Chapter 22: The Slytherin Prank
The Hogwarts courtyard pulsed with ancient magic, its whispering statues half-shrouded by twisted vines that coiled like living serpents under a sky bruised with autumn clouds. The air carried the sharp scent of damp leaves and the faint hum of old wards, their energy thrumming through the cobblestones, worn smooth by centuries of footsteps. Leo strode with the Outcasts, his borrowed robes frayed at the hems, a confident grin lighting his face as students from every house nodded in passing, their murmurs a chorus of support after the Great Hall's triumph. We're untouchable now. The alliance is solid. Enid's scarf brushed his arm, her smile warm, grounding him in the crisp morning air. Then, sharp pops shattered the calm, like firecrackers misfiring. Every Outcast's bag erupted in a deluge of black ink, viscous and cold, splattering Leo's face, soaking Enid's scarf, and dripping onto Hermione's parchment. A cruel laugh cut through the chaos, Draco Malfoy's sneer gleaming from the Slytherin crowd, his pristine robes a stark contrast to their ink-stained mess.
"Look at the Outcasts," Draco drawled, his voice dripping with malice. "Need a bath, don't you? Or is ink your new look?"
Enid's eyes blazed, ink streaking her cheeks as she gripped Leo's hand, her nails digging in. "They'll regret this," she growled, her voice fierce, their bond from the rally sparking with shared fury.
Ron, leaning against a statue with Gryffindors, snickered, wiping ink from his sleeve. "Ink explosion? Brilliant, but rude." His quip, laced with camaraderie, eased the sting of public humiliation.
"Rude? We'll top it," Leo shot back, his sarcasm sharp, masking the frustration churning in his chest. I let my guard down. Now we're a joke, drenched in front of everyone. The ink's acrid stench burned his nose, grounding his anger as students whispered, some laughing, others frowning in sympathy. A chipped statue's base, moss-slick and cold, caught his eye, anchoring the moment in the courtyard's chaos.
[DRACO'S GOT A BENEFACTOR. SMELLS LIKE BLACK THORN.]
A snake animation slithered in Leo's vision, its hiss sharp and menacing. He muttered, "Snakes again? Predictable." This isn't just Draco's petty game. It's a warning. The Black Thorn conspiracy, hinted at in the ledger from earlier events, loomed larger, fueling his resolve to strike back. Hermione shook ink from her sodden parchment, her voice cutting through the murmurs.
"This is sabotage," she said, her strategist's mind, honed in the war room, blazing with purpose. "They're trying to fracture the alliance before it grows."
Agnes, her wand sparking with Gryffindor fire, grinned despite the mess. "We'll make them eat this ink. Let's give them a show." Her rally-born courage rallied the group, shifting frustration to defiance. Neville, wiping ink from his glasses, nodded, his voice soft but firm.
"They can't break us," he said, his quiet resolve tying to his stand at the rally. Leo's beast-speaking caught the courtyard's energy, the statues' whispers urging retaliation as the group moved to Iago Tower, ink dripping like war paint, their steps heavy with purpose.
The Iago Tower common room was a flickering haven, its glowing barriers pulsing faintly, casting soft light on the scarred table strewn with parchments, candle stubs, and ink-stained quills. The air smelled of melted wax and cedar smoke, a warm contrast to the courtyard's cold humiliation. Leo leaned over a parchment, his fingers smudged with residual ink, as the group plotted a counter-prank to enchant Slytherin robes with glowing "Outcast Pride" slogans, a bold retaliation to restore their pride. They want to shame us? We'll make them glow. The barriers' hum, echoing the rebellion from the rally, grounded their resolve, the candlelight dancing on Enid's determined face, her scarf still damp with ink, her eyes fierce with purpose.
Wednesday sketched a charm on a parchment, her smirk wicked, her monotone sharp as her dagger glinted in the firelight. "Humiliate them subtly. Make it sting where it hurts—their egos." Her strategic loyalty, rooted in her vow to fight prejudice, sharpened the plan, her fingers steady as she refined the runes.
"Slytherin chic!" Agnes conjured a mock robe, its glowing "Outcast Pride" slogan shimmering green, sparking laughter that echoed off the stone walls. "Fashion rebels, anyone?" Her playful tone, drawn from the group's lighter moments, eased the tension, tying to her spark in the prank's planning.
"Love the vibe, Agnes," Leo quipped, his sarcasm bright as he wiped ink from his cheek. "Draco in glowing robes? Iconic doesn't cover it."
