It's not easy to explain, but . . .

Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

And just where have you three been?????

"Now, if you two would be so kind as to unlock this door, without setting off the alarm, please,"  Tom whispered to Fred and George, as he cast a furtive look up and down the alley.  "The museum is open but the work shop is closed for the holidays, so we're really in luck as far as not being seen." 

Following Fred and George into the hallway, Tom eased the door shut and then motioned the twins to follow him.

"How do you know your way around in here?" Fred asked, nearly stumbling in the dark corridor.

"Father of one of my mates works here and I know this place as well as I know my own house.  We've got to be really quiet going upstairs, or they'll hear us walking around," Tom cautioned.

"Fix that easy enough," replied George, casting a silencing spell.  "I wouldn't stomp around, mind, but I think we can relax a bit, now."

Tom turned and grinned at the brothers, then signaled them to follow him, as they started up a steep flight of stairs. Entering the upper hallway, the trio made their way to a doors marked 'Head Storage'.  Fred and George cast a questioning look at each other, shrugged and followed Tom into the room, where they skidded to a halt.

"Bloody Hell!" gasped George and Fred in tandem.

They stood, dumbfounded, facing a room lined with tall shelves, which held what appeared to be heads . . . human heads; eyes open, staring soundlessly.

"They're not real, are they?" Fred managed to ask in a squeaky voice.

"They bloody well better not be real!" gasped George.

"Or we're 'Apparating' out of here," said Fred.

"without you, Tom!" George added.

"Don't be daft!  This is Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum . . . they're WAX!  Pretty life-like though, huh."  Tom stood grinning at the discomforted twins, but then motioned them forward to inspect the room's contents.  "Now, we'll look through the old heads that haven't been touched in years, for one that resembles Albus  . . . and remember, try to envision the head with his long hair and beard; it doesn't have to be a perfect likeness, just close enough to fool someone who gets a quick glance.  Add his robes, hair and hat, we should be able to use just about anybody's head."

However, that was easier said than done and it was a full twenty minutes before they found a head they could all agree was the closest resemblance to the Headmaster.

"Right, now use the 'Shrinking Charm' on this one and also duplicate one to replace it and fill that empty space on the shelf," instructed Tom.  Fred held the head up and pointed his wand at it, while George chose another head from down the aisle and made its twin appear in the open spot on the shelf.  "Right, pop 'Albus' in here," Tom added, as he held out an empty mint tin, into which Fred deposited the shrunken wax head.  "Now we're off to my old school, to 'borrow' a body."

"Wicked."

"Excellent."

* * * *

"Mr. Weasley is doing splendidly, Mrs. Weasley, and he will be released into your care on Friday morning, barring any unforeseen complication,"  Healer Pye informed Molly, as he finished doing a diagnostic sweep of his wand over the patient lying, propped up, on the bed.  Arthur smiled at his wife.

"Thank you so much for all you've done for Arthur, Healer Pye.  I realize using the Muggle 'stitches' was an honest attempt at an alternative solution to the bleeding," replied Molly, taking Arthur's hand and patting it.  "But you won't be volunteering as Healer Pye's 'guinea pig' anytime in the near future, will you dear?"