It was early morning when Warren Bones entered the Leaky Cauldron. There was an elderly witch having her morning tea over in the corner, and Tom Jr. was wiping down tables. Wilbur Wag was nowhere to be seen.

Annoyed, Warren got a cup of tea and some biscuits from Tom and settled at a table to read the Daily Prophet while he waited. He hoped it wouldn't be too long, and found it rather inconsiderate that Wilbur had not managed to make it on time. He flipped through the pages of the Prophet without reading any of it. Where was Wilbur? What was taking him so long? They had a busy day to get started. Warren sipped his tea, but decided against the biscuits. They looked old.

Just when Warren thought he couldn't stand it any more, Wilbur walked in, saying goodbye to his parents.

"I'll remember, mum. Thank you. Goodbye, now," Wilbur said, trying to get his parents to detach themselves and let him go. He closed the door at last, and headed over to Warren's table.

"My goodness, where have you been? We have a lot to do today, and I'd think that you'd appreciate that enough to show up on time," Warren said. Wilbur looked properly chagrined.

"I'm sorry, I'm only five minutes late," Wilbur said. "My parents were driving me mad."

Wilbur Wag was a short, round boy who looked as though his mother dressed him (she did). He was also the only friend that Warren had been able to keep over the last three years at Hogwarts.

It's not that Warren was unlikeable. He went out of his way to be quite likeable. His family had a great amount of wealth, and he tried to share with everyone he passed by. He always bought lots of extra sweets at Honeydukes when they went on Hogsmeade trips to share with his classmates, and he always had spare quills or parchment. His chocolate frog card collection was the most extensive of anyone else's at school. This wasn't because he had any interest in chocolate frog cards, but so that he could accommodate those students that also collected and were missing cards. Everyone knew Warren was the person to trade chocolate frog cards with. Warren didn't believe he had collected them all, there were rumors of a Greta Catchlove card that he'd never seen, and his Armando Dippet had been damaged during an unfortunate incident.

In truth, it was Warren's regular involvement in unfortunate incidents that seemed to drive away anyone who might have considered being his friend. Last year alone, he had set fire to a Hufflepuff boy trying out a new charm for salamanders, and made his own desk disappear. His mission for last year had been experimental magic. Wilbur had given the opinion that an experimental magic mission was rather redundant, since they would spend the whole school year learning new magic, but Warren wanted to learn strange or relatively unknown magic. After a disastrous year of talking socks and ear-less house elves, and several visits with the Headmistress, Warren conceded he might have been better off listening to Wilbur in the first place.

Warren had had a special mission for every year at Hogwarts, and a few years even before Hogwarts. They usually led to trouble. Or, if the trouble wasn't related to the mission of the year, it was attributed to Warren's intense curiosity about everything. In his first year his mission had been to determine who everyone in the thousands of portraits was and find out what he could learn from them. He drove away most of his potential friends that year after being seen many times yelling in frustration to a disinterested monk in a random portrait, or trying to wake up the portrait of Elfrida Clagg on the fifth floor.

His second year, much to the frustration of everyone in the school, his mission had been to see how long a game of Quidditch could go on without the Snitch being caught. Having become the new Seeker for the Ravenclaw team that year, his popularity dropped when he spent all of his games trying to avoid the Snitch, and trying to stop the other teams Seeker from getting it as well. The school wouldn't allow the games to continue into the night, and so they would be stopped and continued the next day. After one game between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor had lasted a month, the team captain threatened to remove Warren from the team if he did not make every effort to catch theSnitch.

"Have you decided on your new mission for this year?" Wilbur asked. He looked nervous.

"I have," Warren said, setting down his tea. "After last year's uninspired mission, I've come up with something grand and less likely to annoy my classmates."

"What is it?" Wilbur asked, eating one of Warren's biscuits.

"I've decided my mission for this year will be to discover and document as many of Hogwart's secrets as I can."

"Like what?" Wilbur asked.

"Like it's secret passageways, secret rooms, unknown areas of the grounds, or historical items unknown or unfound," Warren said, "I think it will be like trying to solve a great mystery, exploring that huge castle and delving into it's secrets."

"Oh. That sounds nice and safe," Wilbur replied.

"Let's not sit here chatting all day; we must get on to Diagon Alley. We have much to buy and much to do," Warren said. Wilbur nodded. He followed Warren out the back door of the Leaky Cauldron and into Diagon Alley, which was alive with morning shoppers.

After they had made their first stop at Gringott's (Warren's parents had given him his own vault, which seemed to provide an endless supply of funds), they made their way to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

"Why do we need to go in here? My robes are just fine," Wilbur said.

"I always like to get new robes each school year, you know that, Wilbur," Warren said as he browsed through the shop. Wilbur waited in an armchair by the door while Madam Malkin fitted him for his standard black school robes, and then two sets of robes for weekends or outings to Hogsmeade. They were light blue and gray, and matched his eyes. "I think you should get some new robes, too, Wilbur. It's important to always look your best."

"I don't want to waste money on robes when the ones I have are perfectly fine," Wilbur argued.

"Then I'll buy you some," Warren said, and before he could object, Wilbur was being fitted for some nice olive-colored robes. Once Madam Malkin had sent them out the door with their multiple boxes, their next stop was Flourish and Blotts, right next door.

Flourish and Blotts bookshop was crammed with Hogwart's students and their parents, getting their books for the coming school year. Warren sighed.

"This is why I didn't want to wait until the last minute," Warren said to Wilbur. Wilbur shrugged.

"I couldn't get my parents to take me until today. They only come to London maybe once a week, if that," Wilbur explained. They pushed their way through the crowded rows of books until Warren found one of the shopkeeper's apprentices re-shelving some books.

"Don't I know you?" Warren said to the boy. He was a pale, thin boy with unruly blonde hair, not much older than them. "Yes, I think you attend Hogwarts with us. Hufflepuff, isn't it? I'm sorry, I've only heard you referred to as Fuzz-Head."

"That's me, Davey 'Fuzz-Head' Alderton," the boy said. "I work here during the summer. You're Warren Bones, of course, and Wilbur. I remember you from your second year, when you had Jimmy Caldwell hit that Bludger at our Seeker for trying to catch the Snitch." Warren laughed, remembering how outraged Jimmy had become when he realized that Warren wasn't going to catch the Snitch either.

"That would be me," Warren said.

"You're not going to try your new approach to Quidditch again this year, are you?" Fuzz-Head asked.

"No, no, I have an entirely new mission this year," Warren said. "I was wondering if you could help us find some books on Hogwarts."

"What about Hogwarts? You're not planning on blowing it up or something, are you?"

"Don't worry, my new mission for this year is uncovering and documenting all of Hogwart's secrets," Warren told him.

"That's going to be quite a project, then," Fuzz-Head replied. "I've found a few secrets myself, actually."

"Oh? Like what?" Warren asked.

"I found a secret passage in the library," Fuzz-Head said. "For some reason, it leads to a broom cupboard on the fifth floor."

"How fascinating," Warren said, digging in his pockets for something to write with. He found a broken quill and handed it to Wilbur, who wrote the secret passage down on his hand.

"I'll also being needing a notebook," Wilbur said.

Davey 'Fuzz-Head' Alderton led them through the shop, pulling out a leather-bound book for Wilbur to write notes in, and leading them to some books on Hogwarts.

"This is the definitive guide," he said, handing Warren a large book. "Hogwarts, A History. Over 1,000 pages regarding the history of Hogwarts and the castle itself."

"I have been meaning to purchase it, but for some reason never got around to it," Warren said, taking the book from Fuzz-Head. "This will be an excellent help in our research."

"This is a book on the basic architecture of Hogwarts," Fuzz-Head said as he took a smaller book down. " I bet it doesn't have much more in it than you could see for yourself, but it might help." Warren nodded and took that book as well.

"This one is just a bunch of hype by Rita Skeeter, mostly conjecture and rumors about the castle." Warren looked down and saw the cover featured a picture of Hogwarts at night, with the title in bright red, "The Dark Heart of Hogwarts".

"Perhaps it will at least give us some leads," Warren said, adding the book to his growing pile.

Fuzz-Head found them several other books, including one on the development of Hogsmeade, and a slim volume on the founders of Hogwarts.

"Thank you, Fuzz-Head, you've been most helpful," Warren said, as they made their way over to find some school books.

"No problem, happy to help," he said. "Hey, do you think you might like some help with your project once we're at school?" Warren's eyes gleamed.

"Absolutely, we'll need all the help we can find, exploring the various passageways, corridors, and dungeons," Warren said, sounding pleased with this new development.

"Right, then. I'll find you guys when we get to Hogwarts," Fuzz-Head replied.

"Why don't we meet on the train, instead, so we can start mapping out our plans ahead of time?" Warren suggested. Fuzz-Head agreed, and they left him to get back to work stocking the shelves.

"This is an excellent turn of events, Wilbur," Warren said as they looked through school books. "Incidentally, do you have our book list for this year?"

Wilbur pulled out a battered page of parchment and unfolded it, squinting down at it in concentration.

"Standard Book of Spells Grade 4, of course," Wilbur said. "Most of the rest we already have, although I do recall you need a new copy of Magical Drafts and Potions."

"Oh that's right. My unsuccessful attempt at an improved Pepperup Potion," Warren said, grabbing a copy of the potions book. "I believe it ate right through the book, desk, and was starting on the floor before we were able to clean it up."

Warren and Wilbur shoved themselves up to the counter to purchase their books, then headed back out into Diagon Alley. They wove their way around the many witches and wizards going about their business. Already loaded down with several boxes from Madam Malkin's and all their books, navigating was getting a bit difficult.

"Perhaps we should head back to the Leaky Cauldron to stow our purchases so far, and then we can hit the apothecary," Warren suggested. Wilbur nodded, and they made their way back down the busy street. They stowed their purchases in their school trunks, which they had left by the fireplace, and headed for the apothecary. They replenished their potion ingredients, and Warren bought a new silver knife and a new set of scales to replace the one he had thrown off the astronomy tower when experimenting with gravity. They skipped Quality Quidditch Supplies. Wilbur didn't play, and Warren wasn't that interested beyond the basic equipment. He had purchased his Firebolt V the year before, and it was serving him well. Warren stopped as they neared Eeylops Owl Emporium.

"I should get an owl," Warren pronounced.

"What for? You already have Drusilla."

Drusilla was Warren's pet Fwooper. The Fwooper had been a gift from Warren's father on his tenth birthday, brought back from a trip to Africa, and there had been a problem getting Hogwarts to allow Warren to bring the bird. Their first issue was with the fact that a Fwooper's song can drive the listener insane. This bird had been purchased legally, however, with it's silencing charm in place. Their next issue was that the allowed pets so far at Hogwarts had been owls, rats, cats, and toads, and that allowing Warren to bring his Fwooper would encourage students to bring even more exotic and potentially dangerous pets into the school. Warren's father can be persuasive, though, and the bird was allowed to be brought to the school. Warren kept her in a beautiful tall golden cage that hung from the ceiling in the Ravenclaw common room and was allowed to stay there during the summer so as not to draw Muggle attention. The house elves tended to her during the summer months. Because of the silencing charm, she didn't disturb the other students, and they seemed to enjoy the rather pretty colors of Drusilla's plumage.

"Drusilla isn't really adapted to carrying mail," Warren said. "I once tried to have her deliver a message to you while you were in the Owlery one day, and she dropped it in the lake. Also, Professor Tuttle saw her and scolded me for letting her out of her cage."

"Do you send and receive a lot of mail? I hadn't noticed," Wilbur said.

"I do have plans of contacting people who may have knowledge about Hogwarts and it's secrets, and so may have more correspondence than usual this year," Warren explained. Wilbur seemed satisfied with this answer. They stepped into the Owl Emporium and Warren viewed his options. He decided on a tawny owl, citing, "It's fairly common, doesnt draw attention to itself, and is unpretentious."

"Is it male or female?" Wilbur asked the shopkeeper.

"This one's a male."

"What shall you name him, then?" Wilbur asked Warren.

"I shall name him Felix."

Their last stop was to the stationery shop. Warren only purchased some ink and parchment, and a standard quill.

"With all your new correspondence, I would think you would have bought more," Wilbur observed.

"I intend to, but in Hogsmeade. I prefer Scrivenshaft's, especially for my quills. And we'll also go to the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes in Hogsmeade, that way we'll have a better idea of what we might need. I'm so glad George Weasley opened the new location; since Zonko's closed down, it was Diagon Alley or nowhere," Warren said. "Also, we'll need to get extra candy on the train, especially chocolate frogs, and we'll get more at Honeyduke's. "

"Is there anything else we'll need here in Diagon Alley?" Wilbur asked.

"I think I'm done. How about you?"

"I think I have everything I'll need," Wilbur said.

"Excellent. I think we're well prepared for this new year of possibilities," Warren said, smiling with satisfaction. "I say we return to the Leaky Cauldron for a nice lunch, and we can start planning until your parents arrive."

Once they were back to the Leaky Cauldron, Warren and Wilbur put their additional purchases into their trunks, and Warren placed Felix on top, snug inside his cage. They found a nearby table, and ordered their lunch. They talked well into the late afternoon, Wilbur scribbling down ideas until his parents arrived and had to pull him away.

Once again, it was time for Warren's annual argument with the trolley witch.

"Dear, I've told you every year. You can't buy all the Chocolate Frogs I have, I need to have some to sell to the other children," the trolley witch said as she stood at the door to Warren's compartment.

"Madam, this is benefiting my fellow students in the long-run," Warren countered. "I'm always able to provide them with that missing card they've been searching for."

"Must we do this every year?" the witch lamented.

"You're the one who insists on not selling me what I wish to purchase," Warren replied. "Are you here to make a profit, or are you here simply to spread fairness and cheer?"

The trolley witch's expression darkened.

"Listen to me. You're not getting all the Chocolate Frogs and that's all there is to it."

"I'll pay you twice the cost," Warren said.

"What am I supposed to tell the other children?"

"Tell them you sold out, and they should have gotten to you sooner," Warren insisted. "I do not intend to drop this issue."

"They'll be so disappointed."

"This is the only time during the year that I purchase my Chocolate Frogs from you," Warren said. "The rest of the year I get them from Honeydukes. I don't even buy any from you on the way back from school."

The trolley witch sighed. She knew when she was defeated.

"Alright, but I'm telling everyone who bought them all," she said.

"If you feel that's what you need to do, I consider that a small price to pay."

The trolley witch gathered up her supply of Chocolate Frogs and dumped them onto the seat of the compartment.

"What else would you like?" she asked.

"I'll take one small box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, two packs of Drooble's, four cauldron cakes, two pumpkin pasties, and eleven licorice wands. I would also like some pumpkin juice," Warren requested. He fished out her money from his midnight blue drawstring money pouch, while she handed Wilbur the treats.

"Every year, the same thing," Warren said, as the witch moved on down the aisle. Wilbur organized the treats, separating the Chocolate Frogs, while Warren pulled a large leather book out of his school trunk. It was the official Chocolate Frog Cards keeper, and as he opened it he admired the neat rows of cards in their plastic slots. He was proud of the dedication he'd put into his collection.

"That has to be the biggest collection I've ever seen," Fuzz-Head remarked as he marveled over Warren's cards. Warren smiled with pride.

"Do you collect?" he asked.

"I sure do, but nothing like this."

"I have many duplicates, if there's ones you'd like to trade," Warren said.

"I have been looking for a Cliodna," Fuzz-Head said.

"I have five," Warren answered, to Fuzz-Head's amazement. "I'll just have to let you look through the collection later, see what you want. For now, I need to go through my new Chocolate Frogs while Wilbur discusses our basic plan of action."

Warren began opening up the Chocolate Frogs one at a time. He'd inspect the card, place it with the ones he already had, and feed the Frog to Felix, who enjoyed playing with them first.

"Please keep an eye out for Mopsus," Wilbur said.

"I remember," Warren replied. "Start the discussion."

"Alright," Wilbur said, opening his notebook. "Our general outline for this year's mission consists of four key parts. First of all, we made a list of the secrets we already know about. There's the passageway Fuzz-Head mentioned from the library to the broom cupboard, of course, and the Chamber of Secrets. There's the secret passageway behind a tapestry that leads down a staircase with a trick step, and a passageway behind a suit of armor that goes between the seventh and third floors. There is also a mysterious magical room that Warren mentioned reading about, but we still need to find it."

"Ah, yes. This room was referenced a few times in The Authorized Biography of Harry Potter," Warren said. "In his fifth year, Harry Potter started Dumbledore's Army, which met and practiced secretly in a mysterious, magical room. It was mentioned again the night of Dumbledore's death. There was a vanishing cabinet in the room whose match was in a shop down Knockturn Alley, and that was how Death Eaters were able to get into the school the night Dumbledore died. Then once again, the mysterious room is mentioned again during the Battle of Hogwarts, when it was used to smuggle students in and out of the school. Seems like a loophole in Hogwarts security, if you ask me."

"Are you sure that it's the same room being referenced each occasion?" Wilbur asked. Warren nodded as he tossed Felix another Chocolate Frog and slid another card into his book.

"Yes, there's no doubt about it," he said. "However, no mention is made as to the whereabouts of the room, what makes it so magical, and why few people know about it."

"Well that doesn't give us much," Fuzz-Head said.

"I already had a lead to follow up on when we get to the school," Warren said.

"What lead?" Wilbur asked.

"Professor Longbottom. He's the same age as Potter, was with him the entire time they were at school together, he was a member of Dumbledore's Army, and he fought at the Battle of Hogwarts," Warren pointed out. "If anyone knows about this room, it's him."

"Yeah, but will he tell you?" Wilbur asked.

"I won't stop trying until he does."

"Alright. Moving on, our next step was to compile a list of former students who may be able to tell us some secrets about Hogwarts," Wilbur said. "So far, it's a short list. Once we get to the school we'll have more leads. There's the trophy room to get names from, and maybe we can hunt down lists of former staff and students in the archives, although how we'll do that I'm not so sure of."

