Ever since Draco Malfoy had undergone Professor Charles Gold's "re-education," he had stopped using that ridiculous pure-blood rhetoric. Reality had already proven how foolish such beliefs were—after all, the one who preached pure-blood supremacy most fanatically, Voldemort himself, was a half-blood.
And as for Charles Gold, a Muggle-born—wasn't his current status more distinguished than any so-called pure-blood aristocrat? In the end, power was what truly mattered.
Draco glanced back to see Goyle and two other Slytherin trainers frozen in place, gawking as if they couldn't believe what he had just said.
That annoyed him.
He'd changed ages ago! If others didn't know that, Goyle of all people should have!Then again, considering Goyle still struggled with reading, Draco decided to forgive him.
Right now, the last thing he wanted was to argue with that lot. What mattered most was finding Harry Potter and his friends—and using his newly captured Seviper to teach them a proper lesson! He'd make them understand who the number one trainer at Hogwarts really was!
"He's gone," Ron said blankly."I can see that," Hermione replied, still stunned. "But did you hear him? Was that really Draco Malfoy? Last year he called me a Mudblood, and now he's admitting I'm talented?""Maybe he really has changed," Neville said, turning back to his original form. "Either way, that's a good thing."
Seeing him transform, Hermione and Ron also reverted."Well, that was a waste of effort," Ron grumbled. "If even the naturally evil Malfoy brat isn't the Heir, then who is? It can't be that noseless Voldemort—he's dead!"
"Forget it. Let's go find Harry—or rather, Harriet." Hermione couldn't help but giggle, which quickly spread to Ron and Neville."Poor Harriet," Ron said cheerfully. "She drank that potion for nothing! What if she can't turn back? Ginny will be heartbroken! Though… my mum and dad would probably be thrilled—they always wanted another girl. Harriet would be way more popular at my house!""The potion only lasts three hours," Hermione assured him.
However, when they returned to the classroom, their adorable Harriet Potter was nowhere to be found.
Meanwhile, Draco—who'd been heading back to the castle to challenge Harry to a duel—suddenly bumped into a black-haired girl. His first instinct was to lash out, but when he looked up, he froze.
She was… kind of cute.
The only downside? She was wearing a Gryffindor uniform.
"M–Malfoy?" Harriet squeaked, backing away nervously. If Malfoy recognized her, she'd never hear the end of it! Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest when he narrowed his eyes, studying her face.
She saw his lips move, the corner of his mouth twitch upward.He recognized me! she thought in despair, squeezing her eyes shut and bracing herself for ridicule.
But instead—
"What's your name? I don't think I've seen you around the Club before," Draco asked, trying his best to sound polite. His eyes, however, were practically heart-shaped.
He didn't recognize me?
Harriet sighed in relief—only to realize she might have a much bigger problem.Wait… could this be what Professor meant by 'charm effects'?
Draco Malfoy had actually fallen for her. If anyone found out, they'd both be laughed at for years!She didn't care if Malfoy got mocked—but she refused to be dragged down with him!
She had to think of a way to get rid of him."M–my name's Harriet…"
"Harriet?" Draco frowned. Cute girl, terrible name. Was she that scar-headed Potter's cousin or something?Then again, he'd never heard Potter had any cousins.
Just to be safe, he decided to test her."Do you know Harry Potter?"
The moment Harriet heard the question, she panicked. Had he noticed something? Quickly, she ducked her head so her bangs covered her lightning scar and said softly, in a higher voice,"I've… heard of him, but I don't know him."
Not know him?Perfect.
Draco instantly relaxed. Sure, she was a cute girl, but the last thing he wanted was anyone related to that Potter.And being a Gryffindor? That didn't bother him anymore. Professor Gold had made it clear—Hogwarts Houses shouldn't divide students!
Gryffindor, Slytherin—even Azkaban inmates—they were all part of one big, loving family!The British wizarding world had to stand united!Let the International Confederation see the might of the magical empire's "big brother"!
"I'll be going, then…"
"W–wait!" Draco grabbed her arm. Truth be told, he was genuinely flustered. He'd never actually interacted with a girl like this before.But no matter—when in doubt, settle it the trainer's way.
"Let's battle, Harriet! If I win, you'll be my girlfriend!"
"???"Who on earth used that as a wager for a Pokémon battle?!
Losing to Malfoy had never even crossed Harriet's mind—but this was just absurd!She wasn't going to entertain such nonsense. She knew who she liked—Ravenclaw's Cho Chang—and Ron's pretty little sister wasn't bad either. Honestly, even Ron himself would be more acceptable than—
Wait. What?!
Absolutely not!She shivered. Maybe that potion was starting to affect her brain.
The Polyjuice Potion had been developed using Ditto as a base; its transformations involved real cellular changes. Meaning, her current brain chemistry and hormones might actually be responding like a girl's—no wonder she was feeling strange around guys.
But no matter what, she was never ending up with Draco Malfoy!"I'm not battling you," she said firmly.
