Chapter 370: The Three-Headed Dog Guardian of the Treasure
Chapter 370: The Three-Headed Dog Guardian of the Treasure
The corridor on the right side of the fourth floor of the castle, which was off-limits to students, was not much different from the other corridors. However, due to Professor Dumbledore's prohibition during the opening feast, this area was devoid of students and exuded an eerie atmosphere.
"I don't see anything special here!" Truman, accompanied by his friends, had also sneaked in and closed the wooden door behind him to prevent others from discovering their trespass into the restricted corridor.
As the door closed, the corridor was plunged into near darkness.
"Why did Professor Dumbledore forbid students from coming here?" asked a freckle-faced boy next to Truman.
Everyone was perplexed. According to Dumbledore, those who did not wish to encounter accidents or painful deaths should stay away from the right side of the fourth floor—this very corridor.
Did that mean there was something here that could threaten their lives?
"There must be a secret," Fred said, already drawing out his wand and casting a spell to illuminate the tip as he surveyed their surroundings, trying to discern the supposed danger.
The others followed suit, lighting their wands and warily eyeing their surroundings, the atmosphere turning solemn.
"Everyone knows there's a secret here," the freckle-faced boy next to Truman scoffed. "What happened to the older students who came in earlier? They seem to have disappeared."
Lee Jordan quietly moved next to the freckle-faced boy and whispered, "Maybe they fell into a trap and met with an unfortunate accident."
After their daring foray into Gryffindor's challenge, he had become quite composed in such situations.
The freckle-faced boy was startled by Lee Jordan's comment and almost let out a scream.
When he regained his senses, his cheeks turned crimson, and he glared at Lee Jordan.
"That's not funny at all," Truman chided.
"Since Dumbledore said this place is dangerous, we should stay alert. I don't want to see any of you meet with an accident right before my eyes."
Though his words carried a veiled threat, Truman genuinely didn't want anyone to come to harm.
"Alright, that's enough. Let's take a look around. I have a feeling there's an unexpected surprise waiting for us here," said Albert, placing his hand on Lee Jordan's shoulder, signaling him to stop joking around.
"I didn't know he was such a scaredy-cat."
Fred and George couldn't help but laugh, and they all moved forward to search for the supposed danger.
Albert shook his head helplessly and waved his wand lightly. The torches on the wall beside him ignited, illuminating a large portion of the previously dim corridor.
There were no other classrooms along this corridor, and as they walked, they encountered no dangers. At the end of the corridor was a door, beyond which the secret might be hidden.
Just as they prepared to investigate, the wooden door was suddenly flung open, and several older students came rushing out, screaming in terror.
In the next moment, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, a monstrous dog squeezed itself out of the doorway. One of its heads clamped down on the leg of the last fleeing student, and amidst the screams and shouts of onlookers, it prepared to drag the unfortunate student back inside.
To be honest, Albert was also startled by Fluffy's size. The dog's bulk nearly filled the space from the ceiling to the floor. Its three heads, each bearing a pair of malevolently gleaming eyes, fixed their gazes on the uninvited intruders.
Soon, Fluffy snapped out of its daze and let out a deafening roar that echoed through the corridor. It lunged at the crowd, sending everyone into a panic, screaming and turning to flee.
Albert narrowed his eyes and waved his wand, causing a ball of light to explode in the corridor. As Fluffy released the student whose leg it had bitten, Albert quickly waved his wand again, pulling the injured victim back from the marble floor.
The student screamed in terror as he was magically dragged along the floor. By the time Fluffy realized its prey had been snatched away, the student was already out of its reach.
However, Albert had already erected a transparent magical shield between the two parties, and the three-headed dog collided with the magical barrier, looking furious as it clawed at the invisible shield.
Albert had no doubt that this big guy had forgotten about him, but he could be certain that the unlucky guy he had pulled back earlier had fainted from shock.
"Quick, quick, drag him away now!" Albert urged.
Most of the students who had entered the corridor had already fled, and Fred and the others, who were still standing there, seemed to be considering whether to use the Stunning Spell on the big dog in front of them. But after hearing Albert's words, they decided to follow his instructions. Each grabbing one side, they quickly lifted the student by his shoulders and thighs and carried him away. After Albert finally left the corridor, they closed the wooden door again.
Now they knew why this place was off-limits.
"You saved Cron, thank God! How did you rescue Cron from that huge dog?" The two students who had taken off first came back, and upon seeing their friend who had almost been dragged away, they were so happy that they almost burst into tears.
"You actually abandoned your companion," the freckled boy next to Truman said disdainfully, looking at the three of them as if he himself hadn't turned and fled at the first sign of trouble.
"I know why Dumbledore doesn't want anyone coming here. We almost got bitten to death just now." The two students felt a bit embarrassed, and one of them, covering his chest, said, "What are they trying to do, keeping such a monster in school!"
"You all ran away!" Fred scoffed, disregarding the situation they had just faced. Turning to Albert, he asked, "What should we do with this guy? He seems to have fainted."
"You think everyone is as fearless as you lot," someone muttered under their breath.
Albert and his friends hadn't fled, and they had even rescued the student in the process.
"Alright, calm down, mate. First, let's take your friend to the hospital wing. His leg has been bitten, and I hope Madam Pomfrey can heal him," Albert interrupted their argument. It was only now that he noticed who the bitten student was.
Crabbe Goyle.
Hmm, the previous prefect. He was the guy they had met when they first came to Hogwarts in their first year.
He didn't seem to have been elected as a student council president this term.
"They're not Gryffindor students," Fred said in a low voice.
"I know," Albert replied.
He had noticed earlier that these three were prefects.
The previous prefects from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff; none of them had been elected as student council presidents, so they had come here together to seek some excitement?
"Give us a hand and help us take him to the hospital wing," Fred said to Truman.
After Fred and the others carried the injured student away, Albert looked at the two students with unpleasant expressions and asked, "You two cast a spell on the three-headed dog, didn't you?"
"The Stunning Spell, but it didn't seem to work. It just shook its head and woke up," one of them said, still a little frightened. However, he thanked Albert again for saving Crabbe Goyle.
That guy had tried to buy them some time by holding off the three-headed dog, but without the protagonist's halo, he had almost lost his leg or even his life.
"You used the Stunning Spell?" Albert asked again, raising an eyebrow.
"We saw that the big dog seemed to be guarding something. There's a trapdoor inside," the Ravenclaw student suddenly said. "I bet Dumbledore is hiding something valuable in there!"
"Probably, but our skinny arms and legs aren't enough to satisfy that big dog's appetite," Albert agreed without denying their speculation. As he started walking towards the hospital wing, he turned back and asked the two students, "Do you want to come with us?"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
