"Merlin's Beard did you see him catch that Snitch? Did you?" asked Oliver as the majority of the Gryffindor Quidditch team headed back up towards the school. "He didn't even need to use his hands. He caught it in his mouth. In his mouth! Did you see that?"

"Yes Oliver, we were all there," said Angelina rolling her eyes before shaking her head.

"Did you watch him fly though?" said Oliver moving his hand through the air as he demonstrated Harry's flying abilities.

"Yes Oliver, he flew very well," agreed Katie adopting the same monotone voice as Angelina had.

"Well? Well? He flew bloody brilliantly, we're going to win the cup this year for sure," said Oliver his eyes widening as he pictured holding the trophy aloft.

"That's what I like to see," said George slapping the Quidditch Captain on the back. "You're keeping a level head and not getting ahead of yourself in any way, shape or form."

"We have a Seeker now. A good Seeker. A great Seeker in fact. We'll be unstoppable," said Oliver sounding quite maniacal. He quickly looked around the group to administer more praise on the latest team member and frowned when he saw that he wasn't there. "Where is he anyway?"

"I think I saw him heading over to Hagrid's hut," said Fred gesturing in the rough direction of the gamekeeper's house.

"Yeah, I think he was a bit shaken up about what happened," nodded Alicia shaking her head and recalling the incident during the match with Slytherin where Harry's broom suddenly and unexpectantly seemed to try and buck him off. "I still can't believe he managed to stay on. I wonder what was up with it."

"Isn't it obvious?" said Oliver looking at the girl. She just shrugged in a way of response. "It was a hex."

"Don't be silly," snorted Katie shaking her head. "It's more likely he just lost control of it. He's only been flying for a few months after all."

"I'm telling you it was a hex," stated Oliver firmly rubbing his chin with a hand. "And I know exactly how to blame?"

There was a momentary silence.

"Well? Don't any of you want to know who is to blame?" asked Oliver after it became apparent that no one was going to say anything.

"Who?" sighed Alicia.

"Slytherin, that's who," said Oliver knowingly, as he tapped the side of his nose with a finger. "I would say it was probably Flint but he's a bit too stupid to manage that."

"Are there even spells that can do that?" asked Angelina.

"Oh there are spell all right, several in fact," nodded Oliver.

"Oh my God," said Angelina looking at the Quidditch captain. "You've looked them up haven't you?"

"I might have stumbled across the odd book on the subject," replied Oliver defensively.

"Really? Where?"

"In the restricted section," said Oliver. Angelina raised an eyebrow. "I was researching for my Defence Against the Dark Arts essay and I just happened to find a book which had a number of spells that could, given the right modification, be used to give someone an advantage in a game of Quidditch. I would never use them myself of course."

"Well that's good," said Angelina, happy that her faith had been restored in her captain.

"Mainly because I couldn't get them to work," muttered Oliver under his breath.

"Oliver!"

"What? I said I couldn't get them to work," replied Oliver quickly.

"But you think somebody did?" asked George before Angelina could fire back a retort.

"Yeah, and I'd love to know how they did it. So I could stop them," Oliver added the last bit after he saw Angelina about to say something.

"Shouldn't we tell Madam Hooch about it?" asked Katie.

"We don't have any proof," Fred pointed out.

"What about Harry's broom? Everybody saw what happened," said Alicia.

"Yeah and everyone except for the completely demented would think that he lost control of the broom," said Angelina casting a sidelong look at Oliver.

"Exactly, so you see what we're up against," agreed Oliver. The group had now entered the school and were about to start heading up the staircase to the upper levels. "Wait, let's go this way."

"Why?" asked George, as the team duly followed their captain. He led them through a corridor into the trophy room, where a well known hidden passageway behind one of the portraits led up to the second floor. "This way is no quicker then using the stairs."

"I know but going this way means we get to look at this," Oliver stopped in front of a cabinet filled with cups, trophies and awards of all shapes and sizes. Right in the centre of the cabinet, in pride of place, was the school's Quidditch Cup. The Gryffindor captain pressed his hand longingly against the glass. "Isn't it beautiful?"

The rest of the team looked at each other as Oliver gazed at the trophy in wonder.

