[HP] Being a problem student at Hogwarts

But someone was as angry as Snape - Filch screamed: "My cat is petrified! At least someone should be punished for it!"

"We can cure it, Filch." Dumbledore said patiently, "Professor Sprout has been breeding mandrakes recently, and once they grow, I think we can prepare a medicine to revive Mrs. Norris. "

"So?" Filch asked sarcastically, "My cat will suffer for nothing? Thank you so much for your willingness to save a poor kitten!"

"We will find the perpetrator, Filch," Dumbledore assured him, "and your cat will be fine again, too, soon."

"I'll make it," Lockhart interjected. "I must have made it hundreds of times. I can even make the Mandrake Resurrection Potion while dreaming -"

"Excuse me," Snape said grimly, "I think I am the Potions teacher in this school."

Lockhart said "Oh" and retreated into the dark corner in despair. But Tom saw a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"You can go." Dumbledore said to the children, "Go have something to eat and go back to rest early."

So the children left Lockhart's office obediently, walking as fast as possible and almost running.

"So what's going on?" Tom felt that he couldn't wait to go back to the lounge to ask again, so he simply dragged his friends into an empty classroom.

"It was a voice..." Harry said hesitantly, "It said it was hungry and that it was time to kill..."

"Then you ran away following this sound?" Tom asked incredulously, "Please, you heard the key word 'killing', why didn't you turn around quickly and run to find the teachers, and then go up and kill someone yourself?"

"Didn't you see what happened to Mrs. Norris?" Tom looked at his friends sternly, "Just a little bit worse! You are the ones hanging stiffly on the wall!"

"Jesus," said Ron, "the way you talk reminds me of Professor McGonagall."

"I'm sorry," Harry said ashamedly, "I asked them to come together. They didn't hear the voice. I didn't think so much at the time..."

"I didn't expect it at the time." Hermione gnawed on her fingernails anxiously, "I mean, what dangers could there be in school?"

Tom rolled his eyes unabashedly: "So you weren't the one who encountered the troll in the first grade? You weren't the one who was scared to tears by the three-headed dog? I lay in the hospital wing for so long because I suddenly lost control of my magic power?"

Harry changed the subject awkwardly: "Do you think I should tell them about the sound I heard?"

"Don't say it," Ron said without hesitation. "It's not a good sign to hear voices that others can't hear, even in the wizarding world - perhaps, especially in the wizarding world."

"Of course I have to say it." Tom held the opposite opinion. "Something has happened. If it can provide clues to eliminate the danger, why not? If this is a bad thing, it is even more important to tell the adults and let them solve it."

"Tom, you don't understand." Ron's attitude was surprisingly serious. "In the magical world, you can hear sounds that others can't hear and see things that others can't see. If you don't want to go crazy or become a monster, the best way is Just ignore it.”

"Don't listen, don't see, don't even think about it, let alone mention it to others - maybe some things are just passing by, and you just accidentally see a little residual shadow, but when you notice it When the time comes, it will notice you too," he concluded.

"When you stare into the abyss, does the abyss stare into you?" Hermione asked.

"Sounds a bit evil," said Tom.

"Magic is magical and dangerous." Ron warned them. "It doesn't seem to be a big problem now, so we'd better not talk about it anymore. The spread of information will increase the risk of being watched."

Harry was very uneasy about this: "Shouldn't I tell you?"

"It's okay." Ron comforted him and said, "We were chasing him together. If there is a problem, we can't escape."

"What are they?" asked Tom.

"I don't know." Ron shrugged, "Dad didn't tell me. But I guess since the solution is not to listen, not to see, not to speak, then no one really knows."

"That's it, okay?" Ron said, "I think we've talked enough... let's go back and rest quickly."

"You go back first, I want to find the principal." Tom said.

Ron raised his eyebrows and said dissatisfiedly: "I already told you——"

"It's not about that." Tom made a swearing gesture to him. "It's about Professor Lockhart."

"What's wrong with Professor Lockhart?" Hermione asked immediately with concern.

Tom glanced at her hesitantly and said vaguely: "I want to discuss with the principal about his class."

Hermione followed Harry and Ron back to Gryffindor Tower with suspicion. Tom turned around and went to find the principal.

He met Professor McGonagall on the way.

"Mr. Locke!" Professor McGonagall asked in shock, "Why are you still here?"

