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

Chapter 24:5

They were flying so fast!

One hallway — quick turn.

Another hallway — even quicker turn!

George and Aruzula were soaring with such unparalleled speed that the walls became a haze of gray before their eyes.

"She must really know where she's going," Lee said with a lurch, as his stomach dropped. They surged down a narrow stairwell into the dungeons and flew straight through a ghost.

George inclined his head, the wind howling in his ears. "Sorry, Professor Binns!"

Next, they came to a wide, dimly lit corner of the dungeons with a hollow fissure in the ceiling. George and Lee realized quickly that, somewhere in the mix of all the unrecognizable corridors, Aruzula had led them back to where it all began — at the base of the portrait gallery.

She hovered near the highest moving staircase, watching them carefully as they careened upward.

"Tell me something, Lee. Why has she stopped?" asked George, as he slowed their ascent into the chamber.

"Maybe this will teach you not to meddle with more powerful beings! Hold on to your broomstick!" Aruzula Darc said exultantly, her velvet voice reverberating off the walls. She pointed her wand at them and shot down a curling, golden spell. The closer it came, the quicker it spun and the wider it spread.

"George, I think we should —" Lee began as they tried to dodge the spell, "— get to solid — GROUND..."

The light encompassed them and George felt the breath being yanked from his body, as the air all around them blew past his face. Somehow, Aruzula Darc had upset the magic in his broomstick — and they were plummeting.

George and Lee hollered as they zoomed past Professor Kettleburn, who was pointing his wand at them. Then, quite suddenly, the broomstick jerked back to life. It stopped dead somewhere between the second and third floors, throwing both boys over the side. The broom tether snapped tight around George's ankle. He dangled upside down as Lee gripped the end of the broom, pulling out the bristles in clumps as he held on for dear life.

Dizzy, and moments from fainting, George reached out for him.

"Take my hand!"

Lee made an effort, but thought better of it. A second later, his other hand lost its grip. Distantly, they could hear the crack worsening along the center of the broomstick.

"Hurry, Jordan!"

"George...I can't hold on!"

"Just reach for my..."

With a wince, Lee extended his arm for one last, desperate attempt. Then he dropped from the broom and plunged into the foggy depths below.

"NOOO!!! LEE!!!"

From a floor above them, Kettleburn cranked down on a lever near his right shoulder. A hatch snapped open, and a small clock with wings fluttered out from beneath his cape. Silvanus grabbed hold of it, wound the key at the back three times, and dropped it over the stone bannister. With the actual wings of a Golden Snitch, the makeshift timepiece hurtled off with incredible speed past George. The moment it overtook Lee Jordan, the clock started ringing and clattering.

Plooom!

Krang!

Throing!

Just above the dungeons, it exploded into a thousand shards and created a wide net of coils that sprang loose across the cavernous opening, which safely rescued Lee an instant later.