Quirks in Wizarding World

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- The Black Lake, Hogwarts -

- September 7, 1991 – Afternoon -

The sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the still waters of the Black Lake. A light breeze rustled the leaves of the towering trees, and the occasional ripple disturbed the water as the giant squid lazily stretched a tentacle.

Arthav sat on a large, flat rock, leaning back on his elbows, enjoying the peace. He had found this spot during one of his many explorations of Hogwarts, and it had quickly become his favorite place to relax. Today, he shared it with Harry, Hermione, Ron, and the Patil twins, all stretched out on the grass, still laughing about the chaos they had unleashed at lunch.

Ron, ever the storyteller, stood up and cleared his throat dramatically. "And then—then Malfoy goes, 'Who turned out the lights?!'" He screwed up his face in a poor imitation of Draco's voice, flailing his arms wildly.

Parvati let out a loud giggle, while Padma covered her mouth, shaking with laughter. Harry was grinning, and even Hermione—who had initially tried to act like she disapproved—was chuckling. Arthav smirked, watching the way Ron exaggerated every movement, making Malfoy look like a complete buffoon.

"Priceless," Padma said between giggles. "I wish I had a camera!"

"I don't think Malfoy's gonna forget that anytime soon," Harry added, shaking his head.

"Nor forgive," Arthav muttered under his breath, glancing toward the castle. He had expected some kind of retaliation from Malfoy, and sure enough, he didn't have to wait long.

A rustling from behind the trees caught their attention. Draco Malfoy stormed into the clearing, flanked as always by Crabbe and Goyle. His pale face was flushed with anger, and his eyes burned with humiliation. It was clear he had been searching for them.

His gaze landed on Ron, who was still mid-gesture in his mocking act. For a moment, Malfoy just stood there, shaking in rage, before he finally snapped.

"You think you're funny, Weasley?" he sneered.

Ron grinned, completely unbothered. "Yeah, actually. Everyone else seems to think so too."

Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles menacingly, but Malfoy ignored them, his focus shifting to Arthav and Harry. "If you lot have any guts, you'll meet me in the third-floor corridor tonight. Midnight. Duel."

Harry blinked. "A duel?"

Malfoy smirked, his usual arrogance returning. "Unless you're scared, Potter. I wouldn't be surprised."

Ron shot up from his seat. "Scared? Ha! We'll be there, Malfoy. And we'll wipe the floor with you!"

Arthav, who had remained silent so far, watched Malfoy carefully. He could tell this wasn't about honor or proving anything. This was a setup. Malfoy wasn't planning on dueling—he was planning on getting them caught.

"Interesting," Arthav finally said, voice calm. "And let me guess, Malfoy, you're bringing your second? Oh wait—Crabbe and Goyle don't even know how to hold a wand properly."

Malfoy's eyes flickered with something—annoyance? A moment of doubt? Arthav had hit close to the truth.

"Just be there," Malfoy snapped, then turned on his heel and stalked off, his two hulking bodyguards lumbering after him.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Hermione rounded on Ron. "You're not actually thinking of going, are you?"

"Of course, we are!" Ron said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We can't just back down now."

"Ron, it's a trap," Padma said, arms crossed. "He's not actually going to duel you. He's going to get Filch to catch you sneaking around after curfew."

Ron waved her off. "Oh, come on! He's just trying to scare us. If we don't show up, he'll tell everyone we chickened out."

Harry hesitated, looking at Hermione and Arthav. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a stupid idea," Hermione huffed. "And if you two get caught, you'll be in serious trouble."

Arthav sighed. He knew how this played out. He had read the books, watched the movies—this was how they'd end up discovering Fluffy. And while he wasn't worried about the three-headed dog, he was worried about Harry and Ron stumbling into danger without thinking.

"We're going," Ron insisted. "Right, Harry?"

Harry, despite his uncertainty, nodded. "Yeah. We're going."

Arthav glanced at Hermione, Padma, and Parvati. They exchanged looks before nodding. They weren't about to let Ron and Harry go alone. They had tried persuading them not to go again, but Ron was being very stubborn and Harry followed him, which made Arthav frustrated with their childishness.

"Fine," Arthav said. "Then we're coming too."

Ron frowned. "Why?"

"Because someone has to make sure you don't do anything too stupid," Arthav replied dryly. He wasn't about to let these two when they were being like little kids, go unchecked, when he knew that this world was similar to what he had known from his past life so far, but also he knew how different this world was at the same time, and anything could happen in this alternate universe, which can very much endanger them, if they were not careful.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief. "At least with us there, we might have a chance of avoiding disaster."

Ron muttered something about them ruining the fun, but Arthav wasn't paying attention anymore. His mind was already working through the possibilities of what would come next.

