Chapter 544: Tracking
Chapter 544: Tracking (Please Subscribe, Favorite, and Vote)
"Why did you drag me out so urgently?" Hermione asked, her face full of curiosity. She had just gone to the Library after class and hadn't even started writing when Liam, looking mysterious, pulled her out and brought her to an empty corridor.
"I found a clue about the previous two attacks", Liam said. Hermione's interest was immediately piqued. "You found a clue? That's fantastic. Can you tell me what you discovered?"
"Three Broomsticks Inn", Liam said without hesitation. "Katie was attacked in the bathroom of the Three Broomsticks Inn, and the bottle of Honey Mead also came from there."
"You mean someone tampered with something at the Three Broomsticks Inn? That would indeed narrow down our investigation significantly", Hermione mused. "Although the Three Broomsticks is a busy place, it would be much easier to catch the culprit than searching aimlessly."
"We can narrow down the suspects even further", Liam added. "While anyone who enters the bar could have attacked Katie in the bathroom, it's much harder to poison a drink. Most people who come to the bar to drink would not have access to the drinks being prepared for other places."
"That narrows it down to the bar staff, those who deliver the drinks to Hogwarts, and a few regulars who might have access to the cellar at the Three Broomsticks Inn", Hermione realized. "It wouldn't be like last year when a bar staff member was impersonated, would it?"
"Or it could be the Imperius Curse, or perhaps someone was forced to do it because a family member was kidnapped", Liam continued. "Even if we find the person behind the attacks, the true mastermind might still elude us. Wizards have too many ways to control someone."
"Alright, don't worry about it anymore", Liam said, seeing Hermione deep in thought. "The next step isn't our concern. We just need to report this to the Headmaster. Headmaster Dumbledore will have a way to handle the situation. Even if we can't catch the true culprit, I believe the attacks will stop."
As he said, after Liam and the others sent a thick analysis letter to the Headmaster via owl, the next day, news spread through the school that Madam Rosmerta had to take a leave of absence due to a sudden illness and was heading to St. Mungo's for rest.
"This means the Three Broomsticks Inn might have to close for a while, which sounds terrible", Seamus commented at the lunch table.
"But it has nothing to do with us", Dean said gloomily. "I heard that our Hogsmeade Day has been indefinitely postponed until the situation stabilizes."
"Ah—" A wave of sighs spread across the Gryffindor tables, as bad news seemed to come one after another. Whether it was the Gryffindor Quidditch team having two players attacked or the indefinite postponement of Hogsmeade Day, everything was going badly for everyone.
On the morning of the Hufflepuff Tournament, Ron was finally allowed to leave the hospital. With Lavender's support, he slowly walked out of the Hospital Wing and met Liam and Hermione, who had come to welcome him.
"Harry and Ginny were supposed to come, but you know they're about to play in the Tournament. We managed to convince them to go to the Quidditch pitch, so I hope you don't blame us for that", Liam explained.
"Of course, I understand. This Tournament is very important. Especially with Mclaggen always criticizing everyone, thinking he can do better in any position. I can't imagine how someone who can't work with the team can play well in this Tournament—"
Ron grew more agitated as he spoke, his cheeks turning red. Lavender, noticing this, squeezed his hand firmly to interrupt his rant. "Although Madam Pomfrey says you're recovered, she believes you shouldn't get too excited. She even specifically instructed me that you absolutely cannot watch the Tournament."
“Liam, is there any way you could let me see the Tournament?” Ron looked at Liam with a pitiful expression, but Liam remained unmoved. “You need to rest right now. If you don’t want to suffer any long-term effects, I suggest you follow Madam Pomfrey’s advice.”
The four of them walked through the empty corridor. Everyone in the school was either already seated in the stadium or on their way there, so the corridor was deserted. Suddenly, a sound of footsteps came from around the corner ahead.
Liam cautiously looked toward the source of the noise and saw Malfoy approaching, flanked by two first-year Slytherin girls, one of whom looked annoyed.
When Malfoy saw Liam and the others, he suddenly stopped, but he didn’t provoke them as usual with his usual blood-purity rhetoric. Instead, he let out a short, dry laugh and continued on his way.
“Where are you going?” Ron called out loudly.
“Ah, the child of a Pureblood traitor,” Malfoy sneered. “I don’t see why I should report to you. From the looks of it, you just got out of the Hospital Wing, didn’t you? Don’t go sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong and end up back there.”
One of the girls forced a laugh, but the others’ faces remained tense. Ron looked furious, as if he was about to punch Malfoy, but Lavender held him back.
Ron stopped struggling, possibly because of Lavender. Malfoy walked past them with his head held high, like a victorious general. The two girls hurried to keep up with him, and they disappeared around the corner.
Once they were sure Malfoy and the others were gone, Ron turned to Liam and whispered, “Harry told us Malfoy was up to something, and now it looks like it’s true. Why else would he be wandering the castle with two people when everyone else is at the match? Can you and Hermione follow them and see what Malfoy is up to?”
“Of course,” Liam nodded. “But you have to promise me you won’t go to the Quidditch pitch. I don’t want to hear that you’ve been sent back to the Hospital Wing.”
“I swear on my mother’s name that I will go straight back to the Common Room and rest. I won’t leave the castle during the Tournament,” Ron raised his hand solemnly, then lowered it and said, “You’d better hurry, or you’ll lose them.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on Ronald,” Lavender promised. Liam and Hermione nodded to them and then hurried off in the direction Malfoy had disappeared.
Malfoy was indeed cautious. Even though the castle was empty, he took several detours and eventually vanished in an empty corridor, causing Liam and Hermione to lose sight of him.
“What’s going on?” Hermione asked Liam after questioning a few portraits on the wall.
“I think they have some kind of invisibility artifact. They came to this corridor to shake off any surveillance in the school. It seems Malfoy is indeed planning something against Hogwarts,” Liam replied, turning to her.
“Then what do we do now?” Hermione asked. She had thought the empty castle was a good opportunity to confront Malfoy, but she hadn’t expected him to use other means to escape.
“We’ll have to wait for another chance,” Liam shrugged. He had already checked the Vanishing Cabinet in the Room of Requirement and found that Malfoy was indeed working on it, but it was far from being completed. They had plenty of time to investigate. Besides, the traps and modifications Liam had set on the Vanishing Cabinet hadn’t been triggered, meaning that even if Malfoy managed to repair it, it wouldn’t cause much harm to the school.
That’s why Liam hadn’t reported Malfoy directly. He hoped the modified Vanishing Cabinet would give any intruders a pleasant surprise.
(End of Chapter)
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