Chapter 83: Hogwarts Closing
Chapter 83: Hogwarts Closing
Everyone in the room was stunned by Dumbledore's words.
Even Harry and Ron, who were hiding in the corner under invisibility, knew that if Hogwarts were to close, it would cause a massive upheaval in the Wizarding World.
Even fifty years ago, when a student died, Hogwarts only hesitated about whether to close. Now, Dumbledore was actively requesting it.
And in just three days!
As the Minister of Magic, Fudge was even more aware of what the closure of Hogwarts would mean.
He stared at Dumbledore, his mouth agape, and his words came out in a stammer.
"Dumbledore, do you know what it means if Hogwarts really closes?"
Fudge's understanding of the consequences was far more comprehensive than Harry's.
The closure would have the most significant impact on Dumbledore's own reputation.
It would mean that he had completely lost control of the situation at the school. The Daily Prophet's journalists, who were always eager for sensational news, would undoubtedly write the most explosive headlines to attract attention.
Wizards in the British Wizarding World would be extremely dissatisfied, and this sentiment would naturally be directed at the Ministry of Magic, which would be seen as failing to act.
The Ministry's reputation was not the primary concern; what mattered was that Fudge himself would be labeled as "incompetent."
Hagrid put on his coat and continued speaking, seemingly off-topic.
"Fluffy is quite timid; it needs someone to keep it company."
"Instead of worrying about your dog, you should worry about yourself", Fudge, who hadn't caught Hagrid's true intention, muttered. In a foul mood, he took Hagrid away.
Dumbledore stayed behind. Before closing the door of the hut, he said pointedly to the air:
"Sometimes, adults might not be as incompetent as you think."
Not until all the commotion had died down did Harry and Ron step out from under the Invisibility Cloak.
"Was Professor Dumbledore speaking to us at the end?" Ron asked uncertainly.
Harry had noticed Dumbledore's gaze.
"He looked our way. Professor must have spotted us."
"But why did he decide to close the school! What about Hermione? Just send her home? Her parents will go mad!" Ron said irritably.
At this moment, Harry remained calm. He didn't know why Dumbledore insisted on closing the school, and it was set for three days from now. But he clearly understood the final message Hagrid left them before leaving.
If they could uncover the truth before Hogwarts was closed, there would still be time.
"Hagrid wants us to take Fluffy into the Forbidden Forest and follow the spiders to find out the truth!"
Harry and Ron exchanged a glance; they had made their decision. They left the Invisibility Cloak on the table inside the hut. They wouldn't need it in the Forbidden Forest. As they walked out of Hagrid's hut, they saw Fluffy, the hound, lying on the ground, whimpering, having just witnessed its owner being taken away.
Harry took hold of Fluffy's leash and patted its hind legs.
"Take us for a walk, Fluffy."
Fluffy shook its fur, as if understanding Harry's words, and led them into the Forbidden Forest.
"Lumos."
Harry cast the Lumos spell, illuminating a small area around them. Ron, however, didn't dare use a spell; his wand was still broken, and he feared that instead of the lighting spell, it might explode.
They found the small spiders on the ground and followed their trail, moving deeper into the Forbidden Forest. Fluffy ran around them, sniffing at the roots and leaves. With the light from Harry's wand, they followed the spiders, which continued to crawl along the path, for about twenty minutes.
Neither of them spoke, only listening intently for any sound other than the snapping of twigs and the rustling of leaves. The trees grew denser, and the stars above were no longer visible. Harry's wand glowed faintly in the endless darkness. They noticed the spider guides had veered off the path.
Hagrid had always warned them not to stray from the forest trail, but at this point, Hagrid was likely already in an Azkaban cell. They had no choice but to continue following the spiders.
After walking for another half hour, Harry and Ron's clothes were torn by low branches and thorny vines. Just as Ron, panting, signaled to Harry that he needed to rest for a moment, a cold, familiar voice suddenly rang out behind them.
"Why are you here?"
(End of Chapter)
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