Chapter 28: The Halloween Dinner
"Today we're going to learn simple transfiguration of living beings, which is more challenging than transfiguring inanimate objects. I need you all to pay extra attention—"
Professor McGonagall was lecturing at the front, and chalk was automatically writing key points on the blackboard.
"—Alright, does anyone know how many dangers there are in transfiguring living beings?"
The classroom was silent, unlike usual, with no hands eagerly shooting up. After a moment, someone hesitantly raised their hand.
"Miss Mandy Brocklehurst?" Professor McGonagall encouraged her.
Ravenclaw's Mandy Brocklehurst stood up: "There are four main points. First, incomplete transfiguration can cause severe distress to the creature, leading it to attack the wizard; second—"
Wade looked up and scanned the classroom but didn't see the brown-haired figure he was looking for. However, all the other Gryffindor students were present.
He asked Michael next to him, "Have you seen Hermione?"
Michael also looked around and speculated, "Maybe she's feeling unwell and resting in the dormitory? Professor McGonagall didn't say anything either."
It made sense, but Wade felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
At that moment, Professor McGonagall's stern gaze swept in their direction, and the two immediately fell silent, afraid to speak further.
When the class ended, students rushed out of the classroom. Wade made his way through the crowded corridor and found Harry and Ron.
"Excuse me, Potter, Weasley."
Seeing Wade walking directly towards them, Ron took an involuntary step back, "Wh-what's up, Grey?"
"Have you seen Hermione?" Wade asked. "Why wasn't she at Transfiguration class?"
Harry instinctively looked at Ron, who showed a brief flicker of unease and said guiltily, "How would I know? We're not exactly close with Granger!"
Wade narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Ron.
Ron avoided his gaze and lowered his eyes, and then he pulled Harry aside and said in a feigned tone, "If you don't have anything else, we're heading to rest!"
He pulled Harry away, but suddenly a voice came from behind—
"Harry Potter!"
Harry turned around and saw Wade staring at him seriously. "Do you really not know what happened?"
Under his gaze, Harry felt as if he were being exposed to the sun, parched and dry-mouthed.
He wanted to protect his friend but couldn't bring himself to lie.
"Hermione, Hermione, she cried after our Charms class," Harry finally said quietly. "We haven't seen her since—I'm really sorry."
Ron finally dragged him away, and Wade stood still, frowning in thought.
However, time had locked away the memories, and he struggled to recall anything.
"It must have been an argument, right?" Michael said, understandingly. "Hermione's personality is a bit too serious; it's not surprising she'd have a row with those Gryffindors.
Let's go; she won't miss the Halloween feast too. We can ask her later what happened."
Wade nodded.
Not far behind them, Padma, lost in thought, was tapping her fingers, then quickly caught up with her twin sister and whispered to her.
By evening, the Great Hall had been redecorated.
Giant pumpkins floated below the ceiling, and the walls were adorned with colorful skeletons. Countless bats swooped and danced around the hall, sometimes gathering in a whirling cloud, making the flames in the pumpkins flicker along with their movements.
The feast hadn't started yet, but the students from all four houses had almost filled every seat, and the professors were arriving in turn.
Dumbledore had even dressed up for the occasion—he wore a pumpkin-colored robe and a hat decorated with little bats, chatting cheerfully with Professor McGonagall.
Wade scanned the Gryffindor table, but the Lions were too rowdy; the Weasley twins and a few other boys were running around, accompanied by frequent exclamations and laughter. Wade searched for a long time but couldn't find Hermione.
At that moment, someone suddenly tapped him on the shoulder. Before he turned around, he caught a faint whiff of perfume.
Padma, having squeezed Anthony, who had been sitting next to him, aside, leaned in and said, "I know where Granger went."
Wade asked, "She didn't come to the feast?"
"No." Padma brushed a strand of hair from her temple and said quietly:
"Parvati said—oh, you should know, Parvati is my sister, and she's in Gryffindor. She said that after Charms class, that Weasley guy was bad-mouthing Granger—saying she was a nightmare or something."
"—Ron Weasley?" Michael leaned in and asked in surprised. "He really had the nerve?—I mean, didn't Hermione give him a jinx right away?"
"She cried, she cried for a long time in the bathroom." Padma emphasized.
"—She was especially sad and wouldn't let anyone comfort her. Parvati helped her get a leave of absence from the afternoon Transfiguration class. I just went to check the bathroom, and Granger is still in there."
"I'll go check on her." Wade immediately stood up.
Padma said enthusiastically, "I'll take you there."
"—But the feast is about to start, and I barely ate anything for lunch because of it." Michael mumbled, seeing that Wade was striding out of the hall. He sighed and finally got up, jogging to catch up.
As students continued to arrive in the hall, a few people walking against the flow stood out. At the Gryffindor table, Harry noticed Wade leaving the hall.
He had been immersed in the festive Halloween atmosphere and had completely forgotten about the earlier events, but it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, instantly bringing the memory back.
"Ron!" He grabbed his friend's arm and asked, "Has Hermione not come back yet?"
Ron, who was eagerly anticipating the feast, didn't pay much attention. "I guess not—what's up?"
"I just saw Grey and the others leave—are they going to find Hermione?" Harry said.
"Maybe, Granger gets along well with them. Anyway, they're looking for her, so don't worry about it," Ron said dismissively.
He was really fed up with Hermione's lectures—although he felt a bit guilty when he saw her crying, that guilt had long since faded. Instead, the irritation from Hermione's repeated high-handed "advice" had deepened.
"But—" Harry hesitated, "They're all Ravenclaw, but Hermione is in Gryffindor, just like us!"
A bat, controlled by Fred's wand, landed on Ron's head, and the surrounding area erupted in laughter. Ron was busy shooing the bat away and didn't notice what Harry said.
After a moment of hesitation, Harry finally left his seat before the feast began and ran out of the hall. Dumbledore and Snape almost simultaneously turned their gaze to watch him leave.
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