"Honestly, I really need to craft a Walking Cane!" Kane panted as he led Harry and Ron through the dense thicket of the Forbidden Forest.
A veil of ink-like shadow trailed behind them, effectively masking their movents from the dark wizard's sight.
Nearby, Quirrell stared into the impenetrable gloom, having just blasted a swarm of killer bees into charcoal with a gout of fire. "Master, I... I can't see them. So strange magic is obscuring the area."
"Look with your magic, Quirinus," the raspy voice of Voldemort drifted from the back of Quirrell's head.
"If you look at the essence, you'll see that all this darkness stems from that one 'shining' little wizard."
"Shining?" Quirrell looked utterly bewildered, squinting at the distant, retreating shadows.
Voldemort: "..."
"Forget it. He didn't see your face. Continue with the plan. We can ignore Dumbledore for now. As for that boy... Quirinus, I think you should show so 'real' effort during the next first-year Defense Against the Dark Arts class."
Kane, Harry, and Ron burst out of the Forbidden Forest, sprinted across the grounds, and headed straight for the castle.
"What do we do now?" Ron asked, leaning against a side door and gasping for air.
"Tell Dumbledore, obviously," Kane said, pushing against the door. "What, you think this is a Japanese ani where primary schoolers save the world?"
The door didn't budge. It was locked tight.
"Ah, it seems I won't be the only one sleeping on the streets tonight," ca Hermione's weary voice from the shadows.
After being provoked by Kane in the common room earlier, she had gone for a walk to clear her head, only to find that every entrance to the castle had been locked for the night.
Seeing Kane locked out too gave her a strange, slightly twisted sense of comfort.
It doesn't matter how prestigious your family is or how much the Headmaster favors you, she thought. When the school locks the doors, you're just another commoner shivering in the wind with the rest of us.
"Alohomora," Kane tapped the lock with his wand. A click echoed... but nothing happened.
"I've tried that," Hermione explained. "Apparently, the external doors of Hogwarts are immune to basic unlocking charms."
CRUNCH!
"This door is as flimsy as Aunt Susan's garden gate... did you never think to just give it a kick?" Kane said, having simply forced the latch. "Anyway, are you coming in?"
"Thank you. I am definitely buying a hamr the next ti I'm in London," Hermione muttered, her gratitude drowned out by her continuous, low-volu grumbling as she followed them inside.
"Are we going back to the Tower?" she asked, relishing the warmth of the castle air.
"No, we have to find Dumbledore and report sothing. Want to co?" Kane asked. He was just being polite, but...
"Of course! Let's go!" Hermione agreed imdiately. Rule number one: when a wealthy friend offers to share resources—including access to the most powerful wizard in the world—you say yes. You don't let cold pride ruin a warm opportunity.
They reached the stone gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office. The statues, seemingly recognizing Kane, stepped aside without a word. They entered the office; it was dark and empty.
"Where is he?" Harry whispered.
"He's an old man, Harry. He's sleeping." Kane pushed open a hidden door and walked straight into Dumbledore's bedroom.
The other three stayed back. The idea of waking a sleeping Dumbledore was a bit too "abstract" for them. Kane, however, was undeterred—though he soon found that Dumbledore must have used so magical sleep aid, because no amount of shaking would wake him.
Resigned, Kane scribbled the details of the Forbidden Forest encounter on a piece of parchnt and tucked it into one of Dumbledore's slippers.
"He'll see it in the morning. Let's go," Kane said, erging from the bedroom.
"Kane... are you really that close with Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione asked tentatively.
"Eh, we were roommates for a few days." Kane shrugged. As they left, he swiped a handful of chocolates from Dumbledore's desk and handed them out. "Here, eat these. eting a Dark Wizard is stressful; you need the sugar."
"Back to the Tower now?" Hermione asked after finishing her chocolate. She was about to give a lecture on point deductions and permanent records, but rembering she had almost spent the night outside herself, she held her tongue.
The three boys fell silent, glancing at each other. Hermione realized what was happening. "You aren't actually going to that duel with Malfoy, are you?"
"The duel is currently three against four. We have an opening," Harry suggested, trying to drag her in. It wasn't that he didn't trust Kane; he just felt that if they were caught, a fourth person would help dilute the punishnt. He had a bad feeling about this.
"No, thank you. I believe you three can handle Malfoy and Anrela perfectly well. I'm going back to bed," Hermione declined. One accidental rule-breaking was enough for her.
The group split up on the fifth floor. Hermione headed for Gryffindor Tower, while the boys made their way to the Trophy Room.
"I feel like we're remarkably casual about this," Ron noted. "We just escaped a Dark Wizard in the Forbidden Forest, and now we're sprinting toward a fistfight with Malfoy. This isn't normal behavior."
"What's the alternative? Shivering under our covers because we saw a guy in a hood?" Kane countered.
"Honestly, I'm just tired," Harry yawned. "Let's get this over with so I can hit the hay."
They hurried their pace and slipped into the Trophy Room. But the person waiting there wasn't Malfoy or Anrela. It was Filch, sitting on a lone chair with a wicked grin.
He pulled back his thin lips, revealing his yellowed teeth. "I've caught you now!"
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