DECEMBER 10 WEDNESDAY
It wouldn't stop snowing in the dorm now. The boys had to sleep in their duffle coats and multiple layers of everything. They couldn't stop it, nor could Flitwick.
Sirius realised he hadn't packed a woolly hat. So he put on that rubbish crown and looked at himself in a mirror. Just 'cause.
"Hey," said James, coming into the dorm. "Where's the disco ball?"
Sirius looked around. Everything was covered in snow.
"I don't know. You didn't shoot hoops with it and lose it, did you?"
"No because I can't find it."
Night was already falling. The wind howled and just sort of stomped around on the roof, grunting. Remus's bed curtains parted and he came out in multiple layers of all he had.
The prefect thing was off because everybody had the flu.
"Have you seen the disco ball?" James asked him.
"No."
Everything lied under snow and they couldn't find anything. But they would sooner suspect that Fletcher had nicked it, than any of the snowy dome shapes, because Fletcher had a history of nicking their stuff and claiming them to be his.
And so they set off to find him.
Lady Wilhelmina Scott-Holmes guarded the Hufflepuff dungeons.
"Hey is Fletcher in?" James asked.
"No," replied Lady Wilhelmina.
James turned to the others. "Well now what?"
"Hey! I just remembered something!" said Sirius and began to associate words. "Disco ball...silver...gold...badge!"
"Hey that's right! We have our very own personal prefect, to do our prefect bidding!"
"No you don't," said Remus.
"Go on then!" said Sirius. "Put on that badge and do your thing!"
"What thing?"
"Like, flash your badge, and then, do the thing."
"Ok. Go to your dorm, it's past your bedtime."
"That's not doing the thing, that's being a promoted slave," said James.
"Yeah we never promoted you," said Sirius.
"Hey, show a bit of respect!"
"Sorry!"
"You know that Wormtail is the slave! Isn't that right, Cool Wormtail?"
Peter nodded eagerly.
"Slave is slang for awesome!"
Because Remus found all this irritating for some mysterious reason, he thought he'd try to talk it over with Lady Wilhelmina.
"Hello can we talk to Fletcher please?"
"That you may. FLETCHER!"
Lady Wilhelmina kept shouting until Fletcher came to the frame.
"What is up?"
"Do you have our disco ball?" James asked.
"No I don't have your disco ball."
"Ok. Well good night then."
"Night. Wait."
"What?"
"Is it sphere shaped and covered in reflective bits?"
"Yes."
"Then no, I don't have it."
"Good night then," said Sirius.
"Wait."
"What?"
"Did you keep it in Sprout's hyacinth bowl?"
"Yes."
"The genuine Earthenware piece?"
"Yes!"
"Then no."
"Are you taking the piss?"
Fletcher winced, and clutched the side of his head.
"Ow...I have seen it. I'm... Flashbacks. Flashbacks. What happened? Just this black hole. Which cactus? Ow my head..."
"Has anybody given you anything funny to drink recently?" Remus asked.
"I smell my tea every morning. I always get bergamot, lemon and hot water. Do you think someone likes me?"
"Anything else?"
"Not that I can remember. Could it be the marmalade I had this morning? It smelled of apricot, marmite and toothpaste. Is it common to always get three different smells?"
"And cough syrup. Did you also get the cough syrup?" James asked.
"Yes. Ow. My head. Could this be what love feels like? I always expected butterflies in the stomach. My head hurts and I am in love with Dolores Toddy, the most beautiful witch in the world."
"That was last year. For 24 hours."
"For me it was today, when she gave me that goblet of Holiday Cheer. I will love her until the heatwave of the universe grills us both."
Very suspicious.
"Do you remember anything else?" Remus asked.
"I don't know. Wait. Yes. Yes. Yes!"
Thud. Sirius had whacked Fletcher upside the head with a lance.
"Who's up for a brainvasion?"
"Why didn't you just ask if you could brainvade his brain?" Remus asked.
Sirius lowered the lance. "It's a habit I just never developed I guess."
Fletcher regained consciousness and sat up, rubbing the back of his head and claiming that he was being circled by canaries. Sirius helped him to his feet.
"Can we invade your brain please?"
"Yeah sure. I got nothing to hide."
They went to potions lab B and they brought the Ancient Scrolls of Wikius Hau. They followed the brainvasion tutorial to a tee. Fletcher's liquid memories looked like dirty sewage water in the sink. The chaps weren't desperate to dive in.
"Just a thought," said Remus. "But could it be possible that his head is weird because somebody has already brainvaded his brain?"
"Of course it's possible!" said James. "But who just who!"
Who indeed.