Chapter 78: Hagrid's Defense Materials
The whole affair had caused Neville to lose all face, almost becoming the focus of discussion throughout Hogwarts.
Professor McGonagall was both angry and anxious; she reprimanded him severely in front of the entire Gryffindorstudent body, not only immediately revoking his eligibility to visit Hogsmeade Village and punishing him with a week of detention, but also issuing an exceptionally stern order that henceforth, no student was allowed to reveal the Gryffindor tower password to him, fearing that another lapse in judgment on his part would lead to disaster.
In the days that followed, Neville's situation became increasingly embarrassing. Every evening after class, he could only stand alone in front of The Fat Lady's portrait, waiting helplessly for other students to enter or leave in groups so he could sneak into the common room, not even daring to raise his head.
The few Troll guards stationed in the corridor seemed to sense his distress as well, always emitting sneers in their hoarse, unpleasant voices. Blocking the corridor with their cumbersome bodies, they would occasionally poke his shoulders with their thick, short fingers, mumbling mocking taunts that he was "the idiot who lost the password," each instance making Neville wish he could crawl into a hole in the ground.
Yet, compared to the mockery from the outside, the accusations from his own family were what hurt him the most. In just three short days, an owl carrying a scarlet Howler landed on the dining table in the Great Hall, its glaring color instantly attracting everyone's attention.
Neville looked at the letter from his grandmother, his face pale as paper, his hands trembling uncontrollably. As soon as he shakily opened the envelope, his grandmother's furious and disappointed roar echoed throughout the entrance hall. The sharp, piercing voice undisguisedly berated him for being stupid, cowardly, and careless, not only almost putting the entire House in danger but also bringing shame to the Longbottom family; every word was like a needle piercing Neville's heart.
He stood frozen in place with his head lowered, his ears burning red, listening to the rising whispers around him and the undisguised laughter of the Slytherins. His heart was filled with shame and helplessness, and he felt completely enveloped by a heavy sense of defeat, lacking even the courage to look up at anyone.
The turmoil had not yet passed, but Hogwarts gradually returned to its usual order, and in the blink of an eye, it was Saturday.
The campus lacked the usual hustle and bustle of class days; many students had either gone to Hogsmeade for leisure or were resting in their dormitories, but in the Slytherin common room, there was a scene of busy activity.
Hermione Granger sat at the long table in Slytherin, with crumpled parchment, thick magic tomes, and scattered documents spread out before her. She was buried in her work, helping Hagrid organize the defense materials for the Hippogriff, Buckbeak.
Because Lucius Malfoy had taken the opportunity to pressure the Ministry of Magic to bring Buckbeak before the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, the gentle magical creature would be executed if they lost the case.
Hagrid was simple and honest by nature and had no idea how to organize defense materials, so Hermione had taken it upon herself to handle the matter, determined to seek justice for Buckbeak.
Daphne sat next to Hermione, her posture gentle and graceful, carefully sorting the scattered materials by date and occasionally reaching out to help Hermione hold down the parchment lifted by the wind. Cassandra sat opposite them, resting her chin on one hand while holding a quill in the other, her brows slightly furrowed as she reviewed the defense points Hermione had written, occasionally pointing out logical loopholes in a low voice.
As for Farley? Oh, Merlin's beard, Hermione felt she still preferred breaking into the Ministry of Magic rather than appealing to the Ministry of Magic...
Su Yu knew there weren't enough hands for this, so he specifically brought over Theodore and his girlfriend Olivia, and even Malfoy and his friends came to join in the fun...
Theodore sat next to Cassandra with a quiet and reserved expression. He had "Summary of Magical Creature Cases" spread out before him, precisely filtering through historical precedents where magical creatures were exempted from liability due to self-defense. His fingertips tapped lightly on the yellowed pages, and whenever he found a key paragraph, he would silently push it toward Hermione. Olivia sat beside Daphne, her handwriting neat and elegant, responsible for transcribing the organized defense statements and drafts of witness testimonies.
The long table was piled high with various files: "Detailed Explanation of Hippogriff Habits," "Collection of Magical Creature Injury Precedents," "Past Ruling Records of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures," and old Ministry of Magic documents that Hermione had found in the Restricted Section of the library. The group had a clear division of labor, each performing their own duties. Throughout the common room, there was only the sound of quill scratching, the crackling of firewood in the fireplace, and the occasional low discussion.
Cassandra rubbed her sore wrist, looked at the gradually organized materials before her, and spoke softly: "We are still missing a few cases from a hundred years ago where Hippogriffs were exempted from liability due to self-defense. Theodore, have you found any on your end?"
Theodore looked up and nodded faintly: "There are three; I have already marked the page numbers."
Cassandra then added: "The defense statement needs to emphasize Malfoy's provocative behavior, as well as Buckbeak's usually gentle nature. These two points are key."
Malfoy was speechless. Could such things be said in front of the person involved? Did he not need face? You say Cassandra said it? Well, never mind, he, Malfoy, would just listen; after all, he couldn't beat her anyway...
Blaise laughed out loud on the side; he loved seeing Malfoy looking embarrassed and speechless way too much.
However, the current Malfoy was truly a completely different person from the one in the movies. Many people always viewed Draco Malfoy through the image in the movies, thinking he was only insidious, cunning, cowardly, weak, prone to retreating and avoiding problems, bullying the weak, and full of negative and mean-spirited traits.
In reality, he could not be considered particularly kind or gentle; he was still arrogant and picky, carrying the pride of a pure-blood aristocrat, but he had never shown a shred of weakness or cowardice.
Facing his father Lucius's repeated opportunistic, unscrupulous, crude, and arrogant actions, Draco had always been very dissatisfied. In his eyes, his father's disregard for decency, along with his rash and stupid behavior, was simply unworthy of the long-standing aristocratic status of the House of Malfoy; it was purely tarnishing the family reputation and throwing away the dignity and face that a pure-blood family should possess. He had grown from a little dragon who only knew how to blindly worship his father into someone who disdained blindly following his family's extreme ideologies, and he would not shrink or fear when encountering problems, always upholding his own unyielding pride in his bones.
Daphne chimed in from the side: "I have already organized the draft of Hagrid's witness testimony; see if you need to make any changes."
Olivia also looked up, smiling as she handed over the transcribed parchment: "This is the organized summary of precedents; take a look."
Hermione looked at the people around her helping earnestly, and her heart felt warm. She knew that this defense would be very difficult—Lucius Malfoy had immense influence in the Ministry of Magic, and many people on the committee were influenced by him.
But looking at the increasingly thick defense materials on the table and the companions around her who were willing to lend a helping hand, Hermione felt that perhaps they could really win a glimmer of life for Buckbeak and for Hagrid. In Slytherin, she had truly experienced a feeling completely different from Gryffindor. Comparing them to those two big idiots... never mind, better not compare; there was no comparison. Those two probably had already forgotten about this matter to the ends of the earth.
Chapter 79: The Little Badger's Snacks
The Sirius Black incident that night, which had originally been just a terrifying, heart-pounding night in the Castle, had now become Ron's proudest topic of conversation.
Ron had become famous overnight; for the first time in his life, he was receiving more attention than Harry, and Ronclearly loved the feeling.
This led to the Slytherin students seeing Ron every day, sitting right in the center of the dining table, his back straight as a rod, his face filled with irrepressible excitement and pride, spitting as he recounted the experience of that night over and over again to the crowd gathered around him, his tone becoming more exaggerated and the details more thrilling each time.
