Midnight Nightmare

Chapter 29: Midnight Fright

Brook was just stuffing the last piece of Yorkshire Pudding into his mouth when he saw Harry plop down beside Ron with an excited look on his face.

Brook shot Hermione a "told you so" glance.

But Hermione ignored him, instead perking up her ears with a gossipy expression.

She wanted to know what Professor McGonagall had done to Harry.

Before long, Draco swaggered over with his two lackeys—Goyle and Crabbe.

He strutted along, looking insufferably smug.

Just trying to make his presence known.

Brook quietly pricked up his ears too.

Who would pass up free drama?

But after listening for a bit, he found it utterly boring.

Turns out it was just a challenge to a duel!

Why bother arranging a duel?

Just throw down already.

Couldn't they let a guy enjoy his popcorn in peace?

"Um... sorry to interrupt." Hermione finally couldn't hold back and spoke up.

Harry and Ron looked up at her in unison.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

With Brook watching nearby, Hermione didn't come off as annoying as she did in the original story.

Though she still liked to meddle, her tone was much gentler.

"I couldn't help overhearing your conversation with Malfoy."

"Eavesdropping, more like," Ron muttered under his breath.

Hermione completely ignored Ron. "If you get caught sneaking out, you'll lose Gryffindor a lot of points."

"That's none of your business," Harry said, a bit irritated.

He'd already had a falling out with Draco on the train.

This was his perfect chance to beat Draco face-to-face.

There was no way he was going to miss it.

"Hermione, when a man says he'll do something, he does it. Let them handle this themselves!" Brook chimed in.

"But—"

"Anyway, Gryffindor's got plenty of points. Losing a few won't kill us."

Hermione watched Harry and Ron get up and leave, then reluctantly shut her mouth.

But she wasn't about to give up that easily.

Time rolled around to half past eleven.

Harry and Ron crept out of bed.

To their surprise, Brook got up too.

"Brook, are you going to try and talk us out of it too?" Ron asked, puzzled.

Brook spread his hands with a helpless look. "I'm here to help you deal with a little problem."

"A little problem?" Harry didn't get it.

"Alright, you'll see when we get out." Brook didn't explain further and headed out of the room first.

The Gryffindor common room was pitch black, with only a few dying embers left in the fireplace.

"I knew you'd be waiting here," Brook said, looking at a dark figure.

A lamp flickered on, revealing Hermione in her pink nightgown.

"Br... Brook, why are you here too?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"Because of you, of course!" Brook ruffled Hermione's little head.

A faint blush crept across her small face, like a kitten caught sneaking candy—adorably flustered.

"I'll go with them. My Space Gate can bring them back anytime, and I'll make sure they don't get caught."

Brook wasn't butting in just to ease Hermione's mind.

Truth was, he was pretty curious about wizard duels and wanted to watch the show in person.

"That's against school rules," Hermione frowned.

"Only getting caught is against the rules."

Seeing Hermione about to argue, Brook continued, "If the professors really didn't allow students to sneak out, they'd just seal the common room entrance after curfew. So this is basically their way of turning a blind eye."

"You and your clever excuses," Hermione snorted softly. "Fine, I'm coming too."

"Sure!"

Brook was pleasantly surprised that Hermione wanted to join this rule-breaking expedition.

Harry and Ron were left speechless.

They were the stars of this duel, weren't they?

Didn't anyone think to ask their opinion?

But after a quick mental comparison of the sides—two dunces versus two brainiacs—they wisely chose to back down.

"Let's hurry, or we'll be late," Harry urged.

So the four of them crawled out of the hole one by one.

Moonlight streamed through the high windows, casting dappled shadows across the corridor floor.

Hogwarts was eerily quiet in the dark.

Brook strolled down the hallway at a leisurely pace, a relaxed smile on his face.

It was his first time sneaking around at night, and he found it rather enjoyable.

Hermione, on the other hand, was tense, her eyes darting everywhere and her ears straining for any sound.

"Relax, Hermione," Brook said softly.

"Shh!" Hermione quickly signaled him to be quiet.

Brook couldn't help but smirk at her jittery state.

He leaned in and whispered, "Hermione, see those portraits?"

Hermione looked puzzled.

What about them? They'd always been there.

A mischievous grin spread across Brook's face. "Those portraits are the professors' eyes and ears. They've probably already spotted us."

Hermione gasped, about to scream, but Brook had anticipated it and clamped his hand over her mouth.

"Easy, easy."

She pulled his hand down, looking panicked.

"I... I think we should go back!"

"No need. As long as we don't deliberately cause trouble, they won't tattle to the professors," Brook explained.

"Really?"

"Really. Believe me now? The professors don't encourage night roaming, but they won't crack down on clever little witches and wizards who can avoid getting caught."

They were in luck.

They didn't run into Filch or Peeves along the way.

They made it safely to the third-floor trophy room.

The room was lined with glass display cases.

If you like this book, bookmark it so you don't lose track.

The cases gleamed softly in the moonlight.

Harry and Ron had their wands out, eyes fixed on the doors at either end of the room.

As if Draco might pop out at any moment and curse them.

Brook, however, was drawn to the gleaming gold and silver trophies, medals, shields, and statues.

He wandered over to a case on his own.

"James Potter... Harry, come see—is this your dad?" Brook said, pointing at a trophy.

Harry, already on edge, flinched at Brook's call.

"What?"

"Come look at this." Brook beckoned him over.

The other three gathered around, peering at the trophy Brook had pointed out.

"Presented to Gryffindor Quidditch team Seeker James Potter, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the team. (1972-1978)"

Harry touched the glass case, lost in thought.

