The holiday time vanished in the blink of an eye, just like food given to Fluffy.
Kyle felt as though he had only flipped through a few books about the Basilisk in the library, but when he looked up, he realized school would resume in just a few days.
Three days before classes began, Fred and George found him in the morning, bubbling with excitement.
"Kyle, we have good news." Fred said, his face lit with an undisguised smile, "We've found the final clue to the Marauder's Map password!"
"So... there really is a complete password hidden in the castle?" Kyle asked, surprised.
He, like Cedric, had assumed the last word of the password didn't exist at all. If he were one of the Marauders, he wouldn't have left the complete password behind.
Some mystery should always remain — revealing everything would be boring. Besides, the previous words were already quite obvious. If someone couldn't guess the complete password from those clues, it would only prove they weren't meant to have the Marauder's Map.
Surely no one would think the password was "I solemnly swear that I will study hard".
Moreover, if someone like Fred and George became too obsessed with finding the complete password, this hidden last word would serve as the perfect prank. People who frequently break school rules shouldn't be too rule-abiding.
Since they hadn't found it before, Kyle believed his theory was correct.
"You'll never guess where it is." George said eagerly, "It's actually on the railing beside the school gates. You can see it just by looking up when passing by."
"We should have thought of it earlier." Fred said with frustration, "Everyone who graduates eventually leaves Hogwarts through those gates, so that place symbolizes not just beginnings, but endings too."
"Why didn't we think of that before..."
"How did you discover it?" Kyle asked.
George shrugged, "We were trying to explore the Forbidden Forest earlier, but after Hagrid chased us out, we took a trip to Hogsmeade."
"It was too early though, and many shops weren't open yet. We couldn't take the shortcut back through the secret passage, so we had to return the normal way."
"When we passed the school gates, we immediately spotted the writing on the wall." George sighed suddenly, "We shouldn't have always returned to school through the secret passage after visiting Hogsmeade."
"Speaking of secret passages..." Fred seemed to remember something and patted Kyle's shoulder, lowering his voice, "After getting the complete password, we discovered two new secret passages."
"One is on the fourth floor, behind the statue of the one-eyed witch with a hump. Her hump is the entrance."
"The other is even more hidden..." Fred said mysteriously, "Want to guess where it is?"
"Um... behind a bookshelf in the Headmaster's office?" Kyle rubbed his chin and said matter-of-factly, "If that's the case, I'm guessing the exit would be in the back room of some shop in Hogsmeade, perhaps the Three Broomsticks, or maybe Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop..."
Fred and George were stunned.
Not because Kyle had guessed correctly — in fact, there were no secret passages in the Headmaster's office at all.
But his words had sparked their intense interest. Just imagine: the greatest headmaster in Hogwarts history having a secret relationship with a shop owner... this was too exciting.
Who doesn't enjoy discussing the headmaster's gossip? Fred and George couldn't resist joining in.
They analyzed from different angles where the exit might be if such a passage existed and concluded that any shop in Hogsmeade was possible. Even the Hog's Head wasn't an exception.
"If Dumbledore wasn't backing him, that old goat-like fellow would have been driven out long ago." Fred declared confidently.
They had become quite familiar with Hogsmeade over the years. Many shop owners had complained in private that the chaotic Hog's Head seriously lowered Hogsmeade's standards, preventing them from winning the "Wizarding Village of the Year" award for over a decade.
"Unfortunately, there aren't any secret passages in the Headmaster's office on the Marauder's Map." Fred said regretfully, "We only know it's on the eighth floor, but we've never been inside, not even once."
"It's the Headmaster's office after all, one of the most mysterious places in Hogwarts." George said, shaking his head, "Even the seniors who created the Marauder's Map probably rarely went there, let alone searched for secret passages inside."
"I really wish we could go in and see it, even if just for a few minutes..." Fred said dreamily.
"Want to enter the Headmaster's office?" Kyle thought for a moment and said, "That's simple."
Fred and George's eyes lit up, and they excitedly put their arms around his shoulders.
"Kyle, I knew you'd have a way! Tell us quickly!"
"If you can help us successfully enter the Headmaster's office, George and I will be your most loyal subordinates from now on!"
"We'll save seats for you..."
"Provide meal delivery service..."
"Take care of anyone who opposes you."
"But on the condition that we won't lose points... or get detention."
"Don't worry, none of that will happen." Kyle said calmly, "You just need to earn a Special Award for Services to the School, and you'll get a hundred points as a reward."
The smiles on Fred and George's faces froze as they looked at him incredulously, as if they were watching a three-headed dog perform a tap dance.
In fact, compared to earning a Special Award for Services to the School, they would rather search for a tap-dancing three-headed dog. At least that seemed possible.
"If you think that's too much trouble..." Kyle continued, noting their expressions, "Then an Order of Merlin will do too. That should be worth two hundred points."
"Hah..."
George and Fred simultaneously let out dry laughs before turning to leave.
"Hey, you still haven't told me where the last secret passage is." Kyle called after them.
But the twins ignored him and quickened their pace.
Actually, the last secret passage they mentioned was beneath the Whomping Willow. They had initially come to invite Kyle to explore it with them and figure out how to avoid that violent tree. Now, however, they just wanted to find somewhere peaceful, away from this insufferable brat.
Order of Merlin, he says... what did he think it was — a rock by the roadside that anyone could pick up?
If it were that easy, why didn't he have one himself?
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