Finding Fred and George Weasley turned out to be harder than I'd expected.
Over the past year, I'd seen them all over Hogwarts, usually doing something that ended in shouting, laughter, or a trip to Professor McGonagall's office. Now that I actually wanted to speak to them, they seemed to have vanished.
"We could just ask Ron," Blaise suggested.
Draco grimaced.
"Being their brother doesn't mean he knows where they are."
"It improves our chances," I pointed out.
Since breakfast, we'd checked the library, passed through the Great Hall and looked in the courtyard. There was still no sign of the twins, and I was growing increasingly impatient to find them.
I couldn't stop thinking about the duels.
Until now, I'd done most of my practising alone. The dummy in the Room of Requirement was useful, but I wanted to know how those sessions compared to facing a person. Someone who might notice a movement I kept repeating, deliberately mislead me, or do something I hadn't anticipated at all.
If the older students really were holding these meetings, I wanted to see one. Preferably today.
"We could ask another Gryffindor," I said.
"Aren't two Weasleys enough?"
"I didn't realise you had a daily limit on contact with Gryffindors."
"I do."
"What is it?"
"Zero."
At that moment, familiar laughter drifted from a side corridor.
"You'll have to make an exception."
We rounded the corner. Fred and George were standing by a windowsill near an empty classroom, talking to two first-year Hufflepuffs. One twin held an open bag while the other arranged colourful boxes on the stone.
"Two Chocolate Frogs and a packet of Pepper Imps," Fred announced.
"We didn't order the imps," one of the boys protested.
George looked at the packet.
"Well, someone will have to eat them."
"Shall we get them?" the Hufflepuff asked his friend.
"We only came for the frogs."
"Quite right," George agreed. "Stick to the plan."
Fred turned to him.
"Are you helping me sell things or helping them save money?"
I laughed. Both twins looked up.
"Peverell!" Fred grinned, then spotted Draco. "And Malfoy. Wasn't expecting you two together."
"Neither was I," Draco muttered.
The Hufflepuffs paid for their frogs and left before the conversation could go any further. George pocketed the coins while Blaise examined the remaining boxes.
"Do you get these from Hogsmeade?"
"Among other places."
"And sell them here?"
"First- and second-years can't go," Fred explained, packing away the remaining stock. "Doesn't stop them wanting sweets."
"Quite clever," Blaise admitted.
"Nice to meet someone who appreciates our hard work."
Draco glanced at the bag.
"How much do you add to the price?"
"Enough to make carrying it worthwhile," George replied.
Blaise smiled to himself. I was about to ask about the duels when Fred put down the bag and gave me a more attentive look.
"Actually, I'm glad you came. Got a moment?"
"Sure."
George nodded towards the far end of the corridor. We moved far enough away from the others to talk privately.
For a moment, Fred fiddled with the bag's strap. He seemed unsure where to begin, which was unusual enough in itself.
"It's about Ginny."
"Oh."
"Mum wrote to us," George explained. "She didn't tell us everything, but we know you helped her out of something pretty nasty."
"How is she?"
"Better. Though Mum seems to be planning on writing to her every day for the rest of the year."
"She's already started," Fred added.
I could imagine.
"Anyway, we wanted to thank you."
Neither of them was smiling now.
"You don't need to. I'm just glad we caught it early."
"So are we."
There was a brief silence. I had no idea what else to say, but George saved me the trouble.
"Our sister can be a nightmare. Especially when she's trying to prove she doesn't need her older brothers."
"But we're rather fond of her," Fred added.
"A bit."
I smiled.
"I'm glad she's all right."
Fred held out his hand. I shook it, then George's. That seemed to be all they wanted to say, and I was grateful. There were only so many times I could tell them there was no need to thank me before it became awkward.
When we returned, Draco gave me a questioning look.
"Family matter," Fred explained, picking up the bag.
He left it at that. So did I.
"We wanted to ask you something too," I said. "I heard you take bets on duels."
