The Cunning and Ambitious

Chapter Eight

I hide behind a suit of armor, shivering, wearing pretty short shorts and a green tank top, over it I have my cloak for my uniform. About 10 minutes after 12, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville all arrived, I crawled out of my hiding spot.

"Aran?" Harry says, surprised.

"Guys, you need to go now." I tell them.

"Why?" Ron asks, "And where's your pal Malfoy."

I breathe very deeply and very angrily.

"Malfoy is asleep in the Slytherin common room, Flich on the other hand is on his way here. Right. Now. I could help you get out of here, or I could leave you to deal with Filch. Your choice."

The echoes of the door opening fills the room.

"Come on!" I whisper, in the quietest voice I have. I run quietly for the passage I had used getting here, not checking if the others had followed. I knew they did though, because just as I'm about to go through the passage, Neville knocks over a suit of armor and Harry shouts "RUN!"

They all run, in fact they almost run past me.

"Guys!" I hiss at them. They go in the passage, I follow.

"I think think we lost him." Harry states, gasping for air.

"Why did you come help us?" Ron asks me

"Because I'm not a mean person." I explain.

Hermione is about to say something but stops as soon as she hear the door open. We all watch in horror as Peeves shoots into the charms classroom. He squeals.

"Shut up Peeves, please, you'll get us thrown out."

He cackles.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, naughty, you'll get caught.

"Peeves, please don't give us away." Hermione pleads.

"Should tell Filch I should. It's for your own good, you know."

I'm tired of this, we need to get back now. "Get out of the way." I snap, pulling out my wand, the second I do so Peeves begins screeching.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!!" he bellows, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED IN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!!"

The Gryffindors sprint for their lives, I run after them hesitantly, knowing where we are.

They reach a door at the end of the corridor. Harry tugs at the handle.

"It's locked." He announces.

"This is it! We're done for!" Ron wails.

"Oh move over!" Hermione snarls and whips out her wand, "Alohomora." The door unlocks itself and we rush inside. I hold out my wand expecting the worst. Only Neville and I notice it, the other three are preoccupied by outlasting Filch. I hear the murmur of him and Peeves talking outside, but most of my attention is at the monster in front of me.

Imagine a dog, a dark colored one, maybe dark brown or black fur. Now imagine it three times a big as you and, just for the fun of it, add two more heads. That is the abomination in front of me. A gigantour three-headed dog. A very surprised one at that.

Neville pulls at Harry's sleeve, forcing him and the other two to turn around and notice the dog. They scream and run out of the room, Neville and I follow. I run with them all the way to their common room, the portrait of the Fat Lady at one of the towers. I always knew this was where they slept. I lean against the wall, panting.

"I am never doing this again." I tell the group.

"Did you think I wanted to?" Hermione states, "Pig Snout." She says and the portrait opens and Hermione and Neville go in their common room. Harry and Ron are about to go in, but I stop them.

"Hey, now would be a good time to take me up with my offer last week." I tell them.

"Offer?" Harry's obviously confused.

"Are you still asking permission to be our friend?" Ron asks.

I nod.

"You just saved our skins. I'd take you up for it any time." Ron says.

I smile, knowing he'd be the more difficult one to convince.

"You didn't even have to ask." Harry tells me.

"Thanks, though." I sigh, "Well, I better be off. See you tomorrow morning."

Then I leave, after all, it's my purpose in life to always have the last word.