Chapter 39: Dueling Club
Monday morning, the news spread throughout the school that Colin had been attacked and was now lying in the Hospital Wing on the verge of death.
The air suddenly grew heavy with rumors and suspicion; first-year students were now gathering in groups to move to the Castle, seemingly to prevent being attacked while alone. Low-year students were no longer seen walking alone in the corridors; they were always huddled together in groups of three or five, eyes darting around as if something might crawl out of the walls at any moment.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the teachers, a bustling trade in amulets, lucky charms, and other protective items was taking place in the school. Neville bought a large, foul-smelling green onion, a purple jagged crystal, and a rotten water lizard tail. Before this, the Gryffindor boys had all said he wouldn't be in danger, because Neville was pure-blooded, so it was unlikely he would be attacked.
"They'll go for Filch first," Neville said, his round face filled with fear, "Everyone knows he's a Squib!"
In the second week of December, Professor McGonagallcollected the list of students staying for Christmas as usual. Harry, Hermione, and Ron all signed their names on her list; they heard that Malfoy was also staying, which made them highly suspicious that Malfoy was the heir of Slytherin. Of course, unlike Harry and Ron, Hermione was worried that Malfoy would steal Su Yu's position as head.
"If Malfoy dares to touch Su Yu's position," Hermione said to Harry and Ron in the library, her voice lowered, "I'll make him know what regret is."
Harry and Ron looked at each other, not daring to reply.
Thursday afternoon's Potion Class was the same as usual. Twenty cauldrons were lined up on wooden tables, with brass scales and jars of ingredients on top.
Professor Snape paced through the smoke, sarcastically mocking the Gryffindor students, while the Slytherinstudents stood by waiting to watch the show as the Gryffindors made their Potions. Malfoy—Professor Snape's favorite student—winked at Ron and Harry from time to time, knowing that if they dared to bare their teeth, they would be punished by Professor Snape before they could even cry "unfair."
Su Yu, however, was lying on the table, boredly watching Professor Snape humiliating Neville for his terrible Potion.
Suddenly, Su Yu saw Hermione give Harry a wink, and Harry immediately nodded.
Harry quickly lowered his body behind his cauldron, took a firecracker from Fred out of his pocket, and quickly lit it with his wand; the firecracker began to hiss and crackle.
Harry knew he only had one second; he stood up, threw it at the target, and it landed right in Malfoy's cauldron.
Malfoy's Potion exploded, splashing across the classroom. People screamed, as if the swelling solution had splashed onto them, though the cauldron didn't explode in front of Malfoy. When Malfoy sensed something was wrong, he waved his wand and knocked the cauldron toward Harry. Su Yu also hurriedly used sand to block the flying liquid to prevent it from splashing onto Daphne.
At this moment, Malfoy's face turned pale, but Harry's nose began to swell like a balloon, and Ron stumbled around, covering his eyes with his hands. Just as Professor Snape was struggling to restore quiet and trying to see what had happened, Harry bumped into a shelf, and in the chaos, Harry saw Hermione sneak out the door.
This counts as a success, right?
"Quiet! Quiet!" Professor Snape roared, his voice echoing in the dungeon, shaking the glass bottles on the walls. "Those who were splashed, come here for the medicine. If I find out who did this..."
When Malfoy saw Harry running up with his head bowed, his nose swollen like a melon, he laughed uproariously. More than half the class rushed to Professor Snape's desk, some with arms swollen like clubs and unable to lift them, others with lips so swollen they couldn't speak clearly. At this moment, Harry saw Hermione slip back in.
When everyone had drunk the antidote and taken the swelling Potion, Professor Snape walked over to Malfoy's cauldron and picked up a black lump left over from the firecracker explosion.
Suddenly, there was silence all around.
"If I find out who threw this," Professor Snape said in a deep voice, "I will definitely expel that person."
Just like that, Professor Snape stared at Harry for a full ten minutes until the bell rang.
"What are they trying to do?" Daphne asked Su Yu as they walked after class.
"They want to make Polyjuice Potion, baby," Su Yu said, holding Daphne's little hand, "Don't you learn bad things from them; I really don't want to come back one day and see two Farleys, I would really break down."
Daphne smiled and squeezed Su Yu's fingers.
A week later, when Su Yu was leading the little snakes of Slytherin through the Great Hall, they saw a crowd of people gathered in front of a bulletin board looking at a newly posted notice; the trio was also watching.
"The Dueling Club is starting!" Harry's roommate Thomassaid excitedly, "The first meeting is tonight! I don't mind Dueling Class, they can be anytime..."
"What? You think that bunch of monsters in Slytherin can duel?" Ron also looked at the notice with interest.
"We certainly don't duel, you Weasley idiot." Malfoysuddenly said sinisterly in Ron's ear, "We Slytherins only kill..."
Ron was so scared he almost jumped, his whole body recoiled, almost bumping into Harry next to him.
Ron's ugly display caused the Slytherin crowd to burst into laughter again.
At eight o'clock that evening, when the little snakes of Slytherin returned to the Great Hall.
The long dining tables were gone, replaced by a glittering stage against the wall, lit by thousands of candles; the ceiling was dark purple, and it seemed as if everyone in the training class was enveloped underneath it, all full of excitement, carrying their wands.
"I wonder who is teaching us?" Hermione was heard saying as they approached the chattering crowd, "Someone told me Professor Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young, maybe it's him."
"Don't guess..." Harry suddenly cried out in pain.
He saw Professor Lockhart walk onto the stage, wearing his best robes, with an old man standing next to him.
The old man was in a charcoal-colored suit, tailored so sharply it was almost cutting; the fabric was smooth and crisp, with no excess wrinkles, only a small piece of clean, crisp white shirt visible at the collar, the tie knotted neatly and restrained, not flashy, yet exuding a kind of sophistication and arrogance of one who has long held a high position. His shoulder line was straight, his posture upright; despite the modern, decent attire, he still carried a bit of the cold aura belonging to a Dark Wizard.
When he tilted his head slightly, a few strands of silver hair fell across his forehead, setting off the clear and cold lines of his profile. Without a wand waving flamboyantly, without robes flapping, just standing there quietly with his hands casually in his suit pockets, he carried an oppressive sense of control over the whole situation—as if the entire world was nothing but a button under his suit collar that could be turned at will.
Many young Wizards were frightened by the mysterious man's aura, pointing and whispering.
Lockhart waved for people to quiet down and called out: "Focus, focus together! Can everyone see me? Can you hear me? Excellent!"
"Now, Headmaster Dumbledore has agreed to let me open the Dueling Club to train you, in case you ever need to defend yourselves, just as I have countless times—regarding the details, you can see them in my books."
