Chapter 7
The next day sure was long! Their sleepy heads were refueled by their scheduled nap time in the History class.
At three thirty in the afternoon, the students hurried down the steps onto the grounds for the first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns towards a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance. In case of the brothers, they were running to the ground, laughing all the way.
Some students were already there and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Luffy had already heard all about flying in the air with the help of broomsticks the last night from Ace and Sabo, who already knew how to fly one.
Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived soon. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk, reminding them of Hawkey from their world. M
"Well, what are you all waiting for?" She barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."
The brothers stood at the side of their house, and in front of them was none other than Malfoy and his friends.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom," Madam Hooch called from the front, "And say 'Up!'"
With one try, the brooms were in the hands of the brothers, who grinned to each other, they were one of the few who had done it. Hermione's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all.
But with a little more time everyone's brooms were in their hands.
Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting the grips of some. Ace and Sabo who had already learned to ride brooms since 5 years old, did it with perfection, while Luffy copied them, like he used to in their past life.
"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle, three, two-"
But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips, making him fly up in the air without any proper control.
"Come back, boy!" Madam Hooch shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle, until he reached twenty feet. The white scared face of Neville was falling to the ground at a faster speed. Then the boy slipped off from his broom.
WHAM!
A thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight. Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.
"Broken wrist," She muttered, "Come on, boy! It's all right, up you get." She turned to the rest of the class.
"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on, dear." Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.
"Aww, I wanted to fly," Luffy pouted, feeling sad that he couldn't fly.
"Next time, Lu," Ace muttered.
As soon as the students were out of the earshot of Madam Hooch, Malfoy burst into laughter. "Did you see his face, the great lump?" The other Slytherins joined in.
"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.
"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."
"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's granny sent him." The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.
"Give that here, Malfie," said Luffy stepping forward. The students burst out laughing at the new name for Malfoy.
Malfoy looked pissed off.
"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find, how about up a tree?" Malfoy said tossing the Remembrall in his hands.
"Give it back!" Luffy yelled. He liked the Nevi-guy. He wasn't mean to his brothers or didn't see him as a hero. So, he was a friend. And Luffy doesn't let his friends down ever!
But before Luffy could stretch his hands and get the ball, Malfoy leapt onto his broomstick and took off. Lufy not wanting the boy to take the ball, followed him. He leapt on his broom and within seconds he was in the air, but without any control of his broom. He was flying fast and he didn't know what he have to do.
But luckily, his brothers were soon by his side.
"Just feel the wind and think where you want to go," Sabo said loudly through the air cutting off his voice. Luffy did as he was said and soon he was in control of the broom.
"It's so cool!" Luffy said once he could control his broom in every possible way, leaving his hands open wide, letting the wind cradle his hair. He held the broom with his legs so he won't fall down.
"Don't get reckless, dumbass!" Ace shouted seeing Luffy not holding his broom. The falling was not an issue at all. Either he or Sabo would catch him or Luffy could just bounce off, but the fear was off the students who were seeing. Some were damn complain box!
"No!" Hermione Granger shouted. Think of the devil and the devil speaks! "Madam Hooch told us not to move, you'll get us all into trouble."
The brothers ignored her. Luffy turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in the air. Malfoy was stunned. He didn't only have one, not two but three pursuers.
"Slow down!" Sabo yelled. "Your broom is not meant to go that fast! You will fall, Lu!"
But Luffy didn't hear it. If he falls, it won't be a big issue. Either Ace and Sabo would save him or he won't get hurt 'cause he is a rubber man!
"Give it back, Malpy!" Luffy shouted in the air.
"Catch it!" Malfoy ignored the nickname, that was the least he could think about right now that he is being chased by three people. He was scared of the fall, so he threw the ball on the other side.
Luffy took complete control of his broom and dashed towards the ball. He could hear his brothers warning about the wall, but Luffy didn't care. The wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching and his brothers shouting at him to see ahead. But Luffy's eyes were fixed on the ball. With one hand stretched ahead, he caught the ball just in time before he could collide with the wall.
He stopped mid air, grinning at his brothers, who grinned back.
