Chapter 120: Letters (1/2)

Chris straight walked towards the Gryffindor tower.

”Fair Fortune.” Chris said to the fat lady.

”You're early today.” The fat lady said as the her portrait swung open.

”Not feeling well. That's it.” She replied as she climbed inside the potrait hole.

The common room was completely deserted. Chris sank into an armchair near the fire. The flames reminded her about that crystal ball. She tried to think about something else but failed miserably.

'The day started so good and ended up like a crap.' Chris sighed.

”It's time.. I'm writing him that if he refuse to answer our letter, we're going to tell the Ministry about his glamorous works.” Someone said.

Hearing the voice Chris looked up a little and saw Fred and George coming down from the boys dormitory.

”But what if we get in trouble for that Fred.” George said.

They didn't noticed Chris.

”We'll not get in trouble George and also it's out last chance.” Fred replied angrily.

”But if you write that you're going to tell the Ministry about the goblins then it'll be straight blackmail, Fredie.” George said looking worried.

”That was our all savings George. We can't just let it go.” Fred said as he sat down on the table pulling a parchment. ”It's time to play dirty like him.”

Fred started to write and George sat down beside him to see what Fred was writing.

”Who is playing dirty with you two?” Chris asked loudly.

Fred and George froze then looked back at the place where Chris was sitting. Chris got up and walked to them.

”What're you doing here?” George asked.

”I can ask you two the same, because I feel like you're doing more shady business than me.” Chris sat on the chair in front of them. ”So who is this person?”

”Its nothing Chris.” Fred grinned and pulled the parchment away from Chris. ”I was only joking.”

”Really?” Chris asked raising an eyebrow. ”So goblin.. blackmail.. savings...? All were jokes? You know Fred I can put two and two together.”

The grin vanished from their faces.

”You can trust me. I'll not tell anyone else, not even Ginny if you ask me to.” Chris said earnestly.

After few moments, Fred and George looked at each other then sighed.

”Fine.” Fred said. ”It's Ludo Bagman.”

”Bagman?” Chris looked surprised. ”He took your savings for bet, I remember, but didn't he return the money after the World Cup?”

”Yeah. We thought so.” George said darkly. ”But the git paid us in leprechaun gold he'd caught from the Irish mascots.”

”And leprechaun gold vanishes after sometime. Hagrid just told us this morning.” Chris said understanding the matter. ”So he did it purposely?”

”Yep. But we thought, at first that it was a mistake. We thought if we just wrote to him, and told him he'd made a mistake, he'd cough up. But nothing doing. Ignored our letter. We kept trying to talk to him about it here at the championship, but he was always making some excuse to get away from us.”

”And now he's telling us that we are too young to gamble, and he isn't going to give us anything.” Fred said.

”So we asked for our money back,” said George, glowering.

”And he refused.” Fred said darkly. ”And then at last Hogsmeade visit we found out what's going on with him.”

”Lee Jordan told us his dad had a bit of trouble getting money off Bagman like us. Turns out he's in big trouble with the goblins. Borrowed loads of gold off them.” George said. ”And a gang of goblins cornered him in the woods after the World Cup and took all the gold he had, and it still wasn't enough to cover all his debts. They followed him all the way to Hogwarts to keep an eye on him.”

”And now we're going to write to him that if he doesn't return our money we will tell the Ministry about his blunder with the goblins.” Fred sighed. ”You see goblins don't have a friendly relation with wizards and have a very bad relation with the Ministry. So it's definitely going to cost him his job if we tell the Ministry.”

”Do it.” Chris said after listening to them.

”Really?” Fred grinned.

”Yup. He deserves it. He knew it was your all savings but he still insisted to bet.” Chris replied. ”He knew he can't pay it off. Idiot. Do it Fred. There's nothing wrong in it. I'm sure if the news will be so big to cost his job, then Bagman will not tell anyone about the letter.”

”See George, she understands.” Fred said.

”Ok let's do this.” George grinned too.

And the three of them put their heads together to write a perfect blackmail note.

Next morning Chris woke up and realized a book and her wand was still in her hands. Last light she was reading a Transfiguration book, lying on her bed after talking to Fred and George. As she got up the yesterday's events came back to her as her stomach made a great amount of noise.

”That happens when you decide to skip meals.” Ginny said sitting in her own bed.

”Morning.” Chris said, as she got out of the bed.

”Good morning. Now go and freshen up quickly.” Ginny ordered as she started to arrange her books neatly in her table.

”Alright.” Chris replied and went to the bathroom.

When she came out she saw Ginny had arranged Chris's table too.

”You didn't need to do that.” Chris said.

”I know. I did it because you were taking so much time in the shower and I was bored.” Ginny said rolling her eyes. ”Let's go.”

”Soo... you yelled at Harry yesterday?” Chris asked as they walked down to the common room.

It looked like Ginny was waiting for Chris to touch yesterday's topic. She didn't want to talk about it first.

”Yes. I did. He had no right to accuse you like that. I've met Jason, I don't think he is bad and I trust your judgement.” Ginny replied hurriedly. ”Also Colin and Luna told me something at dinner last night.”

”Right about the divination class, isn't it?” Chris asked as the entered the common room.

”Yeah.” Colin said.

He was just waiting for them near the foot of the stairs.

”What happened to you there?” Ginny asked. ”Did you really see a car accident?”

”Er.... no.” Chris sighed. ”I'll tell you, but not here.”

”Ok let's go out then.” Colin said and they left the Gryffindor tower.

After breakfast, as they had time before their class, Chris, Ginny, Luna and Colin went to the Owlery.

”But you said Leon lives with you in your room.” Colin said as they climbed up.

”Oh he's off to deliver Fred and George's letter.” Chris said.

”Who're they sending so many letters to?” Ginny asked.

Chris decided not to answer as Fred and George forbided her.

”I want to take Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly's subscription.” Chris said changing the topic. ”That's why I'll use the school owls it'll be fast.”

”Is it because of today's news at the Daily Prophet?” Luna asked.