While students were having fun in Hogsmeade, elsewhere...

"Thanks for coming, boys! Your help will be of great benefit," said the half-giant excited as he held a chicken in his hand: "Forgive me, I would even do this task by myself if I could. As you can see, my hands are not suitable for delicate service."

A little dubious, the Marauders were afraid it would be another task involving something disgusting.

 

"And what would that be?" Remus asked fearfully.

Seeing the boys' fear, the half-giant reassures them: "Don't worry my boys, this time it won't have anything to do with dragon dung. And I'm sorry if you didn't like my last assignment."

Without saying anything, they just allow Hagrid to continue his speech.

"As you can see, this is Miranda," Hagrid holds up the white chicken in his hand and then says, "Miranda suffers from anxiety problems, since the chicken coop paint faded she hasn't been eating properly...Poor Miranda"

Miranda? Really that name? And does the chicken suffer from anxiety? They can't help but think.

In a tearful tone, the half-giant continues to say: "The poor thing hasn't laid eggs, she always seems discouraged and that's why I need you to paint the chicken coop for me. My hands are too big to hold a brush..."

"Wait, wait, wait! Hagrid, why didn't you try to make this painting with some spell?" James asks.

"I would if I could…" said Hagrid with his head down. "Miranda is a very special chicken, she likes the painting with fine and worked features. If done with a spell it looks too 'perfect', too artificial... Oh, and light blue is her favorite because it reminds her of the color of the skies."

Marauders had no words to say how ridiculous this situation is. Does the chicken like fine, intricate features? Is she some kind of painting critic? And how per Merlin, Hagrid knows the color blue is her favorite and reminds her of the color of the skies?

Mysteries never answered.

"Er…well, it doesn't seem so bad after all," said James, as compared to the last task, this one seemed easier.

Cheering up a bit, Hagrid says, "Great! I'm counting on you guys then," he said as he hands them some brushes.

After walking a bit, they arrive in front of a chicken coop made of wood. The door looked small next to the half-giant, almost impossible for Hagrid to enter if they could tell.

"Er... Well, I may have stopped cleaning the chicken coop for a few weeks... It's a little difficult for me to get in as you can see." Hagrid said a little embarrassed.

The Marauders had a bad feeling about this. Hagrid pushes his hand away and the squeak of the door is heard by the boys. The opening of the door seemed to have been almost in slow motion and when they see the contents inside...

"Merlin!" Sirius unconsciously lets it out.

A silence settled in the place, nobody wanted to be the first to have to enter. Looking around desperately for a volunteer, they find Miranda's eyes watching them.

They swear they saw a mocking look coming from the damn chicken, as if she was laughing at her misfortunes.

That chicken was a creature of darkness, of that now they were sure.

...

Honeydukes store.

"Hmm... Those chocoballs are delicious," said Navi aloud as he finished swallowing.

"They are, but they don't compare to exploding bonbons! The guy who created this is a genius." Steve says, moved and also out loud.

"Did you all get everything?" Severus asks as he watches them.

Through so many varieties of candy, they hold small packages in their hands and seem to have decided which one to take.

"Yes, we have everything in hand," says Lily as she approaches.

Severus turns his attention to Lily and is surprised that she isn't taking the entire store. But soon he remembers that the cause must be money...

Catching Severus' gaze, Lily asked, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, no nothing... Just distracted," explains Severus.

Without insisting, Lily goes back to eating a licorice bar. They had to talk loudly to understand each other, there were a lot of students talking in the back and the store was packed.

"Where do we go now?" Mary asks.

"There are a lot of students here now and the store is small," explains Severus. "Let's walk outside while we talk."

Hearing the proposal, everyone nods and follows Severus. With the weather a little cold, everyone wore winter clothes and so it wouldn't be a problem.

As they walk, they eat candy, laugh, and interact with each other.

"Have you prepared for the potions test?" Navi questioned anxiously.

"Relax, Navi! It's still next Friday," reassures Steve.

"I've done some revisions, but haven't gotten to study yet," said Lily.

"Merlin, what is it with these people?" Incredulous Navi wonders if there is anything wrong with himself. "I study a lot, read the books over and over again, and practice as much as possible. And you all don't even seem to care about it and then do better than I do. I must be doing something wrong... It's not possible."

With Navi's speech, the others just stare at him without saying anything, they know how dramatic the Ravenclaw boy can be. His anxiety about getting good results is the main cause of his slower pace of learning.

"Well, you have to try to slow down a little, Navi," tries to teach Severus. "Effort is essential, but rest is just as important."

"But..." Starts trying to justify Navi, before being interrupted.

"Navi, you shouldn't be so uptight about this, forget about demanding your parents for a while," Steve said to his longtime friend. "For example, now is our rest time, just relax man. Enjoy the moment once in a while."

Steve knows Navi even before Hogwarts, the two live in the same city in the muggle world. When Navi's parents found out he was selected for Hogwarts, they weren't too excited. Their family came from a long lineage of doctors and lawyers, so it seemed like a potential loss to go to an unnamed school. After much insistence on the part of Ravenclaw, his condition to go would be to get the best grades in the class. Since then, he has been under pressure to get good grades.

A little indecisive, Navi finally gives up and says, "*Sigh*, I'm sorry! I know you guys are right and I'm lucky to have you as friends." Ravenclaw said sincerely.

Seeing Navi's sincerity, everyone nods and smiles at him.

"Like an apology..." said Navi as she picked up a pack of Every Flavor Beans. "Let's see each other's luck."

"Hey, I'm in!" Steve says excitedly.

"I'm in too!" said Lily.

Lily is a Gryffindor, how embarrassing would it be for her to back down from a challenge?

Severus smiles at Lily's determination and then looks at Mary.

The reluctant girl nods her head in confirmation, she doesn't like the possibility of catching some weird taste like vomit or worse. But she still accepted it for not being a coward.

Without fear, Severus takes a bean and brings it to his lips. In his mind it said... Let the games begin!

...

Three brooms, October 11, 1973.

Sitting at a secluded table in the far right corner, Lucius and Narcissa talk. The seventh-year girl just nods her head briefly as she listens to her future husband's warnings.

"I left in charge of some 5th and 6th graders to take care of some pertinent business in the castle and that's why I came here today," says Lucius as he looks at the beer mug in disgust, this establishment is too simple for its refinement. "And I also came to let you know that preparations are underway and we're getting married as soon as you graduate."

Narcissa had nothing to complain about that, for a long time she accept this union. The Blacks are an extremist Blood family and need all possible allies... The Malfoys even if they weren't the most powerful in the military, their economic powers are enormous.

"Right, was that just it?" she asks in a neutral tone, Narcissa didn't have a very favorable opinion of Lucius. It's not like she hated him or anything like that, just that he seemed a bit of the rash type and that he could make some wrong choices out of emotion. As a Slytherin, she wants only the most advantageous position for her.

Heedless of Narcissa's indifferent tone, the blonde man with luxurious robe meditates for a moment and then says.

"Well, you must have heard about that half-blood Prince. Now that he's brought up that potion... Our master that you know the name is furious" shudders Lucius at the thought. "I need to invest all my efforts in finding some clue. Before I had a 3rd-year student as my main objective, that's why I came today to leave a replacement in this venture while I look for the Half-Blood Prince."

"So does that mean you'll come even less time to see me?" Narcissa asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Er...well, sort of," replies Lucius.

"Sigh Do what you wish," Narcissa replies accepting.

The cruciatus victim treatment potion caused a stir in many parts of England and elsewhere in the world. Dark wizards who love to use this curse were upset by the development of this potion. Almost everyone wonders, who is the Half-blood prince?