Lila, cleaning her spectacles with a cloth, spoke softly, her voice steady but heavy with insider knowledge. "Draco's orders came from above. I heard a name—Orloff, in the kitchens." Her spy's insight, tied to her redemption arc from earlier, sent a chill through the group, linking to the Black Thorn mystery uncovered in the ledger.
[DRACO'S MOVES AREN'T SOLO. ORLOFF'S A KEY. DIG DEEPER.]
The System's key animation pulsed, a bold spark in Leo's vision. He muttered, "Orloff? Another snake in the grass." This prank's just the start. They're testing us. The scent of parchment and wax grounded his resolve, a chipped candleholder teetering on the table as Hermione scribbled the charm's final runes, her voice firm.
"The charm's untraceable," she said, adjusting her ink-stained robes. "They'll glow, and they'll never know how." Her strategist's mind, honed in the cure's triumph, mapped every detail, her quill scratching like a heartbeat.
Enid squeezed Leo's arm, her voice fierce and warm. "Let's show them we're unbreakable, Leo." Her touch, steady as their rally bond, fueled their couple's resolve, her scarf brushing his wrist. The group's laughter faded into focused whispers, their plan a weapon to restore alliance confidence. A creak from the dormitory's floorboards urged them toward the Slytherin dorms, their steps silent, their hearts pounding with anticipation.
Moonlight poured through the Slytherin dorms' arched windows, casting silver shadows on dark stone walls, the air thick with the scent of polished wood and serpent-etched tapestries that seemed to hiss in the stillness. The common room lay empty, its emerald banners motionless, as Leo and the group crept inside, their footsteps muffled by a silencing charm. Leo's heart raced, a mix of fear and excitement, his beast-speaking humming as he summoned a pack of rats, their tiny paws scampering silently across the floor. Go, little guys. Plant those charms. The rats darted, slipping glowing charms into Slytherin robes, their squeaks a quiet chorus of rebellion, tying to Leo's tamer skills from the rat cure and the Great Hall's triumph.
"Rats are the real MVPs," Leo whispered, his sarcasm low, a grin tugging at his lips as he watched the rodents work.
Enid stifled a giggle, her scarf brushing his shoulder in the dark. "Sneaky and stylish. Perfect combo." Her flirtatious tone warmed him, easing the tension of their covert mission.
Wednesday's eyes glinted like steel, her voice a hiss. "Move fast. We're not here for a slumber party." Her dagger twirled, her vigilance a blade in the dark, tying to her war room resolve.
The next morning, the Great Hall erupted in stifled laughter as Slytherins stormed in, their robes flashing "Outcast Pride" in glowing gold, the words shimmering like a taunt. Draco's face twisted with fury, his robes a beacon of humiliation, as students from every house cheered the Outcasts, their voices a tidal wave of support. Got you, Malfoy. The air smelled of fresh bread and triumph, the clink of a chipped goblet grounding the moment as the cheers shook the rafters.
[SLYTHERINS LIT UP LIKE CHRISTMAS! NAILED IT.]
A glowing animation pulsed in Leo's vision, a burst of triumph. He whispered to Enid, "Christmas? Pride season, baby."
"Glowing snakes? Iconic," Enid giggled, her voice bright with victory, her hand squeezing his.
Draco's glare burned, but the cheers drowned him out, the alliance's confidence restored like a fire rekindled. Hermione's nod was firm, her voice low. "We've turned their game against them. The alliance is stronger now." Her strategist's mind saw the prank as a rallying cry, tying to the cure's triumph. A frayed tapestry fluttered above, its threads catching the morning light, urging vigilance as Lila's whisper about Orloff echoed, linking to the Black Thorn threat.
[YOU'VE POKED THE SNAKE. EXPECT VENOM.]
Leo's grin didn't falter, his eyes hardening. "Venom? We're the antidote." The Hall's roar echoed, the prank a victory against prejudice, but the looming Black Thorn conspiracy urged them to brace for retaliation, their resolve as unyielding as the castle's stones.
Love [ Wednesday In Hogwarts ]? Unlock More Chapters and Support the Story!
Dive deeper into the world of [ Wednesday In Hogwarts ] with exclusive access to 35+ chapters on my Patreon, plus new fanfic every week! Your support starting at just $5/month helps me keep crafting the stories you love across epic universes like [Grimm, Teen Wolf ,blacklist,Game Of Throne ,MCU and Arrowverse].
By joining, you're not just getting more chapters—you're helping me bring new worlds, twists, and adventures to life. Every pledge makes a huge difference!
👉 Join now at patreon.com/TheFinex5 and start reading today!