Chapter 55

The four boys left the kitchen with their belly full of Madeira Cake and Hot Chocolate. They stuffed their pockets with Custard Cream and Apple Pies handed to them by the house-elves.

"The curfew starts in less than ten minutes. We'd better hurry and get back to the Common Room quickly," Albert said as he put his pocket watch away.

As soon as they passed the Great Hall, they spotted the caretaker's cat. Scurrying behind the catch, Filch appeared in front of the group.

For whatever reason, whenever Fred and George saw Filch, they would feel something slowing clawing up their spine and butterflies churning their stomachs.

Fred involuntarily put his hand into his pocket on the right side of his robe. In that pocket was the Marauder's Map, which they had stolen from him.

"You two..." Filch called out to the Weasley brothers. Grinning, he said, "Your punishment will begin at seven PM tomorrow. I expect every single medal, trophy and shield to be cleaned and punishment by hand. You are also required to display the contents if the room in chronological order with the newest closest to the entrance."

Filch stopped for a moment to catch his breath as he spoke so fast. "Now, return to your Common Room and don't let me catch you hanging out in the castle after the curfew. Otherwise, Merlin forbid, it will not be as simple as polishing every single trophy or cleaning the chamber pots. I'll send you to the Forbidden Forest to clean up after those filthy beasts that call the forest their home."

After saying his piece, Filch picked up Ms Norris and hobbled away, out of sight.

"What an annoying old man," George said as he made a rude gesture toward Filch's leaving back.

"I seem to remember you once offered to teach us the Scouring Charm," Fred said as he turned his head to face Albert.

"It's too late. Not to be rude, but it's certainly not enough time for you to learn the Scouring Charm. Now, come along, we have seven minutes and forty-nine seconds till curfew," Albert said. He then took out his pocket watch to check the time and walked towards the moving stairs.

"Don't worry, you just clean and polish every single shield, medal and trophy in the trophy room. It's better than cleaning all the cauldrons and toilets, right? Think about William and what he had to do. If you two were in that position, you couldn't do it without fainting a couple times from the sheer horrid stench," Lee Jordan said. He patted George on the back, trying to comfort him. However. However, his tone contained slight hints of giddy and this ticked off Fred.

"Buzz off, you back-stabbing buffoon of a friend," Fred said as he glared at Lee Jordan. He then turned his head and said to Albert: "Can you use the Scouring Charm to help..."

"Transfiguration Club," Albert said as he suddenly interrupted him.

"What?" Fred responded as he didn't understand why Albert has said that.

"He has Transfiguration Club with Professor McGonagall at seven o'clock and as a result, he can't help you," Lee Jordan said as he patted Fred on the back, trying to comfort him. "So, you should have given up trying by now and Filch also said for you to do it by hand."

While talking, the four of them had reached the seventh floor with four minutes and twenty seconds till curfew. While passing a certain corner, Albert almost ran into Professor Brodt, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.

"Good evening, Professor Brodt," Albert said as he greeted him.

"Good evening, Mr Anderson," Professor Brodt replied as his gaze swept across the four of boys. He looked at him with scrutiny for a while, and before continuing. "It's almost curfew. I suggest you return to the Common Room as soon as possible."

Professor Brodt then walked away and left the children to their own devices.

"Professor Brodt knows you!" After the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor left, Fred said as he looked at Albert in surprise.

Professor Brodt is not young anymore. The fact he could remember the student's name in his senile age shown his excellent memory or his attainment in the art of Occulmancy. Albert placed his suspicion on the latter.

"I am as surprised as you are, Fred," Albert said as he swept a suspicion gaze towards the direction of Professor Brodt came from. He saw the wall changing and the bricks shuffling around. Professor Brodt looked upon the children with a scrutinising glare, as if he were examining their reaction.

"Did I tell you guys I checked behind the Barnabas tapestry and didn't find a secret passage? I was so sure there was one behind that," Lee Jordan said as he pointed to the tapestry of the wizard trying to teach a group of goblins wearing a tutu how to perform a ballet routine.

What Lee said shocked Albert. He was so close to find the secret of the tapestry. He was so close to finding the legendary Room of Requirements, where the entrance was opposite to the tapestry. If Lee was that close, he suspected one or two students to know about its capabilities.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they got to the portrait of the fat lady guarding the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room, it surprised them to find that the fat lady singing. Atrociously, at that.

"Nautilus," George said.

The fat lady did not open the door, but continued to sing.

"Nautilus," Fred said impatiently.

The fat lady shone a dissatisfied glare at them as she stopped her singing and reluctantly opened the door to the common room.

"I'm throwing it out there. She does not have any talent for singing," Lee complained as soon as they entered the Common Room.

In the Common Room, there were still a few people doing homework.

"Where have you guys been? I've seen people from your Astronomy class arrive almost half an hour ago," Charlie, who was wearing pyjamas, said as he walked over to them. "We have invited you four to train with the Gryffindor Quidditch team. We expect you to arrive at the stadium equipped at half-past six. Don't be late,"

"Sorry Charlie, I'm afraid we can't go." George said helplessly.

"Why?" Charlie said as he look at his brother with confusion.

"Our punishment for the Dung Bomb incident starts at seven, so we can't make it. And Albert has Transfiguration Club tomorrow, so he can't make it as well. But I'm pretty sure Lee could make it," Fred said as he looked pitiful in front of his brother.

"Forget about it. I would much rather prefer if all four of you could make it rather than only one of you," Charlie said before leaving to go to bed.

Not long after Charlie left, Percy came to speak to them after he had just finished his homework.

"Don't nag like an old granny, Percy. We've just been nagged at by Charlie." George said.

"Gryffindor has not won a House cup for as long as I have been here and most Gryffindor students think that is a shame. Because of you two and that William, we are even further behind. If you two do something as stupid as that again, I will write to mum so she can send you a howler during school. Keep out of trouble and good night," Percy said before leaving toward his room.

After that rant, the twins went to their dormitory to meet up with the others before they travelled to dream land.