Charlie crept out of his warm bed, moving cautiously.
His roommates' snores rose and fell, and Ernie was still muttering something about Victoria's Secret in his sleep.
"Your Majesty stayed out all night, tyrant points + 1!"
The little system's notification invigorated Charlie.
He tiptoed out of the dormitory door and slipped into the common room.
The warm yellow lights were already out, with only the faint glow of the fireplace flickering.
Charlie fumbled to find the barrel entrance leading to the corridor and carefully climbed out.
He climbed up the stone steps, preparing to head straight for the fourth floor.
The more Dumbledore forbade it, the more tyrant points he would surely gain by breaking the rules.
As for danger, if that place was really so dangerous, would Dumbledore let it continue to exist?
Based on Charlie's understanding of the teaching profession, all talk of danger and tragic deaths was just a scare tactic.
It was like teachers always saying, 'If you don't study hard, you're finished'; 'If you don't do your homework, you're finished.'
(Students study hard and strive for progress, but this guy has a system, he's cheating.)
Even if there was real danger, Charlie was confident he could handle it with the system's help.
But the Hogwarts stairs didn't play by the rules at all.
Just as he reached the second floor, the stone steps beneath his feet began to sway.
Charlie was startled and quickly grabbed the handrail. The staircase slowly turned, taking him to a completely unfamiliar corridor.
"What the hell?"
Charlie frowned, looking around.
The portraits here were all fast asleep, and moonlight streamed through the glass windows onto the floor, making it exceptionally quiet.
He bravely continued walking, trying to find the way to the fourth floor.
As he walked, he encountered another moving staircase.
This time it was even worse; it directly transported him to some corner on an unknown floor.
"Is this damn staircase cursed?" Charlie couldn't help but complain.
"Young Wizard, not sleeping obediently, running around everywhere."
A voice suddenly came from beside him, startling Charlie.
He sharply turned his head, thinking he had been caught by a Professor, but found it was a knight in a portrait on the wall talking to him.
The plump knight, wearing silver armor, was leaning against the frame.
"Judging by your age, you must be a newly admitted Young Wizard, daring to wander at night on your first day, definitely a Gryffindor student."
"I'm a Huff..."
Charlie had a flash of inspiration and said seriously.
"Yes, that's right, I'm a Gryffindor student."
"Hahahahahaha." The knight laughed loudly.
"I knew it, Young Wizards from your house are always unruly."
"But I like it, this is the spirit of a brave knight!"
Charlie seized the opportunity:
"Then, esteemed Sir Knight, how do I get to the fourth floor?"
The knight was pleased to hear Charlie's words and raised his hand, pointing to the corridor on the left: "Go that way, take the stairs that turn right, and go straight if the stairs turn left."
But halfway through his sentence, his hand suddenly paused, then changed to point to the right: "No, no, it should be that way."
Charlie didn't think much of it, just assuming the knight was a bit muddled.
After all, it was a portrait, hanging for hundreds of years, so it was normal for it to be a bit confused.
"Thank you, Sir Knight."
Charlie waved to the knight and walked quickly down the right corridor... In the Principal's office, Dumbledore was smiling softly at a portrait on the wall.
"Little fellow, no one can enter there now, no one at all."
An old Wizard from another portrait poked his head out:
"Albus, if you don't want anyone to go in, why did you mention it in the first place?"
Dumbledore stroked his long beard:
"Because I only want specific people to enter."
"Alright, alright, you're the Principal." The old Wizard shrugged.
"Of course, you call the shots. You can make the stairs turn however you want, and make any door unopenable."
A cunning glint flashed in Dumbledore's eyes:
"Some things need to happen at the right time."
Meanwhile, Charlie was still stumbling through the maze of Hogwarts.
He followed the plump knight's instructions, but the further he walked, the more something felt off.
Why was this corridor looking more and more familiar?
Reaching the end, Charlie was dumbfounded.
Ahead were those large barrels, and further on was the Hufflepuff common room.
He had actually circled back to the first floor!
