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A familiar voice came from behind, interrupting what Fred was about to say.
Everyone turned around.
Professor Dumbledore was standing not far behind them, and no one noticed how he appeared, as if he had always been there.
……
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 379: Brutal Blake Doesn't Spare Even a Painting
After seeing Professor Dumbledore, Kyle knew that this matter had basically nothing to do with them.
Soon, other professors arrived.
A tabby cat nimbly jumped down from the pillar beside the stairs and transformed into Professor McGonagall in mid-air.
Snape ran over nervously and was relieved when he saw that Connor was fine.
Professor Lupin followed behind him, wand tightly clenched in his hand.
"Chasing Black...what the hell are you guys playing at?" Professor McGonagall's lips turned pale with anger and her voice was icy cold.
"Black is one of the most vicious criminals in the history of the wizarding world. Do you know how dangerous it is to do this... You are lucky that you were not killed by him!"
Snape gave Kyle a quick, threatening look.
"Well, can anyone explain it to us?" Professor Dumbledore said with the same serious expression.
"It's like this, Professor..." Fred and George immediately stood up and described in detail what had happened.
However, they did not mention the Room of Requirement, and deliberately ignored the Misty Gems. They just said they were playing with the newly bought joke props in the empty room.
"By the time we noticed the time, the banquet had already begun..."
"We saw Blake on the way to the auditorium..."
"He's standing in front of the Fat Lady's portrait, trying to break into the Gryffindor common room..."
"If we hadn't just happened to show up, he might have succeeded..." Fred didn't forget to take credit for it, "It was really close. It was just a little bit."
"In fact, only the Fat Lady can open the entrance to the common room." Professor McGonagall said with a straight face, but her tone was not as cold as before.
"Without the Fat Lady's consent, Blake can't get in even if he digs through the wall."
Fred and George were speechless for a moment and turned their heads away in embarrassment.
"Then why did you chase him after you found out he ran away?"
When it comes to this, Professor McGonagall gets angry again, "Why can't you just go to the auditorium and inform the professor directly like Miss Qiu Zhang did!"
"We're worried he might do something to other students..." Fred said, "We want to catch him as soon as possible."
"Black doesn't have a wand. This is the best chance."
"Mr. Weasley..." said Professor McGonagall, "Can you guarantee that Black has not snatched other wizards' wands before?"
"Then why did he run..." George muttered quietly, "I mean, we are just a few students. If he had a wand, why would he run..."
"Perhaps he just wants to use this method to let you down your guard, and then kill you one by one."
Snape said gloomily: "That scum of a wizard..."
Professor Lupin had a complicated expression when listening to Snape's words. He did not refute, but just sighed painfully.
"Where did he go?" asked Professor Dumbledore.
"I lost him, Professor," Kyle said. "He was very familiar with the school and I couldn't catch up."
"Yeah, no one knows this place better than him."
Lupin walked up to Dumbledore, "Professor, we need to conduct a full search of the castle."
"Do you want to catch Black so badly?" Snape sneered, "Or do you have any other ideas?"
"You should know, Severus." Professor Lupin said in a deep voice: "I want to catch him more than anyone else."
"I hope so..." Snape moved his lips, as if he didn't want Kyle and the others to hear too much.
"Professor McGonagall..." Dumbledore said at the right time, "I think they must be very hungry. Before the banquet is over, could you please take them to the Great Hall?
By the way, we are going to conduct a major search of the castle next, and the students may have to stay in the auditorium for one night, so it doesn’t matter if the banquet lasts a little longer. "
"I understand." Professor McGonagall nodded and left with Kyle and the others.
While passing by the Fat Lady's portrait, Kyle discovered that a large section of the canvas had been torn off.
The Fat Lady is not there, probably hiding in another painting.
Professor McGonagall also noticed this and her expression became even uglier.
"See? The cruel Blake didn't even let go of a single painting. Do you know how stupid your behavior was just now..."
When they arrived at the auditorium, she opened the door and let them in.
Professors Flitwick and Sprout were guarding the door.
"Minerva, how is it..." Professor Flitwick asked, putting down his wand.
"It's Black," whispered Professor McGonagall.
Professor Flitwick clutched his chest, gasping for air. "How did he get in? Those Dementors at the door didn't see him?"
