Capítulo 54: Chapter 54 "Conflicts"
When Skyler woke up, the sky was already bright, likely between four and five in the morning.
Most of the students in the auditorium were still sound asleep, their late-night discussions having consumed a great deal of their energy.
Daphne was curled up at his side, her left arm held tightly between both of hers, her delicate face nestled against his chest.
The warmth of her breath tickled his ribs, making him slightly itchy.
Her silky, blond hair draped across his chest, a few stray strands daring to tickle his nostrils, almost provoking a sneeze.
On his other side, Meredith clung to his right arm, sleeping peacefully.
Upon closer examination, the once-tsundere girl had begun to unveil her own unique charm, with refined brows that hinted at a subtle allure beneath her strong-willed exterior.
Both girls were extraordinary life companions, and having one of them was a blessing from a past life.
Skyler felt content, being able to embrace them both and enjoy the benefits of such fortune.
It seemed he had finally made the most of his second chance at life, and he couldn't help but smile in sheer happiness.
He heard footsteps in the auditorium, and it was Dumbledore, conversing with Percy not far away.
Evidently, the headmaster was unconcerned about their safety and had come back early in the morning for an inspection.
Observing Dumbledore walking toward Percy, Skyler swiftly cast a "Heightened Sense Charm" on himself.
This spell was among the curses of the Lestrange family and heightened sensory perception, likely connected to their family's affinity for torturous magic.
"How is everything here, Percy?" Dumbledore inquired gently.
"Very well, sir, all is secure," Percy replied with a slight edge to his voice, likely thrilled to provide a report directly to the headmaster. "Nothing has occurred from last night until now."
"Excellent, thank you," Dumbledore acknowledged with a nod. "Severus?"
Footsteps approached quickly, rustling robes in the process and carrying a faint scent of Wolfsbane.
Skyler recognized it as the smell of Wolfsbane potion. This person had to be Professor Snape, likely because of a night-long search.
"Headmaster, I've searched the entire fourth floor, but he wasn't there. Filch also checked the underground classrooms but found no trace," Snape reported, his voice bearing the weight of exhaustion from hours of searching.
"Very well, but what about the Astronomy Tower, Professor Trelawney's room, the owlery, and the broom shed? Were those areas investigated? Has Hagrid contacted his friends to search the Forbidden Forest?" Dumbledore inquired softly, mindful not to awaken the slumbering students.
"I've covered all those areas, and he was not found," Snape replied.
"Excellent, I always suspected he wouldn't leave. Dumbledore's voice was now filled with a sense of relief.
"Headmaster, do you have any theory on how he infiltrated the school?" Snape's voice held a hint of frustration.
"There are numerous possibilities, Severus. Not all are equal, but I can say with certainty that your suspicions are unfounded," Dumbledore's tone turned extremely serious.
"Remember our earlier conversation, Headmaster," Snape's voice lowered, making it necessary for Skyler to concentrate on hearing clearly. "I opposed your decision to appoint him at the start of the school year—"
"Enough, Severus!" Dumbledore interrupted him.
"But, without inside help, he couldn't have entered Hogwarts…" Snape persisted in conveying his viewpoint.
"Very well, Severus. I don't believe anyone within the castle assisted him in entering the school. That's enough. Now, I'm going to locate the Dementor first," Dumbledore asserted with a slightly raised voice.
Then the voice fell silent, and it seemed that Snape had departed. Only Percy remained on patrol, his spirits still high.
When the professors confirmed that the search had concluded and Black had left the castle, the three girls recalled Skyler's deductions from the night before.
They couldn't help but regard Skyler with a mix of fascination and bewilderment.
In this regard, Dumbledore was not disappointed.
His primary concern was ensuring that the intruder was no longer within the school.
Eliminating any hidden danger was the top priority.
Over the next few days, rumors about Black circulated throughout the school, and tales of his entrance became increasingly enigmatic.
Hufflepuff's Hannah Abbott even claimed that Black had transformed into a flowering shrub!
Amid these mysterious rumors, several changes took place in the castle.
For instance, the Fat Lady's damaged portrait was removed from the wall and replaced with the portrait of the heavily armed Sir Cadogan and his rotund gray pony.
This change riled the Gryffindor students, as Sir Cadogan spent half his time picking fights and the other half devising absurdly complex passwords, changing them at least twice a day.
This irked poor Neville, who had to jot down his passwords on a scrap of paper to avoid the embarrassment of being unable to enter the common room.
Harry, on the other hand, found himself under close surveillance, with professors accompanying him in the corridors for various reasons and Percy shadowing his every move with unwavering enthusiasm.
Yet, these developments had little bearing on Skyler. He had once again become remarkably popular after the Patronus Charm exchange meeting.
Numerous Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students held a favorable view of this exceptionally talented yet approachable junior.
Skyler was frequently greeted by enthusiastic Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students in the corridors, and even Slytherin students seemed less bothersome.
They began to engage in more amicable interactions with students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw.
One other aspect contributed to Skyler's newfound popularity. "Me and the Basilisk at Hogwarts," written by Skyler, was successfully published at the end of September.
Within a month, it had soared to the top of the wizard novel sales charts, earning Skyler a substantial sum.
Aside from fame, Skyler also accumulated considerable wealth.
While many people knew about Skyler's battle with the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets the previous year, they were unaware of the specifics or the danger involved.
After reading the novel, they learned the remarkable feat of a second-year student facing a Basilisk.
Due to extensive word-of-mouth publicity among students, the content of "Me and the Basilisk at Hogwarts" became the hottest topic in the school, even overshadowing the subject of Sirius Black.
