Hermione, join me as Minister of Magic!

"Although the bow is dry and weak!"

After reading out the password and entering his office, Lockhart snapped his fingers again, and lit the magic lamp in the office, making it look good.

The new custom-made lamps worked so well that Lockhart imported them from the Muggles, sent them to Wisereck in Diagon Alley to be enchanted, and finally shipped them to Hogwarts.

Although Dumbledore came here to find out what happened just now, after seeing the luxurious furnishings in Lockhart's office, he still couldn't help but make a comment.

"A fine house, Gilderoy, and you seem to have taken good care of yourself.

Lockhart held out his wand, and pulled for Dumbledore a heavy mahogany chair upholstered in velvet.

"A good working environment can greatly improve the mood index of the migrant workers. Principal, this is also for work efficiency." Lockhart said boldly, "Do you need help?"

"Just have this chair, thank you."

Dumbledore sat at Lockhart's desk and began to examine the cat carefully.Lockhart also moved a chair for Professor McGonagall, and she sat down after thanking her, and checked the cat's condition with Dumbledore.

Snape lost interest after a few glances at the cat - it was clearly a petrification spell that could only be restored with a mandrake potion, not a big deal at all

But what he thinks now is how to use this matter.

His eyes quickly turned to Harry Potter, with a half-smile expression, which made Harry's heart shudder.

From Harry's point of view, Snape was definitely planning to use this opportunity to find a way to expel him from Hogwarts, that's why he showed such a happy smile.

But he really wronged Snape—Snape obviously wanted to use this "attack" to ask Dumbledore to catch the murderer quickly, and to intimidate Harry so that he could stay in Gryffindor Stay in the rest room and don't run around for nothing.

Filch said little more than sobbing and berating Harry, while Lockhart brewed elderflower syrup for the room as he pondered how to cope.

With all parties having their own thoughts, the office fell silent for a while.

In the end, it was Dumbledore who broke the silence.

"It's not dead, Filch."

Filch's eyes were like those of a patient who knew that his cancer could still be saved: "It's not dead? Then why is it stiff all over, as if it was frozen?"

"Because it was petrified, but how exactly it became like this, I don't know," said Dumbledore.

"Ask him!" Filch shouted, pointing at Harry.

"It is impossible for students to do this." Dumbledore categorically rejected Filch's guess, "It requires a high level of black magic to perform."

Obviously, although Filch was still venting hysterically, it was obvious that Harry could not cast such a petrification spell, and everyone present had this common sense.

But the point is... who did it.How did it happen again.

Although Snape knew who the instigator was, he couldn't say it openly in front of everyone, because Lao Deng's plan was to let the savior learn to destroy a Horcrux of Voldemort with his own hands. Speak to Dumbledore in private.

But this did not prevent him from protecting Harry in his own way, but this way was a bit unacceptable.

"Headmaster, I find it very strange that Potter and his friends are there--

Harry was taken aback, he knew that nothing good would happen when Snape spoke: "We've been at Sir Nicholas' Deathday party before, and there are hundreds of ghosts who can prove that we were there before..."

Wu Dan, you chose not to eat dinner and went directly to the corridor on the third floor? demanded Snape sharply. "I don't think you'll be able to eat and drink enough from the Deathday Party food. "

Recalling the rotten and moldy "food" at the Deathday Party, even if Harry was still nervous, he still felt nauseated.

"...I'm sleepy and want to go to bed early."

Harry immediately lied, concealing the fact that he had heard the voice shouting "Kill you" before going up to the third floor to find out.

However, he is really not suitable for lying, not to mention Snape and Dumbledore, even Filch, a squib, can see that he is unnatural when lying.

Snape laughed.

"Headmaster, I'm not saying they did it, but I think they must have discovered something and kept it from us. I suggest that he should be disqualified from Quidditch until he knows everything he knows. until you tell me," he suggested.

As soon as this was said, before Harry protested, Professor McGonagall quit.

Because you can't get points by attending classes and doing good deeds, the only major event in Gryffindor College that can get points is Quidditch. Not to mention that Professor McGonagall is a Quidditch fan, even if it is for the House Cup. Can't let the only Seeker on the team just be useless.

She argued immediately, saying that Harry had done nothing wrong and there was no reason to disqualify him as a player.