"Professor Longbottom we've already mentioned, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sinistra, they've all been here since Harry Potter. Some of the newer staff, Madam Davies, Professor Tuttle, Madam Perks, and Professor Hooper may have also attended Hogwarts and might have some slight information to provide. This is all assuming we can get any of them to tell us anything. Then there's the known ghosts: Professor Binns, Nearly-Headless Nick, The Fat Friar, The Bloody Baron, The Grey Lady, Moaning Myrtle, and others. There also might be things the portraits can tell us, especially if they're hiding a secret passageway. Known former students would be those mentioned in connection with Harry Potter, and the parents of other students. Not to mention the possible information current students themselves may have, like you, Fuzz-Head."

"Our next plan of action, while we're gathering information from different sources, we'll also be searching the castle and grounds ourselves for anything noteworthy, secretive or unknown in nature. We should try and find some other likely recruits as well for this part of the process."

"And finally, we will also be going through known books for clues, leads, and facts regarding the school and it's secrets. As you already know, we have several books on the subject already, and quite possibly will find more in the school library."

"Ah ha!" Warren cried, holding up a Chocolate Frog Card . "I have indeed found Mopsus for you, Wilbur."

"Oh, wonderful. Thank you, Warren," Wilbur said, taking the card and putting in his trunk. "Now, Fuzz-Head, do you have any questions about the plan?"

"I think I've got it," Fuzz-Head replied.

"Do you have any ideas of who might like to join us on our mission?" Warren asked.

"There is this girl in my house, Kendra Kettleburn, I kind of like. She'd probably help us."

"Oh? Good. It might be nice to have some female perspective on things," Warren said. "Be sure to talk to her as soon as you're able."

Warren went back to unwrapping his Chocolate Frog Cards while Wilbur passed around the other treats to enjoy, and gave Fuzz-Head the book on Hogsmeade to flip through. He himself had a cauldron cake and started reading Hogwarts, A History. A few minutes later, Warren realized that his partners had started the mission without him and picked up The Dark Heart of Hogwarts. His chocolate frogs could wait until later.



As the Hogwarts Express passed through the countryside, the three boys sat hunched over their books in deep concentration. Warren read something noteworthy in his, and decided to interrupt the silence.

"Rita Skeeter has some interesting questions about the Whomping Willow," Warren said. "The tree is really a rather new addition to the Hogwarts grounds, having been planted around 1971. Skeeter points out some odd details about the planting of this tree. For one, it's extremely valuable. Who paid for it and why? Why was it decided that at that time the Whomping Willow was a needed addition to the grounds? Who decided that? And why in that particular place? It's been said that it was put there on the grounds so that it would be far from everything else, but it still seems like an odd place to put it. And what purpose does it serve? Why does Hogwarts need a violent potentially dangerous tree on the grounds?"

"Does Rita have any theories?" Wilbur asked.

"Indeed, many of them. One is that it's hiding something: a secret passageway, a buried treasure, or a dead body. Another is that it was a gift to the school from persons unknown. Really just a bunch of speculation," Warren said. "It is strange, though. Perhaps Professor Longbottom knows something about that, too, since he does teach Herbology."

They continued flipping through their books until there was a loud rapping on the glass of the compartment. They looked up, and saw the faces of several unpleasant Slytherin boys, one of whom was Warren's arch-nemesis, Augustus Gravelle. Gravelle slid open the compartment door.

"Hello, what are you lot up to?" he asked, smiling down at them.

"What do you want, Gravelle?" Warren said.

"Just wondering what has you three so fascinated," Augustus said. "Preparing for your new mission?"

Warren scowled. Augustus Gravelle had been tormenting him ever since he started the Hogwarts GSA (Group for Slytherin Acceptance) in his first year. Having heard the general opinions regarding Slytherins from his family and classmates over the years, he thought it was ludicrous to categorize all Slytherins as unpleasant, backstabbing, destined-for-evil criminals, and formed an organization to bring awareness to the positive traits of Slytherins. Just because they've been determined to be cunning and ambitious doesn't mean they are bad. These weren't bad traits at all, and Warren thought it would be a good idea help them be more accepted by others.

The first meeting of the Hogwarts GSA had four members. Warren, Wilbur, a pleasant Slytherin girl Warren had met named Delilah Booth, and Augustus Gravelle.

While Warren had started the meeting off with suggesting a discussion of positive traits of known Slytherins, Augustus would interrupt, arguing that these were traits of the individual, and that Warren was simply making his own positive generalizations instead of the usual negative ones. Augustus argued that perhaps no matter what house a student is in, they should be appreciated for their own merits and traits, and not just assumed to be a particular way because a magical hat told them it was so.

Warren, growing quite agitated, told Augustus that the Sorting Hat didn't make generalizations. The Sorting Hat determined which characteristics of the person are more prominent, and then attributed them to the house where those characteristics were most valued, as determined by the founders. Unfortunately, the reputation of the Slytherins has been overall negative for some time, and Warren felt it would be a progressive step forward to make people aware of the positive traits that Slytherins possess, and how they can use them for greatness.

Augustus continued to argue. He started attending every meeting, questioning Warren's motives, debating his every comment, and flustering him in general. In the meantime, Augustus heard of Warren's mission for that year (the portraits), and decided it would be amusing to make it more difficult for him. He went around to portraits telling them that Warren wanted to sell their secrets for profit, and that they should never speak to him. Warren would often see Augustus hurrying down a staircase to talk to a portrait before him, and he began to realize that he had a real problem on his hands.

Warren assumed that the reason Augustus was lashing out against him was simply because he hadn't gotten to know him well enough, and so Warren was determined to make Augustus his new friend. He brought Augustus a bag of sweets from Honeydukes at one of the GSA meetings, only to have Augustus reprimand him for not bringing candy for everyone. Augustus then shared his bag of candy with the other group members, who were now rather disgruntled towards Warren. Exasperated beyond belief, Warren at last confronted Augustus after catching him spreading rumors about him to the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"What is wrong with you? What have I done to you? Why do you defy me at every turn?" Warren demanded.

"Because I know it will drive you insane, you mad little do-gooder," Augustus had replied.

With the start of their second year, their war against each other became official.

"What is it this time?" Augustus asked, leaning into their compartment. Behind him were other random Slytherins. Augustus was popular, and seemed to be friends with most of his fellow Slytherins. Warren only knew one, Travis Digby, and only because he had locked him in the girl's toilet last year.

"Like we'd tell you," Warren said. "Why don't you go beat up a Hufflepuff?"

"Are you making more generalizations, Warren? Suggesting that all Slytherins are merely petty thugs?"

"No, just you. Have a nice day."

"I actually stopped by to find out when the first meeting of the GSA will be," Augustus said. To Warren this sounded more like a challenge than an inquiry. Warren smiled up at Augustus.

"Thursday, after classes, in the library," Warren said.

"I'll see you there," Augustus said with a smile, and he and his group moved on down the train. Warren scowled.

"He seems pretty nice, for a Slytherin," Fuzz-Head said.

"Well he's not," Warren said. "He's dedicated to undermining me at every turn. Oh, and Fuzz-Head, that was just the sort of negative generalization that we try to discourage in the GSA. Since you'll be joining us on our mission this year, you will also be expected to attend the GSA meetings." Fuzz-Head sighed.

The thing that really bothered Warren about Augustus Gravelle was that he was a nice guy to everyone but Warren. He was like the Slytherin version of Warren, determined to be successful and popular. Only Augustus was better at it than Warren, as Warren had yet to make any lasting friends other than Wilbur. Augustus didn't scare people away. He was a very good student, extremely intelligent, good-looking, and all those things combined to make Warren despise him all the more. He knew he shouldn't let it bother him, because that was the point of Augustus's own personal mission. But it did. He couldn't help it.

"Oh, and we now have a new side-mission," Warren said. Wilbur looked up from his book.

"You're spreading yourself a little thin this year, Warren," Wilbur said.

"I don't care. Our new side mission is to ruin Augustus Gravelle."

"Do you have a plan for that too?" Fuzz-Head asked.

"We'll make it up as we go along."

As the Hogwarts Express moved closer to the school, an uneasy feeling started in Warren's stomach. His two least favorite parts of the school year were coming up: the carriage ride to the school, and the Sorting. Warren had his own personal reasons for not enjoying the carriage rides to school. His first year he had been captivated by the boat rides across the lake. When he returned for his second year and spotted the carriages he was startled so badly Wilbur was afraid he might collapse. As for the Sorting, his own Sorting hadn't gone very well. He never discussed it with Wilbur, but Wilbur was watching as Warren had walked up to the stool, placed the Sorting Hat on his head, and succumbed to his fate. Wilbur had told him afterward that he'd been worried the Sorting Hat wasn't going to say anything at all. Indeed, it may have been a school record that Warren sat on the stool a full five minutes before the Sorting Hat at last bellowed out, "Ravenclaw!" Since those two occasions, Warren had become uncomfortable and impatient with the ride to school and the following Sorting ceremony.

He tried to distract himself as he felt the speed of the train slowing. He scribbled down some ideas of how to get back at Augustus Gravelle on an old piece of parchment, but stopped as they gradually became more violent.

"I'm glad we're almost there, I'm getting hungry," Fuzz-Head said.

"We have all these sweets," Wilbur reminded him.

"I'm getting hungry for real food."

The train pulled to a stop at the small, dark platform that was Hogsmeade Station, and everyone began gathering their belongings. Warren stepped out into the cool September night and took several deep breaths to help calm himself. Wilbur came up behind him, followed by Fuzz-Head.

"Come on," Wilbur said. "I've found us a carriage."

If Wilbur noticed Warren closing his eyes as he came up to the carriage and climbed inside, he didn't say anything. Once the carriage started rolling towards the school, Warren turned to Fuzz-Head.

"Since you're in Hufflepuff, we won't have a chance to talk again until tomorrow. We can meet in the library at our first break before lunch."

"I'll talk to Kendra this evening. I'm a fifth year, but she's in your year, so you'll have Potions with her at some point. Hufflepuff usually has Potions with the Ravenclaws."

"My goodness, you are a fifth year. That means you have your OWLs this year. Will you have time to study for your OWLs and work on our mission?" Warren asked.

"Oh sure. I do pretty well in school, I probably know most of it," Fuzz-Head said. "I'll just need to work on my problem areas and I'll do just fine."

When the carriage pulled to a stop, they hurried up to the castle and said their goodbyes as Fuzz-Head headed for the Hufflepuff table. Warren and Wilbur went over to their own table, and sat amongst the other boys in their year. They seemed to be on friendly terms, although the other boys were still cautious of them. Warren stared down at his plate and wished it was already time to eat. As Wilbur could attest, Warren had a passionate and insatiable appetite for food of all kinds, and genuinely enjoyed the feasts in the Great Hall. He was also known for sneaking down to the kitchens for snacks, and could usually be found near the fire in the evenings, toasting marshmallows or bread, and enjoying a mug of cocoa. But before the feast could begin, Warren had to suffer through the Sorting.

As Professor Tuttle led the first years into the Great Hall, Warren pulled out a handsome pheasant-feather quill and a large square of parchment, and began drawing out a notice to be posted on the Ravenclaw notice board. At the top of the page, in the direct center, he drew an elegant Slytherin crest, surrounded by the other three house crests. Below this, in painstaking calligraphy, he wrote out the words, "Join the Group for Slytherin Acceptance!" The Sorting began with Professor Tuttle calling out the first name on his list, and Warren continued on with his notice.

"There's my brother!" said Thomas Polk, another fourth year boy sitting beside Wilbur.

"I didn't know you had a brother," Warren said, looking up from his parchment. "What's his name?"

"His name's Chester, and I hope he's in Ravenclaw," Thomas said, worried and excited at the same time. Warren smiled.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he will be," Warren said.

The nervous boy known as Chester Polk was called, and he stepped forward to put on the Sorting Hat. It immediately yelled out, "Ravenclaw!" Chester smiled, and headed for the cheering Ravenclaw table, where his brother scooted down to make room for him.

"I made it! I'm in Ravenclaw!" Chester said. "I was worried I wouldn't be smart enough."

"We're glad to have you," Warren said to the smiling boy, hoping he was saying all the right things. It was important to him to not alienate himself from his fellow Ravenclaws, and he worked hard to reverse the damage of multiple unfortunate incidents. As Thomas and his brother chattered, the Sorting continued and Warren went back to his notice. He listed the day and time of the meetings, and that it would take place in the library, then decided to add that refreshments would be provided. If nothing else, perhaps he could lure people to the meetings with food. As he put the finishing touches on his notice, he gave a sigh of relief as the Sorting ended with Amber Youngblood being sorted into Gryffindor.

Professor Sprout then walked up to the front to speak.

"Welcome, students, to another year at Hogwarts," she said with a smile. "I have a few start-of-term notices before we begin the feast. First off, I would like to remind all students that the Forbidden Forest is off-limits to all students. Also, our caretaker Mr. Yuan has asked that you be more careful around the tapestries and suits of armor. Many of the tapestries have been in this school for centuries, and are rather delicate. The suits of armor are a little more sturdy, but they are not for practicing spells, and there is to be no magic in the hallways."

Mr. Yuan was a hard-working and pleasant man, who was often clever about how he kept the students in line. He petitioned to allow his wife to stay at Hogwarts with him, since he would be spending almost all his time in the castle. His wife, referred to as Madam Yuan, shared a chamber with him on the second floor, and spent most of her time patiently repairing unraveled or torn tapestries, or tending to a collection of orchids she had brought in to the school greenhouses. Professor Longbottom had given her a shelf in one of the less dangerous greenhouses.

"Quidditch trials will begin the second week of term, be sure to sign up if you are interested in playing for your house team," Professor Sprout said. "Now let's enjoy the feast!"

The empty plates filled with food and the goblets filled with pumpkin juice. Warren was glad. Wilbur stood and reached for the Yorkshire puddings, knowing how fond of them Warren was, and Warren began filling his plate with lamb, roast beef, and some hearty array of vegetables. He took several Yorkshire puddings from Wibur and poured gravy on both them and his roast beef. He was so glad to finally be eating. Wilbur took a slower approach, being more particular in his dining habits. He waited patiently for the fish to be passed while examining Warren's notice.

"Good idea about the refreshments," he noted.

"I thought so," Warren said, adding liberal amounts of mint sauce to his lamb. "I hope we'll have a better turn out this year."

There was very little talk after that, as Warren didn't care to be interrupted too many times when he's enjoying his meals. When the desserts came up, Warren took some of the spotted dick, and Wilbur passed him down the treacle tart.

When the feast ended, Warren and Wilbur followed the crowd of Ravenclaws upstairs to the fifth floor, where they followed a steep, winding staircase up to the common room entrance. The bronze eagle door knocker on the door asked it's question to the person at the front of the line (presumably a prefect), who correctly answered and they were allowed inside.

Warren felt an immediate sense of comfort entering the Ravenclaw common room. It was like arriving home. The fire crackled in the fireplace, and he looked up to see Drusilla, trying to chirp a greeting to him. He posted his notice on the board, then went over to Drusilla. He opened her cage and let her step out onto his arm while he fumbled in his robe for something called a "Fwooper Treat."

After months of not knowing his Fwooper's preferred food and numerous complaints to the Magical Menagerie, they finally ordered and received a shipment of Fwooper Treats. There was nothing on the package to indicate what they were made of, but Drusilla seemed to enjoy them. Warren had no idea what the house-elves fed her during the summer. He put her back into her cage to finish her treat, and made his way up to the fourth year boys dormitory. He and Wilbur changed into their pajamas, then Warren grabbed a blanket to wrap around himself, went back down to the common room with some books and parchment, and sat by the fire.
Wilbur came down moments later, curious to see what Warren was up to.

"I'd just like to sit here by the fire and write in my journal, maybe look through more of The Dark Heart of Hogwarts, before I go to bed," Warren said. Wilbur nodded. He knew Warren was probably exhausted, but he enjoyed his evening ritual.

"I'll start working on your Christmas list," Wilbur said, taking a chair across from him and pulling out his notebook. They both worked long into the night until the fire had burned down and they fell asleep.


The next morning Warren was startled awake by the first students coming down for breakfast. He realized he and Wilbur had fallen asleep in front of the fire and that was why he was so stiff. He stretched, somewhat embarrassed by the stares of the other students. This wasn't how he'd wanted to start his first day of school, but oh well. He nudged Wilbur awake. They hurried to wash up and change into their school robes so that they could get to breakfast.

In the Great Hall, as they ate breakfast and the morning owls swooped in to deliver what little mail there was on the first day, their class schedules were handed out. Warren examined his schedule.

"First class is Potions with the Hufflepuffs," Warren said. "That's excellent, we'll get to meet Ms. Kettleburn."

"And your next class must be Divination, as I have a free period. That will be a free period and the break for me before lunch. I'll have lots of free time this morning," Wilbur commented.

"Good. After our meeting with Ms. Kettleburn we can discuss what you can be working on until my Divination class has ended," Warren said.

"That will be a lot of conversation during our Potions class. I hope we won't attract the attention of Professor Hooper," Wilbur said.

"We'll have time just before the class starts, hopefully we'll share a table with Kendra, and then after class we'll have some time."

"Not much, you have to get from the dungeons to the North Tower. That might take awhile," Wilbur said. He passed Warren some marmalade for his toast, while Warren selected several sausages from a large platter. While they were eating, a large barn owl swooped down and dropped a package in front of Wilbur. It was his traditional first day package from his mother, containing hand-embroidered handkerchiefs.

They finished with their breakfast early so they could get down to the dungeons to wait for the arrival of Kendra Kettleburn, only to realize they didn't know what she looked like. They stood by the door to the classroom, watching as Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws filed down the stairs, until a girl they didn't know strolled right up to them.

"Hello, you must be Warren and Wilbur. I'm Kendra Kettleburn, and Fuzzy told me all about your project for this year. You can count me in. I always like to stay busy, and I'm ready to start," the girl said. Her blonde hair was pulled back from her face into a very tight bun on the back of her head. She was quite pretty, and seemed ready for anything. She shook their hands, then used her wand to clean her hands after.

"Did we get something on you?" Warren asked.

"Oh no, I just like to stay clean. Germs and microorganisms are everywhere, and you really can't take any chances these days," Kendra said. "What would you like me to start on as far as the project goes?"

