They found the corridor. Unfortunately, it did not lead to any spectacular finds. It made Fred feel a little uneasy. In the past, this wouldn't have mattered at all. They would have laughed about it or made up the most idiotic theories or stories to explain the sudden existence of such a corridor. Now Fred felt that he disappointed his brother—that he would have preferred to stay with his girl. The threshold for asking him a second time was getting higher and higher.
And so, several days passed, with Fred feeling lonely and his brother being wholly absorbed in his new relationship. It was time he too started looking for a replacement. Someone with whom he could go on adventures or with whom he could fool around. Lee was the first that came to mind—after all, he was his best friend. Yet something held him back. Perhaps because the three of them had often gone out in the past. It would remind him of the fact that George wasn't there and cause another wave of irritation. Besides, Fred knew himself well enough to know that he would then start complaining about his twin and that was not really fair to a mutual friend.
Who then? His little brother?
Who got stressed out about like everything...
A strange light distracted him. He walked towards the window and stared into the darkness. A light was flashing. He tried to see something, but apart from the faint light, he saw nothing. It blinked at a strange pace, and almost a full minute passed before it dawned on him that someone was signaling in Morse code. Was that for him? It was as if the light was aimed at his window, but he also realized that it might look the same from a few windows further away.
Oh well. He summoned his feather and a piece of parchment and began to write. After a few minutes, the message was clear to him.
COME TO THE LIBRARY. MIDNIGHT.
Was it George? They had mastered a lot of secret writings. An urge of hope ignited inside him. Maybe he was starting to get bored of that chick after all and wanted to revive their relationship in this way. With a grin, he drew his wand, and in Morse code, he made clear that he understood the message.
A little before midnight, Fred snuck out of the bedroom. George's bed was still empty. That wasn't really an exception these days—usually, he returned well past midnight. It also happened a few times that he stayed away the whole night. Apparently, his needs were urgent enough that he got his Slytherin girlfriend into the Room of Requirement. He grimaced at that repulsive idea.
With the Marauder's Map under his nose, Fred set off, careful not to encounter any patrolling prefects. Or worse—Filch. He could usually hide from that guy, but his cat was harder to fool.
Now and then, Fred also looked at the library, but no one was there yet.
Without running into anyone, he reached his destination. There was still no one. Fred hoisted himself onto a table and waited and waited. Until it was half past twelve. One o'clock. Half past one—could that still pass for midnight? By now, the adrenaline had faded, its place taken by a cold grimness. Was someone pulling a prank on him? In any case, he could not laugh about it.
Sighing, he changed his pose, then thought of the Marauder's Map again. He consulted the thing and saw that his brother was lying in bed. With a growl, he rubbed his forehead. It was impossible that he had misinterpreted the Morse code. Maybe it was meant for someone else, but why was no one else here?
He slid off the table, he had been sitting for far too long, his muscles felt soar. Rolling his shoulders which were stiff from the cold, he looked around. His gaze lingered on the Restricted Section, which was only separated from the rest of the library by a rope. And this time, Madam Pince was not there to guard the books. A greenish glow a little further ahead caught his attention. There were, of course, whole rows of bizarre books there—one that emitted light was really not that bizarre—yet the light seemed to beckon him. He bent down to pass under the rope and stepped between the rows towards the path from which the light came. About six feet away, there was indeed a book at knee height, emitting a mysterious light. Fred walked over and took the tome out. The leather cover vibrated in his hand. There were four golden runes in a pale green circle with a black vertical stripe in the middle. It took him a moment to realize it was representing a reptil eye.
Fred opened the book and looked at the title page.
The mysteries of the greatest Master of Mischief of all times.
Fred raised his eyebrows. Right. The green light grew brighter and circled around his hand as if the book wanted to be taken by him.
Oh well, why not.
He hid the luminous thing under his cloak and made his way out before anyone would catch him.
. . .
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