Chapter 7

They kept running until they reached the Creevey's, were up the stairs and

Colin collapsed exhaustedly on Dennis' bed. Dennis slammed the door shut behind

them and, for a moment, there was no other sound but heavy panting. "Please-

Agnes," Colin heaved, "tell-us-is that-NORMAL-for---muggle-police-men?"

"No," Agnes wheezed. "No," she put her head down between her knees for a

moment to catch her breath. "That was just him-just that one. I was-unfortunate-

enough to have had a run in with him last month---while role-playing with some

friends."

"That's just our luck," Dennis said, irritably flopping down into his jar,

"that we should run into the one who's channeling Argus Filch. And, mate, we

have to start running more or else we're never going to make it through

Quidditch practice."

Colin decided to ignore his last comment. "Yeah, I wondered who he

reminded me of," then he added for Agnes' benefit, "He's the caretaker at

Hogwarts."

"And a real git, too, if you even put one muddy footprint on the floor,"

Dennis drew his finger across his throat, "it's more than your life's worth."

"I imagine that keeps the floor pretty clean," Agnes mused.

Colin and Dennis looked at each other and broke into laughter. "Yeah,

sure, would that we were concerned with what Filch threatens us," Dennis

answered.

"Exactly. Right now, we only have one course of action," Colin added, "We

need to get back into that park."

"Oh, no, uh uh," Agnes frowned at them. "I'm sorry, but baiting Bobbies

isn't my idea of fun. The less I have to do with them, the better. Last time I

got in trouble with that one my mother had a fit. And you do not want to see her

have a fit."

"Oh come on Agnes! It's not like we really have a choice," Dennis pressed.

"We have to practice Quidditch!"

"Yeah, and I have to make sure my mum never finds out how close I came to

getting arrested today! Look, you've got a garden."

"--Where we can run three feet in either direction before we hit a wall!"

Colin was about to break into their little debate (on Dennis' side, of

course) when he noticed a thick piece of parchment with green writing on it.

"When did our Hogwarts' letters arrive?" He asked Dennis.

"Oh, yesterday. Must have forgotten to tell you."

"Yeah, must have." He tore his open and glanced through it. A thought

occurred to him as he did so. "I imagine we'll have to make another trip to

Diagon Alley," he gave Dennis a meaningful look.

"Absolutely. I need some new robes. Mine only go about down to my knees

now-"

"I mean," he tried again but Agnes interrupted him.

"Diagon Alley? What's that?"

"It's the wizarding shopping center, where we get all our school

supplies," Dennis told her.

"Ooh brilliant! When're we going?"

Now feeling quite irritated that no one was following his train of

thought, Colin snapped at her. "We are going, you are not. Diagon Alley is

muggle-impenetrable. That means that even if you try to get in there with us,

you won't be able to."

"You'd suddenly remember you had a dentist appointment or something,"

Dennis added with a grin.

Agnes, however, was highly un-amused. "That's mean."

"Oh, stop with the wounded muggle act, Agnes," Colin told her. "They have

to do something to keep the Muggles out. You don't want to see witch burnings

again, do you?"

"No," she replied stiffly, "but it just seems silly. I mean, what happens

if your parents aren't magical? Your parents didn't just let you wander down

there alone, did they?"

"Of course not. They're allowed to come with us-I imagine the Ministry

makes exceptions for some," Colin said, "but they wouldn't make one for you. If

they found out you knew anything, you'd get a mind wipe faster than you can say

'Obliviate.'" She harrumphed unhappily. "But that doesn't matter," he went on,

"These letters arrived at just the right time." He gave Dennis another

meaningful look. "I think it's time we paid some of our favorite former

Gryffindors a visit."

Dennis' face was blank for a moment, and then slowly, a look of

enlightenment and understanding filled it. "You don't mean-" Colin nodded and

Dennis a feral grin spread across his face. "Weasley Wizard Wheezes!" The broke

into cackles and Agnes sat there, looking worriedly at Colin, then at Dennis.

Finally, she burst out, "Will someone please tell me what a Weasley Wizard

Wheeze is?" But this only made them laugh more. She glared at them for a while

and they finally managed to pull themselves together. "Whew, it's," Dennis

tried, "oh you tell her Colin," he said, wiping his eyes.

"It's a joke shop two former Hogwarts' students opened. I bet that Fred

and George would be more than pleased to help us with our Filchian problem."

"But I thought you weren't allowed to do magic outside of school."

"Oh we aren't and we won't," he assured her. "All we really need is some

way to alert us when that constable comes around on his patrol. I don't doubt

that they could help us with that. And if it should involve a few things blowing

up, well, that's just the way things are."

"So while you two are in Diagon Alley taking care of that, what do I do?

Sit here and keep the hearth warm?"

"Yeah, that's it," Dennis told her, shaking out his money stash and

counting it.

"You can go back to the park, if you want, to keep on eye on things and

see how often he comes around," Colin told her in an attempt to sooth any

ruffled feathers.

"And you'll be shopping?"

"Yes."

"While I do a stakeout?"

"Hmm hmm."

"My, this does sound like role reversal."

"Oh, come now, we'll only be gone a day. It's not like we're asking you to

plot the routes of every policeman in own."

Dennis scooped some Galleons into his pocket. "But you can if you want

to."

"I don't."

"It probably won't even be necessary," Colin reassured her. "We just want

to have this work out to perfection.

Agnes sighed. "Are you guys SURE there's no other place we could

practice?"

"Yes!"