"I was thinking about that this morning, and I thought maybe you would have some better luck with the portraits," Warren said. "The portraits for the most part no longer trust me after Augustus Gravelle, a Slytherin boy I know, went around spreading rumors about me to them. Maybe you would have better luck getting them to talk. I'd like you to ask them if they know of secret passages if they have any behind them, or any other information regarding secrets of Hogwarts."

"Excellent," Kendra said, pulling out a leather book and a quill. She made notes in her book. "I'll be sure to record all of my efforts, and anything that I found out, who I found it out from, and what time. I think I'll start by getting more friendly with some of the more gossip-prone portraits, like the fat lady on the seventh floor, or her friend Violet."

"That sounds like a great way to begin," Warren said.

"I enjoy this type of thing," Kendra said. "I like figuring things out and researching. It's like solving a mystery."

"We can meet up in the library with Fuzz-Head on our first break before lunch, and fill you in on more details and plan a proper strategy," Warren said.

"Oh, I had an idea, too," Kendra said. "I think that all four of us should take different routes around the castle every day. When we're going to meals, or to classes, or to our common rooms, we should try and take a different route each time, looking for secret passageways or rarely used corridors."

"That's a wonderful idea," Wilbur said, writing this down in his own notebook. "I think we should start that at once, and we can fill in Fuzz-Head when we meet on our break."

The three of them found a table to themselves in Potions class. Professor Hooper came out of his office and stood to address the class.

"Welcome to another year of Potions," he said. Professor Hooper was a middle-aged man with red hair and a thick red beard. From what Wilbur had been able to learn about him, he started after Professor Slughorn's second retirement, he had attended Hogwarts in his youth and had been a Gryffindor. Before settling to a teaching position at Hogwarts he had traveled extensively, and he'd been the head of Gryffindor since Minerva McGongall's retirement. He was a gruff and cheerful fellow, with a large scar across his face. He claimed he had got it while mountain climbing, when he was attacked by a Graphorn. "Since it's your first day back, I thought I'd clear the dust out of yer heads by working on a fairly simple memory potion. Who can tell me a key ingredient in most memory potions?"

Warren, Kendra, and Wilbur all raised their hands (though Warren's was up first), as well as a few other students. Professor Hooper called on Warren.

"A key ingredient in most memory potions would be Jobberknoll feathers," Warren answered.

"That's correct, 5 points to Ravenclaw. Can you tell me what a Jobberknoll is, and why it's feathers are used in memory potions?" Professor Hooper said.

"A Jobberknoll is a small bird that makes no sound until the moment of it's death. At that point, it screams out every sound it has ever heard. Considering the amazing amount of memory required to recall every sound heard in the bird's lifetime, it's reasonable it's feathers are popular in memory potions," Warren replied.

"Excellent, Mr. Bones, another five points to Ravenclaw," Professor Hooper said. "What I'd like to do for this class is actually make a dual-purpose potion. I often like to combine my memory potions with wit-sharpening potions, both improving the other. I've provided the Jobberknoll feathers, they are in this box on my desk. I've listed the other ingredients on the board, most of you should have the needed potion ingredients except for maybe the armadillo bile. Either way, get whatever else you need out of the store cupboard, let me know if you have questions."

Once they had assembled their ingredients, Warren, Wilbur, and Kendra started by cutting up their ginger root and discussing further plans. Warren used his new silver knife, and was pleased with how well it worked as he methodically cut small even pieces.

"Fuzzy said that you guys also got some books to research from, are they any you can loan me so that I can do that whenever a spare moment pops up?" Kendra asked, slicing her ginger roots just as carefully, but she was doing hers lengthwise, and cleaning her knife after every cut. She placed each slice at the corner of her work area, wiping off the cutting area each time as well. She then slid her sliced roots into her palm, and dropped them slowly one at a time into her cauldron. She then wiped her hands clean.

"I do have an interesting book on the architecture of the castle, although I imagine it's limited in it's information on the castle, since it changes from time to time, and since it was built over 1,000 years ago," Warren said. He rummaged through his bag until he found the slim book and passed it over to Kendra.

"That's great, it should be interesting to see what it does have to say, though," she said. She had pulled out a handsome mortar and pestle and set of brass scales, and began crushing scarab beetles, measuring them out onto the scales, and dropping handfuls into her cauldron, cleaning her hands each time.

Warren had started with the armadillo bile, having found it does better to simmer awhile, then added his ginger, and turned to the scarabs.

"We really have a wealth of resources, it will really just be a matter of sifting through it all to the important stuff, and recording our findings," Warren said.

"I think this is fascinating," Kendra said. "It's like a giant mystery just waiting to be uncovered. I was so excited when Fuzzy told me about the passageway he found, even if it did just lead to a broom cupboard. I think we'll uncover some amazing things."

"Why is that?" Warren asked.

"Well, it's a matter of making the effort and researching. Research is key when dealing with an institution this old. So many lifetimes have started and ended since this school started, there's things that may have been noticed this year that were already noticed 500 years ago, but no one was alive to remember, and no one thought to look it up. There may be patterns no one noticed because they happened over the course of many lifespans, secrets lost to the ages that someone written down but no one thought to look for. Yes, I think you started a very exciting project."

Warren was pleased to have found someone else to share in his enthusiasm. He could tell Kendra was going to be a great addition to the team, and that nothing was going to slow her down. They all added their Jobberknoll feathers to their potion last, and watched as they sunk down into the brew. They're potions turned a light blue.

Professor Hooper toured the classroom, looking into everyone's cauldrons and assessing their results. When he was finished, he went to the front of the class.

"The two best potions in the class for today would be Mr. Bones and Ms. Kettleburn," Professor Hooper announced. "They're going to be the ones to catch up to this year, I'd wager. But one of those potions is slightly better than the other...."

Both Warren and Kendra held their breath while waiting to hear which one was the best. Professor Hooper looked over at them and smiled at their nervous anticipation.

"I have to say, by only a slim margin, that Mr. Bones has prepared the best potion," Professor Hooper said. "That's another five points to Ravenclaw you've earned, Mr. Bones. However, I'd keep an eye on Ms. Kettleburn, she'll be a force to be reckoned with."

Warren quietly agreed.

Kendra Kettleburn had no idea how difficult her new project was going to be. After meeting up with the boys during their first break (which was basically going over what they already had planned.), Kendra decided to just grab a snack and skip lunch so that she could get started right away. In an effort to get on the Fat Lady's good side, she decided to try and find something that she could have sent up to her, preferably something alcoholic. She started up a staircase, examining the portraits she passed by. She found one of a small wizard standing outside of a market, perusing a stall selling bottles of wine and wheels of cheese.

"Sir, do you suppose you could do me a favor?" Kendra asked. The little man turned around and stared at her.

"What sort of favor?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"I'd like to send up a gift to the Fat Lady on the seventh floor, could you bring her up a bottle of wine, and perhaps a cheese?"

"Do I look like a delivery service?" the little man asked.

"No. No you don't."

"If you want some wine and cheese, you're going to have to pay for it, and get someone else to deliver it," the man said.

"Well how on earth would I pay for it? Shove the Galleons through the canvas?" Kendra asked.

"No, no, with portrait money," the man said.

"How do I get some of that?"

"Perhaps if you perform some sort of service for one of the portraits, they'll allow you to claim a certain amount of portrait money to use," the man said.

"Is there something I could do for you?" Kendra asked.

"No. It's not going to be that easy," the man said. Kendra sighed. She thought about who might need help, who might provide help, and who might do deliveries for her. She had an epiphany.

"Thank you, sir, I will be back," Kendra said, and she hurried up the corridor to the nearest staircase. She scribbled notes down in her leather journal as she climbed the many flights of stairs to the seventh floor. From there, she had to figure out where she was, and determine where the South Tower was. As she got her bearings and headed down the corridor to the south, she at last came upon a painting in a lonely stretch of hallway. It was of a knight and a fat pony in a field. The knight was laying on the grass, snoring.

"Sir Cadogan," Kendra said, coming up to the painting. "Sir Cadogan?" There was a fair amount of snuffling, and then the helmeted head of Sir Cadogan lifted from the grass.

"Fair lady, how can I be of service to you?" he asked, slowly rising to his feet.

"I need you to perform a service on my behalf for another portrait, so that I may claim some portrait money and pay for some services for an entirely different portrait," Kendra said.

"Ah ha! A quest! I shall bravely face any quest you put before me!" Sir Cadogan bellowed, removing his sword from it's hilt and brandishing it.

"Good. Now, do you know of any portraits that might need some help from you?" Kendra asked. Sir Cadogan seemed to think about this for awhile. Thinking wasn't never something he was good at, it seemed.

"Oh yes!" he said, after a few moments. "There's a portrait of William Warburton in the fifth floor corridor, madam. His portrait, painted with him standing in his counting house, has plenty of gold in it, and he's been known to make loans to people in other portraits."

Kendra thought about this, then decided.

"Alright, why don't we meet down on the fifth floor and we'll talk to this William Warburton," she said.

"As you wish, my lady!" Sir Cadogan said. Kendra knew they'd probably get there about the same time, since it would take some time for Sir Cadogan to successfully mount his steed.

William Warburton was an unpleasant-looking man with an enormous mustache and a large belly, shown leaning against his desk and surrounded by gold. His raise an eyebrow as Kendra approached, and she saw Sir Cadogan galloping through a still-life on the other side of Warburton.

"Excuse me, sir, may I trouble you for a moment?" Kendra asked, trying to sound as meek and pleasant as she could. William Warburton grunted at her, and she took this as a sign to proceed. "I'm in the need of some portrait money, and you seem to be a man who has plenty. Is there perhaps a service that may be done for you in exchange for my being able to claim some gold?"

"A quest, fine sir! I'm ready for anything!" Sir Cadogan added, catching Warburton's attention.

"You are a knight, then?" Warburton asked Sir Cadogan. Kendra guess Warburton didn't leave his gold unattended for long, because it wasn't as though Sir Cadogan kept to himself.

"A knight indeed!" Sir Cadogan replied. "I am Sir Cadogan. I'm ready and willing to perform any task, take on any quest!"

"Well, then perhaps we can make an arrangement," Warburton said. "I have several clients I've loaned money to over the years that have failed to repay their debt to me. I am reluctant to leave my painting, as my gold would be unattended. Perhaps you, Sir Cadogan, could go around and persuade my clients to pay their debt to me, and in exchange I will make the young lady here owner of a small amount of portrait gold."

"How small? It sounds like Sir Cadogan will have quite a task on his hands, not to mention I have many gifts I need to provide to different portraits," Kendra interrupted.

Warburton, unsmiling, turned to his desk, and slid a pile of gold into his hands and placed it on a scale positioned on his desk.

"Will this be satisfactory?" he asked Kendra. Her eyes widened.

"Yes, that would be very nice of you. Sir Cadogan will start immediately," Kendra assured him.

"Fear not, Sir Warburton, I will not fail you! I'll find the dogs who've taken you for your money and force them to pay," Sir Cadogan promised. Warburton nodded, and handed Sir Cadogan a roll of parchment, listing the portraits that owed him money.

"Thank you, Mr. Warburton, we'll make sure that we get your money for you," Kendra said, and she led Sir Cadogan back up to the seventh floor.

"Alright, I leave you to your quest," Kendra said, "but I don't want you to take a long time to do this, I have things to do, you know. Also, after you're done, I'll have another quest for you, so be sure to come find me."

"As you wish, my dear lady," Sir Cadogan replied, and with a glance at his list, he galloped off to start his quest.



Warren and Wilbur had Herbology with the Slytherins after lunch, and found themselves at a long table facing a most repulsive-looking plant.

"Good afternoon class," Professor Longbottom said from the front of the greenhouse. "Today we will be harvesting the pus of the Bubotuber plant. Who can tell me the properties of Bubotuber pus?"

Warren raised his hand, but Augustus Gravelle, on the other side of the table from him, got his up first.

"Mr. Gravelle?" Professor Longbottom said. Augustus smiled over at Warren.

"Bubotuber pus is used for skin treatments, being most efficacious in treating acne," Augustus said.

"Correct, that's five points to Slytherin," Professor Longbottom said. "The visible part of the plant, the thick, black, squirming, slug-like thing you see before you, is covered in multiple protrusions, which when squeezed will produce a thick, yellow pus. There could be some rather unpleasant results if the pus come in contact with your skin, so please utilize your dragon-hide glove. I have provided bottles in which to collect the pus. Happy squeezing, all."

Warren had known that the Ravenclaws always had Herbology with the Slytherins, but he had not expected Augustus Gravelle to sit directly across from him. This was going to make talking to Professor Longbottom a bit more difficult. He pulled on his dragon-hide gloves, moved a bottle close to his bubotuber, and commenced with the squeezing. He had to admit, there was a certain satisfaction to squeezing the pustules and extracting the pus. He collected it into his bottle, and proceeded to the next pustule. Across from him, Augustus had caught his eye and smiled at him.

"How's your first day going, Warren?" Augustus asked, squeezing his own pustules. A thick smell of petrol was starting to penetrate the air of the greenhouse.

"Quite well, thank you," Warren said, keeping his eye on his pus. "Yours?"

"Oh good, good. I couldn't help but notice you in the library during the break. I see you've met Ms. Kettleburn. Is she joining you on your mysterious mission, this year?" Augustus asked.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Warren said, tilting a bottle towards his bubotuber to better catch the pus.

"Or perhaps she's decided to become a new member of the GSA?" Augustus suggested.

"Indeed, she has," Warren said, hoping Kendra wouldn't be too upset with him when he told her the news. "She's always felt that Slytherins have been discriminated against for too long."

"Really. I had no idea," Augustus said. "We've been in the Gobstone's club for two years together now, and she's never mentioned it."

"Perhaps she didn't feel she knew you well enough to discuss it," Warren said, cursing his luck. Gobstone's club. Who would have guessed? Warren had always intended to join the Gobstone's club, simply to add it to his list of school activities, but he found himself so busy as it was, and he never really cared for the game. He had seen some very pretty sets of Gobstones, in shops, though, and often wondered if he should join.

"Perhaps," Augustus said. "I dare say she'll make an interesting addition to our meetings. She's quite sharp, from what I've seen."

"She is, yes," Warren said. He wished Augustus would just shut up so he could squeeze his pus in peace.

"She's a bit worried over germs, though," Augustus said. "She always wipes off her Gobstones after each use, and always utilizes personal protective equipment when in competition, so as not to get squirted on. I'm surprised you've never joined the Gobstones club, considering how interested in school activities you are."

"I've never been very good at it," Warren said.

Professor Longbottom was walking up and down the greenhouse, inspecting the progress of the students. Warren knew he couldn't call him over to him to speak with him, not with Augustus sitting in front of him. Professor Longbottom was all the way down at the end of the table, looking over the shoulder of a Slytherin boy who was making quite a mess. Warren wondered how upset Professor Longbottom would be if he just went over to him in the middle of class to ask him questions completely unrelated to bubotubers. He decided it was a necessary risk.

"Excuse me," Warren said, pulling off his gloves and leaving the table. He wandered down to where Professor Longbottom was helping the Slytherin boy with his technique for getting the pus into the bottle. Warren walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Professor Longbottom, sir, do you think I could speak to you for a moment?" Warren asked, as Professor Longbottom turned.

"Certainly, Warren, did you have a question?"

"Not about Bubotubers," Warren said. He backed away from the table, leading Professor Longbottom away from the other students. He noticed Augustus was looking over at them. "I know this is not the appropriate time, but this is the only time I usually see you. I'm working on a project this year to uncover the secrets of Hogwarts, and I was wondering what you can tell me about the secret, magical room mentioned in Harry Potter's biography. It was used for DA meetings, and in the last battle. Do you know the one?"

"Well, yes, Warren, I do," Professor Longbottom said. "But in my opinion, I think that it should be up to the individual to figure out how to find the room, and only when it is needed. It is secret for a reason, and could be quite dangerous if used for the wrong purposes."

That was not what Warren had wanted to hear.

"Can you at least suggest where I might start my search?" Warren asked. Professor Longbottom smiled.

"I think you should get back to your Bubotubers, Warren.

Disappointed, Warren returned to his position at the table, and pulled his dragon-hide gloves back on.

"How did it go?" Wilbur asked.

"Not well," Warren said, preparing another bottle.

"Did you have a question for him about Bubotubers?" Augustus asked. "I find them fairly straight-forward."

At this point, WiIbur decided to speak up.

"Mr. Gravelle, I would think a young man of your wit and charm would know when something was not his business," Wilbur said.

"Of course, forgive me," Augustus said with a pleasant smile. He turned to Warren. "I didn't mean to pry."

"That's alright, Augustus, I know that you too share my inquisitive nature," Warren said, and he squeezed another pustule with perhaps more force than was required.



The group met again on their next break in the library, this time at a small table hidden between two large bookshelves. Kendra was a little late getting to the meeting.

"Is everything alright?" Warren asked her as she borrowed a handkerchief from Wilbur to wipe her chair down with.

"Sort of," Kendra said. "My plan to get the portraits to talk to me is taking longer than I had hoped, and it's getting rather complicated."

Kendra told them about her meeting with Sir Cadogan and William Warburton, and then proceeded to tell them what had caused her to be late.

On her way downstairs from her afternoon Divination class, she had noticed a large crowd of students on the fifth floor landing, and heard the faint sound of a woman screaming. She went down the stairs toward the group, wanting to see what was causing the commotion, and discovered a portrait of a distressed-looking witch on the wall. Sir Cadogan was standing over her, brandishing his sword.

"Give me the money, you miserable wench!" he shouted as the witch screamed and scrambled around her portrait. Sir Cadogan was on her right, and he had place his pony on her left, leaving her with no way to escape, which Kendra had to admit was abnormally clever of him.

"Alright, everybody, clear off, there's nothing to see here," Kendra said, dispersing the crowd. "Off to your classes, then." She waited while the other students moved off down the stairs until she leaned to speak to Sir Cadogan.

"Hey! Stop yelling at her!" Kendra said. Sir Cadogan looked up and saw Kendra. He bowed, putting away his sword.

"Madam?"

"Sir Cadogan, if you are going to do this, you are going to have to be more discreet. I can't have you drawing all this attention to yourself," Kendra said. "And furthermore, this poor woman is terrified. That isn't accomplishing anything."

