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

Chapter 23:3

"My brother and I will begin by posing a few questions. When did it all start? Who are the likely suspects?" Fred asked confidently, raising his chin as he thought back to all the language and methodology they had been studying for weeks. "Neither of these matter as much as the simplest question of 'Why?'. Why would anyone want to destroy a painting?"

"Well...magical paintings know things. They are the enchantments of witches and wizards from the past," answered George, as Fred's logic began to crystallize in his mind.

"We know that they love to talk. Perhaps these paintings were destroyed to stop them from talking," Fred continued gradually. "If that's the case, what did they know that needed to be silenced? And why these paintings and not others?"

"The damage continued for months," George added. "The timing should be a factor."

"Then it seems to me," said Fred, "that the one doing the damage carried on because they had not found everything they were seeking."

"Good! Very good, boys!" Professor Parsimonae interrupted, nodding approvingly from the windows. "My apologies...don't let me stop you."

"As we were saying...there's the question of 'Why?'," Fred continued. "Why now?"

"And why hasn't anyone else been caught?" asked George.

"Could it be someone unexpected?"

"Someone who shouldn't be at the school?"

"Or someone who had returned —"

"— who was powerful enough to flood the ground floor corridor —"

"— using ancient Dark Arts called —"

"Black Magic?" they finished together.

Something amazing was happening, and everyone in class was witnessing it in action. Fred and George Weasley were so in tune, their thoughts passing freely between them, that they were almost speaking as one voice. Well, until Morvin Ashbury decided to ruin it by commenting.

"Professor, that can't be right," the boy complained.

"Why?" asked Lee.

"Only through special permissions from the headmaster could someone be granted entry," Morvin explained. "It's all in Hogwarts, A History."

"You got to the point before we could, actually. The list of suspects is shortened when you realize that the culprit has exclusive access to the castle."

"They could be...say...a former student," said George casually.

"Or a professor," said Fred. "In order to discover their identity, we may need to consult the school governors on those with approval to visit Hogwarts unattended. But first, let's see if there are clues to how the paintings were erased. Have they been inspected?"

George bent to look closer at the canvas. "There are spots that feel slick to the touch."

"A potion, perhaps?"

"What did the Magical Investigator teach us on the first day? Is there anything we can learn from the Daily Prophet?"

"I'm glad you asked," said Fred, as he reached into his robe and began emptying the contents to the floor. Numerous objects whizzed, banged, sparked, and spun across the room until a folded newspaper fell from his pocket. Fred reached down and unveiled it to the class.

"Within this edition of the Daily Prophet is an article from start of term last year entitled, The Mystery File of the Missing Vial. It details the account of a stolen potion bottle from Ramkins Magical Oddities, a shop on Knockturn Alley, that was discovered empty some time ago by our own Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

"Quite a coincidence, wouldn't you say, George?"

"I would say, Fred. And, if I'm not mistaken, that particular vial contained a potion that was said to strip the life from enchanted photographs. Could the same concoction be used on enchanted portraits?"

"It very well could."

"Marvelous. Excellent detective work," said the investigator, with a single clap of approval. "Now, in all fairness, the twins did have prior knowledge of these facts, and likely kept that newspaper because of an article that had been written about them. But, by venturing into Knockturn Alley that day in August, a chance meeting has brought about a crucial perspective in resolving this mystery. Well done, Fred and George!"

The boys were confused why the Magical Investigator would be almost excited to hear them giving away the plot. They were revealing his secret involvement in the destruction of the paintings.

"Allow me to assist in your conclusion by asking what determinations can be made." Parsimonae continued with a lilt, as he stepped away from the wall and gazed intently in their direction. "Please clarify, if you will. Who would have the motive to destroy a talking work of art that could, as you say, potentially know things that the rest of us do not?"

Fred stood tall as he answered, "Only someone with something to hide."

"Precisely!" Lexington smacked the top of Diggory's desk in the thrill of the moment.

"So...you think we're right?" asked George.

"I think you're exactly right!"

The class sat bewildered as they looked from the twins to their professor, feeling as if they had lost a key detail in the explanation. The three of them were staring one another down, an entire conversation passing between the faintest change of expression. And then, with the unexpectedness of a thunderclap on a cloudless day, a strange noise erupted from the back of the room, and everyone turned in their seats.

The door to the classroom was opening sluggishly. Each individual creak of the hinges could be heard, until it eventually swung to a stop against the inside wall.