As he evaluated the plan, however, he had his doubts. It was certainly a rather convoluted scheme, with loads of variables. Much of it would depend entirely on dumb luck. One minute, James was certain it would work flawlessly, the next, he was sure it would be a ridiculous failure and he, Ralph, and Zane would be caught. What would they say? Jackson would know they were aware of his plan. Would that be enough to stop the plot? James was, after all, the son of the Head Auror. James thought not. If James and his friends were caught trying to steal the relic, Jackson would know they hadn't yet told Harry Potter anything. Would Jackson and his co-conspirators stoop to murder to keep their plans a secret? He could hardly believe it, but then again, he had been amazed to discover Jackson's involvement in such a terrible plan to begin with. No matter what, James was sure, probably more than either Zane or Ralph, that the three of them might be in great danger if their scheme failed.

        For the first time, he considered telling his dad everything. He could send Nobby with a letter, explaining everything they'd worked out so far. If the three of them succeeded in their plan to capture the relic robe, then he'd have proof to back up the letter. If they failed and were caught, at least someone else would know about the Merlin plot. It was too late to write the letter that night, but he felt reassured that it would be a good idea, and he determined to do it first thing in the morning. Thinking that, he fell asleep. The next morning, however, as he ran down the steps to breakfast, he forgot all about it. In the light of a new day and a new week, he felt perfectly confident that their plan would work. Failure was inconceivable. He was in such high spirits about it that he barely noticed the pale wizard in the painting of the Assumption of Saint Mungo watching him intently, frowning and stone-faced.

12.Visum-Ineptio

        The first hurdle James, Ralph, and Zane faced in capturing Jackson's briefcase was simply finding a case similar enough to make the switch. It was, as Zane had suggested, a fairly basic black leather case, rather more like a doctor's bag than a briefcase. They studied it carefully at dinner Monday evening, as it sat between the professor's black boots beneath the faculty table. It had two wooden handles on the top, a hinged brass catch, and was, indeed, rather beaten and scuffed. They were dismayed to discover that it had a small, tarnished brass plate riveted to one side with 'T. H. Jackson' engraved on it. While it was, in most respects, an almost entirely unremarkable bit of luggage, the boys soon discovered that there was not, in fact, one exactly like it to be easily found. Plenty of students and faculty had leather cases and portfolios, but they were all either too narrow, or the wrong color, or of a rather different size or shape. By Tuesday night, they had still not found a case they could use to perform the switch. Ralph suggested that they might have to wait until the next week to perform the switch, but James was insistent that they keep trying.

"We don't know when they're planning to bring all the relics together," he explained. "If we wait too long, they'll try it and then we won't have access to any of the relics at all. They'll figure out they don't work, and then hide them or destroy them."

        Ralph and Zane agreed, although it didn't get them any closer to finding an appropriate case to use for the switch. Then, Wednesday morning, the day of Technomancy class, Ralph came to the breakfast table with a manic glint in his eye. He plopped down across from Zane and James and stared at them.

        "What?" James asked.

        "I think I've found a case we can use."

        James' mouth dropped open and Zane audibly gulped the coffee he'd been sipping.

        "What? Where?" James asked in a harsh whisper. He had decided they were going to have to wait after all, and had been simultaneously worried and relieved. Now adrenaline shot through him. The rather wide-eyed paleness of Ralph's face indicated he was feeling the same thing.

        "You know my friend, Rufus Burton?"

        James nodded. "Yeah, another first-year Slytherin. Greasy-haired kid, right?"

        "Yeah. Well, he collects rocks and stuff. Calls himself a 'rock-hound'. Has a whole bunch of polished little stones arranged on a shelf by his bed: crystals and quartzes and moon-sapphires and all that. I listened to him talking about it last night for almost an hour. Well, he brought all his rock hunting tools along with him to school, of course. He's got a little hammer that's a pick on one side, and a bunch of little scrapers and brushes and loads of these little cloths and polishing solutions."

        "All right, all right," Zane said. "We get the picture. Guy's a geek with tools. I'm spellbound. What's the point?"

        "Well," Ralph said, unperturbed, "he carries all his tools and gear around in a case. He had it out on his bed last night…"

        "And it's the right size and shape?" James prompted.

        Ralph nodded, still wide-eyed. "It's almost perfect. Even has a little plaque on the side! It has the name of the manufacturer on it, but it's in the same place as the little plate on Jackson's case. The color's different, and the handles are ivory, but other than that…"

        "So how do we get it?" James asked breathlessly.

        "I've already got it," Ralph answered, seeming rather amazed at himself. "I told him I wanted a bag to carry my books and parchments in. Told him my backpack didn't feel very, you know, Slytherin. He said he knew just what I meant. He said he'd gotten a new toolcase for Christmas, so I could have his old one. That's why he had it out: he was taking everything out of the old one to put into his new case, which is bigger and has a hard dragonskin cover. Watertight, he told me." Ralph was beginning to ramble.

        "He just said you could have it?" Zane asked incredulously.

        "Yeah! I've got to tell you, it wigged me out a bit. I mean, isn't that just a little too… I don't know…"

        "A little too much of a coincidence," Zane nodded.

        James grew thoughtfully determined. "Where's the case now?"

        Ralph looked a little startled. "I brought it down with me, but I hid it in one of the cubbyholes under the stairs. I didn't want anyone to see me with it in here. Just in case."

        "Good thinking. Come on," James said, getting up.

        "You still want to go through with it?" Ralph asked, following reluctantly. "I mean, we were going to wait until next week anyway…"

        "That was only because we didn't have a choice."