Kendra turned towards the woman, who she saw was a nun.

"Do you have the money you owe Warburton?" Kendra asked the nun. She shook her head.

"No, mum, I don't," the nun said, looking over at Sir Cadogan.

"Well then, you will need to figure out a way to get it. Sir Cadogan will come back for the money. It's extremely important that Mr. Warburton collect his debts at this time, and we would appreciate your full cooperation," Kendra said.

The nun nodded her agreement, and Sir Cadogan rushed off to harass another debtor.

"This doesn't sound like it's going to be very discreet," Warren said, when Kendra had finished her story.

"I did warn Sir Cadagon that discretion was of top importance in this quest. However, should you happen to see him drawing attention to himself on your way to class, be sure to go over and have a word with him," Kendra said. "Once Sir Cadagon collects on Warburton's debts, I'll have a nice stack off gold to butter up potential portrait informants. Also, once Sir Cadogan is done with this quest, he will help me in mine, getting the portraits to tell us their secrets."

"I think it's a solid plan," Wilbur said. "The only questionable part would be the use of Sir Cadogan, but he's the most ready and willing to help, so we'll just have to keep an eye out for him,"

"I agree," Warren said. "Good job, Kendra. Now I have to tell you about a wonderful opportunity that has arisen for you."

"Oh? What's that?" Kendra asked.

"I had to lie to Augustus Gravelle today because he saw us talking to you in the library earlier. So I said that you were interested in joining the GSA," Warren confessed.

"What's that?" Kendra asked.

"It's the Group for Slytherin Acceptance that I started back in my first year," Warren explained. "I'm sorry if this inconveniences you, but I had little choice."

"Oh that's alright," Kendra said. "There was nothing you could have done. We're all in this together, aren't we? When does the GSA meet?"

"Thursdays, after classes, in the library," Warren said. "I thank you for being so understanding."

"No problem. So what did you guys find out?"

"Nothing," Warren said. When I was finally able to ask Professor Longbottom what he knew about the secret magical room, he told that he thought it was better if I figured it out on my own."

"Oh. How disappointing," Kendra said. "What about you, Fuzzy?"

"They put me in charge of questioning the ghosts, but I havn't had time yet. Now that classes are over I'll be able to, though," Fuzz-Head replied. Kendra handed him a blank journal.

"Be sure to write down everything they say, even it sounds like nonsense," Kendra said. "I kept a record so far of my interactions with the portraits, writing down everything that's said."

"That's excellent, Kendra," Warren said.

"So what are you boys planning to do about this room?" Kendra asked.

"I'll have to start writing people. I have a whole list of DA members I can write to, and I'll write to Harry Potter himself if I have to," Warren said.

"Actually, you should try talking to Ron Weasley. He and his brother probably alternate between locations, but there's a strong possibility you'll be able to find him at the Weasley Wizard Wheezes in Hogsmeade at some point," Kendra said. "He was with Harry Potter through it all, and I'll bet he could tell you all kinds of things."

"Perhaps I will," Warren said, pondering what Kendra had said.

Fuzz-Head realized that while he wasn't the brains of the operation, he was definitely an important player. What was more perfect for a mission than to have two Ravenclaws working out the details, with two Hufflepuffs helping with the grunt work? Fuzz-Head also knew that he and Kendra were two different Hufflepuffs. Kendra was smart, but she prioritized hard work and effort, and her loyalty, which made her a Hufflepuff rather than a Ravenclaw. Fuzz-Head was best working on something than thinking about something, and equally loyal. Two Ravenclaws on a secret mission couldn't have asked for a better pair than Fuzz-Head and Kendra. It also made Fuzz-Head happy to be helping others, and keeping busy, two attributes his parents had always tried to instill in him.

Nearly-Headless Nick was at the top of the list that Fuzz-Head had written out to remind him of all the key ghost in Hogwarts. He put Nearly Headless Nick and The Fat Friar at the top because he figured they'd be the easiest to talk to. The Bloody Baron and Peeves were down at the bottom of that list. Fuzz-Head knew that Nick was the Gryffindor ghost, and had a vague idea of where the Gryffindor common room was. From what he could tell, the entrance to Gryffindor tower must be on the seventh floor, and so it was to the seventh floor that Fuzz-Head headed for while looking for Nick. Just because he was the Gryffindor ghost didn't mean he'd necessarily be by their common room, either, but it was as good a place as any to start looking.

Nearly-Headless Nick, however, was no where to be found on the seventh floor. Nor was he to be found on the sixth floor, or the fifth. On the fourth floor he bumped into the Grey Lady and asked her if she had seen Nick. She pointed vaguely and disappeared through a wall. Undaunted, Fuzz-Head continued down to the third floor, along the Charms corridor, and through the trophy room. There, to his amazement, was Nearly Headless Nick, chatting with some unfamiliar ghost.

"Sir Nicholas!" Fuzz-Head cried, remembering to address him properly as Kendra had warned him. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Oh? How can I be of service?" Nick asked, dismissing the other ghost.

"Well, sir, I am on a secret mission this year to find out any and all secrets about Hogwarts. Do you have any you'd like to share with me?" Fuzz-Head asked. Nick thought about this.

"I could tell you about my execution," Nick suggested.

"Is that a secret?"

"No, I suppose not," Nick said. "Are you familiar with the details?"

"From what I've heard, you accidentally gave a young woman a tusk while trying to straighten her teeth, and they executed you with a dull axe, requiring forty-five strokes to finish the job, and yet still leaving your head attached by a slim margin," Fuzz-Head answered.

"My goodness, I suppose it's really not a secret, then," Nick said. "What else would you like to know?"

"Do you know about any secret passageways in the school?"

"I don't have any use for secret passageways, I can drift through walls," Nick said.

"I suppose that's true," Fuzz-Head said. "What about when you were alive and attending Hogwarts?"

"That was over 500 years ago, young man," Nick said.

"Hmm...What about secret treasures, or rooms, or anything?"

"I really don't know anything about that sort of thing," Nick said. He then paused, thinking to himself. His pearly, translucent shape reflected off the different trophies. "Now, I did hear a ridiculous rumor awhile back..."

"Oh? What was it about?" Fuzz-Head asked, his quill poised over his journal.

"Well, The Fat Friar was blathering on one day some time ago about some mystery regarding Helga Hufflepuff," Nick said. "According to him, Helga Hufflepuff had been betrayed by a young wizard when she was a girl. He had been a con-artist, playing on her affections until he was able to abscond with quite a bit of her jewelry. Upon discovering the betrayal, Ms. Hufflepuff went into a rage, hunted down the young wizard, and chopped off his head. She then had it covered in gold and jewels from the jewelry he'd stolen and had it placed where it could remind her of her past foolishness. In later years, fearing someone might steal the head, she was said to have hidden it somewhere in the school, where no one would be able to find it."

"That cannot possibly be true," Fuzz-Head said.

"The Fat Friar has been known to spout a bit of nonsense from time to time, I agree," Nick said.

"That is so unlikely I have no doubt that he made it all up, most likely just for the attention," Fuzz-Head said vehemently.

"Of course, he did," Nick said, trying to mollify the boy. He seemed to be taking this story quite personally. "I'm sure the Fat Friar was mistaken."

Fuzz-Head was distressed by this tale, and by the fact that The Fat Friar, Hufflepuff House's own ghost, would perpetuate it. With a great sigh and considerable self-control, Fuzz-Head wrote down what Nick had reported to him in his journal.

"Is there anything else you could tell me?" Fuzz-Head asked. "With over 500 years bound to this earth surely you must have something more than idle gossip about a fine woman of historical and magical importance?"

Nick wasn't sure how to proceed, but he knew he had upset the boy and tried to think of something he could send him off with. He suddenly thought of something, startling himself with excitement his head rolled to the side and had to be set right.

"Oh! I have something perfect for you!" Nick exclaimed. "It's down in the dungeons. I don't know why I didn't think of it before...."

"What? What is it?" Fuzz-Head asked, quite excited by this new development.

"It's the old potions storeroom," Nick said. "Until around 1612, the potion supplies and pre-made potions were kept in a small dungeon room, outfitted with shelves and cupboards and everything you could possibly need. However, at that same time, a goblin rebellion had sprung up, this time near Hogsmeade. The goblins used a Hogsmeade inn for their headquarters, and the fighting became quite bloody. One of their heroes, Urg the Unclean, made a desperate attempt to sneak into Hogwarts one night in order to raid the castle for supplies. He came in through the dungeons, and discovered the potions storeroom. Unfortunately, he had been followed by one of the wizard warriors, Archibald Flaxley, who shot a spell at him as he was coming out of the storeroom. It was the body-binding curse, and in a punishment most heinous, Flaxley dragged the goblin into the storeroom, and sealed it shut with brick and mortar. The goblin was left in the sealed storeroom, unable to move, until he finally died of starvation."

"Didn't someone notice the storeroom had been sealed up?" Fuzz-Head asked.

"Oh yes, Flaxley later sent an owl to the headmaster explaining what had happened to his potions storeroom. Considering the nature of it's new contents, the headmaster was content to leave things as they were, and decided the potion ingredients would be stored in the potions master's office, where it would be seen on a regular basis and accessed only by the potions master," Nick explained.

"Merlin's beard!" Fuzz-Head cried. "You never told anyone about this?"

"It was well-known in it's day," Nick said. "I've had little reason to think about it since."

That made perfect sense to Fuzz-Head. Everybody knew about it back in 1612, but as years passed and people died, no one really had any reason to care about the storeroom, and soon no one was left who remembered it, except for maybe some ghosts.

Warren was going to be so pleased.



Fuzz-Head realized it was getting late in the evening, but he refused to go back to the common room until he had spoken to the Fat Friar. Starting with the third floor, Fuzz-Head made his search on his way to the ground floor, where he saw the Fat Friar talking quietly to Brandon O'Malley, a third year Hufflepuff. Fuzz-Head stomped across the Entrance Hall towards the Fat Friar, who looked up and saw the frightening expression on Fuzz-Head's face. Brandon saw it too and decided to head back to the common room.

"Ah, young Alderton, what seems to be the problem?" The Fat Friar asked.

"Have you been spreading a ridiculous rumor that Helga Hufflepuff chopped off someone's head and had it covered in gold and jewels?" Fuzz-Head asked, glaring up at the ghost. The Fat Friar had the decency to look rather embarassed by this accusation.

"I merely was passing on a shocking and blasphemous rumor I had heard," The Fat Friar said, looking around to see if anyone was listening.

"Really? Are you sure that was all it was?" Fuzz-Head asked.

"Oh yes, it was so ludicrous I had to tell Sir Nicholas. I had no doubt he'd find it as scandalous as I did."

Fuzz-Head calmed down a little.

"Well, fine. Please be sure no one else hears about it, I'd hate for anyone to think it was true," Fuzz-Head said. "Oh, and I need to ask you some questions, perhaps tomorrow. Would you like to meet me somewhere so I don't have to search the whole castle for you?"

"Oh. Certainly, young man."

"Excellent. Why don't I meet you in the trophy room during lunch?" Fuzz-Head suggested. "Oh, by the way, where did you hear that rumor about Helga Hufflepuff?"

"I believe it was something Rita Skeeter had written, that someone thought it would be amusing to pass on to me."



Late that night, Warren and Wilbur sat in the Ravenclaw common room by the fire. Warren was finishing a cup of tea. Wilbur was writing something in his notebook.

"I think I'll sneak down to the kitchen for a snack," Warren said. "Would you like to join me?"

"No, I think I'd rather go to bed," Wilbur said.

"Alright, then, I shall see you in the morning," Warren said, heading out of the common room. His insomnia was bothering him more than usual, and he found himself staying up later and later. A nice walk and something good to eat ought to settle him down.

As he headed down the stairs toward the first floor, he saw a figure coming up the staircase, carrying a basket. As he got closer he saw it was Madam Yuan. She looked up and smiled.

"Mr. Bones, how nice to see you," Madam Yuan said. Warren saw she carried a basket of oranges. "You are not sleeping?"

"I have trouble sleeping," Warren said. "I was going to go find a snack from the kitchens."

"You may have an orange. I was going to make some tea. I can't sleep either," Madam Yuan said. "Would you care to join me?"

"That would be nice," Warren said, taking an orange Madam Yuan held out to him. He followed her up the stairs and down a hallway, to a room he'd never notice before.

Inside was a small parlor, with a hallway leading to other rooms. In the parlor there lovely Chinese paintings on the walls, some nice dark wood furniture, and some painted lamps. By one of the walls was a low work table, and stretched across it was a tapestry Madam Yuan was repairing. Warren recognized it as the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy from the seventh floor. Madam Yuan set the basket of oranges on the table.

"Please, have a seat. I will go and make the tea," Madam Yuan said. Warren sat down and began peeling his orange, admiring the artwork on the walls. There were a few photographs, as well. There were several of Mr. and Mrs. Yuan in China, looking happy on what must have been their wedding day. There was one picture that was quite different. It showed Mrs. Yuan, standing in a field on a stormy day, the wind blowing her hair back. In front of her is the smoldering wreckage of a large house.

Mrs. Yuan came back in after a short time, carrying a tray with the tea. She sat the tray on the table, set out the tea cups, and poured tea into each one. Warren took a sip of the warm tea, discovering it was a particularly nice green tea.

"I was enjoying your pictures while you were making the tea," Warren said.

"Yes, many memories," Madam Yuan said. "Some good, some bad. All in the past."

"Why did you decide to leave China and come here?" Warren asked.

"I felt I needed to leave for awhile. Some people thought some bad things about me. Mr. Yuan, he suggested we come to Hogwarts, where the most dark wizard was defeated. It would bring us better luck."

"What did people in China think about you?" Warren asked, then realized she might think he was being rude. "If you don't mind me asking."

"My husband before Mr. Yuan was a dark wizard, and some people think I was bad too," Madam Yuan said. Warren was startled. She had been married to a dark wizard? That would be like if Voldemort had a wife. No wonder people had thought bad things about her. "Would you like to hear the story?"

"Yes, if you don't mind," Warren said, taking another sip of tea. It was very good tea, and it as relaxing him. "I'd love to hear about witches and wizards in China, I've never been."

"I don't mind," Madam Yuan said. "When I was a young girl I was very beautiful and very willful. I had fallen in love with a young wizard named Ju-Long. My parents did not like him, they said he was too headstrong, and would bring me misfortune. I did not care. Ju-Long was handsome and smart, and once we were married he brought us to his beautiful family home at the base of the mountains, far away from muggles and my family."

"At first I enjoyed my new married life. I'd go out into the large garden and practice my charms, or plant flowers. We had many servants to do the chores, and a wonderful cook who made me many wonderful things to eat. Since his family was all gone, it was just the two of us other than the servants, and we enjoyed each other's company. Ju-Long was a very skilled potion maker, and he made many wonderful potions that he sold to wizard shops in the cities, and I was content to help him with these, and work in the garden. For awhile we had a very nice marriage."

"Then one day Ju-Long woke me up, early in the morning. He was very upset, and excited. He told me that his ancestors had come to him in a dream, and told him that they wanted him to bring them back so that they too could enjoy our bountiful life. I told him it was only a dream, that it was not possible to bring back his ancestors, but he shook his head. I was wrong, he had had a vision, and that he must think of some way to bring back his ancestors. He believed that if he did not do as the vision told him, that we would be cursed with bad luck for the rest of our days. He decided he must find an answer, and began to take long trips, coming home often with many old books. He'd stay up long into the night, poring over those books, trying to find the secret that would bring his family back to life."

"I was worried, but Ju-Long would not listen to me. He'd go out behind the house, where his family was buried, and spend many hours. Then one night, I hear Ju-Long outside, laughing like a madman. I went out and I saw corpses, most of them little more than skeletons, walking around by themselves. I backed away, afraid, but Ju-Long only laughed at what he thought was his triumph. He thought he had brought his family back to life. I thought he simply made skeletons that could move on their own. He would not hear a word I said, though. I tried to tell him that these weren't his family, they were just mindless moving skeletons. Ju-Long would yell at me, and tell me I was insulting his family. He moved them into the house, and gave them rooms. He'd present them with the best dishes of food, even though they would just sit at the table watching us eat."

"This hadn't gone on for very long before a wizard from the council came to our house while Ju-Long was away with the skeletons, trying to improve on them. This wizard told me he must speak to Ju-Long, as a passing wizard, and at least one Muggle, had seen the moving skeletons, and he wanted to know what was going on. I did not know what to say. I did not want to betray my husband's secrets, but I also knew what he had done was wrong. I told him to come back tomorrow. When Ju-Long returned with the skeletons, I told him about the wizard who had come to our home and what he had said. Ju-Long became angry, and went back to his books. Before long he was making a new potion, and he worked long into the night."

"The next morning, Ju-Long carried the cauldron out to the front of the house and dropped something in, causing a thick red smoke to pour out of the cauldron. It moved through the air and encircled our house, creating a barrier of red smoke. When the council wizard arrived, I could tell he did not know what the smoke was or what he should do. In the end, he decided to walk through it, and he died when he passed through it. "

"I was very frightened. I asked Ju-Long how he could do that, how could he kill a man like that? He told me that the council wizard would have killed his family, and had to be stopped. I ask how can he kill them when they are already dead? Will all our visitors now die if they come to see us? Ju-Long would not answer. He went back to his books and his skeletons, while I hid in my room, afraid. When more council wizards arrived, they saw the first one's corpse where Ju-Long had left it, and knew they could not cross the barrier. They shouted out to Ju-Long, pleading with him to see reason. I begged him to let me go out and speak to them, but he refused. Thinking I meant to betray him, he took my wand while I slept, and tied me to a chair. The council wizards began conjuring spells to try and break through the barrier, and might have succeeded had Ju-Long not sent out his family of skeletons to stop them. The council wizards were able to destroy several of the skeletons, but they were too many for them, and they were also killed. I pointed out that the skeletons had not died when they crossed the barrier, indicating that they were still dead. Ju-Long would not listen."

