Snowflakes drifted down, dyeing Hogsmeade in white. Amid this pure expanse of white, Hogwarts students moved back and forth, their black school robes contrasting vividly with the white streets.
Youthful faces brimming with energy, the noisy calls of friends gathering together, and lollipops floating inexplicably in midair brought rare liveliness to the increasingly desolate little village.
Eda and the twins made a full round of the village. Everywhere, there were wanted posters of Black, as well as the Ministry of Magic's latest notice that had just been put up—one of the main culprits behind the complete lack of Christmas spirit in Hogsmeade.
As Christmas approached, in order to capture Black as soon as possible, the Ministry of Magic decided to strengthen patrols in Hogsmeade and issued a new order to the village, strictly limiting people's hours of activity.
Whether residents of Hogsmeade or visitors who came to shop and sightsee, everyone had to return home or leave the village before sunset—unless they wanted an intimate encounter with a Dementor.
Starting at sunset, Dementors would take to the streets. This measure was intended both to catch Black and to protect the safety of Hogsmeade's residents.
However, the people here did not buy the Ministry's explanation. Their resentment toward the Ministry was practically overflowing.
It had been several months since Black escaped from prison, and the Dementors had been stationed in Hogsmeade for two or three months. And what was the result?
Not only had the Ministry failed to catch the fugitive, they hadn't even seen a trace of him. Worse still, they had allowed the Dementors to run into the school and cause trouble.
If the Dementors dared to break into the school—with Dumbledore and so many professors there—then the residents' houses were even less secure. During this period, not only had Hogsmeade's GDP declined, but its happiness index had also plummeted like a stock market crash.
If there were a stock market in the wizarding world, it would now be an endless sea of red. The highest point of Diagon Alley would surely be packed with people, ready to leap at any moment.
This could be seen from Madam Rosmerta's attitude toward the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge.
At that time, Eda and the twins were wandering aimlessly around the village. Near the Three Broomsticks, they saw Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Hagrid standing in the snow talking. With the three professors stood Madam Rosmerta, the landlady of the pub.
Eda was just about to go over and say hello when she saw Minister Fudge walk up and begin chatting cordially with Professor McGonagall and Madam Rosmerta.
Although Eda stopped and did not approach, Madam Rosmerta's voice still carried clearly through the air.
The landlady complained loudly—complaining that the Ministry and Fudge had failed to capture Black promptly, complaining that the terrifying Dementors had driven away her customers, complaining that Black's escape from Azkaban had disrupted everyone's normal lives.
Madam Rosmerta vented about all the culprits who had made Hogsmeade so desolate. Her complaints represented the voice of the residents.
For a pub landlady to so boldly confront the Minister for Magic, criticizing and accusing the Ministry's policies right in front of him—this wasn't something that could be done merely because of a good relationship.
It was enough to show just how disappointed the residents of Hogsmeade were with the Ministry.
Madam Rosmerta's loud voice quickly drew the attention of passersby.
Discussing Black in the street with the Minister for Magic was bound to attract notice.
Because Eda was standing a little far away, she didn't hear what Fudge said at the end, but Madam Rosmerta suddenly fell silent and personally pulled open the door of the pub, welcoming the Minister and the three professors inside.
If Eda and the twins had been standing closer, they would have heard Madam Rosmerta's final soft exclamation and the familiar name Harry Potter. If they had been a bit more attentive, or followed them into the Three Broomsticks, they might even have seen a familiar figure draped in an Invisibility Cloak.
The three of them did not stay in Hogsmeade for long. After buying everything they needed (mainly what Eda needed), they returned to the school.
No Dementors appeared before Eda and the twins, and the Aurors mingling in the crowd did not trouble them either—but the three were still stopped at the school gates.
Argus Filch stopped them.
The school caretaker wanted to inspect the items they had purchased to prevent them from bringing prohibited goods into the school—an impeccable reason.
A conscientious and responsible person naturally stands on moral high ground, whether he is truly being responsible or simply looking for an excuse.
Unfortunately, what the three had bought disappointed Filch. Heh~ Eda and the twins cooperated fully with the inspection, opening their packages without a word of protest. Inside were nothing but balls of yarn and textile supplies.
If balls of yarn could be considered contraband, Mrs. Norris would probably slam her head to death against Filch.
Fred and George packed up their things and said goodbye to Filch with smiles—though the smiles were enough to send chills down one's spine.
If Eda had spent the past four years outwitting herself and the Defense Against the Dark Arts professors, then the twins had spent those same four years constantly matching wits with Filch.
Although Filch was old, foolish, and a Squib, his persistence was indeed admirable. He was devoted to catching every mischievous student who broke rules and regulations. The twins and Peeves were the enemies of his lifetime.
If he didn't understand his enemies, Filch might as well switch careers and just play with his cat. His suspicions weren't without reason—the twins did indeed often purchase contraband items, such as Dungbombs and Fanged Frisbees.
But the problem was, after buying those things, would the twins return to school by the regular route? They knew Filch very well. They knew how badly he wanted to expel them. How could they possibly hand over such leverage to him?
There was more than one way to enter the school. If they bought contraband, Fred and George would simply use another method to return. By the time Filch discovered anything, those Dungbombs would have long since completed their mission.
To thank Filch for his warm hospitality—and also to welcome the coming Christmas holiday—the twins prepared to give the school caretaker a special gift, one that would make this a Christmas he would never forget.
After dinner, the twins sneaked furtively to the door of Filch's office. The two brothers took out their long-treasured Dungbombs and gently placed them at the doorway. They also set up a simple little mechanism.
After arranging everything, the twins tiptoed back to the corner of the corridor and met up with Eda, who was keeping watch there.
Although she was only responsible for lookout duty, she had covered her face with a handkerchief, leaving only her eyes and forehead exposed—no matter how one looked at it, she didn't resemble a good person.
The moment they saw Eda "fully armed," Fred and George frowned in unison. With those eyes and that hair, who wouldn't recognize you? Was covering your ears while stealing a bell really meaningful? The two brothers silently voiced their dissatisfaction, and from the movement of their lips, one could clearly read what they were saying: "Big traitor!"
Eda tilted her head in confusion. She really didn't understand why the twins had suddenly brought this up again. She vaguely pointed with her left hand at Fred and George's eyes, then pointed at her own empty chest—at some point, she had already taken off her Prefect badge.
The twins pursed their lips and stopped mocking her. Instead, they took out the pebbles they had prepared in advance and hurled them hard at the office door. The sound of the stones hitting the door startled Filch inside. He roared from within, "Who's there? Who's outside?!"
Eda and the twins quickly pulled back the halves of their bodies that had been sticking out, hiding behind the wall and trying their best not to make a single sound, lest they alert the enemy.
Next, the three of them heard a cat's yowl, the creaking sound of a door opening, and Filch's half-finished "Who's there—"
Boom!
A loud explosion not only drowned out Filch's furious voice but also smothered Mrs. Norris's shrill scream.
A foul stench instantly filled every corner of the corridor—the Dungbomb had successfully detonated!
(～￣▽￣)～Read 12 Chapters ahead:
Patreon: Dragonel