Ron exclaimed excitedly, "Harry, your dad was a Seeker! No wonder you're so good..."

Just then, a voice came from the next room: "I heard something—over there, quick!"

"Damn, it's Filch." Harry's face went pale. "Run!"

Ron charged out first.

Hermione grabbed Brook's hand and ran after him.

Brook hadn't expected her grip to be so strong. "Sigh! What's the rush?"

Filch's footsteps grew closer behind them, like the beat of a death knell.

The four of them fled frantically through the corridor, like headless flies.

Brook raised his hand, about to conjure a Space Gate ahead.

But then he frowned.

Space fluctuations.

Not his.

Suddenly, Harry slammed hard into a door. It was locked.

"We're done for! We're dead!" Ron stared at the door in despair, fear written all over his face.

"Move." Hermione shoved them aside roughly, snatched Harry's wand, and pointed it at the lock.

"Alohomora!"

A click sounded, and the door swung open.

They piled inside and quickly shut it.

Then they pressed their ears against the door panel, listening intently for any sound outside.

Brook suddenly felt a chill run down his back.

He turned to look.

A dog nearly five meters long was staring at them with its three heads and six vicious eyes.

Brook immediately summoned a Space Gate behind him and shoved Hermione.

"Hermione, go."

Hermione saw the massive dog too, frozen in place like she'd been scared senseless.

Just as Brook was about to pull her away, she spoke. "Are you Fluffy?"

Fluffy's three heads tilted, looking at Hermione.

Its fierce expression instantly softened into something adorably clueless, losing all its earlier menace.

In truth, it had only meant to scare them off.

Its orders were to keep people out, and it could only frighten young wizards, not harm them.

So when it heard its name, it dropped its hostile look.

"We're friends of Hagrid's."

Hermione seemed calm, but her fingers were still trembling.

Brook sized up Fluffy again, recalling that Hagrid had mentioned owning a Three-headed Dog.

But he didn't let his guard down.

The Space Gate remained open, and he kept a tight hold on Hermione's hand.

If Fluffy made any wrong move, he'd yank her straight into the gate.

Hearing Hagrid's name, Fluffy relaxed even more.

It slowly lay down, resting all three heads on its front paws.

But its six big eyes still watched them curiously.

"I... I think we should go!"

Harry and Ron could tell Fluffy wasn't going to attack for now, but they were still terrified.

Brook agreed wholeheartedly.

If he were alone, he'd be interested in having some fun with Fluffy.

But with Hermione here, it wasn't worth the risk.

Brook kept his eyes fixed on Fluffy. "Harry, Ron, you go first."

"Right, right."

Ron, as if pardoned, grabbed Harry and dove into the Space Gate.

Brook waved at Fluffy.

"Sorry for disturbing your rest. We'd better go. I'll bring you some treats next time."

He tugged at Hermione, but noticed the little girl was staring blankly at Fluffy's paws.

He pulled harder, yanking her straight into the Space Gate.

Was this little girl just thick-skulled, or overflowing with courage?

It could only be said that they were truly Gryffindors.

It truly could only be Gryffindor.

They returned to the Gryffindor common room and found Harry and Ron waiting for them.

They returned to the Gryffindor common room to find Harry and Ron waiting for them.

"Thank you, Brook." Harry expressed his gratitude immediately.

"Thank you, Brook," Harry said, offering his thanks at once.

If it weren't for Brook tonight, If it hadn't been for Brook tonight—

they would have either been hurt by Fluffy or caught by Filch.

They'd either have been hurt by Fluffy or caught by Filch.

Neither outcome would have been pleasant.

Neither outcome would have been pleasant.

"It's nothing." Brook waved his hand.

"It's nothing." Brook waved a hand.

"Why do you think they keep such a terrifying thing locked up in the school?" Ron complained.

"Why do you think they'd keep something that terrifying locked up in the school?" Ron grumbled.

"Fluffy must be guarding something," Hermione murmured. "I just saw a trapdoor under its paw."

"Fluffy must be guarding something," Hermione murmured to herself. "I saw a trapdoor under its paw just now."

Brook suddenly realized—so that was what Hermione had been looking at earlier!

Brook realized with a start—so that's what Hermione had been looking at earlier!

"Are you satisfied now? Sneaking out at night, huh!" Hermione huffed, turning to Brook. "Don't follow their example. No more sneaking out from now on."

"Are you satisfied now, sneaking around at night, hmph!" Hermione turned her glare to Brook. "Don't follow their example. No more night wandering from now on."

With that, she turned and stormed off angrily.

With that, she huffed and turned away, stalking off.

Ron stared at her back. "Brook, how do you put up with her?"

Ron stared after her. "Brook, how do you put up with her?"

Brook patted Ron on the shoulder. "You'll understand when you're of age."

Brook clapped Ron on the shoulder. "When you're grown up, you'll understand."

Ron scratched his head and looked at Harry in confusion.

Ron scratched his head and looked at Harry in confusion.

Harry gave him an equally bewildered expression in return.

Harry gave him an equally bewildered look in return.

(Anti-argument: Why wasn't Neville at the door? Because Brook saved him, so he wasn't hurt and was sleeping soundly in his room.)

(Anti-Quibbler: Why wasn't Neville at the door? Because Brook saved him—he wasn't hurt and is sleeping soundly in his room.)

(These two chapters were hard to split into pages. Hope the seniors' eyes won't get too tired. I'll try to split them better later.)

(These two chapters weren't easy to split into pages. Hope your eyes don't get too tired, big shots. I'll try to page them better from here on.)