Magic Behind The Pages (Fred Weasley)

Chapter 68

2 weeks later ...

Lylie, Fred, George, Lee, Aria, Addison, and Cordelia were happily dining in the Great Hall.

"You know what I had for 2nd period today?" Cordelia asked her friends as they stuffed themselves with beef stew and carrots.

Fred asked with a mouth full of stew, "What?"

"Defence Against the Dark Arts, with that loony, toony, foney, baloney Proffesor Lockhart." Cordelia spat his name rudely.

"I hate to interrupt this ... 'meaningful' conversation ... but a lot of are students leaving the Great Hall and they're all going down the same corridor." Addison explained, with a worried expression.

"So?" George shrugged as he helped himself to more carrots.

"SO, don't you think that's a bit odd?" Addison bit her lip.

Lylie jumped aboard, "Yeah. It is a little strange."

Aria agreed, "It's weird. Let's go as well. You know, see what's up."

Cordelia nodded as she stood up and threw her napkin on the table.

George pouted, "But I'm not done my carrots yet!"

Lylie mused with a chuckle, "Eat 'em on the way."

George rolled his eyes as he shoved the last four carrots on his plate into his mouth.

*

"What is going on here?" Cordelia mumbled, more to herself, as the group rounded the corner only to find a whole lot of students gathering around Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"I've got no idea." Addison replied quietly as they joined the crowd.

The 7 friends stood at the front of the crowd, bewildered at what they were seeing.

Aria paused to read the writing smeared on the wall. She gasped.

Lylie hadn't read the message yet, so she put her hand on Aria's shoulder while asking, "What's wrong?"

Aria couldn't speak. She simply pursed her lips, while shaking her head.

Lylie turned to look at the wall. She studied the writing streaked across it. She read under her breath, "The chamber of secrets has been opened, enemies of the heir beware." She took a step back.

Lylie whispered to Addison in a hushed tone, "Is that ... blood?"

Addison replied, "I - I - I think s - so."

Fred and George both shared baffled expressions.

A few professors hurried up behind the confounded students. Madame Pomfrey came to stand beside Lylie at the front of the sea of students, she clapped her hand over her mouth.

"Enemies of the heir beware?" Malfoy spoke out in front of all the students, he sneered, "You'll be next, mudbloods." He narrowed his gaze at Hermione, standing in front of everyone, along with Harry and Ron.

"What's going on here?" Filch's raspy voice came from behind the students. He pushed through Fred and George screeching, "Get out my way, my way." George looked at Filch, disgusted that he moved him out of the way.

Fred snickered, "What's your problem?"

George threw Fred a look of displeasure, he hissed, "Filch ... touched me."

Fred rolled his eyes, "Oh gosh."

Everyone's attention turned back to the scene in front of them. Filch snarled, "Potter." He paused, "What are you ..." Filch's focus was drawn to his cat, hanging above him on a lampshade. Mrs. Norris, his cat, was paralyzed. Lylie's hand shook of fear.

"M - Mrs. N - Norris ..." Filch stammered as his eyes filled with shock and terror. He began shaking of anger, he spoke quietly, "You ... murdered my cat."

Harry shook his head violently, he tried to speak but all he managed to say was, "No ... no. No. No ..."

"I'll kill ya." Filch grabbed Harry by the collar of his robes, he roared, "I'LL KILL YA!"

"Argus!" Dumbledore waltzed in on the scene, followed by a few more professors. Filch instantly released Harry and turned to face Dumbledore. Dumbledore began, "Argus, I -" He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the message and Mrs. Norris hanging from the lampshade.

"Everyone, will proceed to their dormitories at once." Dumbledore firmly instructed. Lylie, Addison, Aria, Lee, Fred and George turned on their heels and began to quickly shuffle away with the rest of the frantic students.

Dumbledore stopped everyone, he stated, "Everyone EXCEPT, you three." He pointed a finger at Harry, Ron and Hermione who were desperately trying to exit the scene.

Madame Pomfrey hustled everyone away, by doing so she lightly pushed George on the back. He shook her off and sped up to Addison, Cordelia, Aria and Lylie. After George, Fred ran up to the group, followed by Lee.

"The professors are scared. They're worried. We're in danger." Addison fiddled with the buttons on her polo.

"Let's not jump to conclusions." Cordelia warned her distressed friend.

Lylie jumped in, "But they WERE scared. Did you see McGonagall's face? They're panicked."

"It's fine. It's nothing the school won't get to the bottom of. Hogwarts is safe, guys." Aria agreed with Cordelia's suggestion.

Fred and George butted in at the same time, "But WHAT IF?"

"It's fine! There's nothing to worry about." Lee concurred.

The group of friends reached the Gryffindor tower, as they climbed through the portrait hole, Cordelia concluded the conversation, "We are secured and protected. Now that's the end of that." She winked before heading off to bed.