Chapter 1041: Eager Spectators
Chapter 1041: Eager Spectators
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh......"
In the wee hours of the morning, a bloodcurdling scream suddenly rang out from Hogwarts Castle, jolting the students who had just fallen asleep.
"It's started, it's started!"
Albert lazily rolled over at the sound coming from within the room. Lee Jordan's voice drifted over from the other end. He fumbled to push aside the curtains around his bed and watched as the Weasley brothers and Lee Jordan prepared to go gossip. He yawned and mumbled, "That guy should be well-behaved for a good while now."
"Get up!"
Lee Jordan grinned and poured a cup of strong tea for Albert.
Albert looked at the cup of tea with disdain. How was he supposed to sleep after drinking that?
He yawned again, got out of bed, and put on the cloak hanging nearby. He followed the other curious students to the common room.
A large group of students, freshly out of bed and clad in pajamas with cloaks draped over their shoulders, had already gathered there. They huddled together in small groups, whispering about the scream they had just heard.
"Quiet, does anyone know what's going on?" Albert looked around and asked, "I heard a scream just now."
"It seems something's happening in the castle," a boy volunteered.
"It sounded like a witch's scream."
"I think someone's being tortured."
"Could it be a toad's scream?"
Everyone had their own theory, and eventually, the consensus was that it was indeed a toad's scream. After all, this wasn't the first time they had heard such a noise at night from a toad, but this time, it was particularly piercing.
"Prefects, are there any prefects here?" Albert raised his hand to signal for quiet. Three prefects, cloaked like the rest, pushed their way through the crowd to stand before Albert.
"Who wants to come with me to check out what's going on outside? We don't need too many people."
As soon as Albert finished speaking, several hands shot up.
"Good. You three, and you four, grab your wands and come with me to see what's happening." Albert drew his wand from his cloak pocket and said, "The rest of the prefects will maintain order here and make sure no one runs around causing trouble. Wait here for news."
Although many students expressed their dissatisfaction, all they could do was swallow their complaints. As the president of the student council, Albert held considerable authority within Gryffindor.
"And you few, go back and put on your cloaks. Don't catch a cold and give Madam Pomfrey more work." Albert instructed those students who had rushed over in their pajamas.
"Alright, those chosen, follow me. If you want to stay, you may."
No one wanted to be left behind, especially when it was the student council president leading the mischief.
"Could it really be a toad's scream?" Fred asked with exaggerated concern. "That guy hasn't kept quiet at night before, though."
"But I've never heard him scream so miserably," George agreed.
Ron and Hermione exchanged glances, nodding in agreement with the twins. They, of course, knew exactly why there had been such a miserable scream, but they were surprised that Albert had taken the initiative to lead a group to witness the toad's pathetic state. Their only regret was that Harry hadn't been able to join them.
"Is this really okay? I mean, shouldn't the professors be..." Hannah whispered her concern.
"No professors have gotten up to check," George said, eyes fixed on the Marauder's Map in his hands.
"I guess the professors can't be bothered. It's happened so many times that everyone's fed up," Fred added.
Although the seven people Albert had brought along were all allies, they didn't dare to be too reckless, lest they give something away.
For now, they were all brave Gryffindors who had been roused by the piercing scream and were here to investigate.
"I just got in touch with Cedric, and he's brought people to... ahem, check out the situation too," Fred quickly changed his phrasing. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Do you think Ravenclaw might send someone over as well? It could get quite interesting if they do."
"Most likely. Curiosity is human nature," George replied.
Albert tightened his cloak and quickened his pace toward the outside of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. On their way to the fifth-floor corridor, they encountered Nearly Headless Nick.
"What are you doing here...?" Nick looked at Albert, who was leading the group, and frowned slightly. "Why are you out at this time?"
"We heard someone might be in great distress, so I brought everyone to see what's going on," Albert said calmly. "Nick, do you know anything about this?"
"Not really," Nick shook his head.
"Then come with us, and help us scout ahead. If you see anything amiss, give us a warning," Albert instructed the Gryffindor ghost.
