Friendless » Fred Weasley

xv. the one-eyed witch statue

"I scared you, I scared you, I scaaaarrreeddd yoooooou!!" Peeves teased multiple students on the way up to the towers. He had just jumped out a painting, screaming. It had scared multiple students, even making some of the older years flinch.

Now he kept following the students up the staircase yelling. "Peeves." Erin turned around to face the troublesome ghost. "If you don't leave us alone, I'll tell Professor McGonagall."

Peeves stuck his tounge out in response and quickly disappeared into the wall.

Tori had only a few run-ins with ghosts. Her first was Moaning Myrtle, the ghost who had screamed at her in the bathroom. Her second was Nearly Headless Nick, who was much kinder to her than Myrtle. She had gotten lost and he helped her find her way to a class.

The twins had told her about the mischief-making ghost. He loved pranking students, but at the same time was a total tattletale. He did anything to see a student suffer.

Tori followed the Gryffindor crowd up the stairs and towards the Fat Lady, who unfortunately was practicing her singing. "Alpha Persei," Charlie called.

The Fat Lady looked at him annoyed and muttered something along the lines of how no one ever wanted to hear her sing and it's was always password, password, password.

Angelina chuckled, hearing it too. She and Tori grinned each other before heading inside. Students headed up to their dormitory, most of them exhausted from the long train ride and Tori joined them.

The trio of girls entered their dormitory, beginning to unpack. Alicia and Tori were in a heated discussion about the best Quidditch team when Angelina spoke up.

"Um. What are you two doing?" Angelina turned towards Alyssa and whatever the other girl's name was. Both of them had stayed over the holiday, but were for some reason, packing trunks.

Alyssa stared at Angelina before clearing her throat. "Well... Our friends have a couple of extra beds in their room, and we have permission from Professor McGonagall to... um, well. Move dorms."

Tori stood by her bed with Alicia, both of them had their arms crossed. Tori raised an eyebrow.

"It's nothing personal." The other girl said, glancing around the room. Her eyes stopped at Tori before she went back to her trunk.

"Come on, Iris. Let's go." Alyssa told the other girl, who nodded. "Uh. Bye." The two of them left, leaving the trio of girls to stand there looking after them. Silence filled the room until Tori spike up.

"The sad thing is, I just now learned the other girl's name," Tori said, tilting her head to the side. A small chuckle from Angelina made the room erupt in laughter.

Tori collapses onto her bed, her body shaking as she laughed. "Merlin. I'm exhausted." Alicia groaned, copying Tori.

"Mhm." Angelina agreed. "I'm getting changed, so no one look."

"I'm actually going downstairs for a bit. I... got somethings to do." Tori lied, jumping off her bed. "Night guys."

"Night!"

Tori shut the door and walked down the twisting stairs, greeting some people as the walked up the stairs.

She entered the common room to almost run into Charlie. "Oh, sorry." She began.

"No, it's alright. Why are you coming down here? It's getting late." Charlie tilted his head, an eyebrow raised.

"I'm not tired. So I'm just... going to read for a bit." Tori gestured to a book that was left on the coach. Charlie nodded slowly.

"Don't stay up too late. You can't sleep in that much anymore." He grinned at Tori and headed up the stairs.

Tori waited for him to leave before grabbing the book and sitting on the couch. She scanned the same two pages for about fifteen minutes until the twins appeared.

"I started to think you bailed on me." She told them. By now, hopefully, everyone was sleeping. Though the common room just looked like they left and were coming back.

Books and journals were left about, the same has glasses and even some shoes. It was safe because no one was going to steal a shoe.

"Sorry, we had to wait for Lee to fall asleep." Fred, or George, no Fred, sighed. Tori nodded understandingly. "You have it?"

"Of course." George nodded. He pulled the folded map out of his pocket and Fred grabbed his wand.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

"Alright. Come on!"

✧    ✦    ✧

"You're stepping on my foot!" Tori hissed, pushing George off her. "You were in my way!"

"Hey! You two! Do you want us to get caught?" Fred turned to face them, his face annoyed. "Sorry..." Tori and George glanced at each other before apologized.

"It should be here..." Fred muttered, glancing up at a wall. A witch statue stood humped over and pointing at something. They had found the one-eyed witch statue.

Fred watched as a word formed on the page. "It's saying something... Tap on the witches hump..."

"I'm not touching that." George shook is heard fiercely. "It's fake!" Tori argued. "I'm not touching it!"

"Guys!"

"Okay fine. I'll do it. Since George is such a big baby." Tori climbed up the stairs and reached over to the witch's hump. "What do you do now?"

"Tap it with your wand and say Dissendium." Fred looked at the map, coming next to Tori. She nodded and put the tip of her wand on the hump.

"Dissendium!" Tori said. The silence after that was death-defying. The trio waited hopefully for something to happen.

"Did... Did I say it wrong?" Tori leaned over again towards the witch's hump.

There was a moment of silence that followed and suddenly the statue moved forward, revealing a deep tunnel and a slide.

Tori, who was leaned over, began to fall. Fred grabbed her quickly, pulling her back over the side of the stairs. She quickly thanked them and they ran down to meet George, who was staring at the tunnel.

"Uh. Ladies first?"

Tori glared at him. "Okay. Go on then."

There was a small sound at the end of the corridor and Tori turned to see Ms. Norris seated there, staring at them. "Uh, Fred? Where's Filch?" Fred began scanned the map, his eyes widening. Filch's name was coming down the other corridor. "In. Now!"

The three of them jumped together and fell down the slide. The statue moved back into place, and by the time Argus Filch appeared, it was as if no one was there at all.

I've been on a roll lately with updating! I honestly love writing for this story haha! How are you guys liking it so far?