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Snape\'s frown deepened, his tone laced with frustration. "And what about Alex? He\'s a Muggle-born Slytherin, and you know full well those pure-blood fanatics are out for his blood. He didn\'t leave Hogwarts all summer, and it wasn\'t because he\'s particularly fond of the castle walls."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. "I thought you didn\'t like the boy."

Snape scowled. "Don\'t change the subject."

"Have some faith in him, Severus," Dumbledore replied, his voice light. "Alex is cautious and intelligent, and, most importantly, he has a strong sense of justice. He\'s already proven himself capable. Any student who can stand toe-to-toe with you in Potions deserves some credit."

"That\'s precisely why I still stay silent!" Snape snapped, his irritation rising under Dumbledore\'s amused gaze.

"I\'m curious to see what Alex will do in an environment like this, where the odds seem stacked against him," Dumbledore said with a chuckle.

"You\'re playing with fire, Albus. Be careful you don\'t burn yourself," Snape retorted, his voice cold as he turned to leave. His black robes billowed behind him as he stormed out of the office.

Left alone, Dumbledore stared thoughtfully into the distance, his expression unreadable. "Perhaps," he murmured to himself, "but I have no desire to see another Dark Lord rise. Alex… in this hostile environment, what choices will you make when enemies are all around you?"

Back in the castle, Alex met with Rozier in a dim corridor. The two spoke in hushed tones, and Alex passed him a small vial of potion.

Rozier\'s eyes widened as Alex explained his plan. "You\'re serious about this? You\'re really going through with it?"

Alex smirked. "Why else would I have gone to the trouble of planting the idea of this ridiculous \'Purity Committee\' in Yaxley\'s head? You think you\'ve earned his trust just by chance?"

Rozier hesitated, his voice dropping to a near whisper. "But if this fails, I\'m done for. Do you realize what they\'ll do to me if it goes wrong?"

Alex\'s expression hardened. "You\'re in no position to negotiate, Rozier. It\'s far too late for regrets now. Remember, if you disobey me, the consequences will be far worse than anything Yaxley could dream up."

Rozier glared at Alex, resentment flickering in his eyes, but he said nothing more. With a defeated sigh, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows. As he trudged toward the Slytherin common room, he muttered bitterly to himself. He should never have gotten involved with Alex in the first place. Encouraging Yaxley to create the Purity Committee had seemed like a harmless suggestion at the time, but now it felt like he\'d walked into a trap. "Regret won\'t help me now," Rozier sighed, shaking his head. He straightened his shoulders and entered the common room, where Yaxley was waiting.

"What\'s this I hear about Alex planning to visit Hogsmeade for Christmas? Are you sure?" Yaxley asked, his eyes narrowing.

"I overheard him talking to Vivian," Rozier replied carefully. "Vivian and Higgs are staying at Hogwarts for Christmas as well. They\'ve been spending a lot of time together lately. It\'s suspicious."

Yaxley laughed, his voice filled with disdain. "That half-blood can\'t help himself, can he? Vivian and Higgs, too? Birds of a feather, I suppose."

Pacing back and forth, Yaxley\'s mind raced. He stopped abruptly and turned back to Rozier. "Good work. But we need confirmation. If Vivian and Higgs also apply to stay over the holidays, then we\'ll know for sure. This time, we\'ll deal with him for good."

Rozier nodded, silently cursing Alex for dragging him into this mess. But he had no choice now but to play along.

As Christmas approached, Alex, Vivian, and Higgs all applied to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays, confirming Rozier\'s report. Yaxley and his group, however, didn\'t make similar arrangements—it would have been too obvious. Instead, they boarded the train home but quietly disembarked at Hogsmeade Station, gathering at a house in the village to wait.

After two days, Yaxley grew impatient. "What\'s the news?" he demanded of the young wizards he had sent to keep watch.

"We spotted Vivian and Higgs at the Three Broomsticks," one of them reported. "They seem to be waiting for someone—likely Alex."

Wilkes frowned. "It won\'t be easy to act in a crowded place like that."

Yaxley\'s lips curled into a sinister smile. "Oh, I\'ve already prepared for that. Take a look."

He gestured to a figure standing in the shadows. Wilkes turned, his expression shifting from confusion to shock as he saw her. "Vivian?"

But it wasn\'t the real Vivian. This Vivian was a perfect replica, her features eerily identical, yet her expression cold and unfeeling. "What is this?" Wilkes asked, his voice filled with unease.

Yaxley\'s grin widened. "Let\'s just say this Vivian will make things much easier for us."

"Ha! Wilkes, don\'t you even recognize me?" Another Vivian asked, her face twisted into a mocking expression.

"Amelia? Are you using a Polyjuice Potion?" Wilkes finally caught on, his gaze flickering with surprise as he studied \'Vivian\' more closely.

"That\'s right!" Amelia, in her Vivian disguise, replied smugly. "That brat dared to contradict me earlier, so I grabbed a few strands of her hair. Now it\'s coming in handy."

"I had a feeling something like this would come in handy," Yaxley chimed in, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. "When Amelia and Vivian had that argument last time, I saw an opportunity. I asked Rozier to prepare some Polyjuice Potion. And now, it\'s time to put it to good use."

The group of Slytherins around him erupted into murmurs of approval, showering Yaxley with exaggerated praise. However, Travers, standing off to the side, quickly doused their enthusiasm. "Hold on. What if Alex doesn\'t fall for it? That guy\'s sharp—cunning, even. Are you sure you can lure him in?" Travers asked skeptically, his arms crossed.

Yaxley shot a confident look at Amelia-as-Vivian. "That depends on Amelia\'s acting. Think you can handle it?"

Amelia puffed her chest out, her expression smug. "Please, dealing with a mudblood kid like him is a joke. Honestly, this much effort feels like overkill. Let\'s just stick to the plan and get it over with."

"Don\'t underestimate him," Yaxley warned, his tone growing serious. "Wilkes has intel that Alex isn\'t as weak as he seems. He knows some kind of obscure barrier magic, and we can\'t afford to leave any loose ends. When we make our move, we clean up everything. No mistakes."

Despite Yaxley\'s words, the group\'s mood remained subdued. Many of them had been lured into the plot with promises of excitement, but now, as the plan unfolded, they seemed unimpressed. Some even muttered about wanting to go home for Christmas instead of loitering around. Noticing their lackluster attitudes, Yaxley barked, "Rozier!"