Before receiving Wade's message, Harry and Hermione were still in the library researching weather spells. It was a very difficult spell, and Harry started feeling dizzy after just a few minutes.
But Hermione was still studying diligently, so Harry had to force himself to read those obscure sentences.
He found that every time he finished two sentences, the words quickly vanished from his mind, forcing him to go back and read them again...
More than half an hour passed, Hermione had already taken several pages of notes, while Harry was still stuck on the first page.
Wade's message was like a lifeline. Harry eagerly jumped up, packed his things, and rushed over.
Hermione was a step slower, hurrying over only after returning her books.
When they reached the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, they sawWadeleaning against the wall, staring at a folded piece of parchment, engrossed in something.
"Wade, you said you needed me for something important?" Harry asked.
"Hmm, wait a moment..."
Wade looked up, motioning him to be quiet. He stared at the parchment for a moment, then suddenly pointed his wand forward, and a huge, sticky mud pit appeared in the corridor.
"You rotten boy! What are you doing? Get rid of them!"
The Fat Lady shrieked.
"Wade, what are you doing?" Hermione screamed, covering her face. "Professor McGonagall will deduct points from you!"
"Don't worry, I'll clear it later,"Wadesaid. "Harry, say the password to open the door."
Harry was confused, but after a moment's hesitation, he decided to trust his friend.
Even if someone stepped into the mud, a simple Scouring Charm would fix it.
WasWadetrying to play a prank on someone? He had to admit,Wadewas awfully serious about his pranks...
Harry's mind raced with chaotic thoughts as he stood by the mud pit and said to the Fat Lady, "Salamander."
"Make him get rid of those horrid things! Get rid of them!" The Fat Lady was still shrieking loudly.
"I said the password, Fat Lady! You have to open the door," Harry said, emphasizing his words.
The portrait swung open. The Fat Lady tried her best to hide at the edge of the portrait, seemingly terrified the mud would get on her.
The next second, an indistinct shadow shot out from the door, landing directly in the mud pit. It struggled inside, letting out high-pitched squeals.
"Scabbers?" Harry said in surprise.
Just as he was about to retrieve Ron's rat, he heard the person beside him recite several spells in quick succession—
"Petrificus Totalus! Stupefy! Incarcerous!"
The rat, struck by consecutive spells, stiffened and fell unconscious, bound by several ropes.Wadehad just levitated it out when several more people burst out of the common room in quick succession—
Fred and George, Percy, and Ron.
Hermione's eyes widened, unable to comprehend how these people had squeezed out of the portrait hole in such a short time.
Ron, the last to rush out, first tripped over Percy, then collided with Fred, finally rolling into the mud, shouting furiously, "Damn it! What in the blazes is going on?!"
"Where did this mud pit come from?" Percy yelled angrily. "I'm going to give you detention!"
"He escaped! Wade... oh, did you catch him?" Fred exclaimed in surprise.
"Really?" George struggled to lift his head from under his brother's rear, shouting, "Be careful, that guy's as nimble as Peeves!"
Ginny remained last, lucky enough not to fall into the mud pit. She peered from the portrait hole, giggling at the sight of her brothers' misfortune.
"What happened?" Harry asked, bewildered.
Ginny finally noticed him. The girl shrieked, darted back into the portrait hole, and vanished.
Wade had already secured the rat. He shoved the jar into his bag, then sighed deeply as he looked at the tangled, mud-covered Weasleys on the ground, unable to get up.
Well... that's Gryffindor...
Wade made the mud pit disappear and then used a Scouring Charm to clean the mud off the Weasleys. They finally untangled themselves and clambered to their feet.
Percy smoothed down his robes, so angry that steam seemed to be coming from his ears. He glared furiously at them, saying coldly, "You'd better give me a reasonable explanation!"
"Forget that for now! Where's Scabbers? What did you do with him?" Ron demanded.
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances, completely bewildered.
Fred and George, however, exchanged looks with Wade. "Are you sure it's him?"
"Yes."
Wade nodded, then said to the others, "This isn't the place to talk. Let's go to the Umbrella Hut for an explanation."
"Okay," the curious onlookers Harry and Hermione were the first to respond.
Indeed, other students were already gathering to watch the commotion.
Percy, with a cold face, stood still, but the twins pushed him forward.
"After you hear the full story, if you still think we're wrong, go ahead and tell Mum," Fred said triumphantly. "But I promise you... and little Ronny, you'll thank us."
That rat had originally been Percy's pet. He had given it to Ron only when Ron started school.
In fact, Percy had once considered giving the rat to his youngest sister, Ginny, but she couldn't accept an almost-dead rat as a pet, so it went to Ron instead.
Thinking of this, Fred and George couldn't help but feel a shiver of fear.
The Ministry of Magic strictly controlled Animagi and required all Animagi to register their animal forms with the Ministry.
They considered concealing one's Animagus identity and living among other wizards in animal form a serious offense because many similar malicious incidents had occurred in the past.
The jostling group pulled and shoved their way to the Umbrella Hut. Along the way, Ron was still angrily saying, "Whatever you're going to say, just give me back Scabbers!"
"No, Ronny," Fred flatly refused. "He'll escape."
"He wouldn't run if you weren't chasing him!" Ron yelled. "You scared him!"
"We were scared of him, you know?" George said impatiently. "Will you listen to the reason before arguing with us? Don't yell like a little kid."
Ron's face turned pale with rage.
Suddenly, a sharp meow echoed nearby, and the Weasley twins reflexively shrieked, "Filch!"
Immediately after, Filch burst out, panting as he glared at them. He first scanned the students coldly, finding no contraband, then said, "Fighting?"
"No!" Fred flung an arm around Percy's neck, and with his other hand, ruffled Ron's head. "This is just friendly brotherly communication!"
The two still-furious Weasleys turned their heads away, saying nothing.