Chapter 345
Chapter 345
"This isn't something that requires an apology." Vold reached out and patted his shoulder, saying, "Professor Snape is indeed terrifying."
"But you're not afraid." Ryan seemed to be holding a grudge, hesitating as he said, "You dare to confront Professor Snape and try to resolve this... I even get nervous when answering questions normally."
"I'm nervous too, but I don't let it show."
Vold shrugged and said, "And to be honest, I'm only doing this because Professor Snape is more lenient towards me. In terms of courage, I'm not much better than you."
Ryan laughed.
"Well... even though I know you're just comforting me..."
Vold sighed, "Ryan..."
"Hmm?"
"You know, you don't have to say everything that comes to mind..."
Ryan was puzzled, "Is that so? I usually don't like to talk too much."
Vold and Theo exchanged a glance, both laughing at Ryan's bewildered expression.
Indeed, Ryan was usually the most silent one among them when they were with others.
But when he was with his friends, he was so straightforward and candid that it was hard to keep up.
By now, it was already late at night, and as they spoke, Theo yawned again, his eyelids drooping as if he was already fighting sleep.
Vold suggested it was time to leave.
"It's too late, and if I go out, I might run into Filch. Why don't you just sleep in our dorm?" Theo suggested, "Ernie and the others won't mind."
Ryan also urged, "Our college dorm is really interesting, it's a cave dug underground. We even have a Boston fern in our dorm, like a green waterfall."
Vold was tempted for a moment, feeling curious. But after hesitating for a while, he still shook his head and declined.
Although Hufflepuff students were usually easygoing and approachable, they also had a strong sense of territoriality. If they saw an outsider in their common room the next morning, they might have opinions about Theo and Ryan.
"Don't worry, I won't get caught by Filch." Vold said, "Since the Hufflepuff Common Room has never been entered by anyone from another college, you shouldn't mention that I was here either."
Vold didn't quite believe the Hufflepuff students' claim that no one outside their house had entered this common room for over a thousand years.
Creatures like Peter's rat and Skitter's insects could easily sneak in with the students, and ordinary students couldn't identify Animagus or Disguise Spells.
But since the Hufflepuffs took pride in this, Vold didn't plan to be the first one to 'break the rule' and interrupt their record.
"Well..."
Seeing Vold's firm attitude, Theo had no choice but to let him go. He took two lemons from the nearby shelf and handed them to Vold.
"Cats hate the smell of lemons, and if you run into Mrs. Norris, you can use this to chase her away."
Vold took the lemons and put them in his pocket. He then brushed aside a vine that had quietly crept down onto his shoulder, combing his hair, and made his way along the wooden barrel door.
The Hufflepuff entrance could only be entered by crawling, and Vold couldn't help but wonder—would Professor Sprout have to crawl when she came to the common room too?
He grabbed the edge of the barrel, feeling like a curious groundhog peeking out. Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly felt something was wrong.
Vold looked up, and in his mind, he could almost hear Theo's voice—
"Filch is coming!"
"Malfoy and Filch are coming..."
"You might run into Filch..."
"What if you run into Mrs. Norris..."
Theo kept saying ominous things, and it seemed like they were coming true! In the distance, Filch was holding a lantern, and Mrs. Norris's eyes were shining like lightbulbs, staring right at Vold.
Vold, hanging on the barrel, felt a bit embarrassed. He thought for a moment and decided to come out first.
"Meow~"
Mrs. Norris meowed softly, her tail wagging as she approached Vold.
"Let's go, Mrs. Norris."
Filch turned with the lantern and said, "There's no one here, let's check other places."
Mrs. Norris looked back at her master, then at Vold, her large green eyes seemed to say, "Isn't this a human?"
Filch had already walked several meters away, and after a moment of hesitation, Mrs. Norris hurriedly followed her master.
Vold couldn't help but laugh.
With a push, he emerged from the passage, landing on the ground. He dusted off his hands and turned around just in time to see the barrel lid spinning closed, making this entrance indistinguishable from the other barrels nearby.
Without further delay, Vold walked towards the corridor window and, after a few steps, transformed into a Peregrine Falcon. He squeezed through the narrow window and took flight.
The falcon circled over the lawn and the Black Lake before soaring towards the tall towers.
At this moment, most of the castle was shrouded in darkness, except for the Great Hall, where the ever-burning magical candles provided illumination. Only a few windows in various locations remained lit.
The Headmaster's office, a few professors' offices, and the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor dormitories were the only places with light.
The Hufflepuff and Slytherin common rooms were hidden underground, making it difficult to see them even with the lights on.
Vold flew past the Gryffindor tower and finally stopped outside his dormitory window.
The window was open, and the house-elf had already lit the oil lamp in the dormitory, guiding Vold's way as he returned late.
Vold thought of the entrance to his house common room.
It was a wooden board at the end of a staircase, and if not for the door knocker attached to it, one might not even realize it was a door.
Those who couldn't answer the door knocker's question correctly couldn't enter the common room.
The Hufflepuff entrance was disguised as a highly realistic wooden barrel, and it was said that one had to knock in the correct sequence to open it.
The Slytherin entrance was hidden in a stone wall, and without the correct password, the stone door wouldn't even appear.
The Gryffindor entrance was the most conspicuous among the houses—a massive portrait that also required a password to enter.
While the portrait of the Fat Lady was eye-catching, it was hidden among the numerous portraits in Hogwarts, making it seem like a well-known secret. Those unfamiliar with the situation would hardly guess that a vast space lay behind it.
The founders of Hogwarts had gone to great lengths to conceal the entrances to their houses, as if enemies could breach the outer defenses at any moment and invade the school to plunder and kill.
They seemed to have little trust even for students from other houses within the same school, and inter-house visits were rare.
It was evident that their situation must have been extremely difficult and dangerous.
However, Vold had no way of knowing whether these designs had ever truly served their purpose over the past thousand years.
Even in "Hogwarts: A School History," the focus was on various aspects of the school, and historical events were glossed over with light-hearted anecdotes, such as Peeves' pranks on the headmasters or the Triwizard Tournament between schools.
The impact of wars, house-elves, and the divide between wizards and Muggles on the school were briefly mentioned, if at all.
Vold returned to his human form and sat on the high windowsill, gazing at the Forbidden Forest, which seemed to stretch to the horizon in the darkness. He could faintly hear the roars of animals.
Hagrid's cabin was also pitch-black, with no trace of light.
In the Black Lake, the giant squid extended its long tentacles and clung to the walls of the maze. From this angle, it looked like a dinosaur stretching its neck out of the lake, curiously peering around.
Vold watched for a while before getting up and returning to the dormitory.
Soon after, this light also went out.
In the wizarding village not far from Hogwarts, a faint howl echoed in the distance.
It startled some creatures on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest and disturbed the birds near the village. The giant squid suddenly retracted into the water, causing a splash of waves.
But the distant sound didn't wake the sleeping students.
A moment later, the Headmaster's office window was forcefully pushed open, and Dumbledore, dressed in his nightgown, stood at the window. The night breeze made his white beard flutter wildly.
(End of Chapter)
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