Chapter 745: The Girls’ Bathroom After So Long Night.It was not the first time she had quietly slipped out of her House in the middle of the night.But compared with her p |
Speaking of Snape, the newly appointed Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Ever since the Sorting Ceremony ended that day, no one seemed to have seen him appear in the castle even once.
In fact, in several important occasions afterward, most of the responsibility had still been handed over to Minerva McGonagall to preside over.
That familiar sight was actually not all that different from the later years when Dumbledore served as Headmaster.
And just as everyone thought Snape was not at Hogwarts at all, Draco discovered that the truth was nothing of the sort.
Because Draco found on the Marauder's Map that Snape had actually been staying inside Hogwarts the entire time...
...
The Draco Constellation branch.
Inside this magical space created by the Undetectable Extension Charm, rows of completed houses could already be seen standing across the land.
There seemed to be quite a few people here now. All of it was thanks to Penelope’s efforts, as well as the results of those Death Eater professors’ reckless behavior.
You could even see Goyle and Crabbe leading others in training, practicing the wizard combat tactics Draco had created himself...
If you looked closely, among those buildings, there was one especially tall structure.
Draco’s room was located at the very top of that building.
From here, the view was excellent. The broad rooftop was even large enough for a massive Dragon to land.
In a sense, although this room was not as luxurious or comfortable as the Prefect’s room, Draco preferred staying here to think.
After all, here, he did not need to worry about Death Eaters barging in...
...
At that moment, Draco was sipping freshly brewed black tea while examining the Marauder's Map in his hand.
“Other than the Headmaster's Office, the place he stays most often is the tower?”
“This tower... Could it be the place where Dumbledore died?”
Since he had decided to have a proper talk with Snape, Draco’s first task was to figure out Snape’s movements.
Aside from that, Draco had also noticed something else.
“No matter where he goes, there’s always someone beside him?”
“Is he being watched? Or is there another reason?”
Draco stared thoughtfully at the Marauder's Map in his hand, unable to help thinking over the reason.
Since the Dark Lord had already appointed him Headmaster of Hogwarts, why would he still send someone to monitor Snape?
Was it because he did not trust him?
Only today did Draco finally notice this very obvious point of suspicion...
And while Draco was thinking about this question, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.
Judging by the footsteps, it should be one of the girls.
The next second.
After knocking, Hermione pushed the door open and came straight in without caring whether Draco agreed or not.
It had to be said that aside from those few girls, there really was no one else bold enough to do that.
Draco looked up and poured a cup of black tea for Hermione after she sat down. “What’s wrong? You look worried.”
“Draco, are you really going to see Snape?”
“Mm... There are some things I want to ask. Especially now that I’ve discovered my godfather is being watched, it’s even more necessary.”
Hermione held the black tea in both hands and looked at Draco worriedly. “But if he’s being watched, how are you going to get close to Snape?”
Although she could understand, that did not mean Hermione would stay silent.
After taking a sip of black tea, Draco finally explained his thoughts. “Did you notice? It looks like he’s being watched all day, but that isn’t actually the case.”
“What did you find?”
“Although Snape has other people around him for long periods, whether he’s in the Headmaster's Office or eating and drinking, I discovered that when he goes to one particular place, he’s alone. Even if he only stays there for a short time.”
“He avoids everyone?”
“Exactly. He probably goes when everyone else is asleep.”
After a pause, Draco reached out and pinched a lock of Hermione’s long hair. Under Hermione’s embarrassed and annoyed gaze, he told her the place.
“You would never guess where it is.”
“...”
Hermione glanced at the hand around her waist, then silently ground her little white teeth.
“Ahem. That Chamber of Secrets.”
“The Chamber of Secrets? You mean...”
“The very Chamber of Secrets you’re thinking of. Why do you think Snape chose that place?”
Hermione glared at Draco, who was becoming more and more outrageous, and understood something with her cheeks flushed.
“You’re saying... Snape knows you want to see him? That’s why he chose a place only a few wizards know about. And since you dealt with the Basilisk, there’s no reason you wouldn’t know that place.”
