Chapter 308 The Cursed Halloween
Before nightfall, Wizards from Class Three and above returned to the Castle from Hogsmeade.
Ron and Hermione brought Harry a lot of candy, while George, Fred, and Percy brought him some fun gadgets, trying their best to comfort Harry's fragile mind.
All the teachers and students gathered in the Great Hall, which was decorated with pumpkins, enjoying a lavish Halloween Eve dinner while chatting and laughing as they watched the ghost performances.
Harry occasionally looked up at Professor Lupin at the faculty table, his eyes filled with worry.
After a moment of hesitation, he patted Aaron on the back, "Um… has Professor Snape been acting strangely recently?"
"Why do you ask?" Aaron frowned slightly.
"Snape brought Professor Lupin a Potion today," Ron said in a low, careful voice, "and Professor Lupin drank it."
"So?"
"So they want to ask you if Snape might have poisoned Professor Lupin?" Hermione added, looking a bit unnatural, "You know, Professor Snape has always coveted the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts Class Professor."
Pfft!
Aaron almost spat out the juice he had just half-drunk.
Goodness, it's a good thing I'm trained, otherwise I would have burst out laughing.
"You guys really can imagine things," Aaron said, looking at the three of them speechlessly, "Professor Snape might be a bit strict with you, but he wouldn't be that deranged!
Besides, do you think Professor Lupin is brainless? Drinking a Potion handed to him by someone else without reason?"
Hearing this, Harry was embarrassed for a moment, but he felt a sense of relief, and the solemn expressions on Hermione and Ron's faces also lessened.
After the dinner, students from the four Houses left the Great Hall one after another, preparing for bed.
But before they could return to their common rooms, the Prefects brought Dumbledore's order: gather in the Great Hall.
"What happened?" Aaron asked Neller, looking puzzled.
"Not sure, let's gather first!
We Prefects need to make sure you all get back to the Great Hall safely."
Aaron, holding Abey, followed behind Neller, thinking that Halloween Eve at Hogwarts must be cursed.
The year before last, Quirrell released the Troll, last year the Basilisk attacked, and something happened again this year, so it's probably not a small matter.
After all the students had gathered, Professor Snape and Professor Flitwick closed all the doors of the Great Hall, not even sparing the windows.
"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the Castle," Dumbledore said, "For your own safety, you will have to spend the night here.
Prefects, guard the entrances; the head boy and head girl will be in charge of management. Report any situations to me immediately."
With that, Dumbledore waved his wand, and hundreds of sleeping bags were neatly spread out on the floor.
After he left, the students began to discuss.
Aaron walked up to Harry and his two friends, "Who can tell me what happened?"
"Sirius Black has infiltrated Hogwarts," Harry said uneasily, "He also attacked the Fat Lady who guards the Gryffindorcommon room entrance, he must be after me."
"But how did he get in?
There are hundreds of Dementors guarding outside!"
"Perhaps Apparition," Ron guessed, "That's a kind of magicthat allows you to instantly move from one place to another in the blink of an eye."
"Impossible, Hogwarts has magic protection, you can't Apparate," Hermione said.
"Then that's strange, could Hogwarts have some secret passages?"
"That's also impossible, Aaron," Hermione shook her head, "Filch knows all the secret passages, and the entrances to those passages are also heavily guarded by Dementors."
"Everyone stop talking, lights out immediately," Percy Weasley, the Head Boy, said loudly, "Now get into your sleeping bags and go to sleep."
The entire Great Hall immediately fell silent, all the candles were extinguished, and only the magically enchanted ceiling emitted brilliant starlight.
Many students were whispering, and Percy and Filchconstantly patrolled the Great Hall, scolding those who were talking to go to sleep.
The Professors searched the Castle separately, but they found nothing after checking every place.
"He's quite capable, wouldn't you say?" Professor Snapeasked, following behind Dumbledore, "Entering Hogwarts Castle alone, without a trace."
"Indeed, quite capable."
"Have you thought about how he got in?"
"I've thought of many, but none of them are possible."
Snape paused for a moment and continued, "You might remember that before the new semester began, when you appointed Professor Lupin, I expressed my concerns…"
"No teacher in the Castle would help Sirius Black infiltrate," Dumbledore interrupted, his tone extremely firm.
As if sensing a warning, Snape did not continue the topic, "I believe the Castle is safe, but I still hope to send the students back to their respective Houses.
And Potter, should he be warned?"
"Perhaps, but for now, let him sleep!"
...After listening to their conversation, Aaron slowly opened his eyes.
Abey also poked its head out of the sleeping bag, but before it could catch its breath, a large hand pressed it back in.
