Before long, the students from all four houses had gathered in the Great Hall.
Except for those in Slytherin, the students from the other three houses all looked utterly bewildered.
"Today, we have suffered… a truly immense loss."
Dumbledore's voice was laced with profound sorrow.
"Just moments ago… another attack occurred…"
"The attack took place in the Slytherin Common Room, resulting in the death of a student."
The Great Hall erupted into an immediate uproar, while the Slytherin table fell into a heavy silence.
The Slytherin students had originally believed it was impossible for them to be targeted, but tonight's events had delivered a harsh slap to their faces, instantly shattering their illusions.
Panic spread rapidly among the Slytherins.
As the other three houses buzzed with frantic discussion, Dumbledore had to use a Sonorus charm to make his voice carry over the din.
"For your own safety, you must remain here for the night."
Dumbledore waved his wand, and the four long tables in the Hall immediately moved against the walls. Hundreds of sleeping bags appeared on the floor.
After instructing the Prefects and the Head Boy and Girl to help maintain order, Dumbledore left the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape followed him out.
Professors Sprout and Flitwick remained behind to watch over the students' safety.
Kyle did not follow them. He lay silently in his sleeping bag, pondering the events that had unfolded earlier.
The massacre in the Forbidden Forest, one attack after another…
What exactly was Tom Riddle trying to achieve in his youth?
If he wanted to reconstruct a body like Voldemort did last year…
No, that wasn't right. Using a large number of living creatures for a sacrifice would only cause the negative energy of the Dark Arts to corrode one's own body.
Forget the teenage Voldemort—not even the primary soul of Lord Voldemort would do something so foolish.
In the haze of his thoughts, Kyle felt as though he had grasped a flicker of inspiration, yet it slipped through his fingers just as quickly. He brooded over it for a long time, but due to the lack of key clues, he couldn't reach a definitive answer.
Feeling somewhat irritable, Kyle rolled over and fell into a deep sleep inside his sleeping bag.
The next morning, Kyle was awakened by the sound of a heated argument at the entrance of the Great Hall.
Dumbledore was standing at the doors, debating with a very peculiar-looking man. This stranger was short and stout, with a mess of grey hair and an anxious expression on his face. He wore a pinstriped suit, a long black cloak, and carried a lime-green bowler hat under his arm.
"Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid's prior record is very much against him. The Ministry of Magic has no choice but to take the necessary measures…"
"Cornelius, I have stated repeatedly that Lockhart is the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets. Taking Hagrid away will achieve nothing."
Kyle walked out of the Great Hall. He saw a fire smoldering in Dumbledore's blue eyes—a level of anger he had never seen before.
Cornelius Fudge toyed with his bowler hat. "But Albus, where is Lockhart?"
"He has fled," Professor McGonagall said, her face grim.
"So you haven't caught him at all, and there is no evidence to prove he is the culprit, is there?"
"I hope you understand, Cornelius, that I have complete confidence in Hagrid," Dumbledore said, frowning at Fudge.
"But the attack resulted in the death of a pure-blood student! The Ministry is under immense pressure; I have to take him away."
Before Dumbledore could speak, Fudge added quickly, "If you can prove Lockhart is the true culprit, we will bring Hagrid back."
Students had begun waking up one by one, crowding toward the doors to watch the scene.
The sound of heavy footsteps echoed from outside the castle doors. Hagrid's silhouette appeared at the entrance, followed by two Ministry Aurors.
"I think it's time we go," Fudge said, placing the bowler hat back on his head.
"May I have a word with Hagrid, Mr. Minister?" Kyle, who had used contact lenses to mask his original eye color, stepped forward in front of Fudge.
Fudge clearly recognized the boy from the Dumbledore household. He nodded, granting Kyle's request.
Kyle walked over to Hagrid's side and pulled on his sleeve, signaling for him to lean down.
"If the Ministry people try to do anything to you, don't hesitate to activate the Eight Inner Gates. Don't worry about the consequences; Professor Dumbledore and I will handle it for you."
Hagrid nodded with a solemn expression.
Just then, a man strode into the Entrance Hall.
Lucius Malfoy was wrapped tightly in a long, black traveling cloak, a cold, satisfied smile playing on his lips.
A wave of deep revulsion welled up inside Kyle.
"What brings you here, Lucius?" Dumbledore asked.
His words were polite, but that fire still burned within his blue eyes.
Lucius slowly drew a roll of parchment from his robes. "The Board of Governors feels it is time for you to step aside. This is an order of suspension—you will see that all twelve governors have signed it."
Fudge looked panicked.
"Dumbledore suspended… The Ministry certainly does not wish to see such a thing. If Dumbledore is gone, who will be left to stop the attacks?"
Lucius spoke in a flat, monotone voice: "Mr. Minister, even with Dumbledore here, he failed to stop these attacks. This only proves his incompetence—"
In the next second, Lucius flew across the Entrance Hall like a rag doll. No one had time to react.
Kyle appeared where Lucius had just been standing, slowly retracting his extended foot.
"My apologies, Mr. Minister," Kyle said without a hint of remorse. "I heard a dog barking and I just couldn't help myself."
Fudge wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, momentarily stunned and unsure of how to respond.
"I shall respect the decision of the Board of Governors," Dumbledore said, looking in the direction where Lucius had vanished, though it was unclear if Lucius could still hear him.
Then, he turned to face the students behind him. He spoke in a very slow, clear voice:
"You need not worry. I will only truly have left this school when all those here have betrayed me."
"Dumbledore…" Fudge made a move to stop him, but Dumbledore had already walked out of the castle without looking back.
Fudge took a deep breath and looked at Hagrid, waiting for Hagrid to move ahead of him.
However, Hagrid did not move immediately. His eyes searched through the crowd of spectating students.
"If anyone's looking for something, all they have to do is follow the spiders. That'll lead 'em in the right direction! That's all I'm sayin'."
With that, Hagrid also strode out of the castle.
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