0255 Abnormality&Trust

0255 Abnormality&Trust

*Great-Hall*

"Well—"

Professor McGonagall smiled and looked at the three Gryffindor wizards sitting down. She noticed the tension between them, but she decided not to interfere. After scanning the room, she found that all the young wizards were waiting for her speech.

"I don't have much to say, everyone. Oh, except for one thing, let's eat quickly!"

She clapped her hands and said cheerfully.

The sound of clinking cutlery immediately filled the Great Hall. Harry leaned forward and took a roasted potato. He was hungry after the long day, and the food smelled delicious.

Tap-Tap-Tap

Suddenly, everyone's attention was drawn to the footsteps coming from the entrance hall.

It was Malfoy—

He seemed to have been running for a while, his hair was wet, and sweat dripped from his pale cheeks. He looked out of breath and nervous.

Harry and Ron exchanged a subtle glance, feeling something was off. They wondered what Malfoy was doing at this time, and why he was so flustered. But the next moment, Snape voiced their confusion.

"Why is it just you, Draco?"

Professor Snape stared at Malfoy with a suspicious look.

"Where are Crabbe and Goyle?"

"They're full, so they didn't come, Professor—" Malfoy answered in a dry voice.

"Pffft"

Ron burst into laughter. He couldn't help it.

Crabbe and Goyle were full? That was unheard of at Hogwarts. They were notorious for their huge appetites and their lack of manners. They would never miss a chance to stuff their faces with food, especially on a special occasion like Christmas.

Harry immediately nudged Ron with his elbow because the old bat Snape was still staring at Ron with a cold gaze. He didn't want Ron to get into trouble for laughing at Malfoy, even though he agreed with him. He also wanted to avoid Snape's attention, which was never a good thing.

Even Ron could tell that it was a complete lie, and Snape should be able to see through it. Snape raised his chin and squinted his eyes, his dark eyes hiding imperceptible concern and frustration.

"What about Professor Lupin? As far as I know, he should still be at the school. Why isn't he here?"

The ripple caused by the earlier joke had just subsided, and Malfoy's random question once again disrupted the rhythm of the group's Christmas feast.

It was a strange question, coming from him.

Too strange!

Harry and Ron immediately turned their gaze to Malfoy, and even Hermione, who was hesitating whether to talk with Professor McGonagall privately, blinked and looked at Malfoy.

'Draco actually cared if Lupin came to dinner?!'

In fact, on the night when they had sneaked into Hogsmeade and were caught by Professor Watson, Harry had thought that Lupin might be related to the Marauder's Map. He had recognized the map as soon as he heard clues related to it. But because of Ron's quick thinking and perfect lie at the time, Lupin had let them go without further questioning.

Later, Fred and George, the Weasley twins, accidentally overheard that Professor Watson was looking for the Marauder's Map. Harry had also discussed with Ron and Hermione why Professor Watson knew about the map's existence. The only logical explanation they could come up with was that Lupin might be the creator of the map.

This explanation sounded incredible, because Lupin seemed to have nothing to do with breaking school rules or playing pranks. He was a serious and strict teacher, who always looked tired and ill. He was nothing like the mischievous and daring personalities that the map's makers had displayed.

But if that was the case, then the answer to how Professor Watson knew about the Marauder's Map was very obvious —Professor Lupin had told him.

But today's events had overturned the previous explanation. It seemed that there was no communication between Professor Lupin and Professor Watson regarding the Marauder's Map. Moreover, Lupin even believed that Professor Watson probably didn't know about it at all–based on his behavior.

This was indeed a puzzling question that even Hermione, couldn't figure out the connection.

Between the two professors, Lupin undoubtedly seemed more like the creator of the Marauder's Map. But if it wasn't him who had told Professor Watson, then who could it be?

Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs–these were the nicknames of the four makers of the map, as written on the parchment. If Lupin was one of these four, theoretically, even if it wasn't Professor Lupin, it could be one of the other three who had revealed the information to Professor Watson. But the other three were obviously not at Hogwarts now, otherwise Professor Lupin would have recognized them.

They couldn't discover the truth just by guessing. After discussing for a while, Harry and the others gave up on delving deeper. They decided to enjoy their walk and forget about the mystery for now.

In the following time, bathed in pale sunlight, the three of them played in the snow. To make it more fun, they used their wands to mold the powdery snow into balls and threw them at each other. The game started harmoniously, but as Hermione added some "special magic" to the snowballs, such as the Bewitched Snowballs Charm, the situation quickly became one-sided.

Harry and Ron teamed up against Hermione, but they were no match for her cleverness and skill. They were bombarded by the powerful ice balls that flew towards them from all directions, and they ran around in pain, trying to dodge or block them.

The cries of the two young wizards and Hermione's laughter echoed in the yard, carried by the cold wind.

"Anyway,"

After more than an hour, the exhausted three of them supported each other back to the castle. They stood in the entrance hall, brushing off the snow from their bodies and boots. Hermione, in a much better mood, patted the ice particles in her fluffy hair and said solemnly,

"I hope you can stay vigilant, Harry. Whether it's the Firebolt or the Marauder's Map, I hope you will voluntarily hand them over. The professors will help you confirm if they are safe."

She was still worried about the possibility that someone had cursed the broomstick or the map, and that they might harm Harry in some way.

"No way, Harry!"

Taking advantage of the relaxed atmosphere, Ron made a funny face at Hermione.

"Maybe the professors will return the Firebolt to Harry, but do you expect them to return the Marauder's Map too? That map isn't dangerous. Fred and George have used it for years, and they have already confirmed it for Harry–"

He argued, trying to convince Hermione that the map was harmless and useful.

"If I hand over the map, Hermione–"

Harry also said jokingly,

"I can't expect Fred and George to be my Beaters in the Quidditch match anymore. They might just hit the Bludger at me directly because that map is their most precious thing!"

He knew how much the twins valued the map, and how they had entrusted it to him as a gift. He didn't want to betray their trust, or lose such a valuable thing.

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