"This is all my fault…" Lily whispered as they searched the first floor.
"No it's isn't, stop being so stupid…" James snorted.
"Shhhh…" Albus gasped.
"But if I didn't dance with Alex this wouldn't have happened…"
"Don't be dumb…you wouldn't have gotten angry if Nick danced with some other girl…" James growled.
"YES I would have!" Lily half yelled.
"Will you two quit bickering?" Albus gasped, "I can hear someone coming…"
"If only dad would let us use that map…" James began.
"SHHHHH" both Albus and Lily hissed.
They all dove behind the tapestry just as Filch's old cat Mrs. Norris limped past where the were standing just a second ago.
Once they were sure she was gone James stuck his head out and looked around.
"Coast is clear guys…"
They all stepped away from the tapestry and Albus shook his head.
"That cat should be dead by now…she's been around since dad was at school…" Albus sighed.
"She's loosing all her fur too…maybe Filch is using Magic to keep her alive," Lily wondered.
"Nah…Uncle George told me Filch was a squib!" James laughed.
"Could be using somebody else's magic though…" Lily began.
"Will you two PLEASE shut up? We are LOOKING for one.Nicholas.Bright! Okay…not trying to figure out how Filch's cat stays alive!" Albus growled as they began walking down the corridor.
"You started the conversation Albus!" James grumbled.
"Yeah…but I didn't know you two would go on and on about it!"
"But but but…" Lily began.
"Honestly James…sometimes I wonder who REALLY is the oldest here…" Albus sighed.
James glared at him brother.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Do you sneak around the castle often Nat?" Melissa asked.
Natalie sighed, "What's it to you?"
"I was just wondering…no need to get to moody…"
"Here's the thing Mel…if Nat answers that question I can just see you running off to mum and telling her everything she said," Thomas chuckled.
Melissa made an attempt to kick his shins and failed.
"Nice try…"
"Shut up you idiotic buffoon…" Melissa growled.
"Hey…" Thomas began but was cut off by Natalie.
"Lets look in this classroom here guys…"
Thomas and Melissa nodded and Natalie opened the door to the classroom.
Thomas and Natalie strode in quickly and Melissa shut the door.
"Wait over there Mel…Tom and I will only be a second I think," Natalie said.
They did a quick search of the classroom, looking under desks and in cupboards but he was nowhere to be found.
"He's a slippery little fish isn't he?" Thomas sighed.
"There's a large chance that he isn't even on this floor…" Natalie said.
"I know…but I wanted us to the ones who brought him back!"
"Guys…it's going to be really hard to find Nicholas…Hogwarts is so big and he's the brother of STEFANIE BRIGHT who is part of the musketeers…he's bound to find some really good place to hide!" Melissa squeaked.
"He's a first year Melissa…he barely knows the castle…I would be worried if he'd already been at Hogwarts for a couple of years because then he'd be capable of finding a good place to hide then," Natalie sighed.
"Is that why Stefanie kept the search so brief…because he's only a first year?" Thomas asked.
Natalie nodded.
"I still don't see why we can't just get bloody McGonagall…" Melissa grumbled.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Come on Hugo…" Rose called.
Hugo stuck his head out of the broom closet and shut the door with a loud bang and ran after his sister.
"Can you please be a little bit more quiet?" Rose asked.
"What's the point? The teacher's are all probably snoring away in bed after that ball…which is something I should be doing right now!" Hugo grinned.
"Yes well…Filch is still around, did you see HIM at the ball?" Rose asked.
"No…but he's probably sleeping as well, what is it, like 1:00am now or something?" Hugo yawned.
"Just be quiet…" Rose growled.
"You're not the boss of me…I'll show you that nothing is going to happen…" Hugo said, grinning wickedly.
"What do you mean 'show me' Hugo?" Rose asked suspiciously.
"NICHOLAS, NICHOLAS, WHERE ARE YOU, HERE NICKY NICKY NICKY!" Hugo yelled at the top of his lungs.
Rose gasped and pulled her wand out pointing it at Hugo.
"NICHOLAAAAAAS!" he continued.
"Silencio" she hissed at him.
Suddenly everything was very quiet.
"Are you daft, if one of us gets caught we blow the whole operation, everybody will get in trouble!" Rose whispered angrily.
Hugo shrugged his shoulders, as if trying to show that nothing had happened as he predicted.
Hugo pointed to his mouth to ask his sister to bring his voice back but Rose shook her head angrily.
Hugo glared at her.
"Who was that…I heard you!" a husky voice suddenly said from around the corned.
Hugo and Rose both froze in terror, both resembling a deer caught in the headlights of a muggle car.
You could here the shuffling of feet and the walking stick clicking on the ground.
Filch.
Oh.crap!
Filch couldn't run fast at all because he was so old so as soon as Rose and Hugo came to their senses the both spun around and bolted back down the corridor before he rounded the corned at got a look at their faces.
"COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE WORMS!" he screamed.
Hugo and Rose kept running as fast as they could.