"Holy crap!" Charlie couldn't help but curse.
"That damn fat knight dared to trick me!"
He was so angry his teeth itched, and he turned to go settle accounts with that portrait.
If I don't tear down its frame today, I'll write Harry Potter's name backward!
But before he had taken two steps, a nearby door suddenly opened.
Two hands reached out and dragged Charlie inside.
"Shh!"
A familiar voice sounded, and Charlie looked closely to find it was The Twins from the Weasley family.
Fred and George were looking at him slyly, their eyes full of excitement.
"I told you, Charlie would definitely sneak out in the middle of the night."
Fred said triumphantly.
"Alright, you win. I thought he was tired enough today to rest early."
George spread his hands helplessly.
Charlie asked doubtfully: "Why are you here?"
"Of course, we came specifically to find you, remember what we talked about on the train?"
George looked in the direction Charlie had come from and asked, puzzled.
"Why did you come from that direction? Shouldn't the Hufflepuff common room be over there?"
Charlie spread his hands with a helpless expression:
"Don't even get me started. I originally wanted to go to the fourth floor, but I got lost in the Castle. I asked a fat knight in a portrait for directions, and that damn fat guy gave me completely wrong directions. I went in a big circle and ended up back here."
Fred and George exchanged glances and couldn't help but laugh.
"Hahaha, you got tricked by the fat knight!" Fred slapped his thigh, laughing.
"Oh, that must be Sir Cadogan. That guy's brain isn't quite right." George explained.
"But you want to go to that place on the fourth floor?"
"Yeah, the more Dumbledore forbids it, the more I want to see it." Charlie's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Fred raised an eyebrow:
"Great minds think alike! We also wanted to go to the fourth floor, but we ran into a wall."
"How so?" Charlie asked curiously.
George sighed:
"On every path leading to the right corridor on the fourth floor, there's always a door that won't open. Either it's magically sealed, or the stairs suddenly change direction."
Charlie was stunned.
Could that place really be dangerous?
Was Dumbledore, that white-bearded old man, so devious?
"Your Majesty disrespects his elders, slandering the Grand Tutor, tyrant points + 1!"
Alright, little system, you're more devious.
"..."
The little system chose silence, Charlie pouted, and turned to The Twins: "What are you planning to do now?"
A mischievous glint flashed in George's eyes:
"We're planning a little surprise for Filch."
"That caretaker?" Charlie remembered the figure behind the Professors at the feast, rumored to have a terrible reputation.
"That's right!" Fred rubbed his hands excitedly.
"Old Mr. Filch picked on us especially last semester, blaming us for everything bad."
"Though many things were indeed done by us..."
George picked up the conversation.
"Even though we found good things in his room..."
"But that doesn't stop us from thanking him properly with an exploding toilet seat."
Charlie's eyes lit up instantly: "Count me in."
The three hit it off immediately and started to act.
Fred and George were clearly more familiar with the routes in Hogwarts, leading Charlie through twists and turns, and soon they arrived near Filch's quarters.
"See that toilet over there?" George pointed to a door across the corridor.
"It's supposed to be a public toilet, but Filch always uses it, making all the students not want to go near it."
"So now it's basically his private toilet." Fred said fiercely.
"It's time for him to taste some bitterness."
Charlie nodded, following the two as they tiptoed towards the door.
Fred pulled out a seemingly ordinary toilet seat from his robes, but a faint magical glow shimmered on it.
"Once someone sits on this thing, it will explode with colorful paint." George explained in a low voice.
"And this paint can't be washed off by ordinary methods; it takes at least a week to fade."
"Where did you guys get this thing?"
Charlie couldn't help but give a thumbs up. Such a brilliant idea was practically a foolish monarch's exclusive weapon.
"Of course, Fred and I developed it together." George said proudly.
This surprised Charlie. These two were still students, yet they could create such an ingenious prank toy. Give them two more years, and they would surely take off!
They were practically His Majesty's Assistant Ministers of Works.
The three quietly pushed open the toilet door; it was indeed empty inside.
