Chapter Four

Blueprints

Lisa Turpin, a fifth year Ravenclaw, entered the library. She sat in her usual comfy chair and pulled out a book from her bag. She opened it to where her book mark lay. She was reading Hogwarts: A History for the third time.

"A fan of history?"

Lisa looked up to see Nearly Headless Nick, though he preferred Sir Nicholas. "Very much. I'll read anything about history. Wizard or muggle."

"Including the Hogwart blueprints?"

She placed her bookmark back in its resting place and closed her book. "Who wants to look at blueprints?"

"You can learn much by seeing the outlines of a structure. You begin to understand it better and paint a picture of events that happened long ago."

Lisa placed her book down. "You're right!"

Sir Nicholas floated away. He had been in these halls for a very long time. He had witnessed Albus' first steps into the castle. Yet, he didn't understand was he was asked to get one of the Ravenclaws to check out the Hogwarts blueprints.

Meanwhile three Gryffindor's sneaked through the corridors.

Seamus looked to Perry and Neville. "Ready?"

Perry stood taller. "Yes."

"Mhm…" Neville said shaking.

Dumbledore left the Great Hall well aware that he was being followed. He stopped in front of a gargoyle statue whose face held a mixture of a frown and a snarl. Dumbledore cleared his throat and said the password loud and clear. "Fizzing Whizbees." The statue became animate and stepped aside. Walls parted, revealing a spiral staircase. As soon as Dumbledore stood on the bottom step the stairs began to rotate and whisked him out of sight.

Seamus, Perry, and Neville his in the shadows waiting for Dumbledore to come back out.

Ten minutes later Dumbledore emerged, walking down the stairs because they no longer spun. "Blasted thing! Where is Filch when you need him?" Dumbledore walked around the corner and spied on his stalkers.

The three went to the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Perry cleared her throat and said the password.

Nothing happened.

She said it again.

Nothing.

Perry hit the entrance with her fists. "Work you bloody thing!"

Seamus pulled her away from the statue. "Calm down."

Words appeared above the gargoyle's head. Neville read them aloud. "Sorry temporarily out of service." He turned to his partners in crime. "No wonder he's mad. It's broken."

Perry noticed the statue's expression. "That thing wasn't smiling before. The confounded thing is laughing at us!"

Seamus looked at the gargoyle then back to Perry. "No he's not."

"Perry looked back at the statue. It face had returned to its previous state. She pointed to it. "Go choke on a chisel."

"Perry," said Seamus, "You do realize you're fighting with a rock."

"I have Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans in the common room. They'll make you feel better."

"Thanks Neville." She began walking making a promise to herself never to be embarrassed by A.I.M. (Artificial Intelligence by Magic) ever again.

Their classmates had smiles on their faces when they returned to the common room.

"How'd it go?" asked Lavender.

"Not so well." Perry plopped on the couch beside Parvati. "It's out of order."

Colin looked up from polishing his camera. "How can it be out of order?"

The light form the fireplace reflected of Dean's brown eyes. "We're gonna have to figure out an alternative way to get into that office."

The pack of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans was passed along the team as they brainstormed.

"We need some sort of map," Katie said enjoying a cherry tart bean.

Perry forced down a vinegar flavoured one. Coughing she said, "Anyone got a piece of parchment?"

The moon found its way into the sky and the Gryffindor's still sat around the parchment. Upon it was scribbled an extremely inaccurate and off scale map.

Lavender picked up the 'map'. "I don't think this will help us."

Seamus threw down his quill. "You try and draw moving staircases then."

Soon separate conversations started within the group, each far from the original topic of the night.

Lavender and Parvati were giggling, Dean and Seamus where laughing, Colin was showing Neville his zoom lens, and Katie was telling Perry about her first quidditch match.

"I've never seen anyone beat up with a bludger so badly. Perry? Are you even listening?"

"Sorry. It's just… I'm not a big fan of quiddich.

Everyone stopped their giggling, laughing, and showing all at once. Lavender gasped. Katie gaped. Seamus looked at Perry looked like she kicked a baby phoenix right out of its ashes.

"You don't like quiddich?" said Dean.

"How can you not." Katie's ponytail bounced. "It's amazing!"

"It's exciting," said Parvati.

