piratefiction Chapter 97 Reaction
Chapter 97 Reaction
Chapter 97 Reaction
Hogwarts hides many secrets, but few secrets can remain hidden forever.
Generally speaking, they tend to spread very quickly.
Although neither Ministry of Magic officials nor school professors have released any details.
But by noon, news that Professor Lynch had been temporarily detained in the Forbidden Forest by the Ministry of Magic had spread throughout Hogwarts. Along with this, detailed accounts such as "Aurors are guarding the stone house in the Forbidden Forest" and "Professor Lynch is restricted from leaving the stone house" also spread.
Like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, it stirred up ripples within Hogwarts Castle.
Professor McGonagall sat at the faculty table.
Although Dumbledore had specifically instructed them on the way back to the castle after seeing off the Ministry of Magic officials that morning—that there was no need to specifically prohibit the students from discussing Professor Lynch—
But at this moment, whenever she heard students talking about Professor Lynch being investigated and monitored by the Ministry of Magic, she would still look over with her sharp eyes as always.
Any student in any college who was looked at like that would unconsciously stop talking and obediently sit down to eat their meal.
Despite Professor McGonagall's best efforts to suppress it, there was only one Professor McGonagall, and even the other professors were discussing Lynch's matter.
Professor Flitwick's face showed a hint of worry for his former student regarding the potential danger he might pose.
Snape listened to the various speculations and a sneer appeared on his lips.
In the auditorium, where Professor McGonagall's gaze did not reach, whispers replaced the usual clamor.
"Have you heard? Professor Lynch has been placed under surveillance by the Ministry of Magic! In that stone house in the Forbidden Forest!" Seamus lowered his voice, his face showing shock, as if he were conveying a shocking secret.
"We already know," Neville raised a question everyone was concerned about, "but the question is—why?"
"Who knows? Those officials at the Ministry of Magic don't report their actions to us," Dean shrugged. "But... I heard it's related to the Forbidden Forest lockdown a few months ago."
At the long table in Slytherin, Malfoy's pale face wore undisguised schadenfreude. He deliberately raised his voice, making sure everyone around him could hear: "I told you months ago! Those officials weren't from the Department of Magical Creatures Control, but Aurors from the Department of Law Enforcement! What happened months ago wasn't some dangerous creature venturing onto the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest at all!"
He glanced around, beckoning the surrounding snakes to come closer, then deliberately lowered his voice: "It's because several wizards died in the Forbidden Forest!"
Hearing the involuntary murmurs of surprise from his classmates, Malfoy grinned smugly.
His gaze swept around the room, and he drawled, "I think the Aurors must have found evidence and identified that 'Professor' Lynch. But think about it, someone who comes up with such a nonsensical theory about the origin of magic—could he be a good person? Maybe he's the one who silenced those dead wizards? Who knows? The Ministry of Magic won't be guarding an 'innocent' professor for no reason."
His two henchmen burst into rude laughter, echoed by the surrounding snakes who spread unverified rumors, embellishing Lynch's image as a thoroughly dangerous individual.
At the Gryffindor long table, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat together, listening to their classmates' various strange discussions, the atmosphere among them somewhat heavy.
"That's not fair!" Harry angrily poked at the sausage on his plate.
Recalling the black-robed figures who attacked him and Hermione in the Forbidden Forest last night, and Professor Lynch who arrived in time to save them, Harry now abandoned his usual senses and completely sided with Professor Lynch:
"Professor Lynch was clearly protecting us! The real culprit is that man in black! We should prove Professor Lynch's innocence!"
"It's not that simple." Hermione frowned, her fingers unconsciously twirling a napkin. "Professor Lynch should have told the Ministry of Magic officials the truth the moment they came knocking. But he's still being held in custody; there must be a reason we don't know."
With half a loaf of bread stuffed in his mouth, Ron's voice was a little muffled: "I don't understand what you're worried about. If Professor Lynch is really innocent, then Dumbledore certainly wouldn't have let the Ministry of Magic take him away."
Harry skewered a piece of sausage and stuffed it into his mouth. Ron had a point, but Dumbledore was just a headmaster. Could he really compete with the Ministry of Magic in the wizarding world?
He didn't know the answer to that question; he knew too little about the magical world.
His gaze swept across the Slytherin table, and without hearing a sound, just by looking at Malfoy's expression, he knew that Malfoy was sparing no effort to slander Professor Lynch.
Harry mentally spat.
Ungrateful Malfoy! If it weren't for Professor Lynch, they might all have been killed by the man in black last night!
His gaze swept over the long teachers' table again. Several professors, including Professor Lynch, were missing behind the table. For some reason, a strange unease welled up in his heart.
The news also reached Quirrell's ears.
In the dimly lit office, the strong smell of garlic almost solidified.
Quirrell huddled in the armchair, his large headscarf torn off, his face paler than usual, and fine beads of cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
The wound on his abdomen had stopped bleeding and even begun to heal under the effects of the potion, but every breath still brought him excruciating pain, reminding him of the fact that he had almost lost his life in the Forbidden Forest last night.
"Master...good news..." Quirrell's voice was weak and hoarse, "The Ministry of Magic has locked up that damned Lynch!"
When Lin Qi was mentioned, a hint of fear flashed in his eyes.
Last night in the forbidden forest, the figure that easily defeated him left a deep shadow in his heart.
Before this, he had never had the experience of almost being killed in battle.
Although Lynch only pierced his abdomen, he also inflicted a wound on his leg as he fled.
But for Quirrell, this was the closest he had ever come to death, apart from when the Dark Lord drained his life force; it was a completely different kind of danger.
On the back of his head, Voldemort's blurry, distorted face rose and fell silently, his snake-like eyes gleaming with a cold, greedy light.
His hoarse, icy voice pierced Quirrell's mind, filled with undisguised contempt and a hint of excitement, "Excellent! My plan worked! Those idiots in the Ministry of Magic finally did something good! As planned! Transfer Dumbledore! We need to get the Philosopher's Stone as soon as possible!"