Harry was overjoyed by her divine assist, but it made Snape secretly groan in his heart.

His inner activities are probably like this—Old McGonagall, what have you misunderstood? What the hell is I protecting Harry from running around!

And what's wrong with concentrating on studying for a while?Going out to play that useless ball every day, look at the homework he wrote... What kind of virtue has his homework become?His poor grades in Potions can be said to be because I did not teach well, but is it possible that his grades in Transfiguration are good?

Lily, forgive me, I really can't control your son anymore.

Dumbledore saw what Snape was up to, but he also didn't want to overprotect Harry

"As long as it is not proven to be a crime, it is innocent. Disqualification is too much. As for Argus, don't be too sad. When Pomona's mandrake is mature, we can restore it to its original state." , Severus has never failed to configure such a potion."

His persuasion calmed Filch down, but it also annoyed Snape even more.

He gestured to Dumbledore with his eyes—don't forget what I said, as long as something goes wrong, I will use my own method to solve the problem.

And Dumbledore's eyes quickly answered him - what he said at the beginning was "student

Taken after the attack', now it's just a cat.

After understanding what Dumbledore meant, Snape's face became more and more ugly, and Harry mistook him for not getting himself expelled—the misunderstanding between them deepened.

"So... that's it for today, Harry, you can leave. Severus, you stay here... Oh, no, I almost forgot, this is Gilderoy's office, let's go to the principal's office." Dumbledore said to Snape.

Holding the teapot, Lockhart seemed a little disappointed: "The elderflower dew is ready, why don't you guys have a cup before leaving?"

"No, thank you, I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep at night after drinking it." Dumbledore declined

"Great, I want to have a drink. The weather is bad recently, and I'm worried that I'll catch a cold." Professor McGonagall said.

P.So the first order is 6k+, according to the agreement, 3 more chapters will be added today _(: 3Jz)_

, trying to exhaust me

Chapter 66 Dire Speculation

After Dumbledore took Snape and Flitwick comforted Filch out, only Professor McGonagall and Lockhart were left in the office.

While drinking the elderberry tea brought by Lockhart, Professor McGonagall was full of complaints.

"Gidero, what are they hiding from us, Albus? I get the feeling that they don't seem surprised by this attack." She asked irritably.

"Maybe it's just because of the Mandrake potion." Lockhart prevaricated

Professor McGonagall stared at him: "So, what did you discover just now? Everyone here seems to have discovered something, only me, an old woman, was kept from you."

Lockhart shrugged: "I don't find much, I believe the principal can find out too."

"But you shouldn't have the right to hide it from me. That's a student of my college. I have the right to know what happened."

"You should ask the principal."

"If I could ask, I would have asked." Professor McGonagall said sharply, "Because I have done similar things countless times, I don't want to waste my time. As long as Dumbledore doesn't want to tell you, then you No matter how hard you ask, you can’t hear it.”

Lockhart began to have a headache: "Dear Professor McGonagall, the principal didn't explain it to me, and I only heard about the last time the secret room was opened...Of course, I don't know why he kept it secret. "

"But you did find something, didn't you?" Professor McGonagall asked, staring at him.

"...some obvious traces, and it's easy to reason about."

"Then why are you covering it? Imitate the principal." Professor McGonagall wrinkled

Brows, a very dissatisfied look.

"Well, if you insist... there are some things that are not hard to guess."

Curse it, I'm listening. "

Seeing Professor McGonagall's insistence, Lockhart can only selectively reveal some things, which he can explain anyway.

"First, the magic text was left too abruptly. Regardless of whether the "secret room" was opened or not, the attackers should not show their existence in such a big way. A sneak attack is a more profitable choice.

Second, the cat's whereabouts have always been unpredictable. It can be said that except for Mr. Filch, no one in the castle can figure out its whereabouts, let alone ambush it in advance, so I don't think the attacker The goal is it.

Third, the attacker chose Halloween night, which was obviously premeditated, knowing that the vast majority of people would be in the auditorium at this time.

If the above three points are true, I think the attacker should have another purpose, but happened to meet the cat while moving, so he petrified it.At the same time, in order to cover up something, the assailant specially hung it up and left behind magical words. "

Professor McGonagall's eyes widened when she heard this—it was obvious that these things were not something she could easily think of.