"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Graves," Lockhart said, flashing a big smile, "He will be your future Defense Against the Dark Arts Class Professor for the upper years. However, he told me he doesn't know much about dueling himself,"
"But he still agreed to provide some temporary help before we start. Now, I don't want you young people to worry—your future upper-year Defense Against the Dark Arts Class Professor—when I disarm him—don't be afraid!"
Professor Snape also came to the stage at this time, and Lockhart didn't forget to include Professor Snape when he was bragging. He said he felt that, by comparison, he would rather spar with Professor Snape because he was afraid of hurting Professor Graves, which wouldn't be good for an old man; at least Professor Snape could still block a few moves.
"Wouldn't it be better if they finished each other off?" Ronmuttered to Harry, his voice very low, but his face full of anticipation.
Professor Snape's upper lip was tightly pursed, looking already very angry.
Harry really wanted to know how Lockhart could still smile; if Professor Snape looked at him like that, he would have run away in fear long ago.
Professor Graves didn't say anything; he just bowed to Lockhart.
The students below all felt Professor Graves's movements were elegant and steady.
Then they held their respective wands in front of them like swords. "Just as you see us holding our wands in this fighting stance," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of 'three', we will start the first spell; of course, our goal is not to kill each other."
"I don't quite believe that." Harry muttered.
Both men waved their wands at their shoulders simultaneously. Professor Graves whispered: "Pestis Incendium."
Instantly, blue Fiendfyre suddenly filled the entire ring.
The young Wizards were all startled by the scene; Professor Snape stared intently at Professor Graves from the side, clutching his wand tightly, his knuckles turning white.
Su Yu's eyes also suddenly widened; the Farley he was holding and Daphne's little hand were unnaturally released, and Kurama had already returned to Su Yu's body. Farley even looked at Su Yu in surprise; although this move was indeed spectacular, Su Yu shouldn't be like this, right?
The blue Fiendfyre transformed into a small Phoenix, wings spread, burning with ice-blue flames, and slapped a wing down at Lockhart.
Lockhart screamed, flew out of the duel ring, and hit the wall head-on. A large section of the wall was knocked down, rubble and dust came crashing down, and Lockhartslid down from the wall, crumbling on the floor.
Except for the Slytherin students who cheered, everyone else had their jaws dropped, standing quietly.
Because the Slytherin students felt this was what a duel should be; they loved such brilliant violence, and Malfoytook the lead in applauding first.
Professor Snape's wand also lowered. His fingers loosened from the wand, and the expression on his face relaxed.
But Su Yu was still staring closely at Professor Graves.
Professor Graves turned his head at this moment, giving Su Yu a meaningful smile, scrutinizing him.
This made Kurama in his body start to bristle. She felt deep malice, but that malice was not directed at Su Yu.
Lockhart climbed up from the ground unsteadily. His hat was burned away, and his curly hair was curled up, smoking.
"Oh, you won!" He said, wobbling to the front of the stage. "That is—ah—Professor Graves—you should have used—Expelliarmus—as you can see, I lost my wand—ah, thank you, yes, demonstrating is a good idea, Professor Graves, but if you don't mind, I want to say that actually I know what you want to do, and if I wanted to stop you, it would be easy. However, I think it's very instructive for them to see..."
Lockhart probably noticed Professor Graves's displeasure and quickly said: "Alright! I'll pair you up now. Professor Snape, if you would help me—"
Lockhart didn't dare to trouble Professor Graves now.
As they moved through the crowd, pairing them up, Lockhart put Neville and Theodore together.
Professor Snape came first to Harry and Ron.
"It's time to separate this dream team, I think." He mocked. "Weasley, you pair with Zabini-Theodore. Potter—"
Harry automatically moved his feet toward Hermione.
"I don't agree," Professor Snape smiled coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come here. Let's see what you and the famous Potter can be paired into. You, Miss Granger—you are in a group with Miss Daphne Greengrass."
Malfoy walked over triumphantly, laughing smugly.
Chapter 40: Dueling Arena
"Face your partners!" Lockhart called out, returning to the stage. "Bow!"
Harry and Malfoy stared intensely at each other, both chins held high, their gazes clashing in the air like two crossed swords.
"Wands at the ready!" Lockhart shouted. "When I count to 'three', start casting spells to disarm your opponent—just disarming, that's all—we don't want any accidents. One... two... three..."
Harry swished his wand over his shoulder, but Malfoy had already started when he counted "two". His spell struck Harry, making him feel as if he had been hit hard on the head with a long-handled frying pan, causing him to stagger back two steps, his vision going black for a moment.
Then Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry again, pulling him into the air and slamming him hard onto the ground. Harry's body arched through the air, his back hitting the floor with a dull thud, and his glasses were flung off, sliding to the feet of the crowd.
"I said just disarm!" As Malfoy prepared his third spell, Lockhart warned loudly from above the chaotic crowd, his voice high and urgent, but Malfoy didn't even glance at him.
Harry crawled laboriously on the floor, trying to retrieve his glasses.
Immediately, Malfoy cast his third spell. A blue-purple light shot from the tip of his wand, striking Harry in the chest. He was sent flying back several meters, rolled twice, and fell to the ground, groaning in pain, his arms clutching his stomach, his body curled into a ball.
"Stop! Stop!" Lockhart yelled, but Professor Snape had already rushed to Harry's side.
"Are you alright, Harry?" he demanded.
Harry slowly shook his head, indicating he was okay. Malfoy looked around at this moment.
Neville was hanging from the chandelier by Theodore, panting. His legs kicked wildly in the air, his hands clutching the chandelier's chain, his face flushed red, and he kept shouting, "Let me down!" Theodore stood below, looking up at him with a calm expression, showing no intention of letting him down at all.
Ron lay motionless on the ground. Blaise was using him as a cushion, sitting on Ron's back with his legs crossed.
But Hermione and Daphne were still continuing. Daphnewas not using her full strength; she was teaching Hermione how to cast spells in succession. Hermione was learning earnestly, sweat beads on her forehead glistening in the candlelight, her lips moving slightly as she silently recited the pronunciation of every incantation. A light flashed from the tip of her wand every now and then; although still unstable, it was much better than before.
"Dear me, dear me," Lockhart said, jumping around in the crowd, observing the results of the students' duels.
"Get up, Weasley... careful, Miss Granger... pinch it hard, the bleeding will stop soon, Boot... I think I had better teach you how to block unfriendly magic." Lockhart stood in the center of the Great Hall, looking flustered, his eyes darting around, not knowing where to look.
Then he stared at Professor Snape, whose black eyes were gleaming, shifting rapidly.