"MRS. NORRIS!" he called.
"Oh no…not that cat…down the stairs to the second floor!" Rose gasped.
Hugo nodded and the both ran down the stairs as fast as they could.
When they got to the bottom everything was eerily silent.
Rose led the way, creeping down the corridor silently.
That's when they heard it.
"Meow" Mrs. Norris' soft voice called from the other end of the corridor, where she still couldn't see them.
Rose's eyes widened in terror.
They were trapped.
That cat's feet could be heard trotting down the corridor and she would soon see them.
Hugo gave his sister an apologetic look but she just scowled back at him.
They were done for…well…that's what they thought.
A classroom door suddenly opened and strong arms pulled them through as the door clicked shut behind them.
Rose looked around, all three Pilp's were starring wide-eyed at her.
"I forgot you guys were searching this floor…" Rose gasped.
"What happened?" Natalie demanded.
Rose stood up angrily, "Hugo thought nobody would hear him if he shouted at the top of his lungs for Nicholas…"
Everybody turned to Hugo.
"Are you a complete idiot?" Thomas asked.
"If it wasn't for us we would all be in very big trouble…" Melissa scowled.
Hugo shrunk under their gaze.
"SAY something…" Natalie said.
Rose smirked, "he can't because I put a silencing charm on him…"
"Good…it's going to STAY that was for the rest of the night too…" Thomas glowered.
Hugo looked like he was about to burst into tears.
"Did you get to search much of the third floor?" Melissa asked.
"Yes…most of it until Hugo decided to prove himself to me!"
Hugo suddenly dropped to his knees and crawled to his sister's legs, wrapping his arms around them.
He kept mouthing the word 'sorry' over and over.
Rose rolled her eyes, "your forgiven okay…but listen to me next time…"
Hugo nodded quickly.
"Give him his voice back…" Natalie sighed.
Thomas held his wand out and muttered the counter curse.
Hugo jumped up and gave his sister a fierce hug.
"I won't do it again…I promise…" Hugo whimpered.
Everybody was silent for a moment.
"Well…are the Weasley's working together with the Pilp's or what then?" Melissa asked.
The five of them grinned.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"This is SO fun!" Mitchell buzzed.
"Settle down for TWO minutes…please Mitch…" Ryan gasped.
"You should invite me one Musketeer things more often I reckon…"
"Well there's a reason that I don't" Ryan mumbled to himself, so Mitchell wouldn't hear.
"Where ELSE can we check Ryan?" Mitchell asked.
"I dunno…we haven't checked the abandoned classrooms I guess…" Ryan sighed.
"YAY!" Mitchell squealed.
Ryan rolled his eyes and followed his brother down the corridor.
Mitchell swung the door open to the first abandoned classroom and clambered in, not bothering to wait for Ryan who trailed behind.
The classroom was dusty and covered in cobwebs and had a stale smell about it.
"He wouldn't hide in here Mitch…let's go…" Ryan began.
"NO! Stef said to check everywhere Ry!" Mitchell said.
Ryan grumbled in frustration and started to search the classroom.
Everything was dusty as can be and Ryan was fighting hard not to sneeze.
"Oh LOOK!" Mitchell squealed.
Ryan spun around, "What?"
Mitchell was holding a bulky, old leather bound journal that looked as if it would fall apart at any moment.
"Who are Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs?" Mitchell asked.
Ryan's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, "Show me please…"
Mitchell handed the Journal over reluctantly, watching Ryan's reaction.
It had a black leather cover with the words 'Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs' Journal' written across the cover. Underneath, in silver letters the words 'Prongs' Journal' were still clearly visible.
Ryan gulped, "Where did you find this Mitchell?"
"Huh…oh it was just lying over there underneath that old desk that has graffiti all over it!"
Ryan walked over to look at the desk.
Somebody had carved the letters 'PRONGS' DESK!' into the wood. Underneath I 'heart' Lily Evans messages were placed randomly around the surface of the desk. Ryan ran a hand over it.
"Well…what are you going to do with the journal thingy?" Mitchell demanded.
"Oh…I'll keep it to show to the musketeers I think Mitch…"
"Are you going to read it?"
"No…I think only three people have a right to read this…and one of them is certainly not me," Ryan sighed.
"Who then?"
"None of your business you little fly!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Roxanne and Fred Weasley wondered down the fifth floor corridor talking amongst themselves silently.
"So…when's the next prank Freddy?" Roxanne asked.
"Not sure…I think I'm going to leave the next prank to the musketeers actually," Fred answered.
"Cool…they always do a good job!" Roxanne laughed.
"Yeah…lets check in the broom closet…"
Roxanne opened the broom closet door and immediately squealed and stepped back.
"That's so GROSS!" Roxanne gasped.
The Head Boy and Head Girl were in the closet…snogging!
"Go back to the Head's dorm if you want to do that…" Fred said, sounding very disgusted.
The Head Boy and Head Girl's heads shot up. They both looked very frazzled.