"You sure know how to boss a ghost around," Nick grumbled, but he didn't refuse. He had heard the scream as well, and it had been truly piercing. No wonder Albert was being cautious, worried that some dangerous intruder had entered Hogwarts.
The group quickly made their way to the third floor through the secret passage. As they approached the corridor leading to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, they heard some movement.
"Who's there?"
Albert signaled for everyone to stop and gestured for Nick to go check what was around the corner.
"It's Filch and a group of Hufflepuffs," Nick reported back.
Only then did Albert lead the group into the corridor.
At that moment, Filch was glaring angrily at the group of Hufflepuffs, who were clad in pajamas and cloaks. Strangely, not a single professor was present.
Seeing yet another group of students, Filch looked even more irritated, muttering about students wandering around in the middle of the night and how they all deserved detention.
"What's going on?"
Albert completely ignored Filch's grumbling and glanced at Cedric inquiringly.
"We heard a horrible scream and came to investigate. That's when we saw Umbridge had turned into a toad," Cedric said, his face straight as he struggled to hold back a laugh.
"Umbridge turned into a toad?"
Several Gryffindors joined the crowd, eager to catch a glimpse of Umbridge's ugly state.
"This looks exactly like her, doesn't it?" someone whispered.
Umbridge's skin was rough, resembling toad skin. What surprised them the most was that Umbridge's face looked like that of a humanoid toad.
Everyone started whispering, discussing how Umbridge had turned into a toad and speculating about the cause. They completely forgot that they should send her to the hospital wing.
In fact, Filch had wanted to do just that, but Cedric stopped him, suggesting that Umbridge might have a contagious skin condition.
Not long after, a group of Ravenclaws, led by Katrina, appeared in the corridor outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. The once spacious corridor now felt crowded.
Everyone began exchanging information, trying to piece together what had happened. The whispers and murmurs filled the entire corridor.
"Disgusting. A toad has indeed turned into a toad."
"Is it some kind of skin disease? Could it be contagious?"
"I think it's probably a curse from the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
"Quiet down." Albert signaled for everyone to keep quiet, then asked them to make some space. After creating enough room, he drew his wand and cast a Reviving Charm on the unconscious Umbridge.
The dazed Umbridge soon stirred and woke up.
"Professor, who attacked you? And what happened here?" Albert took a step back, and a glowing sphere flew out from his wand, hovering above Umbridge's head so everyone could see her toad-like appearance.
"Ugh, it's so disgusting!"
"She really has turned into a toad."
"Did she faint from seeing her own ugly face?"
"We should keep our distance. It might be some sort of contagious skin disease."
"Most likely a curse, and not the first time from the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."
"Look, she's waking up."
As the students whispered among themselves, Umbridge opened her eyes, initially looking confused as she sat dazed on the cold marble floor.
"Professor, what happened? How did you end up looking like this, and who attacked you?" Albert asked again.
This time, Albert took another step back.
The just-awakened Umbridge looked around in a daze, noticing the strange gazes of the students around her, along with their hushed whispers.
"Professor, do you really not know what happened to you?"
As Umbridge lifted her hand to look at her palm, a mirror appeared and fell into her hand, accompanied by Albert's gentle voice.
After glancing at the reflection in the mirror, Umbridge froze for a moment, as if she had remembered something. She flung the mirror away, reached up to scratch her cheek, and then tilted her head back to let out a heart-wrenching, miserable scream.
Then, she fainted again.
Yes, Umbridge had scared herself unconscious.
Everyone turned to look at Albert, certain that he had done it on purpose! It had to be!
"Very interesting, isn't it?"
Peeves appeared from nowhere, holding his stomach as he surveyed the toad-like Umbridge, lying unconscious, and broke into peals of laughter.
The others couldn't help but join in the laughter.
Albert quietly cast a spell on Umbridge, putting her into a semi-conscious state.
"Peeves, it's all your doing!"
Filch immediately turned his accusation toward Peeves.