"I have something else to do...has Principal Dumbledore gone back too?" Tom asked.

Professor McGonagall lowered the corners of her mouth and said unhappily: "The principal is very busy - Mr. Locke, please allow me to remind you again - look at the time, you should go back and rest."

"Okay, Professor." Tom replied obediently and walked towards Gryffindor Tower in front of Professor McGonagall - of course, as soon as he was out of Professor McGonagall's sight, he immediately changed his route towards the Headmaster's Office. .

He tried out the password to the principal's office with familiarity, but when he stood in front of the wooden door, he heard conversations inside.

First, Principal Dumbledore whispered something, and a moment later a clear, arrogant laugh came out——

"Albus Dumbledore!" the voice called the principal's name contemptuously, "Stop pretending about your theory of love that you don't even believe in. I can smell that your heart is barren. Ruins are hollows of decay, filled only with the bitter taste of self-loathing and guilt—"

Then the voice suddenly stopped.

Then the wooden door was opened, and Dumbledore looked down at Tom, with no awkward expression on his face.

"Good evening, Tom," he said.

"I'm sorry, principal." Tom felt a little embarrassed, "I seem to have come at the wrong time."

"Oh, not bad." Dumbledore stepped out of the way and invited Tom in.

"We just eliminated one suspect." Dumbledore said calmly.

Tom hesitantly walked into the principal's office, only to find that there was no one else in the office. Fox isn't here. There is a black Muggle diary on the principal's desk that does not match the office style.

That's strange...Who was the principal talking to just now? Magic phone?

"Although I originally thought it was unlikely to be him, it's better to confirm it." Dumbledore explained while stuffing the diary into the drawer. "If you come at this time, I think there are some other things." Discover?"

"Who did you think it was?" asked Tom.

Dumbledore also sat down and said: "An... old acquaintance. Although he is not a good person, fortunately, he has always been very frank and has always been willing to publicize what he has done to the audience - probably thinking that this can make people happy. Others should be afraid of him.”

"Many criminals are performative personalities," Tom said, "actively trying to attract others' attention. This is why some criminals will return to the scene afterwards to enjoy the panic of the crowd. Some Serial [killers] have not been caught for a long time, and they will proactively send letters to the police to provide their information.”

Dumbledore stared at him quietly, making no sign of answering him.

So Tom had no choice but to continue: "I know I shouldn't say this, but Headmaster, don't you really think there's something wrong with Professor Lockhart?"

"What you are saying is a very serious accusation, Tom," said Dumbledore.

There was a muffled sneer from the drawer, and Dumbledore pulled out his wand without hesitation and stabbed it hard and fast. Then the drawer became quiet again.

"Please continue." Dumbledore said, "Do you have any evidence for saying this?"

Dumbledore's expression was very natural, as if nothing strange had happened. Tom had no choice but to act calm.

"First of all, what petrified Mrs. Norris should have been a very advanced black magic, so it couldn't have been done by the freshmen. So the only newbie who entered the school this year is Professor Lockhart."

"And he was indeed suspicious. At the beginning of the school year, he was able to call out the names of students he had never met before. He brought Cornish elves to the first class of the school year. I clearly remember a few of them at the time. He only escaped from the classroom, but according to my subsequent investigation, no one saw the escaping elves. It was as if the elves disappeared after running out. He also behaved quite strangely tonight - "

"You have always been very perceptive, Tom." Dumbledore raised his finger to indicate that he understood. "But I assure you, Professor Lockhart will never harm any student."

"You believe him so much?" Tom asked.

"Yes," said Dumbledore, "for who he is, and because I am here."

"Sometimes I do think I'm overthinking it," Tom said awkwardly, "but every time I want to dispel my doubts, there are always some insignificant coincidences that make me doubt again. I know what I listed These so-called evidences are not sufficient, but I have no way to explain those intuitive things."

"No need to explain, Tom." Dumbledore said gently, "Don't forget that this is a magical world, and intuition can sometimes help us find the direction." 7K妏敩

"But you just said you believed him." Tom didn't understand.

"Ah, my boy," Dumbledore said easily with a strange smile, "about the suspicious places you found - why don't you just ask Professor Lockhart?"

Tom:? ? ?

"Just...ask?" Tom repeated in disbelief.

no? Principal, what if you trust the wrong person? Principal, you are a little big-hearted!

But Dumbledore said no more, and gently but firmly asked Tom to go back to bed.