Harry Potter and the Mysterious Legacy

Nicolas Flamel and a 'Meowing' Mystery

Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the counter-curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron.

'Malfoy,' said Neville shakily. 'I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on.'

'Go to Professor McGonagall!' Hermione urged Neville. 'Report him!'

Neville shook his head.

'I don't want more trouble,' he mumbled.

'You've got to stand up to him, Neville!' said Ron. 'He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier.'

'There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that,' Neville choked out.

Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given him for Christmas. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.

'You're worth twelve of Malfoy,' Harry said. 'The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin.'

Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.

'Thanks, Harry... I think I'll go to bed... D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?'

Just as he was about to look at the card, Fred and George came bouncing like a ball with happiness.

'Harry! Absolutely great work man!'

'A deed worthy of a Marauder...'

'Come with us to dinner, you know what to see... The great hall...'

'Yep, coming...' said Harry with a grin.

'Ron, Neville?'

'Absolutely!'

'Hermione?'

'Harry, what are you Marauders talking about?'

'You'll see...'

Dinner went smoothly enough for the others, but Harry, Hermione and the Marauders' hearts were racing...Hermione was afraid they'd done something really wrong, Harry and the other Marauders were happy that they'd done a great right, a little wrong, but it was an absolutely brilliant thing.

Suddenly, Filch burst into the hall.

'Professor, my cat, Mrs. Norris, my cat!'

'What happened, Mr. Filch?'

'Mrs. Norris! She's dead!'

The hall was in uproar, mostly from delight, but there was a noticeable shadow of gloom over the cheering...

'We are extremely sorry, Mr. Filch... But do tell, how did this happen?'

'She... She told m-me ther-there were troublemakers apparen-apparently in th-the cor-ridor, then she paused and then started runnin' here and th-there. I followed her but I tri-tripped and fel-fell on top of her!' Filch wailed.

'Complete idiot...' snickered George.

'Complete...' snickered back Fred.

'Trolls would know better...' Ron said.

'But people in item + 1 free item policy aren't of that quality, are they? So, 1 Raspy, idiotic, mountain troll-ish item + 1 free demon don't know any better than mountain trolls, do they?'

Everyone, even Hermione, snickered. 'What exactly are you all talking about?', she then asked, gaining her seriousness.

'You'll know...'