The chatter in Gryffindor Tower grew louder and louder.
No one knew where the rumor had started, but in just one night, it had spread like wildfire.
More and more students joined the discussion.
Including Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
After being eliminated early from the practical lesson and returning from the Forbidden Forest, the three of them seamlessly joined the conversation.
"This has to be George and Fred's doing!"
Ron declared excitedly. "Remember, Harry? Before term started, they scared me with Richter's ghost! It's exactly the same story!"
"But Richter really did come back!" Harry said, his face pale as he swallowed nervously.
He hesitated, then added, "Do you think... Dawn Richter might have come back by possessing another student? That's why he appeared in the castle at Christmas!"
"Oh, Harry, please forget that ridiculous idea."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "If that were true, someone would have disappeared, wouldn't they? Have you noticed anyone missing?"
"Well…"
Harry faltered, then remembered some ghost stories he had read in the Muggle world.
"Maybe... after they disappeared, we forgot they ever existed?"
"That's impossible, Harry."
This time, Ron didn't support him.
He rolled his eyes and said firmly, "I'd bet anything that the ghost thing is fake! It's just another one of Fred and George's pranks."
"Not necessarily! Even if it is them, it could still be true!"
Harry suddenly stood up, gesturing animatedly.
"If the ghost isn't real, then what about Thomas? You know he had no reason to attack me!"
He looked at his two friends, hoping for agreement.
Instead, he was met with puzzled looks from everyone in the common room.
Hermione frowned, concerned.
"Harry, what's wrong with you? You're acting strange."
"I..."
Harry fell silent.
He ran a hand through his hair and sank back onto the sofa, unable to explain.
Yes.
He wanted the ghost to be real.
Because then he could believe that his classmates hadn't attacked him of their own will.
Because of his childhood, Harry feared being disliked more than anything.
The room fell quiet for a moment.
Then another student changed the subject. "By the way, Harry, how did the practical lesson go?"
"It was awful!" Ron jumped in immediately.
He slammed the table angrily. "Malfoy was basically cheating!"
With the room's attention now fully on him, Ron launched into a dramatic retelling.
In his version—
Malfoy was a shameless cheat who used enchanted items from home to win unfairly.
Not only had he secured points for Slytherin that way, he had also taken revenge in the forest—
By deliberately stepping on Ron's wand and snapping it.
"'Poor people,'" Ron mimicked Malfoy's tone perfectly. "'Wizard duels aren't just about spells—money is power too!'"
He pulled out his broken wand, now split in two, and slammed the table again in frustration.
"Ron," Harry said carefully, "if you hadn't pushed me out of the way, I might have been the one attacked. I think… I should buy you a new wand."
"…No. It's fine," Ron said after a pause, shaking his head.
"It was already broken anyway."
Harry hesitated, unsure whether to insist without hurting Ron's pride.
Nearby, Dawn let out a quiet laugh.
He watched Ron fiddling with the taped-up wand and inwardly mocked his foolishness.
Magic was a matter of the mind.
Using a broken wand during one's growth would only erode confidence, making spellcasting harder and harder.
The most obvious example was Amir—
A so-called "theoretical wizard" who could barely cast a single spell.
Of course, if someone truly believed they could cast magic without a wand, then the wand's condition didn't matter.
But Ron clearly wasn't that kind of person.
The noise around him gradually drove away Dawn's drowsiness. He listened idly to the conversation.
Unexpectedly, he picked up something useful.
The Weasley twins had taken leave from Quidditch practice for an entire day.
Dawn narrowed his eyes.
As expected.
At that moment, the topic shifted again—to Defense Against the Dark Arts.
A third-year student spoke up.
"I heard that starting next week, Professor Hickman will be leaving the school. Professor Flitwick will take over our classes."
Hermione froze.
"Where did you hear that? Why don't I know about it? Is it reliable?"
"A Ravenclaw friend told me," the student replied. "Professor Flitwick was asking about everyone's progress yesterday and even reading the Defense Against the Dark Arts textbooks."
Harry asked, "Why is Professor Hickman leaving?"
"No idea. Apparently something happened in his family, and he had to resign."
Ron, who had never liked the professor, let out a strange laugh and leaned closer.
"I think he got hit by the Dark Lord's curse too. Something must've gone seriously wrong!"
"You shouldn't say things like that!" Hermione snapped.
She firmly believed the so-called curse on the position was nonsense.
Soon, the entire common room was debating whether the Defense Against the Dark Arts curse was real.
Harry scratched his head.
He did feel a little regret about Hickman leaving— But mostly, he was relieved that Snape wouldn't be taking over.
He'd already had enough of that.
Still, he couldn't help wondering— Why hadn't the curse affected Snape last year?
Just as the discussion reached another peak—
Boom!
The portrait hole swung open.
The noise in the room dropped, then faded into silence.
Harry turned, confused.
Professor McGonagall strode in, her green robes swishing.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for interrupting your rest. However, there is something you need to know. Please come to the Great Hall."
Though phrased as a request—
No Gryffindor was brave enough to refuse. They exchanged confused glances and began filing out.
Dawn, perched quietly nearby, was curious as well.
But more importantly— This was the perfect chance to find the Weasley twins.
Avery followed the Gryffindors down the stairs.
As he entered the Great Hall, he locked eyes briefly with the Slytherins, his expression complicated.
Dawn, perched on his collar, looked around.
More and more students were arriving, many looking disheveled—likely called straight from the Forbidden Forest.
At the back, he spotted the Weasley twins arriving late.
Immediately, he took flight.
He planned to land on them and use Legilimency at the right moment.
He wasn't worried about being discovered by Dumbledore. From past experience, the Headmaster couldn't see through his animal form.
Which made sense— Even Rita Skeeter had managed to eavesdrop in beetle form.
Though that raised a question—
How had he been exposed before? The thought flickered through Dawn's mind as he flew.
At that moment—
Dumbledore spoke, his expression grave. "Children, I have unfortunate news to share."
Unfortunate news?
Dawn paused midair, listening.
"This year, several dangerous Brain Leeches have infiltrated the castle.
The incident in the Great Hall last night, as well as Mr. Thomas attacking Harry last term, were both caused by them controlling their victims."
What?
Brain Leeches?
Dawn froze in midair, his brows furrowing.
___________
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