CHLOE WOKE UP on Sunday morning to find the hospital wing blazing with winter sunlight and her arm reboned but very stiff. She sat up quickly and looked over at Colin’s bed, but it had been blocked from view by the high curtains Chloe had changed behind yesterday. Seeing that she was awake, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray and then began bending and stretching her arm and fingers. “All in order. When you’ve finished eating, you may leave.” She said, as Chloe clumsily fed herself porridge right-handed.
Once Chloe got dressed, she hurried to Gryffindor Tower, desperate to tell Ron and Hermione about Colin and Dobby - but they weren’t there.
Chloe left to look for them, wondering where they could have got to. As she passed the library, Percy Weasley strolled out of it, looking in far better spirits than last time they had met. “Oh, hello, Chloe. Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken the lead for the House Cup. You earned fifty points!” He pointed out.
“Thanks, Percy," said Chloe, with a friendly smile. "Have you seen Ron or Hermione anywhere?"
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“No, I haven’t,” said Percy, his smile fading. “I hope Ron’s not in another girls’ toilet." He remarked.
After Chloe forced out a laugh and watched Percy walk out of sight, she headed straight for Myrtle’s bathroom, opened the door and heard Hermione and Ron's voices coming from a locked stall.
“It’s me,” said Chloe, who closed the door behind her. There was a clunk, a splash and a gasp from within the stall and she saw Hermione’s eye peering through the keyhole. “Chloe! You gave us such a fright, come in. How’s your arm?” She asked.
“Mended,” said Chloe, as she squeezed into the stall. An old cauldron was perched on the toilet and a crackling from under the rim told Chloe they had lit a fire beneath it, Conjuring up portable, water-proof fires was a specialty of Hermion all l mm mme's.
“We’d’ve come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion. We’ve decided this is the safest place to hide it.” Ron explained, as Chloe, with difficulty, locked the stall again.
Chloe started to tell Hermione and Ron about Colin, but Hermione interrupted. “We already know. We heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That’s why we decided we’d better get going-" She stated.
“The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better. D’you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin," snarled Ron, with crossed arms.
“Perhaps. But there’s something else,” said Chloe, whilst she watched Hermione tear bundles of knotgrass and throw them into the potion. “Dobby came for a little visit in the middle of the night.”