"Um… Oliver? We're probably going to just…" Angelina pointed towards the portrait with the hidden passageway.

"Sorry? What? Oh yes, of course. See you later," said Oliver distractedly without taking his eyes away from the cabinet.

"So, we're just going to leave him there?" asked Katie as the team made their way to the portrait. Alicia pushed against one side of the frame and it sprung forward to reveal a dimly lit stairwell.

"Probably be best, he looks like he might be a while," said Fred looking over his shoulder at Oliver. The team began filtering up the stairs. The portrait closed behind George.

"He's a bit…" Alicia tried to find the right words.

"Disturbed?" ventured George from the back of the group.

"I was going to say enthusiastic but disturbed would work just as well," shrugged Alicia. "You don't really think that someone hexed Harry's broom?"

"It is possible I suppose," conceded Angelina. "Everyone likes to win but hexing a broom would need dark magic and no one would do that just to win a game of Quidditch, well apart from Oliver maybe."

"It's times like this that I'm grateful he is on our side," said George.

"Yeah," agreed Fred. "At least he only tries to kill us using practice sessions."

The team made their way up to Gryffindor Tower and slipped into the Common room through the portrait of the Fat Lady. As she swung open they were greeted by a wave of noise from the celebrating students inside. Each team member was cheered as they stepped through the portal and there seemed to be a party in full flow in their honour.

"Alright Lee?" said George waving to his friend. Due to having a mouthful of pumpkin pie, courtesy of the House-Elves in the kitchen, Lee could only nod hello and had to furiously munch down his food before he could reply.

"Good game guys," said Lee eventually managing to swallow the food.

"Cheers," said Fred picking up a pie from the pile on the table. "One down two to go."

"Assuming we don't get hexed to death," concluded George looking at the platter of food available.

"What?" asked Lee. The twins quickly brought their friend up to speed with Oliver's theory that Harry's broom had been cursed. "That's ridiculous," he said shaking his head, suddenly he remembered something. "Although…"

"Although what?" asked Fred causing several lumps of pumpkin pie to be spat out as he spoke.

"Didn't Enoch say to watch out for anything unusual?" said Lee flicking his eyes between his two friends.

"Yeah but it was just a Quidditch game," shrugged George.

"Don't let Oliver hear you say that," advised Fred elbowing his brother, before looking at Lee. "He's right though."

"But it wasn't just the Quidditch game though was it? There was the troll in the dungeon as well," said Lee reminding the two boys of the incident earlier in the year.

"I thought McGonagall said that it had just wandered in from the forest to keep warm."

"Well the teachers would say that wouldn't they George?" said Lee shaking his head at his friend's naivety. "Trolls are way too dumb to have found their way into the school without help, but they don't want to panic us by telling the truth."

"I don't know," said Fred rubbing his chin. "It's just a little far-fetched to think anyone would try and harm us with a troll, plus it was Harry's broom that was playing up not either of ours."

"Maybe they hexed the wrong broom by mistake," said Lee shrugging his shoulders.

"Wouldn't it just be easier to attack us directly?" said George.

"You mean right under the nose of Dumbledore? No one would be that stupid to try and attack a student while he is here," said Lee thoughtfully.

"Tell you what, I'll write to Enoch and tell him what has happened, and we'll see what he says about it," said Fred.

****

The reply from their uncle came back two weeks later, and caused much amusement from the occupants of the Great Hall that day. As the usual flurry of owls made their way into the hall a huge white pelican flapped into view, barging most of the other birds out of the way as it tried to land in front of the twins.

"Bloody hell," said George looking up at the creature as it landed awkwardly on the table. "What's it doing?"

"I'm not sure," said Fred leaning back on the bench to try and distance himself from the bird's oversized beak, which it had opened toward the pair. "I think it wants you to reach inside."

"I'm not sticking my hand in there," retorted George. "It'll probably bite it off or something."

"Well we're gonna have to do something, everybody's staring," said Fred looking around. He nodded uncomfortably at the nearest group of Ravenclaws.

"Fine," said George peering forward, the pelican leaned its head down and opened its mouth wider. "Keep still, will you?"