"You didn't see the scene with your own eyes!" Ronslammed his buttered bread onto his plate, intentionally lowering his voice while still making sure everyone around could hear him, his eyes wide and round as he gestured wildly. "It was in the middle of the night, I was sleeping soundly, when suddenly I felt movement by the bed. At first, I thought it was Harry getting up to use the bathroom, but when I opened my eyes, my god, Sirius Black was standing right there!"
He paused deliberately, observing the nervous, breathless expressions of the students around him, his vanity immensely satisfied as he continued his vivid narration: "He was clutching a gleaming knife in his hand, the moonlight hitting the blade, so bright it hurt to look at! He was staring straight at me, and I didn't dare breathe; my heart was about to jump out of my throat!"
As he spoke, Ron suddenly pulled back his robe, revealing the tattered bed curtain he carried with him. It still had a long, jagged tear made by the knife, the edges of the fabric frayed and curled, which served as his most powerful "evidence."
"Look! This is what he did! He ripped off my bed curtain, the knife slashed right through it, and it shocked me awake! If I hadn't reacted quickly and shouted out, alerting the others in the dormitory, you wouldn't be seeing me right now!"
The surrounding students gasped, their faces full of horror and curiosity, constantly pestering him for details. Ronbecame even more enthusiastic, completely immersed in the exaggerated plot he had fabricated, turning what was originally a brief moment of terror into a thrilling life-or-death confrontation.
"He was standing right by my bed, tall and imposing, his eyes terrifyingly fierce. I could clearly see the expression on his face—that was the most notorious fugitive in all of Britain, a madman who had escaped from Azkaban!" Ronpatted his chest, his tone becoming increasingly impassioned, completely forgetting how he had been trembling and pale with fear at the time. "I stared right back at him, and I wasn't afraid at all! I thought to myself, even if he tried to attack me, I would fight back with everything I had!"
Harry sat to the side, watching helplessly as Ron bragged extravagantly, wanting to correct him several times but being stopped by Ron's sharp glances.
At this moment, he was enjoying everyone's attention and amazement, relishing the thrill of being the center of the crowd. Whether in the corridors, between classes, or on the paths of Hogsmeade, whenever someone came over, he would immediately switch into "speech mode," tirelessly recounting his experience of a "close-range confrontation" with Sirius Black, molding himself into a brave and fearless hero who had faced danger head-on.
He showed off his damaged bed curtain to everyone he met, boasting about how calm he had been, as if having experienced that night of terror made him the bravest person at Hogwarts. Ron, who had once been unremarkable at school, had become a campus celebrity because of this incident, and he was completely drowning in the vanity of being sought after, bragging tirelessly every day, wishing the entire wizarding world knew that he, Ron Weasley, had come face-to-face with the famous Sirius Black and had escaped unscathed.
Another sunny weekend arrived, and the Hogwarts Castlewas filled with joyful noise. Students in their third year and above had packed up early and, filled with anticipation, surged toward the Castle gates—today was another day for the students to visit Hogsmeade, and the entire wizarding village was waiting for them to stroll, shop, and have fun.
In the Great Hall, students gathered in small groups, discussing going to Honeydukes to buy the latest flavored candies, scouring Zonko's Joke Shop for novel prank items, or heading to the Three Broomsticks for a steaming mug of butterbeer.
But in the crowd, the figures of Harry and Neville were the only ones missing.
Harry could not go to Hogsmeade; he was still stuck on that guardian permission slip. Every Hogsmeade weekend, he could only stay alone in the empty Castle, watching his classmates leave in high spirits, his heart full of undisguisable disappointment.
As for Neville Longbottom, because of a mistake he had made recently, he had been severely punished by Professor McGonagall. Not only were house points deducted, but he was also given detention, completely canceling his eligibility for this Hogsmeade trip. He hung his head, his round face full of dejection, standing alone in a corner of the corridor, watching his classmates walk out of the Castle together, his fingers nervously twisting the hem of his robe, not even having the courage to look up at anyone.
On a day that should have been bustling with excitement, Neville could only remain in the Castle to serve his detention. He was even temporarily forbidden from knowing the password to the Gryffindor common room, forced to obediently follow the Professor's arrangements.
The vast Hogwarts suddenly became quiet, with only a few remaining students and staff members left, a sharp contrast to the noise from just a moment ago.
Meanwhile, in the queue outside the Castle, Su Yu was walking slowly with four girls. Hermione was holding Crookshanks, occasionally reminding those around her to watch the mountain path under their feet.
On the way to Hogsmeade, the Hufflepuffs were all tense, their eyes glaring uniformly at the Slytherins beside them, their gazes fixed firmly on Callis, with dissatisfaction almost spilling out from their eyes.
The cause was clear—just yesterday evening, Callis had caught a younger Hufflepuff student in the Castle corridor. Relying on her agility and quick magic, she had snatched all the snacks that the little Hufflepuff was holding, refusing to return them no matter how the other party begged, and had teased the younger student until she squatted in the corner and cried until dark, her eyes swollen like walnuts, which had not gone down even today.
Meeting face-to-face now, the Hufflepuffs all clenched their fists, their eyes full of anger as they looked at the Slytherin students. Their usual gentle and honest appearance was gone, and they glared at Callis with hostile gazes, whispering to each other, full of protests against this prank.
Callis, however, didn't take this wall of anger seriously at all. She slowly brushed the fallen leaves from her shoulder, a cunning and devious smile curling at the corners of her mouth. She even deliberately raised an eyebrow at the group of fuming Hufflepuff students, looking nonchalant and even slightly provocative, showing no guilt at all, but rather finding the farce quite amusing.
Chapter 80: The Battle Begins
Blaise finally got the details out. Just yesterday evening, Callis caught a younger Hufflepuff student in the Hogwarts Castle corridor. It was a little badger with light blonde pigtails, her arms full of a bag of Honeydukestoffees, her cheeks chubby and looking exceptionally adorable.
Callis simply thought this face looked good, like a soft, milky kitten. On a whim, she wanted to tease her. Relying on her own agility and skilled silent spells, she quietly circled behind the student, lightly tapped the student's backpack with her fingertips, and a bag of snacks was in her hand.
Facing the student's tearful pleas, Callis just squatted down, poked the girl's flushed cheeks with her fingertips, her eyes full of mischievous amusement, but without any intention of returning the snacks. She actually teased the little badger until she was squatting in the corner crying until dark.
Callis's teasing was completely different from the malice of Malfoy at the start of the first year—Malfoy's bullying was arrogant trampling mixed with blood-status discrimination, seizing weaknesses to wantonly humiliate, etching malice into the bone. But Callis's teasing was merely a teenager's impulsive prank; there was no malicious belittling, nor any long-term harassment. She just thought it was fun, and even secretly placed a bag of the same toffees in the student's locker afterward, just without letting her find out.
Finally, until everyone returned to Hogwarts Castle from Hogsmeade Village in the evening, Blaise carried a large bag full of carefully selected apology snacks, containing toffees, Chocolate Frogs, peppermint humbugs, and Licorice Wands, and brought Callis along to find the Hufflepuff student who had been teased.
Blaise gently apologized on behalf of the whole incident, making amends for Callis's playful prank of snatching snacks and making the student cry the day before. The student accepted the whole bag of sweets and generously forgave the prank. Far from having any resentment, she instead looked at the bold and free-spirited Callis with a bit of secret admiration.