Concerned about missing out on the discussion, many students ordered the book from Diagon Alley, making sure nearly every corner of Hogwarts possessed a copy.
On Friday, in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, the students were taken aback by the news that Professor Lupin was absent due to illness, and Professor Snape would be substituting for him during the lesson.
This was an unusual situation, and the students were abuzz.
It was possibly the first time they had heard of a professor being absent due to illness.
Madam Pomfrey's infirmary was renowned for its potency, and few ailments were considered incurable.
There were even rumors that it rivaled St. Mungo's Hospital.
For accomplished adult wizards, falling seriously ill was a rare occurrence.
Based on the recollections of students who had visited the infirmary only the day before, Professor Lupin was nowhere to be found.
"What happened to Professor Lupin?" Dean Thomas inquired anxiously.
"Perhaps you should consider showing more respect to your professor, Mr. Thomas." Snape's signature chilling smile curled his lips. "I'm not Professor Lupin, and I don't possess his amiable demeanor. Gryffindor, ten points deducted for disrupting the classroom and showing disrespect to a professor."
"I'm sorry, Professor," Hermione quickly responded. "We were only concerned about Professor Lupin's well-being."
"He's not in life-threatening...," Snape began slowly, but his tone was so icy it could have frozen the air. "Now, back to your class. Professor Lupin hasn't left any instructions on what you should be studying."
"Sorry, sir, we were learning about Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows. We were about to start learning—" Hermione began to explain.
"Silence," Snape interrupted coldly. "I haven't asked any questions. I am merely pointing out the lack of discipline in Professor Lupin's teaching."
"But he's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" Seamus Finnigan proclaimed loudly.
He greatly admired Professor Lupin's abilities and was a staunch supporter.
"That's merely your perception, Mr. Finnigan," Snape's face remained devoid of emotion or anger.
"You are too easily satisfied. You see, I've always believed that dealing with Red Caps and Grindylows is suitable for first-year students. Now, let's move on to today's topic," he declared, opening the textbook, scanning its contents for a moment, and then softly pronouncing two words, "Werewolves."
"Sorry, Professor," Hermione stood up once more, "according to our schedule, we should be learning about Hinkypunks."
"Miss Granger, are you the professor, or am I?" Snape pressed his thin lips together. "I am the one teaching you." He glared fiercely at the entire class.
"Can anyone tell me the difference between a real wolf and a werewolf?" Snape inquired, a peculiar glint in his eyes.
The students sat motionless, silently regarding their teacher. Only Hermione, ever eager to participate, raised her hand high.
"Is it possible," Snape's voice took on a sneering tone, "that Professor Lupin hasn't yet covered the distinction between the two with the third-year students?"
"We haven't reached the chapter on werewolves," Parvati chimed in, "we were still studying—"
"Silence!" Snape snapped, his tone laced with malice. "Yes, I didn't expect to encounter a class of third-year students who couldn't distinguish werewolves. I must inform Professor Dumbledore of your backwardness..."
"Please, sir," Hermione interjected with her hand still raised, "there are a few key differences between a werewolf and a real wolf. The snout of a werewolf—"
"This is the second time you've spoken without permission, Miss Granger," Snape said coldly, "Gryffindor loses an additional five points for your inexcusable behavior."
Then, he turned his gaze and called, "Skyler, please come forward!"
Skyler believed it was partially Snape's fault, although the Gryffindor students weren't entirely blameless either.
The topic of distinguishing werewolves was typically taught in the first year, but it was unfortunate that this important lesson had been compromised by Professor Quirrell.
Quirrell's stammering explanation left most young wizards confused, with the exception of studious students like Hermione.
Skyler retrieved the silver tooth from his pocket and proceeded to transfigure the table into an immovable Werewolf.
He placed the two side by side, meticulously pointing out the subtle distinctions between them and providing a detailed explanation.
Skyler's commentary was engaging and lively, and even the Gryffindor students listened attentively.
Hermione couldn't help but admire Skyler's skill in explaining the topic.
It left her feeling challenged – could she explain a subject as effectively as Skyler did?
To the surprise of many, Snape hadn't anticipated Skyler's involvement, but it aligned with his intentions.
Consequently, he awarded Slytherin an additional fifteen points.
This time, the extra points didn't dishearten the Gryffindor students.
Even though Ron grumbled a bit, no one paid him much attention, making him feel somewhat isolated.
As the class was concluding, Snape assigned a homework assignment on Werewolves: an essay detailing how to recognize and combat Werewolves, requiring a minimum of two parchment pages.
Just as the students grumbled about the homework, the first Quidditch match of the semester was quickly approaching.
Initially, Slytherin was scheduled to play against Gryffindor in the opening game.
However, Slytherin's captain, Marcus Flint, sought to avoid facing Gryffindor in bad weather.
He used an excuse to change the match order, leading to Gryffindor facing Hufflepuff instead.
This decision infuriated Gryffindor and even left Hufflepuff disgruntled with Slytherin's actions.
Cedric, Hufflepuff's new Quidditch captain, had voiced his concerns to Skyler multiple times.
Flint's decision had generated animosity toward Slytherin, erasing much of the goodwill Skyler had worked diligently to foster.
Skyler didn't take it too seriously.
Flint was a die-hard pure-blood, and their opposing ideologies had inevitably led to conflicts.
Skyler understood that their disagreement would come to a head sooner or later.
Therefore, he decided to remain neutral and avoid getting involved in the dispute.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
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