“That’s the only possibility.”
“But how could Snape know you have the Marauder’s Map... No, I understand. He believes you’re capable of finding that out?”
Completely unaware that Draco’s hand had already slipped beneath her robe, Hermione spoke her judgment with a surprised expression.
That adorable look with her lips slightly parted.
And the softness beneath his palm.
Draco’s gaze deepened slightly, and he chuckled as he leaned closer.
Come to think of it, it had been a long time since they had been this close.
Faced with the approach of the person she loved, Hermione, who was usually so proud and difficult, was left only shy and sweet at this moment...
“You... you’re so hot!”
No one could have imagined that in the highest room of the Draco Constellation branch, something was happening that would make one’s face flush and heart race...
...
Although no one knew exactly what had happened in the room at the very top, in a daze, it almost seemed as if pink bubbles were drifting out through the crack beneath the door.
Besides that, when Hermione appeared in front of everyone again, her slightly disheveled robes and inexplicably swollen lips were even more obvious.
After noticing that little detail, Pansy spent the entire day pouting.
The only thing that stopped Pansy from completely exploding was that at least Hermione’s walking posture did not seem strange.
It seemed things had not reached that point yet...
In any case.
Faced with Pansy’s resentful gaze and Astoria’s faint, knowing smile, Draco, who had no way to explain himself, coughed hard. “I plan to meet Snape tonight.”
“You’ve decided?”
“Yes. We can’t keep waiting like this. At the very least, we need to confirm what these Death Eaters are really after.”
Hearing Draco’s decision, Pansy looked suspiciously toward Hermione. “By yourself?”
“Hermione will come with me.”
“...”
Pansy, wearing an expression that said she knew it, glared hard at Hermione, whose small face still carried a strange flush.
That dissatisfied look seemed to be questioning Hermione for secretly getting a head start.
But before Pansy could ask anything, Draco cut her off. “Then, let’s talk about our progress first.”
Pansy knew this was serious business, so she said nothing more. She only hugged Draco’s arm tightly and listened as Astoria began her report.
Astoria stepped forward. “Recently, many people have joined our branch. Among them, the majority are students, mm... students from Gryffindor.”
“That’s not too surprising. After all, almost everyone who was given detention was from Gryffindor.”
Speaking of that, there was an interesting and reasonable phenomenon.
The students who had been given detention by the professors were almost all from Gryffindor, while the fewest came from Slytherin.
Should it be said that Slytherin truly lived up to its reputation for knowing when to read the room and endure?
In any case.
Because of this, the Gryffindor students who were dissatisfied with the current situation had begun joining Draco’s branch one after another.
Otherwise, things would not have gone so smoothly for Ginny and the others.
After all, changing their impression of Slytherin in a short time was not that simple.
This was probably what people called shifting the conflict.
After finishing her report on that matter, Astoria, acting as Draco’s Chief Steward, continued.
“At present, our branch has 105 members. But there is one problem. Lower-year students make up almost half of them.”
“Mm... Is it because compared with the upper-year students, who think more, these younger wizards are easier to fool... more hot-blooded?”
Hearing this, Hermione, who was twirling the ends of her hair around her finger, immediately understood the reason.
What was somewhat surprising, however, was that there were already this many people.
Leaving aside Goyle and Crabbe, in such a short period of time, more than seventy students had been added to this space.
It was hard to say whether they were lucky, or whether these little lions really were full of courage...
...
It had to be said.
As the person managing logistics for Draco’s team, Astoria was indeed doing a good job.
Not only was everything handled in an orderly manner, there had been no major problems. In fact, she had even exceeded Draco’s expectations.
At least in certain aspects of the work, only Astoria could have done it.
For example.
When it came to things that could help Draco, Pansy would indeed devote her full effort to completing them. But because her eyes were always fixed on Draco, she was destined not to pay much attention to others and would instead overlook certain small details.
