The meeting with Dumbledore went well. He just ensured that his students were alright and reassured them that the Dementors would not stray into the grounds again.
The next few weeks passed quite quickly. Ariana attended all of her classes, went for Quidditch practise three times per week, completed her homework and spent all the time she could with her friends.
Rumours of Sirius Black spread around the school like wild fire. The four Gryffindors ignored them, but kept an eye on the situation all of the same, just in case any of them had a whisp of truth to them.
None of them did.
Snow had began to fall over the Scottish castle, creating a magnificent landscape. The grounds had a covering of white snow, prompting more and more students to remain inside during in between classes.
Ariana and Harry's wounds had healed over, but they still pined after their brooms. For practices and matches, they borrowed ones from fellow students and from Madame Hooch, but it wasn't the same.
Once again, Ariana and Harry had to watch sorrowfully as their friends departed, leaving for a trip to Hogsmeade. They stood inside, keeping out of the snow.
Ron and Hermione, dressed for the cold weather, waved with sullen faces as they walked away.
Ariana sighed. "This is becoming a depressing habit."
"Yeah," Harry replied, deflated. Then his face lit up.
"What is it?" Ariana enquired, wondering why Harry went from sad to joyful.
"Follow me," he said, not revealing much.
He took off into a run, steaming through the castle. Ariana furrowed her eyebrows, but followed him all the same. They tore through the massive school, dodging the students and ghosts that roamed the halls.
"Harry!" Ariana called, dashing after him, but he just continued running.
The girl rolled her eyes and pursued him up a flight of stairs. She soon realised where they were heading; the Gryffindor Common Room.
The white-haired witch walked into the Common Room behind hair, following him up to the boys' dorms. Females were allowed into the males' dormitories, but vice versa was forbidden. Harry and Ron once attempted to walk up the stairs to see Ariana and Hermione, but the stairs flattened into a slide, making it impossible for them to get in, a fact the girls found hilarious.
Harry pulled his trunk from under his bed, raking though it like a mad man. Ariana stood behind him, her arms crossed as she patiently waited.
When the penny dropped, her eyes widened. Harry had his Father's old Cloak of Invisibility in his hands.
"You want to walk to Hogsmeade underneath the cloak?" Ariana questioned, wanting to reaffirm her thoughts.
"Yes," Harry nodded. "We can get to Hogsmeade using this."
"Alright. It's worth a try," Ariana smiled.
The two students made the return trip. Just before they arrived at the doors, they ducked behind a stairwell. Both if them stood by each others' side and wrapped the cloak around their bodies, rendering themselves completely invisible.
They traipsed outside, their feet sinking into the snow.
"Wait," Harry whispered. "Our footprints."
"Hang on," Ariana said, carefully withdrawing her wand. She preformed an Obliteration Charm as they walked, leaving no evidence that they were even there.
Fred and George were busy building a snowman as they passed, but Harry gave them away by stepping on a twig, much like a cliché from a film.
The twins smirked at eachother. George ducked down and grabbed Ariana, slinging her over his shoulder, and Fred linked arms with the still-invisible Harry, dragging him backwards.
"George, put me down!" Ariana hissed.
"Clever, guys -" Fred stated, being cut off by his brother.
"- But not clever enough -"
"- Besides, we've got a better way."
Once the two third-years had been dragged/carried inside, they were released, standing at the bottom of a staircase out of sight.
Ariana landed on her feet and flicked her hair out of her face. "Be thankful I don't curse you, George Weasley."
George laughed. "Yeah, I'm terrified."
"Alright. Maybe I'll send an owl to your mother instead," Ariana deadpanned, raising a delicate eyebrow.
"You wouldn't."
"Right, you two. Enough," Fred chuckled.
Harry ripped the cloak from his body, looking completely pissed. Fred took the opportunity to sleep a black piece of parchment into his hand.
Ariana's eyebrows knitted together; what the hell what that?
"What's this rubbish?" Harry scoffed, holding up the parchment.
"'What's this rubbish' he says. That there's the secret to our success," Fred stated.
"It's a wrench giving it to you, believe me," George added.
"But we've decided your need's greater than ours. George, if you will..."
"I solemnly swear that I am up to
no good." George tapped the end of his wand in the parchment and intricate lines of ink began to surface in the fibre of the paper, spreading like veins.
"'Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present The Marauder's Map'...?" Harry read, watching as the front page displayed the name of the map.
"Ah... Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and
Prongs. We owe them so much," George said thoughtfully.
Harry opened the map up and footprints walked all over the pages, names hovering above them.
"Wait... This is Hogwarts!" Ariana stated. Her eyes landed on the name 'Albus Dumbledore', whose footprints were pacing back and forth. "Is that...?"
"Dumbledore," Fred interjected.
"- In his study -"
"- Pacing -"
"- Does that a lot -"
"You mean, this map shows..." Harry began, but Fred answered before he could even complete his question.
"Everyone."
"Everyone?" Ariana asked, shocked that they were in possession of a map so spectacular. Although, when she really thought about it, it came as no shock that the infamous twins had this map. Not at all.
"Everyone," George repeated, nodding his head.
"- Where they are -"
"- What they're doing -"
"- Every minute -"
"- Of every day."
"Brilliant! Where'd you get it?" Harry enquired, all of a sudden thankful that they had dragged him inside.
"Nicked it from Filch's office, of course, first year. Now listen. There's seven secret passageways out of the castle. But we'd recommend..."
"This one," the twins said in unison.
"The One-Eyed Witch passageway. It'll lead you right to Honeyduke's cellar," George added.
"But you best hurry. Filch is heading this way," Fred responded, pointing at the set of footprints titled 'Argus Filch'.
"Oh. And, Harry, Ariana? When you're done, make sure to give it a tap
and say, 'Mischief managed.' Otherwise, anyone can read it."
George tapped the map again as he said 'Mischief managed', and the ink faded away, leaving a blank piece of parchment.
Ariana was fascinated with the intricate magic the map consisted of, her lips curved into a small smile as she looked at it. After they thanked Fred and George, the two Gryffindors followed the map, their final destination being the passageway that would lead them from the school.
~~~~~
Question:
Who or what attacks Ron in the Ministry of Magic during the Order of the Phoenix novel?
A: Dolohov
B: A brain
C: Lucius Malfoy
Congratulations to Blackstars36 for answering the previous question correctly.