst all of this was going on, Saffron still had Rachel and Rowan to contend with. The pair of them were flirting with the idea of going back to Squires for the Christmas holidays. The world had become crazy. Saffron would have bet a million galleons on Rachel never wanting to step foot in Squires again after leaving, yet here they were. 

Luckily, Maya had a compromise. 

"Why don't you all just stay in my dormitory?" Maya asked them, which seemed to provide Rachel and Rowan with some comfort. "All of the girls have gone home for Christmas, so there'll be enough beds for the three of you,"

"That sounds better," said Rowan fairly. "But still . . . people are taking their names off the list to stay here. Maybe we should do the same,"

"No," said Maya firmly, looking from Rachel to Rowan. "We can't let this monster or whatever you want to call it, ruin your first Squire free Christmas. It's not going to happen, besides, we haven't got as much to worry about as certain people, hopefully,"

That appeared to be partially true. Only Muggle-borns, a ghost and a cat had been attacked so far. Nobody with any magical blood had been attacked by the monster. They had magical blood from their mother's side so they likely had less to worry about than a Hermione, for example. 

"I'd like it if we stayed in your room together," Rachel too felt a clear sense of relief. The thought of staying in the Hufflepuff common room by herself wasn't a nice one. "

"I would stay too," Saffron began. She wanted to let her siblings know why she couldn't leave the Gryffindor common room as quickly as possible so they wouldn't feel like she was choosing it over them for any selfish reasons. "But I can't leave Hermione by herself, I'd feel terrible,"

"I understand," Rowan nodded at her. "We'll still see you, I'm just glad I won't be by myself,"

"Me too," said Rachel in agreement. 

Saffron smiled at them. She was appreciative that they understood. Even though it wouldn't be the Christmas they envisioned during the Summer, and even though they would be walking on eggshells the entire time, at the very least they would be together. That was all that mattered.

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Upon finding out that Crabbe and Goyle were the only Slytherins besides Draco and his elder brother Cygnus staying at Hogwarts over the holidays, Saffron insisted that they change their approach to the Polyjuice Potion. 

Their initial plan had been to transform into Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy Parkinson and Milicent Bulstrode, but Saffron thought that was assinine. First of all, they knew very little of Draco's relationship with Pansy and nothing at all when it came to Milicent. How could they be sure that he would say anything to them in confidence? They quite simply couldn't be sure and they needed certainty. 

Not only that, Pansy and Milicent were going to be in school over the holidays. Saffron felt like they had to give Draco enough credit, as he wouldn't fail to notice that two girls who were supposed to be across the other side of the country had all of a sudden had shown up to quiz him on the Chamber of Secrets. That was the definition of fishy. 

Saffron wasn't going to let the others go through with having the four of them transform. It was illogical and risky. She would much rathered have had Harry and Ron go as Crabbe and Goyle go. She wasn't afraid to let the others know that that was her opinion.

"It just doesn't make any sense," Saffron told the three of them during their lunch break on their final day of term. "Besides, what difference will it make if only two of us go? They'll still ask the same questions,"

"You just don't want to risk taking the potion," said Ron accusingly, watching Hermione stir the brewing potion carefully.

"Not true," retorted Saffron coolly. "If you want, I'll go instead of you as Crabbe or Goyle, I would just rather not know what it feels like to be a boy, that's why it's easier for you to go,"

"I know what it's like to be a boy, yes" replied Ron somewhat defensively. "Crabbe and Goyle go under the category of troll,"

Harry laughed whilst Hermione looked up, thinking hard about Saffron's proposition. 

"I actually think you have a point," Hermione told her with a small smile. She looked across at Harry and Ron who were both leaning against the locked door of the toilet. "Only as long as you two don't mind,"

"I don't mind," Harry confirmed. "I don't mind anything as long as it puts an end to this,"

"And I've always wanted to know what it feels like to be a troll," remarked Ron with a smirk. He seemed hesitant but Saffron knew that he would ultimately follow through. "So why not find out without one of you finding out by being Milicent, Crabbe or Goyle,"