"As the days passed, the red smoke began to grow, and smoke drifted across the countryside, while still encircling our house. I heard later that many crops, cattle, and people died because of that poisonous red fog Ju-Long had conjured but could not control. It rolled across the fields bringing death to all in it's path. More council wizards came out towards our house, followed by other great wizards, all trying to stop Ju-Long before more death could be caused. He sent out the skeletons, and they battled the wizards, who also had to try and stay away from the red smoke. This time, however, the skeletons lost. The lay broken on the ground, while wizards cast spells to keep them from coming to life again. When Ju-Long saw this, he became very angry, and went outside. He yelled at the wizards, telling them that he would not let them kill his ancestors. As he walked over the grass, a wizard shot out a killing curse, their only hope to stop the red smoke. Ju-Long fell to the ground dead, and the smoke began to clear away."

"They found me inside the house, tied to the chair, and questioned me for many hours. They wanted to know how I could let my husband do this? I told them, he was my husband, I did not let him do anything, he did what he wanted. How could I stop him? They treated me poorly, and said many bad things about me. I kept my head high, knowing there was nothing I could have done to stop him. I tried to live there at the house for awhile after it all happened while I tried to make other arrangements, but during one night, someone came to the house and set it on fire. If I had not awakened I would have died in that fire. Our large house, our beautiful things, all burned in the fire. I had no husband, no house. I had nothing left."

"After that, I traveled to Beijing. My family did not want me, and most of the wizarding folk in China had heard of me by then. No one would help me, no one would hire me. I tried selling potions for awhile, but I made very little. Then one day I met Mr. Yuan. He recognized me, and asked how I had been doing. I told him all that had happened, and he understood. He took me to his house and cared for me. He was so kind. We had a small but happy wedding. He is a good and kind man, and we are happy together."

Madam Yuan finished her tea, and set it on the saucer.

"And now you know all about me," she said, smiling. "Maybe one day you will tell me your story."

Warren and his group were in the dungeons, following up on Fuzz-Head's lead from Nearly-Headless Nick.

"He didn't say where this walled-up storeroom was?" Warren asked, running a hand along the wall as he delved deeper into the dungeons.

"No, he didn't remember," Fuzz-Head said. Warren sighed. This could take forever.

"Give me a moment," Kendra said, pulling a book out of her bag. It was the slim book on the architecture of Hogwarts, and she flipped through it. "The storeroom would have been in the original plans."

"Warren, since we didn't discuss what I would be doing while you were in Divination the other day, I decided to work on your Christmas list some more," Wilbur said. "Were you still wanting to get Augustus Gravelle a gift?"

"Absolutely," Warren said with no hesitation. "In fact, his gift will be the biggest challenge. I need to decide what he would truly value. I want to lure him into a false sense of security before ruining his life altogether."

"You help Warren with his Christmas list?" Fuzz-Head asked.

"Yes, it's quite a project every year, and if I didn't help he would get little else done," Wilbur said. "I go through and make sure all the regular people are on there: all his Professors, all the Ravenclaws in our year and on the Quidditch team, and his parents. Then Warren can go through the list, adding new people to the list, and deciding what he wants to give each and every person on the list. I then add those gifts to the shopping lists I always compile for our trips to Hogsmeade."

"When is our first Hogsmeade visit, Wilbur?" Warren asked, pulling out his wand and running it over the stones of the wall. Warren was very fond of his wand. It was made of ash, 8 1/2 inches, with a core of dragon heartstring. It was quite inflexible.

"They posted it on the notice board this morning. It will be next Saturday, and I have a preliminary list made, including stops at Scrivenshafts, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and Honeydukes," Wilbur said. Warren nodded his approval.

"Perhaps we'll get lucky and Ron Weasley will be in town," Warren said.

"Ok, I think I know where the storeroom is," Kendra said, looking up from the book. "It says here the storeroom was in the original plans, and was located on the east side of the dungeons, at the end of the corridor."

"Where are we now?" Warren asked. Kendra frowned and looked back the way they had come.

"Well, now, let's think about that for a moment," Kendra said. "We started in the Entrance Hall, and the entrance to the dungeons is roughly to the east. So as we were going downstairs we were going east to begin with, and at the foot of the stairs we could either go north or south. We chose south, and have proceed south for some time. I suggest we keep going until we find a passageway where we can take a left and be heading east again. If we don't find one, we'll have to go all the way back and take the north corridor."

They followed Kendra's advice, and headed down the corridor.

"Since we don't go to Hogsmeade until Saturday, I'll have to raid the kitchens for refreshments for our GSA meeting on Thursday," Warren said. "I can do that tonight."

Warren and Madam Yuan had started a regular nightly tea party in her rooms, and he figured after he and Madam Yuan had had their nightly tea, he could stop by the kitchens. He was enjoying his visits with Madam Yuan, as he found her calming and wise.

"Also, don't forget Quidditch tryouts the Monday after," Wilbur said. "You'll be expected to attend. We need a new Beater and a new Chaser. I'll write down a schedule for you. I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner."

"Thank you, Wilbur," Warren said. "Why don't you two play Quidditch?"

"I'm kind of clumsy on a broom," Fuzz-Head said.

"I've been waiting for a position to open," Kendra said. "I'll be finally attending tryouts this year. One of the Hufflepuff Chasers finished school last year, so I'm hoping I'll get my chance at last. I've been practicing with my sisters at home."

"Oh?" Warren said. "How many siblings do you have?"

"I have five sisters," Kendra said. "The older two are out of school and married, the next one younger than me is in her second year, and she's a Ravenclaw. I'm surprised you didn't know that. The youngest hasn't started yet."

"Ah, yes, you must be Katherine's sister," Warren said. "I just didn't make the connection. She seems like a very bright girl for her age. That's interesting you're not in the same house."

"So far it's been mixed. My older sister was in Hufflepuff, and then the next oldest was in Gryffindor. I'm in Hufflepuff, and Katherine's in Ravenclaw. If Kit ends up in Slytherin I won't be amused," Kendra said, then caught herself. "Not that there's anything wrong with that, I just don't think that would go along with our family values."

Fuzz-Head winked at her for her quick thinking.

"Ah, look," Kendra said, glad for a reason to change the subject. "A left turn. Just what we needed." It was another T-junction, and they turned left down the eastern corridor.

"How far down do you suppose it is?" Warren asked.

"The book says it was constructed at the end of the corridor. I'm guessing it dead-ends at a caved-in former entrance to the dungeons, based on what Nick told us," Kendra said.

Sure enough, after walking a little further, they saw the end of the corridor, a pile of bricks and huge chunks of rock with boards sticking out.

"Which side of the corridor? Does it say?" Wilbur asked. Kendra stared down at the book, as Warren pulled out his wand again and examined the walls.

"Lumos," he said, and his wand lit up. "Never mind, Kendra, I've found it."

They all turned to look, and saw the wand light illuminating the wall on the left side of the corridor. They could just make out the irregular shape the bricks made, and the contrast between the bricks.

"How do you want to remove the bricks?" Kendra asked, smiling in excitement as she stared up at the wall.

"I'm not sure. Do you think accio would work?"

"I suppose it might, if they're not too stuck in there."

Warren pointed his wand at a brick at the top of the door and said, "Accio!" The brick wiggled and dust trickled down the wall until the brick suddenly popped out of the wall. He pulled a few more bricks from the top with his wand, then they went up to the wall and looked in the gap. It was dark, so there wasn't a door. It must have just had a stone arched doorway. Warren reached up and easily pulled another brick out. Before long, all four of them were pulling bricks out and throwing them over to where the corridor ended. A strange unpleasant musty smell began to seep out of the chamber. It wasn't long before all the bricks were piled at the end of the corridor, and Warren illuminated his wand again so they could look inside.

Of course the first thing they saw was the first thing they were looking for, the remains of Urg the Unclean. Underneath a small pile of Goblin-made armor that had tarnished black over the centuries they could see a small skeleton with long spindly fingers. Next to the skeleton was a small tarnished shield and short sword.

The room itself wasn't very big. Two tall and wide cupboards were on either side, and the back wall was filled with old wooden shelves. On the shelves they could make out small, dust-covered potion bottles.

"Look, the bottom shelf broke, probably in the struggle," Kendra said, pointing to the wall. Some of the potion vials had broken when they fell, their contents long leaked out onto the floor. Some were still whole. Warren handed his wand to Wilbur to keep the light steady as he opened the first cupboard with delicate care. Inside were containers of all sizes and shapes, most likely for holding potion ingredients. Reaching over, Warren carefully opened the other cupboard, and found potion-making supplies.

The bottom of the cupboard held many small cauldrons, most of the pewter, but several cast-iron, a few that looked like silver, and one very decorative gold one. On the next shelf up were scales of all sizes and shapes, in bronze, gold, and steel. Most were very decorative and looked rather old-fashioned. The top shelf held a variety of mortar and pestles, and implements of all types. There were also several spare vials. Everything was coated in at least an inch of dust, and the wood of the cupboards looked like it had begun to mold in places.

"This is a wonderful discovery," Kendra said to Warren, smiling. Warren nodded.

"It's amazing." Warren took his wand back from Wilbur. "Let's get a full inventory of everything, including Urg's weapons and armor."

Warren and Kendra took opposite sides of the storeroom while Fuzz-Head held up a light. While carefully avoiding the remains of the Goblin warrior on the floor, they called out the contents of the room to Wilbur, who wrote them all down in his book. Warren had the potion ingredients side, and he tried to identify as many as he could. Some were dried up, shriveled, or molded beyond recognition. Some he consulted Kendra on.

After an hour, they had completed their inventory and sat down on the cold floor of the dungeon corridor to rest, and enjoy some cauldron cakes Wilbur had brought (they were his favorite).

"So what do we do now?" Fuzz-Head asked, trying not to look at the remains of Urg while he was trying to eat.

"I will write up a full report with an inventory, and we will present it to the Headmistress," Wilbur said. "Professor Sprout can then decide how to proceed. I imagine just trying to determine how to deal with the Goblin remains will be a project in itself. I imagine she'll have to notify someone in the Goblin Liaison Office. A lot of the potion-making tools are extremely valuable, and will probably be put somewhere where they'll be safe, and perhaps able to be viewed by students and guests."

"And Wilbur will have our first recorded victory in our mission for this year," Warren said.



Emerging from the dungeons, the group went to the first Professor they saw, Professor Longbottom ,who was strolling across the Entrance Hall towards the front doors, having found some more dragon-hide gloves to take back to the greenhouses.

"Professor Longbottom!" Warren called.

"Mr. Bones, how can I help you?"

"We need to see Professor Sprout, sir. It's very important," Warren said.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, we've just discovered something in the dungeons we think she should know about," Kendra said.

"Alright, I'll take you up to her office."

As they followed Professor Longbottom up the staircase towards the seventh floor, Warren came up beside him.

"I also wanted to ask you about something else," Warren said. "What do you know about the Whomping Willow?"

"What do you mean?" Professor Longbottom asked.

"I mean, why is it here? What purpose does it serve?"

"What purpose does it serve? It's an amazing and wondrous magical plant that brings interest and prestige to our school," Professor Longbottom said.

"Uh huh," Warren replied. "Do you know where it came from?"

"No, I don't think I do."

"Is it because it would be better if I didn't know, or do you really not know where it came from?"

"No, I really don't know much about it," Professor Longbottom said. "In fact, all I do know about it is that Harry Potter and Ron Weasley once crashed a flying car into it."

Warren thought about that. It seemed strange that their own Herbology professor knew almost nothing about the Whomping Willow. He was glad, however, that he now had something else he could ask Ron Weasley about if he found him in Hogsmeade.

The group made it to the seventh floor and were led to a gargoyle that Professor Longbottom stopped in front of.

"Flitterbloom," he said, causing the gargoyle to leap aside. The wall behind it opened to reveal a moving spiral staircase. They were led onto the staircase and it took them up to a door, which Professor Longbottom knocked on.

"Come in!" they heard Professor Sprout yell from inside. Professor Longbottom pushed open the door and led the students into the office.

"Professor Sprout, these students wanted to speak to you," Professor Longbottom said. They looked around the office. There were many unusual plants in different pots and planters around the office and on Professor Sprout's desk. Behind her on the walls were the many portraits of the past Headmasters, looking down at the group of students with curiosity. Warren stepped forward.

"Forgive us for bothering you, Professor Sprout, but we've been researching the school this year in our spare time, and we came across something in our research regarding an old potions storeroom in the dungeons," Warren said. He and Wilbur had decided it would be better to leave Sir Nicholas out of it altogether. "It was listed in the original plans of the school. When we looked into the history, we discovered that this storeroom had been bricked up since the Goblin rebellion of 1612, when a Goblin known as Urg the Unclean was trapped inside. We went down and after searching the dungeons we found the storeroom and removed the bricks, revealing the remains of Urg the Unclean and a variety of potions, potion ingredients, and some very rare potion-making tools. Wilbur here has written a report for you to read, and made an inventory of everything we found inside."

"Professor Longbottom, please find Mr. Yuan and send him down to guard that storeroom from anyone else who may stumble across it," Professor Sprout said. "The Goblins are not going to be happy about this, and they are going to want to claim the remains and whatever armor and weapons this Urg had on him. I'll need to contact the Goblin Liaison Office at once. What were you thinking opening up that storeroom?"

"We imagined that not only were there priceless tools and potions inside from centuries ago that should be found and displayed, but also that the Goblins would like to have their fallen hero back," Warren said.

"Yes, I'm sure you're right, but it's going to be a nightmare dealing with them," Professor Sprout said. "I am, of course, very impressed by your discovery."

"You will be sure to credit us with the discovery, then?" Warren said.

"Of course," Professor Sprout said, suddenly sounding exhausted. "Why don't you lot return to your common rooms now, I've got a lot of work to deal with."



Later that night, while most of the castle slept, Warren and Madam Yuan discussed the discovery of the storeroom over warm cups of tea.

"It is good that you were able to give the Goblins back their lost warrior," Madam Yuan said. "The British wizarding community has had many problems with the Goblins. Hopefully this will help bring them together."

"Is it different in China?" Warren asked.

"We have had our problems, but for the most part our dealings with the Goblins have been peaceful. The Goblins have their own way, is all," Madam Yuan said.

"A Ministry official from the Goblin Liaison Office showed up some time after with several Goblins," Warren said. "We were called back up to Professor Sprout's office to tell them our story. Things seemed kind of tense in that office, though."

"I imagine so," Madam Yuan said. "They did not want to upset the Goblins, and wanted to return to them what was there's."

"Yes, the Goblins seemed concerned we wouldn't give them the armor and weapons as well as the remains," Warren said.

"Goblins believe that whatever is made by Goblins belongs to them," Madam Yuan said. "In this instance, though, that was not in dispute. A lot of times, Goblins and Wizards have different ideas of ownership, especially when a wizard has bought something Goblin-made. The wizard believes it then belongs to him. The Goblins believe it always belongs to them."

"Professor Sprout was quick to assure these Goblins that the remains, armor, and weapons were inventoried, were all accounted for, and would be turned over to them. Once that was said, the Goblins seemed to relax. They'll be taking it all out tomorrow."

"What about the other items?" Madam Yuan asked.

"Professor Hooper has been assigned to go through and determine what every potion and ingredient is, making sure there's nothing too dangerous, and then everything will go into a display near the trophy room," Warren said. "Professor Sprout is having a plaque made to mark the date of the discovery and it will have our names on it as well."

"That is nice for you, Warren," Madam Yuan said. "You have your first discovery this year on your mission. I am happy for you."

"Thank you, Madam Yuan," Warren said.

"Are you troubled?"

"No, I just have a lot to think about. I have to stop by the kitchens when I leave here, I have our first GSA meeting tomorrow and I'll need to bring snacks. No doubt Augustus Gravelle will have something negative to say about them."

"Who is this Augustus?"

"He's a Slytherin. He's been giving me a hard time ever since we started at Hogwarts," Warren said.

"Oh yes, I know this boy. Tall, friendly boy?"

"Yes, usually."

"He seems very clever and pleasant," Madam Yuan said. "I think that you both are two sides to the same coin. Maybe what you dislike in eachother is what you dislike yourselves."

"He seems determined to make my life difficult," Warren said.

"Why do you think he does this?"

"I don't know. I've tried to understand him, and I've tried to make friends with him. He stops me at every turn."

"There are many reasons for rivalries. Perhaps he sees you as his competitor, to be eliminated at all costs so that he alone can be successful," Madam Yuan said. "However, he makes this process more difficult for himself by being your rival. If he could embrace you, you could help eachother to greatness. While you're divided, you only cause more problems for eachother. Two sides to same coin..."

Warren knew this. It's what had driven him to try and make peace with Augustus in the first place. Augustus would not allow it, though.

"How do you think I could get through to him?" Warren asked. Madam Yuan shook her head.

"Perhaps you can not. All you can do is try to show patience and kindness, and maybe he will see reason. Maybe he will always be your rival. Sometimes there is little to do be done."

"I want to get my revenge," Warren said. "I'd like to give him back what he's done to me."

"That is not the way," Madam Yuan said. "It will only distract you from your path."

"You don't think I should make him suffer as much as he's made me suffer?"

"What would that bring? Only more suffering. You have better things to do with your time than bringing suffering to others," Madam Yuan said.

"I suppose you're right. I should try to be the better man," Warren admitted, although nothing would please him more than to get his revenge on Gravelle.

"And you will be a better person for it," Madam Yuan said.

She set down her teacup and turned back to the tapestry she was repairing, the one of Barnabus the Barmy. The ballet-dancing trolls moved awkwardly across the tapestry while Madam Yuan picked up her needle and thread and continued where she left off.

"When I am finished, would you like to help me hang this back up on the wall?" Madam Yuan asked. "I don't like to bother Mr. Yuan with too much, he has enough to do."

"Sure, just let me know when you're done," Warren said, leaning back against the cushions to watch her work. After awhile, he knew he couldn't put it off any longer. He said goodbye to Madam Yuan and headed off to the kitchens.

"Welcome, everyone, to the first GSA meeting of the year," Warren said. "As you can see, Augustus and I had the same idea about bringing refreshments, so there's plenty to eat and drink."