"Who volunteers to come up and demonstrate with a partner? Neville and Theodore, how about you two? Would that be alright?"
"A terrible idea, Professor Lockhart," Professor Snape said, gliding like a large, malicious bat. "Theodore uses many Dark Arts, and we would have to send the remains of Neville to the Hospital Wing."
Neville's round, pink face grew even more terrified as he dangled and swayed on the chandelier, shouting, "I don't want to, I don't want to."
"How about Harry and Malfoy?" Professor Snape offered a twisted smile.
"Good idea!" Lockhart said. He signaled for the crowd to step back to give them space and called Harry and Malfoyto the center of the Great Hall. The crowd retreated to both sides like a tide, leaving a large open space in the middle.
However, just at this moment, Professor Graves stepped out. He looked at Su Yu and asked elegantly, "Student Sean Foley, would you be willing to come up and join me first to give a demonstration for Harry and Malfoy?"
Everyone's gaze turned to Su Yu.
Su Yu leaned against a pillar, holding Kurama in his arms. He looked up at Professor Graves.
"My dear Professor, this makes me feel very honored, doesn't it? I agree to your request, but..." Su Yu paused, "Is there any wager?"
This way of speaking, and the transition between being a gentleman and a thug, almost made Professor Gravesthrow out his back. His expression paused for a moment, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and then he began to laugh.
He looked at Su Yu, the smile on his face growing wider, "Interesting little guy, then as you wish."
With that, the two stood on the dueling arena.
Lockhart, like a clown, shouted excitedly from the side, "One... two... three!"
Su Yu instantly covered his entire body with the Kurama Cloak. Golden Chakra surged from his body, like a layer of burning armor, wrapping around him.
Meanwhile, Professor Graves's Fiendfyre Curse had already struck Su Yu. The blue flames, like a venomous snake, lunged straight at Su Yu's chest. Su Yu was hit and took two steps back, the golden Chakra on his chest sizzling as it was burned by the Fiendfyre.
Su Yu picked up his wand and suddenly disappeared from the spot. He reappeared behind Professor Graves. His own version of the Fiendfyre Curse hit the other party—a red flame erupted from the tip of his wand, heading straight for Professor Graves's back.
But Graves didn't even turn his head; he simply reached his arm behind him and gave a gentle wave. Su Yu's Fiendfyreseemed to be pulled by something, turning in the air, circling around his body, and then being absorbed into his blue flames. Then, that ball of fire was launched back at Su Yu.
Su Yu landed and hurriedly dodged. The blue flames brushed past his ear, hitting the wall behind him, leaving a charred pit.
Su Yu abandoned magic altogether and threw a punch at him. His fist, wrapped in golden Chakra, carried the sound of wind as it headed straight for Professor Graves's chest.
Graves reached out directly and caught Su Yu's punch with his palm. His palm was firmly pressed against Su Yu's fist, unmoving, as if he had caught a flying pebble.
"Little guy, this punch is a bit heavy," Professor Graves's voice was calm, and he even had time to joke, "If my old bones couldn't handle it, I would have to lie in the Hospital Wing for at least half a month."
Not only did Su Yu's expression change on the stage, but the Slytherins below also looked at Professor Graves as if he were a monster. He took the Head Boy's punch head-on? Farley finally understood why Su Yu had been keeping such a close eye on this old monster.
Professor Snape's hand was already gripping his wand tightly, his black eyes staring fixedly at the stage.
Su Yu suddenly laughed, "You fell for it!"
Professor Graves's eyes suddenly widened, and he released Su Yu's fist, wanting to retreat. He had already seen Su Yu's eyes beginning to change.
"At such a close distance, you dare to look directly into my eyes?" Su Yu smiled as he looked at Graves, who had already fallen under his illusion. His eyes changed again at this moment.
A long black rod slowly appeared in Su Yu's hand, and he said, "Shinra Tensei!"
Graves was pulled back by Su Yu. His body flew uncontrollably toward Su Yu, and the black rod pierced into his body.
The young Wizards below began to gasp again. Isn't this a duel? Did the rules change to a deathmatch? Harrysuddenly felt that his whole body didn't hurt anymore—compared to Su Yu's style, Malfoy was practically a kind landlord; at the very least, that landlord Malfoy didn't want his life.
Just then, Graves's body suddenly turned into a ball of blue flames. His body melted like a candle, turning into a cluster of dancing, ice-blue flames that instantly enveloped Su Yu. The flames churned on the surface of Su Yu's body, as if trying to consume him.
The young Wizards cried out in alarm again.
But those flames were all absorbed by Su Yu's palms. Su Yu's palms were like two vortexes, sucking all the blue flames inside. Graves's figure appeared from the side, his clothes without a single wrinkle, his hair not even disheveled.
"Very good, little friend Sean Foley," Professor Graves's voice carried a sense of sincere appreciation. "I really like you more and more. How about we stop here for today? If we keep fighting, this venue won't be enough."
Su Yu also withdrew the Kurama Cloak, his eyes changed back, and he bowed, answering, "I also agree with you very much. Let's call it a draw for today, and we can continue another time."
Lockhart finally recovered from his shock; his face was still pale, his lips still trembling, but he managed to squeeze out a smile. "Oh, everyone, please applaud! Thank you both for the wonderful demonstration!"
The young Wizards below couldn't understand it, but that didn't stop them from finding it exciting, and they applauded one after another. The Slytherins were still cheering for Su Yu! Malfoy even put his fingers in his mouth and let out a loud whistle.
Next was the duel between Harry and Malfoy.
Professor Snape walked over to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered quietly beside him. Malfoy's eyes lit up, the corners of his mouth curled, and he smiled smugly.
"One... two... three!" Lockhart shouted.
Malfoy quickly raised his wand and roared, "Serpensortia!"
The end of his wand exploded, and a black snake shot out, landing heavily on the floor. The snake's body was thick and long, its black scales gleaming with an oily sheen in the candlelight. It raised its head, flicking its tongue, hissing, ready to attack.
Harry was stunned, his face turned pale, his lips trembling. The crowd quickly retreated, people screamed from time to time, and shoes made chaotic sounds on the floor.
"Don't move, Potter," Professor Snape said lazily, clearly very happy to see Harry face-to-face with the angry snake, standing motionless. "I will get rid of it..."
"Let me!" Lockhart yelled. He waved his wand at the snake, making a series of banging sounds. The snake did not disappear but rose ten feet into the air, then slammed back onto the floor with a loud crash. The floor shook, and the snake's body writhed on the ground a few times.
It was enraged, hissing violently, and glided straight toward Justin, raising its body, baring its fangs, ready to attack.