As for Hermione, even though she was meticulous, capable, and possessed a very clever mind, her Muggle-born background meant she naturally lacked a slight advantage.
So Astoria, who had both of their strengths without any particularly obvious flaws, was the one who could sit in this position.
And just as Draco looked somewhat surprised, Astoria suddenly turned her gaze toward Hermione, who seemed a little distracted.
“As for food and drinking water, with the help of those House-elves, we don’t need to worry. However...”
“However?” Everyone looked over in confusion.
“However, I must ask our adviser... adviser...”
“Chief of Staff.”
“Yes, Chief of Staff Hermione Granger, please stop disturbing the House-elves’ work.”
Astoria’s words made Draco look over curiously.
What annoyed Hermione was that Pansy, who was hugging Draco’s arm tightly, did not forget to give her a look that clearly said she was in the wrong.
Feeling as if she had been targeted, Hermione crossed her arms and explained unhappily, “How exactly did I disturb their work? I only wanted to improve the House-elves’ treatment.”
“But the problem is, the things you said about giving them fixed wages and even allowing them holidays frightened those House-elves so much that they lost the mood to work. More importantly, we don’t have any money right now.”
“...”
“...”
So that was it.
That really was very Granger...
...
Night.
It was not the first time she had quietly slipped out of her House in the middle of the night.
But compared with her previous experiences, the castle shrouded in darkness before Hermione now gave her the illusion that it was about to swallow people whole, along with a sense of danger.
Was it because Dumbledore was no longer at the school, so she could no longer feel safe?
Just as she was lost in thought, a sharp pain came from her forehead.
“Ow!”
“Pay attention. The Marauder's Map is in your hands, and I don’t want to be discovered by those Death Eaters.”
“I know.”
When Draco appeared at the entrance to the Slytherin common room, what he saw was Hermione hiding in a corner, looking as if she had no idea what she was thinking about.
Only after Draco flicked her forehead did Hermione finally come back to herself and remember that they still had proper business to attend to tonight.
And from the direction they were heading, it was quite clear that their destination should be somewhere on the second floor...
“How is it? Is anyone patrolling nearby?”
“No... I barely see anyone at all.”
It was frighteningly quiet.
Hermione even wanted to use those words to describe how she felt.
In fact, these professors, who were Death Eaters, could barely accept the existence of half-blood wizards, but they absolutely could not tolerate a Squib appearing before them.
In other words, after Hogwarts was taken over by the Dark Lord, the caretaker Argus Filch had been expelled from Hogwarts.
Perhaps that explained why no one was patrolling at night...
...
The second-floor girls’ bathroom.
Ever since the Basilisk had been defeated, Draco had never set foot in this second-floor girls’ bathroom again.
It was as if nothing had ever happened.
No wonder Dumbledore had sealed off all information about this incident.
After all, it involved the Dark Lord’s Horcrux...
As for the measures Hogwarts had taken, aside from forbidding anyone from entering or leaving, they had also specially sealed the passageway to the Chamber of Secrets with unique magic.
In addition, Moaning Myrtle, who treated this place as her own home, had been assigned to watch over it, in case someone accidentally discovered this place.
In other words, within Hogwarts, only a very small number of people knew the secret hidden in this girls’ bathroom.
And that secret was naturally the Chamber of Secrets, known as the Chamber of the Heir of Slytherin...
Now that Hermione had returned to this girls’ bathroom, she looked around the all-too-familiar place with an extremely complicated gaze.
“I never thought I’d have the chance to come back here...”
Hermione’s expression was rather complicated.
Although this was only an ordinary girls’ bathroom, to Hermione, it was an extremely important place.
Here, aside from precious memories, many things had happened.
And without exception, every one of those memories had Draco in it.
Thinking of that, Hermione could not help looking toward Draco beside her...
It was here that she first learned Draco was not the wicked Dark Wizard she had imagined him to be, because he had saved her from the troll.
It was also here that she first witnessed and personally experienced the power of so-called dark magic.
It could be said that without that adventure back then, there would be no Hermione Granger as she was now...