The days at Hogwarts

After breakfast, Harry did not leave immediately. He pulled Ron to sit at the Gryffindor table and looked towards the Hufflepuff table from time to time, scaring the little wizards there so much that they could not eat.

As Hermione said, he wanted to find Justin and talk things out with him.

Once again, Harry did not look around, and instead of finding Justin, he saw many frightened little Hufflepuff wizards.

"They can rest assured that at least I won't suddenly summon a basilisk while they are eating breakfast and turn them all into the basilisk's breakfast!" Harry bit off the bread on the fork in one bite, gnashing his teeth, and it seemed that what he was chewing in his mouth was not bread, but the flesh and blood of those who doubted him.

Ron glanced at him and spread his hands: "Maybe Justin is too scared to leave the dormitory. We can't wait for him here."

"What should I do? I can't just barge into the Hufflepuff common room," said Harry angrily.

Ron said helplessly: "When our two colleges have classes together--"

"Harry! Ron!" Rolf suddenly slid over and sat down beside them, looking around cautiously, "I have something important to tell you."

Rolf's grandfather studied various magical animals. It was with his help that Harry and Ron discovered that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets was a basilisk.

Rolf found him, could it be...

Harry's eyes lit up, and his thoughts blurted out: "Did you find a way to deal with the basilisk?"

Hearing this, Ron's eyes lit up.

But Rolf's face did not show joy. Instead, his face was heavy. He lowered his head and said in a low voice: "Remember what happened between Hagrid and my grandfather?"

Hagrid and Newt Scamander?

I have a little impression that it seems that Scamander traveled through Hogwarts and gave an eight-eyed giant spider egg to Hagrid, who hatched the eight-eyed giant spider - Aragog in the school's storage room. Later, this matter was discovered by the Ministry of Magic, and Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts, his wand was broken and he was expelled from the campus.

Harry always felt that the punishment for this incident was too severe and unfair to Hagrid.

Fortunately, Dumbledore helped Hagrid repair his wand and took him in as a gamekeeper.

"My grandfather felt very guilty about this matter. He wrote a letter to a friend of his who works in the Department of Education of the Ministry of Magic, hoping to help Hagrid clear the name. You know, for a crime like keeping dangerous animals, the inquisitor has ample flexibility in his discretion."

"Praise Mr. Newt!" Harry asked hurriedly, "And then, was it successful?"

Rolf looked at him deeply and shook his head. "My grandfather's friend checked the files from that year and found that the matter was not as simple as raising dangerous animals."

For some reason, these words made Harry's heart suddenly tighten, and he vaguely guessed something.

"It's recorded in the files that Rubeus Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets and released the monster inside, which led to the death of Myrtle Warren. It was only because the evidence was not sufficient that Hagrid was not imprisoned."

Harry's breath hitched; he had known for a long time that Hagrid had an unfortunate liking for large monsters.

During their last year at Hogwarts, Hagrid had tried to feed a dragon in his cabin. If it weren't for the help of Loren and Sir Nicholas, they would have had their wands broken and been expelled from the castle. Perhaps this was a good thing for Hagrid, as he might have a few more helpers to guard the Forbidden Forest. And the three-headed dog he called "Fluffy" also impressed them.

Harry believed that the kind-hearted Hagrid would never intentionally kill anyone, but he also believed that if the 13-year-old Hagrid heard that there was a "cute" big guy hidden in a room in the castle, Hagrid would definitely do everything he could to see it.

Hagrid might think that the cute big guy has been imprisoned for thousands of years, which is too pitiful, and it should be given a chance to come out and stretch its arms and legs.

Harry fell into deep distress... What should he do? The murderer he had been looking for might be his friend.

"To be honest, I still don't think Hagrid will be the heir of Slytherin." Ron's face was tightly wrinkled, and he was so confused that he doubted his life. "Hagrid, Slytherin... Oh! I really can't connect these two people together."

