"Is that really wise? Didn't Professor Snape say that Professor Lupin... might very well be Sirius Black's accomplice?"
Hermione tilted her head, finding Dumbledore's current decision rather peculiar. Normally, with a suspected enemy collaborator within Hogwarts, such vigilance shouldn't be lifted, should it?
"Remus would never be that sort of person. I can stake my reputation on it."
Dumbledore's voice carried exceptional conviction, as though he required no confirmation to trust Remus Lupin completely.
"Well then, let's go, Hermione. You must be exhausted as well. We'll leave that matter to Glenn and the others. Now we can notify everyone to return to their respective dormitories for rest."
Seeing Dumbledore begin redirecting the conversation, clearly unwilling to continue discussing recent events, Hermione could only acquiesce. She obediently returned to the Great Hall with Dumbledore, discreetly rejoining her group while awaiting the professors' arrangements for students to return to their rooms.
The sudden change in protocol naturally didn't escape the young wizards' notice. After Dumbledore announced everyone could return to their house dormitories, they exchanged bewildered glances. Moments later, they launched into even more animated discussions about the evening's events.
"I told you so! Hogwarts is the safest place imaginable. Look—Sirius Black barely managed to cause trouble before they immediately discovered clues to his hiding place. The Ministry of Magic'sAurors and those dreadful creatures searched for him all summer without the slightest success!"
"Exactly! They're allowing us back to our dormitories now, which definitely means the unknown danger's been eliminated. Otherwise, how could the professors lift the alert while permitting danger to persist?"
"Typical of Hogwarts professors—they've effortlessly accomplished what the Ministry of Magic couldn't manage! We Hogwarts students are incredibly fortunate to have such brilliant professors!"
Animated chatter rose and fell, nearly all expressing awe at Hogwarts' formidable capabilities. Hermione enthusiastically joined her friends in heated discussion, continuously offering praise.
After all, the person currently pursuing Sirius was Glenn—such praise essentially meant praising her boyfriend!
Why not praise when she could? Hehe.
However, the hour was growing quite late. As everyone gradually returned to their respective dormitories, yawns became contagious. Most pitiful was poor Draco, who'd endured torment for nearly the entire day from evening until now. He appeared ready to collapse at any moment, swaying with every third step like the walking dead as he trailed at the very rear of the Slytherin procession.
Groups separated, and Gryffindor students headed upstairs.
"Haaaah"
Hermione covered her mouth, releasing a small but prolonged yawn while rubbing her eyes.
Soon she'd followed the Gryffindor group to the eighth floor. Dumbledore had apparently located a portrait to temporarily replace the Fat Lady at the entrance to Gryffindor common room. The Fat Lady's damaged portrait had been removed, substituted by Sir Cadogan and his portly grey pony. However, the little lions clearly weren't pleased with this arrangement.
When Sir Cadogan had previously hung in the corridors, he'd spent half his time challenging passersby to duels and the other half spouting what could hardly be termed elegant profanity.
Installing such an eccentric from Hogwarts' portrait community at Gryffindor's entrance—who would welcome that?
Ahead of her, Lavender yawned as well, triggering yawning's contagious nature: once you witness it, you inevitably want to yawn too.
Hermione couldn't resist yawning again. After casually wiping tear droplets from her eye corners, she froze, rubbing her eyes and wondering whether she'd seen something incorrectly.
That flash of orange darting past the corridor corner—how remarkably similar it looked to Crookshanks' fur coloring.
But the orange had vanished so quickly that Hermione couldn't be entirely certain.
Nevertheless, an ominous premonition stirred within her heart. If she simply ignored what she'd glimpsed, she'd definitely regret it later.
So Hermione quietly withdrew from the group—easily accomplished among drowsy young wizards.
The girl glanced around, cast a Pepper-Up Charm on herself to forcibly sharpen her alertness, then hurried toward the direction she'd observed, vanishing around the corner.
Inside Gryffindor common room, Neville followed his dormmates into their room. He felt utterly exhausted—after all, today he'd successfully asked Hannah on a date and experienced what could only be described as a perfectly blissful day. Now that excitement had subsided, previously ignored fatigue crashed over him like a wave.
Removing shoes and socks, Neville had already bathed and wore pajamas. He collapsed directly onto his bed, pulled up covers, and drowsily prepared for sleep.
But before he could close his eyes and drift off, a piercing scream jolted him awake.
"Scabbers! My Scabbers... he's vanished!"
Ron frantically ransacked the disheveled clothes and socks scattered across his bed, desperately seeking traces of his pet. On his desk, the small cage meant to contain Scabbers during his absence now gaped open.
Apparently, the little rat had staged a jailbreak~
"But how's this possible?! I distinctly remember securing the cage door!"
"Scabbers, where are you? Come out!"
Ron was nearly beside himself with panic. Unlike other students' pets that enjoyed wandering freely, Scabbers typically remained contentedly in his cage, alternating between eating and sleeping. Before summer, he'd grown so rotund he resembled a furry sphere. Even when released for handling, he'd been too lethargic to budge.
How could such a docile rat possibly escape?!
Ron's frantic cries reverberated throughout the dormitory, compelling roommates to assist in searching every corner for Scabbers' whereabouts. Neville sighed and climbed from bed to join the hunt.
Neville's toad Trevor had somehow perched atop his head. Neville reached up to stroke it gently, feeling rather sentimental.
"Trevor, you really are the most well-behaved... Though you constantly play hide-and-seek with me everywhere, finding you now has become ridiculously easy."
"Sigh, but honestly, can't get any sleep at all."
Trevor nuzzled Neville's hand affectionately, yet its gaze remained fixed toward the dormitory door, contemplating unknown thoughts.
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