Slytherin Army [HP]

21. We Discover a Peasant

I'm thinking about writing a spin-off book about Quentin, Xavier, and Carolina...it would only be 8-9 chapters. Would anyone read it?

* ° * ° *

Drew shot Cyndee a concerned look, "Are you sure you don't want to go back? I mean, it's Tristan's birthday."

They were in the common room, discussing what they were planning to do for the winter holidays. Aurora and Blaise had gone home, but Drew had decided to stay at Hogwarts. Wilby did the same, and to their surprise, so did Cyndee. It was the first Christmas where the three of them would be together.

"I know," Cyndee threw her hands up, like she'd already explained herself so many times that she didn't care how she acted anymore, "but I'm not feeling it. He wouldn't want me to be gloomy forever. Christmas was our favourite holiday, and what happened to him shouldn't change it. I'm celebrating it with him here, at Hogwarts. Okay?" She stared at her defiantly, daring her to challenge the way she mourned.

Drew dropped it, "Okay. Is Morfinus staying too?"

"No, he went back."

Drew picked it up again, "Why didn't you go with him, then?"

Cyndee rolled her eyes, "Drew, he's my distant cousin, not my brother. We hardly talk. We don't even live near each other like Tristan and I did."

Hearing this, Drew clapped her hands, "In that case, never mind. How about we do something fun?"

Wilby eyed the fireplace nervously, "What kind of fun?"

Drew paced up and down the common room, waving her finger in the air. "I heard that Filch has a drawer full of confiscated items." She spun and faced him, "I want them."

"We're going to try breaking and entering again?" Cyndee sighed. 

"Look," Drew folded her fingers together, "the Shrieking Shack had nothing of interest, I'm sure. There were none of the rumoured creepy noises and screams. And this time, the prefects will not stop us. In fact, of all the Houses, Jason is the only prefect still here. Furthermore, if we conduct the heist during Christmas dinner, we wouldn't meet anyone."

Cyndee looked afraid, "Did you just say 'furthermore'?"

Drew nudged Wilby, "Back me up."

"Yes," he said automatically. "I am in agreement."

Cyndee shrugged, "Of course I'm in, but who's Jason?"

* ° * ° *

On Christmas Day, the entire castle's occupants sans the three of them were having dinner in the Great Hall.

They'd gone to the kitchens first and filled themselves up with all the sausages and pudding they could eat, then strolled on down to the caretaker's office.

"Who's the lookout?" Drew asked, after magicking the door open. She arbitrarily pointed at Wilby and tapped him on the nose, "You are."

"Sure." He stood inside the doorway while the rest of them entered Room 234-00.

Drew's eyes swept the area. It was a small and simple room lit by a single oil lamp hanging from the ceiling. Filing cabinets lined one wall, and a cluster of polished chains and manacles lay on a shelf. She heard scuttling in the corner — probably some animal. Drew guessed that the House-elves didn't come every day.

She slid open one of the cabinets to find a near-bursting row of folders. "Believe it or not, I've never been in Filch's office." She grinned at Wilby, "We only ever got caught at night by Xavier in second year, and he'd just scowled and angrily pointed in the direction of the dungeons."