Chapter five: It was no accident
As it was the day that Fred expected to be confronted by Wesley again, he was not altogether surprised when Percy and Hermione burst through the shop doors at an ungodly hour (11:30am) looking worried.
"What is it?" he asked warily.
"Cho Chang is dead!" Hermione hissed, thrusting the newspaper into his hands. Fred's wide eyes traced over the article. Phrases like 'brutally mauled', 'family in shock' and 'no suspects so far' leapt out at him.
"My God," Fred muttered.
"She was stabbed eighteen times. They pretty much gutted her," Percy said. His eyes were on the floor and it was obviously very uncomfortable for him to be there. Fred pointedly ignored him.
"Oh, don't be so silly, both of you!" Hermione snapped. "This is serious!"
"Keep your voice down," Fred warned. "George is round the back."
"You haven't told him?" Percy asked, evidently highly surprised. Feeling it would be too openly childish to ignore the question completely, Fred sneered,
"No, I didn't." He wanted to add something patronising to make Percy feel like an idiot but he couldn't find the right words.
"What's going on -- oh, hi Hermione," George said brightly as he entered; catching sight of Percy, his expression soured but he remained silent, never one to make quite as much of a scene as Fred.
"I'm just here to get supplies for the Ministry, I'll be out of your hair soon enough," Percy said without emotion. Hermione raised her eyebrows after George had sidled through to the back again. "Well, it was the only thing I could think of. Not very plausible I know, I dare say the Ministry would rather shop at Knockturn alley than this place!"
"Hey!"
"Come on, you might be a very good joke shop but you're still a joke shop; you're not meant to have that much credibility."
"I suppose that's true -- but credibility or no, we've received tall orders from the Ministry!"
"You don't say."
"Where did you think that the shield gear you used came from?" Fred added smugly.
"Excuse me, I do not need the use of a cloak for a shield, my magical powers are quite capable of performing a simple shield charm," Percy said acidly.
"Relax, it's not like I'm accusing you of impotence! Besides, I meant 'you' plural, not 'you' singular. I meant the Ministry as a whole." Fred almost laughed before he realised he was getting a little too friendly towards Percy and restrained himself. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Look, this is serious," Hermione said.
"Who else have you spoken to?" Fred asked.
"Everyone," she replied. "Fleur is hysterical, not that I'm surprised. Luna looked worried for probably the first time since she was born; Malfoy looked a little concerned, though he's fairly accustomed to being hunted; but Oliver's reaction is what really has me worried. He's refusing to believe that there is any connection between Pelopidas and Cho's death."
"Maybe he's right," said Fred.
"Possibly, but I sincerely doubt it," Percy cut in. "It's too much of a coincidence, but we'll have to wait to speak to Wesley to be really sure."
"How are we getting in contact with him?" Fred wondered.
"I think he'll probably contact us. That's how it was last time."
"You are right," said a soft voice from the shadows and the three leapt a metre straight into the air. Leaning nervously against a shelf was Mr Wesley.
"When and how the hell did you get here?" Fred demanded. Mr Wesley smiled weakly at him as he always did when faced with an answer he couldn't or didn't want to answer.
"You are right. Cho's death was no coincidence."
"We gathered as much," Hermione said with mild sarcasm.
"Do you know who it was?" Percy asked. Mr Wesley didn't quite meet his gaze.
"We- we do have some ideas," he admitted cagily.
"Then tell us, dammit, we have a right to know who's after us if we're in danger, too, as I assume we are," Hermione exploded. Mr Wesley nodded sadly to thin air.
"You are in danger, too, I am afraid. You are also without choice. Usually, before joining our society, potential members are safe. It is now evident that you are not, you have been discovered. It is now necessary for you to join for protection."
"Tell that to Oliver," Fred muttered. Wesley's light brown eyes snapped quickly towards Fred.
"Oliver does not wish to join? But he must, now."
"What, are you going to tie him up and drag him to your secret headquarters?" Fred asked.
"If need be."
"Wonderful."
"You do not seem to realise quite how serious the situation is," Wesley said sadly. "You must join, I beg you to realise this."
Less than ten minutes later, Wesley had successfully dragged the three, plus Draco, Luna, Fleur and Oliver, back to the disturbing house on Paris Avenue.
"I am not joining," Oliver said slowly and emphatically, to make the message as clear as he could.
"You must!" Wesley looked close to tears.
"If whatever psycho wacko nut that eviscerated Cho did it because she was associated with you lot, we'd be safer if we weren't associated with you lot, don't you think?"
"We have reason to believe that they know exactly who you are now. They will not stop until you are all dead, I'm afraid, whether you join or no. They shall have a much more difficult time attempting to destroy you if you were under our protection."
"How do I know that you're not just saying that?" Oliver accused.
Wesley looked down at his hands and then back at Oliver, looking at him right in the eye.
"If you are determined to think me a liar, I cannot change your mind; neither can I force you to accept membership if you are so set against it, but one last time I ask: please, join us for your own safety?" Oliver shook his head firmly and Wesley sighed.
"Very well, Cadarn will show you out. I wish you luck, but I cannot pretend I expect you to live very long." A young boy darted, out of thin air it seemed, towards Oliver, grabbed his arm, and silently tugged him out of the room. A few beats of awkward, oppressive silence pressed down on the room for several seconds before Percy cleared his throat.
"Er, well, er. So I suppose we're members now, of this Society of Pelopidas thing."
"You are."
"What does Pelopidas mean, anyway?" Fred cut in
"Pelopidas was a freedom fighter many years ago. That is what we do, fight for the freedom of our people, for our right to live without threat."
"Oookay."
"So what 'appens now?" Fleur asked, the question which haunted everyone's minds.
"Now? Why, now we train you! We have Death Eaters and other horrid characters to conquer! You will all, of course, need to tap into your special skills -- and then become animagi."
"Animagi?" Hermione frowned. "Special skills?"
"All Pelopidi, as we call our members, must become animagi. And all witches and wizards have special magical skills separate from magic with wands. If you wish to survive very long in our world, you must hone these."
A startled silence hung over the group for several seconds as they tried to absorb what they had just heard.
"Well, doesn't this sound like a barrel of laughs?" Draco sneered.
A.N. Sorry for repeating the last chapter, I meant to post this one but I uploaded the wrong file by mistake. My bad.