Hogwarts had no classes on Saturday, at least not for first-years.
Sean woke early, the dungeon quiet. He grabbed his bag and left the Slytherin common room, just like every weekend. But instead of heading to the Great Hall or library, he slipped into a dark corner. He glanced around—no students, no ghosts. With a quick flick of his wand, he cast the Disillusionment Charm, his body fading like a shadow. He snuck out of Hogwarts Castle and reached the Whomping Willow.
Sean pressed the knot on the Whomping Willow's trunk, calming its thrashing branches. He'd scouted this spot before and knew it well. Without waiting, he crawled into the hidden passage beneath the tree, heading straight to the Shrieking Shack.
The Shrieking Shack was dusty, with old claw marks scratched into the walls. Sean didn't stay long. He grabbed the tattered cloak he'd hidden there, slipped it on, and stepped into Hogsmeade. Spotting a drunk slumped by the road, he plucked a hair from the man's head and dropped it into a metal vial of Polyjuice Potion.
Bubbles erupted as the hair hit the potion, the silvery liquid turning a dull yellow, like Butterbeer. A sharp smell of cheap wine filled the air.
Each Polyjuice Potion changed with the person's hair. This drunk's made it look and smell like bad ale.
Sean grimaced but drank the potion, wincing as his body twisted. He yanked out two of his own hairs, tucked them away, and pulled the cloak's hood low. Pain surged as his bones shifted, but he trudged toward the Hog's Head Inn, Hogsmeade's streets bustling around him.
Inside the Hog's Head, Sean's body had morphed into the drunk's—big, heavy, and awkward. His hands, now stubby like carrots, pushed open the creaky door. He shuffled in, blending with the pub's shady crowd.
The Hog's Head was full of quiet, hooded figures. Sean's disguise fit right in. He growled for a glass of wine in a rough voice, slumped into a chair, and watched the door, waiting for Tarquin.
Through the pub's dirty windows, Sean saw Hogwarts students flood Hogsmeade. None came to the Hog's Head—they flocked to the Three Broomsticks or Honeydukes, laughing and carrying sweets.
Time dragged. Three groups of students entered the pub, but not Tarquin. Sean sipped his wine, his eyes sharp behind the drunk's face.
Finally, the fourth group arrived. Tarquin and two older Slytherins swaggered into the Hog's Head, ordering drinks and chatting loudly.
Hogwarts students acted fearless in Hogsmeade, knowing locals wouldn't bother them.
Sean stayed put, nursing his wine, waiting for the right moment.
He could've marched up and punched Tarquin, taking his hair, blood, and teeth with his Troll Strength. But Sean wanted it clean, leaving no trace of trouble.
The wine warmed his throat, making him feel hot.
Tarquin and his friends stood, ready to leave for their next stop.
Sean rose fast, swaying like a drunk, and stumbled toward the pub's door.
His plan was to bump Tarquin and act in the chaos.
But Tarquin, the pure-blood fanatic, didn't budge. Instead of stepping aside, he pushed forward, challenging Sean's sloppy, hooded figure for the door.
They crashed hard. Sean's Troll Strength surged, unchecked. Tarquin flew out the Hog's Head door, landing face-first in the dirt.
Sean roared, playing the drunk, and charged toward Tarquin, his heart racing with the chance to strike.
Tarquin's two friends lunged at Sean, trying to stop him from attacking Tarquin. But as they grabbed him, Sean's Troll Strength surged. He flung them off with a mighty shove, sending them crashing to the ground, groaning and unable to stand.
Sean charged forward, his eyes locked on Tarquin. He snatched Tarquin's raised wand, yanking it up. A spell shot from the wand, fizzling into the air. Sean squeezed hard, crushing Tarquin's hand with a sickening crunch. He ripped the wand away, snapped it in two, and swung his right hand, slapping Tarquin's face.
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Three hard hits echoed in the street. Tarquin's teeth, mixed with blood, flew from his mouth, splattering the dirt.
Sean's panel buzzed, signaling he'd gained a skill from Tarquin—LV2 Reparo, a repair spell. It wasn't much, but it was something.
With his goal in sight, Sean grabbed a fistful of Tarquin's hair, tearing out clumps and leaving bare patches on his scalp. He glanced around, seeing a crowd gathering. Acting panicked, like a drunk who'd just beaten a Hogwarts student, Sean stumbled forward. He scooped up the teeth and blood from the ground, tucking them into his cloak, and staggered away from the Hog's Head Inn.
As Sean fled, the curious onlookers drifted off, muttering about the fight.
Tarquin's friends scrambled to him, checking his injuries. Seeing he was only battered, they helped him up, his face swollen, and hobbled back to Hogwarts to find Madam Pomfrey.
Sean weaved through Hogsmeade's crowded streets, his heart pounding. He bumped into a woman, slyly plucking a strand of her hair and slipping it into another vial of Polyjuice Potion. In a dark alley, he shed his cloak and drank the potion, his body shifting again.
Now looking like the woman, Sean lowered his head, blended into the crowd, and followed his plan. He changed his appearance once more, then hurried back to the Shrieking Shack.
Inside, Sean locked the door and pulled out his haul. He carefully placed Tarquin's hair, teeth, and blood into three prepared vials, each filled with a potion to keep them fresh. He hid the vials under his robe and cast the Disillusionment Charm again.
A cool tingle spread over him, like water trickling down his head, confirming he was invisible. Sean rushed through the Whomping Willow's passage, emerged from the tree, and let his disguise fade. He strolled to the library, calm as ever, sat down, and opened a book, blending in with the other students.