George turned to his brother.
"Do we?"
"Apparently."
"Can we skip this part?"
Fred laughed.
"Where did you hear that?"
"Two older Slytherins were talking at breakfast. Something about Pucey, a Ravenclaw, and two Sickles someone lost."
"Oh, I remember him." George nodded. "Tried to convince us the result shouldn't count because the person he'd backed had tripped."
"Over his own feet," Fred added.
"So the duels really happen?"
"Some students like to test their skills outside lessons."
"Without teachers?"
George looked at me in mock surprise.
"They've got enough work already."
Draco smiled faintly. That argument seemed to appeal to him.
"Can you come just to watch?" I asked.
"You don't want to fight?"
"I want to see how people who are better than me do it."
Fred studied me for a moment.
"That's a sensible answer."
"Try not to sound so surprised."
"We usually hear it after someone's first defeat."
George leaned against the windowsill.
"We don't organise the meetings. We handle the bets, snacks, and the occasional delivery. We can introduce you, but we'll have to ask first."
"Are they that careful about who gets in?" Blaise asked.
"They don't want a new batch of younger students turning up every week and telling Filch all about it the next morning. Or deciding that knowing Expelliarmus qualifies them to challenge a seventh-year."
"That would be idiotic," Draco said.
"Doesn't stop it happening."
"When's the next meeting?" I asked.
"Tonight."
I smiled.
"Then ask."
Fred glanced at George and shook his head in amusement.
"We'll let you know."
We got our answer after dinner.
We were sitting in the common room when a first-year handed me a folded piece of parchment. Some Gryffindor had asked him to pass it on.
You can come. Ten past eight, corridor outside the old Charms classroom. Watching only tonight.
Someone had added underneath:
Malfoy can come too, provided he promises not to complain the entire way.
I handed Draco the note. He read it and immediately scowled.
"Idiots."
"We haven't even left yet," Blaise observed.
Draco tossed him the parchment.
We had enough time to put our books away and fetch our wands. Blaise also wanted to agree on what we'd say if anyone asked where we were going.
"For a walk," I suggested.
"And if we run into someone on the way back, after curfew?"
"Then it'll have been a very long walk."
"Let me talk to the teachers," he decided.
I didn't argue. I was more interested in getting going.
The twins were waiting where they'd said they would be. George sat on the windowsill, while Fred leaned against the wall with the bag slung over his shoulder.
"On time," he noted as we approached. "Come on."
They led us along side staircases and corridors, some of which I'd never seen before. After a few minutes, I was no longer sure exactly where we were. If I had to make my own way back, I'd probably need to find a staircase I recognised before I could work out how to reach the dungeons.
Fred stopped beside a faded tapestry and pulled back its edge. Behind it was a narrow stone door.
Draco leaned forward to peer inside.
"Where does that go?"
"Down," George replied.
"Thank you. I noticed the stairs."
Fred opened the door wider.
"It takes us round the main corridor. Hardly anyone uses it."
"How many places like this do you know?" I asked.
"Quite a few. We keep finding more."
"You actually go looking for them?"
George looked at me as though the answer were obvious.
"Oliver, we're at Hogwarts."
I smiled and followed Fred.
"Fair point."
The stairs were narrow, with a turn so tight we had to go down single file. At the bottom, we emerged into a short corridor. A muffled hubbub came from behind the door at the far end.
Before knocking, Fred turned to us.
"A few things. Don't tell everyone where you've been. Don't cast spells at people without their permission. And no duelling tonight."
"We know," I said.
"Worth repeating. I don't fancy explaining to Madam Pomfrey why I brought along a second-year and came back with a collection of his parts."
George nodded towards the door.
"Mara agreed to let you watch. Don't make her regret it."
Fred knocked three times, paused, then knocked once more.
"Who is it?"
"Your favourite delivery service."
A lock clicked. An older Ravenclaw girl opened the door, looking first at Fred's bag and then at us.
