Harry peered out from the folds of the invisibility cloak. Hermione and Ron were huddled on either side of him. They held their breath and watched as Mrs. Norris sniffed the air. Finally, the cat crept off down the corridor.
"She's gone!" Ron breathed.
"Gone to fetch Filch!" snapped Hermione. "We should get back to the dormitory before he finds us. I don't even want to think about what would happen to us if we were caught. We're prefects for heavens sakes Ron!"
Harry wasn't paying an attention to Hermione. He felt that the sounds of the approaching footsteps were more important.
"Hurry!" he hissed. "Someone is coming!"
The three of them froze and then backed into the wall of the corridor. Footsteps echoed down the hall. Suddenly Filch's shadow rounded the corner and he appeared before him holding a blazing lantern and peering around. Mrs. Norris weaved around his ankles and mewed softly.
Harry pressed himself against the wall as close as he could and watched as Filch drew nearer. Beside him, Ron was preoccupied with something on the ground.
"What do you think is there?" Filch said quietly to his pet. "Perhaps it's only Peeves up to no good. Or perhaps it's something else."
Ron bent down to the stone tiles where a small wooded object lay. Harry desperately wanted to tell him to stop moving. Filch would hear him for sure, and he did.
Filch stretched a hand out to where the three were huddled as Ron straitened up. In Ron's hand was a small wooded pipe.
Suddenly, Harry felt himself jerked forward. He wasn't on the ground anymore. He felt Ron and Hermione beside him as he was swept up by a wind full of color.