After a few hesitant tries George eventually fished out a letter from the pouch under the beak. As soon as it had been removed the creature, shook its head in relief at finally having delivered its package, let out a loud squawk and clumsily took to the air again.

"It smells of fish," said George wrinkling his nose.

"You don't think that could be the kippers you are having for breakfast," said Lee nodding towards the plate in front of the boy.

"Oh," George sniffed the envelope and then the plate of food. "No, I'd say it's about the same really."

"I don't want to compare it," complained Fred as his brother held the letter up to his nose. "Just open it will you?"

"Fine," sighed George as he carefully opened the envelope using the tips of his fingers. He scanned the first few words quickly. "Oh, it's from Enoch."

"Typical, we should have been able to guess that from the pelican," said Fred, using the end of his wand to push the now discarded envelope further away from him on the table. "What's it say?"

"Well first he apologises for sending the pelican," said George reading from the letter. "Apparently owls are hard to come by where he is."

"Which is?" asked Lee, subtly using his own wand to push the envelope back towards Fred.

"He doesn't say," said George skimming the letter for any clues. "Just in case it gets intercepted he doesn't want to run the risk of revealing his location."

"He's a bit paranoid isn't he?" said Fred casually flicking the envelope closer to Lee.

"With good reason," said George reading on. "From the sound of it over the last few weeks he's pretty much been under attack from someone constantly. At the moment he is holed up with an old friend on an extremely well protected island, so he thinks he is safe but he is worried that the attacker might make good on his threat and come after us."

"What did we ever do?" complained Fred watching as the envelope wafted back in his direction due to a spell from Lee.

"Do you actually want me come up with a list?" asked Lee as the envelope was gradually nudged back towards him. "Because I really don't think I'd have the time for that."

"I just think he is being a bit overprotective," shrugged Fred. The envelope was now being subjected to a two different spells from the boys each trying to force it to in the opposite direction.

"Just a bit," said George reading the rest of the letter. "Look at this, Enoch thinks the safest place for us is to remain at school rather than head home for Christmas so he's managed to convince Charlie to invite mum and dad over for the holidays. It means we're going to be stuck at school."

"Here?" asked Fred not looking away from the envelope. Both he and Lee had given up trying to be subtle and were now openly trying to force it to do their bidding. "Over the holidays? With nothing to do?"

"Well I suppose there is Hogsmeade," said George now watching the ongoing battle over the envelope, which seemed to have drawn the attention of plenty of other students.

"And the school is always a laugh to explore," said Fred concentrating hard.

"Plus there is the forbidden forest," added Lee frowning as the envelope twisted in the air.

"Actually staying around here might not be too bad," conceded George thoughtfully. He frowned as he looked up at the floating piece of paper. Under the effects of the spells it had started to spout thin wisps of smoke. "Er… guys? Maybe you should stop that now."

"What and let him win?" said Lee sticking his tongue out of the corner of his mouth as he focused on the task at hand.

"Oi you two," called Filch stomping down the isle between the House tables. "What do you think you are playing at? Don't you know the rules about magic outside of class?"

"That it is approved and actively encouraged?" ventured Fred.

"What? No, don't be so stupid. It's against the rules," snapped Filch wagging a finger at him. "Stop it this instance and come with me."

"I'll stop it after he stops it," said Fred nodding towards his friend.

"You stop first," countered Lee.

"How about you both stop at the same time?" said George offering a compromise.

"Sounds good," said Fred as Lee also indicated his approval with a slight shrug. "On the count of three? One. Two. Three… you didn't stop."

"Neither did you."

"Well I wouldn't have to if you did," explained Fred which no doubt made perfect sense to him if not anyone else.

"That's enough," snapped Filch reaching out to grab the envelope from the air.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," advised George.

"Oh wouldn't you?" sneered Filch sarcastically. "I'm the adult, you're the child. I tell you what to do, not the other way around."

The caretaker snatched the envelope out of the air and looked at George triumphantly. His victory was short lived however as the paper suddenly exploded in a burst of flame leaving Filch with a soot smudge face and singed eyebrows. He looked at George with a furious expression.

"I know, I know," sighed George standing up and throwing his bag over his shoulder. "Your office. Now."