— — — — — — — — — —
Over here in Hogsmeade Village, students were scattered on the streets in twos and threes. Some were queuing at the entrance of Honeydukes, some were drinking Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, and some were trying out new prank items in Zonkos Joke Shop.
When Malfoy came out of the Three Broomsticks, it was almost dark. Crabbe was still holding a roasted sausage in his hand, Goyle was hugging two large bags of candy, and Pansy was walking beside Malfoy, her scarf pulled up to cover half her face, revealing only her eyes.
"Where is Blaise?" Pansy asked.
"With his... er... that 'girlfriend' at Scrivenshaft's." Malfoydidn't know how to describe their relationship for a moment. "Callis said she wanted to pick out a quill."
They walked along the street toward the entrance of the village. There weren't many students left on the street; some had already returned to the Castle.
The streetlights hadn't turned on yet, and it was getting dark quickly. Shops on both sides started closing, the sound of shutters being pulled down echoing in the empty street. When Malfoy passed by Honeydukes, he saw the lights in the display window go out. The shop assistant walked out from inside, locked the door, wrapped his coat tightly, and hurried away.
"Closing quite early today." Pansy said.
Goyle was still eating candy, and Crabbe finished the roasted sausage in his hand and threw the stick into a trash can by the side of the road. Neither of them paid any attention to the situation on both sides.
But Malfoy stopped.
He heard footsteps, many people, heavy and hurried, coming from the narrow alley behind Honeydukes. He didn't turn his head; his hand reached into his pocket and gripped his wand.
"Crabbe." Malfoy said in a low voice.
Crabbe raised his head, the sausage in his mouth not yet swallowed.
"There's someone behind us."
Crabbe turned his head. He couldn't see the things in the alley; it was too dark. But he heard it—the sound of metal rubbing, as if someone was drawing a sword.
Goyle stopped chewing too. The three of them stopped at the same time, and Pansy's hand also reached into her pocket.
A person slowly walked out from the darkness in the alley.
"How come it's Goblins again..."
I saw that Goblin wearing dark leather armor, holding a short sword in his hand, the blade gleaming coldly in the twilight. His face was very thin, his eyes long and narrow, the corners of his mouth turned down. Behind him followed several Wizards, wearing black robes, hoods pulled very low, faces unclear.
Malfoy counted—five Goblins, seven Wizards.
He didn't waste any words. His hand pulled directly out of his pocket, his wand already in his hand. A silver-white light shot from the tip of the wand like an arrow, shooting toward the sky, exploding in the twilight into a silver snake-shaped firework.
The night sky of Hogsmeade brightened for a moment.
Malfoy's wand didn't stop. A second spell followed immediately. He flicked his hand, and an invisible, sharp wind blade shot from his wand. The wind blade was silent, slicing through the air like a razor. The leather armor of the two Goblins in the front was cut open, and they screamed as they flew backward, crashing into the rolling shutter.
Crabbe rushed up. Dark red flames ignited on his fists. He smashed a punch into a Goblin's chest; the leather armor burst, and the Goblin spat blood and flew out. Goyle stood behind Crabbe, his skin taking on a grayish-white stone luster—Petrified Skin. A Dark Wizard's spell hit him and bounced off. Goyle returned a punch, breaking his nose.
Pansy stood behind Malfoy, her wand pointed at the enemies flanking from the side. Her eyes glowed slightly. The fear of those Goblins was spreading. She amplified the fear and suppressed the emotions of herself and her teammates to the lowest point. Two Goblins suddenly had weak legs halfway through their charge, their eyes full of terror, and they turned to run, only to be caught up and knocked down by Malfoy's wind blades.
But there were too many enemies.
People were still pouring out of the narrow alley; Goblins and Dark Wizards walked out continuously, like ants crawling out of a hole. The back door of Honeydukes was also kicked open, and several Goblins rushed out from inside, holding daggers and short swords. Malfoy heard the screams of Hogsmeade villagers. Everywhere there were cries of "Run!" and "What's happening?"
Everywhere there was the sound of shop windows being smashed and glass scattering on the ground.
"Where are the others?" Malfoy shouted.
"They're all over at Zonkos!" Pansy replied.
Malfoy gritted his teeth and cast another Ancient Magic. Blue runes exploded in the air, turning into three bolts of lightning that struck three Goblins. The Goblins' bodies twitched and they fell to the ground, motionless, but more were surging up from behind.
At this moment, he heard the communication whistle between Slytherin students, coming from the direction of Zonkos Joke Shop.
Responses came from Gladrags Wizardwear, from Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop, and from Dervish and Banges.
The Slytherin students were assembling.
Theodore arrived first. As he ran over, a Dark Wizard was raising his wand at Malfoy's back. Theodore raised his right hand, extended his index finger, and cast a Magic Disruption.
An invisible force field shot from his fingertip, hitting the Dark Wizard's wand. The spell light at the tip of the wand extinguished instantly, the flow of magic was cut off abruptly, and the Dark Wizard was stunned. Malfoy turned back and knocked him away with a wind blade.
Blaise Zabini and Callis also ran from the direction of Scrivenshaft's. A Goblin raised a short sword to stab at Blaise's chest. Blaise didn't even raise his wand; he just glanced at that Goblin—Mental Shock. The Goblin's brain went blank instantly, his body stiffened, his pupils dilated, and his hand holding the short sword stopped in mid-air. Blaise slapped the short sword away, and the Goblin fell straight down.
Callis's hair was a bit messy, and the expression on her face wasn't as gentle as usual. She waved her wand, and a blue light pattern formed in the air, spreading out like a net, trapping the two Goblins who were charging at the front. The Goblins struggled, blue electric arcs exploded from the net, and the Goblins were electrocuted until their bodies twitched, and they fell down.
Crabbe and Goyle retreated to Malfoy's side. Crabbe's robe was slashed open, but he wasn't injured. Goyle's face was splattered with blood—not his own, but the Goblin's. He had a short sword in his hand that hadn't been there before—probably snatched—and the way he held it was wrong.
Pansy guarded behind Malfoy to prevent anyone from sneak-attacking.
The enemies gathered more and more. People were still pouring out of the narrow alley, and people were also pouring out of the back door of Honeydukes. Even the windows of the post office were smashed open, and several Dark Wizards crawled out from inside. Malfoycounted—at least twenty Goblins, fifteen Dark Wizards. They were clearly prepared.
Cassandra appeared at this time, standing on the roof of Scrivenshaft's, arms crossed, her trench coat fluttering slowly in the wind. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze sweeping across the battlefield, quickly calculating the distribution of enemies, weak points, and optimal attack routes. At the same time, a silent mental link was established in the minds of all Slytherin teammates—Team Mental Link.
"Three Goblins on the left, Malfoy take care of them." "Theodore, Dark Wizard on the right rear, interrupt his spell." "Crabbe, aim at your front, your fists can break his armor." "Daphne, prepare to rebound, someone is going to cast Crucio on Goyle." "Goyle, don't move, leave it to Daphne."
There were no extra words. The instructions were concise and precise. The Slytherin students began to operate like a precision machine.
Chapter 81: Battle Begins (II)
Malfoy turned, a wind blade reaping the Goblin on his left. Theodore didn't even look; he pointed his right index finger toward the side-rear, and the magic of the Dark Wizardpreparing to cast Crucio was instantly interrupted. Crabbeshattered a minotaur's breastplate with a single punch. Daphne's light mirror was set up in front of Goyle in advance, reflecting the Crucio back, and the Dark Wizardfell to the ground screaming.