Warren smiled a tight smile as everyone surveyed the food. Warren was even more annoyed with Augustus than usual. He had upstaged him by getting the house-elves to cook up some appetizers as opposed to the pumpkin pasties Warren had brought. Not to mention, now that the story of the lost potions storeroom had circulated all around the school, Augustus had a much better idea about what Warren and his friends were up to this year. Augustus was also about to make things even worse.

"First order of business, I say we elect a leader," Augustus said to the gathered students. In attendance in the library that day were Warren, Wilbur, Fuzz-Head, Kendra, Augustus, Delilah Booth, a Hufflepuff girl named Anne Ableson that Kendra had invited, and Augustus had brought someone he introduced as Arthur Finklestein. He was a short, pale Slytherin boy with thick glasses who looked more like a confused Hufflepuff. Also in attendance was a friendly Gryffindor boy named Martin Davis, who had stumbled over by accident and then decided it would only be appropriate to stay.

"I started this club, and I am the leader," Warren said.

"I think it would only be democratic if we voted on who the leader was," Augustus countered.

"I nominate Augustus Gravelle," Arthur muttered.

"I nominate Warren Bones," Kendra said, smirking. She was using a napkin to wipe crumbs off the table. They all sat there for a moment, waiting to see if anyone else was going to speak. "Any other nominations? No? Then let's vote."

"All those in favor of having Augustus be the new leader, raise your hands," Arthur said. He raised his hand, as did Delilah and, for some reason, Martin. Then to Kendra's dismay, Anne raised her hand.

"Anne!" Kendra hissed at her. Anne shrugged. She thought Augustus was cute.

"All those in favor of having Warren continue to be our leader?" Wilbur said. To no one's surprise, Wilbur, Kendra, and Fuzz-Head raised their hands.

"I guess I am to be the new leader, then," Augustus said with a winning smile. Warren tried to smile pleasantly, but all he could think about was casting the bat-bogey hex on Augustus. Warren moved out of his seat, and Augustus took his place at the head of the table. "Second order of business, we will need a secretary to take the minutes. I nominate Delilah."

"I nominate Kendra," Warren said.

Kendra won this time, with both Anne and Martin voting for her. Kendra didn't look like she knew whether to be pleased or not, but she pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill, and began recording the elections.

"Alright, now that we have a new leader and secretary, let's start with the one item of old business that I remember," Augustus said. "I believe at the end of last year we briefly discussed having some sort of a fundraiser to make money to host a GSA dance. Does anyone have any suggestions for a fundraiser?"

"Are we sure we even want to have a GSA dance?" Warren asked. "If I recall, you were the one who suggested this, and I failed to see what exactly having a dance would do to bring awareness to Slytherin discrimination."

"I agree," Kendra said. "What's going to differentiate this GSA dance from a regular dance? Are you only allowed to bring a Slytherin as your date? I think we could brainstorm a little longer and come up with more useful ideas."

"I think it's a fine idea," Arthur said.

"Yes, well, you would," Fuzz-Head said. "I imagine it would be your only chance to get a date."

"That was uncalled for," Augustus said.

"Yes it was, Fuzz-Head, you should apologize to Arthur," Warren said. Fuzz-Head sighed.

"Sorry, Arthur."

Arthur nodded.

"Ms. Kettleburn, since you're so against my idea, do you have any other suggestions?" Augustus asked.

"Actually, I think it might be a good idea to have a display in the Great Hall of notable Slytherin witches and wizards of history, with their portraits and their accomplishments," Kendra said. Warren could tell that Augustus was torn. While he had wanted to have a dance, you could tell he liked Kendra's idea too. "This would also require some fundraising, as we would need to acquire portraits and supplies, but I think it would be an excellent way to bring awareness to the great achievements of Slytherins through the years."

"I agree with Kendra," Delilah said. "I think that's a much better idea."

It was voted on, and everyone voted for Kendra's idea except for Augustus and Arthur.

"Alright, since that's settled, we need to agree on a fundraising idea," Augustus said, taking his loss well. He knew Kendra had the better idea. "Let's all take a moment and think about possible ideas for raising money."

While they sat there and tried to think of a plan, Martin leaned over to Warren.

"Do you have an Elfrida Clagg card?" he whispered. "I can trade you a Bertie Bott."

"Certainly," Warren said, pulling out his Chocolate Frog Cards Keeper. He flipped through the plastic pages of cards until he found Elfrida Clagg. He then turned to Bertie Bott. He had three. "Hmm. I don't think I need a Bertie Bott. Do you have a Ptolemy?"

"Er, let me check," Martin said. He flipped through his own pile, and to Warren's delight pulled out a Ptolemy card.

"This is why you came over in the first place, isn't it?" Warren asked. Martin nodded.

"But it's interesting, and I didn't mean to interrupt," Martin said

"Well then, I hope to see you at all our meetings."

"I'll be here," Martin said.

The group brainstormed a little longer, until Fuzz-Head spoke up.

"What about a raffle?"

"What would we raffle off?" Delilah asked.

"How about the top box seat at all of this year's Quidditch matches?" Fuzz-Head said.

"Do you mean the one reserved for the Headmistress?" Augustus said.

"Yes. We could ask her if she would mind sitting somewhere else in order to help us raise money for the GSA. I'm sure she wouldn't mind, it's not that big of a deal where you sit, but lots of people would want to have her seat for a year," Fuzz-Head said.

"I think that's a great idea," Martin said. "I'd love to sit in the top box for the whole Quidditch season."

"I agree," Warren said. He looked over to Augustus, who nodded.

"Does anyone disagree?" Augustus asked. No one did. "Alright, then. I'll approach Professor Sprout after the meeting and present our plan."

"I think we should all participate in selling raffle tickets, but we should assign someone to make a list of noteworthy Slytherins, and someone to gather the other supplies," Kendra said.

"I'd be happy to research noteworthy Slytherins," Delilah said. "In fact, there's probably several trophies and awards in the trophy room that we could get permission to bring out as well."

"That's a great idea, Delilah," Augustus said. "And I think Warren should be in charge of the supplies."

Warren sighed. Augustus had picked him, knowing how many other things he had to do. Warren refused to let him get under his skin, though.

"Certainly, Augustus, I'd be happy to," Warren said, clenching a fist under the table.

"Excellent. Is there anything we should discuss before closing the meeting?"



The GSA meeting dragged on a little longer. Delilah had started a conversation about common misconceptions about Slytherins, and Fuzz-Head and Kendra had gotten a little too excited about coming up with those. Augustus had to argue with Kendra that "slimy" was not a common misconception of Slytherins, and neither was "contagious."

Everyone sighed with relief when the meeting finally ended, and Warren asked Fuzz-Head, Kendra, and Wilbur to stay behind.

"Alright, that was unpleasant," Warren said.

"Don't worry, Warren, we're going to get that git," Fuzz-Head said.

"And I'll help you gather the needed supplies," Kendra said. "You've already got enough to do."

"Thank you, but let's remember for next time to keep the hostility to a minimum. It doesn't do any good to counteract hostility with hostility. We have to rise above it," Warren said, despite his strong desire to rise above Augustus and drop a rock on his head. "That being said, I think we all did a fantastic job bringing about our first discovery."

"Absolutely," Kendra said, going around and picking up all the plates the others had left all over the table. "It was so exciting, I can't wait until our next discovery."

"How are things going with the portraits, then?" Warren asked.

"Sir Cadogan is still collecting. He has a few more stops to make before I can claim my portrait gold and start bribing my way to some information," Kendra said.

"Good. Wilbur and I have plans to meet with Ron Weasley if he's in town when we go to Hogsmeade. We hope he can tell us more about the mysterious room on the seventh floor," Warren said.

"I still have ghosts to talk to," Fuzz-Head said. "Hopefully Professor Binns can tell me something helpful."

"Excellent. We all on the right track, and our first discovery was a sensation. Let's keep moving forward."



Kendra didn't have long to wait. The next morning, on her way down to breakfast, Sir Cadogan came galloping up to her.

"Fair lady! Great news! I have completed your quest!" he called out. Kendra was skeptical.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "You collected from all the portraits on the list?"

"Indeed! Sir Warburton himself has told me your money awaits!"

"Oh, Sir Cadogan, that's brilliant!" Kendra said. Bad timing, though. "Alright, I need you to bring some gold to that grumpy guy selling cheese and wine, and bring some cheese and wine up to the Fat Lady on the seventh floor. I'll meet you there."

"At once, my lady!" Sir Cadogan said, and he galloped off through a portrait of an elderly witch, who had to jump out of his way.

Kendra ran down the stairs to the Great Hall and ran over to the Ravenclaw table where Warren and Wilbur were eating breakfast.

"Warren, Wilbur, I'm off to talk to the Fat Lady," Kendra said, leaning over the table to stuff a few rolls and pastries into her robes.

"What Fat Lady?" Wilbur asked.

"The one in the portrait on the seventh floor! I've finally got my bribe money, and hopefully she'll have something to tell me," Kendra said, grabbing a sausage.

"Kendra, that's fantastic," Warren said, spreading marmalade onto his toast.

"Anyway, just popped down to grab something to eat. I've got to get up to the seventh floor," Kendra said, and she hurried out of the hall and up the grand staircase again. She was quite exhausted by the time she had reached the seventh floor, and she stood in front of the Fat Lady panting.

"Password?" the Fat Lady said. Kendra looked up, startled. Ah-ha! she thought. This really is the entrance to the Gryffindor common room.

"No, I don't want to go in," Kendra said. "I just wanted to talk to you about something." She looked around with growing impatience, wondering what was taking Sir Cadogan so long.

"My goodness, what is it?" the Fat Lady asked.

"Hold on, I have someone coming to bring you a gift," Kendra said. The Fat Lady looked curious as she swung open and let a Gryffindor step out, who almost toppled over Kendra.

"Hey, watch out," the boy said. "What are you standing there for anyway?"

"Oh, push off," Kendra said. She finally saw Sir Cadogan galloping along on his pony, clutching several bottles of wine and a large cheese wheel. She sighed with relief. "Look, I've brought you some cheese and wine."

The Fat Lady's eyebrows shot up as Sir Cadogan delivered the goods into her portrait without running her over. He raised the visor on his helmet, gave Kendra a triumphant smile, and galloped off again.

"What a thoughtful gesture," the Fat Lady said, inspecting a bottle of wine. She soon swung open again and let out another Gryffindor. Geez, Kendra thought, why aren't all these Gryffindors at breakfast already?

"I was hoping to talk to you about Hogwarts," Kendra said. "I don't know if you heard about the discovery of the potions storeroom..."

"Oh yes! Goodness, I had no idea it was even down there! And how dreadful about the dead goblin inside, that must have been unpleasant," the Fat Lady said.

"Yes, well, it was. Anyway, I was part of the group that found it. We're going around trying to discover all the secrets of the castle, and I was hoping you might have something you could tell me about," Kendra said.

The Fat Lady began to nibble on some cheese while she thought to herself. She seemed to be more focused on the cheese.

"You know, I rarely leave this portrait," she said. "What with my obligation and all. It would be unseemly for me to leave very often or for very long."

"Have you heard of any secret passageways, forgotten artifacts, anything like that?" Kendra prompted. The Fat Lady frowned and nibbled her cheese.

"Hmmm...Let me think," she said. Kendra pulled a roll out of her pocket and began eating it while she waited. "Oh! Well, there is something amusing that Peeves told me about." Kendra doubted Peeves would have had any great revelations about the castle, but she smiled politely for the Fat Lady to continue. When she was too busy with her cheese to notice, Kendra spoke up.

"Oh? What did Peeves tell you?"

"He told me that there's an old garderobe off the sixth floor corridor. There's a secret passageway behind a tapestry of a horse," the Fat Lady said, giggling to herself. "Can you imagine?"

"What's a garderobe?" Kendra asked.



On the next free period, Kendra hunted down the boys and hustled them into an empty classroom.

"Alright, I know this will hardly compare to the potions storeroom, but the Fat Lady did give me some information regarding a secret passageway on the sixth floor," Kendra said. "I say we go check it out. I told the Fat Lady I'd check back with her just in case she thought of anything else."

"Where does this secret passage lead to?" Wilbur asked, jotting notes down in his book.

"I'll tell you when we get there," Kendra said.

They followed Kendra up the staircases to the sixth floor, where she followed the corridor until she came to the tapestry of a rather large and mean-looking horse. She paused while Wilbur wrote down a description of the tapestry, then pulled it aside so that the boys could enter. The passageway beyond the tapestry was small and cramped. It was also rather long. Kendra suspected it went to the very southern-most side of the castle. It soon led to a door, which they pushed open, and led into another corridor. This one was shorter and led to another door.

"Why is there another door?" Warren wondered aloud.

"You'll see," Kendra said. They opened the second door and discovered what looked like a wardrobe. There was a very faint unpleasant smell, and a slight draft.

"What is this?" Fuzz-Head asked, walking into the room. There was only one window in the room, high up and it had no glass. There were a few torches on the wall for some reason, and at the back was a low wooden bench with a hole in the middle of it.

"It's a long-lost garderobe," Warren said. Kendra gave him a nervous smile.

"What's that?"

"A garderobe was used in medieval castles as a privy. It's like a wardrobe and privy combined, actually," Warren said. "Clothes were hung along the walls, and you relieved yourself over on the bench. The aroma of the garderobe kept moths away from the clothes. The hole in the bench usually goes all the way down to a moat, where there are bars to prevent enemies from climbing up the garderobe and gaining entrance to the castle."

"I imagine they'd have to be pretty determined enemies," Fuzz-Head said.

"Since Hogwarts has no moat, this hole must lead to the lake," Warren surmised. "The torches are here to try and keep it a little warmer in the winter, when it would be freezing in here. There's two doors leading to the garderobe to keep down the smell, which is also why there's a open window."

"So we've discovered a toilet," Fuzz-Head said. Wilbur was taking notes in his book, glancing around the garderobe.

"The Fat Lady was having a hard time thinking of anything," Kendra said. "I'm sure she'll come up with something better."

"No, it's rather fascinating," Warren said. "Could you imagine having to use the toilet on a cold winter's day, and having to come into this place? I wonder if there are any others in the castle."

"I'll be sure to let you know if I find out," Kendra said, trying not to sound too sarcastic. Fuzz-Head stared down the hole in the bench, Wilbur continued taking notes, and Warren was standing on the bench looking out the window when the door to the garderobe opened and Augustus walked in.

"What have we discovered today?" he asked, smiling.

"Augustus, were you following us?" Warren asked.

"Absolutely," Augustus said. "Since I now know what you guys were up to, I didn't want you to discover something without me."

"Well congratulations, Augustus," Warren said. "You can now have the honor of telling people you helped discover an extremely old toilet."

"Is that what this is?" he said, looking around the room. "It's a little less exciting than your last discovery."

"Can we help you with something, Augustus?" Kendra asked.

"Besides wanting to see what you had discovered today, I did want to tell you I spoke to Professor Sprout. She thought it was a marvelous idea, and gave us permission to continue with our plain," Augustus reported.

"That's good, then," Kendra said. "We need all the time we can get before the first Quidditch game to prepare, and to sell as many raffle tickets as we can."

"Well, then, I'll leave you all to your toilet," Augustus said. "I'll see you at the next meeting." After Augustus had left the room and they heard him go through the second doorway, Kendra turned to look over at Warren.

"I'm sure he told Professor Sprout it was all his idea, as well," Kendra said.

"I doubt that," Warren said. "Augustus is a solid guy. I'm sure he simply told her the plan, and allowed her to believe it was his idea. I suppose we can start getting supplies as well when we go to Hogsmeade." He looked down at Fuzz-Head, who now actually had his head in the hole. "Fuzz-Head, what are you doing?"

"There's something down there," Fuzz-Head said. Wilbur dropped his quill and Kendra's eyes widened. Warren frowned.

"Can you tell what it is?" Warren asked.

"No. The hole goes straight down and then bends towards the lake, and there's something there at the bend," Fuzz-Head said, his voice echoing into the hole. He pulled out his wand and pointed it down the hole.

"Accio!" Fuzz-Head said, but he didn't expect much. Usually if you were going to use a summoning spell, it helped to know what you were summoning in the first place.

"How far down do you think it is?" Warren asked.

"I can't really tell," Fuzz-Head said.

"Do you think you could reach it if I lowered you down and held onto your feet?"

"I don't know," Fuzz-Head said, looking terrified at the idea.

"Would you be willing to try it?"

"I suppose." Fuzz-Head looked anything but thrilled at the idea, but he was always willing to help. Fuzz-Head laid down on his stomach with his head by the hole, and Warren held onto his feet. He pulled himself into the hole with some help from Warren, who held tight to his feet as he lowered him down.

"Think you can reach it?" Warren called down to him.

"I'm too far away, still," Fuzz-Head said. Warren looked over to Wilbur. Wilbur came over and grabbed onto Warren's feet.

"I don't think this is very safe," Kendra said. "Maybe we should think of something else."

"I'm almost there!" Fuzz-Head called. Wilbur lowered Warren down the hole, his arms wrapped around his legs. "Just a little bit further!"

Sighing with effort, Wilbur moved closer to the hole, lowering Warren further. Kendra could tell that the strain of holding two people upside down in a hole was starting to be too much for Wilbur. Fuzz-Head must have lurched in an attempt to reach whatever was done there, because Warren's whole body shifted, pulling Wilbur off balance, and all three fell down the hole.

"Oh! Oh no! Wilbur! Warren! Fuzzy!" Kendra cried, running to the edge of the hole. "Are you alright?" Her voice echoed down into the hole, and she heard nothing back. Of course, who knew how far the hole had to travel to get to the lake, and she hoped that it emptied over the lake and didn't go below water level. If it did, her three friends were trapped up against a metal grate under water and unless they could climb back out of the water they would drown. On the other hand, the metal grate was there to prevent enemies from climbing up the garderobe hole into the castle, so it must have been a possibility that someone could climb up the hole. Kendra decided she wasn't taking any chances. She ran out of the room.



Fuzz-Head, Warren, and Wilbur slid down the length of the hole, crashing into the bars at the end. The hole ended just over the lake, much to Warren's relief, and he was hoping they'd be able to climb back up.

"Are either of you hurt?" Warren asked, looking around in the dim light.

