“Funny isn’t it? How we all want that painting,” a third voice called out of the shadows.

Ottery snapped his fingers again.

“If you’re thinking about turning on the lights or something try clapping maybe that will work.” The mysterious voice exclaimed. “If however, you mean to call on your friends … they might be a little bit … tied up at the moment.” He laughed as he said that and walked into the moonlight and there stood a blue eyed, blue haired boy whose long locks cascaded to his waist where a broadsword hung at his side. “The name is Conrad, Conrad Fate. Please don’t forget it. For future reference, if either of you amateurs thinks they can actually come after something I’ve set my sites on. Next time you hear it you‘ll know better than to come after it.”

He smirked the way Malfoy smirked, Ottery thought to himself. “Why can’t anything I’m ever doing ever be easy?” The dark haired boy asked.

“You’re both idiots,” Madison exclaimed and with a wave of her wand she had summoned a small tornado which started ripping through the floor tiles and flew with its debris dangerously towards the boys.

“Please,” Ottery replied stopping the wind with a flick of his wand and even replacing the broken tiles as good as new.

“Thank you,” Conrad said as he stunned Ottery and as he turned on Madison he found she wasn’t there but his feet were sinking into quicksand. “Impressive … for a first year.” He laughed as he flew into the air and the quicksand followed in the shape of a giant snake. “I take it back,” he said blasting the snake into countless bits of sand.

“I’m not here to impress anybody,” Madison’s bodiless voice echoed through the halls.

“Now dear, don’t be bitter. I have a proposal to make.” From out of the darkness a stunning spell flew at him and he deflected it with his wand sending it crashing against the wall where it left a large gaping hole.

“If that proposal involves me leaving you on your feet and letting you walk out of here with the painting then you’re nuts.” Madison’s voice echoed again in response. “Otherwise, I’m listening.”

“I propose we both turn on Ottery and kill him. Then we can fight each other for the painting. Last wizard standing.” His form flew down to the museum floor where he hid behind a column.

“Marquis of Queensbury rules?” she asked from everywhere at once.

“Deal?” Conrad asked.

Madison stepped out of the shadows. The blue haired boy smiled and bowed but his eyes never left her nor did his wand leave his hand, and Madison curtsied again not letting Conrad or his wand out of her sight. “It’s a deal,” they said together.

“That’s nice you two, write me and let me know how the honeymoon went,” Ottery remarked from where he was standing in the gaping hole a large roll of canvas at his side. He threw them a raspberry as he ran laughing into the night and as Conrad and Madison made to follow after him they were stopped. Mud monsters started walking into the museum blocking his exit.

Ottery stepped into an Astin Martin and he turned to his driver and said, “Seriously, kids today. Think they know everything, who do they think invented the ol’ getaway?”

“Dunno boss,” the thug said and sped off.

Five miles down the road Ottery cursed, and it wasn’t a spell. He’d forgotten Neville and Colin back at the museum.

Meanwhile, back at the museum, Neville and Colin were tied up together smiling and talking in the dark about the beautiful exhibits around them.

♥