Rolf took a sip of milk and took a breath. "My grandfather thinks so too. This involves another person, Tom——"

Just as he was about to continue, Dumbledore came up to them and interrupted their conversation with a smile: "Ha, news about Newt. Rolf, did your grandfather mention me?"

"Principal Dumbledore!" Rolf was stunned for a moment before hesitatingly saying, "Yes, my grandfather often mentioned you. He asked me to say hello to you."

Dumbledore was wearing a loose grey robe. His kind and gentle eyes were partially blocked by crescent-shaped glasses, which made him look mysterious. His light blue eyes had extraordinary penetrating power. "It just so happens that I have a letter that I need you to pass on to him. Can you wait for me in the principal's office? I want to talk to Harry."

"Of course, Headmaster Dumbledore." Rolf gave Harry a look, indicating that he should take care of himself, and then turned and left quickly.

"By the way, today's password is Butterbeer," Dumbledore added, then sat down next to Harry and Ron.

"Look, look, Headmaster Dumbledore must be examining Harry Potter!"

"He'll be in Azkaban soon!"

"We are safe."

"That's great, that's great..."

The sounds coming from the other long tables were like mosquitoes that stalk people in the summer, buzzing into Harry's ears and making him feel a little irritated.

Annoyed, sad, angry, wronged...

Harry suppressed the various emotions that surged in his heart, recalling Snape's smooth voice. He wanted to speak in that tone, but the sourness at the tip of his nose reminded him that he might cry as soon as he opened his mouth.

Ron's butt moved uncomfortably on the stool. He held back for a long time before speaking: "Principal Dumbledore, do you also think that Harry is the heir of Slytherin?"

"Ron!" cried Dumbledore, "I do not think it was Harry who attacked those men."

Harry noticed that Dumbledore had deliberately raised his voice so that many young wizards in the hall could hear him. His heart slowly settled down and his breathing became much smoother.

"You don't think it was me, Professor?" Harry asked hopefully.

"No, Harry, I don't think so."

Harry and Ron both smiled relaxedly.

Dumbledore took a clean plate and began to put food on it, bread, bacon, grilled mushrooms...

"Remember what I said, believe in yourself and believe in your friends."

After filling the plate, Dumbledore picked up the knife and fork and touched them together. The metal made an ear-piercing sound. "But I still want to talk to you. I must ask you, Harry, is there anything you are willing to tell me? Anything."

Of course, there are things about Malfoy and the Chamber of Secrets, about the opening of the Chamber of Secrets 50 years ago, about Hagrid and the Basilisk...

Harry opened his mouth, remembering the Polyjuice Potion still simmering in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He said, "No, nothing, sir."

Ron's eyes widened with surprise.

Dumbledore sighed deeply and looked at the food on the plate with some regret. He thought that the conversation would give him enough time to eat all the food slowly.

Harry pulled Ron up and nodded slightly to Dumbledore: "Professor, take your time eating. Ron and I will leave first."

The two of them quickly ran out of the auditorium and disappeared around the corner of the corridor, leaving only sporadic words behind:

"Why didn't you tell Headmaster Dumbledore?"

"Don't tell him. As long as we find out the real heir, everything will be revealed."

It was a rare sunny day in winter. The bathroom window was wide open, and the clear sunlight shone through the glass, making the whole room bright. The sun rose slowly, and the sunlight became brighter. The window panes were dim, making people even more sleepy.

Loren could fall asleep anywhere, but his sleep was not deep. He would wake up slowly after replenishing his energy.

He felt his back resting on a soft pillow, with the scent of hair, laundry detergent, shower gel, and a light milky scent.

Loren found himself leaning on Hermione's back, the girl supporting him like a backrest while he slept. Loren wanted to close his eyes and continue to sleep, but the room was too bright, and he couldn't fall asleep again after waking up.

"Are you awake?"

Hermione noticed the movement behind her and turned to meet his gaze. Her tone was calm, but the blush on her cheeks showed that she was not so calm inside. "You were wobbly in your sleep and always wanted to lie on the floor. I thought the bathroom floor was not clean, so I let you sleep against me."

