"Sirius Black!"
Hearing that name, the Young Wizards present gasped in unison, a cold chill running down their spines.
Clearly, they all knew about this extremely dangerous prisoner who had escaped from Azkaban.
Among them, Ron and Hermione, who clearly knew that Sirius's target was Harry, instinctively moved a bit closer to him.
Harry noticed this, and although his own face was a bit pale, he still smiled at the two of them, signaling them to be at ease.
"It's fine, he didn't succeed in entering the Gryffindor Common Room, did he? Besides, there are so many people here now, and Amanda is here too, he can't hurt me."
"Mm." Hermione and Ron nodded, but their expressions didn't relax in the slightest.
Amanda turned to look at the trio, saying with an indifferent expression, "Don't worry, Sirius Black's actions prove he doesn't dare to linger here for long."
"Nor does he dare to appear before people, so Harry is absolutely safe right now."
Even though she said that, to put Hermione and Harry completely at ease, Amanda still drew her wand.
She kept a vigilant eye on the surroundings until Marietta Eckmore arrived, panting for breath as she ran up with Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall.
Seeing the three of them out of breath, Cho Chang stepped forward to support Marietta Eckmore, helping her catch her breath by stroking her back.
"Marietta Eckmore, you really need to start exercising. Look at how old Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall are; it's one thing for them to be panting after running here."
"But why are you like this too?"
Marietta Eckmore, having caught her breath, had a face full of bitterness. "Cho, dear Cho... please let me off. You know I hate exercise most of all. Making me exercise more—isn't that just asking for my life?"
Shaking her head with a firm expression, Cho Chang heartlessly rejected Marietta Eckmore's plea for mercy. "Impossible, give it up. Your physical stamina must be improved."
"Otherwise in the future when we—" Cho Chang paused abruptly, forcing the words back from the tip of her tongue and pivoting, "—when we need to fight alongside Amanda, what if we hold her back?"
Hearing Cho Chang's reasoning, Marietta Eckmore gave a long sigh and nodded obediently. "Fine, fine, fine, I'll exercise."
Cho Chang finally nodded in satisfaction, while Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall had already stepped forward to examine the slashed painting.
"It seems the fat lady fled just in time."
Professor McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief, feeling both fortunate and moved by the fat lady's sense of responsibility; she had insisted on not "opening the door" for someone who couldn't say the password, protecting the Young Wizards of Gryffindor.
"Good evening, Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall."
Amanda turned and greeted the two Professors with a polite nod.
"Good evening, Miss Amanda."
The two Professors responded with smiles, and Hermione, standing nearby, spoke up promptly.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Amanda deduces that the person who tried to break into the Gryffindor Common Room is most likely Sirius Black."
Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall's nerves tensed in sync; Professor McGonagall even drew her wand, entering a state of alert.
"May I ask why you say that?"
A light flashed across Headmaster Dumbledore's glasses, his expression remaining gentle as he looked at Amanda.
"Of course, Headmaster Dumbledore."
Amanda then repeated the entire process of her deduction to Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall.
"By Merlin! Black's visit this time is definitely for!"
Professor McGonagall stopped mid-sentence, her chest heaving violently.
"We should find the fat lady first to confirm exactly what happened."
Headmaster Dumbledore made a decision, looking up at the other portraits. "Everyone, could you help me find the fat lady?"
"Of course, Headmaster Dumbledore."
"As you wish, Mr. Principal."
"Whatever you say, respected Mr. Principal."
The portraits agreed one after another, then ran out of their frames to search for the fat lady among the portraits throughout the Castle.
"Hehehe, I know where she is!"
A mischievous voice came from above, and everyone present looked up.
Floating there was a ghost who looked young; his attire was very peculiar, allowing one to recognize his identity at a glance.
"Peeves, then can you tell us where the fat lady is now?"
Headmaster Dumbledore looked at him kindly, as if this wasn't the most prank-loving, rule-breaking "ghost" in the Castle.
But rather a student in his heart who should be taught earnestly and treated with patience.
"Oh, Headmaster Dumbledore, but I don't want to..."
Peeves showed a somewhat difficult expression, and everyone could see he was starting his pranks again.
"Peeves, this is a very serious and grave matter. Please stop being naughty."
Professor McGonagall took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions.
If a student had done this, she would have long ago given them a detention gift pack for an entire semester—no, an entire school year.
But this was Peeves; not only could he not be trapped, even if he could, Professor McGonagall actually had no authority to manage him.
"Oh... but why should I..." listen to you? Before the last three words were out, Amanda spoke up first.
This matter should be thoroughly investigated quickly so that Hermione wouldn't have to worry so much.
"Peeves, please answer Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall's question properly."
As soon as Amanda's words left her mouth, Peeves couldn't help but burst into loud laughter.
"Hahahaha, the Young Wizard said please, but I don't want to tell them—a Principal and a Professor—so why should I tell you~"
Amanda looked at Peeves without any change in expression until she met Peeves' gaze directly.
Nothing on her face changed, yet Peeves became visibly nervous and flustered.
"You... you..."
Peeves looked at the watch on Amanda's left wrist, dumbfounded.
Damn it, how could he sense the aura of those two women in that watch?
Those two... terrifying... women!
Peeves gave a violent shiver. As a "ghost" that had existed since the founding of Hogwarts,
He was formed from the suppressed naughtiness of the students, so whether it was successive Principals or Professors, they were mostly indulgent toward him.
After all, he was like a child, usually so naughty it made one's teeth itch with hatred.
But when Hogwarts faced real difficulties, he would truly contribute his effort for Hogwarts.
