Chapter four
Ok now Freddie was worried. JJ and Cook had sprinted off without him and the moving staircase took him to a new floor he hadn't explored yet. He seemed to be walking for hours from corridor to corridor and they all looked the same, how did anyone get used to this school? He contemplated turning back but he told himself this was bound to lead somewhere. He finally noticed something.
He hadn't met a soul yet.
Where were the thousands of people he saw in the hall? There was a strange noise coming from somewhere Freddie couldn't see. It seemed to be getting closer. First it sounded like someone screaming, then it sounded like someone laughing. Now the sound was so loud Freddie could definitely make out a mad laughter.
The corridor ahead was dark, and an eerie shadow was speeding towards him with frightening speed.
Freddie took a few steps back and tripped over his feet... again, landing on his spine. The figure was airborne as it shot past him.
"SILLY FIRST YEARS! NEED THEIR LIVES GEARED!" The childish voice screeched as it flew past Freddie.
"Stupid fucking ghost!" A girl shouted. A blonde was jogging pathetically towards Freddie. "I'm not a first year I'm like totally over thirty!"
"You," Freddie said, recognising Pandora.
"Oh hey Freds... what are you doing on the floor? Is it comfy there?"
"I was dodging that thing, what was that?" Freddie said, as Pandora helped drag him up.
"That was peeves he's really annoying and mean, he's a ghost."
"A ghost? Hogwarts is awesome," Freddie said under his breath.
"Anyway I'm supposed to be in history of magic right now but I don't know where it is, I mean I left the hall after breakfast and the staircase moved and that's when Peeves threatened to piss on me so I ran."
"Cool, I think I see light at the end of that corridor lets try that out."
"Ok, this place gives me the creeps when you're on your own."
"Definitely," Freddie agreed.
"You have to stop crying," Hagrid said, rubbing Emily's shoulders.
"I hate this school," She sobbed, looking up at Hogwarts from Hagrid's hut. "I want to go home."
"You can't say that. You haven't even given it a chance yet."
"I don't want to."
"Tell meh what happened."
"Katie. She told me we can't be hanging around each other anymore. She said everyone in the Fitch family has gone in Slytherin and I'm the outcast. She said when I tell mum she's going to be furious and she will kick me out the house."
"Nonsense, Yur mother wud never do sumthin like that. And if she does yeh can always stay with me and fang."
That brought a smile to Emily's lips.
"Really?"
Hagrid stepped back.
"Err well only if you have no other choice, this isn't an option. Anyway your already late for class, I'll write McGonagall a letter saying you had pumpkin fever or something like that."
"Thanks Hagrid," Emily jumped up and hugged the giant with all her might.
"Alright dear. Listen you let Katie be Katie, I'm sure she will come around soon. And you will make some good friends here in Hogwarts especially in Gryffindor, got some great people there."
Emily's smile went upside down again.
"I don't think anyone will like me," She said softly.
"Nonsense, when I first came to this school everyone teased me cus I was three feet taller that most of em. It was hard for the first few weeks but after that everyone got used to me. Just be thankful you're a little thing and not a giant."
"Ok Hagrid." After one final sniff she turned and ran up the hill to the castle.
"Don't forget to come see me every now and then… if your not too busy!"
Emily panted up the hill then caught her breath on the bridge and skipped into the courtyard, Hogwarts wasn't so bad when you were on your own.
"Hello."
Emily froze her happy Hagrid mood disappeared and she turned slowly.
That creepy girl sat on a bench in the courtyard. The one who was dirty dancing with all the 3rd year boys at the Gryffindor launch party.
The creep beckoned Emily over. Emily hesitantly approached her.
"It's ok I wont bite."
"Why aren't you in class?" Emily asked, surprised to find her voice.
The creep just stared at her. "Don't let me ruin your mood."
"What?"
"You were skipping and smiling, I thought you were interesting when I saw you last night, sitting in the corner watching everyone and I was right. You are interesting."
"You saw me?" Emily asked. "You looked like you were in your own world."
"I was, but I have eyes on the back of my head, watching everything."
Emily's eyes widened.
"I'm kidding."
"Oh sorry," Emily said.
"I'm Effy and I like watching people who watch others. Would you like to be my friend?"
"Erm… sure, Hagrid would be happy I guess." She said to herself.
"You know Hagrid the half giant?" Effy asked, her interest level peeking further.
"Yeah he's a family friend."
"Family," Effy said to herself. "That's right you have a twin sister."
"… Yeah," Emily said her eyes involuntarily darting to the ground.
"I see. You hate her."
"I didn't say that," Emily said with more iciness that she intended.
"Of course. But I'm sure you will. Let's go," Effy said getting up from the bench.
"Where?"
"Exploring."
"Why?"
Effy glanced past Emily.
"Because the caretaker Filch is charging at us."
Emily whirled around. True enough Filch was limping menacingly towards them.
"First years truant already! Looks like your year going to be a tough one."
Effy's hand slid into Emily's.
"Let's go." She said and they ran. Effy shot a hex at Flitch, knocking him off his feet.
"You can't do that!" Emily cried but Effy just laughed.
"We're lost aren't we?" JJ asked Cook.
"I think so," Cook answered reluctantly.
"Oh great I'll never hear the end of this from Nan."
"It wasn't my fault the staircase moved. What floor are we on anyway?"
"I don't know but I don't like it."
Cook agreed, the part of Hogwarts was different, it was dark.
"Wait I hear something," Cook said, pushing JJ to a wall.
Footsteps.
"Get your wand out," Cook whispered.
"Can we just turn back?" JJ whimpered.
Two figures walked past.
"Are you sure I haven't got piss on my face?" A girl asked.
"Yes I'm sure." A boy replied impatiently.
"Peeves might have taken a shit on me too. You never know."
"Pandora?" JJ called and the two figures turned.
"And it's Freddie too," Cook said hugging Freddie in relief. "Thought you were Flitch or something.
"Why did you guys leave me?" Freddie asked.
He was so uptight, Cook didn't think he'd ever put the letters F u and N together before.
"Sorry mate we just panicked, the staircase moved us anyway," Cook said.
"Did the same for us too," Pandora said. "Fucking load of shit isn't it?"
"Yeah."
Before they could set off more footsteps could be heard, this time they would hear screaming too.
"Oh no its peeves and he's going to dump on me! Save me Freddie!" Pandora cried.
"No it's not Peeves," Freddie said.
Effy sprinted out of the darkness, with Emily. Hand in hand.
"What the..?" Cook started.
"Run!" Emily cried as they sprinted past them, "Flitch is coming!"
Cook, Pandora, JJ and Freddie all looked at one another, and then chased after Effy and Emily.