The next day, Kane didn't crawl out of bed until high noon. Harry and Ron were still in their bunks, snoring away in blissful ignorance.
Sitting up, Kane took a mont to ntally recap the previous day's chaos... Let's see. Ate a Mandrake for lunch, slept until dusk, went to the Forbidden Forest and had a face-to-face with a Dark Wizard, escaped only to be pranked by Malfoy, and topped it all off by losing ten points to Professor McGonagall.
He shuffled over to the small sofa in the dorm, feeling that yesterday had been a bit too "cinematic" for his liking. After so deliberation, he decided to stop overthinking and head straight to Dumbledore's office.
He needed to know if that cloaked figure in the forest had been apprehended.
The mont he stepped into the common room, however, he hit a wall of tension so thick you could cut it with a dull wand.
The usual laughter and chatter of Gryffindor Tower had been replaced by a lingering, awkward silence.
When the other students saw Kane—one of the "victims"—erge, their eyes lit up with a mix of pity and gossip-hungry curiosity.
They were all waiting to see his reaction when he found out that Hermione had "betrayed" them.
But Kane didn't give them the chance to speak.
He spotted Neville playing wizard's chess in the corner and walked over, clapping him on the shoulder. "What's with the atmosphere? I know we lost thirty points, but surely Gryffindor can handle a little setback?"
"It's not the points, Kane. It's the traitor," Neville said, moving a knight. "Because Hermione ca back right around the sa ti you guys were caught, everyone assus she snitched. I told them it was impossible, but..."
"Oh, for rlin's sake." Kane rolled his eyes. He considered jumping onto a table to make a grand announcent, but decided that was a bit too much "Main Character energy" even for him. He'd stick to a dignified explanation.
"Listen up!" Kane raised his voice, and dozens of ears instantly perked up. "Harry, Ron, and I went to the Trophy Room last night. When we got there, Malfoy wasn't there. Filch was. He was waiting for us."
"So Malfoy got caught first? Well, that's a win," Seamus Finnigan said, raising an eyebrow.
"No, Seamus. Malfoy played us. He never intended to show up. He tipped off Filch, and by extension, McGonagall. This has absolutely nothing to do with Hermione."
The room went quiet. A couple of older girls nearby frowned. "I know the Malfoys aren't exactly 'honorable,' but breaking the unspoken code of a wizard's duel? That's low. Even for a Malfoy."
"Anyway, where is Hermione?" Kane asked. "You lot didn't make her cry, did you?"
Seamus shuddered. "Cry? Not exactly. After we accused her, she used a textbook to knock out Dean Thomas's front tooth and then hexed Sophie Roper so hard she's still in the hospital wing. Trust , 'crying' wasn't on her agenda."
"So? Where is she now?"
"No idea," Neville shook his head. "I checked the Great Hall, the study rooms, and the library. She's vanished."
"Well, if you'd been falsely accused of treason, you wouldn't want to see your classmates either," Kane muttered. "Apologize to her at dinner. I have to head out."
Kane left the tower, heading for Dumbledore. He was skeptical. He'd been caught stealing a Mandrake in thirty minutes, and the Ministry apparently monitored Muggle-world magic by the second.
If Dumbledore couldn't catch a Dark Wizard lurking in his own backyard, that would be beyond "abstract."
"So, what you're saying is... you didn't leave any security asures in the forest, and now it's basically a five-star hotel for Dark Wizards and monsters? Couldn't you have made your 'stay out' warnings a bit more... effective?"
Kane sat on Dumbledore's sofa, his half-lidded eyes staring judgntally at the Headmaster.
"Any responsible Headmaster, upon learning a first-year student took two friends for a midnight stroll in the Forbidden Forest, would naturally play up the dangers," Dumbledore explained calmly.
"I simply wanted you to lose interest. Or, perhaps, realize that if you must go, you should ask Hagrid. With him, your 'tours' would be significantly safer."
"I was asking about the Dark Wizard, not my own safety," Kane rubbed his temples. He felt like Dumbledore was dodging the question, but he lacked the evidence to prove it.
"I see." Dumbledore looked at Kane, deciding on the truth. If he didn't give Kane a straight answer, the boy would likely keep diving into the forest until he got himself killed. "We have not caught him. He is... active, and likely will be for so ti."
"I see. Are we 'Watching the Drama' then?" Kane popped a stolen chocolate into his mouth.
"I would normally object to that phrasing, but if one ignores my intent and looks only at my actions... yes, I suppose I am directing a rather large stage play."
Kane leaned back and ntally summoned Maxwell. Look at this, Max. An old man purposefully letting a villain roam the school just for a 'play.' Very low class, wouldn't you say?
Maxwell gave a strained, awkward smile and nodded. Indeed.
Dumbledore, unaware of the internal monologue roasting him, was still trying to talk Kane out of his forest obsession.
He knew he couldn't just forbid it—first-year students these days were incredibly stubborn, especially the talented ones. They'd try to solo Voldemort as a Christmas project if you let them.
Eventually, Dumbledore threw up his hands in defeat. "Fine. You can go. But only if Hagrid takes you. If he's there, I can rest easy."
Kane bead. Hagrid, the Gakeeper, knew every inch of that forest. He was the perfect guide to lead Kane straight to the giant spiders. He humd a tune, swiped two more handfuls of chocolate from the desk, and strolled out.
Dumbledore watched him go, then suddenly realized he'd forgotten sothing important.
He'd forgotten to ask why Kane wanted to go into the forest in the first place.
Ah well, he thought. Whatever the reason, Hagrid can handle it. As long as the boy isn't planning to attack Hagrid's 'pets,' nothing could possibly go wrong... right?
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 200 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.
User Comments
0 comments from readers