Farley slowly walked out from behind Daphne. Her high heels tapped lightly against the ground, the clicking sound echoing coldly. Her gait was elegant, each step exuding a chill.
Several Goblins lunged at her simultaneously. Farleyraised her hand and clenched it lightly; a small patch of space centered on her suddenly froze. The Goblins' short swords hung in mid-air, their bodies frozen in the lunging posture.
Farley walked past them and flicked her finger lightly in the air. The stasis was lifted, and the several Goblins fell to the ground simultaneously, finished off by Crabbe and Goyle before they could even react.
More Slytherin students arrived from all directions—seventh years, sixth years, fifth years. Under Cassandra's constant direction, their wands lit up with blue light, and Ancient Magic runes constantly burst in the night sky of Hogsmeade, looking very much like blue fireworks.
Malfoy watched as more and more people surged forward; the Slytherin students were continuously swallowing the enemy's defensive lines.
The battle lasted less than ten minutes. The Goblins in the narrow alley finally stopped pouring out, and the Dark Wizards rushing out from the back door were gone too.
Just as Malfoy and Crabbe were clearing out the last few Goblins back-to-back, his peripheral vision seemed to catch something incredible.
It wasn't an enemy; it was a head, hanging in mid-air, right at the entrance of Honeydukes sweet shop.
That head wore round glasses, had messy hair, a pale complexion, and pursed lips, and was nervously staring at the battlefield.
His body was missing—or rather, covered by a silver Invisibility Cloak. But the cloak hadn't been draped properly; the part over his head had slipped down, revealing his entire face, while his body remained hidden under the cloak, looking like a severed head floating in the air.
Malfoy's wand almost slipped from his hand.
"Shit—" He took a step back and bumped into Pansy's back. Pansy stumbled forward from the impact, and the Ancient Magic rune in her hand went off-target, slamming into the wall of Honeydukes and blasting a hole in it.
"What are you doing?" Pansy turned back to glare at him.
Malfoy ignored her; he was now staring intently at that head, and the head was staring back at him.
"Potter?" Malfoy's voice was very low, low enough that only the few people nearby could hear.
Harry's expression changed—from nervous to the panic of "Oh no, I've been found out." He reached out to pull the cloak up to cover his face, but his movement was too fast, and the whole cloak slid down, revealing his entire body, before he quickly threw it back on.
"You—why are you here?" Malfoy's voice returned to normal, but his tone still carried a "You scared the hell out of me" kind of irritation.
Harry opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.
A Goblin rushed over from the side; Malfoy didn't turn his head, just backhanded a spell that sent it flying.
"Are you… spying on us?"
"I'm not spying," Harry said. "I was just passing by."
"Passing by?" Malfoy glanced at the Invisibility Cloak on him. "Shouldn't you be at school right now? Oh... I get it. You... snuck out?"
Harry didn't speak.
Crabbe and Goyle also saw Harry; the short sword in Goyle's hand almost fell to the ground.
Pansy poked her head out from behind Malfoy, and seeing Harry's face hanging in mid-air, she also froze for a moment.
"Potter," Pansy said, "where is your body?"
"In the cloak," Harry said.
"Then what is your head doing outside?"
Harry opened his mouth. Listen to that, is that human language? He didn't want to leave his head outside either...
Malfoy stared at Harry for a few seconds, then slowly put away his wand. His expression shifted from irritation to speechlessness.
"You didn't see my... er... expression just now, did you..." Malfoy asked cautiously.
"I didn't see anything," Harry said.
"Your eyes dart to the left when you lie... Forget it, Potter, let's just go down together!"
Harry's eyes stopped darting and stared straight at Malfoy.
Malfoy felt uncomfortable being stared at, snorted, and turned to leave. Crabbe and Goyle followed behind. Pansywalked a few steps, then turned back to look at Harry one more time.
"Potter, make sure you wear your cloak properly; don't catch a cold." Pansy mocked him with a grin, then turned and chased after Malfoy.
Harry stood alone at the entrance of Honeydukes, clutching the Invisibility Cloak in his hand, then slowly crouched down and shuffled toward the village entrance, sticking close to the wall.
Footsteps came from the village entrance. Su Yu walked in, pulling Hermione, while Farley and Cassandra were already standing behind him.
Su Yu walked up to Malfoy, looked at the enemies lying on the ground, and then looked at the Slytherin students.
"Malfoy."
"Chief." Malfoy immediately stood straight.
"Casualties?"
"No one from Slytherin is injured! But a few students from other houses sustained some minor injuries."
Su Yu nodded. "Well done."
The corners of Malfoy's mouth curled up slightly.
More rapid footsteps came from the village entrance. Professor McGonagall walked in the lead, followed by Professor Snape, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Sprout. The Professors from several houses had rushed over without stopping after hearing what happened in Hogsmeade.
Professor McGonagall's face was livid, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her gaze swept over the Goblins and Dark Wizards lying on the ground, then swept over the Slytherin students, paused for a few seconds, and then turned to the Professors behind her.
"Treat the wounded," Professor McGonagall's voice felt filled with fury. "Notify the Ministry of Magic. Seal off Hogsmeade; do not allow anyone to enter or exit."
Professor Snape walked up to Malfoy and looked down at him. Malfoy looked up. The corners of Snape's mouth moved slightly, but he didn't say anything and walked past him.
Professor Flitwick crouched down to examine an injured Goblin, while Professor Sprout was bandaging a Hufflepuff girl with a bleeding arm.
Professor McGonagall walked up to Su Yu, looking at him, and then at the Slytherin students behind him.
"Mr. Sean Foley."
"Professor."
"Your students used magic in Hogsmeade and engaged in a battle." Professor McGonagall's tone was very flat, not like an interrogation, but more like a statement. "What do you have to say about this?"
Su Yu was silent for a moment. "May I say that they did a good job?"
The corner of Professor McGonagall's mouth twitched.
She turned around to face all the Hogwarts students. "All students, pack your things immediately and prepare to return to school. Hogsmeade is temporarily closed until the Ministry of Magic completes its investigation."
No one objected; the Slytherin students walked toward the village entrance, arms draped over each other's shoulders.
Malfoy walked in the lead with his head held high, with Crabbe and Goyle following behind him like two door gods. Pansy held onto Daphne's arm, while Blaise and Callis carried a large bag of snacks, walking at the very back, the two still whispering about something.
The night sky of Hogsmeade lit up again—it was the Ministry of Magic's searchlights. Several figures walked in from the village entrance, wearing dark robes with Ministry of Magic badges pinned to their chests. The one in the lead wore gold-rimmed glasses and had a stern expression.
Professor McGonagall went to meet them.
Su Yu stood at the entrance of Honeydukes, holding Kurama, watching the Slytherin students walk past him one by one, excited. Kurama poked her head out from his arms, looking at the mess all over the ground.
Kurama thought for a moment. "They really did a very good job this time."
Chapter 82: Trial
As everyone knows, the Ministry of Magic's efficiency has never been high, but this time, it was surprisingly fast.
Less than a night after the Hogsmeade Bloody Night, they began investigating the cause with full force. However, Su Yu commented on this, "Waiting for that bunch of losers to find a result—who knows how long that would take."
