In Amostas's office, Fred was honestly explaining why they had broken into the office, while George lay on Amostas's bed, groaning softly in a daze. However, after taking Amostas's specially concocted restorative, mixed with venomous tentacle seeds, his nosebleed finally stopped.
"Professor McGonagall did warn me to be wary of you two—"
Amostas, sitting in his office chair, wore a wry smile as he listened to Fred's explanation.
"But she only told me that if I found you two wandering around the castle in the middle of the night while monitoring, not to be too shocked. She didn't mention the possibility of you breaking into my office.
I have to say, your luck is very good, because considering that the Chamber of Secrets opener is very likely to be an underage young wizard, the magic I've placed in this room is primarily for confinement. If it were according to my habits when working outside,"
Amostas seriously looked at the sly-looking Weasley brothers and warned them in a very stern tone,
"Perhaps at this moment, Headmaster Dumbledore would be writing a letter of condolence to your parents!"
Even without Amostas's reminder, Fred and George realized their actions had been too reckless. They knew that Amostas Brain was not a school professor, and they shouldn't have foolishly barged into his office before understanding his temperament.
Due to losing so much blood, George looked as haggard as if he were about to die at any moment. But upon hearing Amostas's warning, he still forced himself to sit up on the bed, looking pitiful.
"Professor... no, Mr. Brain, considering that we've already learned our lesson, could you please not mention this to Professor McGonagall? We promise you, this is absolutely the last time!"
Fred hurriedly nodded in agreement.
"Please, Mr. Brain. When we were trapped here just now, George and I already agreed that we'd give up our mischievous ways and become diligent, rule-abiding young wizards from now on. Could you please let us off the hook?"
Amostas rolled his eyes. He was almost amused to death by these two clowns. Did he look that foolish?
"So, in any case—"
Amostas didn't immediately give them a definite answer. He leisurely leaned back in his chair, crossed his fingers on his knees, and looked at them with a half-smile.
"You two have already figured out my secret, haven't you?"
Upon hearing this, George's expression was no longer deathly pale, and Fred no longer pretended to be reformed. Their eyes shone with reverence, and they eagerly offered their compliments to Amostas.
"You are the most genius wizard I have ever seen, Mr. Brain. Even Headmaster Dumbledore cannot compare to you," Fred, one of the twins, loudly praised Amostas's wisdom. "The way you monitor the school is something we could never even dream of!"
"To understand your greatness more deeply!"
The two brothers reached a consensus the moment their eyes met. George respectfully pleaded, "Could you explain the principle of that thing to us in detail?"
"Don't even think about it!"
Amostas rolled his eyes even harder. Thinking of Bill, who was excellent in academics, and Charlie, who had outstanding Quidditch talent, he couldn't quite understand how the Weasley family produced these two. Well, Amostas had to admit, Fred and George were actually quite amusing.
The moment Amostas refused, George plopped back onto the bed with a thud, looking deeply hurt. He weakly reached out to his brother, his voice incredibly frail,
"It seems my dying wish won't be fulfilled, Fred. If you ever figure this out, remember to tell me at my grave."
In the end, Amostas did not tell the twin brothers the principle of this monitoring system. It wasn't that he was being stingy; it was just that this thing truly couldn't be explained in a few words. It involved many profound Transfiguration spells and alchemical principles. Even if he explained it, the twins wouldn't understand it, let alone be able to create it themselves.
However, he was very magnanimous and decided not to pursue Fred and George for breaking into his office. After all, the two had nothing to do with the Chamber of Secrets.
"Remember to keep what you saw a secret, you two little ones!"
Before kicking the Weasley brothers out of his office, Amostas narrowed his eyes, and the coldness in his voice made Fred and George shiver.
"If I find out you leak the secret, or if I find you damaging the monitoring ports I've set up in the castle... Mr. Weasley, if I set my mind on dealing with someone, even Headmaster Dumbledore probably can't stop me!"
"We swear on Percy's Prefect badge, sir, we absolutely won't utter a single word to anyone else!" the twins promised in unison.
"I hope they keep their promise—"
Amostas's mind flashed with this thought before he closed his eyes and rested on the bed.
In fact, Amostas knew in his heart that it was unlikely for the Weasley brothers to completely keep the secret. At the very least, they would definitely tell Harry, and Harry would certainly not forget to share it with his two good friends. But besides that, they were unlikely to spread the news about him monitoring all the young wizards.
The protagonist trio couldn't be the problem, and the Weasley family was trustworthy—it was precisely Amostas's preconceived notions that led to him having to spend much more effort on something he could have discovered quickly.
That night, Harry and Ron, returning from the infirmary, were immediately pulled aside by Fred and George. They dragged Harry to a spot near the girls' dormitory stairs, where there were few people, making it convenient for them to talk.
As the two recounted their story, Harry's expression gradually grew solemn, while Ron's mouth opened wider and wider, his face showing incredible shock.
No one noticed that a pale figure had stood silently for a long time at the girls' dormitory staircase, then quietly retreated back into the dim shadows.
"Wait here for me, Ron."
Harry, having understood everything, jumped up and ran back to the dorm without looking back. He was going to get his Invisibility Cloak. It was predictable that he and Ron would be spending more time at the infirmary tonight.
It wasn't yet curfew, and there were still scattered young wizards wandering the castle. But Harry and Ron had already put on the wondrous Invisibility Cloak. As they walked, their gazes occasionally swept across the corridor ceiling, as if invisible eyes hidden there were fixed on them.
"What do you think about this, Harry?"
Strangely, Hermione, upon hearing this shocking news, didn't rush to express her opinion. She sat on the bed with her arms crossed, her tone sounding very cautious.
Harry lowered his head and said nothing. Hesitation flickered in his emerald eyes. It was a long time before he spoke in an uncertain tone,
"I don't think it's unacceptable..."
"Are you crazy, Harry!" Ron, who had been holding in a belly full of opinions, looked at Harry in surprise.
"Or did you not hear what Fred and George said? That Brain guy is secretly monitoring everyone, and without prior notice. If this invasion of privacy shouldn't be stopped, then I don't know what despicable means. By the way, I think Fred and George might very well be controlled. They actually think such behavior is quite interesting?"
"You're confused about many things, Ron," Hermione retorted unceremoniously. "Why can't you put yourself in Harry's shoes and think?"
Put myself in Harry's shoes?
Ron's eyes flickered with a peculiar foolishness. He glanced at the exasperated Hermione, then at the troubled Harry. He suddenly felt his IQ couldn't keep up with the team average.
"Can someone please be kind enough to explain to me?"
After a long pause, Ron grumbled unhappily, still waiting for someone to express an opinion.
"Does it even need to be said, Ron?" Hermione, using her fingertip to trace the black hairs on her face—a new habit she had recently developed—said,
"Monitoring all young wizards' daily activities without prior notice is indeed not noble, and even illegal.
But Ron, you can't deny that it's a very effective method, can you?
As long as the heir of Slytherin can be caught, all the rumors Harry is currently burdened with will be disproven, and he won't have to face those foolish accusations anymore. And, without Headmaster Dumbledore's and the heads of house's permission, do you think Mr. Brain would use this method?"
"At least, next time someone is attacked, this thing can at least prove my innocence," Harry muttered, ashamed of his selfishness.
"I really don't want to be involved with this anymore."
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