Sunny 21st September

Joey wasn't particularly fond of Professor Moody. While many in the school, including Fred, welcomed him with open arms, Joey found him a bit... off. To put it bluntly, she thought he was a bit of a lunatic, not unlike Shafiq. The mention of Shafiq brought back unpleasant memories, and Joey couldn't help but feel irritated that Moody had reminded her of such a character.

She couldn't wrap her head around Moody's obsession with demonstrating the Three Unforgivable Curses in class. It felt like he took some twisted pleasure in it. She'd heard that Neville had been traumatized during one of Moody's lessons, and Hermione had been furious when she brought it up in the Great Hall. Ron, of course, had jumped to Moody's defense.

"Moody gave Neville a book afterward, and Neville didn't complain! Besides, Moody's right—we need to know how to defend ourselves against those curses!" Ron argued passionately, with Harry nodding in agreement.

"I'm not saying we shouldn't learn about them, but he shouldn't be demonstrating them in front of students. He's not in the right state of mind," Hermione shot back, clearly frustrated.

"Moody's a bit mad, Hermione," Joey chimed in, finally finding an opening in the conversation. She'd been waiting for a chance to voice her opinion, and now she had it.

Hermione looked at Joey with gratitude, surprised that someone else shared her concerns. She'd assumed Joey would admire Moody's practical approach, but it seemed she'd misjudged her.

"You only dislike Moody because he turned your cousin Malfoy into a ferret!" Ron blurted out, earning a thumbs-up from Fred, who was still nursing the bite marks Joey had left on his arm earlier.

Joey glared at Ron, her tone sharp. "You're right, but do you want to test if I can turn you into a red-haired monkey right now?" The incident with Draco Malfoy being turned into a ferret by Moody had spread like wildfire, and it was another reason Joey couldn't bring herself to like the professor.

"Professor McGonagall said students shouldn't be turned into animals without reason!" Hermione added, feeling the need to support Joey after her earlier backing.

"Are you seriously defending Malfoy now? His father's a Death Eater, and Moody's an ex-Auror. Of course he hates him!" Ron retorted, avoiding Joey's glare and focusing on Hermione.

Hermione, never one to back down from a debate, turned to Ron with a stern expression. "His father's actions have nothing to do with him. Moody's behavior was personal, and that's not right."

"Oh, listen to this! Hermione Granger defending Draco Malfoy! What's next, are you going to start swooning over him?" Ron's face turned red with anger. The Weasleys and the Malfoys had a long-standing feud, and Ron couldn't resist taking a jab.

"You're impossible!" Hermione snapped, her eyes welling up with tears. She grabbed the nearest heavy book and hurled it at Ron, who yelped and jumped out of his seat.

"Ow! What's with you and Joey turning violent?" Ron complained, clutching his chest where the book had struck him.

Joey and Fred watched the scene unfold with amusement, finding it far more entertaining than their own squabbles. Harry, torn between laughter and concern, decided to stay out of it. Hermione's books were no joke, and he didn't want to be on the receiving end of one.

"Things are getting lively," Ginny remarked as she and Luna appeared behind Ron. Ginny pushed her brother aside and took his seat, while Luna, holding a copy of "The Quibbler" and wearing star-shaped glasses, smiled serenely.

"I've found some clues about Ravenclaw's lost diadem," Luna announced, her dreamy voice cutting through the tension.

Joey's eyes lit up. "Oh! I completely forgot about that!" She'd set the goal of finding the diadem ages ago but had let it slip her mind.

Luna, unfazed, handed Joey a drawing. "I heard a lady say the diadem was stolen by a student long ago and cursed. I thought you might like to see this sketch."

Joey took the drawing and gasped. "I've seen this before!"

Fred and George leaned in, their eyes widening. "That's the broken crown Filch confiscated!" George exclaimed.

"You've seen it?" Luna asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Yeah, but Filch took it. He said he was going to report it to Dumbledore, but then he resigned, and we never heard about it again," Joey explained, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Maybe he took it with him," Ginny suggested. "Kreacher's in charge of the caretaker's office now. Why don't you two go check?"

"Great idea!" Harry chimed in. "Kreacher listens to you and Fred."

Joey, feeling a surge of determination, nodded. "I'll find it, no problem!"

Ron, still sulking, muttered, "I doubt you'll find anything."

Joey shot him a look. "We'll see about that."

---

Later, Joey and Fred made their way to the caretaker's office, now under Kreacher's management. The once cluttered and gloomy space had been transformed into a surprisingly neat and bright room. Joey barely recognized it.

"Did Ron's Divination essay predict this mess?" Joey joked, running her hand over a black wooden desk that looked like it had a face carved into it.

"He wrote yesterday about being captured by merpeople," Fred said with a grin. "With his talent for prophecy, he might just make his dreams come true."

Kreacher appeared at Joey's side, bowing deeply. "Can Kreacher assist Miss Joey?"

Joey smiled. Kreacher had been a godsend since Sirius had sent him to Hogwarts. The house-elf's efficiency made their nighttime adventures much easier.

"We're looking for a crown, like this one," Joey said, showing Kreacher the drawing. "It's a bit dirty. Have you seen it?"

Kreacher examined the drawing carefully before shaking his head. "Kreacher has not seen this crown. Kreacher is certain it was not among the items he cleaned."

Joey sighed but wasn't too disappointed. "Guess Filch took it after all. Maybe he got smarter from the diadem and decided to quit."

Fred, meanwhile, was rummaging through a pile of odd objects Kreacher had organized. "Can I take this?" he asked, holding up a moon-shaped eraser.

"Of course, sir. But beware—it doesn't erase. Instead, it writes curse words that no spell can remove," Kreacher warned.

Fred's eyes lit up. "Brilliant!"

Just then, a faint chime came from an old box in the corner. Joey and Fred exchanged curious glances, but Kreacher quickly shook his head, his expression pleading.

"It's forbidden," Joey whispered to Fred as they left the office.

Fred smirked. "Then we'll just have to investigate on our own."

Joey grinned back, their shared excitement palpable.

---

Back in the Gryffindor common room, Joey and Fred broke the news that the diadem was nowhere to be found. Ron's smug "I told you so" expression earned him a glare from both Joey and Ginny, who was busy dealing with a nosebleed from a Blood Pop.

"She's fine, Harry. Just eat the other end to stop the bleeding," Hermione said, rolling her eyes as she handed Ginny the candy.

"You Weasleys and your pranks," Hermione muttered.

"Except Ron!" Fred and George chorused, dodging a pillow Ron hurled at them.

"You're all just bullying him," Hermione said, though her tone was more amused than annoyed.

"It's not bullying. It's love," Joey said, wrapping an arm around Hermione's shoulders.

---

Meanwhile, deep within Shafiq Manor, a dark room was illuminated only by the flickering flames of a fireplace. A small, grotesque figure sat in a lavish armchair, its voice raspy and menacing.

"Keep the diadem safe, Filch. When the time comes, you'll be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams."

"Yes, my Lord," Filch stammered, bowing low before scurrying out of the room.

Once Filch was gone, the figure—Voldemort—let out a disdainful scoff. "Pathetic creature. But useful, for now."

Wormtail, lurking in the shadows, sneered. "A Squib like him doesn't deserve to touch such power."

"Silence, Wormtail," Voldemort hissed. "As long as he doesn't sully the diadem with his filthy head, he serves his purpose. Who would think to look for it in the hands of a Squib?"

The room fell silent, the fire casting long shadows as Voldemort's plans continued to unfold.