"I'm fine," Wilbur said, pulling himself upright.

"Me too, but this guy isn't," Fuzz-Head said, rolling to his side to reveal the skeleton he had dislodged from the bend in the tunnel.

"Oh dear, another corpse," Warren said. "We're going to get a reputation."

The skeleton was black with age and who knows what else. Like the goblin, this corpse was also in armor, which must have been how he had gotten stuck in the first place. He also had a shield, a sword, and a number of pouches on his belt. The armor was tarnished as black as the skeleton inside.

"Who do you suppose he was?" Wilbur asked.

"That's a good question," Warren said. "He must have been from medieval times, and someone pushed him into the garderobe hole. These bars may be old, but they're solid."

"Who would have pushed him?"

"There's no way to know until we know who he is," Warren said. He stepped over Wilbur and tried to crawl up the hole. The angle was steep, and there was really nothing to grab onto. Warren didn't know why they felt the bars were necessary, it would take an acrobat to get up this tunnel.

"What will we do?" Wilbur asked.

"We'll have to wait until Kendra returns with help," Warren said. They didn't have to wait long, but while they did they inspected their new find. The pouches on the the skeletons belt turned out to have herbs in them. Perhaps potion ingredients. One of the pouches had some old coins that were so worn it was impossible to make out what may have been on them.

They were too far down to hear Kendra calling down to them, but after about an hour they saw an iron bar tied to a rope slide down the hole and clank against the corpse's shield. There was a note wrapped around the bar which read, "One at a time, please." Wilbur was pulled up first, and Warren was surprised by how fast the iron bar was slid back down. Whoever was up there must be very strong and wasn't Kendra. He hoped it wasn't Augustus. He sent Fuzz-Head up next. When the iron bar finally slid back down the hole the last time, Warren grabbed onto the skeleton by his breast plate. Whoever was pulling the rope behind to haul Warren up, and it took longer this time with the added weight.

At last Warren could see top of the hole, and was pulled up over the edge. Strong arms grabbed him around the middle and pulled him the rest of the way out, bringing the armored skeleton with him.

"What is that?" Warren heard a man cry, and he looked over to see Mr. Yuan had been their rescuer, and he was pointing at the skeleton.

"That's what we were trying to get to when we all fell in," Warren said, relieved he had not been rescued by Augustus.

"You should be more careful," Mr. Yuan said. He was a short, wiry man, but he had a kind smile. Madam Yuan had chosen better this time.

"Believe me, that's my last voyage down a garderobe," Warren assured him.

"What strange luck you have, Mr. Bones. Maybe that's why you're last name is Bones, because you find so many."

"Mr. Bones, I've been dealing with Ministry officials with the Goblin Liaison Office, as well as goblins for the last few days regarding your last discovery, and now you bring me the corpse of a wizard you found in a toilet?" Professor Sprout questioned, peering at Warren from across her desk.

"I didn't set out to find a dead body; we were only investigating a secret passageway that revealed a garderobe, and there was the body," Warren said. Professor Sprout sighed.

"What is it with you, then?" she asked. "What makes you do these things?"

"What do you mean?" Warren asked.

"I mean ever since you started here at Hogwarts you've had some sort of mission which has led to disruption of some sort. Every year, you arrive as if something were driving you. What is it, Warren?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"You have excellent grades, and you participate fully in your education. However, you seem to alienate your fellow classmates, and seem to have trouble relating to them. I've seen the way you join or start social groups, or keep your careful collection of Chocolate Frog cards for trading, and yet still seem to go through school an outsider. Then there are these missions of yours, as if something's propelling you to keep busy at all costs," Professor Sprout said. "In all seriousness, I'm concerned for your emotional well-being. What is it, Warren?"

"I think it's important to expand my mind and make myself useful," Warren said. Professor Sprout sighed.

"I think there's more to it than that, Warren, and I think you do too. You're too smart a boy to not be aware of it. Maybe all you need is someone to talk to."

"I have someone to talk to," Warren said. Professor Sprout looked back at his expressionless face.

"Forgive me, but I don't think Mr. Wag really counts. I was thinking you should talk to someone older, someone who could have a deeper understanding of your problems and help you work through them."

"I have someone to talk to," Warren repeated. "Not Wilbur, but someone older and wiser than myself."

"Do you discuss your feelings with this person?" Professor Sprout asked.

"To some extent," Warren said.

"I think it would be in your best interest if you allowed yourself to open up to this person, whoever it is, because you can't keep going on like this, Warren."

"Why not? What harm am I causing?"

"None that I know of, only continued harm to your emotional stability," Sprout said. "Warren, I wish you would talk to me, and start to realize that it isn't you against the world."

"I think you have a biased opinion of me, Professor Sprout," Warren said, his face still blank. "I appreciate your concern, but I believe I am emotionally stable."

Professor Sprout knew she was nowhere close to cracking that exterior. The boy had immediately seemed to withdraw into himself as soon as she had started discussing his emotional well-being. There was no doubt in her mind that he was a troubled young man, going through life the best way he could until he wouldn't be able to do it any more. She also didn't know how she could help him.

"Will you at least do me a favor, Warren?" Professor Sprout said. "As long as you're harming no one but yourself, there's little I can do without your cooperation. I just ask a small favor."

"What is it?" Warren asked.

"Simply that you continue to talk to this person you've been talking to. You don't have to tell me who it is, I just would feel better knowing that you're at least talking to someone who will listen to you, and help you deal with whatever you happen to be going through," Professor Sprout said.

"I will do that," Warren said. Professor Sprout nodded.

"Now then, I don't suppose you have any idea who this might be?" she asked, pointing to the body.

"No, we really did find him by accident. Kendra suggested that a closer examination of his armor might at least give you a better idea of the time period in which he died, if nothing else," Warren said. Professor Sprout nodded again.

"Alright, I'll send a message to the Ministry and see how they wish to proceed," she said. "You should probably head on up to your dormitory."

"Is that all then?" Warren asked.

"It is for the time being," Professor Sprout said, and she watched as the young man hurried out of her office.



Saturday turned out to be a beautiful fall day, perfect for the first trip to Hogsmeade. Wilbur led the way, with Warren slightly behind, lost in his own thoughts. Kendra and Fuzz-Head trailed behind, just happy to be out of the school for a nice day in town. There first stop, as planned by Wilbur, was Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.

The joke shop was as busy as ever, packed with Hogwarts students marveling over the many innovative Weasley originals such as the Skiving Snackboxes and the Patented Daydream Charms. As Wilbur led the small group through the crowded store, a first year standing nearby suddenly turned into a canary, much to the amusement of his friends. Wilbur soon found an employee, a young woman re-stocking some love potions while a group of young girls crowded in.

"Excuse me, but could you tell me if Mr. Weasley is here today?" Wilbur said. Warren watched as Fuzz-Head demonstrated the use of a fake wand.

"Which one?" the young woman asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Ronald Weasley," Wilbur said.

"Sure, he should be at the counter," she said. "If not, whoever is at the counter can fetch him for you."

Wilbur thanked her and pushed his way towards the counter, giving up on the other three. Kendra seemed to have eaten a nose-bleed nougat, and Warren was digging through a Skiving Snackbox to find the antidote. When Wilbur made it up to the counter, there indeed was Ron Weasley, talking to a third year boy about Bruise Remover Paste.

"Excuse me, sir. I was hoping I might speak to you," WIlbur said. Ron looked over at WIlbur.

"What can I do for you?"

"My friends and I are trying to discover all the secrets of Hogwarts that we can this year, and we were wondering if you could tell us something about a magical room on the seventh floor of the castle that's mentioned in Harry Potter's biography," Wilbur said.

"The seventh floor....."Ron said, seeming to be lost in thought. "Oh yeah! The Room of Requirement, you mean?"

"I suppose so," Wibur said. "Could you tell me about it?"

"It's this room that's only there if you're looking for it and need it for something," Ron said, looking more animated as he thought about the past. "In our fifth year, we needed a place to practice Defense Against the Dark Arts, and the room gave us cushions and books and everything we could need."

"That's amazing," Wilbur said.

"It can also turn into a room to hide things in, and inside is everything that's been hidden in there over the years," Ron said. "Although it might be a bit crispy now that I think about it. There was an incident at the Battle of Hogwarts."

Wilbur was riveted, and was just about to ask Ron to tell him more, when a woman came out from the back room. She had long bushy brown hair, and was followed by a young, red-haired boy. This could only be Hermione Weasley.

"Ron, you're not trying to get more students in trouble, are you?" Hermione said, leaning over the counter.

"Er, no. I was just talking to this boy here about....Quidditch." Hermione raised a skeptical eyebrow at her husband, who turned as red as his hair. He turned to Wilbur. "It was nice talking to you."

Wilbur went off to find Warren. He was standing with a growing crowd of students around Kendra. Her nose had not stopped bleeding, and the poor clerk was desperately trying to find the other end of the Nosebleed Nougat to give to her, since that would stop the bleeding. In her panic, she ended up turning Kendra into a canary for a brief moment, and then gave her a Puking Pastille before finally pulling off one end of a Nosebleed Nougat and getting the bleeding to stop. Exasperated, Kendra ran out of the store before anything else could happen to her, and the boys followed her out.

"That was humiliating," Kendra said, incensed. "Not only did I have to stand there bleeding everywhere, and get turned into a canary, but I also had the privilege of having all my classmates watch as I vomited in the middle of a joke shop."

"What possessed you to eat it in the first place?" Wilbur asked, pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing a few spots of blood off her cheek.

"That would be Fuzz-Head over there," Kendra said, looking even more annoyed. Fuzz-Head had the decency to looked chagrined.

"I thought it would be funny," he said. "I didn't know it would turn into a spectacle."

"There was some good that came out of the whole ordeal, though," Wilbur said. Warren looked over at him excitedly.

"Did you talk to him? Did you talk to Ron Weasley?"

"I did, and you're going to be very pleased about what he managed to tell me before his wife pulled him away," Wilbur said, smiling.



The group decided after the debacle at the joke shop to go to the Three Broomsticks for a little while before they continued shopping. They ordered Butterbeers, and Wilbur told them all about his talk with Ron Weasley.

"So how do you find it?" Warren asked, leaning forward on his elbows.

"He said you have to really want to find it and need it for something," Wilbur said.

"That's it? He didn't say anything else about it?"

"His wife interrupted," Wilbur said. "But we can find it. I suggest we go up to the seventh floor as soon as we get back to the school. Then, we can all concentrate on finding this room where all the hidden stuff is, and the room should present itself."

"What if there's more to it than that?" Warren said.

"I don't know," Wilbur said. "But it's more than we had before." Warren nodded, staring off into space. "Are you alright? You seem sort of distracted today."

"Hmmm? Oh, yes. I'm fine," Warren said.

"Have you thought any more about your Christmas list?"

"Broomstick servicing kits for the Quidditch team," Warren said.

"What about your parents?" Wilbur asked.

"Oh...I don't know," Warren said.

"And have you had any thoughts about Augustus?"

"Many. Most of them violent."

"I meant about his Christmas present," Wilbur said. Fuzz-Head grinned.

"No, I have no idea. I have to get to know him better somehow," Warren said, "along with about 100 other things on my to-do list."

"Oh yes, don't forget we need to get supplies for the GSA," Kendra said. Warren sighed.

"Alright. What kind of supplies?"

"We'll need easels to display portraits, some tables for displaying trophies, parchment and quills for making signs......"Kendra rattled off, but Warren suddenly set his head down on the table.

"What is it Warren?" Wilbur asked. Warren shook his head.

"I'm having a bad day, is all," Warren said. "Wilbur, do you have a completed shopping list for today?"

"I have the basics you need to purchase that you didn't get in Diagon Alley: some more sweets from Honeydukes, and your special quills and parchment from Scrivenshaft's. I have down broomstick servicing kits for the Quidditch team, but we didn't think to stop in Quality Quidditch Supplies while we were in Diagon Alley. It's alright, though, we'll order them. I have the rest of your Christmas list, but you haven't made any further progress on it since your recent revelation about the Quidditch Team," Wilbur said.

"Alright. We'll go to Gladrags for new robes for Mum and Dad. Augustus I'm still working on. What should I get the other students in our year?"

"We'll need to go back to Weasley Wizard Wheezes, I'm afraid. They'll have everything anyone would want. Perhaps a joke item and then some sweets?" Wilbur suggested.

"That leaves the Professors," Warren said.

"Oh let's just shop," Kendra said. "I'm much better at getting people gifts when I'm actually browsing in the shops for stuff. I'm not going back in the joke shop, however. I'd be happy to pick up whatever you need at Scrivenshaft's, though, I need to pick up a few items myself. As for the GSA stuff, we'll worry about that later."

"Excellent," Warren said.

"I'll go with her, I need to stop by Dervish and Banges to see if they can repair my telescope," Fuzz-Head said.

"He prefers the black and gold pheasant quills," Wilbur said. "He'll also need the full spectrum of colors when it comes to ink, and a large amount of standard parchment."

Warren pulled out his money bag and poured some out for Kendra.

"Thank you," Warren said. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem," Kendra said.



After they had finished their Butterbeers, Wilbur and Warren headed up to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes once again, while Kendra and Fuzz-Head headed towards Scrivenshaft's. Warren and Wilbur picked out several different varieties of Headless Hats for the fourth year boys, and some WonderWitch products for the fourth year girls.

"What about Kendra and Fuzz-Head?" Wilbur said to Warren as they walked out with their bags on their way over to Honeydukes.

"I was thinking of getting Kendra some Mrs. Skower's Magical Mess Remover. You know how she likes everything to be clean," Warren said. Wilbur nodded. "I'm not sure about Fuzz-Head."

"Oh! I have an idea. Fuzz-Head is a big fan of the Holyhead Harpies. I'll order something related to them when I send my order to Quality Quidditch Supplies," Wilbur said.

"Oh, that's a great idea. Look, two great reasons for going into Quality Quidditch Supplies when we had the chance."

"We couldn't have known," Wilbur said. As they neared Honeydukes they spotted Augustus walking with Delilah Booth. She looked up and saw them, smiling.

"Warren! Wilbur!" she said, waving them over. "I've been finding some great portraits for our display."

"That's wonderful," Warren said. "What else are you two up to today?"

"I have Christmas shopping," Augustus said. "You can never start too early."

"That's the truth," Warren said, wracking his brain for something to say that might give him some clue to what Augustus might like for a Christmas present.

"What are you hoping to get this year?" Wilbur asked, to Warren's amazement.

"I'm hoping my parents get me the new Firebolt. Mine's still pretty good, but I could always use an upgrade," Augustus said. That didn't help, Warren thought. He'd have no way of knowing whether his parents intended to buy him the new Firebolt or not, unless of course he contacted them, and that would be strange. "How about you?"

"Oh, I hope I get lots of sweaters," Wilbur said. "I'm always too cold in the winter."

"And you, Warren?" Augustus said. "What are you hoping for this Christmas?"

Warren knew then that Augustus was planning to get him a Christmas present as well.

"Peace on Earth, goodwill towards men," Warren said, smiling at Augustus. Augustus nodded.

"Well, it was nice to see you again," he said. "Delilah and I need to stop by the post office before we start shopping."

As they walked away, Warren had two thoughts: First, when did Augustus and Delilah get so friendly? Second, Augustus didn't have an owl.

"Augustus doesn't have an owl," Wilbur said, as if reading Warren's mind. Warren nodded.

"I wonder why?" Warren said.

"Oh wait, I remember. His owl died last year, don't you remember? You laughed about it for days," Wilbur said. That's right. Warren recalled now that one morning, while everyone was enjoying breakfast and the morning owls were swooping in. Augustus's owl, a tawny owl, had fallen through the window rather than swoop, and slammed into the Hufflepuff's table, much to their shock. The poor owl was pulled out of a large tureen of porridge, quite dead. Warren had felt bad for the poor owl, but was rather amused it had happened to Augustus. With later events in the year, though, he had quite forgotten about the incident.

"That's great," Warren said. "I shall get him the most impressive eagle owl I can find."

"I'm sure the post office will let us purchase one," Wilbur said.



It was a long day of shopping when the group met up with each other once more at The Three Broomsticks. Dervish and Banges said it would take several weeks to repair Fuzz-Head's telescope, and he wasn't happy about that. Kendra presented Warren with his lovely new quills and a wide variety of ink. She had even picked him up some color-changing ink he was quite impressed by. Warren and Wilbur had lots of bags, from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, Honeydukes, and Gladrags. They also had a large cage, covered in a cloth, which held Augustus's new owl.

"That will make three birds you know have in the Ravenclaw tower," Kendra pointed out.

"It will be worth it to present this to Augustus," Warren said.

"Are you staying at school for Christmas?" Kendra asked.

"Yes, I always stay here for Christmas. I always have too much to do," Warren said. "Wilbur always stays as well, though I don't require him to."

"Well, my sisters and I always are expected to go home for the holidays," Kendra said. "But if there's anything you need me to work on while I'm gone, just let me know."

"Me too," said Fuzz-Head. "I'm going home too, but it'll be boring."

"Thank you," Warren said. "You two have been invaluable to this year's mission."

"It's been a lot of fun," Kendra said.

They finished off another round of Butterbeer while Wilbur ran down his list one more time.

"Any more shopping to do?" Warren asked. Wilbur shook his head.

"I think we're doing quite well," he said. "And we'll have another Hogsmeade trip before Christmas, so you can be deciding what to get the Professors."

"Well, then, I propose we head back to the castle," Warren said. "We have a secret room to find."



Two hours later, the group had put away their purchases in their common room. Warren's house-mates had been a little startle to see Warren returning with yet another bird. The four friends had then met on the seventh floor, unsure of where to begin.

"He didn't say where on the seventh floor this room might be?" Kendra asked Wilbur. Wilbur shook his head.

"No, he didn't. As I said, we had little time before Mrs. Weasley came over," Wilbur said. "However, I think we should just walk up and down the corridors, concentrating on finding the room. Particularly the hidden objects room."

