The professors filed in from the stairs, led by Professor McGonagall, with Professors Snape and Quirrell following behind.
Hermione felt a wave of nervousness wash over her because she had never faced so many professors alone, let alone an angry Professor McGonagall.
I was once Professor McGonagall's favorite student. All of this is Ivy's fault for insisting on finding some Halloween surprise!
Hermione thought bitterly to herself.
Wait, speaking of Halloween surprises... Professor Quirrell! Could it be that the giant troll was released into the castle by him? But why would he do that?
Once a person has a target of suspicion, they can connect the dots. Hermione immediately remembered the scene when the professors entered the corridor earlier—Snape and Quirrell came down from the stairs, while Professor McGonagall had come up from the lower floor.
Hermione knew what was upstairs—the three-headed dog and whatever it was guarding. Unlike Ron, who only boasted about his courage, Hermione knew full well that under the dog's feet was a trapdoor, and that Dumbledore must have placed the dog there to guard something.
With that thought...
Hermione made the boldest decision of her life! She was going to lie to deceive the three professors!
Sorry, Professor McGonagall.
She silently apologized in her heart to Professor McGonagall and quickly glanced at her pale lips.
"I..." The overwhelming stench in the air made Hermione feel nauseous, and she couldn't help but miss the bubble Ivy had placed over her head earlier. "I just wanted to wander around the castle while everyone was at the feast... I didn't expect there to be such a huge troll wandering around the castle..."
Oh—this is bad!
As soon as the lie left her mouth, Hermione couldn't help but criticize herself. Instead of attending the feast in the Great Hall, wandering the halls of Hogwarts alone? How could she come up with such a poor excuse? Surely no professor would fall for it, right?
Hermione silently prayed for her lie to work, but as she turned, she met Snape's eyes, which were shining with suspicion.
"Miss Granger." Hermione turned to see Professor McGonagall's lips regain a little color. "I know you're a capable student, but please promise me that next time you'll stay with the others."
"I promise!" Hermione hadn't expected to get away with it so easily and quickly responded to Professor McGonagall, almost as if delaying the answer would make her suspicious.
"I don't quite understand," Professor McGonagall said, her eyes peering over her glasses with a probing gaze. "How did you manage to... smear a troll over twelve feet tall... on the wall?"
This was the question Hermione had been hoping to avoid, because answering it would mean she'd have to lie again.
"…When I saw that mountain-like troll coming at me with a club, I panicked so much that I even closed my eyes. Then I heard a 'bang!'..." Hermione made an exploding gesture. "The corridor just turned into this... I'm really sorry, Professor."
She quickly lowered her messy head, not daring to look at the skeptical expressions on the professors' faces.
Without Ivy and the Elemental Orbs around, if she told the whole story, Hermione might not make it back to her bed tonight.
"Oh…" Professor McGonagall didn't press further. Instead, she patted Hermione's shoulder comfortingly. "It must have been a difficult night for you, Miss Granger. Alright, it's time to head back and rest. The kitchen will send food to the common room, and you should enjoy the Halloween atmosphere."
"Professor McGonagall…" Hermione lifted her head, feeling guilty. Not only had she lied to Professor McGonagall, but she also thought, You didn't even deduct any points from me…
"Had this been a class, I might have added some points for you," Professor McGonagall said sternly, "Now, go back before I change my mind."
Hermione hesitated, then nodded and quickly ran off.
"Professor McGonagall, don't tell me you didn't see that she was lying," Snape said slowly after watching Hermione's figure disappear up the stairs.
"Well, what of it, Severus?" McGonagall replied, her gaze cold as she regarded her two colleagues. "Compared to the young witch wandering the halls on Halloween night, I think the professors who allowed a troll into the castle should be the ones to receive blame." She looked at her colleagues with a reproachful look before raising her wand to repair the corridor damaged by the Fireball spell, amidst Quirrell's sobbing.
"Millerwa," a voice called. It was Dumbledore.
For Halloween night, Dumbledore had donned a whimsical robe embroidered with bats and a wizard hat with a small pumpkin lantern hanging from its tip.
"And Severus, go calm down your students. I'll take care of things here," Dumbledore said, as he appeared from the other end of the corridor. He nimbly stepped over the scattered pieces of armor on the ground, trying to avoid stepping on the disgusting troll remains.
Snape's dark eyes scanned Dumbledore, then fixed on Quirrell. "Professor Quirrell, a calming draught would make you feel much better. Perhaps I could help you brew some?"
"Thank you! Thank you…" Quirrell sobbed, thanking Snape repeatedly as he left with him.
McGonagall watched their figures disappear before quickly walking up to Dumbledore. She lowered her voice and asked, "Are you sure your plan...?"
Under Dumbledore's serious gaze, McGonagall couldn't continue. She sighed and said quietly, "Fine... but you must remember, Dumbledore, my students are still just children!"
"But some of them were born with heavy fates to bear," Dumbledore shook his head and signaled that the topic should not continue.
McGonagall didn't press the issue further and turned to leave.
"Perhaps we should talk," Dumbledore said quietly in the empty corridor.
"Heh." Ivy's figure appeared with a low chuckle. "I heard something interesting."
"Subtle magic," Dumbledore said with admiration. "I've never seen a spell that can change someone's appearance so effectively. If I hadn't been paying attention, I would have almost been tricked."
Ivy understood that he was referring to the Disguise spell. It seemed that a senior Slytherin student had taken on his appearance to attend the feast.
"I'll take that as a compliment." Ivy smiled. "Are there dark wizards in the castle, and is that part of your plan?"
"Quirrell is a poor soul, but I believe he still has a chance to turn around," Dumbledore replied candidly, revealing that he had been aware of Quirrell's situation from the beginning.