Chapter 319: Visitors from the Ministry, Hagrid Taken Away
Chapter 319: Visitors from the Ministry, Hagrid Taken Away
The parchment was nearly an inch thick, and Cedric casually handed it to Kyle as he sat down.
"What is this...?" Kyle asked curiously.
"Photos of some magical artifacts," Cedric replied. "I found them in the library after the term started. I'm not sure if they'll be of any use, but you can take a look."
Kyle flipped open the book, which contained photos and lengthy descriptions, apparently copied by Cedric from various books.
At the very top was a photo of a Pensieve, shaped like a spinning top. Below it were the True-Sight Spectacles that could see through invisibility cloaks, a pocket alembic that could be worn around the neck... Time-Turners... Winged Slingshots... and Exploding Watches, each with a chain attached.
The collection of photos was indeed an inch thick, and while the magical items varied, they shared a common feature—they all had chains. Some were decorative, while others served the practical purpose of easy carrying.
"Do you remember the gift I gave you for Christmas?" Cedric asked. "I always felt that it was just a bit uniquely designed, much like the customized maps we made for Slytherin with their house crest on them..."
He pointed to the thin chain on the Exploding Watch in the photo. "With enough Galleons, I could easily replace it with a more intricate design, perhaps a snake, a badger, or a lion..."
Kyle nodded thoughtfully, realizing that he might have been too fixated on the appearance of the chain before. While the style of the chain was not of utmost importance, it did serve the practical purpose of carrying the item, and its design had no bearing on the item's function.
However, this realization also diminished the value of the chain as a clue.
There were simply too many magical items with chains, and this stack of photos was evidence of that, totaling about an inch in thickness. Who knew what item the chain had fallen off of?
...
The lights in the Hufflepuff common room stayed on until late into the night until everyone was too exhausted to keep their eyes open, bidding each other good night and returning to their respective dormitories.
But no one expected that the next morning, they would be greeted with shocking news: the Heir had been caught!
"I knew it was him, the Key Keeper," Lockhart said, his hair perfectly groomed again, and he told everyone he encountered, "Ha, I gave him a chance. If he had stopped then, he wouldn't have been taken away by the Ministry of Magic.
But this is also good... The crisis is averted."
"Hagrid? That's impossible!"
Kyle and his friends happened to be passing by and heard this. Cedric's eyes widened as he rushed forward and asked, "Professor Lockhart, was Hagrid taken away by the Ministry of Magic?"
"Yes, the Minister of Magic and the Aurors came," Lockhart replied, flashing his brilliant teeth. "It happened last night while you were all sleeping soundly."
"I believe in Hagrid. He can't be the Heir of the Chamber of Secrets. There must be some mistake," Connor murmured.
"Miss Prince, I believe I know a little more about the truth of Hagrid's arrest than you do," Lockhart said smugly. "He hid it well, but I discovered his secret.
His only mistake was opening the Chamber of Secrets after I arrived at Hogwarts.
Moreover, my dear young man, the Minister of Magic would not have taken him away unless he was absolutely certain of Hagrid's guilt."
"What will happen to him? Will he be sent to Azkaban?" Cedric asked worriedly.
"That's for certain..." Lockhart boasted. "As punishment, he will forever be accompanied by Dementors..."
"Professor Lockhart!"
At that moment, Professor McGonagall stepped forward, her expression stern as she looked at Lockhart. "I believe it's best not to share this with the students until the truth of the matter is revealed.
"As for you three..." She turned to Kyle, Connor, and Cedric, "come with me...I have some questions to ask you."
With that, Professor McGonagall strode towards the outside of the castle, the trio hurrying to keep up.
She led them across the grounds to Hagrid's hut.
Hagrid had already been taken away, and the hut was eerily quiet.
"Now, I need you to tell me the truth," Professor McGonagall said, pointing towards the direction of the Forbidden Forest, "were all those Beast-Repelling Charms cast by you?"
"Yes, Professor," Kyle nodded. "It was a while ago, and Fred, George, and Autumn helped too. The six of us spent an entire morning on it. Hagrid was too lazy to lift a finger."
The sternness on Professor McGonagall's face softened a little; at least it wasn't as grim as before.
It was a relief that it wasn't Hagrid's doing; otherwise, even Dumbledore might not have been able to save him.
"By the way, Professor, was Hagrid really taken away?" Connor asked worriedly.
"I know you are close to Hagrid, but unfortunately, it's true."
"However..."
Professor McGonagall suddenly smiled, "Thanks to those Beast-Repelling Charms, Hagrid was only taken back to the Ministry of Magic for questioning."
"Because of the beast-repelling charms?" Cedric scratched his head, confused.
"It has to do with trace magic and the unique properties of the Repelling Charm." Professor McGonagall explained, "In simple terms, the Repelling Charm is holistic, like an invisible wall. If a large beast unaffected by the charm breaks through, the wall is shattered, and the magical trace changes."
"Are you saying...all those beast-repelling charms are still intact?" Kyle asked.
"Indeed." Professor McGonagall smiled,
"The Ministry initially thought Hagrid was hiding the monster in the Forbidden Forest, but fortunately, these charms proved their theory wrong."
"Headmaster Dumbledore seized upon this point...I can't tell you the specifics, but I can assure you that as long as the Ministry doesn't find new evidence, Hagrid won't be sent to Azkaban."
Hearing Professor McGonagall's words, the trio heaved a collective sigh of relief.
However, Cedric still didn't understand why the Ministry had taken Hagrid away. He rarely even went to the castle, let alone controlled the monster to attack others.
Professor McGonagall didn't answer his unspoken question, only admonishing them not to spread rumors when they returned.
Before returning to the castle, Kyle walked to Hagrid's hut and pushed open the door. Fang rushed over excitedly as soon as he saw him.
The dog was always a bit dopey, and he probably didn't know what had happened, but that was probably for the best.
Kyle took some meat jerky from the nearby shelf and put it in Fang's food bowl, and Fang happily began to devour it, his tail wagging vigorously.
Hagrid usually didn't feed him such good treats.
"Hurry up, class will start soon," Professor McGonagall prompted from outside, and Kyle reluctantly left the hut, following her back to the castle.
(End of Chapter)
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