One way or another, this night was going to change things.

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- September 7, 1991 – Night -

The Gryffindor dormitory was finally quiet. The soft sounds of deep breathing and occasional snores filled the air as the four students—Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Parvati—slipped silently out of their beds.

Parvati and Hermione had waited patiently for Lavender Brown to fall asleep. Thankfully, she was an early sleeper, and after a few minutes of pretending to study by candlelight, they heard her breathing even out. Exchanging a glance, they extinguished the candle and tiptoed toward the door.

In the boys' dormitory, Harry and Ron had a tougher time. Neville mumbled in his sleep every now and then, shifting in his bed, and Seamus was still moving around under his blanket, as if struggling to find a comfortable position. Ron shot Harry an impatient look but knew better than to rush things. They had to be absolutely certain the others were asleep before making their move. Finally, after what felt like forever, Seamus let out a heavy sigh and stilled. That was their cue.

Carefully, they crept past their sleeping roommates, making sure to avoid the creaky floorboard near Ron's bed. Once outside, they moved swiftly and silently through the common room, the warm glow of the dying fireplace casting flickering shadows around them.

They slipped out through the portrait hole, trying not to flinch when the Fat Lady stirred slightly in her frame but didn't wake up.

"Where are they supposed to be waiting?" Hermione whispered as they made their way through the dimly lit corridors.

"Near the moving stairs," Harry answered just as quietly. "Somewhere unsuspicious."

They treaded carefully, avoiding loose stones and creaky spots on the floor, until they reached the agreed-upon spot. But there was no one there.

Ron frowned. "Where are they? We risked our necks sneaking out, and—"

Before he could finish, two figures suddenly materialized right beside them.

Hermione barely stifled a gasp, while Harry took a step back in shock. Even Parvati let out a quiet "Whoa."

Ron, on the other hand, wasn't as composed. "Merlin's beard! Don't do that!" he hissed.

Arthav chuckled. "Relax, Weasley. It's just the Disillusionment Charm."

Hermione's eyes widened. "You can cast Disillusionment? That's N.E.W.T.-level magic!"

Arthav shrugged. "I use it a lot when I sneak around at night. It's useful."

Padma, standing beside him, gave a smug look toward her sister, as if silently gloating that she had already seen this magic in action before anyone else. Parvati narrowed her eyes at her but said nothing.

"We don't have time for this," Arthav continued. "Let's go before someone sees us."

Nodding in agreement, they wasted no time. Arthav quickly cast the Disillusionment Charm on each of them. A cool sensation, like liquid ice, trickled down their bodies as they blended into their surroundings. It wasn't complete invisibility, but they were now nearly impossible to spot unless they moved too fast or made too much noise.

Carefully, they made their way toward the third-floor corridor—the one place they were explicitly told not to go by Dumbledore at the start of the year. The halls were eerily quiet, the candlelight flickering against the stone walls. The occasional shifting of a suit of armor or a distant gust of wind only added to the tension.

They waited. And waited.

But Malfoy never showed up. A fact Arthav knew very well, he wouldn't.

Ron, growing impatient, muttered under his breath, "I knew he was too much of a coward—"

Suddenly, a soft meow echoed down the corridor.

Everyone froze.

Mrs. Norris.

The cat slinked toward them, her glowing eyes scanning the area. Even though they were hidden under the charm, it was clear she sensed something. She sniffed the air, her tail twitching.

Seconds stretched into what felt like hours as she padded closer.

And then—

"Mrs. Norris? Where have you gone off to now?"

Filch's voice rang through the hallway, growing louder as he approached.

Arthav held his breath, watching as the caretaker stepped into view, his lantern casting a dim glow around him. He peered suspiciously at the empty space around Mrs. Norris, his eyes narrowing.

For a terrible moment, it seemed like he could feel their presence. He shifted, as if he was about to reach out into the air in front of him—

Then, after another long pause, he let out an irritated huff.

"Wandering about again, are you?" he muttered to the cat. "Bah, waste of time…"

He turned and walked away, Mrs. Norris following behind him with one last lingering glance.

The group stayed absolutely still until the sound of his footsteps faded.

Ron exhaled in relief. "That was too close—"

And then, before anyone could stop him, he spun around and whispered urgently, "Let's get out of here—now." Without waiting, he turned and ran.

Harry, looking uncertain but not wanting to be left behind, hesitated for half a second before chasing after him.

Arthav groaned and rolled his eyes. "Idiots."

"They're going the wrong way," Hermione whispered in exasperation.

"I know," Arthav muttered. "Come on, before they get themselves killed."

With no other choice, they followed after Harry and Ron—toward whatever disaster lay ahead.

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