The train chugged along, releasing clouds of steam as it sped down the tracks.
Inside the carriage, after Kyle and the others had settled in, Kanna and Cho put aside The Quibbler and began chatting about their holiday adventures. Soon, Cho's face turned red with frustration.
"Cedric, that liar!" she huffed. "He told me that Beauxbatons Academy of Magic was in the Pyrenees, so we drove all over the place, but we couldn't find anything on the map. We spent an entire day circling around, but there was absolutely nothing there!"
"That's actually pretty normal," Kyle replied. "I don't know about the other schools, but the locations of the three major wizarding schools in Europe are heavily protected. These charms not only safeguard their teaching methods but also shield students and the schools themselves from harm."
"Just like Hogwarts," he continued. "If a Beauxbatons student were to visit, all they'd see is a bare cliff."
Cho and Kanna looked stunned. They knew the schools were hidden by protective magic, but they'd always assumed it was only to keep muggles away—like the Muggle-Repelling Charm in front of the Leaky Cauldron. They hadn't realized that this protection extended to other witches and wizards as well.
"But then how did Cedric…" Cho wondered aloud.
"Maybe he met someone connected to the school," Kyle suggested. "If a professor or someone else from Beauxbatons shared its location with him, then the protections would be bypassed. Or, if a student led him there, it would work similarly to the Fidelius Charm."
Cho thought back and remembered Cedric mentioning an encounter with an old French wizard who had told him the location of Beauxbatons. That must have been it.
She sighed, feeling a bit disheartened. Why hadn't she met someone like that?
"Fidelius Charm?" Ginny looked up from The Quibbler, her expression curious. "I think Dad mentioned it once, but I don't remember much about it."
"It's one of the Vow Spells," Kyle explained, "usually used to protect important secrets."
"Does the school teach this charm?" Ginny's eyes lit up with interest.
"No," Kyle shook his head. "It's far beyond what most students can manage. If you don't have the necessary magical strength, it can backfire in dangerous ways. So, unless the professors think you're ready, they won't teach it to you—even if you ask."
"Oh…" Ginny looked disappointed.
"Got any secrets you'd like to hide, Ginny?" Fred asked, grinning slyly.
George leaned over, smirking. "Come on, tell us. We promise we won't share it with anyone."
"Like you haven't said that before," Ginny shot back, glaring at the two of them. "If I'd known this spell before the holidays, I wouldn't have had to listen to Percy's nagging all summer!"
Realizing they were defeated, Fred and George quickly backed off, looking chastened.
As the Hogwarts Express traveled further north, the scenery outside the window became increasingly rugged and remote. Clouds gathered in the sky, growing denser and darker by the mile.
Meanwhile, students raced up and down the aisles outside their compartment, laughing and chasing one another.
"No fireworks in the corridors! Which house are you from?" Percy's voice echoed from outside their door.
But instead of replying, the students only laughed louder and kept running.
"Stop! I'm Head Boy!" Percy shouted, chasing after them.
The door suddenly swung open, and Cedric slipped inside, looking around like he was on the run.
"Oh... the Prefect is back," Fred said with a grin. "Any orders for us, sir?"
"I'm here to deliver a warning," Cedric replied, closing the door firmly behind him. He looked at Fred and George with a serious expression. "Percy knows you messed with his badge. And from the look in his eyes, he's ready to strangle you both and hang you outside the train for all to see! If he hadn't been distracted by some students setting off firecrackers in the corridor, he'd be the one bursting in here right now."
Fred and George exchanged a glance and burst out laughing.
"Run from Percy? Not likely," Fred said, clearly unconcerned.
"You think we're afraid of that oversized head of his?" George smirked. "I assure you, we're not."
They even pulled out a few sweets, casually passing them around to everyone else in the compartment, showing no sign of being fazed.
Outside, the noise in the corridor gradually faded. They could hear Percy's voice once more: "Such disrespect—Slytherins, don't you realize I'm the Head Boy? I'll be informing Professor Snape…"
Though faint, Percy's voice was close enough to suggest he was right outside.
Fred clapped his hand to his forehead. "Oh, almost forgot—Lee Jordan told us to find him as soon as we boarded."
"That's right," George nodded. "Said he had something important to discuss."
"Lucky for us we're not busy right now," Fred said, rising to his feet. "Let's go."
With identical grins, the twins sauntered to the door and peered out cautiously.
"FRED! GEORGE!" Percy's irritated shout echoed down the corridor.
The twins threw open the door and bolted out, George smacking his head on the doorway in his rush but ignoring the pain as he raced after Fred.
Laughter erupted from everyone in the compartment.
Cedric, now seated where the twins had been, shook his head. "I thought they really weren't afraid for a second."
Ginny giggled, "A few weeks ago, they tried to trap Percy inside a pyramid, but he found out and gave them a thorough thrashing. If you look closely, George still rubs his left side every now and then—Percy thought he was the main culprit and gave him an extra wallop for good measure."
This sparked another round of laughter.
Cedric was laughing the hardest, clearly delighted to see the twins getting their punishment.
Around one o'clock, the plump witch with the trolley arrived at their compartment door. Kyle, who hadn't eaten much that morning and was now quite hungry, bought a generous stack of Cauldron Cakes—enough for everyone. They might not have been the most flavorful, but they were better than just chocolates or sweets.
After finishing their snack, the group continued chatting, watching as the rain began to fall around three or four o'clock, turning the hills outside the window into a misty blur.
As a Prefect, Cedric was supposed to help keep order in the train compartments, but Percy was so diligent that his voice could be heard constantly, scolding and sending back any students who dared poke their heads into the aisle. Cedric's help wasn't needed at all.
Taking advantage of this rare respite, Cedric relaxed and joined Kyle for a game of Exploding Snap, enjoying the cozy atmosphere of the compartment.