Therefore, he had the members of the Shadow Compass Society who had graduated a few years ago and were hidden within the Ministry of Magic also begin tracking the investigation.
However, a few days later, the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures sent a formal notice to Hogwarts—Buckbeak's case would be heard next Wednesday.
"Those old geezers certainly know how to pick their timing." Malfoy stood before the common room fireplace, fingers pinching another notice, his grey eyes full of mockery. "Taking advantage of everyone's attention being on the Goblin matter to quietly close the case."
"Your father's moves aren't slow either." Blaise leaned back on the sofa, holding a glass of red wine. "The Goblinmatter hasn't even been cleared up, and he's already pushed Hagrid's case to the forefront."
Malfoy glanced at him but didn't speak.
By the time Hermione told Su Yu about their visit to see Hagrid, it was already Saturday. She had run to the Slytherin common room early in the morning, but it wasn't until nearly noon that she saw Su Yu emerge from the dormitory with his arms around Cassandra, looking like he had just woken up—anyone who didn't know better would think he'd been working hard all night.
Hermione recounted what happened when she and Harrywent to find Hagrid while she ate lunch.
When they went to knock on Hagrid's hut door, it didn't open. Harry knocked a few more times, and Hagrid's muffled voice came from inside: "Go away."
"Hagrid, it's us." Harry said, "Harry and Hermione."
After a long silence, the door slowly opened.
Hermione said that when she saw Hagrid standing at the door, his eyes were swollen like walnuts, his nose was red, and un-wiped tears still hung in his beard. He was still wearing the brown suit he had worn to the Ministry of Magic the day before, but the tie had been ripped off, his shirt collar was open, and he looked like a tree that had been struck by lightning.
"Lost." Hagrid's voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible. "They said Buckbeak is guilty and must be executed."
Hermione covered her mouth, her eyes instantly reddening, while Harry stood there, his hands clenched into fists.
"They said it was fortunate that the Malfoy boy was strong enough not to be injured. If it had been any other student, a dangerous creature like Buckbeak would have caused a huge disaster, so they can't be kept at school." Hagridturned around, stumbling back into the room, and plopped down onto that massive wooden chair. The chair creaked and groaned, as if protesting his weight.
Hermione followed him in and sat opposite Hagrid. "Did you read the defense statement?"
Hagrid lowered his head. "I read the first few sentences, then I forgot. They were sitting there staring at me, and Malfoy's dad was sitting on the side laughing, so I couldn't remember anything."
Harry stood at the door, not going in.
Hermione pulled a neatly folded piece of parchment from her pocket, unfolded it, and handed it to Hagrid. "This is the appeal process. I've checked, there's still a chance—"
"It's useless." Hagrid pushed the parchment away without taking it. "The Committee's verdict is set, and the Minister has signed it. Appeal? You'd have to wait in line until next year; Buckbeak can't wait that long." He buried his face in his massive palms, his shoulders heaving. There was no sound, but Hermione knew he was crying.
Hermione stood up, walked over to Hagrid, and placed her hand on his broad, trembling shoulder. Hagrid didn't move, nor did he look up.
"I won't let him die." Hermione's voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.
Hagrid lifted his face from his palms, his red eyes looking at her. "What did you say?"
"I said, I won't let Buckbeak die."
Harry walked in from the door and stood next to Hermione. "Neither will I."
Hagrid looked at the two of them, his lips trembling, and lowered his head again.
"You're both good kids." His voice was muffled in his hands. "But in this matter, you can't help."
Hermione didn't reply. She folded the appeal process parchment back up, stuffed it into her pocket, and pulled Harry out of the hut. The door closed behind them with a dull thud.
They walked back along the path, neither of them speaking. Hermione walked in front, her pace fast, and Harry followed behind her, nearly stepping on her heels several times.
"What are you planning to do?" Harry asked.
"I don't know." Hermione didn't turn her head. "But there will always be a way."
"Lost." Hermione said, sitting across from Su Yu. "Hagridforgot his lines, he forgot everything. We prepared three weeks of defense statements for him, and he didn't even get the opening out clearly. Lucius Malfoy sat in the gallery and spoke ten times better than him." She lowered her head, drawing circles on the table with her finger. "If only I could go. I could speak for Hagrid, but they won't let me; I'm still a student..."
Su Yu didn't speak. How could he not know that Buckbeakwouldn't die? He could only keep comforting Hermione.
Kurama also pushed the unfinished cheesecake in front of her. Hermione glanced at it, shook her head, and lowered it again.
"Your efforts weren't in vain." Daphne sat next to Hermioneand put her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "You've already done everything you could."
Hermione leaned against Daphne and closed her eyes.
Divination Class.
In the classroom at the top of the North Tower, ProfessorTrelawney was explaining the tricks of crystal ball divination in her signature sleepwalking voice. The curtains were drawn tight, and the fire in the fireplace cast flickering shadows in the dim light.
"The crystal ball is one of the most difficult artifacts in the world to master." Her eyes, magnified several times over, stared at everyone through glasses that looked like the bottoms of wine bottles. "It requires not technique, but talent—a talent that most of you likely do not possess."
Hermione lifted her head from the crystal ball, glanced at her, and looked back down at the transparent sphere in front of her. "Now, let us begin, my dears. Gaze into the crystal ball and tell me what you see."
The classroom went quiet. Ron leaned close to the crystal ball, his nose almost touching the glass. "I see white mist." He leaned in a bit closer, squinting exaggeratedly. "Maybe there will be heavy fog tonight?"
A few stifled laughs came from around them. Harry wiped the crystal ball with his sleeve, but saw nothing, only murky white mist. Hermione's crystal ball was also filled with white mist. She didn't laugh, just stared at that ball of mist, her brows furrowed tightly.
"Miss Granger, what do you see?" Professor Trelawneyfloated over to Hermione and asked in that echoing voice.
"White mist." Hermione answered truthfully.
"Your Inner Eye has not yet opened. No matter." With that, she floated away.
The knuckles of Hermione's fingers, which were gripping the base of the crystal ball, turned slightly white. Su Yuheld her small hand from the side. Kurama crouched next to the crystal ball and swiped at the surface with her paw. The white mist churned for a moment, then returned to calm.
"I didn't see anything either. Do I lack talent, too? No, it must be that this crystal ball is broken. I strongly demand a replacement!" She licked her paw and protested with a look of indignation.
Chapter 83: Third Year Quidditch Finals (Everyone, please rate! Data is running out)
Thanks to Feifeifei Nuonuo for the gifts! Since there was no room in the title, I added it inside. Thank you. Next is the third volume's original plot. Since not much happened in the third volume of the original book, I've added this story to the third year. I will also change the fourth year to an eight-school battle royale.
Su Yu stroked Kurama's head. He had to soothe both the heartbroken Miss Granger and the irritable Kuramasimultaneously, although his crystal ball was just a mass of white fog, and nothing had happened.
Harry's, on the other hand—Su Yu glanced at it—seemed to have something surging in the shadows within the crystal ball for a moment, like a profile taking shape, but when he looked closely, the white fog obscured everything again.
"I saw—a Dementor," Harry said, his tone uncertain.
"You say you saw a Dementor?" Trelawney's voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet classroom. "Mr. Potter, your destiny is entangled with darkness... a shadow lurking by your side, someone who once betrayed their closest kin."
Hermione couldn't take it anymore. She pushed the crystal ball away and stood up. "Professor Trelawney, these prophecies are completely untrustworthy."
