"Harry, let me see it."
Ron Weasley grabbed Harry Potter's arm, eyes shining with anticipation.
Several other Gryffindors nearby looked just as eager.
Harry sighed inwardly.
Over the past few days, he had been nearly driven mad. Ever since receiving those two guns as a reward, half of Gryffindor House seemed desperate to get a closer look.
Harry was not good at refusing people. He always felt awkward saying no.
Thankfully, Hermione Granger was usually nearby.
Whenever she noticed the crowd gathering, she would pull Harry away or bluntly refuse on his behalf.
That alone had saved him countless headaches.
Unfortunately, most of the time, it was Ron who started the whole thing.
Just like now.
The moment class ended, Ron slung an arm around Harry's shoulders.
As expected, he wanted to borrow the guns again.
"Ron, how many times have I told you not to make things difficult for Harry?"
Hermione's voice was sharp.
"Every time you show those guns to others, you attract a crowd. They are not toys. They are weapons. They are things that can kill."
Her voice lowered at the last sentence, but the intensity remained.
Hermione had grown increasingly dissatisfied with Ron's behavior.
Ron rubbed the back of his neck.
He knew she was right.
If the guns were not so intricate and impressive, he would not have kept asking to see them.
"I know, I know. I will not ask Harry for them anymore. You do not have to keep nagging. It is annoying."
Though he knew he was wrong, Ron's pride refused to let him admit it fully.
"You think I want to scold you? You keep doing foolish things. Do you understand how dangerous those are?"
"There is already unknown danger in Hogwarts right now."
"Enough. I said I know."
They glared at one another.
Harry felt trapped between them.
In the past, he might have instinctively sided with Ron.
But recently, Hermione had helped him so much that he could not simply take Ron's side again.
And now his two best friends were clearly on the verge of a real argument.
"If you truly understood, you would not keep acting like this."
Hermione shot Ron a final look before turning away, clutching her books tightly.
She did not want Harry to feel caught in the middle.
Perhaps she once would have stayed and argued longer.
Now she considered it a waste of time.
Time that could be spent reading.
Aside from Harry receiving weapons, Hermione had received what she valued most.
Knowledge.
Ravenclaw upperclassmen had already approached her, offering to exchange their research notes for access to the Compendium of Magic Patterns she had obtained.
They had even promised to share part of their findings with her.
To Hermione, that was priceless.
If Ron had not been behaving so recklessly lately, she would not have bothered confronting him at all.
Ron's face darkened.
Yet he could not truly argue back.
Hermione was usually correct.
Even if it stung.
Deep down, something else churned in Ron's heart.
Jealousy.
Harry had received powerful weapons.
Hermione had received rare magical knowledge.
Ron had received nothing of equal value.
Sometimes he wondered why it was not him.
That unspoken resentment twisted his behavior in ways even he did not fully understand.
"Here."
Harry suddenly held out the two guns.
Ron stared at them.
His expression shifted.
"No, Harry."
He shook his head gently.
Then he turned and walked away without another word.
Harry opened his mouth to call him back.
But nothing came out.
Strangely, even though the situation felt wrong, Harry felt lighter.
The suffocating tension between Ron and Hermione was gone—for now.
He looked down at the guns in his hands.
An idea formed.
Perhaps he could use them to investigate the strange voice in the walls.
The voice only he could hear.
Why only him?
What did it mean?
He approached the corridor wall and placed a hand against the cold stone.
"Harry, what are you doing?"
The sudden voice startled him.
He turned sharply.
Two red-haired figures stood nearby, looking slightly disheveled.
Grins spread across their identical faces.
Fred Weasley and George Weasley.
"George, Fred, what are you doing here?"
The twins exchanged a glance.
"Last night, while evading Filch, we had the misfortune of being caught by a certain greasy bat."
"Yes, that bat forced us to help him deal with some unpleasant creatures."
"He threatened us with his wand."
"Very dramatic."
"We should not have covered for that Hufflepuff, but the bat did not expect something."
"We borrowed a few of his materials."
Harry blinked.
He could only assume they meant Professor Snape.
The twins' eyes lit up simultaneously.
They grabbed Harry by the arms.
"We need your help."
And judging by their expressions, refusing would not be easy.
...
📢 Author's Note
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