Whatever Dumbledore had written in that letter, it clearly wasn't good. Judging by Hagrid's shaken expression, it had to be something serious—at least for him.
Hermione had been about to ask what was going on and offer her help, but Hagrid's next words left her momentarily stunned...
"Hagrid, what happened?"
"It's... I'm fine. Hermione, you should head back for now. And be careful on your way, please—Draco, I'm counting on you."
"Got it."
Draco frowned as he watched Hagrid's dejected expression. Although he found the whole situation suspicious, he eventually nodded. Then, as Hermione looked like she was about to speak again, he reached out and tapped her on the head.
The gesture, rude as it was, made Hermione bite back her questions. She understood what he meant. Still, she shot him a sharp glare, embarrassed and annoyed.
The heavy mood hanging over them lightened slightly thanks to Draco's unexpected interruption...
"Alright then, Hagrid. We'll head back for now. But if you need help, don't hesitate to find us—me and Harry."
"Oh, right—pass a message to Ron for me."
"Hm?"
"Tell him not to worry too much. Dumbledore will figure something out."
Before Hermione could ask anything else, Hagrid hunched over and retreated into the hut. The way he looked, as if the sky had fallen, only made Hermione more anxious.
Meanwhile, Draco, standing nearby, became increasingly curious about the contents of the letter in Hagrid's hand.
It seemed to have something to do with that foolish Weasley...
...
On the way back to the castle, Hermione looked troubled, walking in silence. She didn't speak to Draco at all.
That silence lingered between them until the castle gates came into view—then Hermione finally broke it.
"What do you think happened? Hagrid looked like he was in real trouble."
"I told you, as long as there aren't any more attacks..."
Draco trailed off mid-sentence, and Hermione's expression froze.
They weren't clueless. In fact, they were sharper than most.
Draco had said it offhandedly, but that one remark triggered a sudden realization. Both of them stopped walking at the same time.
Because it was all too possible...
"No... no way!?"
Hermione didn't want to believe it, but Hagrid rushing them away and warning them to be careful—it all pointed to the same thing. Something had gone wrong with the school's safety.
And Hagrid, usually so lax, wouldn't say something like that without a reason.
"If you want to know for sure, we'll find out soon enough. This isn't something that can stay hidden for long."
"So you think..."
Seeing the nervous look on Hermione's face, Draco, for reasons he couldn't explain, tried to ease her worries.
"Did you forget what Hagrid told you to tell Ron? If someone had actually died, he wouldn't have said something so calm. Maybe someone got petrified—like Mrs. Norris."
"So you're saying you're sure someone was attacked by the Chamber's monster?"
"Who knows? Maybe it was that little rat Weasley keeps around."
"..."
It was true. Last time, a cat had been attacked. So this time, it could easily be a rat...
Wait, what kind of logic is that!?
Hermione's concern quickly turned to exasperated laughter, thanks to Draco.
But before she could properly react, Draco had already started walking toward the castle. As far as he was concerned, unless someone close to him was affected, he had no reason to waste energy worrying.
What truly intrigued him was how the attacker had managed to strike under the nose of the so-called White Wizard.
Draco didn't believe for a second that the monster from the Chamber of Secrets could threaten Dumbledore—much less avoid his notice.
But what if... all of this had happened with Dumbledore's silent approval?
The thought made Draco pause. His gray eyes narrowed slightly, glinting with unease...
Just as he and Hermione stepped into the entrance hall, they spotted Snape approaching with a dark expression. It was clear he'd been waiting for them.
And for a moment—Draco wasn't sure if it was his imagination—he thought he saw something strange in Snape's eyes as he glanced at the two of them standing together. Something complicated... maybe even regretful.
Draco was caught off guard by it, but before he could think too much, Snape had already reached them...
...
"Good. I've finally found you. Now—immediately—return to your respective common rooms. Unless you'd like me to start deducting points!"
"Professor, we—"
"As for the reason, I believe your house prefects will explain it."
Just as Hermione opened her mouth, Snape cut her off with an icy tone.
It was obvious—Snape was in a foul mood. Even with his godson standing right in front of him, he had no intention of speaking politely, let alone offering an explanation.
Which only confirmed that something serious had happened at the school while they were away.
Draco, familiar with how Snape operated, wisely chose not to push him. Hermione, on the other hand, looked increasingly uneasy and seemed desperate to find out more.
"Professor, has something happened?"
"Miss Granger, I am under no obligation to answer that question. Your only task right now is to keep your mouth shut and follow me quietly!"
"..."
Snape's obvious impatience made Hermione awkwardly withdraw her hand, and in the end, she gave up and hurried after him. Draco, meanwhile, spared a glance at the grim expression on Snape's face.
It seemed this urgency to get them back wasn't just about fearing a killer lurking in the shadows—it was also to ensure Draco and the others were safely escorted back.
Looks like things are getting messy...
Quietly tightening his grip on his wand, Draco stepped a little closer to the worried-looking Hermione.
That little idiot still hadn't realized—Hogwarts was no longer safe...