But Draco provoked her."What, afraid you'll lose to me?" He smirked smugly. "That's only natural. After all, I—Draco Malfoy—am Hogwarts' strongest trainer! It's perfectly reasonable to fear defeat at my hands!"
Harriet froze, then turned slowly, as though she'd just heard the funniest joke in the world."You? The strongest trainer?"
You, Draco Malfoy—the guy who didn't even make it into the top eight last tournament?Any embarrassment vanished; now she just wanted to crush him. She'd show him how many scars a "Boy-Who-Lived-as-a-Girl" could leave behind!
"You don't believe me? Even upper-year trainers can't beat my Ekans! And I just caught something even stronger—a Seviper!" Draco puffed his chest proudly. "If you don't believe me, why not find out yourself?"
"Fine by me!"
Without hesitation, Harriet stepped back to create space. Her hand went to her belt—her fingers brushed against Electabuzz's Poké Ball… but she hesitated.
No, I can't use Electabuzz.
Among the Club's students, only she had one. If she used it, her identity would be obvious.That left only one option.
"Go, Pikachu!"
She released her Pokémon with commanding energy, and Draco couldn't help nodding approvingly.Good spirit.Shame her Pokémon was just a Pikachu. Just like that annoying Potter's—
"Pika!"
Pikachu cried fiercely, electricity sparking—then turned back to face its trusted trainer.
…Wait.Where was his trainer?
Where was his Harry?!"Pika pi?"
He stared in confusion. The human standing before him wasn't the right one. Sure, she was kinda cute, but Pikachu wasn't into girls! His heart belonged to only one human—his beloved Pika Pi, Harry Potter!And this impostor? No way she was commanding him!
Pikachu folded his arms and glared defiantly.
"Your Pikachu looks a bit slow," Draco said, already confident of victory. "Not that it matters—Pikachu isn't exactly a powerful species to begin with. And yours seems even dumber than usual!"
With one sentence, he'd offended both trainer and Pokémon.
"You dare insult my Pikachu?""Pika pika! (You dare insult me!?)"
Furious, Pikachu leapt onto Harriet's shoulder, sparks crackling around his cheeks. He'd fight alongside her to take Malfoy down!
Who cared if he'd sworn only Harry Potter could command him?Harry Potter who? Never heard of him!
Of course, Pikachu had recognized her scent immediately—he knew exactly who she was. That's why he was willing to battle.
"Let's go, Seviper!" Draco shouted, eager to test his new Pokémon. A black-and-gold serpent appeared, radiating menace.
Its level wasn't exceptionally high—around thirty—but its attack power easily outclassed Pikachu's.
"I'll even let you go first," Draco said gallantly, then added with a smirk, "Just don't forget—if you lose, you're my girlfriend!"
"Enough talk! I'm not going to lose!" Harriet snapped. "Pikachu, Iron Tail!"
If Draco wanted to give her a free hit, she wasn't about to waste it. Pikachu's tail glowed silver and whipped down hard—it was the very move that had once scarred Voldemort himself!
But Seviper wasn't planning to just take the hit.
"Dodge it!" Draco ordered.
The serpent twisted aside, evading the strike, then flicked its tail, the blade shining with a purple gleam—Poison Tail!
Its razor edge could slice open flesh and inject venom all at once. A brutal move—especially in Seviper's fangs.
But Harriet was ready."You don't know type matchups? Poison-type moves don't affect Steel! Pikachu, keep using Iron Tail!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu spun midair, his metallic tail flashing like lightning as it clashed with Seviper's poisonous strike.Their levels were close; Pikachu's raw stats were lower, but the power of his technique evened it out. Sparks and venom scattered as the two attacks collided—Seviper's mass flung Pikachu backward, but Pikachu's tail also deflected the serpent's blade.
"Not bad," Draco admitted. "Your Pikachu's got some skill—but it ends here. Seviper, use Poison Jab!"
"Pikachu—Thunderbolt!"
Electric light burst from Pikachu's cheek pouches as he leapt into the air, meeting the oncoming venom head-on. The searing voltage vaporized the poison midair, then shot straight toward Seviper.
"Use Poison Tail—on the ground!"
Without hesitation, Draco's Seviper whipped its tail down, overturning a mound of dirt that rose like a shield.Lightning met earth—and dissipated harmlessly.
"Now, Bind it!"
The massive serpent lunged, body coiling like a living spear. If it caught Pikachu, it could crush a boulder.
But Harriet remembered something Professor Kukui had once said—"When it comes to Pikachu, speed and agility are its true strengths!"
"Pikachu—Quick Attack!"
In a flash of light, Pikachu vanished, reappearing in a streak of silver lightning.His tail glowed again—this time fused with electricity itself, like a divine axe of thunder descending from the heavens.
"Electro Tail!"
BOOM!
Seviper crashed to the ground.
"See, Malfoy?" Harriet said smugly. "The difference between us isn't in our Pokémon—it's in our skills as trainers."
(End of Chapter)