"No evidence, be careful or I'll sue you for defamation!" Peeves stuck his tongue out at Filch, performing a somersault in mid-air like a playful fish.
"What's going on, Peeves?" Albert asked.
"Isn't it the little Headmaster?" Peeves flipped in the air, grinning at everyone through his legs, "I had just heard the scream and came here, then I saw her rushing out of the office, screaming... and then she fell here."
"I've never seen anyone as funny as her." Peeves giggled, "She looks just like a... toad now."
"Ahem, we should send her to the school hospital. Madam Pomfrey will surely be able to cure her." Albert waved his wand and conjured a stretcher, then moved Umbridge onto it. A group of students then proceeded to send Umbridge to the hospital wing.
Along the way, they whispered among themselves, discussing what could have happened to Umbridge.
As for Filch, he was left alone, ignored by everyone.
After they woke Madam Pomfrey and placed Umbridge on the bed, despite the twitching of the nurse's face, Albert asked Cedric to explain the situation to her.
"Mr. Filch, please go and inform Professor Dumbledore. If the Headmaster is not in, then inform Professor McGonagall or any other professor, and let them know what happened here."
After giving his instructions, Albert turned to the students standing outside the hospital wing and said, "Go back and rest. Don't wander around at this late hour."
"It's never peaceful for a moment." Albert yawned and motioned for the other Gryffindors to return to their dorms.
...
In less than half an hour, the news of Umbridge turning into a toad spread throughout Hogwarts like wildfire. Even Headmaster Dumbledore was roused from his sleep, hurrying to the hospital wing in the middle of the night, along with several other teachers.
Whether this group had come to visit the patient or not was another matter.
In any case, Professor McGonagall maintained a stern expression, Professors Flitwick and Sprout whispered to each other, Professor Snape stared at Umbridge on the bed with a peculiar expression, and Madam Pomfrey discussed Umbridge's condition with Dumbledore.
"...She might have some kind of skin disease. To be honest, I initially suspected it was caused by a curse, so I gave her a small dose of Potent Restorative Draught, but it didn't seem to work." Madam Pomfrey glanced at Umbridge on the bed and suggested, "I recommend transferring her to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for more specialized treatment?"
"Can she be cured?"
Dumbledore examined Umbridge's toad-like rough skin and poked it with his long fingers.
"It will take time, but I believe we can cure her." Madam Pomfrey's face showed her disgust, but she didn't refuse.
"Then we're grateful for your help." Dumbledore chatted with Madam Pomfrey for a while before heading toward the exit, with Snape following close behind.
"What did you find out?"
Dumbledore deliberately slowed his pace to match Snape's.
"Her appearance is quite strange, almost like an incomplete transformation."
"That's similar to what Professor Sinistra said. Even Madam Pomfrey used a Potent Restorative Draught on Professor Umbridge, but it didn't seem very effective." Dumbledore was also puzzled, but he instinctively felt that Snape's words were true.
Umbridge's appearance did resemble the symptoms of an incomplete transformation.
Of course, Dumbledore also suspected that some students might be behind Umbridge's predicament. Lately, Umbridge had encountered a string of bad luck, and even Peeves had been causing trouble for her.
"No, I mean she might have ingested a potion, perhaps a compound potion." Snape clarified.
"Could a compound potion cause such symptoms?" Dumbledore asked in surprise.
"I'm not sure, but I believe a compound potion shouldn't be able to transform someone into an animal." Snape speculated, "Also, what will you do about the Ministry? I think the Minister will..."
"The curse of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor." Dumbledore said without hesitation, "Until we find the cause, Professor Umbridge's condition will likely be attributed to a curse."
"You should've guessed that it's most likely..."
"We have no evidence, Severus." Dumbledore interrupted.
"Evidence?"
Snape repeated the word as he watched Dumbledore's retreating back.
He suspected that some students had fed Umbridge a compound potion mixed with toad ingredients. Although Snape didn't know what would happen if someone consumed a compound potion with animal ingredients, Umbridge's appearance matched his speculation.
(End of Chapter)
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