In short.
At this moment, the Little Witch has silently made up her mind that she must work hard to study. Perhaps one day, when faced with a similar situation again, she won't be as powerless and confused as she is now.
"Booming!"
As the last rune was illuminated, the center of the Bronze Gate began to spin, forming a bottomless vortex. Star-like light points flickered within the vortex but appeared more profound than the starry sky.
Dumbledore turned around and gave them one last look, his blue eyes especially bright under the glow of magic.
"Remember, knowledge is like moonlight, it can guide the lost but also expose the nocturnal. Use it carefully." This was obviously a reminder for Hermione.
"Ah?"
Hermione was startled, her thoughts seen through, and suddenly felt a bit stunned.
Therefore.
Did Dumbledore use mind reading on her?
The silent kind?
The thought left Hermione uncertain and suspicious.
Snape's expression remained unchanged, only staring intently at Dumbledore in front of the Bronze Gate.
"Remember, don't tell the Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, keep an eye on him." Dumbledore glanced at Snape and then, without the slightest hesitation, stepped into the vortex.
"Headmaster!"
Hermione unconsciously rushed forward but was firmly grabbed by Snape, watching helplessly as Dumbledore's figure disappeared into the vortex. As the last piece of his robe vanished, the Bronze Gate emitted a deafening roar, and then—
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The vortex disappeared, the runes dimmed, and the Bronze Gate returned to how they first saw it, as if nothing had ever happened. Neither Snape nor Hermione had the ability to open it again.
Snape's hand was still gripping Hermione's arm tightly, the force painful enough to make her ache. But at this moment, the pain instead gave her a sense of reality—proof that all this wasn't a nightmare.
"Will... will he come back?" Hermione asked softly, her voice trembling unlike her own.
Snape did not respond immediately. He stared at the Bronze Gate, his black eyes unfathomable. After a long time, he released Hermione's arm, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.
"Dumbledore always knows what he's doing." Hermione thought this wasn't an answer. But maybe it was the only answer they could get at the moment.
The night wind of the Forbidden Forest blew once more, carrying the scent of earth and newly sprouting plants. The Bronze Gate stood silently, as mysterious as a puzzle. The darkness of the Forbidden Forest seemed to have a tangible weight, pressing on Hermione's shoulders.
Oh.
It turned out to be Snape's big hand.
This Professor of Potions wasn't in a good mood either.
So his hand was a bit heavy.
"You're pressing too hard, Professor."
Hermione hurriedly spoke.
"..."
Snape quickly eased his grip.
"Let's go."
He was ready to explore the surroundings.
"But, didn't Headmaster Dumbledore say someone would come to save us?" Hermione was a bit puzzled. And Snape's black robe moved like a shadow under the dim wand light.
He didn't turn back, his voice cutting through the ice like a knife: "Rely on Nicolas Flamel? That old guy is probably dozing off with his alchemy notes right now."
Clearly.
Snape still felt relying on oneself was better than waiting for rescue. Hermione bit her lower lip. She wanted to counter—Nicolas Flamel was after all the greatest alchemist in history, Dumbledore's old friend—but Snape suddenly stopped, raised a hand to signal her to be quiet.
His action was so abrupt that Hermione almost bumped into his back.
"There's something." Snape's voice was so light it was almost inaudible, his wand already pointing at the bushes to the right. Hermione's heart suddenly raced. She looked in the direction Snape pointed—the bushes there were slightly shaking, emitting sparse noises. In this eerie domain where even insects were absent.
How could there be movement?
Any movement meant something strange!
"What could it be?"
Hermione's mind raced, her fingers tightly gripping her wand, her knuckles turning white.
A Snape copied by the Bronze Gate? Or myself? Or yet another Dumbledore? Even... a copied Ian? It's undeniable Hermione's psychological activities were certainly frequent enough.
Hermione continued to exert her imagination, while Snape was extremely vigilant. The shaking of the bushes became more apparent. Hermione felt her breath would stop. Snape stood still like a statue, with only the tip of his wand slightly trembling, ready to unleash a deadly spell at any moment. He probably had similar thoughts to Hermione.
Afraid of encountering another Dumbledore, more afraid of encountering a copied Ian—Ian's magic was much more wicked than Dumbledore's, Snape thought to himself.
And at that moment.
A blond boy stepped out.
"Ririm?"
Hermione exclaimed, recognizing this fourth-year Ravenclaw student.
He had signature golden curls and slightly pale skin, his blue school robe spotless, looking deceptively tidy as if he had just come out of the library.
"Hmm?"
Snape's wand showed no sign of lowering.
"He can't be a student." Snape coldly said, his black eyes fixed on the boy, as if wanting to penetrate his disguise. This place wasn't somewhere a student could casually enter.
First-years couldn't possibly produce newcomers as bizarre as Ian every year.
"Professor Snape, who said I'm not a student? I'm a student!" Ririm pouted, showing a grievance expression, looking like a wrongly accused Ravenclaw.
"Ha!"
Seeing the situation.
Snape directly sneered.
"Levicorpus!"
He unleashed magic without hesitation. Regardless of the situation, it was necessary to control first, just in case, he didn't use any particularly harmful magic.
The spell shot from Snape's wand, a red light cutting through the darkness straight at Ririm's face. Hermione gasped—though not a particularly dangerous magic, suddenly attacking a student was just too... peculiar. At this moment, Hermione hadn't realized that this Professor of Potions wasn't without a reason for being unpopular.
And in response to the incoming magic.
"You're really bad, Professor Snape." Ririm sighed, raised his right hand, and lightly brushed as if wiping away dust on his clothes. The red light traced an arc in the air.
It astonishingly returned to shoot towards Snape!
Snape swiftly sidestepped the attack, his wand already pointing in a new direction.
"Armor Protection!" He shouted sharply, an invisible barrier unfolding in front of him and Hermione. "Did you see that, Granger? No student can achieve that."
"Alright, Professor."
Hermione's wand also pointed at Ririm, but her hand was trembling slightly indeed. The boy's earlier action was too relaxed, like a mature wizard dealing with a first-year student's prank spell casually.
"You started it first, didn't you?"
Ririm complained.
The next moment.
"Turn around."
He said abruptly.
"What?"
Snape didn't immediately react. Before he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a strong impact from behind, his own spell unexpectedly rebounded, directly hitting his back! In the next second, he was suspended upside down in the mid-air between trees, embarrassingly hung like a student being pranked in his school days.
"Damn it!"
Snape cursed loudly.
Struggling to wave his wand, attempting to lift the effect but found that magic power was seemingly interfered with.
"Professor, how should I save you!" Hermione stood not far away, witnessing everything, her heart pounding violently. She summoned the courage, gripping her wand, stepped forward ready for battle.
"Don't move."
Ririm suddenly looked at her, his voice gentle yet adamant, "You all need to go back, I'll guard here."
As soon as he spoke, Ririm raised his hand, a faint halo emanating from his palm. Hermione had no time to react, feeling light with a suddenly blurred vision.
The next moment, she and the hanging Snape were already in Hogwarts Castle's hall, surrounded by familiar stone walls and burning fireplace flames, the warm scent of candles pervading the air.
"What just happened!" Hermione was utterly shocked, looking around, completely unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"Let me down!" Snape shouted furiously, his body continually twisting mid-air, "Granger, quickly cast a spell to undo this ridiculous magic!"
Inside the castle.
Snape's angrily echoing shouts resonated.
He wished dearly this was just a nightmare.