"These the three?"
George nodded.
"Oliver Peverell, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini."
She looked us over.
"Have the Weasleys explained the conditions?"
"We're just watching," I replied.
"And you're not bringing half your year next time."
We nodded. Mara turned back to the twins.
"You're vouching for them?"
"Both of us," Fred assured her.
"Good. If they cause trouble, you're taking them out."
She stepped aside to let us in.
The room was much larger than I'd expected. It looked like an old classroom. Desks had been pushed against the walls, and a large rectangle was marked out in chalk on the floor. Old armchairs and other seats lined one side; everyone else sat on desktops or stood talking in small groups.
There were perhaps thirty students, from all four houses. Most looked to be fourth-years or older. I spotted a few younger ones, but I thought we were the only second-years.
The air smelled of dust, candles and sweets. A boy sitting on a desk was trying to catch a Chocolate Frog that had jumped up his sleeve. Two girls beside him were arguing about the result of an earlier duel, while someone across the room demonstrated a wand movement to a friend.
For a moment, I just stood by the entrance and looked around.
I'd spent the whole of last year walking through this castle without even knowing this existed.
George nudged me.
"Well?"
"Not bad."
"I'll try not to overwhelm Mara with that glowing praise."
I smiled.
"Do you always meet here?"
"No. Depends on what's free and where Filch has been poking around lately."
Before I could ask anything else, an older Slytherin turned towards us. I recognised him immediately. We'd spoken at breakfast.
His eyebrows rose.
"Well, look at that."
"Evening."
He glanced at the twins, then back at me.
"Found yourselves some guides quickly enough."
"They came recommended this morning."
He shook his head in amusement.
"Just don't try duelling straight away."
"Not tonight."
"Tonight," he repeated, as though that was exactly what worried him, then went back to his friends.
The twins led us to some empty chairs near one end of the rectangle. George sat on a bench beside us and took out a notebook. Fred headed straight for a group of Gryffindors, one of whom already had coins in his hand.
Blaise eyed the notebook with interest.
"How do you work out the odds?"
George moved it a little closer.
"Who's fought before, how often they win, how many people want to back them."
"What if someone's new?"
"Then you watch their first duel very carefully."
Blaise leaned over the columns of figures.
"So how much people like someone matters too."
"Sometimes more than it should."
"Especially when someone from their house is fighting," Fred added as he returned.
Draco glanced at the notebook but said nothing. Across the room, two students had begun taking off their outer robes, and that seemed to interest him more.
Me too.
A few minutes later, Mara stepped into the middle of the rectangle.
"Let's get started."
The conversations gradually died away. Someone whistled, and applause broke out at the back.
"If you want to finish before midnight, I suggest you stop making a performance of it."
"Too late!" Fred called.
"You in particular can shut up, Weasley. Price and Pike, you're up."
A tall, dark-haired girl emerged from the Ravenclaws. She'd taken off her tie and rolled up the sleeves of her school robes. A slightly taller, broad-shouldered Hufflepuff took his place opposite her.
They greeted each other with a brief nod.
"Who are they?" I asked quietly.
"Imogen Price, fifth-year," Fred replied. "That's Gareth Pike. Sixth."
"Who's better?"
"Price is quick," George said. "Pike's harder to shift."
Mara stood between them.
"No serious curses or spells intended to cause serious injury. We stop at a disarming, a surrender, or when I say so. Don't aim at the spectators."
Both nodded.
"And don't throw furniture at them," she added, looking at Gareth.
Several people laughed.
"That was an accident!"
"Don't have another one."
Mara stepped aside. The duellists drew their wands and bowed.
I sat up straighter.
"Begin."
"Impedimenta!"
Gareth struck first. Imogen dodged sideways and answered before he could adjust his aim.
"Expelliarmus!"
"Protego!"
The red flash scattered against his shield. The Hufflepuff didn't wait for another spell.
"Incarcerous!"
