Keep me | Oliver Wood

XVII - Point the Time

I stood and maybe just for a couple of seconds, I could feel Oliver staring at me. I made sure to give an offended glance at Fred and he quickly reacted. He shrugged and gave me an unsure look back. I understood that for the next couple of hours I would have to spend with Oliver. I had no choice.

Then Fred and George gave each captain, Oliver in my case, a large parchment but permitted to not open it yet.

''All right. We have our groups, you all have your rules and maps, hopefully, in your head.'' George said and stood by his team. They all looked very confident but none of their faces could beat Leroy's or Carmen's. I know how seriously Carmen took these challenges and how much she wanted to show off to Leroy. I wasn't an exception. I didn't want to lose too.

''But haven't you two written the tasks? You'll surely win.'' Leroy asked and Fred laughed.

''Don't worry. Neither of us both knows what the other one has written. We just combined them and besides, you'll have to complete the task anyways. We didn't work together entirely on this one. We're on opposite teams.'' Fred explained and Leroy nodded in agreement.

''But hey, what about the prize?'' Lucian asked and a few people repeated his remark.

''Oh, good thinking Bole. Well, each member of the winning team can get a wish that a member of the losing team has to fulfill.'' Fred answered Lucian's question.

''A wish? Like I can wish for anything?'' Carmen asked. George turned to her instantly.

''Yes, girl. Of course, it can be something simple, a daring challenge, maybe something romantic.'' George replied.

''So we definitely don't want to lose...'' Lucian said.

''I'm sure you will lose though, Bole. This isn't Quidditch.'' Leroy replied and Carmen rolled her eyes. She knew how much Lucian cared about Quidditch as well.

''All right, Roy. Let's play and we'll see.'' finally Oliver spoke and a few people cheered. Everyone seemed more than excited.

After Fred's last remark, we were allowed to open the list. The first task was written in Fred's handwriting, I knew. Oliver placed the parchment by the candlelight so that every member could read. Our small adventure group consisted of Oliver as the captain, Jeanette from Gryffindor, Theodore from Hufflepuff, Derek, a sixth-year boy from Ravenclaw, and me. We all silently read the first question but Jeanette recited it loudly once more.

''Gears turn hand-in-hand. They work to show us time.'' she read. ''So, Clockwork tower?''

''Read further as well,'' Derek said and continued reading.

''The time we started this all, the smallest one will convey.

Read what should be mine. Where? The arrow points the way.'' Derek finished with shocked eyes.

''Whatever that means, the Weasley twins sure know how to write a riddle,'' Jeanette said and Derek nodded. Oliver looked a bit more sure than them though.

He turned away from us, only a couple of seconds passed, and he turned right back to us with a confident smile.

''I know what they're up to!'' Oliver quietly said. I glanced around to see that all groups were still reading. I happily nodded and waited for Oliver to explain. ''Let's go to the Clock tower and I'll tell on the way. I just hope I'm right.''

And so we ran, mostly quietly, but thrilled to see if he was correct. We arrived at the tower in ten minutes. Of course, all portraits were sleeping at night so we had to use regular doors and hallways which definitely made things more complicated.

''Look everyone!'' Oliver pointed at the arrows showing time. ''Each one of them is pointing in a different direction obviously. We started this all at ten in the evening, right? Which means, the smallest one, the hour arrow--'' he continued but was out of breath.

''It points somewhere... to the west? To the Owlery?'' Derek asked and Oliver nodded.

''That's what I think,'' he replied.

''But wait. We'll be running to the Owlery for twenty minutes or so... but what if 'the beginning' isn't meant as the adventure. What if it's the beginning of the school year or the Halloween feast.'' Jeanette asked.

''What do you guys think?'' Derek asked and looked at me and Theodore. Theodore shrugged.

''It says that we should read something. The Halloween feast began at nine. I doubt that they have put something on the roof for us to read. I think it's the Owlery too.'' I answered the question and we all began running to the Owlery.

We arrived, just as Jeanette had said, in nineteen minutes.

''Which one is the Weasley owl?'' Oliver asked and I pointed at the owl on the second floor. It was a great grey owl, named Errol. I approached it slowly and turned to my group with a smirk.

''We were right. Errol is guarding a small container. I'll bring it to you guys, wait there.'' I exclaimed and took the small box from the owl and thanked it. As soon as I turned back I could see how elevated everyone looked, waiting for me to open it.

''What's the challenge?'' Theodore asked and I rolled open the parchment.

''It's not a challenge,'' I reply and begin to read the small text. ''Oh, my my. You have found my secret love letter from Filch. He has apparently sent me a box of chocolates but Errol has scattered them around the Owlery. Can you, dear reader, find one of them for me please?'' I finished reading and the whole group scattered around the tower to find chocolate.

I searched the owls, accidentally got bitten, but it didn't take long when Theodore found a candy bar behind a pile of old bricks.

''Got it! Do we need to take it with us?'' he asked.

''Probably yes. Let's not waste more time here.'' I replied and made sure we left the same way we came in. I didn't want anyone to beat us.

Sadly Oliver and I still hadn't properly spoken even if we were in the same group. It wouldn't be long before it happened though.