｡+.*𝗚𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗔𝗜𝗥*+｡ [𝘿. 𝙈𝘼𝙇𝙁𝙊𝙔]¹

XX. HADES GATES

Paranoia ran rampant as we left Gryffindor Tower, jumping at shadows--one of which, I swear, bore an alarming resemblance to the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.

It didn't help that, at the foot of the first set of stairs--

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered to Harry as we stared up at Mrs Norris who was skulking about near the top.

"I'm game," I instantly agreed, running my fingers through my hair.

My smirk was positively devilish.

Harry shook his head at us, and I deflated.

"Killjoy," I huffed, pouting slightly.

Ron and I shared a disappointed look.

'We'll get her on the way back,' I mouthed, and he grinned a bit.

We carefully skirted the dust-coloured cat, her lamplike eyes glowing eerily in the dark as they seemingly stared right at us.

Like in the mirror room, she didn't react one way or the other.

--still bloomin' creepy, though.

The rest of the way was smooth sailing--so, of course, we just had to run into Peeves of all people as he bobbed halfway up the staircase that led to the third floor. From the looks of things, he was loosening the carpet to trip people.

And just our luck he heard us as we gingerly climbed up.

"Who's there?" The poltergeist narrowed his eyes, "Know you're there, even if I can' see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

He floated up into the air, squinting in our direction.

At the word "ghostie", a lightbulb clicked in my head.

I elbowed Harry to get his attention.

"Two words, Scotchy; Bloody, Bar--" I murmured slyly in his ear.

His green eyes lit up.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen--"

"Peeves," Harry said in a hoarse whisper, and I shot him a thumbs up and a tongue-in-teeth grin, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

Peeves fell but caught himself mid-air.

At the mention of my house ghost, the puckish embodiment of disorder and misbehaviour was reduced to ingratiatingly falling all over himself.

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr Baron, Sir--My mistake, my mistake--I didn't see you--of course I didn't, you're invisible--forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

I totally have to drag Harry with me to mess with Peeves like this again, I decided with a slightly wicked gleam in my eyes.

"I have business here, Peeves," Harry croaked in his Bloody Baron voice. "Stay away from this place tonight."