With little to go on and no other options, the four students concentrated on finding the room. They each went in different directions, staring at the walls and thinking about their discovery, giving them a rather odd, blank look as they passed by the occasional student. Peeves, noticing the group's lack of attention to where they were going, set up a few hazards for them to trip over that work successfully on both Warren and Fuzz-Head. Fuzz-Head tripped over a suit of armor Peeves had knocked over, and Warren tripped over a text book Peeves had stolen from a nearby classroom. Peeves zoomed down the corridor, laughing madly.

"Peeves! I could have broken my neck!" Warren yelled down the hall, running after the poltergeist, but Peeves had zoomed off down the staircase.

The four friends soon found themselves at the seventh floor landing again.

"Did anyone find anything?" Warren asked. Wilbur and Fuzz-Head shook their heads. Kendra sighed.

"I didn't find the room either, but I did bump into Sir Cadogan. He says he bribed an old warlock down on the second floor into agreeing to talk to me," Kendra said.

"Does he have something interesting to tell you?" Warren asked. Kendra shrugged.

"I don't know, Sir Cadogan didn't say. He just said he'd bought the fellow some wine and asked him if he'd be interested in talking to me about Hogwarts and he said yes," Kendra replied. "I suppose I'll go check it out. Maybe he'll have something interesting to say."

"I'd really like to find this missing room," Warren said, frustrated. He kicked the wall.

"I don't think that will help," Wilbur said. "Perhaps there's some sort of spell that has to be said to reveal the room, although if there was I would think Mr. Weasley would have mentioned it."

"How did Harry Potter find the room?" Kendra asked. Warren thought about this, trying to remember what he had read. He shook his head.

"The book didn't say. All I remember it saying was that it was there when they needed it for Dumbledore's Army. Later, it was used to bring Death Eaters into the school via the Vanishing Cabinet inside. Then it was mentioned in the Battle of Hogwarts as a means for getting people, including Harry and his friends, into the castle from Hogsmeade," Warren said.

"Wait. How? Throught the Vanishing Cabinet again?" Kendra asked.

"I don't think so. I believe the cabinet was removed after the Death Eaters got in," Warren said, frowning. "That's a good point, Kendra. How was this room used to get people from Hogsmeade into the castle?"

"It seems to me there must be some place in Hogsmeade that connects to the room," Kendra said.

"Ron Weasley didn't say anything about that," Wilbur said. "He said they got to it through a seventh floor corridor."

"Yes, but the biography clearly states that there's a way to get to it from Hogsmeade," Warren said.

"That seems strange to me," Kendra said. "Who all do you suppose knows about the Hogsmeade way?"

"Anyone who came into the castle the night of the Battle of Hogwarts through the room," Warren said.

"Professor Longbottom would know, but he's not about to tell us, I'd wager," Fuzz-Head said.

Warren walked up the corridor slowly, thinking and running his wand along the wall. The others followed him, thinking about finding the room and staring at the stone walls. It was getting late in the evening, however, and they knew they'd have to go back to their common rooms soon. When Warren reached the stained-glass window at the end of the corridor, he turned and sighed.

"Alright. It's going to take some more effort to find this room, but it is here somewhere and it's been found before," Warren said. "We'll have to go back to our common rooms, now, but perhaps we can meet up again in the morning?"

The others agreed. Kendra and Fuzz-Head headed downstairs for the Hufflepuff common room, while Warren and Wilbur headed for Ravenclaw tower.

"You look exhausted," Wilbur said.

"I am," Warren said. "I think I shall sleep for just a little while, though, and then I'll need to sneak out again."

"Whatever for?" Wilbur asked.

"I'm just going to visit Madam Yuan. We like to have tea in the evenings."

Warren was felt tired as he was welcomed into Madame Yuan's sitting room and sat down in chair by the fire. Madame Yuan brought out a beautiful tea tray with a hand-painted tea set and began pouring cups of tea for the both of them.

"How are you doing today?" Madame Yuan asked, settling down into her own chair.

"I'm very frustrated," Warren said. He was surprised with himself; he realized he didn't talk about his feelings very often. He took a sip of warm, soothing tea.

"What's wrong? Have a bad day?"

"Professor Sprout thinks that I'm 'harming my emotional stability.' A nice way of saying that I'm mad, and that I keep finding dead bodies everywhere," Warren said. Now that he had started, he knew it was all going to come out. There was something calming about it. Maybe Professor Sprout was right about something, at least.

"I don't think she thinks you’re mad," Madame Yuan said.

"You didn't hear her going on and on about what a weirdo I am."

"She's just concerned, I think. Trying to help. You shouldn't be too hard on her."

"I suppose you're right, but there are some things I just don't want to discuss with her."

"Do you discuss them with anyone?"

Madame Yuan was quick, and this conversation was starting to sound like the one he'd had with Sprout.

"I don't want to talk about this any more," Warren said, staring off into the fire. Madame Yuan nodded in understanding.

"You don't have to, Warren, but you always can if you want to," she said. "I told you all about my scary first husband, although maybe not everything. You talk when you want to talk. When you have to."

Warren thought about that. It was like Professor Sprout had said, of course. Do something before you have a nervous breakdown. He had no idea he had been causing such misplaced concern in others. He'd have to do something about that.

"We went to Hogsmeade today," Warren said, changing the subject.

"Did you buy many things?"

"Many," Warren said. "I began my Christmas shopping, and got some school supplies I didn't get in Diagon Alley. I now have three different birds in my possession, two of which I'm keeping in Ravenclaw tower. I bought Augustus an owl for Christmas."

"You two are getting along now?"

"No, no. I just thought it would be proper to get him something nice for Christmas, as I'm sure he's already planning to get me something, and I knew his other owl had an accident." Warren smiled as he thought about the tragic last descent of Augustus's owl.

"He still bothers you, then?"

"Yes. I'm sure I shouldn't let it bother me, but sometimes it more than I could stand," Warren said, and then realized he was saying too much. No wonder everyone thought he was crazy. "We bumped into him again in Hogsmeade, shopping with Delilah Booth. I didn't realize they were getting so friendly. I could tell he was trying to get me to tell him what I wanted for Christmas. Of course, I was doing the same thing."

"Why would you buy presents for people you don't like?" Madame Yuan asked.

With the question brought up so simply, Warren really had no idea how to answer it. Why was he buying Augustus a Christmas present when he couldn't stand him? Why did he associate with him at all, for that matter? What was wrong with him?

"Because....Because if I don't, Augustus will think I'm purposefully not getting him a gift because I'm being petty, especially since he's planning on getting me a gift," Warren tried to explain.

"You should tell him not to buy you gifts, and then you won't buy him gifts either."

"It's a little more complicated than that," Warren said, even though a part of him knew it wasn't really. "Augustus and I see each other socially, with the GSA and with Quidditch. He's in the same year, we have many things in common, and it's impossible to avoid each other."

"This is a problem."

"Let's talk about something else," Warren said, taking a larger swig from his tea.

"What else did you do in Hogsmeade?"

"Oh! I almost forgot. We talked to Ron Weasley at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and found out about the mystery room mentioned in Harry Potter's biography. It's called the Room of Requirement and it's somewhere on the seventh floor, but none of us could figure out how to find it."

"Hmmm. Mr. Weasley says it's on the seventh floor but it's not?"

"I'm sure we just can't find it. There's probably a secret passage or something," Warren said. "Has Mr. Yuan ever mentioned finding the room?"

Madame Yuan thought for a moment, setting her tea down.

"What's in this room?" she asked.

"It sounds like the room has in it whatever you happen to need at the time you find it," Warren said.

"I don't think Mr. Yuan ever mentioned this."

"He may have found it by accident before and didn't even realize what it was," Warren said.

"Well, speaking of the seventh floor, I need some help with a tapestry this evening if you would like to help me," Madame Yuan said.

"Sure, what kind of help do you need?"

"I've finished repairing the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy and I need help hanging back on the wall in it's home. If you could come with me, we could put the tapestry back and maybe have better luck finding your magic room."

"That sounds like a great idea," Warren said, smiling for the first time that evening.


Some time later, Warren and Madame Yuan were on the seventh floor corridor, holding the tapestry carefully between them. They soon came to a lighter rectangle of wall where the tapestry had always hung and came to a stop.

"Do you have a ladder?" Warren asked. Madame Yuan took the other end of the tapestry and carefully folded it back onto itself so she could hold it by herself.

"Yes, there should be one in the broom cupboard at the end of the hall," Madame Yuan said, pointing down the corridor. Warren headed down the hall towards the broom cupboard to get the ladder, when Madame Yuan spoke again. "Oh no, Warren. I think I left it in the empty classroom back the way we came after Mr. Yuan and I used it to remove the tapestry."

Warren turned around and headed back down the corridor, heading for the empty classroom. Once there, he peered in the darkened room and saw nothing. He lit up his wand and looked around inside, but there was no ladder.

"It's not here," Warren said, coming back out of the classroom. Madame Yuan frowned, leaning against the wall under the weight of the tapestry.

"Someone must have put it back in the broom cupboard after all, then," she said apologetically. Warren nodded, and headed back down the corridor the other direction, determined to find that ladder in the broom cupboard. Suddenly, behind him, Madame Yuan gasped. He turned around and saw her pointing at the opposite wall. Warren turned to look. A door had materialized out of the wall where there had been nothing but wall before.

"What did you do?" Warren asked. Madame Yuan shook her head.

"I did nothing."

Warren went up to the door and looked inside. There was a large room beyond the doors, filled all the way across by ladders of all shapes and sizes. There were short stepladders, tall aluminum ladders, old wooden ladders, rope ladders, and any ladder anyone could ever think of, all filling up the room behind the doors. Warren backed out of the room.

"I think we've found the Room of Requirement!" Madame Yuan came over to him and looked into the room.

"Oh my goodness, so many ladders," she whispered. Warren grabbed the sturdiest looking ladder and took it over to the wall across for the Room of Requirement.

"It must have been me walking by it, thinking about ladders, that made it appear," Warren said, thinking to himself. "How many times did I walk by the wall where the door is?"

"Three times. Twice I sent you to the broom cupboard, and once to the classroom."

"That must be it. Walk by it three times thinking about what you need, and it appears," Warren said, smiling. "Thank you, Madame Yuan, without you I may have never figured it out!"

"I should lose things more often," Madame Yuan laughed.

Warren went back to the ladder and climbed up, then realized he had no idea how they were going to do this.

"How do you want to put the tapestry on the wall?" Warren asked.

"Sticking charm," she replied. "Some tapestries and portraits have permanent sticking charms and I can't take them down to repair them, but this one just had a standard one. Hold it up by the top corners so I can charm the back of the tapestry, then just stick it to the wall."

Warren did as he was told, holding the tapestry out from the top of the ladder as Madame Yuan waved her wand over the back surface. When she was finished, Warren slowly turned on the ladder and placed the tapestry on the wall along the edges of the lighter discolored area on the wall. The tapestry stuck, hanging down perfectly along the wall. Madame Yuan smiled.

"Very nice," she said. "A good night's work. Found magic room and put tapestry back up!"

"I can't wait to tell the others about finding the room," Warren said, climbing back down the ladder. He smiled as he returned the ladder to the Room of Requirement, closed the door, and watched it disappear again before his eyes.


The next day, Warren led Wilbur, Kendra, and Fuzz-Head up to the seventh floor, where they stopped in front of the tapestry. They were all excited about Warren's discovery, and quite ready to see it for themselves.

"What shall we make the room?" Wilbur asked.

"I think we should make it appear as the room of hidden things," Warren said. "That sounds like a treasure-trove of secrets."

"Yeah, if they're not all burnt to a crisp," Wilbur said. "Ron Weasley said something about it getting burned during the Battle of Hogwarts."

"We'll just have to see," Warren said. "We all need to walk up and down the corridor three times, thinking hard about the room where you hide things." They all nodded, and following Warren's lead walked up and down the corridor until the door appeared.

"That's amazing," Kendra said, walking up to the door and pushing on it gently. It swung open wide, revealing the room beyond.

The smell was the first thing that hit them, a smoky musty blast of nastiness. They stared in at the charred remains of the room. It had obviously been filled with items needing to be hidden over the centuries, all of which were burnt and broken. They stepped into the room, covering their noses with their sleeves to block the heavy burnt smell. Everything was covered with thick black soot. Kendra jumped as Fuzz-Head accidentally knocked over a tall blackened cage of some sort. They saw a few busts, black and broken amidst the debris on the floor.

"What do you think happened in here?" Fuzz-Head asked, looking around at the ruin. Warren shook his head. He had no idea what could have caused a fire this bad. He could see objects twisted and melted from the flames of long ago.

"I don't know. It wasn't mentioned in Harry Potter's biography, but it must have been bad," Warren said.

"What should we do?" Kendra asked.

"We should split up and see what we can find," Warren said. The room was huge. There must be something of interest left.

The others headed off into different directions while Warren climbed his way through the room, his hands blackening from the soot as he pushed things out of the way, or turned things over to see what was underneath. The smell became overwhelming the longer they stayed in the room, and it was making him a little light-headed. He found a number of burnt and useless books, their pages turned to ash and their leather covers melted beyond all recognition. There were the burnt remains of many large pieces of furniture, mostly ashes, but here and there a chair leg remained, or the metal fixtures were discovered in the ash and soot. Most of what remained was the things made out of metal. Warren discovered several large pieces of metal he suspected had once been part of a catapult of some sort, and he found twisted, misshapen blobs of different-colored glass that had most likely been bottles.

Warren had found several weapons, swords and battle axes with their handles burnt off, when he came across the first bones to be found in the debris.

"Oh please don't be human," Warren pleaded out loud as he spotted the first charred bone and pulled it out from under piles of cinders and ash. It appeared to be a long leg bone that couldn't have been human. Warren sighed in relief. He dug into the mess and uncovered several more bones that all appeared to be long leg bones of some animal. He wondered if all the legs belonged to the same animal or to different ones. He began stacking them into a pile when he heard Kendra shout out to his left.

"Warren! You're not going to believe this!"

Warren looked up and scanned the blackened piles looking for Kendra. She was hunched down deep into a mess of ash and soot, waving her soot-streaked arm in the air. Warren began moving towards her, pulling burnt material of all sorts out of his way. Kendra had soot all over her face as well, and she didn't look happy.

"What is it?" Warren asked, stumbling through the mess closer to her. She shook her head.

"I think we found dead body number three," Kendra said, staring down into the hole she'd dug in the ash and soot. Warren cursed under his breath and leaned forward. There in the hole were the blackened and broken remains of some unfortunate who had been caught in the fire.

"This isn't good," Warren said, looking down at the large black skull. "Why does this keep happening? Professor Sprout is going to kill me! We can't tell anyone about this one!"

"Warren, are you crazy? Somebody died in here, and they were never found!" Kendra said. "We have to tell someone."

"Who could it possibly be?" Warren asked, frantically grasping at straws. "It was probably a death-eater!"

"It could have been one of the bodies never recovered after the Battle," Kendra said quietly, looking down into the ash.

"Kendra, we have already drawn quite a bit of unwanted attention to ourselves for finding the other two bodies, and I can't even begin to imagine what the reactions would be to this one," Warren said, kneeling down in the muck. "Why don't we give it some time? You could look up the people who were missing after the Battle of Hogwarts, and we can make a better informed decision later."

"Alright," Kendra said, nodding. "As long as we tell them eventually I don't really see the harm."

Warren breathed another sigh of relief. At last she sees reason. He extended a dirty hand and helped her out of the pile she was sunk in just as they heard a shout from Fuzz-Head.

"Hey guys! I've found something over here!" Fuzz-Head called, standing up and waving his arms from the other side of the room. Warren and Kendra made their way over towards Fuzz-Head, and were soon joined by Wilbur. They could see Fuzz-Head held a book up in his hand. Warren wondered how a book survived the fire.

"What is it?" Wilbur asked, hurrying ahead.

"It's some sort of a journal, I think," Fuzz-Head said. "It was in a small metal box; probably how it survived the fire. But look! Look what it says on the cover!"

They peered down at the cover of the book and saw the initials H. H. printed grandly in the bottom corner in flaking gold foil.

"Oh my God, does that mean what I think it means?" Kendra said.

"I don't know. I haven't opened it yet. I wanted you guys to be here," Fuzz-Head said.

"If that is really Helga Hufflepuff's diary that would be an amazing find," Warren said, excitement rising inside of him.

Kendra opened the book and began turning the pages. She frowned as she read, becoming lost in thought.

"Well?" Wilbur asked. "Is it Helga Hufflepuff's?"

"No, it's not," Kendra said, and everyone sighed in disappointment. "But it is the diary of someone named Hephaestus Harrison, who appears to have been a professor here at Hogwarts in 1534."

"What did he teach?" Warren asked. Kendra flicked through the pages, scanning the words.

"It looks like he taught Potions, and the reason for this diary is because he has some sort of secrets he wished to confess," Kendra said. Warren's waning excitement came back to him fully at the mention of 'secrets.'

"What kind of secrets?" Warren asked. Kendra shook her head.

"I don't know. We'll have to read the diary. It's rather complicated and detailed."

"I think you should read it first," Warren said. "You can tell us the details as you come to them."

"I can do that," Kendra said, tucking the diary into her robes. "Oooh. I have to go; I have a meeting with that portrait on the second floor Sir Cadogan told me about. I figured Sunday would be the best day to do it, since we had Hogsmeade yesterday and Quidditch try-outs tomorrow."

"Oh my, that's right," Warren groaned.

"I did remind you," Wilbur said. "You're the captain this year, and we have to decide on who the new Chaser and Beater are going to be."

"Yes, yes, I remember, I just have other things I'd rather be attending to," Warren said. "It's alright. We'll get a good night's sleep tonight, and be up early in the morning ready for quidditch."

"After I get done talking to that portrait, the first thing I'm going to need is a bath," Kendra said, trying to wipe soot off her robes and just making it worse. "I can start reading the diary while I'm in the bath, but I too need to get to bed early. I'm determined to become the new Hufflepuff Chaser tomorrow."

"I wish you luck," Warren said, smiling.

"I'll get back with you after the quidditch tryouts about what I found out from the portrait," Kendra said.

"Can we leave too?" Fuzz-Head asked the others. "I'm starting to feel sick from the smell in here."

"Yes," Warren said, "Let's call it day. We can always come back later.