Chapter 31: The Twins’ Fear

"David, how did you do that?"

Fred and George stared at David in shock as he calmly petted the massive three-headed dog. Their eyes were wide with disbelief, as if they had just witnessed the impossible.

A few moments ago, the monstrous creature had lunged at them, completely unfazed by their barrier and repelling spells. Both twins had thought their lives were over, preparing for the worst—until the unexpected happened.

Instead of attacking, the beast transformed into a giant, affectionate puppy, eagerly trying to lick David with its enormous tongue, nearly the size of a person. David, however, firmly rejected its advances, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

"It's too smelly," he muttered. "I don't want to be covered in that kind of saliva."

Fred and George exchanged astonished glances before turning back to David.

"You're telling me," George began, still struggling to process what had just happened, "that you have some kind of… magical talent with animals?"

"Yeah," Fred chimed in. "Our spells didn't even slow this thing down, but you? You just rubbed its head, and now it's acting like a puppy!"

David chuckled, still scratching behind the creature's ears. The three-headed dog—Lu Wei, as it was called—responded with a deep, contented purr.

"I've always had a way with animals," David admitted. "Didn't expect it to work on magical ones too, though."

Fred folded his arms, smirking. "If we didn't know that Hagrid raised this thing, we'd think you did."

"Seriously," George added. "If Hagrid ever finds out you stole his dog's heart, he might actually cry. You know how much he loves this beast."

David shook his head, amused. "I wouldn't dream of stealing Lu Wei from Hagrid." He scratched the dog's chin, causing it to wag its tail. "Besides, I could never afford to take care of this big guy."

Just looking at its massive size, it was clear the creature consumed an enormous amount of food. This was Hogwarts, not the Muggle world—where David would have had no trouble providing for it. Here, however, he would be out of options unless he resorted to hunting in the Forbidden Forest.

"I can barely afford to feed my own companions," David added with a grin. "Voldemorts and Winged Demons don't eat much, and one meal lasts them a long time."

Fred nudged George. "Didn't the Sorting Hat say David could've been a Hufflepuff?"

George's eyes lit up. "Oh yeah! Maybe you'll be the next Newt Scamander—the legendary wizard who wrote Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them!"

The twins had heard countless stories about Newt Scamander. Wherever there were magical creatures, he was there. Some even said no magical beast could resist his charm.

David's ability with Lu Wei was uncanny—maybe even better than Scamander's.

David laughed. "Hufflepuff, huh? I've got ties to all the other houses; maybe I should start bonding with them too."

Fred grinned. "Speaking of which… what's this?"

His eyes landed on a trapdoor beneath Lu Wei.

George followed his gaze, his curiosity piqued. "Looks like a hidden entrance!"

Before he could take a step closer, Lu Wei's demeanor shifted. The once docile creature suddenly raised all three of its heads and let out a deep, menacing growl.

Fred and George froze in place.

Although Lu Wei found David likable, it hadn't forgotten its duty. The dog's training was clear—no students were allowed past that door. If anyone tried, they were to be scared off.

For two brutal weeks, the dog had been punished every time it tried to attack a student. Those lessons had been drilled into its mind. But should a full-fledged wizard attempt to enter, Lu Wei had strict orders to bite and never let go.

"Okay, okay, we're backing off!" George raised his hands and took a careful step back.

Lu Wei continued growling until the twins put some distance between themselves and the door. Only then did it settle down, lying back at David's feet like an obedient pet.

"That thing's really guarding something," Fred muttered.

David nodded. "It's following Dumbledore's orders. If we try to go down there, it might turn on us."

The twins exchanged nervous glances.

"We're not going down there," Fred said quickly. "We're definitely not curious about what's inside."

George nodded, though his eyes betrayed his words. "Nope. Not curious at all."

David sighed, shaking his head. Gryffindors…

"David, since we can't explore further, how about we call it a night?" George suggested. "Being this close to Lu Wei is stressful enough."

"Yeah, let's go," David agreed.

"See you next time, Lu Wei!"

With that, the three of them turned and left. As the door shut behind them, David clearly heard Fred and George let out a sigh of relief.

"David," Fred said, walking down the dimly lit corridor. "If you weren't here tonight, George and I would've been in real trouble."

George nodded. "Yeah… looking back, we probably should've been more careful."

David glanced at them seriously. "Bravery isn't recklessness. You can't just throw yourselves into danger like that."

The twins' fates flashed through his mind. One of them would lose an ear, the other his life. Many fans mourned their tragic end.

Maybe, just maybe, tonight's scare would teach them to be a little more careful.

"We get it," George said, nudging Fred playfully. "If he ever does something reckless again, I'll kick his a**."

Fred gasped dramatically. "Excuse me? You were the first one to charge in!"

David chuckled. "That's how it should be."

Then Fred pulled something from his pocket and handed it to David.

It was a worn piece of parchment—The Marauder's Map.

"This is for you," Fred said. "A guarantee for your night adventures."

David hesitated, looking at them curiously. "Are you sure? This is a pretty useful thing to just give away."

Fred grinned. "Please, we don't need it. We probably know Hogwarts better than anyone else. Every secret passage, every shortcut—Filch can't catch us even without it."

"And besides," George added, "aren't you planning to go to the eighth floor? You're definitely going to need this."

David smirked. "I suppose I will be needing it later."

Fred tapped the parchment with his wand. "The password's the same as before. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

David ran a hand over the map's surface before tucking it away safely.

"Thanks, guys."

The twins grinned. "Don't mention it."

As they walked side by side through the corridors of Hogwarts, David couldn't help but smile.

Tonight had been interesting.

And this was only the beginning.

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