"Well done, bro!" Ace said clapping his hands, while his feet held the broom.
"Looks like, we don't need to teach you," Sabo smirked, as they got down.
"Can we do it again?" Luffy asked like a puppy asking to play. The brothers chuckled.
"Of course, we will."
"HARRY POTTER! ASHER BLACK! FELIX BLACK!"
"DRACO MALFOY!"
Two angry voices came from the ground, leading them to come down instantly. The voices belonged to none other than Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape! They always had the knack of finding trouble, especially if it contained the ASL brothers.
"Never in all my time at Hogwarts-" Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "How dare you four? You might have died!"
"It wasn't their fault, Professor."
"Be quiet, Miss Patil," The Professor snapped.
"But Malfoy-"
"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Follow me, you three, now!"
Snape whispered something to Malfoy and the guy had the gut to smirk on their face. Ace caught the sight of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle's triumphant faces as he left, while Sabo didn't care to look. His mind was racing with the things that could happen to them now. Luffy didn't even look like he was about to get any punishment. He was the same grinning idiot, who followed them as if there was nothing wrong in the World. His body was still vibrating with glee of flying.
"Can we ride in the brooms again?" Luffy whispered, but it was heard clearly by the Professor who glared at him sharply making Luffy pout.
"Lu, not now," Sabo whispered back. Ace really wanted to have one of his narcoleptic attack right now. But he wouldn't leave his brothers to face whatever ire they have accumulated inside of the Professor.
They were full aware of the situation, expect Luffy, about what would happen to them if they were expelled. May be they can set sail early and travel the World? Or they could make the first break out in Azkaban and free the innocent person they had. But Sabo had heard if you are expelled from school, your wands would be confiscated and there would be no way to do the cool magic tricks.
Well, they could be stronger and face the world with their fists and sheer strength not that they cared about going to school anyways. It was the first time for Ace and Luffy to get any formal education but it really was fun to stay in a castle full of mysteries. So it would be bad if they would be expelled.
The Professor stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.
"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?" The professor asked to the charms teacher.
Ace and Sabo knew who was Wood. He was the captain of the Quidditch team of the Gryffindors! But why were they here? They had disobeyed Professor Hooch and went off with their brooms, not that they care.
"Follow me, boys," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at them.
"In here," Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.
"Out, Peeves!" She barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the boys.
"Boys, this is Oliver Wood. Wood I have found you two chasers and a seeker." Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight, while Ace's and Sabo's eyes widened in surprise.
"Are you serious, Professor?" Wood asked, eyeing the boys. He didn't have anything against the boys, but still it sounded unbelievable.
"Absolutely," Professor McGonagall said crisply. "They are natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first times on the broomstick, boys?"
Ace and Sabo shook their head while Luffy nodded while bouncing on his feet.
"They were chasing after Potter in such incredulous speed and Potter, he caught the thing in his hand and turned before colliding with the wall." said Professor McGonagall. "I would dare say they can be the best chasers and seekers if trained well."
Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.
"Ever seen a game of Quidditch?" He asked excitedly. The boys shook their head.
"What's Quitch?" Luffy asked excitedly. The atmosphere of the room was rubbing on him.
"It is a game played on brooms," Sabo explained in short words. Luffy squealed in excitement.
"We can go for rides in the brooms! Yay!" Luffy cheered, doing his little victory dance. The occupants in the room couldn't help but smile.
"So, we are not expelled...?" Ace asked carefully. Professor McGonagall shook her head, with a small smile on her face.
"I want to hear you three are training hard enough, or, I might change my mind about your punishments."
"We'll need to get them a decent broom, Professor. A Nimbus Two Thousand or a Clean sweep Seven, I would say." Wood offered his thoughts. The boys were grinning madly. But did they want to join the team? That was not a bad idea. But they would have to keep an eye on Luffy every time, if they don't want the rubber idiot to run away in search of some mystery he could find.
"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks." Professor McGonagall said.
It was dinnertime, when the boys had hardly finished their food, and when the Weasley twins arrived.
"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us."
"Welcome to the team!" Fred greeted them.
