Chapter 66: Disappointment and Despair
Chapter 66: Disappointment and Despair
On the first night back to school after the Christmas holidays,
all the students at Hogwarts were gathered in the Great Hall. The prefects helped maintain order, distributing sleeping bags, and the students would spend the night there.
Most students seemed to accept this arrangement.
Many, like Hermione, understood the implications of the attack on Malfoy for all the young wizards at Hogwarts.
Word had spread, and now most students in the castle knew they were in a very unsafe environment.
"Think the professors will find the monster this time?"
In the area where the Gryffindor students were gathered, Harry asked worriedly.
They all knew that if things continued like this, Hogwarts might be forced to close.
No one wanted to see that happen, so they all hoped the murderer would be caught soon.
Hermione shook her head.
"I don't know, but I think the chances are slim."
Ron muttered softly.
"If only Professor Forrest could say what you just said."
Harry and Hermione were taken aback.
They looked at Ron with surprise, as if they had just discovered a new continent.
"Right! The chances are slim, but we have Professor Forrest! If we can get Professor Forrest to say, 'The chances of catching the murderer are slim,' then it would mean we have a good chance!"
Having just discovered the jinx on Sherlock, Harry and his friends had been wary of its misfortune. Now, they realized that if it could turn good luck into bad, it could also turn bad luck into good!
Elated, the three of them felt they had found a shortcut to save Hogwarts. They immediately prepared to slip out of the Great Hall to find the "wish-granting machine" — Sherlock.
However, before they could reach the door, a cat with large, glaring eyes blocked their path.
It was Mrs. Norris, the pet of the caretaker, Filch.
Filch and his cat were inseparable, so if Mrs. Norris was there, Filch was nearby.
Sure enough, Filch had been hiding in a corner by the door, waiting to catch any students who tried to sneak out.
Harry and his friends were caught red-handed.
"Where do you think you're going?"
He glared at them with his bulging, fish-like eyes, his voice menacing.
Harry swallowed hard, stumbling over his words as he tried to find an excuse.
"We, we were just—"
Hermione quickly interjected.
"We have a clue to report to Professor Forrest!"
But Filch, with years of experience dealing with the Weasley twins, wasn't easily fooled.
He narrowed his eyes, suspiciously eyeing Hermione.
"What clue? Why does it have to be Professor Forrest? Why not Professor Flitwick?"
Hermione was stumped; she couldn't explain why it had to be Professor Forrest.
Filch's suspicion grew as he looked at the three of them. He had clearly heard the rumors about the Chamber of Secrets.
"Aren't you trying to sneak out to find that monster? Did you open the Chamber of Secrets?"
As soon as he said that, the students around them immediately changed their expressions, all looking at Harry and the others with strange glances.
Feeling such a slander, Ron couldn't take it anymore and shouted, "We're going to save Hogwarts! Let us see Professor Forrest!"
Harry also yelled, "We want to see Professor Forrest!"
Their voices caught the attention of Professor Flitwick, who was busy organizing the prefects and managing student order.
The Charms professor, flustered, hurried over and shooed Harry and the others back to the Gryffindor common room.
"You'll see Sherlock in a bit. He's searching the boys' dormitories in each house and will be here soon."
Professor Flitwick left them with that and hurried off to count the Hufflepuff students.
With no other choice, Harry and the others sat back down by their sleeping bags and gathered together. At that moment, Seamus, who seemed to relish stirring up trouble, came over and whispered, "I heard you were trying to sneak out to find the monster in the Chamber of Secrets? Who among you is the Heir of Slytherin?"
Ron glared at him angrily.
"If I were the Heir of Slytherin, the next one the monster would attack would be you!"
"You can't do that! We're roommates!"
Harry and the others ignored Seamus and huddled together again to discuss their next move.
"How do we get Professor Forrest to say, 'The chances of catching the murderer are slim'?" Harry asked, highlighting the challenge of making the "Wishing Machine" speak.
Ron pondered for a moment. "Maybe we can explain the situation to Professor Forrest and ask him to say it. It's just a matter of him speaking the words, and I don't think the professor would refuse."
Hermione, however, was frowning and hadn't joined their discussion.
Harry noticed Hermione's unease and asked, puzzled, "What are you thinking, Hermione?"
Hermione looked up, deep in thought. "I'm thinking about something I overlooked earlier."
"When Professor Forrest wished us well, he must have meant it, right?"
Hermione's question left Harry and Ron stumped. They hesitated before replying, "I suppose so. The professor may seem a bit cold on the surface, but he's actually quite kind."
"So our test is still missing a crucial step", Hermione said seriously. "We've tested the accuracy and limits of Professor Forrest's jinx, but we haven't tested the necessary conditions for the jinx to activate."
Ron looked at Hermione, confused, not quite understanding her point.
But Harry got it and exclaimed, "You mean we can't be sure if the jinx will activate just by the professor saying the words. It might require him to genuinely believe what he's saying!"
"Exactly!" Hermione said gravely. "I'm worried that just asking the professor to say the words won't be enough. We don't know if he truly believes there's a slim chance of catching the murderer."
Ron finally understood and looked dazed. "That's bad."
This wasn't just disappointment that Sherlock couldn't end the crisis; it was also a sense of disillusionment with the "Wishing Machine" that he had imagined to be perfect, but now seemed less so.
(End of Chapter)
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