𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐘 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐃 ━━ harry potter

chapter fifty-nine

A couple of evenings later, when Harry and Ron left for Quidditch practice, an owl came flying through an open window in the Gryffindor common room.

"Look," called Hermione. Ben looked up from his nearly finished History of Magic homework. "It's for you."

"Oh, hi, Timothy," he tickled the owl's head, earning a high-pitched hoot from him. He was carrying a letter, as usual, so Ben took it as carefully as possible.

"Who's it from?" asked Hermione.

"Audrey," he whispered, beginning to open the envelope. "Come read it with me."

Hermione sat on the armrest of the couch, right next to where Ben was sitting, and leaned over him so she could see the letter, causing a brown strand of hair to hit him in the face. "Oh, I'm sorry!"

He laughed as she quickly put her hair back on a ponytail, and they both began reading the letter in silence.

'Hello, Ben.

I just found out what happened, and I'm still in shock. I refuse to believe it happened naturally, I simply can't. I don't know what you think, but I'm quite suspicious of them. You know who I mean by 'them', so I won't write it down, just in case.

I just wish I would've been there when it happened. If I hadn't left that afternoon, I wouldn't have allowed her to hurt you, and Ebony wouldn't have been on her own when she came back. None of this would've happened, and I'm honestly so deeply sorry for it.

I'm not letting you and Alycia be alone with them this summer. I won't let you go back there, actually. There's a couple of things that need to be sorted here in Ireland, but, as soon as it's all settled, we'll be coming back. Steve and I think we might be able to do it after Christmas.

Once again, I repeat that I'm sorry for everything.

I hope you and Alycia are alright.

See you soon.

Love you,

Audrey.'

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The next morning, Harry told them he had had an encounter with Dobby that night and he had come up with an idea of a place where their Defense Against the Dark Arts group could practice.

So, at half-past seven Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ben left the Gryffindor common room, Harry clutching a certain piece of aged parchment in his hand. Fifth years were allowed to be out in the corridors until nine o'clock, but all four of them kept looking around nervously as they made their way up to the seventh floor.

"Wait," said Harry, unfolding the piece of parchment at the top of the last staircase, tapping it with his wand, and muttering, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

A map of Hogwarts appeared upon the blank surface of the parchment. Tiny black moving dots, labeled with names, showed where various people were. Ben leaned over his shoulder to have a better look at it.

"Filch is on the second floor," announced Harry. "And Mrs. Norris is on the fourth."

"What about Umbridge?"