"We're on the team too. We are Beaters," informed George.
"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You three must be good, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."
The brothers smiled at the twins.
"We can't wait to see you three fly!"
"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passage way out of the school." George said, standing up.
"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you." Fred said following his brother.
"They left without desserts?" Luffy asked taken back.
"They have pranks to pull." Ace shrugged eating his cream pie.
"I can take theirs!" Luffy said gulping down more food.
"Slow down," Sabo said wiping his mouth with his handkerchief. "The food's not gonna go anywhere."
Fred and George hardly disappeared when someone who wasn't even welcomed turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.
"Having a last meal? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?" Malfoy said smugly to Harry Potter. What would Malfoy not give to see Harry Potter crying? But the thought hit him hard even though when it shouldn't.
"Aren't you lot braver now that you're back on the ground and have got your little friends with you," Ace said coldly.
"Wasn't it the same with you both and Potter?" Malfoy back lashed.
"We didn't help him in catching you. We were there to make sure he doesn't fall," Sabo stated calmly. "And for your information, Harry can easily make you taste dirt on his own, with your goons even."
"Why, you?" Malfoy glared angrily, and got glares in return, making him flinch with his goons. In all of this commotion, Luffy was only stuffing his face, not even bothering to look at the conversation.
"I can take him anytime on my own," said Malfoy, making the twin brothers chuckle. He hadn't said any joke, dammit! "Tonight, Potter, if you are brave then let's have Wizard's duel. Wands only, no contact." Malfoy wasn't even answered. It was pissing him off!
"What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"
Malfoy saw Harry turn towards him with food in his mouth, frowning. "What do you want Malpie?" The whole table who heard Harry burst into laughter.
"Why, you, Potter?" Malfoy gritted his teeth. "If you have guts meet at midnight in the trophy room-that's always unlocked-for the Wizarding duel."
"Duel?" Harry Potter titled his head slightly in confusion, before Ace spoke darkly. "I'm his second, who's yours." Malfoy resisted the urge to flinch.
"C-Crabbe," Malfoy felt himself standing in front of a grim reaper, but hell, he would let go of this chance of getting them expelled.
"Asher," Sabo tsked. "You know this coward right? He won't even show up for the duel."
"I'm not a coward!" Malfoy gritted his teeth. All his plan crumbled to get Potter out of the school in one go. "I will come!" He would go, now. He knows it.
When Malfoy was gone, Luffy turned towards his brothers. "What's that?"
"Just using your wands to beat the crap out of your opponent with the help of some spells," Sabo explained in short words, for Luffy to understand easily.
"You should tell him the full detail," Ron interjected Sabo, who raised an eyebrow at him.
"Why don't you try it?" Sabo replied, not bothering to see the frown on Ron's face.
Ron acted all pompous and started speaking, all about how those duels are and how they could led to death. From then on, how the second would overtake your place and all. All the while, Luffy ate his dinner and didn't even pay attention to Ron's words. He was not being rude. He just didn't understand those big words.
"Excuse me," Hermione Granger, who was sitting in front of them, said.
"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" Ron murmured. Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry, while the twins thought the same about someone else.
"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying-"
"Bet you could," Ron muttered.
"-and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."
"But we always go out at night-" Harry spoke before his mouth was clamped shut by the chicken leg stuffed in his mouth by Sabo. Well, they can't let Luffy tell where exactly they go. That would only call them trouble.
"W-What?" Hermione asked, looking them with horrified eyes.
"A little outing here and there. But we never got caught. So, please mind your own business." Ace said without looking at the girl.
"Sorry for the rudeness," Sabo said with a little smile. "But we can take care of ourselves. Thanks for your concern."
The day came to an end soon. And they were starting to regret now. They really wanted to play in the forbidden forest today and have their spar, but that stupid Malfoy destroyed their plan. Well, they can at least show the boy his own place. But they doubted that boy would even dare to come in the trophy room or was it a trap?
Well, if it would be a trap then they could easily dodge it and go for the forest and have some fun, away from everyone, their safe haven for now or at least play with the three headed dog.
"Half-past eleven," Sabo muttered at last. "We'd better go."