The soft touch and the scent of the girl were like clear sunshine, completely clearing away the haze in Loren's heart.

"Thank you," Loren grinned, standing up and stretching, his muscles and joints aching pleasantly.

While he was sleeping, Hermione had thought it through. If Loren didn't want to mention it, she wouldn't mention it. As if she didn't know about it, she talked about the progress of the Polyjuice Potion: "It can be brewed before the Christmas holiday. I have thought it through. I will stay in school during the Christmas holiday this year. What about you?"

"Then I'll stay in school too." Loren squatted down and stirred the potion in the crucible with a stirring spoon. "Remember to write a letter home in advance."

"Write it when you get home tonight. You should write it too and let Hanhan send it back together."

"Ah."

There were only a few sunny days. After that day, the sky was quickly covered by dark clouds that stretched as far as the eye could see. The clouds became thicker and thicker, and the weather became colder and colder. Soon, the first snow of the winter of 1992 covered Hogwarts and never stopped.

Unexpectedly, even though the first event met the definition of failure on many levels, the Duel Club was still held and even successfully held the second and third events.

In the second event, Lockhart invited Professor McGonagall to demonstrate the application of various sophisticated transfiguration techniques in duels. Carpets, wine glasses, and even ordinary stones on the ground can be transformed into various ferocious beasts, becoming the key to winning or losing a duel.

In the third activity, Lockhart invited Professor Flitwick to fight, and the young wizards witnessed another style of fighting. Various spells were cast at will, and the power was not great, but the timing and angle of release were very delicate, and each spell played its role perfectly.

Of course, the most attractive thing is the sparring between young wizards of the same grade. The young wizards from Gryffindor and Slytherin are trying their best to beat each other. If it were not for the professors watching over them, there would be young wizards sent to the school infirmary in every match.

But these had nothing to do with Loren, Harry and the others. They were quietly waiting for the Polyjuice Potion to come out and did not participate in the activities of the Dueling Club at all.

It wasn't until the second week of December that Professor McGonagall began to compile a list of those who would stay at school and not go home for Christmas.

Most of the young wizards chose to go home for the holidays. After Harry publicly announced that he would stay at school during the Christmas holidays, some of those who wanted to stay went to their respective deans to change their wishes.

Fred, George, and Ginny decided to stay at school rather than go with the Weasleys to Egypt to see Bill. Percy stayed too, having told them rather pompously that he was only staying over Christmas because, as a prefect, it was his duty to support the teachers during this turbulent time.

Thick, gray snowflakes danced in the sky, blocking every window. The castle seemed extremely dark, and the little wizards were willing to go outside the castle to get some fresh air during breaks.

Loren and his group stood in the pavilion in the middle of the garden to watch the snow. Because Harry was in the group, most of the little wizards passing by would carefully avoid this area.

Ron blew the blue flame in the glass bottle and saw a little Hufflepuff wizard with a frightened look on his face. He hurriedly walked around the pavilion and quickly ran into the corridor.

He shook his shoulder and nudged Harry. "If only this atmosphere could last until the next Quidditch match, they would fly around you because they were afraid you would petrify them, hahahaha..."

Harry didn't react at all, but scraped his fingers red with cold from the snow on the top of the railing.

Hermione was reciting the revision notes for the Animagus teaching class. She exhaled a puff of white mist and questioned Harry: "What on earth are you thinking? You let them spread rumors and did nothing. And you haven't seen Hagrid for almost a month. Do you really think Hagrid is the heir?"

Loren, who was obsessed with the mirror, raised his head and said, "Didn't I tell you that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a basilisk? Hagrid raises giant acromantula, and basilisk is the natural enemy of giant acromantula. With Hagrid's love for Aragog, it is impossible for him to be related to the basilisk."

He has been trying to create illusions for others these days, but he can never achieve the same effect as in the Forest of Dean.

Hermione patiently advised Harry: "If you really care about this, go and tell Justin clearly and tell him that you were trying to save him instead of instigating the giant snake to bite his neck off!"

