Chapter 77 Chapter 77
The cold rain was falling, everyone entered the castle, feeling a sense of relief.
A scent of food wafted from the Great Hall, making all the young wizards feel joyous.
Evan sniffed and rubbed his belly.
It was a pity that he couldn't witness last year's sorting ceremony nor partake in the feast.
Just as he was about to enter the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall's voice suddenly echoed.
"Mason, Potter, and Granger, I want to see the three of you!"
They turned their heads in surprise and saw Professor McGonagall approaching with a stern look, Evan tried to recall if he had done something amiss.
"You don't need to look so downcast, I just want to have a word with you in my office," she turned, "Weasley, Creevey, you may go to the party first."
Ron and Colin gazed intently at Professor McGonagall as she led Evan, Harry, and Hermione away.
They walked to her office, a small room with a cozy fire crackling in the fireplace.
The three were astonished to see Madam Pomfrey waiting for them there.
"Professor Lupin sent an owl, saying you fainted on the train, Potter," Professor McGonagall seemed concerned, "As for you, Mason, Lupin mentioned you used the Patronus Charm, which is remarkable considering your age, but the strain on your body must be immense."
"No, Professor..."
Before they could finish their words, they were interrupted by Madam Pomfrey.
"You two," Madam Pomfrey said brightly, "I thought... you wouldn't encounter anything as dangerous as you did with the basilisk snake."
"Dementors at Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall stated.
They exchanged a discreet wink, and Madam Pomfrey let out a deep breath of cold air with an unfavorable chuckle.
"Placing Dementors around the school," muttered Madam Pomfrey as she examined Evan and Harry, "You won't be the last to faint. You're all sweaty. They are truly dreadful creatures, the effect they have on already delicate individuals..."
"I'm not delicate," said Harry angrily.
"Of course not," said Madam Pomfrey absently, "You look fine, do you need bed rest or..."
"I think we're fine, I believe I have many happy memories to cling to. The spell wasn't as difficult as I thought," Evan hurriedly remarked.
Since taking the potion, his mana had clearly increased significantly. Using the Patronus Charm was too much for the body of a regular young wizard. Evan was intrigued as to why he had started conjuring the guardian even when he couldn't remember any happy thoughts in his mind.
"I don't need anything," nodded Harry, "Professor Lupin gave me chocolate, and now I feel much better."
"So we have a professor who knows his remedies," whispered Madam Pomfrey.
After Evan and Harry insisted repeatedly that they were fine, they left with Madam Pomfrey. Professor McGonagall had something to discuss with Hermione.
"What does Professor McGonagall have to talk to Hermione about?" Harry asked curiously.
"It should be about some of her classes conflicting, so perhaps Professor McGonagall is trying to persuade her to drop some classes," Evan said, though he knew Professor McGonagall was giving Hermione a Time-Turner.
He had used one at the end of the previous year, but the Time-Turner he used was created by Rowena Ravenclaw herself, powerful enough to take one back a thousand years.
Unfortunately, upon his return, Ravenclaw didn't just say Merry Christmas...
Evan thought there might be more in the secret room where he obtained the Time-Turner, but the basilisk snake traveled to many different places, and he couldn't be sure of its exact location. And he had no clue where to find the secret treasures.
While Evan was lost in thought, Hermione emerged looking very pleased, with Professor McGonagall following behind her, descending the stairs to the Great Hall with them.
In the Great Hall, there was a sea of black hats, each table was filled with students, thousands of candle lights shone on their faces, the candles were suspended in the air above the table. Professor Flitwick emerged from the Great Hall with an old hat and a three-legged stool.
"Oh, my God," Evan said as he hit his forehead, "I missed it two years in a row, how."
"Yes, you are very unfortunate," Colin said, looking at Evan sympathetically.
As Evan sat down, he noticed there were some new faces at the Gryffindor table, they must be the new first-years.
He didn't know them, but they seemed to know him.
They turned and looked at Evan and Harry, who recounted a summary of what had happened on the train.
People were very interested in the matter, whether it was Harry fainting or Evan using magic to defeat the Dementors.
Perhaps after the story of "Me and the Basilisk at Hogwarts," there will be "Me and the Dementors at Hogwarts," as long as it's in the style of Lockhart; it will be very popular.
After a while, a warm applause filled the Great Hall, he saw Hagrid's flushed face, standing on the teacher's seat with his smile hidden behind his messy black beard.
Dumbledore had just introduced the two new professors, Lupin was, as expected, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and Hagrid was the Care of Magical Creatures professor.
Hagrid didn't have to say much, as most of the students were already familiar with him.
As for Professor Lupin, the students who had experienced the Dementors' attack on the train applauded even though he was dressed very shabbily; everyone was delighted to finally have a suitable Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
Even Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe applauded, but soon stopped.
Evan saw Snape staring at Professor Lupin.
The expression on Snape's face seemed a bit irritated, the look on his face could make anyone shudder.
Dumbledore announced that the Ministry of Magic had placed Dementors on the school grounds and that everyone should stay away from the Dementors, as any act of non-cooperation would be taken as provocation and would be attacked.
When Dumbledore finished, the atmosphere became heavy.