Chapter 68: Quidditch match stopped
Time goes back by dozens of minutes.
Harry walked quickly to Gryffindor Tower, picked up his Nimbus 2000, and joined the bustling flow of people passing through the grounds, but his mind was still in the castle, chasing the voice.
As he changed into his bright red robe in the locker room, his only solace was that everyone was outside watching the game.
The players walked onto the field amid earth-shattering cheers. Oliver Wood took to the air and performed a warm-up flight around the goalpost.
Ms. Hooch released the ball. The members of the Hufflepuff team, wearing light yellow clothes, were gathering together at the moment, seizing the last minute to discuss tactics.
Harry looked towards the audience.
Malfoy with white hair was very conspicuous. He was squeezing through the crowded crowd towards Ginny and Ron.
Harry didn't see Hermione though.
Cyrus panted, sat next to Ginny, and asked knowingly: "Finally found you, where is Hermione?"
"Went to the library," Ginny said immediately, recounting everything that had happened since she and Cyrus separated.
"She's alone? You shouldn't have let her go by herself. What if there's danger?"
"There is no way, right? How will the heir happens to know Hermione's location?" Ron didn't believe such a coincidence could happen.
But when Harry was about to ride on his broomstick, Professor McGonagall suddenly walked across the field, holding a huge purple microphone in her hand.
Harrry's heart sank like a stone.
The attack may have happened again.
Sure enough, Looking at Professor McGonagall just now was a clear sign that the monster had started to act.
Ron's face suddenly turned pale. He stood up in a panic and started to squeeze towards the playground: "It can't really be..."
Cyrus and Ginny quickly followed.
"The match is canceled," Professor McGonagall said through the microphone to the packed bleachers. There were boos and shouts of disapproval from the crowd. Oliver Wood looked crestfallen. He landed on the ground and ran towards Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.
"But Professor!" he shouted, "We must compete...the Quidditch Cup...Gryffindor..."
Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout with the microphone: "All students must return to the common room of their respective houses, where the person in charge of the house will tell you more about the situation. Please leave as soon as possible!"
Then she lowered the microphone and motioned for Harry to come over.
"Potter, I think you'd better come with me..."
Harry was confused, why did he always find himself tangled when something went wrong?
He couldn't understand why this attack had anything to do with him now that he was on the Quidditch field.
On the other side, nearly a thousand students made disheartened noises.
In the bustling crowd, Cyrus, Ron, and Ginny struggled to separate from the flow and ran towards this side.
"Well, maybe you'd better come too, Ron Weasley." McGonagall looked at Ron and rarely let go, but Cyrus and Ginny were not so lucky, "As for you two, Hurry up and go back to the common room of your own houses! Especially you Malfoy!"
After saying that, she left with Harry and Ron who didn't know what to do.
Harry glanced back and saw Cyrus and Ginny standing alone on the green grassy playground, with the crowd behind them.
He felt as if the world was divided into three parts, and the noisy noises were suddenly far away from him. The angry Wood was like a silhouette in a mime.
"What must have happened?" Ginny said very worriedly.
"I'm afraid there's an accident." Cyrus pondered for a moment and said, "Let's go back first. I believe Harry and Ron will tell us what happened when they come back."
"Well," Ginny could only nod, "I hope Hermione is okay..."
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.
.
"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed.
Their bad premonitions came true.
This time, Professor McGonagall did not take Harry and Ron to anyone's office, but directly to the school hospital Wing.
Hermione lay there motionless, her glazed eyes open unnaturally.
"She was found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't think either of you can explain it?"
"Someone forced her to open her eyes." Madam Pomfrey could see the weird look on Hermione's expression at a glance. She obviously wanted to close her eyes tightly, but her eyelids were roughly opened.
"This means that the attacker most likely cast the spell to open her eyes."
This clue made McGonagall easily think of the basilisk. However, other victims could still explain it, but there seemed to be nothing on Hermione that could prevent her from seeing the basilisk. But she was still petrified, not killed.
"I will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower," Professor McGonagall said with a heavy heart. "Anyway, I have to go speak to the students."
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.
.
"All students must return to the common room of their houses by six o'clock in the evening. No student is allowed to leave the dormitory after this time. A teacher will escort students to each class. No student is allowed to come to the class without the company of a teacher. All Quidditch practices and matches have been postponed. No activities will be conducted in the evenings."
Gryffindor students crowded into the common room, listening to Professor McGonagall in silence.
She rolled up the parchment she had just read and then said in a somewhat strangled voice: "In fact, needless to say, I have rarely been in such pain before. The school will probably be closed, unless the culprit who planned these attacks is Caught. I urge everyone who thinks they know something to come forward."
She climbed awkwardly through the portrait hole, and the Gryffindor students immediately started chattering.
"Two Gryffindors have fallen, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, a Ravenclaw, and a Hufflepuff."
Lee Jordan, a friend of the Weasley twins, said.
Counting on his fingers, "Has any teacher noticed that all the Slytherins are safe and sound? Isn't it obvious that these things come from Slytherin? The heirs of Slytherin, the monsters of Slytherin - then why not just kick out all the Slytherins?" he shouted, to a chorus of nods and sparse applause.
But Harry wasn't listening.
He couldn't seem to shake the sight of Hermione lying in the hospital bed, as stiff as stone.
If the culprit is not caught soon, he will return to the Dursleys for the rest of his life.
Tom Riddle wanted to report Hagrid because he faced the prospect of returning to a Muggle orphanage once the school closed.
Harry now understood exactly how he felt.
"What should we do?" Ron asked quietly in Harry's ear. He and Ginny huddled in the corner. "Do you think they suspect Hagrid?"
"We have to go talk to him," Harry said, having made up his mind. "I can't believe it's him this time. But since he released the monster last time, he must know how to enter the Chamber of Secrets. This is the only breakthrough point we have right now."
"But Professor McGonagall said we must stay in the tower unless we are in the classroom—"
"I think," said Harry, his voice softer, "that it's time to take out my old cloak again."
"Then let's go find Mr. Riddle first and then go together."
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