Before the trio left the library, Fred brought out the Marauder's Map to verify that Filch was still way out of their way. He traced their projected path and found that, although Filch was currently preoccupied in his office, Snape was positioned most inconveniently for the task at hand.

"We've got a problem. Snape's in his office. If you slide it under his door, we're bound to get caught."

"We could carry on and then get back to the letter after he's gone to bed," George suggested.

Rook pondered. "What about his classroom? Can I leave it in his desk in his classroom?"

"It would be risky," said George with the slightest trepidation. "Snape's office is just off the classroom."

"I can be sneaky," Rook assured.

"That's the spirit!"

Fred and George led Rook down a cold stone staircase and to the door of the potions classroom. None of them spoke, but George pat her shoulder encouragingly and Fred winked at her. Fred watched as Rook, quite suddenly, removed her shoes and socks, laying them neatly against the wall outside the classroom.

"For additional sneakiness," Rook whispered, smiling roguishly. She looked more excited than nervous, and she was... cute. Fred made an awkward show of preoccupying himself with the map until Rook had turned away again. Rook took no notice, but George raised his eyebrows at Fred questioningly.

Rook was completely silent as she crept carefully into the classroom. Fred watched her fade into the shadowy darkness, so quiet she may have vanished entirely.

Once he had closed the door softly, George turned to Fred and murmured, "What do you think?"

"She's too quiet, so it's too easy," Fred grumbled. "If she can be that quiet, it's boring."

"You want her to get caught?"

Fred rolled his eyes. "She's not going to get caught. I mean, listen," Fred nudged the door open slightly and they strained their ears for sounds of Rook within, to no avail. "That's my point. If there's no risk, it's boring."

Just then Rook hurtled out of the classroom and whispered frantically, "Run!" as she gathered her shoes and shot off up the dungeon steps barefoot. Fred and George ran after her. "I tried to enchant the letter so that it sings, but, well, I accidentally turned it into a howler and it's about to detonate outside Snape's office!"

"What?!"

They ducked into a broom closet just off the Great Hall and waited with baited breath for Rook's letter to start shrieking insincere proclamations of adoration for all the castle to hear... but nothing happened. To Fred's great irritation, he noticed the shadowy outline of Rook whisper something to George and they both dissolved into a fit of laughter.

"I heard you call me 'boring'."

Fred narrowed his eyes at Rook. "Wait a minute... It's not a howler?"

"Of course it's not! Don't tell me you think I'm dull and stupid?"

"She got you, mate!" said George, still laughing.

"Oh, shut up! It's not that funny. And you!" Fred rounded on Rook. "I didn't call you boring, okay? I just said it's boring if it's too easy. Lumos." The small space was suffused with soft light from Fred's wand. He looked Rook in eye. "Okay?"

Rook nodded, trying not to laugh at Fred's intense expression.

"Okay. Honestly, woman, you're making me feel like a cad. Let's keep it simple. I like you. I assume you like me because, hey, what's not to like?"

George cleared his throat. "Moving on..."

"Right. Before we go on, if there's one thing I've learned from this game, it's that these rules were written for a reason."

George nodded. "Fred's going to snog a gargoyle. It could be that's against the rules because the gargoyle claws out the eyes of anyone who defiles it, or something along those lines."

"Deities of Djibouti! Do you think that's likely?" said Rook.

"We don't know. That's my point."

For the first time, Rook looked exceedingly uneasy. "What do we do if it attacks him?"

"It won't attack me."

"But it's good to be prepared," said George.

"If anything happens, George here can stay and help me."

"And you can run off to the hospital wing for Madame Pomfrey, if it's that bad."

"You can even say you came upon us on your way to the loo, if it's your hide you're concerned about," Fred added.

Rook glared in the wand light, clearly offended by Fred's measured implication. "But where is the hospital wing?" asked Rook, trying to keep her voice casual and failing.

Fred smiled, feeling an odd sense of triumph at Rook's apparent concern. "Are you that worried about me?"

Rook answered with an evasive shrug and Fred's smile turned into a mocking grin. "You do like me, then?"

"Yeah, right!" Rook snapped. "I don't want you getting your eyes ripped out, so I must be president of the Freddy Fan Club! Please..."

"Thing is, Rook, we've been breaking rules 'round here for four years. This castle is alive. If you poke and prod it, it's bound to poke back occasionally."

"But it's still a school," said George bracingly. "Ickle Freddiekins will be fine."

"I don't know," sighed Fred, switching tactics. "We really should have a backup plan, but if Rook here doesn't care for me either way, I suppose we'll just have to take our chances. If anything happens to me, take my things and tell mum that I love her."

"You were just saying it's not going to attack you!" Rook exclaimed.

"I was just trying to make you feel better. I'm the caring sort, unlike you."

"Er- Fred?"

Rook snorted. "Who do you think you're fooling? I just met you and I can tell that's a heap of bos taurus feces."

"Rook-"

"Why do you talk like that? It's weird."

"Why do you keep criticizing me?!"

"Just say you like me already!"

"Of course I like you!"

Fred felt briefly sated by this admission, and felt this sensation of pleasurable satisfaction overcome him before he abruptly remembered where he was, what he was doing, and who accompanied him.

"If you two are quite finished," George interjected forcefully. "I suggest you cease with the shouting match and check to see if anyone heard you? And you may as well show her, Fred."

"Right-" Fred muttered, unusually nettled by George's input. He rustled around in the small space, careful not to brush Rook while simultaneously noting that George was taking no such precaution. He extracted the map and proceeded to examine it, reining in his thoughts with some difficulty. "You can calm your nancies, George; No one's heard us. Here," Fred held the parchment out to Rook impatiently, "This is us, that's the hospital wing. Got it?"

Rook drew neared to Fred for a better look at the map. Fred shifted uncomfortably. "Wow... Those dots... They show everyone?"

"Wait a minute, Fred... That's the secret of our success! Shouldn't there be a little more pomp and circumstance?"

"No time, adjacent brother! She'll just have to experience it herself."

"I suppose that works just as well."

Fred tucked the map away and made to open the door. "Here we go again..."