Gathering their courage, the sisters went back to the site of their former dorm. A thick forest stood there and continued into the Forbidden Forest.

« Are we sure we must try this, Ivy ? » asked Neph.

« I don't know » she replied. »But since the dungeons used to be there, maybe we'll find some clue as to what happened. And I can't think of a better way at this time. »

The sisters walked into the dark forest. The sun barely shone through the trees, no birds were heard and when they looked behind them, none could say where the path they had come from was.

The sisters kept walking on. Some times later they reached a clearing by a river.

« What a nice place » said Mag « maybe we could have a break there. Look ! it's clear, cool, the grass is thick. » She stretched herself by the river bank.

« Slurp » went the grass.

« Slurp ? » said Neph . « Since when does grass make a slurping sound when you lie upon it ? »

She took a step toward Mag . The grass stuck to her shoes and stretched itself along.

The Sisters started screaming : the nice clearing had taken a goo-ey texture and several of them weer already sinking into the green substance. Mag was desperately trying to crawl across the river and reach the forest's edge. Tweaty, who was ona surer footing, was pulling Tvgi and Flo. Ming and Neph were trying to swim across the marsh. Faëril had grabbed Ivy by herleft shoulder and was flapping its wings in an effort to free her from the pit digging itself under her.

Finally, all the girls raeched the forest. Most had green goo sticking to their hair or clothes. Behind them, the clearing was once again peaceful and charming.

They looked at each other.

« Well, we can't really go back now » said Ming.

« No, thank you, I've had enough jello today » said Neph.

The sisters walked all day long. They trekked along the forest, among spiky bushes. Insectes attacked them. Still there was no sign of the Master or of their former dorm. In fact, they hadn't met a single living creature since the morning. As night feel, Tvigi flung herself upon the ground.

« That's enough ! I can't take it anymore ! »

« Come on, another half-hour ! » said Ivy.

« Who knows ? Maybe we'll finaly get somewhere » said Ming.

« We should have gotten somewhere hours ago ! » cried Tvigi. « I won't get any further : the night's falling, I'm tired, we haven't eaten since breakfast ! I'm stopping here ! »

Ivy shrugged.

« After all, she's not all that wrong » remarked Mag.Walking by night won't do us any good. Anyway, where else could we sleep ? »

The other sisters contemplated the thought : the dorm was gone, nobodyseemed to see them anymore. They set out to organize the camp for the night.

Ming and Neph took out their wands and started cutting through the tree's branches to make huts. Tweaty and Flo went looking for food. Ivy had started a large fire. Tvigi and Mag were using their wands to weave blankets for the night.

Soon after all settled around the fire. Tweaty and Flo had brought back 3 fishes and some berries, and a barrelful of springwater. The dinner was joyless. They were all thinking of their parties, of the detentions, of the night spent brewing mischief in the dorm. The food was soon gone.

« Why didn't you bring back some mushrooms ?' asked Tvigi. « These don't look so bad . »

« I'm not sure, Tvigi » said Mag, « you don't want to eat the wrong ones. »

« No, I think I remember those from herbology. Anyway, there's only one way to find out ». And Tvigi gulped down one of the big black mushrooms growing under the trees.

The sisters looked expectingly at Tvigi.

« Hm, not bad… tastes a bit of mint. Really you should try, you don't… oh ! Master ! Master ! We're here ! »

And Tvigi ran into the forest !

« Tvigi ! » cried Ivy, Neph and Ming.

« Stop ! » cried Tweaty.

« Come back ! » said Flo.

« The Master's not here, Tvigi ! Come back ! » called Mag.

But Tvigi was still running.

« Oh, Master, I'm so glad we found you ! Where had you gone ? We thought… AAAAAAHHH ! »

A sinister sound of clicking pincers was heard, getting closer, amidst Tvigi's screams. She emerged into the clearing, but the sisters had no sooner reached herthan six giant hairy spiders appeared behind the trees.

The sisters immediately drew their wands. A well placed 'Stupefy !' sent one spider belly up an Faëril, spitting flames, roasted the smallest one. But the sisters were still confronted with four monsters. The smallest was easily two stories high. Magic was zapping around. When a spider was hit, its corrosive blood burned badly whichever unlucky sister stood too close.

Things looked grim. Ivy, Ming and Neph were pitted against the biggest spider, but Tweaty's hand was bady burned and Flo was cornered by two arachnids Mag and Tvigi were trying to attack from behind.

Suddenly, a war cry echoed through the forest. A small figure threw itself among the fray and started hitting the spiders with horrible screams. It wielded a saber in its right hand and held a submachine gun in the left.

Flo cried out : « It's Karl ! Oh my God, it's Krazy Karl ! »

A few seconds later, only bits were left of the giant spiders. The small figure somersaulted out of sight.

It took a few minutes for the schock to wear off.

« Now we know why it's called the Forbidden Forest » said Tweaty.

« Remind me not to spend my holidays here » added Neph.

« But what was Karl doing here ? » asked Flo.

« Let's see » said Ming, « first a swampy clearing, then hallucinogen mushrooms and the Krazy Karl the Kamikaze Killer… we must still be in the dorm. »

« The dorm ? » said Mag.

« Ming is right » said Ivy. « Something happened obviously but we're still on familiar ground »

« Then there msut be a door to the dungeon somewhere ! » said Tvigi.

« Let's keep walking then » said Mag « I'm not sleepy anymore, anyway »

The girls walked on. From times to time, they climbed tree, poked bushes and looked around for crates of tequila.

Mag was walking toward a tree she thought reminded her of her trunk when suddenly the floor gave way under her feet and she fell with a scream.

The sisters gathered around the hole.

« Mag ! Where are you ? » called Tweaty.

« Are you all right, Mag ? » asked Neph.

Mag's muffled voice was heard : « I'm ok. I fell …er… in your bathtub, Ming. At least it looks like it. I think you should all come down. »

« Are you sure ? » asked Ivy

« Well, it does look like our bathroom. And there's a door… just mind the floor, it's slippy. »

The sisters let themselves down the rabbit hole. They found Mag rearranging her dress, and in a much more cheefull mood.

« I don't know where we are, if we've finally found our way back, but I like this much better than the spiders . » she said.

« Should we try the door ? » said Ivy.

« Be my guest » said Ming. « After all, we've got nothing to lose ! »

Ming grabbed the door knob. She turned it. The sisters all held their breath…

The door opened on their dorm, their very own dorm. Ming's book were in a pile, Flo's duvet was halfway down the bed, jello was oozing from the walls.

The girls marveled at their newly found home. Everything was in its place, a fire was burning in the chimney.

« Home sweet home ! » said Neph.

« But if we're back… then maybe… the Master ! » creid Tvigi.

All flung themselves upon the secret door,… down the staircase…

Snape was here ! Three cauldrons were bubbling, he was weighing two measures of pickled frog guts. He slowly turned to face the sisters.

« Ah, Ladies. I see you are alte. As usual »

They all started talking at once :

« Master, if you knew… »

« The Hufflepuff… »

« And then… »

« We almost got stuck… »

« And karl cut the spiders to pieces… »

« And Mag fell… »

« And… » « And… »

« Ladies, Ladies. I am used to more restraint coming from you, at least under… usual circonstances. I am surprised to see you so upset by such a prank. A stupid prank shoudl I add, for which Mrs weasleys will have to answer. I am afraid these two gentlemen will spend much of their future time with me. »

« Er, Master » smiled Neph « don't you have already detention tonight ?… with us… »