Keep me | Oliver Wood

XI - A Secret Surprise

The castle was mostly dark, only with a few prefects still walking around, doing their rounds.

''I can bet everyone above year three is still not sleeping. It's just the second day! They're probably hiding somewhere, these kids know how to find a good spot.'' I said as we walked inside the Viaduct entrance.

''Yes, it's very silent for a good night like this. The skies have finally cleared up. I'm sure we're not the only ones here.'' Oliver said as the large door shut behind us.

The Viaduct entrance was the fastest way for me to get to the Dungeons. This was where we usually separated in our first years.

''Are you going to be walking back all by yourself?'' I asked as we began to say goodbye.

''I guess so. It is a long way back, but I have some thinking to do.'' Oliver replied.

''Why don't you use a portrait in the Dungeons?'' I asked.

''Even if there is a one, I don't know the password,'' Oliver replied and looked rather upset. I took his hand and led him down to the Dungeons. As we reached the very end I pointed at the end of the main hallway.

''That one!'' I said and smiled proudly.

''Do you know the password?'' Oliver asked sarcastically.

''Well of course... I don't.'' I replied and smirked. ''I'll just ask someone, Slytherins like to hang out late here.''

We walked around the Dungeons, looking for someone to ask but everywhere was silent.

''Listen, Sher, it's not worth it...'' Oliver said and laughed. ''I'll just go back the normal way.''

''This is not about you getting back anymore. What is going on?'' I asked, still looking around and not paying attention to what Oliver had to say.

''Yeah, you definitely miss the old times.'' Oliver agreed and continued looking.

''Wait! I remembered a place!'' I said and stopped walking in circles for the millionth time. ''Do you remember the old crawlspace behind one of the statues?'' I asked.

''Are you sure it's not blocked or something? We haven't used it since our fourth year when Snape almost caught us.'' Oliver replied and shook his head.

''You haven't,'' I replied. ''Elsie and I checked it last year, it still works and there is more than enough space for two people.''

It only took me seconds to find the right statue, which hid the crawlspace behind it.

''You have to, ugh--'' I said, trying to remember how to get in. ''Oh, you had to rotate the right arm once,'' I said, trying to reach the right arm of the statue.

''May I ask? How on Earth did you ever find this out?'' Oliver asked, looking at me with a shocked face. I rotated the arm, waited for the passageway to open, and looked back.

''It's just what seven years of boredom and sneaking around the castle at night does to you in this school,'' I replied and gestured to the crawlspace. Oliver raised his eyebrows while nodding in a proud way.

We crawled in and immediately reached the end. It was quiet, except I heard a few people talking. I crawled out in a small, very dark room and waited for Oliver to get out. As he was quite taller than me, it took him more time to get out.

''The tunnel really got smaller as we grew up,'' Oliver said and I agreed, quietly.

''It seems like someone is really there. We can get you that password.'' I said and pointed at the other room.

''I honestly forgot that we were even searching for the password. Hanging out like this really brought the best memories back to me. I wish we could do it more often.'' Oliver said and I started walking to the next room.

I glanced into the next room to see two unknown figures sitting very close to each other. I narrowed my eyes, trying to see who it was and got shocked when Oliver lit up his wand.