Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Year 5

Chapter 4

"Hey."

Badeea looked up from her painting. "Oh, hello, Danielle Jackson. Why're you here?"

"Please, just Dani. And Nearly Headless Nick sent me here. I've heard from Jae that you're a talented witch-you've invented your own spells?"

"I have, as a matter of fact. But why would the Gryffindor ghost tell you about me?"

"He said that you know a lot about portraits."

"I thought you were busy cracking vaults. Why'd you suddenly care about paintings?"

"Look, if you haven't heard already... It looks as though this curse is about students getting trapped in portraits."

"Oh, I must've been too caught up in painting to hear the gossip..." She tapped at the picture of Hogesmeade she'd just started. "Paintings are fascinating, aren't they? I haven't learnt much about curses involving them though... In Muslim culture, even those born with powers must use them for good and not evil. However, I think I've heard of something that might help..."
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"So... Get Filch to spill where this thing we need is... After the vault squad has chased him out of wherever with fanged frisbees disguised as gifts... TWICE?!"

Dani nodded. She'd rushed to the three broomsticks to meet up with Merula as soon as Pitts let her off. It was already the end of September. Time was whizzing by much, much faster than in previous years (or at least in Dani's opinion), which was really bad news to the squad-especially since Bill decided that this was a sign that the vault was going to be... Well...

"Oh, I have the perfect idea. Can you ask a favour from the house-elves next time you're in detention?"
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"I SWEAR, if this is another fanged frisbee..."

Filch opened the box to find-wait for it-a cake. A chocolate cake, with Mrs. Norris' pretty (er, ugly) face on it in vanilla icing.

"All for me?"

"In exchange for information-on the marauders' map."

"Oh, I'd be happy to, Miss Snyde. Peeves stole it from me, so have fun trying to get your hands on it."
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"Peeves! Where are you!" yelled Dani.

The school poltergeist jumped at Dani and Jae from behind a blackboard in the last place they looked-the DADA classroom. "What do two loopy-loos want from Peeves?"

"The marauder's map," replied Jae. "Filch said you had it."

"Oh, but I have MANY maps!" laughed Peeves. "How EXACTLY does it look like, Miss Jackson, Mr. Kim?"

"Cut the crap, Peeves! We KNOW you know how it looks like, and even if you don't, we don't either, so just TELL US ALREADY!"

"Alrighty, but good luck, schmuck, because the person who told me NOT to give you the map hates Danielle Jackson more than he hates potions!"
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After Potions, Dani, thinking Snape'd know someone who fit Peeves' description, decided to ask him about the map.

"I have no idea which of my bad students could hate you, Miss Jackson, since you seem to be such a CELEBRITY here at school. However, I did know the marauders themselves-and frankly, I wasn't too fond of them. They were Gryffindors, in my year. Anyway, if I were you, I'd be worrying about Miss Haywood. It's only a matter of time before she discovers a more direct path to self-destruction..."