Harry Potter Enshrouded

The crisp autumn air crept into Adrian's dormitory as he sat at a small desk tucked into a quiet corner in his room. The view from his room was refreshing—the Black Lake, rippling gently in the breeze, brought about a serene feeling. In his hands was a pen—a pen which he was using to review the final letter. As somebody who had experienced using a pen, he disliked using a quill.

To Whom It May Concern,

I, Adrian Blackthorn, write to request permission to invest in the esteemed company "Skyflare Innovations." Your attempt at creating the fastest broom has not gone unnoticed. Your designs seem to be groundbreaking and contain many advanced enchantments. I believe this enterprise holds significant potential for growth and innovation in the wizarding world. My contribution would assist in furthering the development of this exceptional broomstick, ensuring its success and availability to witches and wizards worldwide. Kindly let me know the terms and conditions for such an investment.

Yours sincerely,

Adrian Blackthorn

Satisfied with his letter, he gave the letter to his owl to deliver it. Investing in Skyflare Innovations was a no-brainer for him. After all, he knew that by the time he reached his third year, the Firebolt would have far surpassed any Nimbus broom.

Standing up, he adjusted his robes, heading out of the dormitory for breakfast. As he stepped out of the dormitory, he noticed a faint silver glow illuminating the pathway ahead. Something felt amiss.

Instead of walking and ignoring it, he cast a Revelio, which illuminated the area, revealing a shimmering tripwire. The tripwire led to a hidden charm that appeared to release a cascade of balloons filled with something unpleasant.

He smirked. "Nice try, Weasley twins," he said out loud before jumping over the tripwire.

Soon, Fred and George Weasley emerged from somewhere nearby with mischievous grins on their faces.

"Oh, you are the first one to ever notice our pranks."

They grinned again, though this time, it was more sheepish.

"Well, well, no wonder you are her brother. You are equally—or even more—talented."

Adrian's eyes got serious before he said, "You think I would let you guys slide just like that?"

With a flick of his wand, Adrian retaliated. "Expelliarmus," he chanted as a dazzling red light hit both the twins, sending them crashing against a wall. Before they could recover, he used Accio, grabbing a bag that the twins had with them.

Adrian opened the bag and peered inside. The bag seemed to be filled with prank props that were from Zonko's Joke Shop. There were dungbombs, enchanted fireworks, and an odd-looking map that he had wanted to study for a long time.

"What's this?" Adrian asked, holding it up.

Fred and George looked at each other, nervousness and visible anxiety on their faces.

"Oh, it's just a piece of parchment that we had with us. We were going to use it in the coming Transfiguration class."

"Is it really a normal parchment? I sense magic within it. Also, your nervous expressions tell me everything," replied Adrian.

"Merlin's beard, George, we cannot keep any secrets from this guy," said Fred. By this time, the Weasley twins had completely lost hope regarding the secret of the map.

"This is a map that shows every person, secret passage, and room in Hogwarts," said the twins.

Adrian's interest piqued. "A map that tracks everyone? Impressive. Where did you get it?"

"Can't reveal our sources," Fred said with a wink. "But it's been our most valuable tool for mischief for almost the last three years, and unfortunately, now you have discovered it."

Adrian was calm. "Oh, don't worry. I am not going to snitch and report any of you."

The twins were brimming with delight. "Really?"

"In fact, I do have an interesting proposition for you both. What if we three created a lesser version of this map with protection measures and sold it? Something that only shows the locations of classrooms and shortcuts—not people. First-years would go mad for it."

George's eyes widened. "You're serious?"

"Why not? It's a brilliant idea," Adrian said. "Of course, I'd need your help to pull it off. You two seem to know this map very well. In fact, it's not very difficult to make such a map. It just requires the use of the Homunculus Charm."

Over the next hour, the three of them brainstormed ideas for the "Junior Marauder's Map," as they dubbed it. Adrian's sharp intellect combined with the twins' creativity led to a flurry of ideas. They were discussing which passageways to add and not to add. During the conversation, Adrian learned about the statue that led to Hogsmeade behind the hunchbacked witch's statue. By the end of the conversation, Adrian and the Weasley brothers had become friends.

"You're not half bad for a Slytherin," Fred said as they finally made their way to breakfast.

Adrian smirked. "And you're not half bad for Gryffindors. But don't think I'll go easy on you if you try another prank."

"Wouldn't dream of it," George said, though his grin suggested otherwise.

As they entered the Great Hall, the trio went their separate ways, but Adrian couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. He had finally set up his roots in the wizarding world. All his business transactions for this year were set up.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, with classes and homework occupying most of Adrian's time. Halloween was fast approaching next week, and with it came the promise of more excitement and adventure.