"When did Professor Cavendish jinx Malfoy?"
This was the first thought that popped into Ron's head after he recovered from his shock, and he blurted it out without thinking.
Harry and Hermione exchanged looks; both saw the same disbelief in each other's eyes.
The three of them quickly squeezed out of the crowd and walked rapidly down the corridor, not heading anywhere in particular, only wanting to get as far away from the scene as possible.
"This isn't right!"
Once she was certain no one was around, Hermione said with pursed lips.
Ron nodded in deep agreement.
"It's not right. If Malfoy is the Heir of Slytherin, how could he petrify himself?"
"That's not what I'm talking about!" Hermione paced back and forth irritably. "Since Malfoy was attacked, it proves he's definitely not the mastermind as we suspected. The key to the problem is..."
Harry finished her sentence with a heavy expression.
"The thing is that he is a pure-blood wizard."
After they said that, Ron finally reacted, staring wide-eyed as he muttered to himself.
"Right! Malfoy is a pure-blood! He shouldn't be a target of the Heir of Slytherin's purge!"
Hermione suddenly stopped and turned to look at them.
"If the attacks on students are indeed being carried out by the monster in the Chamber of Secrets under the command of the Heir of Slytherin, then there are only two possibilities for Malfoy's attack."
"Either the monster released from the Chamber of Secrets has lost control and is no longer following Slytherin's final wishes, launching indiscriminate attacks on the people in this Castle."
"Or the Heir of Slytherin hidden among us has gone mad; he doesn't care about his ancestor's wishes and wants to attack everyone!"
Hearing Hermione's explanation, both Harry and Ron felt a chill run down their spines.
Ron swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke.
"That means every one of us is in danger!"
Harry looked thoughtful. After a moment, he said,
"Didn't we test Professor Cavendish's jinx before? It increases the probability of something that might happen. Could it be that Malfoy already had a small chance of being attacked, and then, without us knowing, the Professor said something to him, and now he's ended up like this?"(TN: Just why?)
Hermione considered Harry's question seriously and felt that such a possibility did exist.
"Our worrying is useless. We should see what the Professor says."
While Harry and the others were discussing the possibilities behind Malfoy's attack,
Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Snape, and Sherlock had already arrived at the scene.
The four professors naturally understood the implications of Malfoy's attack just as clearly as Hermione did.
"What should we do now, Albus?"
After dispersing the onlookers, Professor McGonagall frowned and asked worriedly.
Dumbledore gazed deeply at Malfoy's terrified face as he lay on the ground, saying nothing.
Snape's expression remained cold as he spoke in a low, unpleasant tone.
"This is a big problem. If word of this gets out, Hogwarts might have to close."
Sherlock hadn't spoken at all. From an outsider's perspective, he seemed to be quietly analyzing the situation.
In reality, he was trying to recall whether Malfoy's attack had ever happened in the original timeline.
He wasn't even sure how far the original story had progressed at this point.
But he had a faint feeling—Malfoy being attacked was definitely not supposed to happen.
Things were becoming increasingly chaotic.
While Professor McGonagall anxiously waited for Dumbledore to decide, Snape stood aside with a cold expression, and Sherlock silently questioned what had caused events to spiral this way.
The previously silent Dumbledore suddenly spoke.
"Find some students to take Malfoy to the Hospital Wing. Then notify Lucius. Tell him to come to Hogwarts; his son is in great danger."
Both Professor McGonagall and Snape looked at him in shock.
"Let Lucius come to Hogwarts? Tell him about this? Albus, do you realize the consequences?"
Dumbledore turned and walked toward the stairs. At the corner, he stopped and looked at Professor McGonagall with unreadable eyes.
"What do you think he will do after learning all this?"
Professor McGonagall spoke urgently.
"He's wanted to remove you as Headmaster for a long time. If he finds out everything that has happened—especially that his son was attacked—he will certainly use his influence to shut down Hogwarts and have the Board of Governors dismiss you!"
Under the current circumstances, it was indeed the perfect opportunity to move against Dumbledore.
But Dumbledore simply shook his head.
"I believe Lucius will do the exact opposite, Minerva. Once informed, he will come to Hogwarts immediately. When he arrives, you and he should come to my office together."
With that, he turned and left.
Leaving Professor McGonagall, Snape, and Sherlock behind, deep in thought.
Snape was the first to move, heading toward the outskirts of Hogwarts.
"I'll go bring Lucius here."
Professor McGonagall called for students to carry the petrified Malfoy to the Hospital Wing.
Just as Sherlock was about to head to the Headmaster's Office to wait,
Harry, Ron, and Hermione cautiously approached him.
Sherlock looked down at them.
These three had been acting very strangely lately. Given their tendency to be involved in trouble, he had reason to suspect that Malfoy's attack might somehow be connected to them.
What Harry and the others didn't know was that while they suspected Professor Cavendish,
he was also beginning to suspect them.(TN: Isn't he supposed to have basic knowledge of plots? Why would he suspect them?)
"Do you three have something to say?" Sherlock asked calmly.
Beside him, Harry and Ron stood tense, ready to interrupt him at any moment if he tried to say anything dangerous,
while Hermione took a deep breath and asked,
"Have you talked to Malfoy before this, Professor?"