Gred and Forge

I took a quick look outside at the cold November midmorning. The autumn wind was whipping the tree branches and scattering the remaining leaves all over the grounds. Plucking my coat from my trunk and looked at the Ravenclaw scarf neatly folded next to it and decided to bring that with me also. I almost left my empty dormitory but a sudden thought came into my head, and I ran back over to my trunk and fished out a small coin purse. Now I was finally set to go to Hogsmeade.

Walking down the dormitory steps I quickly threw my arms into the black jacket and shrugged it into place before breaking out into the common room. Quickly I weaved towards the door where there was a small group of people waiting to get out. I stood patiently knowing that Fred wouldn’t mind the delay, it’s not like we absolutely needed to be somewhere. I actually didn’t even know what we were going to do today. I haven’t been to Hogsmeade on about two years, I’m sure much hasn’t changed but you never know.

My fellow house mates and I streamed down the spiral staircase with anticipation in our steps. Today we got to be part of the outdoor world for once, not cooped up in school, we could finally be free. As I reached the bottom I started to look around for Fred. Peering over people’s heads and walking slowly over to the far side of the hall I couldn’t seem to find him anywhere. Out of nowhere I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist and pulling me into a backwards hug.

I felt my body jump in shock but soon a smile made its way onto my face as I heard Fred whisper in my ear, “Ready to go love?” I knew it was him all along, it was pretty obvious, but for some reason I just couldn’t help my body from going into a slight shock.

I looked up and back at Fred, noticing he now had on a knit hat with the earflaps and long braided tails attached to them. His long hair was sticking out from underneath it and I couldn’t help but smile at how cute he looked in it. Turning around I grabbed the braids in between my fingertips, “I’m liking the hat.”

“Why thank you, I figured you would.” Fred grabbed my hand and quickly looked around the still busy hallway before his eyes circled back to mine, “So, you ready to go?”

“Yup!”

We started down the hallway, but instead of turning towards the stairs we continued straight, entering another long hall. I looked up at him curiously but he still looked ahead without the slightest sign of mistake in his facial features. I shrugged it off, figuring that we were maybe going to meet up with George or Lee or someone. It was strange, the silence that fell between us. Fred always had something to talk about, but right now he seemed absolutely focused on where we were headed, so I just left the silence where it was.

We sung around a corner and down a short staircase entering another hall. Fred’s pace slowed and then halted in front of a statue of a very ugly witch sporting one eye and a large hump situated on her back.

I raised my eyebrows at him and crossed my arms over my chest as he looked up and down the hallway, waiting for some kind of explanation. When he didn’t give one I simply tapped his shoulder. “What are you doing? I thought you were taking me to Hogsmeade?”

He only smirked, “Oh, but my fine lady, we are going to Hogsmeade. We’re just taking a shortcut that’s all.”

“You mean we’re breaking out of the school even though we could just walk out of the front door?”

Fred looked at me and pouted, “You know, I really thought that you would enjoy this, but I guess I was wrong.”

“But I don’t even know what this is exactly!” I exclaimed, my hands flying out in front of me.

“Go down to the end of the hall,” He turned me around so I was facing the other end of the hallway, “and check to see if anyone’s coming. When you come back I’ll show you why we aren’t using the front doors, yeah?”

“Alright,” I agreed while walking away.

I walked halfway down the rest of the corridor before turning around to glance at Fred. He just waved me on so I continued. Stopping at the end I looked right and listened, nothing was coming. I looked left, stopped and listened to the same silence that the right held, then right once more. The coast was clear. Looking left once more I lifted my arm and jutted my thumb out, giving Fred the A-OK.

I heard him quietly say something and I turned around to walk back. Instantly I noticed the witches hump had moved, revealing a hole that opened up inside the statue. Quickly I hurried back, not knowing what exactly was inside the hole, but knowing that if we got caught it would lead to serious trouble.

“So, what’s this?”