"It's great for action shots."

Seamus stood up. "And best of all, it's bloody!"

"I think it's actually rather stupid. I mean what's the point to score goals and block 'em if the seeker catches the snitch and gets 150 points. I know there was the exception at last year's World Cup, but besides that…" Blank faces starred at Perry. "I'm gonna go to bed." She let out a fake yawn and went up to the Girls' Dormitory.

Hermione looked up from her book, being the only awake girl (besides Perry, of course) in the bedroom.

"I didn't think the Gryffindors took quidditch so seriously." She began to undress.

Hermione sat up. "You've gone to this school for five years and haven't noticed."

"Good point," she pulled on her pajama top. "But the whole lot of 'em is still bonkers."

"Not all of us are mad."

"You don't like it either?"

"It's positively absurd."

Perry sat on Hermione's bed and gave her a hug. "Finally, someone with commonsense."

"I only put up with it because Harry and Ron are so obsessed."

"You poor child."

The next morning Perry sat beside Neville in the Great Hall. "I absolutely adore chocolate chip waffles."

Neville swallowed his mouthful. "Me too."

Katie took a seat on Perry's free side. "Hey, sorry 'bout last night. We were just shocked. That's all."

"Don't worry about it. Pass the maple syrup." She poured it generously. "Neville?"

"Yeah?"

"Is Seamus mad at me?"

"I don't think so."

Katie waved her fork around. "He's just a big quidditch freak. Don't worry, he'll come 'round."

Soon the Great Hall emptied and everyone made their way to first period. Seamus joined Perry.

"Gracing me with your presence?"

He smiled lightly. "I was just wondering… why are you," he began to whisper, "helping to get the stash if you don't care for quidditch?"

"Simple. This year's going to suck."

"Why's that?"

"Haven't you noticed the pink, fluffy, cat loving thing that sits at the teachers table?"

"Well that thing is headed towards us."

Umbridge pulled out a ruler and held it between the two. "Ten inches. You may proceed."

When they were a safe distance away Perry said, "There's something wrong with that women."

"We have the worst luck with Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers."

"Except Gilderoy Lockhart," she sighed, "with his golden curls."

Seamus rolled his eyes. "Right on top of his big head."

First years ran by them. Rose Zeller shouted over her shoulder, "Hurry up Evan! We can't miss out flying lesson. Madame Hooch will kill us."

Perry gasped. "I'm late. Babbling will be furious."

"No she won't," said Seamus.

"Wanna bet?"

"Always. A butter beer at the Three Broom Sticks on the first trip to Hogsmeade."

"Deal"

They shook hands and ran off to their separate classes.

Perry rushed into Ancient Runes and took her seat beside Hermione.

"Late again Miss Duncan."

"Perry looked down. "Sorry Professor."

"Punctuality is the blueprint for success."

"Mhmm." The mini lecture didn't register in her mind. She was too busy being upset about losing a bet and a free butter beer.

Perry pulled out her quill and began to scribble down the note on runes and their meanings.

Hermione noticed Perry's extremely messy writing then went back to her letters with relief. They curved and twisted so smoothly. They were perfect… until the unfortunate incident.

"Blueprints!" Perry knocked over Hermione's ink with her elbow. "I am so sorry."

"Perry Duncan, please keep your outburst in until after class."

Hermione's eyes were wide as she stared down at the desk. "My… my note."

Perry pulled out her wand, eleven inches made from walnut with a unicorn hair as its core. "Tergeo." The ink lifted from the parchment and went back into the bottle. This included the ink Hermione had used to write her notes.

"Thanks, but now I have to recopy them and hold back the entire class."

Perry looked around. "There're only five people and two are sleeping. I don't think they'll mind. But you could borrow mine tonight."

Hermione quickly began to recopy the note.

Perry walked into potions class and took her seat beside Neville.

Professor Snape came in shortly afterwards. "Good to see that you are feeling better Vincent."

Vincent Crabbe had been one of the students to the hospital wing. The other, Abigail Moon, was a Gryffindor and therefore Snape did not care for her.

As Snape talked about how embarrassingly bad the students' stirring techniques were Perry and Neville whispered to each other.

"I can't believe we didn't think of it before. Do you have any idea where we could fine 'em?"