Harry didn't know what made him do it; he didn't even think about it. All he knew was that his feet were mechanically carrying him forward, as if he had wheels on them, and then he foolishly shouted at the snake, "Leave him!"
Miraculously, beyond all imagination, the snake fell back to the floor, as tame as a lamb. It lowered its head, curled its body into a ball, and the hissing stopped.
It looked at Harry, and Harry felt it was overwhelmed by fear. He knew that this snake would not attack anyone now, although he couldn't explain why he knew that.
He looked at Justin, grinning, hoping to see an expression of relief, confusion, or gratitude from Justin—certainly not anger and fear.
"What do you think you were doing just now?" Justinshouted. Before Harry could say anything, Justin had already turned and rushed out of the Great Hall. His footsteps echoed in the corridor, getting further and further away.
Professor Snape stepped forward, waved his wand a few times, and the snake turned into a wisp of black smoke and disappeared. The black smoke circled in the air for a moment, then dissipated, leaving nothing behind.
Professor Snape also looked at Harry with an unexpected expression, a cunning expression that Harry didn't like at all.
Harry vaguely heard a sinister, dangerous murmur around the walls. Then he felt someone tugging at the robes on his back.
Ron pulled him out of the Great Hall, with Hermionefollowing closely behind. When they passed the gate, the people on both sides gave way, as if afraid of getting something on them.
...
The students slowly dispersed, each returning to their own common rooms.
When Professor Graves left, he even winked at Su Yu. Then he turned around, his hands in his trouser pockets, and walked out of the Great Hall unhurriedly.
Su Yu stared at his back for a long time.
It's getting more and more interesting. The missing notebook, the ongoing petrification incidents, and Grindelwald, that old guy, why did he come out too? Is Dumbledore reminiscing about old times? Life in the second year has clearly deviated from the movie. He smiled and shook his head—a battle between the first-generation Dark Lord and the second-generation village bully? This play will be worth watching.
Then he turned his head, took Farley and Cassandra, and led the Slytherins back to the common room.
Chapter 41: Christmas
The next day, the snow that had started falling during the night turned into a blizzard.
The windows of Hogwarts Castle rattled in the wind, and snowflakes, as if poured from the sky by someone, plastered against the glass one after another, quickly obscuring everything outside.
The last Herbology Class of the semester was cancelled.
Professor Sprout decided to knit socks and scarves for those Mandrake herself in the third greenhouse; she went to the greenhouse early in the morning carrying a basket of yarn, and when she left, she also took a pot of hot tea and a bag of biscuits, as she only trusted herself to do this delicate work.
Su Yu was also dragged to the library by Daphne early in the morning; Daphne's goal was to get him to read more books.
However, after arriving at the library, Su Yu only boredly played with Daphne's long hair while eavesdropping on that group of Hufflepuff gossiping about Harry Potter.
Daphne sat beside him with a thick copy of "Advanced Transfiguration Theory" spread out in front of her, her quill scratching against parchment; Su Yu's fingers wound around her cascading hair again and again, and Daphnedidn't pull away, letting him play.
The group of Hufflepuff sat by the window, huddled in a circle, their voices kept very low, but they could still be heard clearly in the quiet library.
What Su Yu didn't see was that Harry had also arrived here at this time.
He had intended to come to apologize to Justin and explain yesterday's events, but who knew he would hear them gossiping about him.
"Regardless," a fat boy said, "I told Justin to hide in our dormitory.
I mean, if Potter treats him as his next target, he'd better hide for a while.
Of course, ever since he accidentally told Potter he was a Muggle-born, Justin had been waiting for this day to come.
In fact, Justin also told Potter he used to attend Eton College, which is not something to be casually revealed to a descendant of Slytherin, right?"
"Have you already decided it's Potter? Ernie?" the blonde girl with a ponytail, Hannah Abbott, asked eagerly.
"Hannah," the fat boy said solemnly, "He is a Parselmouth.
Everyone knows this is the mark of a Dark Wizard.
Have you ever heard of any ordinary person who can talk to snakes? They call Slytherin a Parselmouth."
This remark caused a murmur.
Ernie continued, speaking faster and faster: "Remember the words on the wall? Enemies of the heir, beware?
Potter and Filch have some history.
Next, we know, Filch's cat was attacked.
First-year student Colin annoyed Potter during the Quidditch match because he took a photo of him lying in the mud.
Next, he was attacked.
You do the math yourselves."
"But he always looks so kind," Hannah Abbott said uncertainly, "But, oh, he is the one who made that man disappear.
At least, he isn't entirely bad, is he?"
Ernie lowered his voice mysteriously, and the Hufflepuffstudents all leaned in; to hear what he was saying, Harrymoved a bit closer.
"No one knows how he survived the attack from that man.
I mean, at that time he was just a baby; he should have been torn to pieces long ago.
Only a truly powerful Dark Wizard could survive such a curse."
He lowered his voice to almost a whisper, "That was probably the reason that man wanted to kill him the first time, because he didn't want a Dark Wizard competing with him.
I really wonder what other skills Potter hasn't revealed yet."
Harry couldn't listen anymore.
He cleared his throat loudly and walked out from behind the bookshelves.
If Harry hadn't been so angry, he would have found the scene of them greeting him as amusing as Su Yu did—everyone seemed to be stunned the moment they saw him.
Ernie's face turned bloodless, Hannah's mouth was open, and the book in her hand dropped to the floor with a dull thud.
Someone bumped into a chair while backing away, the chair leg scraping a harsh sound against the floor.
"Hi!" Harry said, "I'm looking for Justin."
The greatest fear of the Hufflepuff students was confirmed.
They all looked at Ernie fearfully, as if he were their representative sent out to face a dragon.
"What are you looking for him for?" Ernie asked with a trembling voice, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
"I want to tell him about what happened with the snake at the Dueling Club," Harry said, his voice hard and cold.
Ernie licked his pale lips, took a deep breath, and said, "We were all there.
We saw what happened."
"Then did you notice? After I finished talking, it retreated," Harry asked, stepping forward.
"What I saw," Ernie said, shaking and stammering, "was you speaking Parseltongue, inciting the snake to bite Justin."
"I didn't incite it!" Harry's voice trembled with anger, his fists clenched, "It didn't even touch him!"
"That was just by a hair's breadth," Ernie replied, his voice growing quieter.
"Just so you know," he added nervously, as if suddenly remembering some amulet, "I want to tell you that you can trace my family back to witches and Wizards nine generations ago.
My bloodline is as pure as anyone else's, so—"
"I don't care what kind of bloodline you have!" Harry said roughly, his voice exploding in the quiet library, students from behind several bookshelves poking their heads out to look, "Why would I attack Muggle-borns?"
