The hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor, and the portraits on either side occasionally opened their eyes and shouted:
"Hey, kids, what are you up to today? Why don't I see many people?"
Vid ignored them and strode past, the wind lifting his black wizard robe, giving him a bit of Professor Snape's demeanor.
Behind him, the wizard in the portrait said angrily, "So rude!"
Vid arrived at the entrance of the infirmary, glanced back, and Maki, who had brought him here, nodded, disappearing from view with a "bang".
Then Vid pushed the door open, and a person standing by the door immediately looked up in fear.
It was Malfoy.
He shivered as if he had seen a ghost, his face ashen, trembling uncontrollably.
There were also Slytherin students standing not far away, as if there was an invisible barrier between them and Malfoy.
These were the Slytherin students who often hung around Malfoy and participated in the competition with him this time—
Pansy, Zabini, Noat.
Including Crabbe, Daphne, and Malfoy, that was everyone in their group.
As for Goyle, because his intelligence was overwhelmingly touching, he could only stay outside as a spectator this time, and he wasn't here at the moment.
Soon Vid noticed that several professors, including Dumbledore and Snape, were gathered around a sickbed, with a dozen bottles of magic potions on a nearby cart.
"For now, we can only treat him to this extent…"
Madam Pomfrey whispered, "We need to send him to St Mungo's."
Dumbledore nodded, said, "Then I'll trouble you, Pomona, Filius."
"You're too polite, Dumbledore, this isn't a bother at all."
Professor Sprout wiped her tears, saying compassionately, "Poor child."
Professor Flitwick carefully used magic to levitate the person on the sickbed, while Professor Sprout wrapped most of his body in a sheet.
As they passed by the door, Vid noticed that the person wrapped in the sheet was Crabbe.
His eyes were tightly shut, and his face was so pale it seemed to have no blood left, but a strong scent of blood and even dark magic emanated from him.
Malfoy shuddered violently and abruptly stepped back two steps, not daring to look at Crabbe's appearance.
The door opened and closed again.
Then, Professor Snape walked towards them.
He was usually extremely cold and stern; now he seemed even more terrifying.
And Malfoy, who was always favored by this professor, was terrified to the extreme, looking as if he was about to faint from fright.
Professor Snape's footsteps stopped in front of Pansy and the others.
"Get back!"
He spoke in a voice that seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, suppressed and low:
"If I hear any rumors—"
The Slytherins shook their heads like rattles, with Zabini leading the way, quickly escaping the professor's sight.
Only Malfoy remained, staring at the ground in front of him with an utterly despairing look.
"Vid."
Professor Dumbledore walked over and said, still rather calmly:
"I remember you said before that the Flow Mirror could capture almost every corner inside the maze?"
"Yes."
Vid withdrew his gaze from Malfoy and replied affirmatively.
"Can the footage recorded still be replayed in a short time?" Dumbledore asked again.
"That's correct," Vid confirmed.
"Then we might need a small portion of it," Dumbledore said, "about ten minutes ago."
"I can ask Mr. Coliver to provide it," Vid glanced at the infirmary and asked, "Uh… here?"
Although the ward was still empty now, it was foreseeable that it would be filled with students in ten minutes.
The injured students in the competition weren't few; they just wanted to see the result, so they held on without immediate treatment, staying in the audience instead.
Dumbledore said tiredly, "Go to my office. Severus—"
He turned to look at Professor Snape.
"I think you need to bring Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Crabbe over," he referred naturally to their parents.
The pale-faced Snape nodded, said nothing more, and without another glance at Draco Malfoy, turned to leave.
"Vid, I entrust the recording footage to you," Dumbledore said, "the fifth level of the maze, northwest corner, about ten minutes ago."
"Okay," Vid nodded and quickly left.
As Vid was leaving the castle, he happened to see students returning.
Unaware of the incident, they were excitedly discussing the competition process, occasionally bursting into laughter.
Even the injured were reluctant to miss the bustle, forcing themselves to walk and even actively showing their wounds to others.
A student had picked up a giant scale, holding it overhead like a medal, surrounded by a group of lower-grade young wizards.
Gryffindor students carried Harry, singing and dancing, appearing extremely happy. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff joined in the celebration, and even Slytherin wasn't in too bad a mood.
Although Slytherin didn't win the championship, they secured second place.
Ministry of Magic officials stayed behind; they didn't immediately return to the castle but entered the maze to observe the setup, with Fudge frequently inquiring and appearing very concerned.
After the headmaster vanished, as the deputy headmistress, Professor McGonagall had to take on the duty of hosting these people, albeit with her usual stern expression, subtly tinged with annoyance.
The magical creatures, unaware that these were government officials, would launch sudden attacks, so Hagrid and others remained nearby.
Only Mr. Weasley stayed last, comforting the ashen-faced Percy.
Vid found Mr. Coliver at the Magic Workshop with ease. Without getting too close, he heard Coliver's excited voice:
"Where have you been, Mr. Gray—never mind, do you know the feedback from the Flow Mirror broadcast? All the sub-mirrors on the British Isles can see the footage! This is simply—"
"Mr. Coliver," Vid interrupted him, saying softly, "I need to take a Mother Mirror."
While Coliver's "control platform" could broadcast, the footage was still stored within their respective Mother Mirrors.
Coliver paused for a moment and then seemed to understand something, asked no further questions, and nodded, saying, "Okay—which one do you need?"
After about ten minutes, Vid took the Flow Mirror and entered the Headmaster's Office.
Upon entering, he saw the Malfoys and Draco sitting together, their expressions as pale as ever, with Lucius Malfoy caressing the large jewel on his cane, silent.
On the other side of the office, Crabbe's father sat with his head hung low.
It was Vid's first time seeing him, but the power of genetics was strong; just by his appearance, Vid knew who he was.
Professor Snape stood nearby with folded arms, his gaze ice-cold.
Upon hearing the door, everyone in the office looked over.