Neville shook his head.

Perry began to write on a piece of parchment and folded it into a very complex airplane. She whispered, "Seamus Finnigan," into the paper and it flew to the seat in front of her.

Seamus looked down at the paper plane that lay on his lap. He unfolded it and looked down at the 'writing'. He recognized the word Hogwarts and one that he interpreted as chicken, but the rest just looked like very bad abstract art. He showed Dean who was equally befuddled. They both turned to Perry and shrugged.

Perry felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned around to see Hermione leaning forward over her desk. "They have blueprints of Hogwarts in the library."

"Are you sure?"

Snape shouted from the front of the class room. "Girls stop your talking."

Using her knowledge of Snape's love for his own house Perry spoke, sounding a lot like Lavender. "Sorry sir. It's my fault. I was just telling Hermione how cute I think Theodore Nott is."

"Very well."

Dinnertime arrived and the students came to the Great Hall. They sat around their usual feast.

Perry discussed the plan with Lavender. "We'll go to the library and get the blueprints of Hogwarts."

"Do you think they'll be there?"

"Positive. Who would sign out blue prints?"

"We'll have to hurry up though."

Perry looked up from her pudding. "Why?"

"It's Wednesday. We have astronomy tonight."

Perry stood up. "Green Goblins! Let's go."

Dean shouted to them. "Where you girls headed?"

Perry said, "While you boys stuff your faces we're going to the library."

Hermione looked over to Ron, "I like her."

Perry and Lavender entered the library filled with nothing but optimism. They walked to Irma Prince who leaned on her desk reading.

"Miss," Lavender began, "Where would the blueprints of Hogwarts be?"

Prince turned the page. "They were checked out."

"By who?"

Prince still hadn't looked up from her book. "It's none of your concern. Come back in two weeks."

"But–"

"I said two weeks."

The two girls leaned against the cold stone wall.

"What a horrible old bat."

"How are we going to find a way into his office now?" asked Lavender.

Perry tilted her head back. "I wish I knew."

A head went through Lavender chest. She let out a small squeal.

"Why hello!" The head belong to Nearly Headless Nick. The rest of his body floated through Lavender.

"Sir Nicholas," said Perry, "You surprised us."

He floated in front of them. "Terribly sorry. Why so glum?"

Lavender looked up at him. "Because I just had a ghost go through me. You don't look it, but you lot are cold."

"And you Miss Duncan?"

She sighed. "We need a map of Hogwarts, so we went to get the blueprints from the library. But they're already signed out. And our crackpot librarian won't tell us who's got 'em."

"I can help you there."

"You can!" Lavender smiled.

"Lisa Turpin has them. Smart girl."

"Thank you."

"I hope you can forgive me for the… cold."

"Yes–" Lavender's eyes grew wide as Nick made his exit through her and the wall.

"Lisa?"

Lavender gripped her stomach. "I know her. Well, I talked to her once. She's friends with Parvati's sister."

"Where is she usually?"

"The Library, but we were just there."

Perry opened her potions book, Magical Drafts and Potions. She ripped out the front blank page and folded it. "Lisa Turpin."

The paper airplane rose and they followed it all the way to the Great Hall. It was emptier now, but sure enough there sat Lisa at the Ravenclaw table. She was studying a big piece of paper.

The plane landed in front of her and Lavender tapped her on the shoulder. "Hi. Remember me?"

"Lavender, right?"

"Yeah. Me and my mate were wondering if we could borrow the Hogwarts blueprints."

"Of course. As soon as I'm done with them. Sir Nicholas was right, they are fascinating."

"Oh… well thanks."

The two Gryffindors walked away, heads hung low.

On their way to class the two girls ran into Seamus and Dean, mainly because they had the same class together. They told the boys about Lisa.

"We need to get that map," said Dean.

Perry said, "I don't think we're gonna get it unless she knows about the plan."

"But she'll tell the other Ravenclaws."

Seamus let out a big sigh, "Then I guess we have to let some of the birds in on it. They're smart, they could help us."

Lavender held a serious face. "I'll ask Parvati to talk to Padma. She's in Ravenclaw."

They went up the spiral stairs of the Astronomy Tower, telescopes at hand.