𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐑

the one with the owls

“Golden child, lion boy,
tell me what it's like
to conquer.”

•

THE PLAN WAS formulated. I had informed Draco and Pansy, Slytherin Prefects that a large amount of chaos was about to take place soon. Draco had quirked his eyebrows and asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Just a bit of mayhem," I said with a wink. "Let's just say a wonderful invention that will out Filibuster's Fireworks to shame—"

"You mustn't!" Draco grabbed my shoulders. "Umbridge is out for blood—"

"Literally," Pansy said with a grimace. "You hand hasn't healed yet—"

"To hell with my hand!" I laughed. I was rushing with adrenaline. Draco actually looked scared. "My friends," I spread my hand as if addressing a court. "Live a little. Now—"

"Skylar!"

"Make sure the Prefects stay out of it," I said as I started walking to Umbridge's office now. Fred and George would be there. "If you want me to be safe, do that!"

It wasn't hard to find them. Employing just the four of us—Fred, George, me and Lee—and everyone else were off minding their own businesses. Harry was currently inside the office getting interrogated.

"Are we ready, gentlemen, and lady," Lee asked rubbing his hands together as I appeared. "Firegold, do you have the Wildfire WizBangs?"

"Aye, captain!"

"Weasley One, are we ready with the MegaSwamp Maker?"

"Yes, sir!" Fred said.

"And Weasley Two with the DemonDung Fireworks?"

"Obviously!"

"And I'm equipped with the Thor's Thunders! Let's start—Skylar get to position!"

I ran to the end of the same floor. The closer the better. I had to make that woman feel who she was messing with. I stood behind a gargoyle about fifty feet away from the office and turned, seeing the other three quickly run downstairs. Any time now—the moment my galleons burns.

"Skylar!" Draco hissed. I blinked and looked down over the parapet and Draco standing on a moving staircase. He was obviously trying to get to me but even the castle seemed to be on my side here. "Skylar get down!"

I stuck him a tongue just as I felt my galleon burn. "Begone Draco!"

I fished out the Wizard WizBang from my pocket and saw Draco's eyes widen at the sight. I rolled it towards the general direction of Umbridge's office and pointed my wand at it where it stopped.

"This would be fun," I muttered. "Incendio."

And then I ran. Right behind me was a staircase that wasn't moving and I pointed my wand there just as the WizBangs burst into a thunderous roar behind me. "Glisseo!" And I jumped into the slide that was previously a stair as Draco held onto the railing of the moving staircase for dear life as the whole floor shook. When I landed in the floor below, I threw another WizBang and muttered, "Incendio," at it before turning another stair into a slide and moving further down just as an enormous crate of fireworks were set to burst in the floor I was escaping from.

Dragons comprised entirely of green-and-gold sparks were soaring up and down the corridors, emitting loud fiery blasts and bangs as they went. Shocking-pink Catherine wheels five feet in diameter were whizzing lethally through the air like so many flying saucers. Rockets with long tails of brilliant silver stars were ricocheting off the walls. Sparklers were writing swearwords in midair of their own accord. Firecrackers were exploding like mines everywhere I looked, my face illuminated by the light of my mayhem, and instead of burning themselves out, fading from sight, or fizzling to a halt, these pyrotechnical miracles seemed to be gaining in energy and momentum the longer I watched.