Harry Potter and the Original Tribrid

Chapter 9 - Tricksters

Days started to blur together after the Quidditch trials. The evening practice for the Gryffindor team happened once or twice a week, depending on the availability of the pitch between the four houses. Hope had some trouble at first, juggling both the classes and the practice, but the fact that she was talented at both made it easier over time. It had become a routine, and when she wasn't at either her classes or her practice, she had begun to find time for herself to start researching ways to break the curse that plagued her family, the very same curse that had gotten her expelled from the Salvatore School, and had the unintended but welcome surprise of getting her into Hogwarts, and she wasn't going let anything or anyone jeopardize that. And for that reason, she had decided to get her sweet revenge on Malfoy for having set up her would-be friends.

Her revenge was quite simple really; so simple that she was slightly skeptical that it would work. The plan started to form the week following the Quidditch trials. Hope's family had decided to sponsor the broomstick for Harry along with Hope after Hope had told them that he was also selected. Hayley had immediately gotten in touch with McGonagall with the proposal to be an anonymous sponsor for Harry, because Harry was an orphan and the Mikaelson family was slowly trying to rewrite how the world saw them, especially for the sake of Hope's future. They would both receive a Nimbus Two Thousand, the fastest model in the midrange market for broomsticks. Hope decided to use this opportunity to plot her revenge against Malfoy.

Hope knew she could do it alone if she wanted to, but had decided against it, should she overlook something vital and end up messing up their place on the Quidditch team. So, she decided to seek help, against her instincts, from the two troublemakers of Hogwarts.

"I got to say-," said one of the twins, whom Hope came to know as George after the Quidditch practice sessions.

"- we didn't think you had it in you," finished Fred, as the twins rounded on Hope from either side.

"You don't know me," said Hope as her way of greeting. "Mind telling me why we're in an empty corridor on the seventh floor?"

"You'll just have to wait and see. George, shall we?"

"We shall."

The twins proceeded to walk back and forth in the corridor which left Hope bewildered. They stopped after what must have been the third time and faced the blank wall.

"What are you-"

"Shh! Wait for it..."

Hope watched, astonished, as deep carvings started to appear on the wall. It was just swirls and loops at first with some straight lines, but it started to form a pattern. Hope was genuinely surprised when the pattern formed a large door with intricate design and it swung open on its own accord. Hope stood speechless.

"Welcome, fellow troublemaker-" said Fred.

"-to the Room of Requirement-"

"-for all your mischievous needs."

"Wow." Hope didn't know what to say.

"You should see your face," said George.

"You really should," said Fred. "Perhaps, George, we should make this into a product for our future business endeavor."

"We should. A candy that freezes your face into a look of wonder, delight-"

"-or something embarrassing."

Hope walked into the room. It was huge. It was filled with items that made it look like a magical workshop. "What is this place?"

"This," said Fred, "is the Room of Requirement."