Early the next morning, rumors spread throughout the school.
They said an outsider had invaded Hogwarts, ran into the troll that had just been released, and finally escaped with injuries.
Outsider, troll.
The appearance of these two unstable factors meant that when lunch was served in the Great Hall at noon, the letters delivered by owls were as numerous as snowflakes.
Even Kate received a letter of condolence from the old butler.
How should one put it... seeing the old butler's words of loving kindness, and associating them with the risky move she made last night, Kate blushed a little.
Fortunately, the armored warrior had returned to its own place. No flaws should be spotted... right?
Kate wasn't very confident in her heart. If they really investigated in detail, the professors in the school could discover the magical energy attached to the armored warrior.
Because strict inspections began last night, she didn't have time to go to the corridor to retrieve the Phantom Clone from the armored warrior.
For a short time, any student approaching that area would likely be targeted by Filch, so she couldn't retrieve the clone temporarily either.
But thinking on the bright side, she could use the clone to observe if there was any unusual movement in the three-headed dog's room.
Sighing in a low voice, she hastily finished her food, then stood up to leave the Great Hall.
The three little lions of Gryffindor saw this and hurriedly followed her out.
Only after leaving the Great Hall did Hermione step forward to hold her back. "Have you heard? Yesterday's troll was beaten and injured in the bathroom!"
She patted her chest with a face full of lingering fear. One had to know, if she had still been staying there that night, she probably wouldn't be standing here alive right now.
"It's fine," hearing this, Kate gently pinched her small face. "Don't think so much, Hogwarts is still very safe."
Although when saying this sentence, she didn't believe it herself.
Hermione pursed her lips. "Kate, I made you worry yesterday."
"It doesn't matter. If you want to blame someone, blame Ron." Kate couldn't help but laugh out loud, her gaze looking toward the two boys following behind them.
Ron, who was suddenly named, widened his eyes.
But although Kate spoke bluntly, she wasn't wrong. If not for him, Hermione wouldn't have cried and hidden in the bathroom. And if Kate hadn't taken the initiative to look for her, they certainly wouldn't have chased after her either.
"Alright," he responded dejectedly. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have been so loose with my tongue."
Two months into school, he had offended both girls in front of him because of his speaking; he really should reflect on it properly.
Hermione raised her chin, holding back a laugh as she exchanged a glance with Kate.
Harry, at the side, gave a light cough, helping his good friend change the subject. "By the way, the Quidditch season is coming soon. This Saturday, Gryffindor and Slytherin will have a Quidditch match. You guys will go, right?"
He had prepared for two months for this match. Now that the time was approaching, he was also incredibly excited.
"Oh?" Kate raised an eyebrow, asking with feigned difficulty, "Then do you hope I cheer for you, or cheer for Slytherin?"
Harry froze. "This..."
It seemed no matter how he answered, it would be wrong.
Kate shook her head with a light chuckle, casually taking Hermione's hand to walk toward the library, saying with her back to him, "I cheer for the victor."
"She just wants to cheer for you!" Hermione turned her head, grinning and making the mouth shape exaggeratedly.
Then she was pulled back by Kate.
Harry stood in place, clenching his fist with high spirits. "That's right, I will definitely win!"
*
"No need to investigate?" Snape voiced his surprise. "Did you notice something?"
Dumbledore glanced at the pile of used Howler powder on the table and shrugged. "Whether it's the troll or the outsider invasion, there is no need to continue investigating."
They were clear about the mastermind behind the former. As for the latter...
"From the troll's wounds, one can see it was stabbed by a sharp weapon at least three feet long. And at Hogwarts, wizards are more skilled at using wands, not such sharp weapons."
He explained leisurely.
Snape frowned. He actually knew of spells that could cause this kind of wound, it was just that very few people should know this kind of spell.
If it wasn't caused by a spell, then there really was someone who could wield a sharp weapon and fight a troll without falling into a disadvantage.
One had to know, wizards focused on magical power. Physical training wasn't that adequate. Most non-athlete wizards were useless people who couldn't even truss a chicken without their wands.
Such a fellow who could fight a troll being at Hogwarts now was undoubtedly extremely dangerous.
However...
He looked at Dumbledore, whose expression was still quite leisurely, and his face twitched slightly. "Since you say so, I will temporarily stop the investigation—"
"However, if this fellow appears again next, I won't hold back either."
Finishing his words, he walked quickly out of the office.
Dumbledore took a sip of honey tea and turned his head to look at Fawkes on the perch.
"That child seems to really think I've stopped paying attention to her," he muttered to himself with a smile. "But that's fine too. Let me see what she will do next."
Cultivating Harry was certainly important, but he still had to look after the descendant of a former comrade somewhat.
Although it wasn't clear why that child had held a sense of resistance since the first time she saw him, Dumbledore believed that a child of the Shafiq family would not disgrace her ancestors' reputation.
So... just let her be for now.
*
"Achoo!"
Kate, who didn't know who was talking about her, sneezed for no reason.
After entering November, the weather became cold. Kate's small body was as afraid of the cold as always.
Hermione used Bluebell Flames placed in a jam jar for her to carry around for warmth, and also used a Warming Charm to protect her from top to bottom.
"Hiss... actually, you don't need to wrap me up like a small animal," Kate said somewhat resistantly, looking at the rabbit fur hat Hermione took out.
Hermione put the hat on the top of her head without allowing any explanation. "In the past, you easily caught colds and fevers as soon as winter arrived. Don't think I don't know."
Previously, every time she went to Kate's house in winter, the whole house was heated warmly by floor heating.
But even so, Kate still caught a cold every few days.
This seemed to be an ailment brought from the womb. She was naturally very afraid of the cold and would get a fever if she caught even a slight cold wind.
Thinking that Harry, who was a year younger than her, could fly on the Quidditch pitch in short sleeves, while she could only be wrapped up like a dumpling by her little childhood friend.
Kate looked speechlessly at her own attire and asked helplessly, "My dormitory is very damp every day. Could it be that you can come and bake my dormitory dry every day?"
"Why not?" Hermione raised her eyebrows.
If she couldn't bake the room, then... then baking the bed would do!
Anyway, her Disillusionment Charm could last for three minutes now. At worst, she would sneak into Slytherin every day, warm the bed for Kate, and then leave!
Not knowing why, Kate found that Hermione's face started to turn red inexplicably again.
Sure enough, she was wrapped too thickly!
She thought unconvincedly.
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