"Wait!" Ron said getting up from his bed. "I also want to go!"
"Suit yourself," Ace shrugged.
"Better not get us caught," Sabo said before waking up Luffy who was sleeping soundly.
"Fine," Ron grumbled before getting up.
Soon, they picked up their wands, and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows.
They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."
A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink dress and a frown.
"You should go back to bed," Ron said in irritation.
"Oh, hello, Hermit!" Luffy chirped sweetly.
"My name's Hermione not Hermit!" The girl yelled, before getting into her bossy attitude. "I almost told Percy, he'd put a stop to this."
Ace couldn't believe that a girl could be so interfering. Even in the Moby Dick the nurses weren't that strict, right? May be. But still a little girl?
"We are sorry but we need to excuse ourselves," Sabo said as Ace pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and they climbed through the hole. But Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed them through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry kitten.
"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves? I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells." Hermione whispered yelled.
Ace was getting pissed off and Luffy wasn't even paying attention. In times like this, Sabo was the best person who could handle conversation like this, so Ace left it to Sabo.
"Mind your business," Ron muttered, getting looks from Luffy and Ace, as if he wasn't getting into their business.
"We have some tricks up on our sleeve and that's why we never get caught. Satisfied now?" Sabo said in a low voice.
"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so-" She turned around to leave them, only to find the portrait of the Fat Lady empty. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and Hermione was locked out of Gryffindor tower.
"Now what am I going to do?" She asked shrilly.
"That's your problem," Ace replied smugly.
"We've got to go, we are going to be late." Ron said ignoring Hermione.
"Harry, not that way!" Sabo yelled catching up to Luffy who had gone in the opposite direction to the trophy room. He caught up with the boy who had deterred from his path by the portraits and the ghosts.
"I'm coming with you," She said, following them.
"You should return," Sabo replied her. He didn't want to take responsibility of another kid. Luffy was already equal to three kids! Now they have to babysit five kids! He wouldn't mind them and Sabo was sure that they could protect them and keep them away from getting caught, but still.
"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? If he finds all five of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up." Hermione whispered.
"You've got some nerve-" Ace said in an annoyed tone.
"Shut up, both of you!" Sabo hissed catching Luffy's hand and leading to the other side. Ace followed Sabo's actions and led Hermione and Ron to their side. After activating his Observational Haki, he found someone coming towards them. After a few minutes of silence, Snape passed through the hallway.
Hermione looked baffled and scared. "How?" Ron was almost frozen. The thought of being caught up by Snape was a nightmare to him. His respect for Asher and Felix rose that day, only a little bit.
"Shh!" Ace said beside her. And they kept walking in silence, well mostly in silence, as Luffy couldn't stop ogling the portraits and getting lost in the simple hallway.
They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed towards the trophy room. There was no Malfoy or Crabbe and Goyle anywhere.
"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.
"We should get back," Luffy said frowning.
They had gotten a good head start when a noise from the next room came.
"He has came, let's go," Ron said and was about to turn back, when Filch's voice came. "Sniff around, my sweety, they might be lurking in a corner."
Sabo and Ace were leading the group. Luffy was chuckling all the way, making Hermione whisper yell at him. There was no chance for them to be not get caught tonight, when Ron finally crashed into a long gallery full of suits of armor, leading him to make a frightened squeak. The clanging and crashing were enough, if not for Luffy's laughter, to wake the whole castle.
"RUN!" Ace yelled, grabbing Luffy's wrists.
They five of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following. They swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Ace and Sabo in the lead. They ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.
"I think we've lost him," Ron said bending down, wheezing and spluttering.
"I told you," Hermione gasped, looking at the trio, who were casually standing across them. They weren't panting at all! They didn't even look tired! "I told you." She repeated, catching her breath.
"We will drop you both to Gryffindor tower. C'mon," Sabo said. He really didn't want to state that they hadn't forced them to come with them. And if someone hadn't crashed into the armors they wouldn't be even noticed.
"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realized that, don't you?"
Luffy's eyes widened. "He tricked us?" He looked at his brothers in pure confusion. "But why? I would spend my time sparring with Ace and Sabo in the forest."