"I heard you hate the Muggles you live with," Ernie replied hastily, his body shrinking back.
"It's impossible to live with The Dursleys and not hate them," Harry said, "You try it!"
After saying this, Harry turned and rushed out of the library, his footsteps fading away in the corridor.
The Hufflepuff students looked at each other, no one speaking.
Then, within a few minutes, Su Yu heard chaos outside; screams and hurried footsteps came from the corridor, with some shouting "It's happened again" and others calling "Quick, call a teacher."
Su Yu quickly grabbed Daphne to join the commotion; he had long since not wanted to stay in the library.
When Su Yu walked over, the Slytherin students who had arrived earlier made way for him, letting him go in to see; Su Yu pulled Daphne to the very front.
However, when Su Yu walked in and saw the scene, he felt a bit like slapping his forehead.
Poor kid, how is he at the crime scene again? This time it's Justin and Nearly Headless Nick.
Su Yu thought to himself, wasn't it just Harry in the movie? How come there are so many students here now?
When the teachers were shouting to get people to calm down, Harry felt extremely distressed by the wall.
Professor McGonagall also ran over at this time.
Her students followed behind; she used her wand to make a loud noise to quiet the crowd and ordered them to go back to their classrooms.
Shortly after the area was cleared, Ernie and the Hufflepuffstudents arrived.
They were so scared by the scene they couldn't even catch their breath; Ernie's face was as white as paper.
"Catch the murderer!" Ernie shouted, pointing at Harry with a pale face, his fingers trembling.
"We will," Professor McGonagall said, her gaze sweeping from Ernie's face to Harry's, and then from Harry's face to Justin's.
Peeves tapped his head, grinning evilly, while observing the scene.
Peeves always feared the world wouldn't be chaotic enough; he was doing somersaults in the air, and when the teacher bent down towards Justin and Nearly Headless Nick to check them, Peeves suddenly started singing: "Oh, Potter, you fellow, why did you do this? You are killing students, do you think this is fun—"
"Enough, Peeves!" Professor McGonagall roared; Peevesstuck his tongue out at Harry and retreated, but he still floated in the corner, eyes gleaming, waiting to watch more chaos.
Justin was taken to the Hospital Wing by ProfessorSinistra from the Astronomy department.
But no one knew how to handle Nick, who was missing half his head; finally, Professor McGonagall conjured a large fan out of thin air, handed it to Ernie, and ordered him to levitate Nick up the stairs.
Ernie did as instructed, fanning Nick upstairs like a quiet, black helicopter.
Su Yu had long since left; he went to see if he could find any clues, but he was out of luck and found nothing, so he could only wait and see.
The semester finally ended; on Christmas Day, Hogwartswas so quiet that you could even hear the sound of snowflakes falling from the Castle to the ground; the corridors were empty, with no students running around, only the wind blowing in through the window cracks, making the torches sway and howl.
Because of this year's petrification incidents, almost no one stayed at Hogwarts for Christmas; most students chose to go home, far away from this Castle shrouded in fear.
Su Yu stayed at the school with Cassandra this time; he understood in his heart that this was the alone time Farleyand Daphne had left for them.
However, Malfoy and his "brainless" and "unhappy" companions also stayed at Hogwarts and didn't go back; Malfoy said his father told him to stay at school to "experience life," and Crabbe and Goyle probably stayed because no one was at home to watch them; anyway, there was food and drink at school, so it was the same anywhere.
Christmas morning was very cold, and everywhere was a vast expanse of white.
Su Yu's arms, however, were warm; last night, Cassandrahad given herself to Su Yu without reservation, and now she was still exhausted, lingering in Su Yu's bedsheets, not wanting to get up.
Her hair was scattered on the pillow, the light golden strands glowing softly in the morning light, her face buried in the crook of Su Yu's neck, her breathing light and slow.
Su Yu lay on his side, one arm around Cassandra's waist, the other hand being used as a pillow by her, which had gone numb; he didn't move, just lay there quietly, listening to the sound of the wind and snow outside the window and Cassandra's breathing.
Next to the dormitory fireplace was another big pile of gifts that gave Su Yu a headache; colorful boxes were stacked high; he genuinely felt that giving gifts was too much trouble—it couldn't be too good, nor too bad, and he still had to guess what people wanted.
If it were one or two, he could accept it, but every Christmas, it was a huge pile.
Mrs. Weasley sent a sweater she knitted herself again this year; it was dark green with a silver snake embroidered on the chest, the snake's eyes being two small black buttons, looking very exquisite.
Ginny not only sent him gummy candies this year but also the cheesecake that Kurama likes to eat.
Farley sent a bottle of men's perfume; Su Yu opened it and took a sniff—the scent wasn't strong, but faint, like a mix of sea breeze and some kind of woody fragrance.
Daphne gave him a brooch.
It was silver, shaped like an eagle with wings spread; on the back of the brooch were two characters: "Peace," the handwriting was small but deeply engraved.
Luna actually sent him a pair of hand-knitted gloves, accompanied by a copy of The Quibbler; this was something Su Yu hadn't expected.
The Great Hall looked beautiful today.
Not only were there two frosted Christmas trees, heavy ribbons hanging from the ceiling, and evergreen mistletoe arranged in a cross on the ceiling, but there were also snowflakes drifting down from the roof, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Dumbledore led the singing of several of his favorite joyful carols; Hagrid stood next to him, and as a few cups of eggnog went down his throat, Hagrid became increasingly cheerful, his face redder and redder, and his voice louder and louder.
However, Su Yu and Cassandra didn't go to the banquet.
Because last night was too intense, it resulted in Cassandra being weak and powerless today, and having a bit of a stomachache; Su Yu could only stay with her in the Slytherin common room, making the fireplace fire brighter, and having the Whisk bring a few more blankets.
However, there was plenty to eat here as well.
The Whisk had thoughtfully made a lot of high-quality protein and blood-nourishing food; Su Yu benefited from Cassandra's situation and almost ended up eating a postpartum meal; Cassandra leaned on his shoulder, sipping black sesame paste in small mouthfuls, her eyes half-closed, looking like a well-fed kitten.
Not long after, the door to the common room suddenly opened.
Su Yu and Cassandra looked over and found it was Malfoybringing back his "brainless" and "unhappy" companions.
Malfoy walked in front, wearing that well-tailored black robe, his chin held high, taking big strides.
Crabbe and Goyle followed behind—no, it wasn't Crabbeand Goyle.
Su Yu looked at the two stiff-faced "simpletons"; it was Harry and Ron.
Malfoy was still marveling that Goyle actually knew how to read and could even read books.
Harry and Ron followed behind him, their expressions as stiff as if someone had cast Petrificus Totalus on them.
