Chapter 83: May Merlin Hoodwink You
Chapter 83: May Merlin Hoodwink You
However, controversy arose over the inclusion of certain dark curses in "The Book of Spells." Under the interference of the Ministry of Magic, Miranda Goshawk revised her book, resulting in the creation of the "Standard Book of Spells" series used by Hogwarts students in their Charms classes.
Apparently, Miranda Goshawk wasn't pleased with this turn of events, not because of the editing of the "Standard Book of Spells" series, but due to the wizarding world's complete rejection of the dark curses originally included in her book.
Miranda Goshawk had once pointed out that including moderately aggressive hexes in the textbooks could help prevent students from resorting to more dangerous spells to settle disputes.
In fact, Albert supported this viewpoint.
As they chatted, they unknowingly reached the eighth floor and stood before the tapestry of the giant clubbing a stupid baron.
"Are you still looking for that missing broom cupboard?" Albert asked, noticing the tapestry and immediately understanding why the twins were there.
"We've been here several times already," George said, looking around to ensure no one was nearby before lowering his voice. "We think you can help us find that broom cupboard."
"Are you that interested in the broom cupboard?" Albert asked, a strange expression on his face.
Well, George had guessed right. Albert did know how to enter the Room of Requirement, but he didn't intend to reveal its secret to them at this time.
"Yeah, a bit," Fred nodded.
Albert walked up to the wall, knocked on it theatrically opposite the tapestry, then turned to the twins and asked, "So, this is where you discovered the door to the broom cupboard, right?"
"Yeah, right here," Fred nodded vigorously.
"There was nothing here before, and then one day when you walked past, the door appeared?" Albert continued his inquiry, "Are you sure it was a door and not just the door to the broom cupboard?"
"Yes, it was definitely a door and not the door to the broom cupboard. It just appeared out of nowhere," George interjected. "We almost got caught by Filch, so we hid inside."
"So, you wanted to hide from Filch at that time?" Albert asked.
"Yes, we wanted to find a place to hide," Fred confirmed.
"Then, face this wall and think about wanting to find a place to hide," Albert said, guiding their thoughts.
Fred and George exchanged glances and tried it out.
Of course, they were unsuccessful.
"I guess it's not working?" Albert mused. "Maybe it's just a broom cupboard that can move around the castle, or... perhaps it only appears when there's a genuine need for it?"
Albert's words were a mix of truth and deception, perfect for hoodwinking others.
A glimmer of disappointment flashed in Fred's eyes. They had tried several times, but they still couldn't find the mysterious broom cupboard.
Bringing Albert along had been their hope for discovering the broom cupboard's location, as they knew he had a clever mind.
In fact, Albert's analysis made quite a bit of sense.
A broom cupboard that could move freely around the castle?
A broom cupboard that only appeared when one truly needed it?
A broom cupboard that only materialized during certain time periods?
Regardless, Fred and George weren't that concerned about it. After all, it was just a broom cupboard! They merely wanted to unravel the mystery behind it and satisfy their curiosity.
It seemed that unraveling this mystery wouldn't be an easy task.
"Actually, don't limit your thinking to just a broom cupboard," Albert suddenly said. "A moving broom cupboard... I feel like the school's secrets aren't that simplistic."
"What do you mean?" The three of them focused their attention on Albert.
"You said it yourself," Albert reminded them. "It wasn't the door to the broom cupboard, just a door that led to the cupboard."
"Right. And then?"
"Well, if it's a door, there might be a room on the other side. A mysterious room," Albert said, running his hand over the wall. "You needed a hiding place, so... the room provided you with one."
The three of them lit up at the suggestion. "Are you saying the room changes according to the user's needs?"
Albert nodded, offering a mischievous suggestion. "Why don't you come here one day when your bladder is about to burst and see if a toilet appears?"
Jordan Lee covered his stomach and laughed. "I think Albert's suggestion is great."
"I bestow this noble task upon you," Fred said solemnly to George.
"Why not you?" George couldn't help but roll his eyes at his brother.
"What are you lot doing here?" Percy suddenly appeared, his eyes fixed on Fred and George. "I heard that a few Gryffindor students were wandering around the castle in the middle of the night a few days ago and almost got caught by Filch."
"Oh, they're quite something," Fred praised.
"Was it you?" Percy asked suddenly.
When he heard that the students wandering around at night were from Gryffindor, Percy Weasley's mood plummeted as he immediately thought of Fred and George.
"Percy, you need evidence to accuse others, or you might be sued for defamation," George retorted, something he had learned from Albert—always demand evidence first.
"Evidence? I heard that you two missed two Herbology classes on Tuesday," Percy's eyes narrowed, his tone stern. "Whether or not it was you, don't try anything stupid again."
"Ahem." Albert cleared his throat, drawing their attention. "I heard that Filch knows most of the secret passages in the castle, and no student can escape him if they're caught night wandering."
"While Fred and George might have talked about wanting to wander at night, it's highly unlikely that they could have escaped Filch," Albert ruthlessly pointed out the flaw in their plan. "After all, we've only been at Hogwarts for a short while, and not getting lost in the castle is already an achievement."
Yes, that made a lot of sense, and even Percy had to admit it.
"New students couldn't possibly escape Filch's search. Only those who have been at Hogwarts for several years and are in the higher years could manage it," Albert shifted the blame to the older students.
After hearing Albert's analysis, Fred and George nodded vigorously and said to Percy, "Don't randomly suspect your younger brothers."
Jordan Lee, standing beside them, opened his mouth slightly and looked at Albert, then shifted his gaze uncomfortably. After all, Albert was well aware that George and Fred had gone out wandering at night.
But how could this guy blatantly lie with his eyes open?
Moreover, his words sounded so reasonable that even he was convinced! If it really was Fred and George who had done it, that would be a strange occurrence, but such strange things did happen.
(End of Chapter)
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