Hermione and Ron gasped. "What?"
"Ah, forget it," Ace waved his hands in the air.
"But Malfoy would have not been so cheap after my warning. He must have been caught by Filch earlier," Sabo said, distracting the duo from the topic of the forest.
"Let's go," Ron said, irritation clearly visible in his voice. First, these brothers were trying to take his place in Harry's friend list, then them being Slytherins materials and now them believing Malfoy? Seriously, he hates them now. It was only for the sake of being Harry's friend that he was following them.
The escape route wasn't simple at all. With Luffy getting willingly lost several times and Mrs. Norris following them, they were forced to take their chances in the forbidden corridor.
"Alohomora!" Ace said bringing out his wand. The lock clicked and the door swung open. They piled through the door, not wanting Mrs. Norris to catch them anytime soon.
"Fluffy!" Harry's voice came, making Ron and Hermione turn. Hermione was about to tell the boy to shut his damn mouth, when all protests died in her mouth. Before Ron and Hermione could shout, Ace had already pressed his palms on the mouth's of the two kids.
"Shh!" Ace shushed them out. "He won't do anything." He slowly removed his hand, letting the eleven years old see the sight of the three headed dog licking Harry as a pet does to its owner. They had spent the last night making amends with the dog. The dog might have not fallen to their deathly glare and a bit of beatings.
The Cerberus was playing with Harry! He was not biting but it did snarl on them, making Harry slap one of the heads and say, "Bad doggy!"
Ron's and Hermione's legs gave up on them.
"We are going to die." Hermione said in a low tone. Between Filch and death she would gladly take Filch.
"We will move once Filch leaves the corridor," Sabo said petting the dog.
Neither Ron and Hermione said anything after that. They kept their eyes on the three headed dog and how friendly he was to the three brothers. But neither even tried to get close to the dog. Hell, they don't want to get bitten!
"Lu, let's go now," Ace said catching Luffy, who jumped from one of the three heads of the Cerberus.
"Finally!" Hermione muttered getting up and unlatching the door. Harry was whining and Hermione really felt like giving him a fist on his head, but the thought of facing his brothers after that made her flinch and not do as she thought.
"I want to play with Fluffy some more!" Luffy protested.
"You choose then: Sleepover with us or playing with Fluffy!"
Luffy gasped and held Ace closer with one hand and the other hand holding Sabo.
"You would never!" He gasped, stepping out of the door with a quick wave to the dog. He didn't want to risk his chances. After all, he had got to be with his brothers after a long time.
"I very well can!" Sabo said, "Right, Ace?" Ace only hummed in response, making Luffy pouty.
They reached the portrait of the Fat Lady shortly after.
"You boys," She groaned. "What fun did you do today?"
"We met Fluffy!" Luffy said excitedly, making Hermione say the password hurriedly. She couldn't believe all the madness which she had encountered today! It was too much for her health and mind to even process.
"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" Ron said finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one sure does."
Hermione's temper finally flared. "What the hell were you three thinking?" She gave pointed looks to the trio ASL brothers. "It wasn't the first time you have seen that dog, right?" It didn't take a genius to guess that.
"We stumbled on him yesterday and beat him up!" She could totally believe that, after seeing their interaction with the three headed dog, which would have not thought twice before tearing their heads off.
"Beat him up?" Ron asked with wide eyes. "But why is he in the castle in the first place?"
"You don't use your eyes, don't you?" Hermione snapped at Ron. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"
"The floor?" Ron muttered foolishly.
"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." She stood up, glaring at the them all. "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could have been expelled! Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."
The brothers didn't argue. Some fights were not worth fighting. And they already knew what the dog was hiding, but they didn't know exactly what that it is. Due to all the home works, Sabo couldn't even go to the library to find anything about the stone.
But it was safe to think that the stone was related to the Gringotts break in and the old man.
A/n:
I'm so so so so sorry! I completely forgot that I have to update this story! I am so sorry! I have no excuses to give on this...I hope the chapter was good. I am thankful for the patience and the support you readers give me. It really makes me too you so much!