Hogwarts in the shadows

"Nick, come here and grab your head." Hephis waved.

Nick hurriedly did as he was told. He lowered his body and held his head with one hand, revealing the only bit of flesh left.

"It will be a little painful, bear with it." Hephis said softly.

As the magic wand was gently stroked, the little bit of flesh began to fade.

Nick's expression became more and more painful, but he didn't dare to move at all, and looked at Hephis with hope.

Finally, Nick raised his head with his hands.

Nick's grip loosened and his head fell to the ground.

He opened his eyes wide, staring at his neck, and his hands were groping around his neck.

"Ah! Ah!" Nick screamed in surprise.

The other ghosts also stared at the scene in amazement.

Especially Patrick, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets and his mouth opened wide.

"Haha..." Nick laughed ecstatically.

"Thank you, Hephes." He wanted to hug Hephes, but his open arms stopped in time.

He took a step back, put his head back on his neck, and bowed deeply to Hephes.

But when he bent halfway, his head fell off.

The ghosts present immediately burst into warm applause and cheers.

"You're welcome." Hephes smiled.

Nick excitedly held his head between his arms and walked towards the podium with a reckless step.

"Everyone, please pay attention. I'm going to start showing off now!"

A blue spotlight shone on Nick's confident face.

"Let's go! Hermione, I think you're hungry too." Hephis looked at Hermione calmly.

"Yeah." Hermione responded absentmindedly.

Harry and Ron agreed wholeheartedly; they were already freezing cold.

"...Tear you apart...Tear you apart...Kill you..."

Hephes suddenly heard a cold, murderous voice.

He glanced at the stone wall beside him. It looked like tonight would be the night.

Harry heard it too, and he stopped, gripping the stone wall tightly, listening intently.

His eyes darted up and down the dim hallway, trying to find the source of the sound.

"Harry, what's wrong with you?" Hermione looked at him puzzled.

"That voice is here again, don't talk." Harry interrupted Hermione anxiously.

"…I'm starving…I've been starving for a long, long time…"

The sound became fainter and fainter, as if it would disappear at any moment.

"…It's time to kill…"

Harry stared at the dark ceiling.

"This way!" he whispered, and then he ran away.

They quickly crossed the stairs and rushed into the hallway.

Harry ran all the way up the marble stairs to the second floor.

Hephis followed closely behind them.

Reality is not a movie, and I wonder if Hermione’s protagonist halo still exists.

He didn't dare to take the risk. He had already placed a shadow on Hermione's body, ready to block Hermione's eyes at any time.

"...I smell blood...I smell blood!"

Suddenly Harry shouted, his voice full of fear. "It's going to kill people!"

Hermione also noticed something. She suddenly gasped and pointed down the corridor, "Look!"

On the wall between the two windows, one foot above the ground, two lines of handwriting suddenly appeared.

“The chamber of secrets has been opened.

Be wary of those who are enemies of the heir. "

Ron's voice was trembling. "What is that? Hanging down there?"

They approached the wall cautiously and saw a large puddle of water on the ground.

A cat hung stiffly on the torch stand.

Its eyes were wide open, staring at the four of them.

Hephis didn't feel anything.

The trio took a big step back in unison, splashing water.

"Let's get out of here quickly." Ron said nervously.

But it's too late.

As soon as the banquet ended, the little wizards pushed and shoved into the aisle from both ends.

When they saw the upside-down cat and the writing on the wall.

The originally noisy corridor suddenly became silent.

There were only four of them standing alone in the middle of the corridor.

"What the hell is going on here? Why are they all stuck here?" Filch asked puzzledly, pushing his way through the crowd with his shoulder.

"My cat! My Mrs. Norris!" he screamed, covering his face with his hands in horror.

His bulging eyes caught sight of Harry and instantly widened.

"It's you!" he screamed, his voice full of anger. "It's you who killed my cat. I want to avenge Mrs. Norris! I want to . . . "

"Filch!" Dumbledore hurried to the scene, followed by a group of teachers.

Then Dumbledore and the relevant personnel walked into Lockhart's office.

The walls were covered with pictures of Lockhart, some with hair curlers.

Dumbledore placed Mrs. Norris on the table and poked her left and right with his fingers.

"Some spell must have killed her," Lockhart interjected, with a hint of regret in his tone.

"It's a pity that I wasn't there at the time. I happened to know the method to break the curse and could have saved her..."

The Lockharts in the photos on the wall also had their hair done and nodded in agreement.

"It is not dead, Filch," said Dumbledore quietly.

"Not dead?" Filch choked. "Then why is it..."

"It is petrified," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling, "but how exactly, I do not know..."

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

"I never touched Mrs. Norris!" Harry protested loudly.

"If you would like to ask, Headmaster." Snape stood in the shadows.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence, but why are they in that hallway up there? Why aren't they at the Halloween party?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all rushed to explain their attendance at the Deathday party.

"...hundreds of ghosts came and they could prove we were there."

"But after that? Why don't you come to the party?"

Snape's eyes were sharp. "Why go to the upper corridor?"

"Because... because we are tired and want to go to bed early." Harry explained.

"No dinner?" Snape sneered.

"We're not hungry," Ron said loudly, but his stomach growled at an inopportune moment.

Snape smiled disdainfully, "My opinion is, Headmaster, Potter is not telling the whole truth."

Dumbledore glanced at Harry with his deep blue eyes.

"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus."

"You may leave now," Dumbledore said to the four.

Hephaestus was just a supporting role the whole time, Snape's skills are really not good enough!

Even if you want to help Harry get rid of the crime, you don't have to be so obvious!

It seemed like a question, but in fact it was deliberately giving Harry a chance to make up an excuse.

It’s a pity that the friendly forces are not strong enough!