However, there were two exceptions: Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff, the two original founders of Hogwarts.
They never coddled Peeves; having Gryffindor and Slytherin coddle him was enough.
If they coddled him too, Peeves might actually turn Hogwarts upside down.
Therefore, the two of them always acted as the ones to discipline Peeves, making him understand what jokes were acceptable and what were not.
Especially Ravenclaw; most people were helpless against a "ghost" like him, but the learned Ravenclaw always had a way to deal with him.
She could even manage to use a different method to deal with him every single time.
And every time he was dealt with by Ravenclaw, there was inevitably a Hufflepuff nearby fanning the flames.
This led to him being incredibly sensitive to the aura of those two women even now.
Who could have expected that after a thousand years, he would actually sense the aura of those two women again?
Damn it! They couldn't have tied up Death and beaten him, then skipped over death, could they?
His thoughts swirled in an instant, but just the fact that Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were in Amanda's watch
Was enough to make Peeves listen to her, not to mention that in the few seconds he hesitated and the moment he talked back just now,
Hogwarts itself was actually exerting pressure on him, with the faint surrounding pressure all leaning toward his body.
This was simply too ridiculous—how could even Hogwarts Castle be on this girl's side?
With things having developed this far, Peeves could only put on a smile, take off the pointed hat on his head, and give Amanda a less-than-standard bow.
"Of course, my dear, respected Young Wizard."
He emphasized the words fiercely, "Please follow me."
After saying that, he floated in front to lead the way, Amanda following behind, and behind her were Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, as well as Cho Chang, Marietta Eckmore, Penelope, and the Little Lions of Gryffindor.
When they finally found the fat lady, Headmaster Dumbledore smiled kindly and stepped forward to soothe her.
"It's all right now, the fat lady. Could you please tell us exactly what happened?"
the fat lady poked her head out of the portrait, trembling, and clearly breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing it was Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall.
She said shakily, "It was, it was Sirius Black, Headmaster Dumbledore."
"He wanted to enter the Gryffindor Common Room, but he didn't have the password. I wouldn't let him in, so he started slashing the painting with a knife!"
the fat lady's voice grew louder and louder, until she finally cried out, losing her voice.
Peeves giggled nearby; Amanda gave him an indifferent look, and he immediately stopped his laughter.
But he still muttered softly, "That Black... clearly had no intention of harming the students."
It was just that his voice was too small; even Amanda didn't hear it.
Peeves flew back and forth in mid-air with a face full of unease. If that Black really intended to harm the students,
How could he have joked about this and not told Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall where the fat lady was?
He would have certainly cooperated with them to the utmost; after all, the safety of the Young Wizards was also kept in Peeves' heart, okay?
Not even understanding this, Peeves gave a small huff; they weren't worth his reminder.
With this thought, Peeves drifted away.
Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were still asking the fat lady about the details and didn't notice Peeves' departure.
Amanda was thinking about Sirius Black's possible means of entering Hogwarts.
She had deduced before that for Sirius Black to escape from Azkaban, he was very likely an Animagus.
By relying on this, he could indeed very easily and safely pass through the Dementor guards to enter Hogwarts.
And his Animagus form must be a common animal, or a very small one, to allow him to enter Hogwarts without alerting anyone else.
And walk all the way to the Gryffindor Common Room.
As for what exactly his Animagus form was, Amanda's brain worked rapidly, prompting her to start deducing from the key factor, Harry.
Sirius Black's target was Harry, and he was very likely an Animagus.
So, were there any relevant Animagi around Harry?
There were; three options quickly appeared in Amanda's mind: herself, the large black dog that had appeared in Diagon Alley, and Ron's rat, Scabbers.
Among them, herself could be excluded, and Ron's rat, Scabbers, could also be excluded.
He could follow Ron in and out of the Gryffindor Common Room every day; there was no way he would have trouble getting in, and even less likely he would damage the painting for that reason.
So the only remaining possibility was the large black dog encountered in Diagon Alley, and regarding the large black dog, Harry had once said that on the night he left his aunt and uncle's house, he had seen it too.
This showed the large black dog's persistence toward Harry. Combining the analysis of the three possibilities and the analysis of the large black dog's persistence toward Harry,
There was a seventy percent chance that Sirius Black's Animagus form was that very large black dog Harry had seen before.
The identity of the large black dog could basically be locked in as Sirius Black, but what about Scabbers?
Amanda blinked, her brain giving the answer that there was insufficient information.
There was too little information about Scabbers for her to analyze his possible true identity.
After hearing the fat lady's words, Headmaster Dumbledore lowered his head and fell into deep thought.
"Albus, how did Black enter Hogwarts?" Professor McGonagall looked at Headmaster Dumbledore with a furrowed brow.
The old man sighed and shook his head. "That is also what I wish to know, Minerva."
Listening to their conversation, Amanda silently raised her right hand; this concerned the safety of Harry, her friend.
Moreover, if Harry encountered danger, Hermione would also be sad, so she should take the initiative to report this matter to the Professor.
In hopes of a quick resolution.
"Miss Amanda, do you have something you wish to say?"
Headmaster Dumbledore gestured for Amanda to lower her hand, looking down at her with a gentle gaze.
"Yes, I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, Headmaster Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall."
"I have analyzed how Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban and how he sneaked into Hogwarts."
"What?"
Professor McGonagall looked at Amanda in surprise, reaching out to signal her not to speak yet.
"Albus, I think we need to find another place to talk."
"Mm," Headmaster Dumbledore nodded, "send the children back to their common rooms first, then we'll talk in the Headmasters Office."
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