Fred and George and the Toilers of Trouble (Year 1) ✔

Chapter 19:9

The boys slid to a stop. There was nothing distinct about the bookcase, but if the Marauders were indicating that a passage to safety could be found beyond the shelves, there had to be a trick to getting it open. They started pulling books off at random.

"It's bound to be one of these, right?" Fred asked, as they piled in heaps at his feet.

"Hang on," said George. He reached for the iron lantern on the wall beside them. It shifted grudgingly. "A bit of light reading."

"Light!" Fred yelped, understanding at once.

Together, they managed to rotate the lantern to the left. The bookcase separated from the wall in a cough of dust.

"Go, Fred! Hurry!"

They squeezed inside and found the corresponding crank to seal the passage. Suddenly plunged into darkness, the twins lit their wands. They were standing in a modest cupboard. All around them were towers of cracked and filthy cauldrons, stacked to the ceiling.

"Where are we?"

Fred shrugged. "Thanks for the save, Marauders," he said to the map, as they watched Aruzula's ink dot enter the corridor where they had been only seconds prior.

"The books. She's gonna know we're back here."

"Nox!" said Fred.

"Nox," George repeated.

With their wands snuffed, the twins crouched to the floor so they could view the map in the dim light that streamed in from beneath the bookcase.

But there wasn't a need. The shadow that smothered their only light was enough to indicate that Aruzula Darc had discovered them. Fred held his breath and George's teeth were chattering. A stretch of soft incantations could be heard coming from the corridor beyond. Each of the boys wondered if she knew that the bookcase was guarding nothing more than a forgotten cupboard, rather than a passage that was aiding the twins in their escape. They hoped, more than anything, that she was unaware of how trapped they were.

And then, without warning, she spun on her heels and departed from the hallway at a brisk pace. The twins stood and relit their wands. According to the Marauder's Map, she was speeding through the castle toward the Astronomy Tower, where, to their amazement, she drew level with another ink dot. It was Tenice Montague. He had left the Slytherin common room. The dots faced one another momentarily, before she made her escape.

"Montague! Were they talking?"

"I don't know. The map won't say," said Fred, looking closely.

George twisted the lever on the stone wall. It released the bookcase. They reentered the brightly lit corridor just as her ink dot vanished hastily off the edge of the map.

"She must've hidden a broomstick up there," Fred noted, stepping over the piles of books.

"That, or she can fly," said George softly.

"Why would she meet with Montague before leaving?"

"Could be a coincidence."

"No, I knew he had something to do with it all. He was the one to bring up the treasure. On the first day of Dark Arts, no less."

"Maybe she's his great aunt or something."

"Makes sense that he'd be the one leaving the letter behind. Somehow he found out that we're the Toilers, and he's trying to get us expelled.

"Just like when he reported us to the Daily Prophet after Angelina's injury. I think you're right, Fred," said George, as his teeth continued to chatter. "But let's try to solve that one in the morning."