The Black Bloodline of Hogwarts

After turning the last bend, the lights of Hogwarts Castle gates became clearly visible.

However, just as they stepped onto the marble steps leading to the main building, a familiar figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

Professor Minerva McGonagall.

She was still wearing that dark green robe, which made her appear particularly solemn in the snowy night. Her eyes behind her square glasses were as sharp as an eagle's, and the tip of her wand gleamed with a bright silver light.

Clearly, she had been waiting there for quite some time. And standing beside her was Draco Malfoy, who wore a wicked grin.

"Good evening, children." Her voice was eerily calm. "Or rather, good evening, 'night wanderers.'"

The five of them froze on the spot. Harry and Ron seemed to be frozen in place, while Hermione's face turned bright red, her lips trembling as if she wanted to explain something.

Julien instinctively took half a step forward, shielding Liria behind him—a move that did not escape Professor McGonagall's notice.

"Mr. Black," Professor McGonagall said, her voice tinged with disbelief and confusion, "this afternoon we were discussing the form stability of living beings in the Transfiguration Club, and I remember you were quite mature then."

Her gaze shifted to Liria, her brow furrowing even more deeply. "And you, Miss Liria. You always listen attentively in class and never cause trouble. I'm curious, what got you two 'model students' mixed up with Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger—" She paused deliberately on the name Granger, "—?"

Hermione's face turned even redder. When did she become a typical bad student?

"Professor," Harry mustered his courage to speak, "this has nothing to do with Julien or Liria, it's us—"

“Mr. Potter,” Professor McGonagall interrupted him coldly, “please don’t interrupt while I’m speaking. Besides, I’ve noticed all six of you are here, which means all six of you will face the same consequences.”

She waved her wand, and six silver ribbons of light flew from its tip, wrapping around each person's wrist as if they were alive. "This is a variation of the 'Traction Charm,'" she explained, "to ensure you don't 'get lost' along the way. Now, follow me."

"Professor McGonagall, I think you've made a mistake. You said six people? Why am I tied up too?" Malfoy was clearly surprised.

"Mr. Malfoy, it's obvious you're not in your dormitory either. Of course, I'll explain this to Professor Snape."

Professor McGonagall turned and walked toward the castle, six beams of light gently guiding the six dejected little wizards.

Julien could feel the temperature of the magic on his wrist—not scorching, but with an undeniable binding force.

They walked through the silent corridor, the embers in the fireplace casting long and short shadows.

Liria suddenly spoke softly, the first time she had spoken to Professor McGonagall that evening: "Professor, Mr. Hagrid didn't do anything wrong. Will he be alright?"

Professor McGonagall tilted her head and nodded almost imperceptibly. "Oh?"

"It's rare that you're still thinking of others at a time like this; you don't need to worry about that."

"He's raising dragons! He's raising dragons without permission! I saw it!" Malfoy shouted, as if revealing some secret would make up for his mistake.

Harry, Malfoy, and his trio wore expressions of utter despair, while simultaneously glaring at Malfoy with resentment.

Only Julien noticed that Professor McGonagall frowned at this moment, but there was no surprise on her face.

"That dragon," Lyria's icy blue eyes gleamed in the firelight, "was deliberately given to Hagrid."

Professor McGonagall's gaze deepened. She knew, of course, Hagrid's obsession with magical creatures, and what that obsession had brought him.

"Oh? Where's the evidence, Miss Liria?"

"The markings on the dragon egg," Liria replied, "Norwegian Ridgeback eggs are usually just smooth—Ron should know that—but this one had a grayish-black net-like pattern—that's the mark of an artificial ripening potion. Someone wanted it to hatch quickly, wanted Hagrid to be found quickly."

Julien looked at the girl beside him in surprise. He had thought that Liria was only attracted by the little dragon's cuteness, but he did not expect her to be so observant.

Professor McGonagall remained silent for a long time. When they finally stopped in front of her office door, she turned to face the six children, her expression complex and unreadable.

"The six of you," she said slowly, "each of you will lose ten points. Furthermore, the appropriate punishment will be implemented after further discussion."

"Ten points each?!" Ron wailed. "That means Gryffindor lost thirty points!"

"Indeed, Mr. Ron's calculation skills are quite good." Professor McGonagall's lips twitched, but she continued to emphasize, "Hopefully this will remind you that the consequences of violating school rules are never borne by the individual alone; they will affect the entire college!"

Her gaze swept across everyone's face, finally settling on the scar on Harry's forehead, a fleeting, unreadable emotion flashing in her eyes.

"As for the dragon," she added, "I'll handle it myself. Hagrid will be warned, but not prosecuted—if Miss Liria's observations are accurate, then he's also a victim."

She waved her wand, and all six streaks of light vanished simultaneously. "Now, go back to your common room. If I find you engaging in any more nighttime activities—" She didn't finish her sentence, but the threat was clear.

The six men slunk out of the office. They went their separate ways.

In the corridor back to Gryffindor, Hermione finally broke down in tears: "It's all my fault! If I hadn't suggested going to Hagrid..."

"It was a decision we made together," Harry said firmly, "and we also discovered something important."

"Yes, it's all that Malfoy's fault!"

Julien first took Liria back to Hufflepuff. At the kitchen door, Liria suddenly turned around and said, "Julien, do you think Hagrid will be alright?"

“Professor McGonagall knows,” Julien said with a smile. “She knows just as much as we do. You don’t need to worry.”

Liria stopped before entering the Hufflepuff common room and whispered to Lian, "Thank you. Just now..."

"What? What are you thanking me for?" Julien was taken aback.

"You stood in front of me. It was an instinctive reaction." A faint smile appeared on her lips, like the first snowflakes blooming on an ice field. "No one has ever done that before."

Julien paused for a moment, then smiled: "It's... what a friend should do."

"Friends, yes. Warriors of the North will protect one another."

Something seemed to melt away in Liria's icy blue eyes. She didn't speak again, but simply nodded and turned to walk towards the spiral staircase.

The bronze raven's eyes gleamed with a deep blue light as it stood before the door to the Ravenclaw common room.

"What is it?" it asked. "The more you hide it, the easier it is to be discovered?"

"A secret," Julien replied, "or rather... the truth."

The raven blinked, seemingly satisfied with the answer. The door opened, and under the azure dome, the dawn had begun to slowly seep in.

Outside the window, the towers of Hogwarts awoke in the morning light. And from some unknown corner, a barely audible, serpentine hissing sound drifted out.