However, when Malfoy saw Su Yu, he hurriedly bowed to greet him.
He stopped, leaned his body slightly forward, right arm against his chest, his posture respectful and elegant, "Chief, Merry Christmas."
Harry and Ron had never seen this scene before, so they immediately followed Malfoy and bowed; Harry's movements were very stiff, as if someone had pushed him from behind; Ron's waist was bent even lower than Malfoy's, probably because he was too nervous.
Malfoy and Cassandra both looked at today's Crabbe and Goyle with strange expressions—no, they were looking at Harry and Ron.
When did those two learn to greet people?
At first, the foolishness of those two made Su Yu's heart ache; Crabbe and Goyle would only grin foolishly at Su Yu, their mouths stretching to their ears, and then pull out snacks from their pockets—who knows where they got them—to give to Su Yu; bowing or not bowing was something nobles did, not something fools did; it was already good enough if they didn't ask Su Yu for food when they saw him.
Malfoy felt like the sun really rose from the west today.
These two "people" of his not only knew how to read books but also how to greet people; congratulations, congratulations.
Su Yu could barely hold back his laughter; the corners of his mouth twitched several times, his shoulders trembling slightly; Cassandra, beside him, was also covering her mouth, her eyes curved like crescent moons.
Su Yu waved his hand casually and quickly turned his head, afraid of being seen by Harry and Ron.
Chapter 42 Playing Dumb
"Wait here," Malfoy said to Harry and Ron, pointing to two empty chairs by the fireplace not far from Su Yu. "I'm going to get something; my father just sent it to me," Malfoy said.
Harry and Ron sat down with trepidation, not knowing what Malfoy would show them. The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, roasting their faces red, and they tried their best to act as if they were at home.
At this moment, Cassandra even had Whisk bring them two cups of hot tea. Seeing their enthusiastic demeanor and constant polite chatter, Cassandra was even more convinced that these two were not Crabbe and Goyle, because the real Crabbe and Goyle would only gulp down the tea in one go and then giggle while asking if there was anything to eat.
However, she didn't say anything. Su Yu hadn't spoken yet, so she let them continue their act; she also enjoyed watching the fun.
A minute later, Malfoy returned. He was holding something like a newspaper clipping and shoved it under Ron's nose.
"You're sure to laugh at this," Malfoy said.
Harry saw Ron's eyes widen in terror. Ron quickly read through the clipping, let out a helpless laugh, and then handed it to Harry.
It was a clipping from The Daily Prophet. The content was:
Inquiry into the Ministry of Magic.
Arthur Weasley, a Ministry of Magic official, was fined fifty Galleons today for enchanting a car. Mr. Lucius Malfoy, an official, demanded Mr. Weasley's resignation today. Because earlier this year, at Hogwarts school, this enchanted car crashed.
"Weasley has brought the Ministry of Magic law enforcement office into disrepute," Mr. Lucius told reporters. "It is clear that he is entirely unfit to draft our regulations. His ridiculous 'Muggle Protection Act' should be repealed immediately."
Mr. Weasley offered no comment on this, although his wife told reporters to either retract these reports or she would have the ghosts of this house possess them.
"Well?" Malfoy said when Harry handed the clipping back. "Don't you think it's funny?"
"Ha, ha!" Harry laughed dismally. The laughter was even drier than Ron's, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing against each other.
"Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should just break his wand and join them," Malfoy said disdainfully, lifting his chin even higher. "You might never have known that the Weasley family are pure-bloods, you can tell by their behavior."
Ron's—or rather, Crabbe's—face was full of a vengeful expression.
"What's the matter with you, Crabbe?" Malfoy said, raising an eyebrow.
"Stomachache," Ron muttered.
"Oh, go up to the Hospital Wing, and kick all those guys there who have annoyed me for me."
"Ahem, ahem." Su Yu really couldn't listen anymore and coughed lightly to cover up the laughter he almost let out. Beside him, Cassandra also kept her head down, her shoulders shaking.
Malfoy continued, "You see, I find it strange that The Daily Prophet hasn't reported the whole story." He said thoughtfully, his grey eyes narrowing. "I suspect Dumbledore is trying to hush things up. Because if this doesn't stop immediately, he will be attacked. My father always says Dumbledore is the worst example of what has happened to this place. He loves Muggle-borns; a proper Principal wouldn't let useless ghosts like Colin in."
Malfoy began to take pictures with an imaginary camera. He shaped his hands into the form of a camera, held them up to his eyes, and made a "click" sound with his mouth.
"Potter, can I take a picture of you? Hmm? Potter? Can you give me an autograph? Can I lick your shoes? Huh? Potter?"
He lowered his hands and looked at Harry and Ron.
"What's wrong with you two?" he asked.
Harry and Ron forced themselves to laugh. Although the laughter came a bit late, Malfoy seemed quite satisfied. Perhaps Crabbe and Goyle were always slow to react to things, so he didn't suspect anything.
"Saint Potter," Malfoy said slowly. "Him? He can't even touch my feet, yet everyone thinks he's the heir of Slytherin. Salazar Slytherin would surely crawl out of his grave to kick Harry's ass if he heard that. It's a disgrace."
Harry and Ron suppressed their anger. They were sure Malfoy was almost about to tell them the truth. Who knew that Malfoy would arrogantly say, "I wish I knew who his heir was, then I could help them."
Ron lengthened his jaw to make Crabbe's face look even more foolish than usual. Fortunately, Malfoy didn't notice. Harry quickly turned his mind and said, "You must have guessed who it is, right?"
"You know I don't know, Goyle. How many times do I have to tell you?" Malfoy said, with a hint of impatience in his tone. "My father told me that the Chamber of Secrets was opened fifty years ago. That time, a Muggle-born student was killed, and another student was expelled."
Next, Harry asked Malfoy if he knew whether the person who opened the Chamber of Secrets had been caught. Malfoy said he didn't know; perhaps they were still in Azkaban now...
Although Malfoy didn't agree with his father's extreme ideology—his father wanted to expel all Muggle-born Wizards—as for him now, he just wanted to give the people he hated a hard kick in the ass, of course, regardless of whether they were Muggle-born Wizards or pure-blood Wizards.
However, Malfoy probably never really suspected Goyleand Crabbe. He even revealed the most secret room under his family's art studio...
Until Ron's nose slowly lengthened.
Then he turned around, his expression so terrifying.
Harry and Ron started running.
"I need to get some stomach medicine," Ron muttered, his voice no longer sounding like Crabbe's, but more like his own. They pushed hard against the stone wall, bumping through the corridor, their robes swirling behind them. They hoped Malfoy hadn't noticed anything. Harry felt his feet sliding inside Goyle's huge shoes; every step felt like wading through mud, and he had to lift his crumpled robes to avoid tripping.
