Chapter 24:1

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PRESSING PURSUITS

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PRESSING PURSUITS

From behind the portrait of a wizard gazing deeply into a glimmering crystal ball, Fred and George sat with the Marauder's Map unfolded on the sandy passage floor. The back of the frame was unlatched, and the boys were as prepared as they could be for any number of dangerous scenarios. They brought along a broomstick, and their schoolbags were packed with enough food for the night, along with Dumbledore's Invisibility Cloak and their Beater bats.

For hours, they had been waiting patiently, following Lexington Parsimonae's ink dot along the map while he searched the library and corridors. As predicted, he wasn't the only one awake at that hour. Professor Binns was roaming through his auditorium, Professor Quirrell was pacing the hallway outside his office, Professors Kettleburn and Mulligan were awake in their chambers, and Hagrid scoured the Forbidden Forest, no doubt continuing his search for Witherwings.

Even in the silence of the cramped passageway, the twins were undeterred in their mission, expecting, at any moment, for the long-awaited answers to come. George reached into his bag for a slice of gingerbread. He took a bite and handed the other half to his brother, who was sounding out a spell from one of the Marauders' journals.

"Po-li-chin-ell-us," Fred spoke, through chewing. "Polichinellus!"

"Please don't try that while we're in here," George warned, as he peeked at the journal entry. "A garish little transfiguration for that rainy day spot of bother. Is that really all the detail they can provide?"

"You know the Marauders by now, George," said Fred. "Working out the plot is half the fun."

"Don't have too much fun without us."

Fred and George pawed the ground for their lit wands, but there wasn't a need. It was Lee and Angelina.

"What're you doing here?"

"We've come to help!"

"How'd you find us?"

"Just a guess. Lee thought back to when Fred scared Parsimonae, and we went searching for a statue of a two-headed dragon." Angelina dropped to her knees and peered into their bags. "Where did you get all this food?

"The kitchens," said George, salvaging some of the crumbling gingerbread. "The house-elves worship us. Heard we might be expelled, so..."

"And we didn't know how late we'd be," Fred finished.

"You've thought of everything," said Angelina.

"Almost everything," Lee noted. "Tell them what you told me."

"Well," Angelina began, "I was wondering if Aruzula Darc might actually be a veela."

"Veela...?" asked George.

"They're like mermaids, I think," said Fred.

"No, but they aren't human. They're more like...birds. No one really knows. Wrath Wand was seduced by a veela in an old issue of Dark Force Defense League. They're natural Metamorphmagi, meaning they can alter their appearance at will.  They can move faster than wizards, put you in a trance...they're said to be beautiful...and..." Angelina broke, worriedly, "and they're said to be extremely dangerous. There's a few discrepancies, of course. They have white hair and their skin glows. She might not be full veela, I suppose, but we should tread lightly."

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