Obviously, what Hermione said when facing the magic flame door in the first year was right—not everyone in the wizarding world has logical ability.

"So why leave that text?" she asked.

Lockhart continued his faux pas—he made himself look like he had only discovered this after careful deliberation.

"When I was checking just now, I found that the cat's posture was a bit strange - judging from the way it exploded its hair, it should have happened at the same time when it was attacked and found the attacker, that is to say, the cat was petrified. should perfectly reflect its

The state at the moment of the attack.If the cat was standing when it was attacked, it would have been staring at the ground.

So I vaguely have a guess—that is, the attacker thought that if the cat was left in place, its posture would reveal something, so it deliberately left magic words, pretending that it was for a "demonstration" before hanging the cat Show off."

"Staring at the ground?" Professor McGonagall was a little confused, "Could it be that some bug on the ground can petrify it?"

"I don't think so. The ground was full of water at that time. Even if there was such a bug, it probably wouldn't like that environment."

"It's all water..." Professor McGonagall thought for a while, and suddenly realized: "That is to say, the cat found the attacker from the reflection of the water, and the attacker was behind it at that time!"

Lockhart shook his head: "I'm afraid it's not on the back, but on top of its head."

"The top of the head?"

"Yeah, because light can only travel in a straight line, it is impossible for a person to see behind himself through the reflection when washing his hands by the river. Similarly, when the cat finds the attacker, the attacker is probably already above its head gone."

"Light...?"

Professor McGonagall looked a little confused, physics is also a new concept to this old professor: "You said the top of the head... Could it be that the attacker was a gecko, crawling on the ceiling?"

Pretty close, at least they're all reptiles.Lockhart thought.

Professor McGonagall's confusion didn't last long, because she suddenly thought of something more terrible.

"Wait, Gilderoy, is there such a possibility—the attacker originally planned to attack Harry Potter and his party, but accidentally bumped into the cat on the way, so..."

Lockhart immediately nodded: "Very likely! Because the other students were in the auditorium at the time, only Mr. Potter and the others were going to attend the Deathday Party, so the assailant ran to the necessary place after knowing that Mr. Potter and the others would be left alone. On the way, I want to ambush."

Professor McGonagall looked a little annoyed: "It seems that maybe I should really consider Professor Snape's suggestion and ground Mr. Potter in the common room."

And the common room in Graffindor may not be safe. said Lockhart regretfully.

Professor McGonagall heard something in his words, and asked quickly: "What do you mean?"

■

"It's nothing, I mean... There may not be too many people who knew in advance that Mr. Potter would attend the Deathday Party, and it's very likely that they only revealed it to people in Gryffindor." Lockhart reminded.

Professor McGonagall's face suddenly changed: "You mean, the attacker might be from Gryffindor?"

"Not necessarily, maybe someone spread the word, the little lions have never been able to keep any secrets."

Although Lockhart was kind, this statement made Professor McGonagall feel a little harsh, because lions, like her, are cats.

"I'll be responsible for finding out," she said to Lockhart. "I hope you don't look at my students through colored glasses."

"Tinted glasses?" Lockhart raised his eyebrows, "Then you have to go to Professor Snape and ask him to make the color-changing ink on all contact lenses transparent."

"You know what I mean." Professor McGonagall had no intention of chatting with him.

After Professor McGonagall left, Lockhart yawned.

Although he is a little tired now and wants to brush his teeth early and go to bed, but today is Saturday,

The student's homework has not been graded yet, and he is going to Hogsmeade tomorrow, so he can only give himself an overtime class.

Since Dumbledore and Snape hadn't had any, Lockhart added a few drops of the elderflower dew to refresh his brain, and then began grading homework.

After a while, Dumbledore's voice rang out of nowhere in his office

Gildero, if you haven't slept yet, please come to my office,

so you know

Well, still can't sleep.

Chapter 67 Relieved Harry

As a professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, after the cat was attacked at Hogwarts, Lockhart took the responsibility no matter what, and he was mentally prepared for it

With Dumbledore, Lockhart showed appropriate competence - he repeated what he had just said to Professor McGonagall.

"...In summary, I personally suggest that all the pipes in Hogwarts be investigated, because the murderer is likely to use the pipes to move."