However, what they didn't notice was that Su Yu had already left his sofa and was no longer in the Slytherin Common Room.
Su Yu arrived at Myrtle's bathroom on the second floor; he was here to find his kitty Hermione.
The bathroom was very quiet, with only the sound of water dripping from a broken faucet. Myrtle was not there. Su Yuopened the bathroom stalls one by one until he reached Hermione's, but it wouldn't budge.
Su Yu said softly, "Good girl Hermione, open the door quickly!"
"Su Yu? How did you know I was here? No! Go away!" Hermione shouted from inside.
"Be good, it's okay. Open the door and let me see my kitty Hermione; how do you know I won't like it?"
"??? How do you know everything?" Hermione refused to open the door from inside, holding it tightly shut.
Su Yu had no choice but to flash into the stall instantly. He gently hugged the big kitty Hermione—fluffy cat ears poked out from her hair, the tips trembling slightly, an orange tail extended from under her robes, curled into a question mark, and there were a few whiskers on her face, extending from the corners of her mouth.
Hermione was so startled by Su Yu's sudden appearance that her fur nearly stood on end, but listening to the familiar heartbeat and feeling that warm embrace, she slowly calmed down. Her body softened, her face buried in Su Yu's chest, her fingers clutching his robes.
"Don't look at me, Su Yu, I... I look so ugly right now..." Hermione said, crying, with an unspeakable sense of grievance and shame.
"Who said so?" Su Yu's voice was very soft. One hand rested on the back of her head, his fingers running through her fluffy curly hair. "Is there a possibility that I quite like it this way?"
As he spoke, he kept stroking Hermione's cat ears. Hermione's ears twitched once, then again. Every time Su Yu's fingers touched the tips of her ears, she dodged them.
Su Yu picked her up amidst Hermione's "Ah!" and then kissed her cute little face.
Su Yu draped a magical robe over her, covering her completely, not even the tip of her tail was exposed. Then he held her and walked out of the bathroom.
"Where are you taking me? Su Yu!" Hermione shouted anxiously from inside the robe.
"Of course I'm taking you to the Hospital Wing, silly girl." Su Yu said as he walked. "Don't you know that things like Polyjuice Potion can only turn you into humans, not animals? Because turning into an animal will get you stuck permanently; you can't change back automatically..."
"Ah? How can this be? Woo..." Hermione cried even harder.
There was no other way; Su Yu had to hold Hermione and move along the ceiling, not letting anyone see her, until he handed her over to Madam Pomfrey at the Hospital Wing.
When Madam Pomfrey saw Hermione, her eyes widened, and her mouth opened, but she quickly regained her composure.
Hermione stayed in the side wing of the Hospital Wing for several weeks. When other students returned to school after Christmas, there was a rumor for a while about her disappearance, because everyone took it for granted that she had been attacked. So many students lined up to walk past the side wing of the Hospital Wing to catch a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey had to bring out bed curtains to surround Hermione's bed, lest she feel ashamed because others saw her furry face.
Harry and Ron visited her every night. After the new semester began, they brought her her daily homework.
And every night after Harry and Ron left, Su Yu would slowly walk to Hermione's bedside, telling her stories while coaxing her to sleep. Hermione would listen and ask, "And then?" until she slowly closed her eyes and her breathing became even.
After all, adolescent girls are sensitive, and Hermione was even more sensitive now. Her cat ears drooped on the pillow, her whiskers trembled gently with her breathing, and her tail extended from under the quilt, resting on the edge of the bed. Every time, Su Yu would gently tuck the tail back under the quilt, then sit by the bed, and only leave after she was fast asleep.
Chapter 43: Valentine's Day, Paper Cranes
Hermione left the Hospital Wing in early February. Her face had recovered its smoothness, her curls were fluffy again, and her eyes regained their sparkling spirit. Madam Pomfrey gave her a final check-up, nodded with satisfaction, and said, "You can go now."
When Hermione walked out of the side wing, she took a deep breath, as if smelling the long-lost air of freedom.
But Su Yu felt something was missing. The feeling of not being able to pet Hermione the cat every day was truly empty.
This made Kurama very resentful.
"Have I not let you pet me or hold me every day?" Kuramasquatted on his lap, amber eyes glaring at him, her tail flicking behind her, "Do you really need to be like this? Is petting me not enough for you?"
On Valentine's Day, the entire Hogwarts was in a state of panic due to the opening of the Chamber of Secrets and students being petrified.
However, the Defense Against the Dark Arts ProfessorGilderoy Lockhart, in order to "boost morale," took it upon himself to hold a grand Valentine's Day event.
When Su Yu brought the little snakes of Slytherin to the Great Hall for breakfast, they all doubted if they had walked into the wrong place.
All the walls were covered with large, flamboyant pink flowers, squeezed together like someone had moved an entire rose garden into the Castle. Even worse, the pale blue ceiling was hung with dense, heart-shaped confetti.
Lockhart, wearing bright pink robes to match these decorations, was waving his hands, asking for quiet. He stood in front of the staff table, his robes embroidered with golden heart patterns. The teachers on both sides of him stood stiffly. From where he sat, Su Yu could see the muscles on Professor McGonagall's cheeks twitching slightly, and Professor Snape looked as if someone had just force-fed him a large cup of bone-growing potion.
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted, "I am very grateful to the forty-six people who have sent me Valentine's cards so far! Yes, I have decorated the Great Hall to give you all a surprise—and that's not all!"
Lockhart clapped his hands.
A team of scowling little dwarves walked in from the entrance of the Great Hall. However, they were not real angels. Lockhart had a group of dwarves put on golden wings, holding harps. The wings were made of glued feathers, crooked and twisted, and the harps were plastic.
"My friendly, Valentine's card-carrying Cupids!" Lockhartsmiled, "They will be touring the school today to distribute Valentine's cards to you! The fun doesn't end there! I believe my colleagues also wish to join in this occasion. Let us see how Professor Snape makes a Love Potion! Professor Flitwick knows more about Charms than any Wizard I have ever met, the sly old dog!"
Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands, his shoulders trembling slightly. Professor Snape looked as if he wanted to feed poison to the first person who opened their mouth to ask him for a Love Potion.
The Slytherin students were already starting to feel unwilling. Lockhart was full of hot air! Although Slytherins were good at missing their loved ones, they only used paper cranes! They wouldn't use any Valentine's cards!
As he spoke, Malfoy pulled out three pieces of paper.
"One is easy to lose, so three should be enough, right?" Malfoy thought to himself, lowering his head to fold three paper cranes, and blew on them.
