Chapter 77: The Holiday Arrives
Feeney brought the conversation back on track with a calm reminder.
"So, you can use magic as long as you're at home during the holidays. Young wizards from pure-blood families are only supervised by their families."
George sighed.
"Our mum won't let us use magic in the house."
Fred grinned.
"But we'll do it secretly anyway."
Lee Jordan gave them a weary look.
"You'd better be careful. I don't want to hear you were hexed into next week by your mum when school starts."
They parted in Gryffindor Tower, still joking. George, Fred, and Lee returned to their dormitory to finish packing, while Feeney headed to the Ravenclaw common room to choose some books to bring home.
His own luggage had already been packed by Puff. The others' luggage had likely been handled by the school house-elves too, but Feeney didn't mention that. He still needed to make a trip to the Room of Requirement.
A little while later, the group met again at the entrance to the Gryffindor common room and walked together toward the carriages that would take them out of the castle.
The train station was located in the nearby village of Hogsmeade, and they had to travel there by what appeared to be self-driving carriages. Of course, Feeney knew better—these carriages were pulled by Thestrals, a rare breed of winged horse.
Thestrals were eerie in appearance: skeletal, dragon-faced creatures with bat-like wings. Feeney, having witnessed death, could see them clearly. Though considered unlucky by many in the wizarding world, they were in fact intelligent and highly directional creatures, used by many powerful wizards to pull carriages because they instinctively knew their rider's intended destination.
As the four of them descended to the first floor, Filch suddenly leapt out from behind a pillar, eyes bloodshot and wild.
"You did it, didn't you?!"
The four boys froze and looked at one another. Feeney casually shrugged.
"I don't even know what you're talking about."
Filch rounded on the twins, seething with fury.
"Don't think I don't know it was you! My office stinks to high heaven!"
Lee Jordan coughed uncomfortably.
"We went to bed early last night."
"You're the only ones who mess about with dungbombs!"
Filch snapped, unrelenting.
Feeney gave the twins a disapproving glance. They were clever, but why use something so recognizable to pull off a prank?
Still, he couldn't let them get in trouble right before the holidays.
"As far as I know," Feeney said calmly, "dungbombs are pretty common. They're sold in Hogsmeade. Just because they like to use them doesn't mean someone else didn't."
Fred's eyes lit up.
"Exactly! You've got no proof it was us. We've got to catch the train, so if you'll excuse us…"
With that, they sidestepped Filch and exited the castle, holding back their laughter until they were safely outside.
Once the carriage was on the move, they couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Did you see his face?" Lee Jordan wheezed. "Absolutely priceless."
"Shocked," George said between chuckles.
"Outraged," Fred added.
Feeney shook his head.
"You two need to be more careful. You got away with it because it's the end of term and no one wants extra trouble—but next time, you might not be so lucky."
As they laughed, George and Fred worried aloud whether Filch would remember this come September. Lee Jordan launched into a story about a bizarre Quidditch broadcast his father had done recently.
The journey to the station passed quickly and pleasantly.
Though Puff could've taken him straight home, Feeney chose to ride the Hogwarts Express back with his friends. He'd come this way, after all—it felt right to leave the same way.
This time, unlike his solitary journey to Hogwarts, Feeney had company.
As the train passed green fields and shimmering lakes, the boys sat in a compartment eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Lee Jordan had brought a whole box, and they took turns daring each other to try the nastiest flavours.
Feeney, with uncanny luck, kept picking good ones—orange, apple, strawberry, banana.
George tossed him a grey one.
"Let's see you dodge this."
Feeney popped it in his mouth.
"Chocolate."
Fred gawked and tore open a bean, sniffing it before popping it in.
"Booger."
He handed the other half to Feeney, who ate it with a shrug.
"Coconut."
The others groaned.
"You've got to be cheating," George said, half-joking.
Feeney just smirked.
When the train finally pulled into Platform Nine and Three-Quarters at King's Cross, they all changed into Muggle clothes. George and Fred wore typical jackets, Jordan wore a thick sweater, and Feeney stood out in a sleek black four-piece suit.
He tucked a golden pocket watch, engraved with the Black family crest, into his inner pocket and grabbed his suitcase—enchanted with a Traceless Extension Charm.
His friends looked on enviously. Each of them had two bulging trunks.
At the platform gate, an elderly station guard ensured that no more than three students passed at once, to avoid drawing Muggle attention.
After saying his goodbyes, Feeney slipped into a quiet corner.
"Puff!"
With a sharp pop, Puff and Kreacher appeared beside him.
Feeney handed his suitcase to Puff.
"Take this home. Kreacher, we're going to Diagon Alley."
The two house-elves bowed respectfully. Puff Disapparated with the trunk back to 12 Grimmauld Place. Kreacher gripped Feeney's arm tightly.
"To Gringotts first," Feeney said. "I need to get some change. I don't have enough Sickles or Knuts on me."
Though he still had several dozen Galleons, Feeney preferred to keep smaller coins on hand—and he didn't trust just anyone to handle that sort of exchange.
With that, they vanished from the station.