Red Handed [Bonus]

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Ron and Harry found themselves in an unfortunate situation, realizing that their elaborate plan to expose Malfoy as the heir of Slytherin had backfired. In their embarrassing encounter with Malfoy, it became apparent that their carefully crafted scheme had become a joke, and the roles had reversed.

As they hurriedly left the Slytherin lounge, dressed in ill-fitting clothes, and headed back to the women's bathroom, Professor Ethan's shouts echoed behind them. The survival instinct kicked in, prompting them to stop. Harry and Ron, now disguised as Crabbe and Goyle, covered their heads with oversized clothes to conceal their identities and sprinted even faster. Racing up the steps, they sought a hiding spot to evade Ethan's pursuit, but it became evident that challenging a witcher in speed was an unwise decision.

Before they could reach safety, Ethan's large hands descended on their necks, lifting them as if they were helpless kittens. Coldly staring at their faces, still in flux due to the polyjuice potion, Ethan demanded answers.

"What are you doing?" Ethan questioned sternly, observing the terrified expressions on Harry and Ron's faces.

"I... Professor Ethan, we were just..." Ron and Harry stammered, trying to justify their actions, but their attempts were futile. Unable to conjure a reasonable excuse, they could only look at Ethan with helpless eyes.

Ethan was furious. Despite explicitly instructing Harry and Ron not to involve themselves in the Chamber of Secrets affair, they had still undertaken their own "investigation." The Gryffindor's courage had turned into an annoying, adventurous spirit.

Caught in the act, Harry and Ron had no means of escape. Their heads hung low in a state of defeat and exhaustion. Despite their predicament, their primary concern now was protecting Hermione. However, Ethan had other plans and was unwilling to let them off the hook.

"You still have accomplices. You two can't come up with the potion."

Despair filled Harry and Ron's faces as they realized their secret might not remain hidden. In a silent agreement, they exchanged glances, still maintaining that they were the sole creators of the compound decoction. Their ultimate goal was to protect Hermione, even if it meant taking the blame.

"Ethan, don't stand at the door of my office..." Snape impatiently opened his office door, annoyed by the commotion outside that disrupted his research. Upon seeing Ethan with an irritated Snape and Harry and Ron in tow, Snape was taken aback.

"Potter, Weasley, what are you..." Snape's astonishment was evident, especially when he noticed the ill-fitting Slytherin uniforms of Ron and Harry.

Ethan provided a brief explanation of what he had witnessed. Snape's eyes quickly sharpened, and his upper lip curled in rage. Harry noticed Snape's expression, and his legs felt a bit weak.

"Yeah, Potter, Weasley, your potion grades are impressive. I'm sure concocting a complex potion like the Polyjuice potion must be easy for you," Snape taunted, even in anger.

"I suppose Miss Know-it-all assisted you, right? Is she here? Is she still in the Slytherin lounge? How did you obtain those uniforms?" Snape interrogated aggressively, fixating on Harry and Ron like a serpent, seizing the opportunity.

Harry and Ron intended to remain silent, hoping to buy as much time as possible for Hermione to notice the anomaly and evacuate. Unfortunately, they were up against Snape, who quickly deduced their intentions.

"You two think you can play tough, don't you? Why not try this?" Snape retrieved a thumb-sized bottle from his pocket, containing a clear liquid. "This is a potent Veritaserum. Just three drops and even Voldemort would reveal his darkest secret. Who wants to try it first?"

Ethan didn't intervene to stop Snape. He believed that Snape was merely trying to scare Harry and Ron. Snape's proficiency in Legilimency meant he could quickly determine Hermione's location if he wished to.

Harry and Ron, pale with fright, looked to Ethan for help, hoping he would halt Snape's irrational behavior. Ethan chose not to interfere with Snape. He hoped that Snape's actions would prompt Harry and Ron to speak up quickly, sparing them from further suffering.

"Okay, Ron, let's tell him," Harry said, recognizing that resistance under Veritaserum was futile. He feared revealing Parseltongue's secrets to Snape and wanted to end it.

Harry and Ron, their psychological defenses crumbling, quickly disclosed Hermione's hiding place. Ethan let go of the two little wizards and instructed them to lead the way, with Snape following closely. Snape cast a cannibalistic gaze upon Harry and Ron from behind.

Fearful, Harry and Ron dared not look back, moving forward slowly to buy time for Hermione. Snape, noticing their cautious behavior, grew more bitter and mean. "Stop dawdling! Potter, Weasley, do you want me to burn a hole in your ass?" he jeered, causing Harry and Ron to quicken their pace.

As they passed the hallway containing the bathroom, several people heard an abnormal noise from the closet. Harry and Ron exchanged glances, a sense of despair filling their eyes.

Crabbe and Goyle stumbled out of the closet, disheveled and patting their heads in confusion. Seeing the crowd in front of them, they seemed dazed, the effects of the Memory Modifying Charms still lingering.

Contrary to Ethan's expectations, Snape did not display the rage he anticipated. Instead, he let out a sinister laugh that sent shivers down Ethan's spine.

"Excellent, Potter, Weasley. One of you is sure to be expelled. No, add Miss Know-it-all and all three of you."

Harry and Ron took a deep breath, mentally preparing for their fate, but the possibility of Hermione's expulsion caught them off guard. They realized the severe consequences of their reckless actions for the first time.

They looked helplessly at Ethan, expecting him to speak up for Hermione. Seeing their emotional distress, Ethan gave them a reassuring look, indicating that he would support Hermione. This provided Harry and Ron with a small measure of relief.