The wings of the first paper crane trembled, then it flew up in a crooked manner. It drew a few arcs in the air and finally landed in front of Astoria.
Astoria grabbed the paper crane, her eyes lit up instantly. She bounced up from her chair, jumping and shouting: "Draco, Draco, Draco! Look, it flew to me!"
Malfoy finally woke up from his dream.
His face flushed red instantly. He had been carried away, and now he had made a big mess... What to do... What to do... This is so socially embarrassing...
The surrounding Slytherin students had already started giggling.
The second paper crane circled slowly in the air, then wobbled back to Malfoy and landed in the hands of Pansynext to him.
Pansy lowered her head, looking at the paper crane in her hand. Her fingers trembled slightly. The paper crane quivered gently in her palm, and tears had already dampened her eyes.
As for the third paper crane, it was a bit outrageous.
It seemed to have been cast with some strange magic, wobbling as it flew up, drawing several large circles in the air, bypassing the Slytherin long table, and finally wobbling toward the Gryffindor bench, landing in the hands of Harry, who was still looking bewildered.
Harry held up the paper crane, looking at it back and forth. The expression on his face was a mixture of "What is this thing" and "Is Malfoy playing a prank on me again."
Astoria blinked her big eyes, tilted her head and thought for a moment, then suddenly said: "So Draco wants to marry three people!"
Instantly, the Slytherins were laughing uncontrollably.
For the first time, Malfoy felt so embarrassed that he didn't want to step into the Great Hall for the rest of his life! He stood up abruptly, turned around, and rushed out of the Great Hall.
The little snakes of Slytherin were still laughing.
Theodore also folded a paper crane. His movements were more elegant than Malfoy's. After folding one, he gently blew a breath, and the paper crane flew up steadily, passing through the Great Hall at a leisurely pace, flying towards Olivia, who was still eating at the Ravenclawtable.
The paper crane landed next to Olivia's plate. Olivia was stunned for a moment, picked up the paper crane. There was a burst of teasing screams from the Ravenclaw side. Olivia clutched the paper crane in her palm, lowering her head with a flushed face.
Su Yu didn't dare to fold one. He was afraid that if he had to fold more paper cranes than he could count on one hand, and if they flew to some strange places, it would be even more awkward.
The little snakes around were folding paper cranes one by one. Some flew to their objects of affection, some fell halfway, and some circled around in the crowd without knowing who to look for. Kurama squatted in front of him, pawing at a paper crane that had fallen on the table, flipping it over and over, as if studying what new species this was.
The little snakes of Slytherin were still boasting about their love, not allowing the likes of Lockhart to desecrate it. They felt that Lockhart's vulgar, extravagant, world-scattering card method was simply an insult to love.
Professor Snape also seemed to be recalling something—his gaze fell on a paper crane on the table.
Then Su Yu was heard saying: "Ah, yes, yes, Slytherin-style love: bullying the person you like, sending paper cranes to the person you like, watching the person you like get married..."
Professor Snape almost smashed the cauldron next to him onto Su Yu's head.
All day long, the dwarves kept breaking into classes to distribute Valentine's cards, which greatly annoyed the teachers.
During this time, Su Yu also asked Harry if he had obtained that diary. Harry replied that he hadn't seen any diary, so Su Yu kept looking for clues about the diary.
In March, the Mandrakes in the greenhouse began their noisy party, which made Professor Sprout very happy.
The leaves of those Mandrakes kept shaking in their pots, bumping into each other, making a rustling sound as if they were whispering. Their roots emerged from the soil, intertwining with each other, as if holding hands and dancing. Professor Sprout stood in the center of the greenhouse, looking at those Mandrakes, her smile wider than ever.
"When they start moving into each other's pots, we will know they are fully mature," Professor Sprout said during class, "Then we can save those poor people in the Hospital Wing."
Second-year students had to consider one thing during their Easter holidays—they had to choose their third-year courses. This was something that at least Hermione took seriously.
Su Yu didn't care; he would just follow Daphne, at least he could copy her homework. Daphne flipped through the course catalog, her finger moving slowly across the page, and finally pointed to two courses.
Care of Magical Creatures and Divination Class.
Su Yu took a look. Well, this was choosing the same courses as Harry and Ron.
It wasn't until the day of the Quidditch match that Su Yulearned from Hermione that Harry had picked up that diary a long time ago, but had never mentioned it. This only came out because he had lost the diary yesterday.
Su Yu was very angry. Did this kid have no clue? Every day he suspected this and that, liked to carry everything on his own, didn't care about others, and didn't care about his own abilities. Relying on being the protagonist, a great opportunity was wasted. But there was no way now; Harryhad already lost it, and there was no way to find it again. The person behind the scenes was hidden very deeply. At least until now, Su Yu hadn't found anyone suspicious. He had even checked on Percy; his abnormality was still because he was in love, and he hadn't gotten any diary.
Because Harry hadn't told Hermione about the contents of the diary, Hermione was still in the dark and didn't know anything, so she could only accompany Su Yu to watch the Quidditch match.
The players began to take the field, and they were warmly welcomed. Today was Gryffindor against Hufflepuff. Wood even did a warm-up flight around the goalposts, his broom drawing a beautiful arc in the air, and the cheers from the Gryffindor students in the stands were deafening.
The Hufflepuff side was still gathered together, using the last minute to discuss tactics, a few people huddled together, nodding from time to time.
Just as Su Yu was about to sit down, he saw Professor McGonagall walking and running across the field with a huge purple microphone.
"The match is cancelled," Professor McGonagall shouted through the microphone to the crowded stadium.
Boos came from all around. Wood looked shocked; he landed immediately and ran towards Professor McGonagall.
"But Professor!" he shouted, "We must play... The trophy... Gryffindor—"
Professor McGonagall didn't pay attention to him and continued shouting through the microphone: "All students must return to their dormitories to rest. There, each Deanwill give them further notice. Everyone go back immediately!"
Some students around her were complaining about the match being cancelled, while others looked worried.
In the evening, in the Slytherin Common Room.
Everyone learned that another Ravenclaw student had been attacked.
Professor Snape stood in front of the fireplace, holding a roll of parchment, his black eyes shining in the firelight.
"All students must return to their dormitories before six o'clock in the evening. After six o'clock, you are not allowed to leave the dormitory. Each class will be accompanied by a teacher. Without a teacher's accompaniment, you are not allowed to use the bathrooms or toilets. Quidditch training and matches are postponed. All evening activities are cancelled."
"Undoubtedly, we have never been as saddened as we are now. If the culprit behind these attacks cannot be caught, it is highly likely that this school will be closed. Please, any student who has clues about this matter, come forward bravely."