The Wind and the Wings of Hogwarts

As they were talking, Scott walked back and sat down next to George and Fred.

“Hey, buddy,” George whispered to him, “why didn’t you tell us about this!”

“You should have told us sooner,” Fred said.

“I thought it was irrelevant,” Scott said to them in a low voice. “I thought it was some kind of small animal that had run out of the sewer and into the pipes in the wall, and Potter just happened to understand the language of that kind of animal.”

"I wonder what that monster is?" Fred was extremely curious.

George said wistfully, "I wish we could see Dumbledore fight the monsters with our own eyes."

“Don’t even think about it,” Scott said.

……

Chapter 066 The Diary's Origin, Potter's Eyes

Professor McGonagall was eventually persuaded by Dumbledore.

After she left the office, Mrs. Weasley began to inquire about the details of the matter.

"Hagrid's rooster was killed, and I suspect I did it, but I don't know... I... I have no memory of it, but there was chicken blood and feathers on my clothes..."

Ginny threw herself into Mrs. Weasley's arms and began to cry.

“It was Riddle who forced me, he… he controlled me.”

"Who? Who is Riddle? How did you end up with that scoundrel named Riddle, darling!"

Mrs. Weasley patted Ginny's back tenderly.

Dumbledore said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I only found out about this after asking Miss Weasley just now. It's an old diary, Riddle's diary, and Miss Weasley was misled by him."

“A diary?” Mrs. Weasley glared at Ginny. “What’s wrong with you, Ginny?”

Ginny sobbed a few times, her voice hoarse, "After I got that diary, I kept writing in it. For the past two months, he... Riddle kept writing back to me..."

“Riddle…who is that?” Mrs. Weasley frowned.

Dumbledore said softly, "Tom Riddle, he is probably the most outstanding student Hogwarts has ever had."

He explained to the bewildered crowd, "Few people know that Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle."

"Oh! Merlin!"

Mrs. Weasley couldn't help but scream when she heard that forbidden name, and then hugged Ginny tightly in her arms in fear.

Dumbledore continued, "Fifty years ago, at Hogwarts, I personally taught him, Tom Riddle."

"Later, he disappeared after leaving school... He traveled far and wide, his footprints reaching the ends of the earth..."

"He sank deeper and deeper into the quagmire of dark magic, mingling with the most evil guys in the wizarding world, and undergoing many dangerous magical transformations."

"When he finally reappeared as Voldemort, people could hardly recognize him."

"Almost no one associates Voldemort with the smart, handsome male student council president who once studied here."

Everyone in the office was stunned when they heard what Dumbledore said.

Prior to this, apart from Scott, who knew the details, no one had connected this matter with Voldemort, the terrible Dark Lord.

"Ginny!"

Mr. Weasley couldn't help but break the silence.

His face was a little pale. He took two deep breaths and said sternly to his youngest daughter, "Haven't I taught you? What have I been telling you all along?"

Ginny lifted her flushed face and choked out, "Never...never trust...anything capable of independent thought...unless...unless you see...where it...it hides its mind..."

"So you remember all of this?" Mr. Weasley continued to criticize her. "Then why didn't you show the diary to us or the professors back then? You know, suspicious things like that are usually very dangerous dark magic items!"

Just then, Scott heard the twins beside him, who had recovered from the news about Voldemort, whispering to each other again.

“This is truly rare; it’s the first time I’ve seen Dad seriously criticize Ginny,” Fred said, his tone filled with surprise.

“And his mother didn’t stop him,” George said. “They were obviously furious.”

"I...I don't know..."

They heard Ginny tearfully confessing.

Her voice trembled; she was clearly terrified.

"I found the diary in a book my mother gave me. I... I thought someone had tucked it in there and forgotten about it..."

Just then, the twins suddenly turned their eyes, looked at each other, and asked in unison, "Ginny, which book is it?"

Ginny turned her head away, ignoring them.

"Is this your Transfiguration textbook?" the twins asked again.

Ginny looked at them in surprise.

"It was old Malfoy!" George jumped up and said to Mr. Weasley, "Dad! It was when you and old Malfoy were fighting at Flourish and Blotts before school started!"

“What?” Mr. Weasley looked dumbfounded.

"Think about why you're fighting, Dad!"

Fred also stood up angrily.

"It was old Malfoy who took that old book, 'The Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration,' from Ginny's cauldron! We remember! He must have slipped his diary into that book while he was at it!"

Mr. Weasley recalled the scene and immediately turned red with anger.

He turned and walked toward the fireplace. "That vile scoundrel! The mysterious man's lackey! I'm going to duel him!"

“No, Arthur!” Mrs. Weasley quickly grabbed him. “You can’t go!”

Mr. Weasley roared, "That bastard almost killed our daughter!"

"We support you, Dad!"

"Go!"

The twins stood up, raised their fists, and waved them.

"We want to duel too!"

"And Malfoy's beloved son, young Malfoy!"

"You two!"

Mrs. Weasley turned her head and stared at the twins with a murderous look in her eyes.

"Oh, Dad, you really shouldn't have acted so impulsively."

Fred sat down immediately.

“That’s right.” George sat down as well, nodding seriously. “Ginny’s incident was all because of your fight with old Malfoy. You should reflect on your actions.”

Perhaps his two sons' antics calmed Mr. Weasley down a bit.

He stopped following Mrs. Weasley's force, but his face remained grim.

Just then, the office door was pushed open again, and a sleepy-eyed Potter followed Professor McGonagall in.

Professor McGonagall must have explained something to Potter on the way, so after giving the Weasleys a shy smile, he immediately looked at Scott with an accusing gaze.

Scott remained unmoved, giving him a perfect smile and a nod.

Potter immediately looked deflated.

Dumbledore glanced at the sky outside the window. "There's no time. We have to deal with that problem before the students wake up at dawn."

He said to Potter, "Harry, would you be willing to help? This is something only you can do."

“Oh, of course!” Potter said immediately. “I’d be happy to help you, Professor.”

He hesitated for a moment, "But I don't know what happened, or what I should do..."

“Come with me, Harry.” Dumbledore walked straight out. “Of course, I’ll explain everything to you on the way.”

"Okay, Professor."

Potter gave Scott another reproachful look, and reluctantly followed.

The twins were getting restless.

"You are not allowed to go anywhere!"

Mrs. Weasley's "radar" was exceptionally sharp, and she immediately turned her gaze toward them again.

"Okay, Mom."

The twins answered listlessly.

Professor McGonagall also told the three of them, "You are not allowed to go anywhere until Professor Dumbledore and the others have resolved this matter. Including you, Mr. Trollope."

"of course."

Scott agreed very readily.

He went to great lengths to get Dumbledore to resolve this problem ahead of time, so why would he be so foolish as to join in the fun?

Fred then asked curiously, "Ginny, did you give that diary to Dumbledore?"

“Don’t ask these questions, Fred!” Mrs. Weasley said sensitively. “It’s none of your business!”

Fred raised his hands in surrender.

"Darling?" Mrs. Weasley asked, looking at Ginny again.

“Of course it was with Professor Dumbledore.” Ginny couldn’t help but glare at Fred. “After I told him, Professor Dumbledore had a house-elf go to the dormitory and take the diary to the headmaster’s office.”

Mrs. Weasley immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good, that's good. There's no safer place than there!"

……

Chapter 067 An Overlooked Figure

As the first rays of morning sunlight streamed into the room through the window, Dumbledore and Potter returned to Professor McGonagall's office.

Professors Flitwick and Snape also arrived at the same time.