The Halloween Eve feast was nothing short of spectacular.
Roasted meats of every kind, steaming bowls of savory soup, fragrant breads, and a dazzling array of vegetables and fruits lined the four house tables. Students sat on either side, their plates piled high, laughter and chatter filling the air.
There's something about food—the way it appeals to our most primal desires, conquering both sight and smell—that brings people together. The Great Hall buzzed with excitement, everyone swept up in the festive mood.
A group of first-years were still gossiping about that morning's Charms class, especially how few Slytherins had managed to cast the new spell. Even Malfoy had only succeeded after Hermione and Adam, making his usual show of bravado fall flat.
Adam himself was nowhere to be seen. Word was he'd skipped the entire afternoon, probably off napping somewhere again.
As for these petty rivalries, Qin Yu paid them no mind. Let the kids squabble—he had bigger concerns.
While the others chattered, Qin Yu's gaze drifted toward the staff table. Still no sign of Professor Quirrell.
It was obvious—Quirrell was up to his old tricks, according to the "original plan."
All Qin Yu could do was keep a close eye on Hermione and make sure she stayed safe.
He'd considered trying to stop Quirrell ahead of time. But thanks to the system's baffling restrictions, he couldn't take the man down—at least, not yet. Worse, if he acted too soon, he might tip Quirrell off, sending events spiraling off course in unpredictable ways.
Better, then, to let things play out along their predetermined path. As long as he could keep those around him out of danger, that was enough.
After all, Dumbledore, Snape, and the rest weren't exactly helpless.
Everything was under control.
With that thought, Qin Yu let his worries go and tore into his meal with gusto.
"Qin Yu, why are you eating so fast today?" Hermione asked, nibbling on a tiny sausage, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"You'd better eat quickly, too. There might not be time later," Qin Yu mumbled through a mouthful.
"???" Hermione's face was pure question marks.
The others looked just as baffled. With tables overflowing with food, how could there possibly not be enough to eat?
Qin Yu didn't bother to explain. He just loaded more food onto Hermione's plate and urged her to eat faster.
"All right, all right, I'm eating!" Hermione laughed, giving in to his odd urgency and taking big bites.
She chalked it up to one of Qin Yu's many quirks—he was always full of strange ideas.
Well, she'd play along. That's just how much she doted on him.
Before long, the two of them were the fastest eaters in the hall—even outpacing Slytherin's notorious gluttons, Goyle and Crabbe (who, to be fair, were suffering from a bout of indecision tonight).
But even with Qin Yu's hurried pace, he hadn't finished before the feast was abruptly interrupted.
With a thunderous crash, the doors to the Great Hall burst open.
A figure swaddled in thick bandages staggered inside, making a beeline for the staff table.
It was Professor Quirrell, the man who'd been conspicuously absent all evening.
"D-Dumbledore, Professor—there's, there's a troll!" Quirrell gasped, voice trembling with terror.
"Calm yourself, and tell us—where did you see it?" Dumbledore replied, his tone steady and commanding.
"In the dungeons… the troll's gone mad…" Quirrell stammered, still shaking.
Qin Yu watched the scene unfold, wiped his hands and mouth with a resigned sigh, and set down his fork.
As expected, after confirming the details, Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet and addressed the hall: "Everyone, please stop eating and follow your House Prefects back to your dormitories!"
A mountain troll was a destructive magical creature—having one loose in the castle posed a grave threat to young witches and wizards. Evacuating everyone to their common rooms was the safest option.
Already, some of the younger students looked lost and frightened. A sharp scream sliced through the air, sending a ripple of panic through the hall.
Under the prefects' shouts, the four houses began to file out, their movements hurried and confused.
At that moment, Harry and the others glanced over at Qin Yu, suspicion in their eyes. Had he secretly learned Divination from Professor Trelawney? How else could he have known they wouldn't get to finish their dinner?
...
"Qin Yu, help me escort the first- and second-years back to Gryffindor Tower. Have them gather in the common room and make sure no one wanders off!" called Percy Weasley, the Gryffindor prefect.
Given Qin Yu's reputation and authority in Gryffindor, the younger students obeyed him without hesitation—precisely why Percy had sought his help.
Qin Yu quickly gathered the first- and second-years. But the corridors were chaos: a few frightened Hufflepuffs crashed into the Gryffindor group, Slytherins were shouting, and a knot of Ravenclaws blocked the exit.
The prefects raised their voices, struggling to restore order.
When Qin Yu finally had the Gryffindor first- and second-years assembled, Hermione hurried over, anxiety written all over her face. "Qin Yu, Harry and Ron are missing!"
"What?" Qin Yu frowned, puzzled.
Where could those two have gone at a time like this?
"I think I heard them say they were going to look for Adam. Things got hectic, and when I glanced away, they were gone," Hermione explained.
Those two and their big hearts—honestly, what could you say?
"All right. I'll get everyone back to the common room first, then I'll go look for them," Qin Yu decided without hesitation.
He led the younger students swiftly toward Gryffindor Tower, asking along the way about Adam's whereabouts. From Neville, he learned that Adam often snuck off to nap in a storage room beside the first-floor girls' bathroom.
That particular storage room was on the first floor—the closest spot to the dungeons. And the troll would almost certainly come up from the dungeons to the first floor.
...
"Pig snout!"
With the password spoken to the Fat Lady's portrait, the entrance swung open. Qin Yu ushered everyone inside and arranged them in the common room.
Afterward, he quickly briefed Percy Weasley on the situation.
Though Percy was Ron's brother, as prefect, he couldn't leave his post to search. He could only ask Qin Yu to look for his troublesome younger sibling.
So Qin Yu left the dormitory and set off for the first floor of the castle.
He hadn't gone far when Hermione caught up to him, stubbornly insisting on coming along.
Looking at her determined face, Qin Yu couldn't help but smile. He took her hand, and together they dashed down the corridor toward danger—and destiny.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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