"Oh…sorry…" Head Girl gasped.
She and the Head Boy ran out of the broom closet and down the corridor in a frenzy.
"Ick…" Roxanne sighed.
"Couldn't agree more Roxy!" Freddy laughed.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"This is SO boring Molly…" Lucy sighed.
"Don't worry…I think it's fun sneaking around the castle!"
"Yeah but since when did we get involved with our idiotic cousin James and his merry band of co-horts…" Lucy scowled.
"Don't talk about our cousin like that Lucy! He's great…"
"Yeah but he's a bad influence just like Fred and Roxanne are!"
"They bring life to Hogwarts…so shush up!"
"Sometimes I wish Uncle Harry wasn't my Uncle…" Lucy sighed.
'I'm proud…we wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for him Lucy…"
"Yeah I guess…now come on, let's look for Nicholas!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Dominique and Louis were silent with concentration as they looked around the seventh floor.
"Are we going to check up in the Astronomy Tower?" Louis asked.
"No...First years aren't allowed up there so he wouldn't have gone up…" Dominique said.
"Yeah but Stef said to check everywhere…" Louis began.
"Well I'm not going up there…you can if you like but I'm just going to continue checking classrooms and stuff!" Dominique growled and power walked down the corridor, not waiting for Louis.
Louis looked at the door to the Astronomy Tower and then glanced back down at his sister.
"Wait for me Dom…you're right, he wouldn't have gone up there anyway because it's too cold!" Louis gasped and dashed after Dominique.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"I can't believe that it's 1:30am in the morning and I'm trudging through SNOW to find Nicholas…" Vanessa scowled.
"I still don't see how Stef even talked us into this as well…" Matthew huffed.
Just as that moment Stefanie flew over on her broom, overcoat flowing out behind her.
"I can't wait to get my hands on YOU Bright!" Vanessa screamed.
Stefanie turned around and smirked at the two of them before making a sharp left turn to go towards the Quidditch Pitch.
Matthew growled, "All she has to do is zoom around on her broom…"
"As long as she doesn't fall off again I'm happy!" Vanessa grimaced.
"Vani…"
"Yeah?"
"Do you reckon we have to check the Forbidden Forest?"
Vanessa scoffed, "NO! Nicholas would NOT go in there!"
"Okay…good…"
"You know, Stef left lots of places unsearched…" Vanessa sighed.
"What do you mean?"
"Well…who's searching the Dungeons, or the hall of Headmasters…or the Great Hall even?"
"Good point, she'll probably have people looking there if nobody manages to find him I suppose…" Matthew shrugged.
"Yeah…probably…"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Joshua, Alexander, Lisa and Elizabeth had decided to join the search at the last minute, unfortunately Stefanie had nowhere for them to search so they were stuck in the common room waiting to see if Nicholas would turn up on his own.
"Josh…wake up…" Lizzie yawned, prodding Joshua with her foot.
Josh sat up stiffly, "is he back yet?"
"Unfortunately…no…" Alexander sighed.
Josh huffed and slumped back down in his chair.
"Wake me if anything interesting happens…" Lisa said as she curled up in her armchair.
Waiting was starting to get very boring.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Stefanie flew at a low speed, surveying the grounds carefully to make sure she didn't miss anything.
The grounds were clear.
Hagrid's hut was clear.
The Quidditch Pitch was clear.
The Great Lake was also clear.
So Stefanie just settled for zooming around the castle. It was a very cold night and she didn't want to be outside at all but she had a responsibility and she had to bring back her idiotic brother.
She yawned and decided to zoom past the Astronomy Tower and maybe land for a rest.
She took a right turn and headed up with the wind whipping harshly at her face. The Astronomy Tower was in sight. After she flew over the balcony and dismounted her broom she turned around and was caught by surprise.
Nicholas was huddled in a far corner. His lips were starting to turn blue and snow and piled up all in his hair. He was shivering so violently that Stefanie was immediately worried.
Stefanie leant her broom against the wall and strode over to Nicholas who was looking at her intently.
"What are you DOING you IDIOT?" Stefanie half screamed.
Nicholas opened his mouth to speak but the only sound that came out was a small whimper.
"I'm taking you back to the common room…" Stefanie sighed.
Nicholas' eyes widened and he managed to shake his head stiffly.
"You're coming whether you like it or not Nicholas…you will freeze if I don't!"
Stefanie pulled out her wand and conjured a blanket to wrap around Nicholas. He glared at Stefanie but he was too cold to move.
Stefanie brushed some snow out of his messed up hair and finally grabbed him around the stomach and hauled him over her shoulder.
"N-n-n-n-n-n-o…" Nicholas managed to say.
"Tough luck Nicky…"
Stefanie walked back to her broom and mounted, placing Nicholas in front where he would not fall off.
"Well…at least I found you…" Stefanie muttered.
A/N: Tisk tisk tisk…silly Nicholas…He's gonna be in trouble, HAHAHA
Reviews will be highly appreciated.