"Okay...at the stroke of midnight we all drink the potion while it's still foaming got it?"

Hermione must have asked that question dozens of times since they had entered the abandoned girls' water closet earlier this evening.

"We've got it ‘Mione, just give us a break already, we're nervous as it is. The pain that comes with the transformation alone is making me sick to my stomach just thinking about it." Ron complained.

Sitting on the cold stone floor was not helping the anxiety strain on their nerves. Even with the heat emanating from the conjured fire below the cauldron gave them no warmth.

"Everything must go accordingly to plan Ronald or terrible things could happen. You did read the third section of page 308; concerning the mistreatment and misjudgment of Wizards who did this spell and potion incorrectly didn't you?"

Ron started to squirm. "Well you see...me and Harry here were so busy studying for our exams that we just kinda skimmed over most of it. You know... to keep up with our studies and what not."

Hermione took a deep breath before the steam started pouring out of her every pore. "You two didn't read page 308?" she screeched.

Luckily they had placed a silencing charm on the door beforehand. Hermione was getting right up there with Mrs. Weasley's level of loud.

"I told you both explicitly to read that page. What will I do when you're both rolling on the floor with who knows what kind of mutation?"

Harry decided to fill Hermione in on what exactly he'd been doing all summer to curb her rant. Not including the chores and answering every beck and call of his relatives. As well as not mentioning the punishments he'd endured for not doing them up to the Dursley standard. Really everything he did was wrong in their eyes.

"Mione, I read the whole book back to front till pages fell out and I gave Ron the overview with quidditch analogies and everything so he'd understand."

"Hey I'm right here!"

"Sorry mate, but you really don't get around to doing something unless it involves your favorite interests."

"Alright I guess you got me there, but I swear Mione I've been practicing the wand movements three times daily. All Harry had to tell me about was that one bloke who turned out half man and half pig for the rest of his life to get me serious about this."

"Well, I suppose as long as you know the gravity of the situation, but I really wish we had more time to practice. I can't be entirely sure this potion is the correct shade of aquamarine. The text was in Latin you know, what if I translated it wrong? I know I warded it but what if something slipped into it after all this time throughout the summer? It needed exactly three months to sit. I...we ...maybe we shouldn't do this after all?"

Ron looked ready to cave in and quit as well. Harry needed to quickly convince Hermione that he at least needed to continue as planned. He'd really studied about this all summer using the translation charm of course. Everything looked to be going smoothly potion wise.

"Hey, I don't want you guys to do this if you don't want to. I've been thinking about this a long time, a lot longer than we've been talking about it anyways. Hermione, I need to go through with this. I need this so I can...I just need this okay?" 

"I don't know Harry, maybe we can try again after the winter holidays so I can do some more research in the restricted section."

"She's right mate, we really should do some more research maybe put a painkilling ingredient in there so it's not so painful?"

"Ronald, have you ever listened in potions? You must follow directions to the letter without deviations unless you want a limb blown off or worse, death of all those around you. We will not add any more ingredients unless called for."

"Alright don't get your knickers in a twist I was just dreaming I guess."

"Do that in class and not when we're putting our lives in danger" she ended.

Ron looked bout ready to blow some steam of his own. It was up to Harry to push things forward and dodge a pending fight.

"Alright guys we're down to 1 minute and 30 seconds. I'm going to do this with or without you."

"Harry mate, I know I thought this was cool and all when we first set out but I'm not sure I want to be like the marauders in this sense."

"That's fine Ron just back me up if something goes wrong."

"Course, that's what friends are for after all." Ron said while slapping Harry on the shoulder.

Hermione looked like she needed to try and dissuade him one last time.

"Harry please don't do this now. If you would give me just a little bit more time to analyze every possible...

Harry just stared at her. What could he say to convince her to let him do this?

"I can't wait for that Mione", he interrupted her. "I need to do this now for hundreds of reasons that I promise to justify tomorrow. Just let me do this, for me. Please?"

She couldn't resist with the look of utter longing on his somber face.

"I'll never forgive myself if something goes wrong."

"Don't worry; everyone says you're the brightest witch of our age Mione. I know you worked yourself into hysterics getting this right. Give yourself more credit o.k.?"

"Okay Harry just show me the wand movement one more time, and remember the inflection on the third syllable of the second word is ah and not eh."

"Yes Mum," he replied.

With convincing out of the way and wand movement shown Harry looked down at his watch. It was time.

"All right then bottoms up" Harry said after he said the incantation.

Hermione and Ron watched with trepidation as their other best friend drank, at the stroke of midnight, what would essentially change his life forever. Hopefully he would find what he was looking for if this was successful.

Potion downed at an alarming rate, considering the taste, Harry began to feel the change almost instantly.

Nothing had prepared him for the pain that was coursing through his body.

He was melting. That's the only way to describe the horrific spasms wracking his body. His heart beat was racing and felt as though it would either fly out his chest or stop any moment.

He, who had suffered the cruciatus curse, had multiple beatings by his walrus of an Uncle and attacks on his mind by a crazed monster. Nothing compared to this new feeling of organs shrinking and bones rearranging.

He heard murmurs of people shouting his name but was soon lost to the deepening spiral of pain. The floor graciously came up to meet him as he gave into its cold embrace in his new smaller form.

All was quiet, and for the first time in a long time Harry was blissfully oblivious to the universe. For now.

Down the corridor a certain Potions Master was patrolling for students out of bed. Little did he know that his life would also change this night.