The Muggle Intruder

Chapter 12: The Sneaky Rat

I spent the entire next day in the library looking through as many magical books as I could flip through while trying to stay hidden within the shelves. I was also allowed to take a few with me to read later that evening, as long as I brought them back the next morning. Not only that, but Madam Pince was nice enough to bring me back a plate of fried tomatoes, cream puffs, and tea for lunch, so I didn't have to go to the crowded Great Hall. I wasn't allowed to actually eat or drink any of it in the library, but I was okay with sneaking outside and getting some fresh air while everyone else was still inside. Madam Pince even smiled when I told her how much I appreciated the food. Then again, it may have simply been a lip-twitch. Either way, I smiled back as I headed outside to eat in solitude... thinking about Oliver.

I was lost in thought when someone grabbed my right arm. "Where do you think you're going?" Fred asked with a grin. 

"She's blushing," George added as he grabbed my left arm, "so it must be good."

I felt my face get even hotter. "Not really. Just headed outside for some fresh air." 

I was just about to ask them why they weren't in the Great Hall when Fred held up a piece of parchment and said, "Oh, we can think of somewhere you'd rather be." He opened the Marauder's Map and pointed at a set of footprints that had Oliver's name over them. "He's eating--"

"--all alone--" 

"--in the common room," Fred continued.

Scanning the Map, I noticed another set of footprints in the Gryffindor Tower. "Who is that?" I asked, knowing exactly who it was.

They looked curiously at the name--Peter Pettigrew--and shrugged. "Probably a house-elf cleaning Ron's filthy room," Fred replied before tucking the map safely back inside his robe. 

"They don't bother wizards, though--" George nudged my arm and winked "--or muggles."

Of course, he'd know about me. The twins always know everything.

"Maybe you should have him introduce you," Fred suggested... 

"...to Peter," George chuckled...

"...the house-elf," Fred added as they both disappeared down the corridor, their laughter fading away with them. 

Even though they were teasing me, they were right about one thing... girls were allowed in the boys' dorm.

I walked as fast as I could to Gryffindor Tower, saying the password and slipping through the door. Surprisingly, Oliver wasn't there. Even so, I was okay with that. He wasn't the one I wanted to see. Well, not right now, anyway.

Hustling up the stairs to the boys' dorm, I tried to remember where Peter had been scurrying around on the map. I had no idea where Ron's room was or if he kept his rat in a cage or just let him run loose all day, but I wanted to find out. If I'd already changed the story, why not blow it all out of the water? Why not see what would happen if Peter wasn't able to return to his master?

There were more doors than I thought there'd be, so I stood in the hallway and listened. 

Silence.

I knew I didn't have much time, so I decided to just tiptoe to each door and peek inside. Thankfully, it didn't take too long before I opened a door and saw a Chudley Cannons poster over one of the beds and a monogrammed sweater draped on the footboard. The Quidditch players startled me, at first, as they straightened and smiled widely when they saw me. As much as I had wished our photos and posters back home did that, actually seeing them do it in person creeped me out a little. Maybe if I had actually grown up seeing pictures move, I might feel differently. Anyway, I needed to find Ron's rat, not worry about moving posters.