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Chapter 156: Dumbledore Means Business!
Chapter 156: Dumbledore Means Business!
With a group effort, all the necessary preparations were completed in just half a day.
The two explosive books were placed on the fifth and sixth floors, directly above the corner corridor, at just the right distance to lure Filch over at any time.
Everything was set.
However, not long after the group decided to embark on a nighttime exploration of the fourth floor that evening, an unexpected situation arose.
Several upperclassmen from Gryffindor, unable to contain their curiosity, sneaked out before curfew while the others were having dinner, intending to explore the forbidden floor.
Unlike the Weasley brothers, however, they had no plan, strategic items, or the Marauder's Map; their decision was made on a whim.
As expected, they didn't even make it past the door before they were caught by Filch, who had been lying in wait nearby, and marched straight to Professor McGonagall's office.
Soon after, fifty points were deducted from Gryffindor's hourglass.
But that wasn't the end of it.
In the following period, students from Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff also attempted to sneak out to the fourth floor.
Fred and George, keeping watch over the Marauder's Map, were stunned. Names kept popping up unexpectedly on the usually quiet corridors.
With the number of captured students rising, the professors decided to take turns keeping watch near the fourth floor instead of waiting in their offices.
Anyone caught would face a deduction of ten points and a detention.
It had to be said that dealing with the professors was far more troublesome than dealing with Filch...
In an attempt to divert their attention, George set off some Whizzing Water-Bombs on the first floor.
As expected, Filch grumbled his way downstairs to investigate the noise, followed by Professor McGonagall with a stern expression.
Hidden in the shadows near the second-floor staircase, Fred gazed at the Marauder's Map and sighed softly, "Professor McGonagall is being too harsh."
On the map, Professor McGonagall's name still lingered near the fourth floor, indicating that she hadn't left with Filch.
It was clear that the 'Professor McGonagall' they had seen earlier was a high-level Polyjuice Potion disguise.
With the current situation, it seemed unlikely that they would be able to explore the fourth floor anytime soon. After discussing it amongst themselves, they decided to wait for things to calm down before trying again and then returned to their dorms.
...
Three days passed before they ventured out again.
Late in the night, the four of them tiptoed through the school corridors.
"Fred, George..." Cedric, walking at the back, lowered his voice. "Are you sure the professors aren't going to the fourth floor anymore?"
"We kept watch last night," Fred whispered. "After the weekend, the professors haven't gone back to the fourth floor, and they probably won't tonight either."
"We're almost there," George said.
They stopped near the third floor, and George looked down at the Marauder's Map.
"We're in luck; none of the professors are around, and Filch is..." His eyes widened. "Merlin's beard, you won't believe who I just saw!"
"Who?" Fred asked, smiling. "It can't be Percy."
"No, it's Ron..." George said, surprised. "And Harry, Hermione, and Neville. The four first-years are in the Trophy Room right now."
"Aha..." Fred couldn't help but chuckle. "Already taking his friends on nighttime adventures at the start of the term. Tsk, he's truly our brother..."
Just then, a series of crisp, clanging sounds echoed through the corridors.
George looked up and said, "Now there's some good news and some bad news.
The good news is that Filch's attention is focused on Ron and the others, which gives us a perfect opportunity to act.
The bad news is that they're making quite a ruckus, and it might attract the professors at any moment."
"Looks like we need to hurry," Fred urged, glancing at the map as they quickened their pace toward the fourth floor.
On the map, Harry, Ron, and the others were moving rapidly in their direction, and at this rate, Filch would be lured over soon.
Upon reaching the fourth floor, the trio quickly located the door at the end of the corridor, as indicated on the map.
"Students out of bed!"
Suddenly, Peeves' angry shout rang out from not far away, "Students out of bed, in the Charms classroom corridor!"
"I take back what I said about Ron. He's an idiot after all," George muttered.
He lowered the map and held out his hand behind him.
Soon, a key appeared out of thin air and landed in his palm. It was an ancient-looking key with a bronze hue.
"Thanks, Kyle..." George whispered.
He inserted the key into the lock and turned it gently, opening the door with a soft click.
"They're almost here, quick, get in... Oh no, what the—!"
As George stepped forward, he found himself staring into three pairs of gleaming, emerald-green eyes.
Lurking in the corridor beyond the door was a monstrous dog, its three heads filling the space from floor to ceiling.
As the door opened, the three-headed dog rose to its full height, its noses twitching and quivering.
Three mouths, dripping with saliva, snapped open to reveal rows of yellow, menacing teeth.
"Damn, Dumbledore wasn't kidding this time... Run!" George exclaimed, reacting instinctively without a moment's hesitation.
Fred and Cedric, having caught a glimpse of the three-headed dog as well, needed no further encouragement. The moment it lunged at them, any thoughts of adventure or curiosity vanished.
They knew all too well what those deafening roars signified.
Without a word, the trio turned and sprinted down the corridor, their hearts pounding.
While their actions might draw attention, they would rather face the professors than become dog food.
They ran without looking back, only stopping when they reached the entrance to the kitchen.
"Professor Dumbledore means business!" George panted, leaning against the wall. "Merlin's beard, who puts a fully grown three-headed dog in a school? What is he thinking?!"
"I bet there's something valuable in there," Fred whispered, his eyes gleaming. "Did you notice the dog was standing right above a trapdoor?"
George sighed. "It's no use. We can't exactly ask the dog to move aside, can we?"
"Wait..." Cedric interjected. "Has anyone seen Kyle?"
"He didn't come back with us?" Fred exclaimed, suddenly realizing that there were only three of them.
Kyle had disappeared without a trace.
(End of Chapter)
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