Chapter 3

"Luuuccccyyyyy, time to wake uuupppppp." Mara's voice called.

She groaned and turned over, covering her head with her pillow.

"Nope." Mara took her pillow away, "Get up."

She curled into a ball. "No."

Suddenly, she was on the floor with her mattress on top of her, wide awake. "That was uncalled for." Lucy complained, crawling out from underneath it.

"I know."

Lucy got up and put her bed back together. "Where's Captain Cuddles?"

"Captain cuddles?"

"My teddy bear."

"Your teddy bear's name is Captain Cuddles?"

"No, actually it's Fred but I changed the name as to not confuse you."

"Yes, I think it would be best if your teddy bear didn't lose its head. And its stuffing."

"Mara!"

Mara flashed her a terrifying smile.

"That's creepy – Stop that. Now where is my bear?"

"Accio teddy bear." A large rainbow teddy bear flew through the air and landed at Mara's feet. "You would have a rainbow teddy bear." She said, handing it to Lucy.

Lucy plopped onto her bed. "It was a gift from my daddy."

"You're kidding me. That's worse than the pink spotted owl."

"I may be a disgrace to the family, but I'm still his little girl." She burrowed her head into the bear's plush fur. "And don't make fun of Princess, she's a rare breed."

"That's cute, but let's get going."

"Where are we going?" Lucy asked, then paused, looking around the still dark room. "What time is it?"

"About an hour till dawn."

"Mara, its Saturday!"

"Are you coming with me or not?"

"Where are we going?"

Mara paused. "On an adventure."

That was all it took, Lucy jumped up excitedly, dropping her bear on her bed. "Let's go."

"I've never been to this part of the dungeon before." Lucy held her glowing wand in front of her with shaking fingers.

"Most people haven't." Mara said, carefully inspecting each section of wall.

"What are you even looking for?"

"Some special mark or something. I heard there's secret passages down here. Keep looking."

Lucy paused. "This could be a mark it looks like a-" The mark moved. "No it's a spider. Great Merlin's uncombed beard, giant spider. Why did I let you drag me down here? Mara, kill it!" She hid behind her friend.

"Avada Kedavra!" A green light shot out of the end of Mara's wand and the spider fell to the ground.

"Mara what in the name of Helga Hufflepuff are you doing that's an unforgivable curse! You could go to Azkaban for that!" Lucy was in shock.

"It was only a spider."

"You could have used a shoe or something!"

"I couldn't think with you shrieking in my ear. Stop being such a pansy."

"I didn't even know spiders got that big!"

"There's bigger ones in the Forbidden Forest."

"There's what?"

"Giant spiders. Are you even listening to me?"

"How do you even know that?"

"I go on walks sometimes."

"I'm turning back."

"Just a little longer."

"Why are we even down here?"

"I have reason to believe that the Chamber of Secrets is down here."

"Well that's my quota of crazy for the day. I'll see you later." Lucy started to turn back.

"Don't be such a Hufflepuff."

"I am a Hufflepuff!" She squeaked.

"Well, be less of one for a moment. Channel you inner Gryffindor. You wear the colors enough."

"Some other day, maybe, but I have date plans later that don't involve being dead or petrified."

"Sounds boring to me."

"Mara, please."

"Fine. I'm pretty sure your brother doesn't know what he's talking about anyway."

"You dragged me out of bed and into the creepiest part of the castle for something my idiot brother said?"

"He could have been right."

"He could also be a pile of slugs sewn into human skin. Both are equally possible."

Lucy sat at a back table at the Three Broomsticks, sipping slowly at her Butterbeer and still trying to calm down from that morning.

Oliver was supposed to have met her here an hour ago. The place bustled with activity, and from her vantage point she could see everything. She tried not to make it obvious that she was watching the door.

The chimes on the door tinkled, and the twins walked in, giving her hope. She watched them, hoping Oliver wasn't far behind. When he wasn't, she returned to pretending to read her book.

Naturally, Fred and George walked right over to where she was sitting. "Hey guys." She said with a forced smile.

"Hey. Mind if we join you?" George asked, returning her smile with a genuine one.

"I don't mind." She said, closing her book.