The classroom went silent instantly, and everyone's eyes turned to Hermione.
"What I see is truth." Trelawney pushed up her glasses. "Your skepticism only exposes your lack of spirituality. Some people will never reach that door in their entire lives—you, clearly, are one of those people."
Hermione's mouth opened, then closed. She was silent for a few seconds, then placed the crystal ball on the table. Her voice was not loud, but firm. "I'm dropping this class."
"What did you say?" Trelawney was uncharacteristically flustered.
"I said I'm dropping this class." Hermione picked up her bag from the table without looking back. "I'm going to take Arithmancy. At least that class has logic, data, and conclusions, instead of wasting an afternoon catering to someone's hocus-pocus."
She pushed open the classroom door, her curly ponytail disappearing into the dim corridor. Trelawney stood there, mouth agape for a long time. No one else in the classroom made a sound. Harry stared at the doorway with a complex expression, while Daphne lowered her head and pushed the crystal ball away.
Su Yu leaned back in his chair, and Kurama poked her head out from his arms, looking in the direction Hermione had left.
"She left," Kurama said.
"I know."
"Aren't you going to chase after her?"
"No need," Su Yu said. "If she doesn't like to study it, she doesn't have to. It's fine as long as she studies what she loves. I've wanted to say it for a long time; she doesn't need to work this hard."
Kurama hummed. Then why did she have to study these things she didn't want to? Just because she had to help his lazy self write papers? She was about to flip the table!!
The wind blew through the North Tower window, causing the curtains to billow and revealing the gray sky outside... The fire in the fireplace crackled, and the crystal balls cast dim light under the candlelight.
Trelawney returned to the front of the podium and took a sip of sherry. "Now, let's continue the lesson..." Her voice trembled slightly, but she quickly returned to her mystical tone. Ron leaned toward the crystal ball again, pulling faces, while Harry stared at the door in a daze for a long time.
"Oh!" Lavender suddenly cried out, startling everyone. "Oh! Professor Trelawney, I remember! You foresaw that she would leave, didn't you, Professor? 'Around Easter, one of us will leave us forever!' You said it a long time ago, Professor!"
Trelawney gave her a teary-eyed smile.
"Yes, dear, I did know Miss Granger was going to leave us. But one always hopes that one has misread the signs... The Inner Eye is sometimes a burden, you know..."
Lavender and Parvati looked absolutely awestruck. They moved their seats so Trelawney could sit next to their table.
The second Saturday after Easter, the Quidditch finals began: Ravenclaw versus Slytherin.
The ownership of this year's Quidditch Cup depended on this match. If Slytherin won, the cup would stay with Slytherin; if Ravenclaw won, they would lift the championship trophy they hadn't touched in seventeen years.
Hogwarts in May was covered in a fresh layer of green. Tender leaves sprouted from the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, ripples occasionally spread across the lake, and sunlight leaked through gaps in the clouds, casting patches of golden light on the lawn. The stands of the Quidditch Pitch were divided into two camps by blue and green flags. The flags on the Slytherin side were embroidered with snakes, and those on the Ravenclaw side were embroidered with eagles.
Su Yu carried Kurama up to the Slytherin stands, and they found a row of empty seats in the top tier to sit down.
"Why are you sitting so high up?" Daphne asked, confused.
"The view is better."
"As long as he doesn't start grilling meat again, I'll thank the heavens..." Farley joked from the side.
Kurama jumped down from his arms, ran to Cassandra, and crouched on the railing. Her tail swayed, and her amber eyes stared at the pitch. The wind blew from the Forbidden Forest, causing her fur to drift backward, and she squinted her eyes.
There were more and more people in the stands. Pansy sat in the front row, her scarf pulled up to her chin, clutching a Slytherin flag. Crabbe and Goyle sat next to her, each holding a bag of Fizzing Whizbees, stuffing them into their mouths. Astoria sat next to Pansy, wearing a pale blue robe, her hair loose. She didn't have a flag, but she cheered loudly for Malfoy along with Pansy.
In the Gryffindor stands, Harry sat next to Hermione, craning his neck to look toward the Ravenclaw side. Ronsat on Harry's other side, chewing Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. After chewing twice, his expression changed, and he spat out a gray bean. "Earwax flavor." He stuffed the remaining beans back into his pocket.
Hermione ignored him. Her gaze crossed the pitch and landed on the girl with the ponytail in the Ravenclaw team—Cho Chang, fifth year, Ravenclaw's Seeker.
The referee, Madam Hooch, stood in the center of the pitch with her whistle in her mouth. The two captains—Roger Davies of Ravenclaw and Marcus Flint of Slytherin—stood face to face, glared at each other, and shook hands.
The moment the whistle blew, fourteen broomsticks shot into the sky simultaneously.
The Slytherin team took the initiative. Montague slid past Ravenclaw Chaser Chambers like a snake, the Quaffle firmly tucked under his arm. Pucey inserted himself at high speed from the other side. With an exchange of glances, the ball flew from Montague's hand to Pucey's.
Before the Ravenclaw Keeper could react, Pucey flicked his wrist, and the Quaffle traced an arc, accurately passing through the goal hoop.
"Oh, my god, ten to zero! Slytherin leads!" The commentator Lee Jordan's voice exploded over the pitch.
Pansy screamed, waving the green flag. Crabbe and Goylestood up and waved their fists; Goyle still had half a bag of Fizzing Whizbees in his hand, and he didn't even notice when the candy spilled all over the floor. Malfoy flew out of the formation and lifted his chin toward the stands.
Ravenclaw didn't panic. Their captain, Davies, shouted from high up, and the blue team quickly adjusted their formation. Cho Chang hovered high in the air, gripping her broom handle, her hair flowing in the wind.
She wasn't watching the Quaffle; her eyes were fixed on the airspace behind the Slytherin goalposts—the Golden Snitch hadn't appeared yet, but she was already flying. Viewed from high above, her trajectory was like an eagle closing in on its prey.
Slytherin's offensive grew more intense. The passing speed of Montague and Pucey was so fast that the Ravenclaw Chasers couldn't react in time. Although Flint's seeking skills were average, his physique gave him an absolute advantage when competing for the Quaffle, and every collision knocked the Ravenclaw players away.
In less than ten minutes, Montague scored another goal, and Pucey followed up with one. The score stretched to thirty-zero, and people in the Ravenclaw stands began to feel uneasy.
Chapter 84: Ravenclaw's Revelry
(If you have a moment, could you please rate this book? I'd be eternally grateful. It's been 300,000 words and still no rating, so it's not getting any promotion...)
Davies started to get anxious. He shouted at Cho Chang, but she didn't answer; her fingers traced lightly over the broom handle.
Malfoy flew beneath her, glanced up at her, snorted, and dove down to snatch the Quaffle.
Ravenclaw's first goal came unexpectedly. Cho Changsuddenly changed her flight path, cutting across horizontally like a pair of scissors, slicing through the middle of the Slytherin formation.
She was moving so fast that even her afterimage was barely visible. Pucey, the Slytherin Chaser, had just gotten hold of the Quaffle, but before he could even get a proper grip, Cho Chang intercepted it from the side. Pucey paused for a split second, then accelerated sharply to pursue, but the runes on Cho Chang's broom flashed as she turned, and the broom moved almost laterally. Pucey's hand grazed past the Quaffle, catching nothing.
