TBAY: Filch's Double-Cross

[r f]

No: HPFGUIDX 46477

"Melody! Hey, Melody!"

Melody pulled her pillow over her head, but the shouting continued. Finally, 
she sat up and threw open her window. On the lawn below, Frankie danced with 
glee and held up a waterlogged wad of black cloth.

"Melody! Check it out!" shouted Frankie, shaking out the cloth to reveal a 
bedraggled but beautifully cut tail-coat. Gold cufflinks in the shape of 
crosses with double bars were pinned in the sleeves. "A tanker must have 
lost a shipment of reversible tuxedos in the rough weather last night! This 
one looks like it will fit you after you have it cleaned!"

"You woke me up to tell me you fished an experimental dinner jacket out of 
the ocean," grumbled Melody. A thought struck her. "Frankie, you weren't in 
water during the storm, were you?"

Frankie winked. "Depends on which storm you mean," she said. "You don't have 
a hangover from spending an evening at George's with the heavy-hitters of 
Theory Bay, do you? No? We can fix that! Let's throw a soiree in the RATS 
room. I had no idea so many people have similar opinions about Dudley! You 
could even wear your new jacket!"

"I like my orange juice," said Melody firmly. She held the curtains aside as 
the tail-coat floated gently up through her window. It was a nice jacket 
under the salt and bits of seaweed, but if it wasn't tended to soon, it 
would mold.

"Anyway, I agree with you about Filtch," Frankie hollered from the lawn. 
"His bark is much worse than his bite, and he must care deeply about 
Hogwarts and his role in the WW to keep that huge castle so darn clean."

After shouting a hasty thanks, Melody plucked the tail-coat out of the air. 
A string of initials on the discreet designer's label caught her eye. 
"F.R.I.E.N.D.S.G.O.I.N.G.N.U.T.S." she read out loud. "Hmm... I get it! 
Filtch Rightly Incensed at Evil Nasty Dirt in School Gets Obstinate Insists 
Non-Magicals Gain New Untold Talents & Spells."

Holding her new jacket at arms-length, Melody trotted downstairs in search 
of Sneaky, who would know exactly how to clean it.



Frankie with help on the acronym from Captain Meg

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