Fred deftly removed the original toilet seat and replaced it with their specially made one.
Just then, a sharp, piercing laugh suddenly rang out.
"Hahahaha! Young Wizards are doing bad things! Young Wizards are doing bad things!"
Peeves suddenly appeared from the ceiling, pointing at the three and shouting loudly.
"Damn it!" Fred's face changed.
"Peeves, that scoundrel!" George also panicked.
Charlie, however, reacted the fastest, his wand instantly appearing in his hand.
"Tongue-Tying Spell!"
He didn't know if the Spell would work on this sudden apparition, but it was worth a shot.
A blue light shot towards Peeves, hitting him precisely.
Peeves opened his mouth, wanting to continue shouting, but found he couldn't make any sound.
He covered his mouth in terror, doing a somersault in the air.
Fred and George looked on in surprise.
"Well done, Charlie!"
But Charlie's expression was solemn:
"That sound must have woken Filch. We need to leave quickly!"
Sure enough, Filch's angry roar and hurried footsteps came from a distance.
"Which little rascal is making trouble? Stop right there!"
The three immediately rushed out of the toilet and began to flee frantically under the guidance of Fred and George.
"This way!" Fred pointed to a side corridor.
The three dashed into the narrow corridor, followed by a series of twists and turns.
Charlie completely lost his bearings and could only follow the Weasley Brothers, running desperately.
Fortunately, the two were indeed intimately familiar with the Castle's layout and quickly left Filch far behind.
Only after confirming they were safe did the three stop to catch their breath.
"We did it!" George excitedly waved his fist.
"Tomorrow, the moment Filch sits on that toilet, it's going to be spectacular!" Fred also looked forward to it.
Charlie imagined the scene and couldn't help but laugh.
"Your Majesty teases the Imperial Guards, destroys public property, tyrant points + 2!"
The little system's prompt made Charlie even happier.
But the big reward would have to wait until tomorrow when Filch triggered the bomb.
After this collaboration, the relationship between the three was clearly closer.
"Charlie, that Spell you used just now was really good." Fred praised.
"Oh, it was nothing. Next time there's an activity like this, remember to call me."
"Already looking forward to the next time, Young Wizard? Your desires are quite strong."
"Don't worry, the two of us will definitely do our best to satisfy you."
The three chatted for a while longer, and Fred and George showed Charlie various secret passages and shortcuts in the Castle.
Charlie carefully memorized each location; this information would be very helpful for his future night excursions.
Time passed unknowingly, and when a faint morning light appeared on the horizon, the three realized it was almost dawn.
"Time to go back, if we don't return to the dormitory soon, we'll be discovered." George said, looking out the window.
Fred patted Charlie's shoulder:
"We had a lot of fun tonight. If there are any interesting activities in the future, remember to call us."
"No problem." Charlie nodded with a smile.
"You too, don't forget me if you find anything fun."
The three parted ways at a corridor fork, each returning to their own house's dormitory.
Entering the Gryffindor common room, Fred exclaimed:
"Charlie really should have come to our Gryffindor."
"Exactly, the Sorting Hat must be senile, how could it sort him into Hufflepuff?"
"I think Ron is the one who really should have been sorted into Hufflepuff."
The two exchanged glances and burst into laughter.
Charlie quietly crept back into the Hufflepuff common room, then returned to his dormitory.
His roommates were still fast asleep; Ernie was even talking in his sleep.
Charlie took off his outer clothes and burrowed into the warm covers.
"little system, start drawing!"
"Give me one draw at a time."
"Your Majesty, drawing one at a time is very tiring. We can do continuous draws."
"No, just give me one draw at a time."
"tyrant points + 1."
"Are you cursing me?"
"This humble one would not dare."
"Hurry up and draw for me."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have drawn Levitation Charm proficiency + 20."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have drawn Flock of Birds proficiency + 100."
...Accompanied by the little system's voice, Charlie gradually fell asleep.
So much so that he didn't hear what he drew later.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty, you have drawn Animagus (self-selected form)."