Trap
The clocktower struck midnight, deafening, loud clanging. Justin paced nervously around the start line, wishing for Harry to appear. Little did he know, he was merely bait. Loud, stomping footsteps rung from the path, leading down to the track. The night was cold and dark, making it difficult to see.
Harry watched Justin as his friend realised that the footfalls were not a students, but the caretaker. Justin ran heavily to the cupboard Harry had seen the Toms climb into half an hour earlier. The door appeared to be locked, yet it was simply the bullies holding the door shut. Harry could practically hear them laughing, but they wouldn't be laughing soon. As Justin's panic increased, he slipped on the muddy ground Harry had set up earlier. Perfect, there were now clear footsteps from Justin, and yet the skid marks hid the fact it was only the prints from one person.
The footfalls grew louder, Thud, Thud, Thud-thud, Thud, THUD, THud. The old caretaker hobbled forward. An anonymous note had tipped him off that students were lurking here after hours, when they should be in bed. He didn't care who left it. He didn't care who he caught. He wanted to hand out punishment to all wrongdoers. In his own way, he was ridding the world of evil. His old grey cat, Mr. Norris, slunk along next to his owner faithfully.
Harry ran up to Justin pulling him out of view and behind the bush, just in time. 'Sorry I'm late, mate. The Toms played unfair, tried to trap me, leaving you alone. Lucky I got out in time.' Harry lied, whispering this all very fast, and Justin nodded, while still attempting to process what his friend was saying. In the moment, he believed all that Harry had said, and felt furious at what an idiot he had been, pacing around on the track by himself, waiting for his trapped friend to arrive when he should have rescued him. Harry couldn't imagine how easy this was. 'Wait here', he hissed to Justin, before scurrying away, leaving him by himself once more.
He clambered around the track swiftly and quietly, blending into the shadows. Out of his left pocket he pulled a small snake. Out of his right, a rat. He posted the rat through the hole, and sent the snake in after it, with the orders to chase the rat, and make sure it stayed in the cupboard. This was the first time he had tested his ability since the zoo incident, and was excited to see how it went. He heard the ruckus begin as the three trapped boys screamed when the rat shredded their calves, and howl as the snake slid across the floor to catch the rat. He heard shirts being shredded and moans of horror and fear.
Unfortunately for them, the door mysteriously jammed, by no identifiable means, and the cupboard started shaking and swaying. All of this, Harry thought, was surely enough to capture the old caretakers opinion, and it was. Harry clicked his fingers, and the snake herded out the rat, which promptly scampered into the bush. Harry picked up the small snake which slithered up his shirt and rested on his chest. Unbeknownst to the three trapped boys, the only things in the cupbora to Harry ran back to Justin, using one cupped hand to support the snake which still lay under his shirt, and told him to watch what happened next, but be ready to flee to their dorm if the caretaker looked like he wanted to check them.
Justin, was now very confused, as the what seemed to be empty, locked cupboard, was now shaking and loud yells were coming from it. 'Tom is hiding in there, with his two mates.' Harry answered his questioning look. 'Turns out they tipped of the caretaker in the hope we would get caught I imagine, while they simply sat there and watched gleefully.' Each lie Harry spun, sounded more and more realistic, though this statement was mostly the truth, yet only one side of the story. 'What were you doing there then?' Inquired Justin curiously. 'I may have introduced them to my friend.'
At this Harry produced the snake he was holding under his shirt. It's scales glowed in the dim moonlight, and Harry sighed. Justin, however backed away a touch, and stammered out, 'Is th-th-that a s-s-snake???' 'It's harmless.' Harry assured him, and he lowered his new friend onto the ground, watching it slither off in the general direction of the rat. Harry thanked it as he watched it leave, Justin's eyes as big as saucers. 'D-d-did y-you just t-talk-' 'Hush' Harry whispered. The caretaker had just arrived at the cupboard door, from which was still shaking, and the boys still yelling and moaning. 'Sit back and watch the show.'
Wrenching the door open, Mr. Bosh was met with a surprise. Three massive boys, laying all over each other, clothes half off, rips in all of the Tom's shirts and pants, some in inconvenient spots... In reality, the boys thought the cupboard was full of snakes, with hundreds of rats climbing all over them. It wasn't a good look when the caretaker watched them disentangle themselves and hang their heads. Harry and Justin meanwhile, could barely contain their laughter. They listen to the weak protests of, 'There was a snake!!' Unfortunately, the caretaker didn't believe any reptile entered the cupboard.
Howling with silent laughter, the two room mates crept off to get changed, Mr. Bosh berating the bullies ringing in the background. The boys friendship hadn't broken, which Harry had feared, but instead it had blossomed. 'That was incredible, Justin sighed, as he flopped onto his scarlet bed. Harry nodded, rubbing dirt of his round glasses. He sat down on the end of his emerald bed and the two boys burst out laughing, as silent as possible.
After about five minutes, the pair of them heard meowing at the door. Mr. Norris. Hurriedly flicking off all lights, they flopped under the covers, feigning sleep. The old caretaker opened the door, and was met with a satisfactory sight. It was obvious that the wild claims that Longbottom had been on the track too, were made up, and simply wild claims made by Tom, in a desperate attempt to shift the blame onto a person they disliked. He grinned at the two boarders, somewhat pleased. He always said the only good child was a sleeping one.