We're really sorry that this has taken a while to get this up. It's been a little hectic and well...anyways. We'll try to get better. Well, here it is.
Chapter 15
So Maybe We Do Know
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Fred, George, and Jusea were in Zonko's Joke Shop. Jusea checked her watch. "I've had a lot of fun, but it's two, and the party's at three. I need to get back."
Fred and George looked at each other. "We have time to take you to the Shrieking Shack. You have got to see it."
"Well...I don't know."
"Come on. This is partly why we came, you know that's what you wanted to see."
"I guess. But can we make it quick please?"
"Okay. Let's go."
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Standing before the Shrieking Shack, Jusea checked her watch again. "Okay, this is cool and all, but I really need to get back."
"Okay. We'll go this way," George said.
"It's a shortcut," Fred added.
Jusea looked into the woods. "That way?"
"Yeah."
"Come on, let's go."
They headed into the woods.
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Beth and Oliver were in the Great Hall. Oliver was describing in great detail a play that had come to him over their lunch. Then Flint stormed up.
"Where is she?"
"Who?" Beth asked.
"You know who."
"No, Ah really don't," Beth said.
"Jusea," Flint snapped. Oliver's head went up. "You hid her, I know it."
"If she's not there, then obviously she doesn't want to be with ye," Oliver said. Beth turned towards Oliver, who was glaring at Flint.
"Fine. If you won't tell, I'll go find her." Flint turned and left.
Beth and Oliver stared after him. Oliver shook his head and started to tell his play again. Angelina and Alicia come up to them. "Have you guys seen the twins?" Angelina said.
"No. Why?" Oliver asked.
"Well, we were going to study with them and Lee, but no one's seen them since breakfast, and he doesn't know where they are. So I'm afraid that they're up to something."
"Sorry, we haven't seen them either," Beth said.
"Thanks. Come on, let's look for them somewhere else," Alicia said. The two girls left.
Oliver began going over the plan again. He looked up at his little sister. She sat with chin in hand, brow furrowed, eyes focused on the floor. Oliver gritted his teeth. It was bad enough when his own team didn't understand his breakfast planning sessions, but for his own sister to act this way....
"Beth, are ye listening to me?" Oliver said.
"Ah think Ah might know where the twins are."
"Good for ye. Ye could have told them, Ah don't care at this current moment. Now, as Ah was saying—"
"Well, for one thing, Ah didn't think about it until after they left. But Ah think the twins have Jusea."
"That's nice—what?"
"Well, yesterday they were talking about kidnapping her and taking her to Hogsmeade to keep her from going to the Slytherin party."
"Ah'm proud of them, yet upset. Let's go." He jumped up and started out the Great Hall, but he turned around to Beth. "Are ye coming?"
"Aye, but ye barely gave me a chance to move."
"Well, Ah am now. Hurry up."
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Beth and Oliver stood on the top of the hill above Hogsmeade, having tracked the twins' and Jusea's movements throughout the village shops to the Shrieking Shack. "We're here, and they're not, and no one's here to tell us where they are," Oliver said. Beth scanned the hill and the town; a grin spread over her face. "What?"
"Well, no one else is here."
"So?"
She sighed. "Hello. Ah can track them."
"Why didn't ye think of this before?"
"Because Ah'm just your fifteen-year-old sister. Besides, Ah couldn't have done it before."
"Well, then, do it now."
"Ye could be a little polite, ye know. Mum and Dad—"
"All right, all right. Please."
"Thank ye." Beth studied the dry ground, covered by dead leaves. She moved over to the grass slope stretching towards the woods. "This way."
Oliver followed her down the slope and into the trees.
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The twins slowed, examining the trees carefully.
"Um, is something wrong?" Jusea asked.
"Of course not." They continued forward more quickly.
After another ten minutes, though, they started glancing around again and upwards at the thickening branches. "What? Are you guys lost?" Jusea said as they entered a clearing.
"Of course we're not."
"We know exactly where we are."
"Where?" Jusea said.
"Here."
"Where's that?"
"A clearing...in the...the woods."
Jusea crossed her arms. "Thanks. Where's home?"
"Oh, that one's easy."
A deep growl emanated from the shadowy undergrowth. Jusea edged closer to the twins. "Um, guys?"
"Yeah?" Fred's voice sounded oddly high-pitched.
"Wh-what was that?"
"A squirrel," George said. He didn't sound entirely convinced.
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Beth tensed. She looked ahead, her eyes narrowing.
"What?" Oliver said.
"That sounds scary."
"What?"
A roar ripped through the air. Light flashed among the trees, and there was a yelp. "Jusea." Oliver grabbed his wand and ran forward, Beth sprinting after him.
They skidded into the clearing. Giant wolves slunk around, their eyes glowing eerily as they circled Jusea and the twins. "Jusea!" Oliver shot a spell at a wolf. The magic slammed the creature's aside, and it whirled onto its feet, fangs bared. It jumped towards him.
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Beth heard something behind her, and she spun. A snarling wolf ran toward her. She pushed the air towards it in a torrent, throwing the wolf into a tree. The wolf stood, shaking its head, and it opened its mouth. Lightning shot towards Beth; she dropped to the ground, the lightning streaking overhead. She tossed lightning back at the wolf; it shrugged off the electricity and grinned at her evilly. She gulped.