The afternoon corridors glowed with bright sunlight. Occasional gusts of wind lifted the curtains, spilling warm orange patches across the stone floors.
When Justin stepped out of the classroom, the other young wizards could see the faint blush still on his face.
"What did Professor Lupin want with you?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
"We talked about some things regarding Sean," Justin said honestly.
"You… Sean…"
Hermione frowned.
"Yes, and Professor Snape as well," Justin added.
His gaze drifted across the ivy-covered walls of Hogwarts Castle and down toward the dim dungeons below.
He could almost picture Sean walking out of there moments ago.
"Stay away from Lupin, Green. I don't want to see you with him anywhere—except in class," Professor Snape's cold voice still echoed in the dungeon.
Sean understood why.
He walked silently down the empty underground spiral staircase, thinking about the Bloody Baron's location.
Peeves had delivered the Baron's invitation earlier but hadn't said where he was.
Just then, a group of grayish-white figures drifted through the wall, half their bodies emerging into the corridor.
"We should forgive him, we should forget. I say we should give him another chance—"
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves enough chances already? He's given every one of us nasty nicknames. He's not even a proper ghost—"
A ghost in a ruff collar and tights said disapprovingly.
Sean recognized him at once: Nearly Headless Nick.
"He'll improve—" the plump, monk-like ghost began.
"He won't—my good Friar, he just tried to seal the caretaker's door, and unless I'm mistaken, he was planning to harass a professor—"
Nearly Headless Nick was furious. "I know, peaceful coexistence and cooperation are the keys. We ghosts may belong to different houses, but we've always kept close friendships. Despite the fierce rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin, I would never dream of quarreling with the Bloody Baron. Yet we don't even know which house he belongs to—"
"That's only because you're afraid of the Baron," one ghost teased.
Nearly Headless Nick looked deeply insulted.
"Afraid? I, Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, have never shown cowardice in my entire life! Noble blood flows in my veins—"
"What blood?" the ghost asked. "You certainly don't have any left—"
"It's a figure of speech!" Nearly Headless Nick snapped, his head wobbling dangerously on his half-severed neck.
"Oh, Nick, you know he's only joking," the Fat Friar said quickly, smoothing things over.
Then the ghosts spotted Sean.
Several pairs of pale eyes turned toward him at once.
The next second they let out terrified wails and scattered in every direction like mice fleeing a cat.
"It's him—that Green boy—run—he's going to send you away—Merlin's beard, I never thought I'd see the day a ghost would be this scared—"
Sean stood there, momentarily stunned. He hadn't realized his reputation among the Hogwarts ghosts had become quite so… monstrous.
He gently reached out and stopped one of them. Though the ghost could have easily passed through his arm, he didn't dare.
"I won't just send anyone away…" Sean explained helplessly.
"Mercy—no—!" the Fat Friar shrieked, bursting into tears. "You already sent away your Ravenclaw ghost, and now you're coming after Hufflepuff's Friar—"
"Friar—" Sean tried to make his voice sound as gentle as possible.
But he still had no idea why they found it so frightening.
"Green, my good boy. I know you're going to be the next Headmaster and that Dumbledore indulges you—but think about it! How dull Hogwarts would be without us! If you don't want to see us, we'll leave on our own once you take office."
The Fat Friar was trembling with fear, pleading for mercy in a rush.
Sean was speechless for a moment. He stared at the plump ghost, completely baffled by where all these wild rumors had come from.
He could understand them thinking he disliked ghosts or had sent some away, but the "next Headmaster" part was pure nonsense.
"Green, good wizard, I've watched you grow up. Would you really send me away?" the Fat Friar said tearfully, looking ready to face his doom.
"Friar, the Grey Lady left of her own accord," Sean said.
"Impossible!" the Fat Friar protested at once. "Oh, of course I believe you, dear boy, but it's just so hard to understand. You know, only wizards who refuse to accept death become ghosts."
Sean knew words alone wouldn't convince him, so he quietly took out the Pensieve.
Three minutes later.
"My dear boy, Green, what a wonderful thing you've done…" The Fat Friar wiped his tears with one hand while resting the other on Sean's shoulder, still sobbing. "We all misunderstood you, child. Can you forgive me? Forgive a plump old Friar?"
"I forgive you, Friar. May I ask you one question?" Sean said, relieved.
"I will tell you anything, my boy."
"Where is the Bloody Baron?"
That had been Sean's real reason for stopping the Friar.
If anyone in Hogwarts Castle knew the Bloody Baron's location, it would be the other ghosts.
"The Baron? I'd guess he's up in the Astronomy Tower, moaning and rattling his chains. That's his favorite pastime—"
"Thank you for your help, Friar."
Sean left the corridor at once.
At the same time, he finally understood why he hadn't run into many ghosts lately.
"Oh, what a good boy. Dumbledore was right to choose him as the next Headmaster. And I have good news to share—those days of fear are finally over…"
The Fat Friar hummed to himself as he floated away.
Not far off, a cluster of ghosts huddled together, still shivering. They stared at the spot where the Fat Friar had let out that horrible scream—only to watch him float out completely unharmed.
At the top of the Astronomy Tower, a thin mist hung in the air.
Sean had spent many lessons here studying astronomy.
Reading the paths of the planets to foresee the course of events—that was what the centaur professor had taught him.
Now, for the first time, Sean turned his gaze away from the distant sky.
He saw a ghost in blood-stained silver robes, bound in chains.
The sound of rattling chains echoed through the highest tower in the castle. From here, Sean could see the tall Ravenclaw Tower rising in the distance.