"Cho Chang has intercepted the ball! She passes—Bradley catches it! Chambers—shoots—and it's in! Thirty to ten!" Lee Jordan shouted excitedly from the commentary box, and finally, cheers erupted from the Ravenclaw stands.
"Wait—Cho Chang's speed is still increasing, and her broom—her broom is even more agile than a firebolt!"
But Slytherin's counterattack came even faster. Flint took the ball himself, his massive frame like a moving mountain that the Ravenclaw Chasers couldn't stop at all.
He passed the ball to Montague, who feinted to trick the Keeper and tossed it gently—the ball went in again. Forty to ten. The Slytherin stands came alive once more.
Cho Chang didn't stop. Her broom kept tracing circles—high circles, low circles, spiraling left and right. The Ravenclaw players seemed to have suddenly had an epiphany; Bradley and Chambers stopped blindly attacking and instead passed the ball to Cho Chang for her to coordinate. After Cho Chang received the ball, she never held it for more than three seconds, whether passing, dribbling, or breaking through. Every choice she made was so precise that it caught the Slytherin defense off guard.
The score began to tighten: fifty to thirty, sixty to forty. Slytherin kept the lead, but Ravenclaw was hot on their heels. The two sides traded blows, with possession alternating between them. Malfoy followed behind Cho Chang for an entire lap, but every time he tried to cut off her passing lane, she anticipated it in advance, either shaking him off or dodging past him.
The first half had been going on for nearly forty minutes. The score was very close, with Slytherin leading by thirty points, but Ravenclaw's offensive was becoming increasingly fierce.
Cho Chang wasn't just a Seeker; she participated in every aspect of offense and defense—stealing, passing, coordinating. She was flying all over the field, and her stamina seemed infinite.
Malfoy began to get agitated. He flew behind Cho Chang, trying to use the speed advantage of his Nimbus 2001 to overtake her, but Cho Chang managed to shake him off on every turn. Malfoy needed time to decelerate, adjust his direction, and accelerate again; Cho Chang didn't. He tried to intercept her once, but she nimbly dodged past him, and he didn't even touch the hem of her robes.
"Catch up to her!" Pansy shouted from the stands.
Crabbe shouted along too, but his mouth was stuffed with candy, and the sound came out garbled.
When the second half began, the clouds thickened, blocking the sunlight, and the light and shadow on the field shifted dramatically. The Golden Snitch circled behind the Slytherin goalposts, its golden wings particularly dazzling against the grayish-white sky, and then it darted suddenly toward the center of the field.
Cho Chang and Malfoy moved almost simultaneously.
Two firebolts dove from different directions. The ground magnified rapidly in their field of vision, the faces in the stands blurred into indistinct patches of color, and the wind whipped past their ears like knife cuts.
Malfoy leaned his body to try and reduce drag, but Cho Chang remained motionless, her straight line more stable and straighter than his.
Malfoy reached out his hand, only an arm's length from the Golden Snitch. His fingertips almost touched its constantly flapping wings—and then Cho Chang's runes lit up.
Blue light spread from the broom handle to the entire broom, like a flowing river. Her broom accelerated sharply, catapulting forward. She and the broom vaulted over Malfoy from the side, her body springing out like a fully drawn bow that had suddenly been released.
Her hand reached over Malfoy's head, and her fingers firmly clamped onto the Golden Snitch's wings.
The Golden Snitch struggled twice, then went quiet.
Malfoy's hand remained suspended in mid-air, having caught nothing. He held that reaching posture like a statue that had suddenly been hit with a pause button. He slowly pulled his hand back and gripped the broom handle, his knuckles white. He didn't look at Cho Chang, nor did he look at his own teammates.
The entire stadium fell silent for about two seconds. Everyone's gaze was fixed on that golden speck of light in her hand that no longer struggled.
Until Cho Chang slowly raised her fist high in the air, letting the Golden Snitch's light illuminate the entire stadium—
Blue flags surged like an ocean. Over on the Ravenclawside, some people were crying, some were screaming, and some were waving their scarves frantically over their heads.
Davies was the first to rush toward Cho Chang, nearly falling off his broom. Bradley and Chambers hugged each other, and the Ravenclaw Keeper threw his broom aside, covered his face with both hands, and crouched on the ground.
Malfoy hovered in mid-air, looking at the Golden Snitch in Cho Chang's hand with a complex expression. He wanted to turn and leave, but Flint flew over and patted his shoulder without saying a word. Malfoy didn't dodge, nor did he pat back; he just hung there, watching the Ravenclaw revelry.
He didn't fly fast; his broom descended slowly, as if dragged down by something, his gray eyes reflecting the revelry of the blue-clad team.
"Malfoy." Su Yu stood up from the stands, leaned against the railing, and shouted down.
Malfoy looked up. Su Yu didn't say anything, just gave him a thumbs up. Malfoy was stunned for a moment, turned his head back, landed on the ground, got off his broom, and shouldered it. Crabbe and Goyle ran down from the stands; one took his broom, and the other patted his back.
"Malfoy lost the game and, uncharacteristically, isn't yelling at anyone." Blaise sat in the spectator seats with his legs crossed, commenting with boredom.
"At least he's making progress." Callis said without looking up.
Crabbe clumsily brought over a cup of butterbeer. Malfoydidn't take it, and Crabbe just stood there like a fool, not knowing to put it down. Malfoy was almost amused to the point of laughing at his expression, and finally couldn't hold it back, twitching the corner of his mouth: "You could at least put it on the chair; aren't your hands tired?"
Crabbe put the cup down, looking relieved.
Over there, the Ravenclaw revelry hadn't yet dissipated, and Cho Chang had already flown over from the other end of the field.
Her boots landed on the stone steps with a dull thud. Kurama jumped away from her feet, flicking her tail in dissatisfaction. Su Yu, who was leaning against the railing, hadn't even managed to stand up fully when Cho Changpounced on him.
Her arms clamped tightly around his neck, her face buried in the crook of his shoulder. Su Yu was knocked backward, his back hitting the railing.
He reached out and patted her back.
"We actually won..." Cho Chang's voice was muffled against his shoulder, a bit hoarse and shaky.
She loosened her grip on his neck and stepped back half a step, her eyes red. Her face was flushed red from the wind, a few strands of hair were loose, and her ponytail was lopsided. She looked at Su Yu, wanting to say something; her lips moved, but she didn't speak. Finally, she smiled and just kissed him.
Kurama sat at Su Yu's feet, looking up at Cho Chang, her tail no longer wagging. Farley leaned against the railing, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. Daphne stood behind, smiling helplessly.
After a long, long time, the two separated. Cho Changlooked at Su Yu. "Thank you for the broom you gave me, and thank you for the runes you taught me."
Su Yu looked at her. "Congratulations. These were actually all due to your own ability."
Cho Chang smiled again, this time wider than before, her eyes crinkling, revealing a bit of her teeth. She reached up and pulled out her lopsided ponytail, letting her hair cascade over her shoulders. "I'm going back now, there's still the awards ceremony!" She turned to walk down the steps, stopped after two steps, looked back at Su Yu, and then ran off.
Kurama jumped back onto Su Yu's lap and looked up at him. "She's quite happy."
"Yeah."
"But Farley is not happy."
Su Yu's posture leaning against the railing stiffened. He pulled Kurama closer into his arms, seeking some warmth. Only now did he remember that Farley and the others were still watching. Su Yu was too scared to even look back.