"I don't know, but they've already let Black escape once..." Professor McGonagall said, "We're going to conduct a major search of the castle in a while, and the students will have to spend the night in the Great Hall tonight."
"Come in quickly."
She turned to the people behind her and said, "Because of your recklessness, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff will be deducted ten points... Ravenclaw will get twenty points added because only Miss Qiu Zhang made the right choice."
After saying this, Professor McGonagall left again.
Kyle, Connor, and Cedric walked over to the Hufflepuff table.
The table was filled with delicious food, but no one was eating. Everyone was looking at them, asking what had happened.
"Quiet!" Professor Flitwick shouted. "Don't worry, nothing will happen. The party will continue..."
The auditorium became quieter, but faint discussions could still be heard.
"Are you okay?"
Qiu didn't know when she sneaked to Hufflepuff's side, hid between Connor and Cedric, and asked with her head raised.
"It's okay." Cedric said, "The professors will be here in about two minutes. But how did you manage to run from the eighth floor to the auditorium so quickly?"
"Of course I didn't run," Cho said. "I went to the Room of Requirement again, got a broom from it, and flew straight to the Great Hall."
"Oh... so smart." Cedric gave a thumbs up, "As expected of a Ravenclaw."
"Don't say that. I haven't settled accounts with you yet." Qiu looked at them dissatisfiedly: "You all said you would inform the professor, but in the end you ran away faster than the other."
"It was mainly because I didn't think too much about it at the time..." Cedric scratched his hair, "I just chased after him subconsciously."
"Then why are you pulling me... Don't deny it, I saw it all," Qiu glared at Cedric, "Do you think I'm weak and will hold you back?"
"Someone has to report that it's not..." Cedric said with a little embarrassment.
"And it turns out I was right. We and Gryffindor were both deducted ten points, and only Ravenclaw got twenty points added."
"Huh..." Qiu sneered and continued to stare at Cedric, "We Ravenclaw are only 20 points short?"
"Ahem... Ravenclaw is ranked first in the house score." Kyle pointed at the scoring hourglass and whispered, "And it's exactly five points more than Slytherin."
Qiu's next words were stuck in his mouth and he couldn't say them.
"Yes, that's right." Cedric nodded quickly and said, "You are now on par with Slytherin. Maybe with these 20 points, you can even win the house cup in the end."
……
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 380: A unique “Transfiguration Class”
After the dinner, all the students were kept in the auditorium.
Professor Dumbledore came to explain some things. "Prefects, guard the entrance to the auditorium. The presidents of the boy and girl student unions will cooperate with Professor Sprout to maintain order in the auditorium. If there is any news, send a ghost to report to me immediately."
After saying that, he waved his wand, and the long dining table flew to the side of the auditorium and automatically stood against the wall. With another wave, hundreds of soft sleeping bags appeared on the ground.
"You're going to need this..."
Professor Dumbledore said and left the hall.
But not everyone likes sleeping bags.
After obtaining Professor Sprout's consent, several senior students took out their wands and turned the sleeping bags into single beds of similar size, and the robes they took off were turned into thick wool blankets.
They had thought about this while they were having dinner just now. If they had to spend the night in the auditorium, they would definitely have to make themselves more comfortable.
Of course, it would be better if Professor Sprout would agree to make the bed bigger.
After that, more and more students began to try to deform their sleeping bags because they found it very interesting.
Professor Sprout not only did not object to this decision, but also stopped Percy who was about to step forward to stop it.
After all, there are enough seats in the auditorium, and making yourself more comfortable without disturbing others is the meaning of learning magic.
Besides, it was still early, and it would be better to find something for the students to do than to let them discuss Sirius Black.
Professor Sprout walked among the rows of sleeping bags...
"Nice Transfiguration, Miss Johnson," she said with a smile. "I bet this bed is very comfortable."
Gryffindor Chaser, Angelina Johnson, ruffled her hair proudly.
Unlike most hard beds, she also added a thick velvet mattress.
……
When Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall walked into the hall again, they looked at the lively scene in front of them in surprise.
The auditorium had become a giant Transfiguration classroom, and everyone was taking the same class.
"Minerva, it seems that everyone is enjoying themselves." Dumbledore said with a smile: "I thought I was in the wrong place just now."