The password to the Malfoy guest-room was Ilunga. It comprised of one large bedroom complete with a sofa, a desk, a king-sized bed, and a small bathroom. The room was draped tastefully in the Slytherin colours, and the Malfoy crest was visible hanging above the bed. Draco let them both in before letting Manimi out of his bag, and sitting down on the sofa, gesturing for Harry to do the same. He then took from his bag a quill and a parchment notebook and crossed his legs to get comfortable.

"Hello, Harry," hissed Manimi.

"Hi, Manimi. How's things?"

"Sleepless as always, in his case," She replied, bobbing her head in Draco's direction. "But I'm not supposed to tell you that."

"Harry? We need to decide how to go about making the potion." Draco's voice cut in. "Do you know much about it?"

Harry laughed a little. "I don't just know about it, I've used it. Ron, Hermione and I made some in second year."

Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Not that I'm not impressed, but why did you need to?"

Harry coloured slightly. He didn't exactly want to admit that it was to sneak into the Slytherin dorm and find out if Draco was the Heir of Slytherin (a necessary measure – Draco would never have told Harry outright). "Just... Uh... nothing. No good reason. Anyway, it was mostly Hermione who made it. She and Ron are going to have an easy time."

Draco's eyebrow stayed raised in suspicion, but he didn't ask any more questions. "In that case, we've got some advantage on the others. Better yet, I have a copy of Moste Potente Potions, which you can usually only get in the restricted section. I copied the recipe and instructions down here," He lifted the notebook, "So the biggest problem we have is getting hold of the trickier ingredients. Here, these are the instructions.

Harry took the notebook and quickly read Draco's small, neat cursive:

Part 1, step one

Add 3 measures of fluxweed to the cauldron (must have been picked on a full moon).

Add 2 bundles of knotgrass to the cauldron.

Stir 3 times, clockwise.

Wave your wand then let potion brew for 80 minutes (for a Pewter Cauldron. A Brass Cauldron will only require 68, and a copper one only 60.)

Part 1, step two

Add 4 leeches to the cauldron.

Add 2 scoops of lacewing flies to the mortar, crush to a fine powder, then add 2 measures of the crushed lacewings to the cauldron.

Heat for 30 seconds on a low heat.

Wave your wand to complete this stage of the potion.

Part 2, step one

Add 3 measures of boomslang skin to the cauldron.

Add 1 measure of bicorn horn to the mortar, crush to a fine powder, then add one measure of the crushed horn to the cauldron.

Heat for 20 seconds at a high temperature.

Wave your wand then let potion brew for 24 hours (for a Pewter Cauldron. A Brass Cauldron will only require 1224 minutes, and a copper one only 18 hours.)

Part 2, step two

Add 1 additional scoop of lacewings to the cauldron.

Stir 3 times, anti-clockwise.

Split potion into multiple doses, if desired, then add the pieces of the person you wish to become.

Wave your wand to complete the potion.

"Bloody hell, this is going to take ages."

"Exactly, that's why we need to begin as soon as possible." Draco handed Harry another list. "These are the ingredients I want you to get. I already have stewed Lacewing flies, knotgrass, and leeches, and our hair is on our heads. That leaves only three ingredients – horn of bicorn, fluxweed, and boomslang skin. I need you to get the bicorn horn and the skin. I'll get the fluxweed. Got it?"

"Wow, you've really done your homework, Draco."

He shrugged. "I like potions. I have to confess, I'm actually quite excited to make this."

"Swat."

"Call it what you want, I'm still better at it than you. I want to use my cauldron for this, seeing as it's copper, and that should decrease the brewing time. I'll start stewing the lacewing flies tomorrow, and I'll get the fluxweed next Tuesday, seeing as that's the full moon. Can you get all of your ingredients by then, so that we can start step one, part one?"

"Yeah, sure. And thanks for doing all this work already. I feel like I'm not going to need to do much to make this potion."

"Like I said," said Draco, shrugging again, "I like potions. Anyway, I think that's really all we needed to talk about today unless there's something else you want to ask?"

"Yeah, actually. What do you think about the Triwizard tournament?"

Draco sighed. "You know, Potter, we have discussed this multiple times already."

"I know, but I was wondering: who do you think the Hogwarts champion will be?"

He shrugged and pushed a hand through his hair, which was beginning to hang over his face a little, escaping its usual slicked-back style. "I don't know. Probably one of you Gryffindors. You guys like glory, right?"

"Would you enter if you could?"

Draco shook his head, then thought for a minute before nodding it. "If it was my choice, no. But my Father wanted me to at least enter, if possible. Luckily I won't have to now. How about you?"

"I wouldn't. I've had enough of danger, thank you very much."

Draco sat up. "Speaking of danger, what happened at the end of last year? I heard you fought off Sirius Black and a whole bunch of dementors. I didn't see you the next day so I couldn't ask about it, and I didn't think it was a good idea to ask in a letter or in the middle of potions."

Harry's defenses began to spring up, but he forced himself to remain calm. "I didn't fight Sirius Black. I fought dementors. But it was fine, nothing worse than all the other years I've been here."

Draco was quiet for a moment. Manimi finished exploring the room and slithered onto the sofa between them. He noticed the way Draco watched the snake, with so much love that he forgot momentarily to be the Malfoy Heir, and instead became a normal boy with a pet whom he loved. Manimi curled herself over his shoulders and around his neck and looked around at both of them. You could tell she loved Draco too.

Draco looked up from Manimi and caught Harry looking, making him start and look away quickly. He stood up. "Well, if that's everything? Do we need to meet tomorrow?"

Draco stayed seated. "I'll start brewing the lacewings tomorrow, but you don't need to come down here for that. Just get the stuff I told you to, and meet me here next Tuesday. Then we can start making the potion."