"He forgot, didn't he?" Fred said as he sat down next to his brother.

"Yup." She took another sip of her drink.

"Want us to break his pinky for you?" George offered.

"It's a win-win, we'd probably get out of at least one practice."

"No guys, it's okay."

"He doesn't exactly have his priorities straight."

"I know. I'm not mad." She picked up her book. "I brought reading material."

"We could talk to him for you."

"Better you two than Mara, but I can handle it."

"Where is Mara?" Fred asked curiously.

"Sleeping. She was up early searching for secret passages."

"We have a map if that would help."

"Don't encourage her." Lucy tried her best to look stern. "I mean it."

"We're only trying to help."

"I'm sure you mean well."

"Would you boys like anything?" Madame Rosmerta asked, smiling.

"Firewhisky please."

"Make that two."

"You know I can't give you that." She laughed, pointing her pencil at them.

The twins looked at each other. "Hot chocolate then, please." They said in unison. Lucy always wondered if they planned that stuff in advance.

"I'll be right back."

"You better keep your poison away from me this time." Lucy warned once Rosmerta had left.

"Oh, are you allergic, Lucy dear?" Fred asked innocently.

"You know I am."

"Sounds like someone else we know… who am I thinking of Freddie?"

"Oliver Wood, perhaps?"

"Our team captain, has a weakness that we can exploit, what?"

"Stop it, guys." Lucy warned, hoping they wouldn't sing the song. She and Oliver had met in the infirmary last year when they both had managed to get into a large amounts of chocolate without realizing it, and Fred and George refused to let them live it down.

"Oh, but your story is so romantic."

"Puking in unison in the hospital wing." George sighed.

"When your innards hit the pail and you bellow like a whale, that's amore!" They sang.

Lucy turned every shade of red. "I thought you were going to quit with that song."

"Of course not. We sing it to Ollie when we want him to stop talking. It even works during Quidditch practice." Fred grinned.

"Thanks. I really appreciate it."

"The couple that spews together, stays together."

Lucy covered her face with her hands and groaned.

"These two ruffians giving you any trouble Lucy?" Madame Rosmerta asked as she set the twin's drinks in front of them.

"No, they're okay. Weird, but okay."

"You gave me the wrong drink. This is Fred's cocoa."

"Madame Rosmerta, I am appalled that you would mess up our order this badly."

"I'm sorry boys. Would you like some cookies to make things better?"

"Please. And something without chocolate for the lady. Her idiot boyfriend has stood her up, yet again."

"Thanks for the support guys."

"Unless you want to rekindle your romance by returning to the hospital wing. We will turn our heads if you wish to down both mugs of cocoa."

"Don't kill my favorite customer. I'll be back with some cookies."

"I thought we were your favorite customers!" They called as she walked away.

"Not since the incident with the frogs." She called without a returning glance.

"Incident with the frogs?" Lucy asked.

"It was an accident."

"Sure it was."

Upon their return to the castle, Lucy and the twins found Oliver in the Gryffindor common room, snoring into his charms textbook.

George leaned over and whispered in his ear. "Less Quidditch practice… less Quidditch practice…. cancel practice when it's storming and you'll be sure to win the Quidditch cup…."

"What is he trying to do?" She asked.

"Reconditioning his unconscious mind. We do this every time we catch him sleeping."

"Does it work?"

"He called off practice during a hail storm, once." That was progress.

Oliver snorted and opened his eyes, pushing George away. "Is it morning already?"

"Ready for practice, captain." Lucy replied.

Suddenly wide awake, he jumped up. "We had better get to the pitch before Slytherin claims it again."

"Oliver." Lucy said.

He spun around. "Lucy." A wave of realization hit him. "I am so sorry."

Fred spoke before she could forgive him. "You broke a pinky promise, Oliver."

"We're here to collect." George added. The two of them actually looked kind of menacing.

Oliver gave her a confused look.

Lucy laughed. "They're kidding."

"You underestimate us."

"Guys." Lucy said.

The both of them put up their hands in mock surrender. "You want to do the honors yourself, we understand."

Lucy laughed. In the end, no pinkies were broken.

I hope you enjoyed! Please be sure to review and tell me what you think!

-Zen