Ropes shot from his wand.
"Diffindo!"
Imogen sliced through them, pulling her foot clear of the coil as it fell. Someone sitting near us clapped.
The exchange had lasted only a few seconds.
Gareth attacked again. She blocked the first spell and dodged the second, moving along the chalk line. Before she could settle her aim, the Hufflepuff was after her.
He gradually drove her towards the end of the rectangle. Imogen tried to circle round him, forcing him to keep turning and adjusting his stance.
"Vestis Traho!"
Gareth's robes jerked him sideways. He staggered, then planted his feet further apart and recovered.
"Nice try!" someone from Ravenclaw called.
"Not good enough!" Gareth answered.
Imogen sent another spell at him. He jumped aside, and the flash struck the floor behind him.
Draco leaned towards me.
"She keeps backing away. She'll run out of room."
There wasn't much space left behind her.
"She needs to stop him somehow," I said.
Pike had clearly noticed his advantage too. When she tried to move left, he got there first and cut her off. She had to change direction.
"Watch him," Draco whispered. "He already knows which way she's going."
This time, Imogen slowed. Gareth immediately seized the chance.
"Depulso!"
She raised a shield, but the impact still forced her back two steps. Whistles rose from the spectators.
I was certain the Hufflepuff was about to attack again.
"Caligo!"
Grey mist filled the space between them. Gareth stepped back, losing sight of her.
"Ventus!"
A gust scattered the mist. Imogen had already moved to one side.
"Expelliarmus!"
Gareth turned and raised a shield. The spell broke against it, but she kept moving. Another step forced him to adjust his stance again.
The glow of his shield faded. He raised his wand to retaliate.
"Vestis Traho!"
His robes tugged sharply just as he shifted his weight onto his other foot. He stayed upright, but his arm swung out to the side.
"Expelliarmus!"
This time, the red flash struck him squarely in the chest. His wand flew from his hand.
"Stop!" Mara called.
Imogen caught it before it hit the floor. For a moment, she stood still. Then she broke into a broad smile.
Gareth looked at his empty hand.
"Damn."
The Ravenclaws started cheering. One of the Hufflepuffs shouted that Pike should fight without his robes next time. Someone at the other end of the room protested that they'd only just eaten dinner.
Imogen returned her opponent's wand. They shook hands, and Mara announced the result.
I kept looking at the spot where the duel had ended.
"Most people backed Pike," Fred said.
"He'd nearly got her against the wall," Draco observed.
"And she got him away from it with one spell."
"The mist?"
I nodded.
I'd probably have tried to stop him with something stronger. Imogen had briefly blocked his view, then used the time he needed to find her and defend himself.
"He should've been more careful after she tugged his robes the first time," Draco said.
"He should."
He looked at me.
"Why do you look so pleased, then?"
"Because she made him make the mistake."
Draco considered that, then glanced at Price. She was talking to Gareth, demonstrating something with her hand. He didn't look offended. More annoyed that he hadn't spotted it sooner.
"I'd like to see a rematch," Draco said.
So would I.
Meanwhile, Blaise turned to George.
"What were you paying on Price?"
George found the entry in his notebook. Blaise read it, then looked towards the students waiting to collect their winnings.
"Now I understand the shouting."
Around us, everyone was discussing the duel. One boy insisted Gareth should have used a spell that covered a wider area instead of chasing Imogen all over the rectangle. His friend told him that was easy to say from a chair.
I listened with interest. Everyone had noticed something different, and some of their comments concerned moments I'd missed entirely.
During practice, I mostly concentrated on whether I could raise a shield in time and whether it would hold. Here, blocking a spell didn't solve the problem. Your opponent was still moving, choosing their next target, and might have been waiting for that very response.
For a moment, I wondered how I'd fare against Imogen.
Probably worse than I cared to admit.
Damn, I wanted to try.
