"Harry Potter and the Shadows of Merlin"

Dyna shrugged casually.

"It's fine, Senior Weasley. It's quiet here, and the view is great."

Indeed, the view from their room was spectacular—one of the highest vantage points in Hogwarts.

"Alright, that's settled. I'll have a house-elf clean the room—oh, by the way, do you know about house-elves?" Percy said, attempting to lighten the atmosphere, though he was the only one feeling awkward.

"Of course, I know," Dyna replied. "Senior, I used to be one of the Averys."

"Oh, right, right—sorry, I forgot," Percy laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Then let's go."

They left the common room and went their separate ways. Dyna noticed Percy fish out a book from his robes in the corridor, flipping through it and muttering, "Where did I go wrong? Why didn't he appreciate me? Was I not friendly enough?" His voice, though soft, was clearly influenced by Merlin's magical blood—laid bare like Ron's muttered thoughts in the dormitory.

Dyna guessed the book was How to Gain Power as a Prefect.

Meanwhile, in the common room, older students were playing wizard's chess and catching up after the summer break. But the benches around Dyna remained empty—students had shifted away since he'd sat down. It was clear: he was popular.

Soon after, Fred and George Weasley descended the spiral staircase.

"Hey, Dyna, there you are!" Fred called.

"Yes, Fred, George," Dyna greeted them, rising to his feet.

"Let's go," George urged, and the twins led the way.

"To the kitchens first. You didn't eat much at the feast—I'll get the house-elves to make you something good to eat," Fred said kindly.

"No need," Dyna demurred. "At Azkaban I survived on two pieces of moldy bread a day, so I'm not picky. But I can cook—if you'd like to try someday." He meant ordinary Chinese home dishes, but in the Hogwarts culinary desert, that would shock them for a year.

Fred and George frowned in disbelief, then exchanged glances before Fred spoke up, "Okay, but we need a route to the Slytherin common room. Snape's unlikely to be asleep, so the west corridor is off-limits."

"And Filch is probably patrolling now," George added. "He starts on the first floor, so by now he should be near the Trophy Room on the second." They continued plotting. "We could go from the east tower on the eighth floor—would help us avoid him."

Dyna shook his head. "No need to be so complicated. Let's go straight down."

"Wow, you're bold—no wonder you're in Gryffindor!" Fred exclaimed.

Dyna simply smiled. He took out his wand and cast a Disillusionment Charm. Instantly, he and the twins appeared transparent as they blended into the walls.

"Disillusionment Charm!" the twins said in amazement. "That's advanced—really an Auror-level spell. How did you learn it?"

"This is nothing," Dyna said coolly. "Remember, I spent four years in Azkaban. The inmates there are all talented—so generous and eager to teach magic."

Fred and George didn't question the claim. They were far more excited about the magic they'd never seen at school.

"So, can you teach it to us?" Fred asked.

"Of course," Dyna smiled. "You'll learn it quickly enough."

—After all, they could already turn teddy bears into spiders at age five.

The trio left the Gryffindor Tower in near silence. As they reached the second floor, they nearly collided with Argus Filch, the caretaker. They flattened against the wall and froze. Mrs. Norris, his cat, lingered, staring at them. Even Dyna's heart skipped.

Despite her meows, Filch ignored the cat's alertness, talking to himself, "Darling, tonight's dinner is amazing—the start-of-term feast, after all. I brought back two grilled cod just for you!"

Filch strode past them. Once he'd gone, the trio continued. On the first floor, Fred could barely contain his excitement.

"This is so thrilling!" he whispered.

George, in a mock Filch voice, mimicked, "Oh, my darling…" The twins laughed.

They reached Filch's office without interruptions. Dyna stroked his chin.

With a simple unlocking charm, the door clicked open. The twins gasped.

He led them inside. The scent of grilled fish filled the air. A kerosene lamp dimly lit irons chains and cuffs hanging from the ceiling. Dyna walked directly to the confiscated-items cabinet. He ignored the label "Highly Dangerous."

He knew the contents of that drawer—items confiscated from the twins—and had no interest in reliving their pranks. He had one goal: the Marauder's Map.

He released the Disillusionment Charm and rifled through the mess until he spotted a blank sheet of parchment, oddly conspicuous among the chaos. He grinned.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Lines emerged, forming a detailed map of Hogwarts. The twins stood slack-jawed.

"Merlin's beard!" Fred exclaimed.

"We found that parchment ages ago, but never knew what it was!" George added. "Anything Filch confiscates is usually important."

"How did you know?" George asked Dyna.

He shrugged.

"The inmates in Azkaban told me… one of the creators of this Map was in the cell across from mine."

His tone was casual, but the twins' minds reeled.

They studied the Map. Filch, it showed, was on a stairwell to the fourth floor. And there, at the end of a corridor, was the name "Quirrell" in his office. Next, down in the dungeons near the entrance to the Slytherin common room were names: "Dunat Avery" and "Marcus Flint."

Dyna's eyes gleamed.

Tonight would be productive.

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