"What's going on?!" Filch said in an agitated voice. "Professor McGonagall, these lying, dishonest Young Wizards... they wanted to go to Hogsmeade even though their permission slips aren't signed."
"That's enough, Filch. They are certainly not that kind of student."
Professor McGonagall countered decisively, while simultaneously giving up on questioning Filch and looking directly down at Hermione.
"Miss Granger, tell me exactly what happened."
"Yes, Professor McGonagall." Looking at Professor McGonagall's gentle yet firm face, Hermione's heart slowly calmed and relaxed. She glanced at Lynn before beginning her explanation.
"You know about Lynn's special circumstances, Professor, so she doesn't have a guardian."
Professor McGonagall paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, I know."
"So we wanted to ask Mr. Filch if Lynn could still go to Hogsmeade, since she can't get a signature without a guardian."
"But," Hermione couldn't help but frown as she spoke, "we were just asking, and Mr. Filch immediately started accusing Lynn. I think those accusations were baseless."
"They certainly weren't! You little—"
"Be quiet, Filch." Professor Flitwick glared at him, and Filch immediately shut his mouth.
"After that..." Hermione paused, seemingly unsure of how to put it. After all, the sudden appearance of Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff's names on the permission slip was indeed too incredible.
It wasn't as if Lynn could be the daughter of the two Lady Founders, right?
Seeing Hermione's difficulty in finding the words, Lynn took over in a flat tone, stating the facts expressionlessly.
"After that, two names automatically appeared on my permission slip: Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff."
"Two names automatically appeared on the permission slip?" Professor McGonagall asked, astonished.
"Lady Ravenclaw and Lady Hufflepuff?!" This was Professor Flitwick, who was even more surprised and had already snatched the permission slip from Filch's hand to look at it.
As the Dean of Ravenclaw House, no one could be more excited than him upon hearing Lady Ravenclaw's name.
"Yes. I'm not sure why these two names appeared, but Hogwarts should have protective magic on the permission slips to prevent anyone other than a Young Wizard's guardian from signing."
"Correct." Professor McGonagall suppressed the shock in her heart and nodded to Lynn.
"Then I believe that without my knowledge, my guardians must have become Lady Ravenclaw and Lady Hufflepuff, which is why their names appeared on the permission slip."
Lynn narrated logically, her eyes full of dead silence and calm, without a hint of excitement or agitation.
"And with their signatures, according to Hogwarts regulations, I should be allowed to go to Hogsmeade."
"You—you certainly cannot! How could the two Founders... how could they sign for you? They've been dead for who knows how many years!"
"Filch, watch your language," Professor Flitwick warned sharply, and Filch reluctantly closed his mouth.
In his view, these annoying, cunning Young Wizards were very likely pulling a scam like this just to get a chance to go to Hogsmeade.
Who understood the tricks of these Young Wizards better than him, old Filch?
The Young Wizards gradually gathering around also looked at him with disapproving eyes, especially those from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, whose eyes were practically spitting fire.
"I don't think anyone could break the protective spells on the permission slip in such a short time. After all, those are generated by Hogwarts Castle itself; they're very complex protective charms."
A seventh-year Ravenclaw boy stepped out and stood directly in front of Filch, looking down at him.
Only after seeing Filch visibly flinch did he turn back to Professor Flitwick with satisfaction and ask politely.
"Professor, I'm right, aren't I?"
"That's right, Mr. Beddic. No Young Wizard could break the protective charms of Hogwarts Castle in such a short time, not even Lynn."
Lynn nodded beside him, her expression remaining indifferent. "Without considering brute-force methods, I would need a week to break the protective charms on the permission slip."
"Then I don't think this was Miss Lynn's doing. The signatures on the permission slip should be valid and in compliance with regulations."
Professor McGonagall spoke before Filch could say anything, cutting him off directly.
"It's just that we have no way of knowing how these two names were signed."
Lynn stood quietly beside Hermione and nodded noncommittally.
Hermione reached out and gently pinched her earlobe, whispering, "Don't listen to Filch. Everything he says is wrong. He hates every Young Wizard equally."
Glancing at Filch with an expressionless face, Lynn nodded with a gaze as still as the Dead Sea and responded just as quietly.
"I understand. And based on his attitude of hating every Young Wizard equally, as well as an analysis of his usual micro-expressions..."
"His hatred also contains jealousy, envy, and resentment. Combined with the fact that he doesn't use magic to clean the Castle, there is an eighty percent chance that he is a Squib, which explains his attitude toward all Young Wizards."
"That's no excuse," Hermione said, looking at Filch with dissatisfaction. If he had spoken like that and made Lynn think she had actually done something wrong, could Filch take responsibility for that?
"You have no obligation to bear his negative emotions. You didn't provoke him or bully him."
"I understand. Thank you, Hermione."
Lynn answered softly, a trace of a smile appearing on her face, which was usually as deep as well water.
"Professor McGonagall, I think you should still investigate more carefully. Maybe take a day, or even a week?"
Seeing that his "accusation" wasn't holding up, Filch immediately changed tactics.
Even if he could stop this Young Wizard just once... he really disliked seeing those Young Wizards laughing aimlessly.
And the joke products they brought back every time they went to Hogsmeade, especially those two twin boys from the Weasley family.
Just thinking about them made Filch's teeth ache with anger.
Professor McGonagall frowned irritably at Filch's words. Filch's targeting of the Young Wizards was becoming more and more severe.
Did he not understand that Hogwarts existed for the Young Wizards?
Never mind that Lynn's permission slip now had signatures; even if it didn't... she could have let Granger take Lynn to Hogsmeade secretly.
This child needed to relax, and she certainly had enough ability to protect herself, didn't she?
Before she could speak, a sudden gust of wind blew at the entrance of Hogwarts Castle.
The strong wind, carrying a chill, rushed through the Hogwarts gates. Except for Lynn, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick, everyone else was blinded by the gust.
Meanwhile, under the watch of Lynn, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick, Filch's body twisted, and in the next instant, he vanished from the spot.
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