"Doctor, what business do we have here?" asked Rose as they stepped out of the Fat Lady's portrait. "What's happening here?"

"Nothing, just a little chat with an old friend," said the Doctor innocently. "Haven't seen him for twenty years, there's a lot to catch up on. Had to say I had business to throw them three off. Now, I think it's this way…"

Rose followed the Doctor uncertainly down the corridor, looking around at the portraits. In on of them, a group of people was sitting around a table, drinking cups of tea and eating cake. One of the occupants of the picture rose from his seat and moved out of the frame, reappearing in the one to its left and sitting in a green armchair by a bright fireplace.

"The portraits-they move!" cried Rose, pointing at the pictures and looking at the Doctor.

"Yes, there's a special spell or something that makes them work, not sure what exactly…" The Doctor strangely didn't seem phased by anything in this castle. Then again, he hardly ever was shocked by anything they came across, thought Rose.

They reached the end of the corridor and reached a set of stairs. Rose looked over the edge and saw staircases moving, changing their paths.

"Living portraits, moving staircases, what next? Ghosts?"

"You'd be surprised," said the Doctor mundanely, and a woman walked around the corner and began walking up the staircase the Doctor and Rose we making their way down. The woman was pales and transparent all over, and as she walked through Rose, she felt a strange sensation, as though she'd just had a bucket of cold ice poured over her. She shuddered and continued after the Doctor. This was a strange place…

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"Face it, Ron, you're never going to get inside."

Harry and Hermione watched as Ron tried to open the door of the T.A.R.D.I.S. with every spell he knew; even Alohomora wouldn't work. Eventually, picked up a chair from a nearby table and attempted to smash the door open, but the chair broke and Ron, frustrated, threw it out of the open window.

"Ron, just come sit down, we've got homework to do!" said Hermione reproachfully.

"How can he get in and out of it so easily?" Ron wondered aloud.

"He must have a special way of knowing," suggested Harry, scribbling down how to perform the Accio charm correctly.

"You're right, Harry. I'll just have to go and ask him. You're a genius, Harry!"

Ron raced towards the portrait hole and climbed out of it.

"Wait-RON!" Hermione shouted after him. She sighed, then frowned at Harry.

"What? It's not my fault!" Harry said defensively. "C'mon, we've got to go bring him back."

The two of them got up and ran over to the portrait hole, climbing out and looking around for Ron.

"There!" said Hermione, pointing towards a figure at the end of the corridor, whose robes had just whipped around the corner. Harry and Hermione sprinted after him, trying to catch up. They reached the staircase, looking around for Ron, or the Doctor and Rose.

"Where's he gone? We just saw him come out here!"

"He'll have gone to Dumbledore's office," said Harry, remembering what the Doctor had said when he arrived in the Gryffindor Common Room. "He had to talk to Dumbledore, remember?"

"Let's check there, then."

They started down the staircase, but suddenly it shuddered and began changing paths.

"Oh, great. Why does it have to do it now of all times?" said Harry angrily.

"We'll just have to go the long way," said Hermione, continuing down the stairs as it stopped. Harry followed her down seven flights of stairs, eventually getting tired.

"Where the hell has he gone?"

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Ron raced down the corridor outside the Gryffindor Common Room, around the corner and down a large flight of stairs. Fred and George had shown him a shortcut to the corridor outside the entrance to Dumbledore's office once, so he decided to take that route. All he could think about was getting into the T.A.R.D.I.S. He had to do it…he must…

Ron slid under a tapestry in front of him just as he heard footsteps at the top of the staircase he had just ran down, likely Harry and Hermione's. They were bound to come after him and stop him. The only way they'd find him was if they had the Marauder's Map, which Ron had taken for himself the day before. He pulled it out of his robes, whispered "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," and tapped the Map with his wand. He searched it frantically for the Doctor and Rose Tyler…they were his key to getting into the T.A.R.D.I.S. They were approaching Dumbledore's office at this moment; he had to hurry.

"Mischief Managed," whispered Ron, erasing the Map and tucking it back inside his robes. He hurried off down the corridor towards Dumbledore's office.