With the deal settled, Charlie had planned to return to the common room.
But Draco eagerly tugged at his sleeve, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Charlie, don't leave yet."
Draco's voice was thrilled, like a child wanting to show off a new toy.
"I have a big treasure to show you."
Charlie raised an eyebrow.
"What is it?"
"Come with me and you'll find out."
Draco mysteriously led Charlie to another empty classroom.
Pushing open the door.
Inside the classroom, seven brand-new brooms were neatly arranged, each one gleaming and smooth.
They had a streamlined design, exquisite hand-carved details, and the iconic golden embellishments.
"The latest nimbus 2001!"
Draco spread his arms, his voice full of pride.
"They were just produced last month."
Charlie walked closer to examine the brooms carefully.
They were indeed good quality; at least their appearance was far superior to the school-provided Cleansweep series.
Just by looking at them, one could feel how fast they would fly.
"Where did you get so many brooms?" Charlie asked.
Draco proudly puffed out his chest.
"My father sponsored them."
"I'm now the new Seeker for the Slytherin Quidditch team."
Charlie gave him a strange look.
"You got in through the back door."
Draco's face instantly flushed red.
"What back door?!" He excitedly waved his hands.
"Sponsorship, can that be called getting in through the back door?"
"Harry just relies on his Nimbus 2000."
Then came more incomprehensible words like "sponsorship" and "fairness."
The classroom was filled with cheerful air.
Charlie ignored Draco.
He looked at the brooms and fell into thought.
He had watched his own house's matches last semester.
Cedric was a strong Seeker, and the other players were also good.
But the brooms were simply too poor.
Hufflepuff used old antiques provided by the school, some even decades old.
Their flying speed was slow, maneuverability poor, and they were prone to breaking down at critical moments.
Watching the matches last semester was like watching the national football team in his previous life, angry at their lack of ambition... Soon, Lucius sent a large amount of Potion ingredients.
Charlie moved all the ingredients into his undetectable extension trunk and began a new round of Potion-making.
Brewing healing potion was a skilled job, but for Charlie, it was already second nature.
He simultaneously controlled a dozen cauldrons, his magic flowing from his wand tip, precisely controlling the timing of each ingredient's addition.
Heat, temperature, stirring frequency – every detail had to be perfect.
In half a day, Charlie had brewed all the ingredients.
Now, he just needed to wait a month for the Potion to be complete.
Time came to Saturday.
Students in their third year and above could apply to visit Hogsmeade on weekends, which was the largest Wizarding village in Britain.
Charlie had nothing to do on the weekend and also wanted to see it.
Logically speaking, Charlie couldn't go yet.
But Charlie usually didn't play by the rules.
He went directly to The Twins, knowing that with their familiarity with the Castle, they would surely know where there were secret passages to get out.
Fred and George had just come out of the Gryffindor common room; they were about to gather in the courtyard to leave for Hogsmeade.
The Galleons they had received from Charlie at the end of last semester hadn't been spent yet, and they wanted to check out the Joke Shop for any new prank items.
Seeing Charlie approach, the two exchanged a glance.
"Charlie, good morning."
"Good morning, I came to find you."
"Happy to serve our King."
Fred comically bowed to Charlie.
"Do you have any way to sneak out of school?" Charlie asked directly.
"Want to go to Hogsmeade?" George raised an eyebrow.
"Yes."
The Twins exchanged glances again, then simultaneously revealed mysterious smiles.
"Come with us."
They led Charlie to a corner, and Fred pulled out a seemingly ordinary piece of parchment from his robes.
"This is our secret," George said proudly.
"Come on, show me," Charlie raised an eyebrow.
Fred unfolded the parchment, then took out his wand and tapped the paper lightly.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
"Repeat after me," George urged.
Charlie did as he was told: "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
The parchment instantly changed.
Ink emerged from the paper, rapidly sketching and drawing, forming complex lines and patterns.
Large green letters appeared at the top:
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids for Magical Mischief-Makers
Are proud to present
The Marauder's Map.
A few seconds later, a detailed map appeared before Charlie.
This map marked all the information of Hogwarts Castle; every room, every corridor, every secret passage was clearly visible.
Even more miraculously, there were countless small dots moving on the map, each with a name next to it.
Charlie could see Professor McGonagall in her office, presumably grading homework.
Snape was in the dungeons, possibly brewing Potion.
And himself, Fred, and George gathered together.
"This is the Marauder's Map," Fred explained.
"We use this to wander the school at night without getting caught," George added.
Charlie carefully studied the map and found that it indeed marked several secret passages leading to Hogsmeade.
"Now, we pass it on to you," Fred solemnly handed the map to Charlie.
"We've memorized all the secret passages."
"But remember to say 'Mischief Managed' when you're done, and the map will turn back into ordinary parchment."
Charlie took the map, feeling a little touched.
This item was absolutely priceless to The Twins, yet they were willing to give it to him.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it, we're friends," George patted Charlie's shoulder.
The Twins joined the main group heading to Hogsmeade.
After they had gone far, Charlie took out the Marauder's Map and studied it carefully.
According to the map, there were seven secret passages to Hogsmeade, but five of them had been sealed off or collapsed.
Only two were still usable.
Charlie chose one of the routes that seemed most unobstructed.
Following the map's instructions, he arrived at the Gunhilda of Gorsemoor corridor on the third floor of the Castle.
Few people passed through here, and the corridor was quiet.
Charlie found the hunchbacked, one-eyed Witch statue marked on the map.
The statue looked very ordinary, just an ugly stone Witch, her single eye staring forward, her hunchback curved.
Charlie took out his wand and, following the tip on the map, lightly tapped the statue's hunchback.
"Finite Incantatem."
As soon as the spell was cast, the statue changed.
The hunchback slowly opened, revealing a dark, cavernous entrance.
Charlie looked inside and saw a stone slide, extending diagonally downwards, with no end in sight.
Charlie plunged in without hesitation.
[Your Majesty privately left the palace for an incognito visit, tyrant points +5]
The slide was very smooth, and Charlie began to accelerate downwards as soon as he entered.
It was pitch black all around, and he could only hear the sound of himself sliding on the stone.
The slide twisted and turned, sometimes to the left, sometimes to the right, like a giant spiral.
Charlie slid in the darkness for about ten minutes before finally seeing light ahead.
He slid out from the end of the slide, landing on a pile of soft cushions.
Most likely, Fred and George had placed them there.
This was the bottom of a stone staircase, and the air was filled with the aroma of alcohol and sweet candy.
Charlie stood up, dusted himself off, and then walked forward.
At the end was a trapdoor.
Charlie gently pushed open the door and climbed up.
The view suddenly opened up.
He was now in a cellar, surrounded by various candy boxes and barrels of alcohol.
A sign hung on the wall: Honeydukes Sweetshop.
"Looks like the candy shop's cellar."
Charlie tidied his clothes, then walked towards the stairs.
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