"There's an inside man, Professor Lupin is highly suspicious," Aaron thought to himself.
He felt that Snape's suspicion was not impossible; a murderer could not infiltrate Hogwarts, guarded by Dementors, without a trace, but if someone inside the Castlecooperated, that would be a different story.
Moreover, the previous two Defense Against the Dark Arts Class Professors had already proven what 'knowing a person's face but not their mind' meant; Professor Lupin's current performance was commendable, but no one knew what he was thinking.
However, none of this concerned him; with his current strength at the peak of a Archmage, even if Sirius and Lupinwere truly in cahoots, they wouldn't pose any threat to him.
It would be fine if they didn't provoke him, but if they did, he wouldn't mind collecting a bounty from the Ministry of Magic.
Because the Castle had been thoroughly searched and it was confirmed that Sirius Black had left, Hogwarts returned to order the next day.
However, Sirius still caused a considerable impact; for the next few days, he became almost the only topic of conversation in the school.
His primary target, Harry Potter, also received strict protection; Professors, Prefects, and the Head Boy and Head Girl often accompanied him on the way, fearing that a moment of carelessness would allow Sirius Black to suddenly appear and take his life...Friday, the sky was overcast, and rumbling thunder occasionally echoed.
This cast a thick shadow over the Quidditch team's hearts, as the first match was scheduled for tomorrow, and it would likely be played in a storm.
Draco was particularly excited, even feeling that the Slytherin team was favored by Merlin.
Marcus had just finalized the opponent change with Cedricwhen the weather turned so bad; tomorrow's match had to be watched live, he wanted to know how Harry Potter would catch the Golden Snitch in a thunderstorm.
As the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class began, a heavy rain started outside; Snape strode in, and with each wave of his wand, a window closed tightly.
By the time he reached the podium, all the windows were sealed shut, minimizing the impact of the wind and rain outside on the classroom.
"Turn your books to page three hundred and ninety-four," Professor Snape said expressionlessly.
"Excuse me, Professor, where is Professor Lupin?" Harry Potter asked bravely.
"That's not for you to worry about, is it, Potter?" Professor Snape explained unhurriedly, "Your Professor is currently unwell and unable to teach."
Harry felt that Snape was being dismissive and lowered his head, turning the pages of his book helplessly.
"Werewolf?"
Aaron looked at the title of the last chapter, and his cheek twitched involuntarily.
Holy cow! Professor Snape is playing too much!
You, a Potion Class Professor, are teaching students how to deal with the Defense Against the Dark Arts Class Professorduring a Defense Against the Dark Arts Class.
Lupin would probably be so angry he'd spit blood if he knew, but he couldn't criticize, nor did he have a reason to criticize, because Snape could completely claim it was for the students' safety.
"Exactly," Snape looked deeply at Aaron, "In this Class, we will learn how to deal with Werewolves."
"But Professor, we've only learned about Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows," Hermione said, raising her hand; she seemed to have suddenly appeared in the classroom, without even taking out her book.
"I'd say you should have learned how to deal with them in your first Class.
Also, Miss Granger, I must remind you, this is my Class, and teaching you to identify Werewolves is extremely necessary.
Now, who can tell me the difference between an Animagusand a Werewolf?"
Hermione raised her hand high, but Snape ignored her and turned his gaze elsewhere.
"Gaius, you answer."
Aaron:...I don't think I raised my hand!
"Uh... the former has a choice, can transform into an animal according to their own will, and maintain their sanity and magic.
But Werewolves have no choice; they are normally no different from ordinary people, but on the night of the full moon, they uncontrollably transform into irrational, bloodthirsty beasts.
At that time, they recognize no one except their own kind."
"Very good, five points to Slytherin.
So, what can be done to keep a Werewolf sane on the night of the full moon?"
Hermione raised her right hand again, Professor Snapeglanced at her disdainfully, and then continued, "Gaius, you answer."
Aaron's mouth twitched slightly, and he said speechlessly, "Wolfsbane Potion.
If taken a week before the full moon, even if transformed into a wolf, one can maintain sanity."
"Another five points to Slytherin."
"Who can tell me what to do if you encounter a Werewolf in the wild?" Professor Snape looked at Hermione's high-raised right hand and turned his face away somewhat impatiently, "Longbottom, you answer."
"Me?" Neville said with a mournful face, standing up aggrieved, "You should... run."
"That's all you can do," Snape scoffed, "However, that might be the only way for you, if you can escape."
"Miss Granger, I see you're tired of raising your hand," Snape asked meaningfully, "If your friend or a close relative turned into a Werewolf, what would you do?"