After the secret meeting with Snape, whether it was only their imagination or not, Draco and the others seemed to notice suspicious details they had never paid attention to before. They could also feel that the atmosphere at Hogwarts had indeed grown strange recently.
There were more and more unfamiliar faces appearing at Hogwarts.
On top of that, no matter where they went, Draco and the others could feel as if a pair of eyes were watching them from the shadows, as though someone was monitoring their every move.
No, more precisely, it was only after Snape's warning that Hermione noticed these suspicious details.
If they had not been careful enough to check the Marauder's Map every time they went to the secret base, perhaps that place would have been exposed long ago...
The more she thought about it, the more frightening it became.
What if this had not started recently, but had been happening from the very beginning?
Because of what had happened last night, Hermione had not slept well and was already somewhat tense. Now, feeling nervous, she tugged at the corner of Draco's robe.
"Draco."
"I know, Hermione. You're too tense. Just treat it normally."
"Treat it normally... easy for you to say."
Hermione sighed helplessly.
After all, no one could calmly face a danger that was about to arrive.
Knowing what Hermione was thinking, Draco said calmly, "That is why we need to carry out our plan, isn't it?"
"Mm..."
Their disjointed conversation left Pansy, who was standing nearby, completely confused.
Come to think of it, Draco and the others had not yet had time to tell her what had happened that night. All she knew was that some important decision seemed to be about to happen...
In any case.
After reaching the end of the corridor, Draco and the others arrived at the place where they had class that morning.
The Transfiguration classroom.
...
The Transfiguration classroom.
If there was anything in Hogwarts now that could still be considered normal, and where they could truly learn something, then Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration Class was definitely one of them.
However.
As time passed, the exhaustion on Professor McGonagall's face became visible to the naked eye...
Only after all the young wizards had arrived in the classroom did Professor McGonagall finally enter late. "It seems there are fewer people in detention now, doesn't it?"
"..."
All right.
Although Professor McGonagall was still maintaining her usual humor, it seemed the young wizards present were not in the mood for it.
Perhaps Professor McGonagall's words had given the young wizards an outlet for their emotions.
The next second, a Gryffindor wizard raised her hand high and spoke her mind before Professor McGonagall even had the chance to call on her.
"Professor McGonagall! Why would the school hire those people... I mean, Death Eaters, and let them into our school?"
"You should address them as Professors... Also, this is not something you should be worrying about. Rest assured, everything will get better."
"But Professor McGonagall..."
"I said, this is not something you should be worrying about! Miss McKunn."
Compared with those Death Eater professors, Professor McGonagall was practically no different from an angel.
But perhaps it was the effect of long habit.
Faced with Professor McGonagall's stern expression, the agitated young wizards still calmed down at once.
It seemed that even Professor McGonagall could not change the current situation...
It was worth mentioning that Ron Weasley, sitting at the very back of the classroom, was currently staring in Draco's direction with a subtle gaze.
Just like those.
The gazes Hermione had sensed earlier, watching them from the shadows...