Chapter 155: Saved by Love
It was a clear Thursday.
Professor McGonagall had vanished. She hadn't been seen in Hogwarts all day.
She even missed her Transfiguration classes, having swapped schedules with Professor Snape, a change that elicited miserable groans from the student body.
Snape was in a foul mood. After making life miserable for several Slytherins, he deducted ten points from Gryffindor because Harry had misplaced a single ingredient.
Harry and Ron were still complaining about it when they arrived at the Room of Hope.
"He's taking advantage of McGonagall's absence! Merlin's beard—I don't even know who to complain to! A prefect? Percy would just say, 'Why does Professor Snape only punish you? Look at your own behavior! Stop causing trouble!'"
Their complaints ceased when they saw Sean waiting outside the door. It was a rare sight.
For Harry and Ron, the owl portrait's riddles were fiendishly difficult, but for Sean, they were as easy as breathing.
"Forbidden! You! Shall not pass! Unfaithful little wizard!"
Mr. Owl shrieked.
Harry and Ron exchanged glances, their annoyance fading into suppressed laughter. Hermione, who had arrived with them, frowned, waiting patiently to the side.
At first, they didn't understand why they were waiting. After a few scathing remarks from the owl, they lined up obediently.
"Little wizards! Foolish little wizards! Dim-witted! Dull! As laughably stupid as Gryffindors! Unless you tell me a story about Gryffindor foolishness right now! Otherwise, you wait!"
Justin arrived carrying a tray of biscuits, becoming their savior. He glanced at the line of students and smiled confidently.
"Allow me. If Godric Gryffindor were still alive, he would be the Giant Squid in the Black Lake."
He delivered the line with dramatic flair.
Mr. Owl flapped his wings, finally allowing them entry.
Inside, Sean reviewed his Ancient Runes knowledge one last time, then packed up to head to the dungeon for brewing.
But he was intercepted in the corridor by the Weasley twins.
"What kind of biscuit did you choose? Whatever it is, I bet it's brilliant!" Fred said cheerfully.
"You are the Great Green, after all!" George added, equally excited.
"Oh—we can never repay you. If Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes ever takes off, we'll have to give you a share!" Fred winked, his performance of gratitude heavily exaggerated.
"Just a small share. Two percent! How about that?" George chimed in.
Sean tried to walk around them. Once you engaged with the twins, there was no telling when the conversation would end.
"I bet you're going to see Professor Terra to inscribe the runes. Wait! Fred!" George suddenly exclaimed.
"I remember, George! Oh, Merlin's beard, we don't know Advanced Transfiguration, so—" Fred jumped in front of Sean, blocking his path.
"You have to trade..." George nudged Sean's shoulder ingratiatingly.
Sean sometimes struggled to understand how the twins could be alchemy geniuses yet fail to master Advanced Transfiguration.
He waved his wand. The lid of a small jar containing a beetle popped open. Before their eyes, the beetle transformed into a small owl.
"Merlin's beard!" Fred's eyes widened. He looked at George with an expression that said, Did we just hit the jackpot?
" The Great Green!" George winked at Fred, and the two bowed dramatically.
The twins were entertaining. On the way to the dungeon, through a series of bizarre negotiations, they managed to acquire Sean's half-finished Owl Biscuits.
Then, they looked at Sean with strange expressions.
"If you need knowledge on Advanced Transfiguration runic inscriptions—"
"Why not ask us?"
"We got an 'Outstanding' in Ancient Runes!"
"We were born for this!"
They tossed a book to Sean and vanished behind a portrait into a secret passage.
100 Ways to Prank Ron.
Sean stared at the cover, baffled. What is this?
"Wrong one!"
The twins popped back out, snatching the book and replacing it with another.
Techniques of Ancient Runic Inscription.
Holding the swapped book, Sean opened the first page. The more he read, the brighter his eyes became.
The twins truly were alchemy prodigies; their mastery of Ancient Runes was profound.
Sean was certain this was exactly what he lacked. His steps were lighter as he continued to the dungeon.
Snape watched this from the shadows, inexplicably irritated.
Time passed, marked by the comings and goings of owls. When Sean finally emerged from the dungeon, Sir Cadogan was waiting by the door.
Unlike his usual boisterous self, the knight watched quietly as Sean left, then angrily mounted his pony.
The afternoon brought a sudden storm.
Rain cascaded from the sky like gravel, drumming against the castle walls. The downpour hissed, plunging the grounds into twilight gloom. Lightning flashed, shaking the sky.
Sir Cadogan charged into the dungeon amidst the storm, shouting:
"Do you not understand? You foolish man! Becoming accustomed to despair is ten thousand times worse than despair itself!"
He rushed into the dungeon, just as he had on that night years ago.
"Oh—my dear Sir Knight. He is always willing to sacrifice himself for others," Lady Violet murmured, at a loss for words.
"Well, Violet, I actually don't think that's the right thing to do," the Fat Lady said crossly, stamping her foot.
No one knew what happened inside the dungeon. They only knew that when Sir Cadogan crawled out, battered and bruised, he wore an expression of "Well, worth it."
Professor Snape's black robes billowed without wind, surging through the corridors like a roaring storm cloud.
His destination: the spacious, beautiful circular office of the Headmaster.
Silver instruments whirred on every surface. Beside them, a blackened kettle bubbled merrily.
Albus Dumbledore sat behind his wide oak desk, half-moon spectacles perched on his nose. His blue eyes gazed over the rims, watching the storm outside.
"Ah—Headmistress Derwent. The tragedy and greatness of this world lie in this—it gives us no truth, but much love.
"Absurdity reigns, but love saves it."
(End of Chapter)
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