The wind blew, and the blue Ravenclaw flags fluttered loudly below the stands. Music from the awards ceremony drifted over from the field.
Only Hermione—and she didn't know if it was an auditory hallucination—seemed to hear the sound of Harry's heart breaking beside her. He had been staring at the direction of Cho Chang and Su Yu since just now, his eyes dull and lifeless.
Chapter 85: Preliminary Clues
On an evening just a few days after the competition ended, Su Yu was curled up on the sofa in the Slytherin common room. The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, warming the deep green velvet sofa. Kurama was lying on his lap, her tail flicking from time to time, brushing across the back of Su Yu's hand.
Su Yu was stroking Kurama's back with one hand, while flipping through the Potion Class notes he had borrowed from Daphne with the other, a piece of toast he had swiped from the kitchen hanging from his mouth.
The door to the common room was pushed open.
Isolde Rosier walked in. She was wearing a dark gray trench coat with the collar turned up, covering half her face. Her dark hair was tied back, and her features were sharp. Her high heels clicked against the stone floor, and Su Yulooked up from the sofa to glance at her.
"Yo, Isolde, how do you have time to visit today?" Su Yuswallowed the bread, moved Kurama from his lap to the side, and patted the spot next to him.
Isolde walked over and sat down next to Su Yu, pulling a thick, ancient book from the inside pocket of her trench coat.
"Can we talk about business first? Boss..." This was how Su Yu had asked Isolde to address him; he felt it made her seem more like a secretary.
The book's cover was made of dark brown leather, the edges heavily worn, and the gold lettering on the spine was so faded it was nearly illegible.
"I swiped it from the Restricted Section of the library," Isolde continued. "I thought you should see it, Boss. Professor Graves said this might be related to the recent Goblin riots."
Hearing that it was related to the Goblin riots, Su Yu took the book and flipped through it seriously. It was quite a piece of work. The pages were yellowed like autumn ginkgo leaves, the corners were curled, some parts were moth-eaten, and some parts had been soaked in water, leaving the writing a blurry mess. He flipped through a few pages, frowned, flipped forward again, and his finger stopped at a missing page.
"It's missing," Su Yu said. "Four pages are missing from the most critical part in the middle."
"Yes," Isolde stood across from the coffee table, arms crossed over her chest. "Professor Graves said those four pages should have contained secrets regarding Ancient Magic."
Su Yu closed the book and looked up at her. "Secrets of Ancient Magic? Where did you get this?"
"From a shelf in the Restricted Section," Isolde said. "There was also a drawing tucked into the spine of this book." She took out a neatly folded piece of parchment from her trench coat pocket, unfolded it, and placed it on the coffee table. The parchment had a sketch on it, signed by Richard Jackdaw.
"I've also looked into this Richard Jackdaw; he is currently a member of the Headless Hunt."
Su Yu leaned in to look, his eyes narrowing. "The Headless Hunt? The one Nearly Headless Nick has always wanted to join?"
"Yes," Isolde said, shifting her body constantly. "Those ghosts should know the whereabouts of those missing pages. And Boss, could you stop touching it? You're making my stockings pill..."
Su Yu pulled his hand back with a straight face, packed away the ancient book and the sketch, and stood up as Kurama jumped onto his shoulder. "Fine, I'll go ask Nick."
Isolde remained seated, and Su Yu looked at her. "Do you need anything else?"
"I need a moment, Boss..." Isolde said, looking a bit helpless. "Why don't you go ahead?"
Su Yu gave a dry cough, pretending not to know anything. "Alright then, I'll head over first. Take care of yourself."
——————
Because Su Yu was not a Gryffindor student, he was currently standing in front of The Fat Lady's portrait. The Fat Lady was holding a glass of wine, tilting her head to look at him.
"You are not a Gryffindor," The Fat Lady said, her tone not very friendly. "What is a Slytherin student doing coming here?"
"I'm looking for Nearly Headless Nick," the honest Su Yuanswered truthfully.
The Fat Lady took a sip of wine and squinted at him. "I don't know where Nick is either, so I can't help you, but you cannot come in."
Su Yu stood in the corridor expressionlessly. Kurama was already baring her teeth while lying on his shoulder, her tail standing up and floating in the air, ready to tear apart this fat tin can who was squinting at people.
What? You didn't have the guts to stop Sirius, but you have the guts to stop your Auntie Kurama? Most importantly, this fat tin can actually dared to squint at her!!!
Several Gryffindor students passing by were too scared to move, quietly leaning against the wall, huddled together at the entrance, unable to advance or retreat.
Footsteps suddenly came from the other end of the corridor, light and with a skipping rhythm. Su Yu turned his head and saw Ginny Weasley bouncing out from around the corner, holding a stack of books. Her red hair was tied in a low ponytail, she was wearing a Gryffindor school robe, and her scarf was loose on her shoulders, not tied properly.
"Su Yu?" Ginny was stunned when she saw him, her pace slowing for a beat. Then she saw the group of Gryffindorstudents gathered there and walked over quickly. "Why are you here? You can't get into the Gryffindor common room."
"I know," Su Yu said. "I'm looking for a way in."
The onlookers from Gryffindor stepped back in unison; they were brave, not stupid.
"What?" Ginny switched her books to her other hand and tilted her head to look at him, a bit confused. "Isn't the door right there? Are you planning to... Oh! Merlin's beard! Are you planning to break in?"
Su Yu glanced at the fat tin can. "Not me, it's Kurama. She can't stand people provoking her, especially when they squint at her."
"That's because The Fat Lady doesn't have a front-facing portrait! She can't look at people head-on! Oh my god..." As she spoke, Ginny quickly took Kurama down from Su Yu's shoulder, held her in her arms, and while explaining to Kurama, kept stroking her fur.
Kurama, in her Spinosaurus form, suddenly felt a bit awkward, but still unable to drop her pride, she snorted before settling into Ginny's arms, no longer looking at that fat tin can.
The surrounding Gryffindor students breathed a sigh of relief, and then Ginny gave the password for the day and brought Su Yu into the Gryffindor common room.
The two talked as they walked.
"The Headless Hunt?" Ginny's voice dropped a little, carrying an irrepressible excitement. "My brothers mentioned them before—a group of headless ghosts who think they are superior to Nearly Headless Nick and won't let him join. Nick has been depressed about this for hundreds of years." She paused, "Why are you looking for them?"
"I found an ancient book with several torn-out pages," Su Yu, who had actually been feeling a bit embarrassed along the way after almost causing a huge misunderstanding, said. "The clues inside point to one of their ghosts, so I have to go ask."
Ginny fell silent for a moment, hugged Kurama tighter, rested her chin on Kurama's head, and stared at Su Yu, scanning his face twice.
(I know this part doesn't fit the original story, but it's based on a personal experience. When I was in high school, my deskmate's girlfriend was being stolen by someone else, and he wanted to fight the guy. When I got there, I saw that the guy kept squinting at people and didn't even look at us straight. A hot-tempered friend of ours walked up and slapped him, saying, "We're here to talk, but if you're going to squint at me, you're not taking us seriously..." After the slap, we realized he had strabismus; he was looking straight at us, but to us, it looked like he was squinting. We quickly apologized and bought him a lot of things; at the very least, we shouldn't bully a disabled person... In the end, we left, feeling ashamed. He couldn't even keep his own girlfriend and got her stolen by someone with strabismus—what a disgrace, and we even had to apologize to him...)