Chapter 61: Chapter 61: The Third Attack
The moment he regained composure from a stunned state, Ron rapidly quizzed, "When did Professor Forester bless Malfoy?" This immediate query took Harry and Hermione by surprise, whose eyes met in mutual disbelief. Swiftly, the trio distanced themselves from the congregating crowd and ventured aimlessly down the corridor, their primary goal being to avoid any populated areas.
"It doesn't make any sense!" Hermione quietly exclaimed once they assured no one else was around. Her lips gripped tightly with uncertainty as Ron gruffly nodded in agreement. "You're right, Hermione. It doesn't seem right," he replied. "If Malfoy's is the heir of Slytherin, how did he manage to petrify himself?"
"That's not the point," Hermione corrected, pacing back and forth with uneasy strides. "The fact that Malfoy, of all people, came under the attack definitively means we were wrong about him being the actual criminal, but the real issue lies in the fact..." Harry anticipated what she was about to say and decided to finish her thought for her, his expression turning serious. "That he's a pure-blood wizard."
The realization struck Ron making his eyes grow wide. "Blimey! You're right!" His voice wavered with the newfound comprehension. "Malfoy's pure-blood! Doesn't matter who the heir of Slytherin is, he would never target someone like Malfoy!"
Hermione halted abruptly, spinning around to face them. "When you think about it, there are only two possibilities," she began hypothesizing, "Either the beast from the Slytherin chamber has gone against Slytherin's final wish and is running wild, causing all these attacks... or the hidden heir of Slytherin among us has gone insane, ignored their ancestors' wishes, and wants to destroy us all." Hermione's summary of the dire situation sent an icy shiver down Harry's and Ron's spines.
Swallowing hard, Ron barely managed a whisper, "So we're all in bloody danger, then?"
Harry sported a reflective expression and after a contemplative pause proposed a theory. "Wait a minute, remember when we were testing the limits of Professor Forester's cursed predictions? The ones that were impossible won't come true, remember? So is it possible that the chances of Malfoy being attacked were initially low, but some unintended consequence of the professor's curse made it happen?"
Hermione pondered Harry's proposition earnestly and conceded it as a possibility. "There's no point in getting all worked up," she reasoned, "I guess we'll just have to wait for the professors to make their decision."
While the trio was engaging in an intense discussion deciphering the reasons behind Malfoy's assault, the scene of the incident welcomed Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Sherlock. Each of them was aware of the grave implications of Malfoy's attack that Hermione had speculated upon.
"Albus," Professor McGonagall voiced out her concerns after the crowd of curious students had been sent marching, "what are we going to do now?" Deep furrows of worry marked her face as she awaited Dumbledore's response. Dumbledore remained silent, his intense gaze sent on Malfoy's terror-stricken face sprawled on the hard cold floor. Snape's icily unimpacted reaction was evident on his frosty face: "Hogwarts is in grave danger. If news of this gets out, we could face the possibility of the school being shut down."
Sherlock, on the other hand, remained uncannily passive. He seemed to be immersed in deep thought - to an outsider, it might appear that the attack had prompted Sherlock to delve deep into analytical rumination but in actuality, he was merely trying to recollect if an attack on Malfoy was part of the original narrative.
Sherlock knew that he wasn't familiar with every minute detail of the narrative timeline. The assault on Malfoy was a new development and seemed to make the situation get even more out of control. As Snape wore an expression of cold indifference, Professor McGonagall awaited Dumbledore's guidance nervously while Sherlock drifted in his thoughts contemplating how his actions could have warped the storyline, the always composed Dumbledore interjected in his characteristic calming manner.
"Instruct the students to take Malfoy to the hospital wing and then inform Lucius to come over. Tell him his son is in considerable danger." Dumbledore's suggestion left McGonagall and Snape utterly taken aback.
"Summoning Lucius Malfoy to Hogwarts? Letting him know about his son being attacked? Can't you see what the consequences would be, Albus?" Dumbledore, without a word, proceeded towards the stairway. Before ascending, he paused and locked gaze with McGonagall. "Why, what do you think will be his reaction once he learns about all this?" Dumbledore asked inquisitively.
McGonagall rushed to answer, urgency lacing her words. "He's been plotting to take over as Headmaster for ages. If he finds out about this incident, especially with his son getting hurt, he'll use all his connections to close Hogwarts or at least make sure the Board of Governors fires you!"
In the face of the current tumultuous situation at Hogwarts, it indeed could provide Lucius the perfect ruse against Dumbledore. Dumbledore, however, merely shook his head to McGonagall's fear. "Minerva, your worries of Lucius's schemes are unfounded. I'm certain he'll come rushing to Hogwarts upon learning of this crisis. And when he does, both of you can come to my office and join me." Having said this, Dumbledore turned and left, leaving a confused McGonagall, a thoughtful Snape, and a lost Sherlock behind.
Promptly following Dumbledore's departure, Snape made his way to Hogwarts's entrance. "I'll fetch Lucius and bring him here." Leaving Snape to his task, McGonagall rallied a group of students to carry the petrified Malfoy to the hospital wing.
Just as Sherlock was considering heading to Dumbledore's office to await Lucius Malfoy's arrival, he found himself facing Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Sherlock lowered his gaze to meet the eyes of the trio. Their recent actions had been somewhat questionable, and given that they bore the roles of protagonists, Sherlock knew there was a chance they had a hand in Malfoy's attack.
Regardless of their leading roles, Sherlock was impressed by their bravery in approaching him. The students, assuming that their beloved Professor Forester had a role in Malfoy's attack, were unaware that Sherlock had his own suspicions about them. Maintaining a cool demeanor, he looked at them and asked, "Ah, what brings the three of you here? How can I be of service?" Harry and Ron momentarily flinched, preparing to prevent another unexpected blessing from Sherlock. Meanwhile, Hermione composed herself, took a deep breath, and asked, "Professor, have you seen Malfoy lately?"
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