“What’s this?” Fred repeated. “What’s this you ask? Well, this right here is one of the many secret passageways that lead out of Hogwarts, this one in particular ends in the basement of Honeydukes.”

“And that’s how we’re getting into Hogsmeade isn’t?” I asked, already knowing what his answer was going to be.

“Precisely.” Fred gestured to the entrance, “Ladies first.”

I quickly looked around making sure no one was around before I climbed up the witch. Peering into the hole at the top I noticed that a slide led to a pit of blackness and I instantly felt my heart start to race and an uneasy feeling rushed through me. Quickly I looked back at Fred, “It’s really dark down there, how are we going to see?”

“There’s a wooden torch at the bottom that I will light when I get down there. Go on, there’s nothing in there, I promise.” Fred gave me a reassuring smile and I nodded before looking back at the opening.

Taking in a deep breath I slid down, feet first. Feeling the dirt floor beneath me I got to my feet and looked back up the hole to see Fred starting to climb in, shutting the hump behind him. Complete darkness filled my vision and I stood immobile as Fred looked around for the torch. A cold shiver ran up my spine and I wrapped my arms tightly around the front of my body in effort to stay warm.

“Ahh here it is… Incendio!” Bright flames suddenly erupted and Fred’s face was light up. He was holding a wooden club that was burning bluish at the opposite end he was holding on to. Lifting in front of him I got a good look at our surroundings. “I told you nothing was down here.”

The walls were made of old stone, held together by the pressure from the earth and school above it. The floor was just as I suspected it, completely comprised of dirt. The walls went on to form a tunnel that quickly faded into the unknown.

“Well then, ready to go now?”

Looking back at Fred I threw my scarf around my neck and took the free hand he had extended. “Sure, why not.”

We started walking down the path before us and soon Fred had started to tell me all about the wonderful things Hogsmeade had to offer; Honeydukes amazing range of sweets, anything you could possibly imagine could be found there according to him. Then there was Three Broomsticks, a popular pub amongst both staff and students. Of course I already knew this but I just continued to let him talk, I didn’t mind hearing his voice. Then he spent a good twenty minutes talking about his absolute favorite store, Zonko’s joke shop, and how he and George get a discount due to their loyalty over the years.

“Is there anything particular you need to get while we’re at Hogsmeade today?” He asked, looking down at me.

I shook my head, “Not that I know of, why?”

“Well,” Fred slowed his pace, “Because those stairs right in front of us lead up to the basement underneath Honeydukes.”

Looking forward I noticed the tunnel had stopped and a set of old wooden stairs led up to a slab of wood flooring. Fred slid the torch into an old iron holder that was bolted to a support beam and started up the staircase, I followed close behind quietly.

He pulled off his hat and pressed an ear to the wooden plank above his head. Fred looked back at me and waved me forward then lifted the floor up, revealing a bright room. I blinked rapidly; my eye’s aching from the quick change in lighting. Hastily we both darted out from the tunnel; Fred gently closed the entrance to the secret passage and joined me by a stack of wooden crates resting by a staircase that lead up to the main shop. The sound of the customer’s feet echoed above us as a bell distantly tingled, signifying either new customers or assuring that previous ones were leaving.

Fred grabbed my hand as he cautiously made his way up the staircase, going slowly as he dared, hoping it wouldn’t creak. Once we got within eyesight of the main floor we stopped, waiting until the old witch behind the counter left. She did so with in a couple of minutes, looking very disgruntled and pulling her wand out of her aprons pocket.

“Here’s our chance, let’s go.” Quickly we ran up the remaining steps, ducking behind the counter to remain hidden. Slowly we stood straight up, as soon as we were a safe distance away.

“Welcome to Honeydukes Sweet Shop.” Fred gestured to the large room before us, the isles and countless displays of toffees, sweets, chocolates, you name it. Along the walls there were shelves upon shelves of various treats, the whole interior being doused in a turquoise blue paint. It hasn’t changed much since the last time I was there; I was looking at it with familiar eyes.