Harry stepped back through the portrait to find Hermione exactly where he had left her, reading in a big red armchair. "So," she said expectantly, laying her book open on a table, "That was quick. Where'd he go off to?"

His mind still on his meeting with Ginny, Harry had no idea who she was referring to. "Who are you talking about? Where'd who go?"

"You said you went to find Ron. Where is he?"

"Oh," Harry replied, remembering his earlier exchange with Hermione, "He's probably in the bathroom near the Great Hall washing off. He was covered in some sort of yellow powder, I haven't a clue why."

"Figures," she said, rolling her eyes, "He was with Fred and George, I'm not surprised something weird like that happened with those nutters." She settled back into the chair, returning to her book. "I suppose we'll hear what happened once he gets back."

"I hope so," Harry said, pulling up a chair beside her. No sooner did he sit down than he saw Ron climb through the portrait hole, his robes dripping wet and still bearing muddy traces of the yellow substance.

"You'll never believe what just happened," Ron said, chuckling at their reaction to his sodden appearance.

"I bet we will, knowing Fred and George," Harry said, grinning at this absurd scene, "Well? What happened?"

"Alright," Ron began, wringing the water from his sleeve, "We had overheard Filch talking to Snape. Apparently he needed some sort of ingredient for whatever reason. Fred saw him pull out a vial of yellow powder to show to Snape, and got an idea. With the help of Peeves causing trouble in Umbridge's office, the two of them were able to sneak down to Zonko's and pick up a large amount of yellow powder to plant somehow so he'd be covered in it."

"I can see where this is going," Hermione said, "Let me guess. Something went wrong, you got hit with the powder, and Fred and George were both expelled."

"Erm, kind of," Ron replied. "Something did go wrong, but of course neither of them got expelled. It's practically a miracle that none of us were caught or even accused."

"You're right, that is a miracle." Harry said. "You are talking about Filch and Snape, right? Between those two, it's always either Fred and George's, or my fault, no matter what it is or how good our alibis may be."

"That's the thing," Ron said, "There was one other person there that took the full blast of Filch's anger."

"Who was it?" Harry said, listening closely.

Ron looked misgivingly at him. "You're not gonna like it."

"You're killing me Ron, who?" Harry replied, leaning forward with suspense.

"It was Luna. I don't know why, but she was in the greenhouses when they set up the prank. I was in there distracting Filch, while Fred and George-- wait, There's more to the story! Where are you going?"

"To find Luna," Harry said, rising from his chair and grabbing the Marauders' Map and his invisibility cloak. "I'm sorry Ron, I'll hear the full story later."

"Alright, suit yourself," he said, continuing the recount for Hermione.

Under the cover of the cloak, Harry activated the map. He saw Luna and Filch in his quarters on the ground floor. Harry had been there himself, and knew it was a place that students avoided at all costs, even more so than Snape's office. Harry shuddered as he imagined Luna shackled to the wall, suffering Filch's inhumane punishment. "No way," he said to himself, hurrying downstairs. He knew that Dumbledore would never allow anyone to be bound or tortured, but the image in his head frightened him all the same.

He looked through the keyhole in Filch's door and saw Filch prowling around Luna, who was sitting in a chair with her hands in her lap, looking up at him as he spoke. As menacing as Filch was when he was angry, Luna appeared quite unfazed, relaxed even. "No wonder I fancy her," he thought. Her resistance to stress was almost superhuman. He pressed his ear to the keyhole and heard Filch's gravelly accent.

"Dumbledore may fall for these little games of yours, but I don't trick so easily. Don't try and tell me you didn't do it, I saw you hiding behind the table when that other boy was hit with a blast of yellow powder."

"Sir," she said, with utmost respect and composure, "I'm not lying. I wasn't in the greenhouse to pull a prank. I have no idea what happened."

"Oh yeah?" Filch grunted, leaning to within inches of her face, "Then what were you there for?"

"I-- I was getting belladonna for Potions class," Luna said, not as easily as before, "I needed belladonna for my potion, and Snape sent me to get some." Harry wondered why she hesitated.

"And," Filch continued, "Do you have what you need, or did you forget it in the greenhouse?" He paced smugly as she turned out her empty pockets.

He saw the stress in her face when she answered. "I must have dropped it when you grabbed me, I could go now and pick it up."

"Ha ha ha, the hat put you in Ravenclaw for a reason," Filch said, touching the Ravenclaw shield on her robe with his finger, "That's a very clever story you've pieced together."

Harry knew that Luna was running out of time. He carefully aimed his wand through the keyhole at Filch and whispered "Muffilato." Once he was sure Filch was completely deaf, he gingerly turned the door handle. When Filch looked away, he lowered the cloak so that Luna could see his face. He put his finger to his mouth in a shushing gesture, then pulled the cloak back over himself.

"What? Who's there?" Filch said, noticing the open door. Harry managed to slip completely inside just as Filch pulled the door shut with a loud slam, and locked it. Under the cloak, with Filch under the Muffilato spell, Harry could nearly do whatever he pleased, so long as he didn't accidentally bump into Filch in the tight quarters.

"Now, as I was saying," Filch said, leaning over Luna on the arms of the chair, "You were caught red-handed in the middle of a prank, then tried to lie to cover it up. That's grounds for – oof!"

Harry barely stifled a laugh as the dingy pillow he swung at Filch hit him squarely in the back of the head.

"Peeves!" he yelled, staggering and waving his arms in futility, "Show yourself! I'll have the Bloody Baron deal with you, I swear it!" He banged his fists down on the arms of the chair where Luna was still sitting, making Harry jump. "You mark my words, girl. Move one muscle and I'll have you expelled!" He stormed out of the room, and Harry pulled off his cloak.

"Good timing, Harry," she said, getting up and wrapping her arms around him, "By the way, you make an excellent Peeves."

"Thanks," he replied. "Come on, let's get out of here before he gets back."