"He won't believe it even if I tell him. As long as the headmaster and professors believe me, everything will be revealed once we catch the real heir." Harry said dully.

"Harry, whether they believe it or not is their business, you just need to do your own thing."

Under the persistent persuasion of his friends, Harry reluctantly agreed to go to Justin to explain.

Chapter 204 Dumbledore's Help

After a while, the weather became even darker, and the light was blocked by thick clouds, with only sporadic wisps of light visible.

A fierce wind blew, blowing snowflakes against people's bodies, making them feel painfully cold. The little wizards who were taking a fresh air outside the castle quickly rushed into the hall.

At this moment, Neville stumbled against the flow of people and ran to Loren, with a look of horror on his face. He pointed at the third floor with a trembling finger and cried in a trembling voice: "Third, third floor, Justin has been petrified, Harry is at the scene -"

Before he finished his words, Ron rushed out, and Hermione grabbed Loren's hand and ran into the castle.

Loren ran while mourning for Harry. Now he couldn't wash himself clean after falling into the Black Lake.

This is a corridor on the third floor. The light here is extremely dim, just like the night. A piece of window glass is loose, and a howling wind blows in. There are still some sparks remaining on the extinguished torch.

Justin Finch-Fletchley lay on the floor, his body cold and stiff, a look of horror frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

Beside him was Nick, who was almost headless. His ghostly body was no longer transparent white with a faint light, but became black and smoky.Lie flat, motionless, suspended six inches above the ground.His head hung in mid-air, connected by stiff skin and tendons, with the same terrified expression on his face as Justin.

Harry stood there at a loss, his mouth half open, as if he wanted to say something.

There were little wizards all around, they looked at Harry with strange eyes, and when Harry tried to explain to them, they avoided him in fear, not daring to look him in the eye.

Loren and the others pushed their way through the crowd and got close to Harry.

In stark contrast to the noisy discussions in the outer circle, there was silence in the inner circle. They looked at Justin with pity and Harry with strange eyes, and they were careful not to speak out, for fear of attracting Harry's attention. The next victim might be one of them.

"Harry," Ron called out. He wanted to say something, but no words came out.

Hearing his friend's call, Harry's eyes slowly came into focus. This time was different from the past, as only he and the "corpse" were found, and no one could prove his innocence.

Harry explained to his friends with hope and pleading, as if he had found a savior: "It's not me, it's not me. I wanted to talk things out with Justin. I heard some uncomfortable words in the library and wanted to relax by myself. I walked here unknowingly. They were already like this. Believe me..."

His breathing was rapid and his heart was beating wildly, like a snare drum was beating in his chest.The sound was so loud that several people nearby could hear it.

"Harry, calm down. Don't worry. We believe in you." Loren patted his shoulder, trying to ease his anxiety. "Dumbledore will believe in you too."

"Yes Harry, we believe you…."

The statements of Hermione, Ron, Seamus, Neville and others made Harry calm down slowly, and the snare drum in his chest also calmed down.

"Quiet!"

Professor McGonagall's loud voice resounded everywhere in the corridor. She led several professors to separate the crowd and walked out from behind, looking at Justin who was lying on the ground with pity.

She turned her head and looked seriously at the growing crowd, pursed her lips and said, "Go back to the classroom!"

Although Professor McGonagall didn't look at him, Harry felt much more at ease.

The young wizards were reluctant, but they did not dare to openly disobey Professor McGonagall's orders. They moved slowly, looking eagerly at Justin and Harry.

Seeing their slow steps, Professor McGonagall waved her wand and made a loud drum-like explosion in the air. She repeated again: "Go back to the classroom! Now!"

This time the little wizards' steps were much more agile. When the crowd had almost dispersed, Ernie MacMillan from Hufflepuff arrived breathlessly. He pointed at Harry and shouted, "We've caught him!"

Harry's breathing began to quicken, and he felt the blood rushing up, his brain becoming congested.