We watched two more duels. They weren't all as impressive. One ended very quickly, much to the outrage of a student who'd apparently bet more on the loser than he should have. In the other, both duellists spent so long defending themselves that someone started demanding a refund, despite nobody having paid to get in.
When the twins began packing up, I would happily have stayed for another fight.
"We could wait a bit longer," Draco suggested.
Blaise glanced towards the door.
"And find our own way back afterwards?"
He had a point. I wasn't sure we'd have much luck finding the passage behind the tapestry from this side.
Mara reminded everyone leaving not to go all at once. We waited until the first group had cleared the corridor before heading for the exit.
She stopped me briefly at the door.
"Well, Peverell?"
"I enjoyed it. How long have you been organising these?"
"Me? Not long. The duels were going on before I started at Hogwarts."
"Can we come next time?"
"To watch?"
"For now."
She raised an eyebrow, though the corner of her mouth twitched.
"Speak to the Weasleys. As long as they're still willing to vouch for you, you can come."
"Thanks."
"And before you decide you've had enough of watching, come and speak to me. Just because someone agrees to duel you doesn't mean I'll agree to let them."
"All right."
I wasn't planning to challenge the first seventh-year I met. I wanted to know how quickly they'd disarm me first.
The twins were waiting by the stairs with Draco and Blaise.
"Did she say you could come back?" Fred asked.
"As long as you're still willing to vouch for me."
George nodded.
"Good. When are you having a go yourself?"
He didn't need to explain.
"Don't know yet."
"But you will."
"Sooner or later."
Fred grinned as though that was exactly the answer he'd been waiting for.
"I wouldn't mind trying either," Draco said.
"Watch a few more meetings first," George advised. "It'll be easier to pick someone who won't immediately drive you into the floor."
Draco opened his mouth, then merely adjusted his sleeve.
We set off back. This time, I paid closer attention to the turns. I didn't want to ask the twins to escort me to a part of the castle I recognised every time.
On the stairs, Fred glanced over his shoulder.
"By the way, Oliver. Ever have an afternoon free?"
"Sometimes."
"We might need a hand with deliveries."
I looked at his bag.
"You want me to carry parcels?"
"Things don't get to Hogwarts by themselves."
"And you'll pay me in sweets?"
"We're open to that arrangement."
"I'd like to know how much I'd be carrying first."
George looked at his brother.
"He's negotiating."
"I'm learning," I replied.
Draco immediately perked up.
"Pity he didn't start before he bought that money pouch."
I gave him a warning look.
Fred slowed.
"What money pouch?"
"An expensive one," Blaise explained, looking perfectly innocent.
"We can talk about that another time," I decided.
The twins exchanged a look that didn't bode well.
By the time we reached the dungeons, Draco was still talking about the duels. He wondered whether Pike could have used the gust to attack Imogen rather than simply clearing away the mist. Blaise said we ought to arrive earlier next time so he could see how the betting changed before a fight.
Apparently, we'd all found something to interest us.
I sat on the edge of my bed and took out some parchment. I wanted to write down the spells before I forgot any.
Vestis Traho.
My quill paused over the next line.
I didn't even know what the spell was normally used for. Perhaps straightening clothes or taking a coat off a high hook. Or perhaps it really was meant for yanking people around by their robes.
I'd have to look it up.
"Thinking about the duels again?" Draco asked.
"Writing down the spells."
"The mist one too?"
I nodded.
"We should learn something to clear it," he added. "In case someone else has the same idea."
I added Ventus.
He was right.
I'd been at Hogwarts for over a year, and I'd only just found out about these meetings. How many other things were going on in the castle without my knowing? How many students could do something I'd love to see, if only I knew who to ask?
I definitely needed to talk to the older students more often.
Especially Fred and George.
I put down my quill, remembering the door behind the tapestry. The twins had found it because they'd thought it was worth looking.
And now they were suggesting I help them with deliveries sometime.
Well.
I wouldn't mind finding out how all those parcels got into Hogwarts.