Late-night attack (first update of New Year's Day)

As midnight drew closer, minute by minute, they carried Fluffy up the marble steps of the Entrance Hall, through pitch-dark corridors, and up one flight of stairs after another.

"Don't move!" William suddenly said.

Bobocha's flattened ears trembled, signaling to William that someone was in the distance.

Sure enough... a moment later, a figure emerged from a room.

-Professor Tywin!

Professor Tywin wore plaid pajamas and carried his wand as he carefully headed downstairs.

Strangely, his room was on the third floor, yet he was heading down to the first floor at this hour.

William and the others held their breath, hiding in the shadows around the corner, not daring to make a sound.

Fortunately, thanks to the Disillusionment Charm and the surrounding darkness, Professor Tywin did not notice them.

A moment later, the footsteps faded into the distance, and the four hurried upstairs with the box.

"What's Professor Tywin doing out so late?" Cho asked quietly.

"Could he be patrolling?" Cedric guessed.

"Have you ever seen anyone patrol in pajamas?" William said.

Charlie glanced around and whispered, "We'd better hurry. I have a bad feeling about this."

All four quickened their pace. After that, everything went smoothly: they encountered neither another professor nor Filch or Peeves.

By the time they reached the Seventh Floor, Cho had even begun humming a little tune.

-They were about to be rid of Fluffy.

The Room of Requirement was located on the Seventh Floor of Hogwarts Castle, opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy being clubbed by Trolls.

When a user concentrated on the sort of room they needed and walked past that stretch of wall three times, a very smooth door would appear in the wall, allowing them to enter the Room of Requirement.

Charlie thought for a moment and said, "We need a place to hide things."

He walked to the window at one end of the white wall and turned back, then turned again at a vase as tall as a person at the other end. When Charlie turned around for the third time, a very smooth door appeared in the wall.

William reached out, grasped the brass handle, and pulled the door open, leading the way into a spacious room.

The sight before them stunned the group.

The place was as big as a church, and its surroundings looked like a city. William could tell that the towering walls everywhere had been built from objects hidden there by generations of Hogwarts students.

Not far away were thousands upon thousands of books, undoubtedly forbidden books, books that had been scribbled in, or stolen books.

Cho picked up a Fanged Frisbee and tossed it gently. The Frisbee spun away with a "beep" and struck a mountain of forbidden objects. The heap collapsed, sending up clouds of dust.

Cedric picked up a rusty sword and swung it hard twice. The blade broke in the middle and nearly landed on his foot.

This was one enormous junkyard-and, of course, a treasure shop!

The four entered an alley, passed a stuffed Troll, and ran a short distance farther before opening the box containing Fluffy in front of a broken Vanishing Cabinet.

He was still fast asleep.

William was quite satisfied with the surroundings. With so much junk here, Fluffy could put his talent for wrecking the house to full use.

Let your true nature loose, kid!

The four caught their breath and began hunting for treasure in the junk heap.

Most of the magical objects had been damaged by time, but there were still plenty of valuable books and interesting little gadgets. They each picked up a few things and left the Room of Requirement.

"Where to next?" Cho asked.

"We could go to the kitchens for a late-night snack," Cedric suggested.

"Won't the House-elves all be asleep this late?" William asked.

"No. Some of them work the night shift to stop mice from stealing food," Charlie said with a smile.

Apparently, he was quite experienced too.

The four chatted happily as they headed downstairs.

Boom!

An explosion rang out, followed immediately by an ear-piercing alarm. The sound pierced their eardrums and echoed throughout the castle.

The group cautiously crouched at the top of the stairs on the fifth floor and peered down through a gap. The floor below was brightly lit.

Cho gripped the wooden staircase and said in alarm, "Could we have been discovered?"

William had already seen Professor McGonagall coming down the stairs. He shook his head and said, "Impossible. Someone must have triggered the alarm system in a room. It has nothing to do with us."

Charlie pricked up his ears and listened carefully to the beeping alarm. After a moment, he said, "It's Professor Snape's potions storeroom. There's no doubt about it!

"Students once tried to break in and sabotage Professor Snape's treasures, and that was the sound it made."

"Could there be other students out at night besides us?" Cedric said in surprise.

While they were talking, the professors had already hurried down to the first floor.

Professor McGonagall wore floral pajamas embroidered with a golden lion. Wand in hand, she called out, "Who's there?!"

"It's me, Professor McGonagall. Don't attack." Professor Tywin was also wearing pajamas and looked as though he had just gotten up. He was crouched on the floor, examining the damage.

"It's terrible. Someone attacked Professor Snape's potions storeroom. I heard the commotion and hurried down," Professor Tywin said.

"Have you found out who did it?" Professor McGonagall bent down and examined the fragments on the floor as well.

"I'm not sure. They ran away quickly. Perhaps it was a student out at night, hoping to cause some damage while Professor Snape was away."

Professor McGonagall was furious. "This is outrageous! They'd better hope I don't catch them!"

Filch came hurrying over with an oil lamp, Mrs. Norris following behind him.

He looked around and declared, "It had to be the Weasley brothers. Someone deliberately lured me away. It had to be them!"

Professor McGonagall's face darkened. In an exceedingly stern voice, she said, "Do not slander my students without solid evidence."

Filch flushed and snorted. "If I catch whoever did it, I'll throw them into the Forbidden Forest."

He glanced through the smoke at the potions storeroom, looking somewhat gleeful.

Everything inside was among Professor Snape's most dearly prized treasures. Normally, he allowed no one in, including Headmaster Dumbledore.

And now someone had broken in and robbed the place.

What will his face look like when he comes back?

Dumbledore walked over, looking utterly bewildered. He wore a pointed nightcap with a white pom-pom hanging from one side, pure white pajamas imported from France, and thick woolen socks.

"Good evening, everyone. It seems there's been a little trouble with Snape's potions room."

"Headmaster, this is theft, a terrorist attack! I think we can use handcuffs, a whip, and candles on those two little thieves!" Filch said from the side, spraying spittle.

Dumbledore frowned. "What, have you caught the culprits already?"

"Well... not yet." Filch gave a haughty snort. "But I know who it was. Nobody but those two little bastards is that bad."

(First update. Happy New Year's Day, everyone! May everything go your way in the new year. Please vote with your recommendation tickets!)