Chapitre 55: Do You Know George and Fred?
Hermione had grabbed David by the arm and dragged him out of the library. They now stood in a dimly lit corridor, the light from the torches flickering against the walls.
"Let's hear it then," Hermione said, crossing her arms with a stern expression. "How many times have you snuck out at night?"
David hesitated, his eyes darting away. After a pause, he finally answered in a serious tone, "Do you know George and Fred?"
"George and Fred?" Hermione repeated, her brow furrowed. "You mean Ron's older brothers? Gryffindor's infamous pranksters and 'Demerit Kings'? What about them? Did they drag you into this? Or did they teach you their tricks?"
"Neither," David replied, shaking his head. "I just wanted to say they're not involved."
"David!" Hermione's frustration was palpable. Her voice rose slightly, and her hair seemed to bristle with her growing impatience.
David sighed deeply. "Fine. I've been out three times. That's all."
Hermione's eyes widened in alarm. "Three times?! Did you go into the Forbidden Forest? Professor Dumbledore specifically said it's off-limits to students! You know it's dangerous in there. What were you thinking?"
"I've only been to the Forbidden Forest once," David said quickly, raising his hands in defense. "The other two times, I stayed inside the castle. And for the record, before I went into the forest, I prepared thoroughly. I studied everything I could about the magical creatures living there."
"That doesn't make it any less reckless!" Hermione shot back, her voice a mix of anger and concern. "Are you planning to sneak out again?"
David didn't respond, but his silence spoke volumes. Hermione's face turned red as she realized the answer.
"I'm telling Professor Dumbledore!" she declared, turning on her heel.
David opened his mouth, as if to stop her, but no words came out. He simply watched as she stormed off, her footsteps echoing down the corridor. After a moment of indecision, he sighed and headed back to the Gryffindor dormitory, his earlier enthusiasm for studying utterly deflated.
When David returned to the dormitory, he found Harry and Ron deep in conversation. They were sitting on their beds, Ron gesturing wildly as he explained something with great enthusiasm.
"David! Did you hear?" Ron called out. "Harry's joined the Quidditch team! He's the youngest player at Hogwarts in centuries! How cool is that?"
David simply nodded, his expression calm and unsurprised. Ron blinked, then grinned sheepishly. "Oh, right. You probably guessed that already."
"David," Harry said, walking over with a hopeful look on his face. "Could you teach me a few spells? I'm supposed to duel Malfoy tonight, but I barely know any magic."
"Don't worry," David said with a slight smile. "Malfoy probably doesn't know many spells either. Honestly, Ron's advice might be more useful."
At this, Harry glanced nervously at Ron, who was in the middle of demonstrating a move he called the "Black Tiger's Heart Strike." It involved a dramatic lunge that had absolutely nothing to do with magic.
"Okay, maybe not," David admitted, shaking his head. "I'll teach you something simple and effective."
Harry looked relieved. "What spell should I learn?"
David's eyes lit up with an idea. "The Disarming Charm," he said confidently. "It's perfect for a duel. It's easy to learn and really useful. The spell can knock the wand right out of your opponent's hand. Without his wand, Malfoy won't stand a chance."
Harry's face brightened, and Ron's eyes gleamed with excitement. "That sounds brilliant!" Ron said. "Teach us, David!"
"The spell is called Expelliarmus," David explained. "You say the incantation while flicking your wand like this." He demonstrated, and Harry's wand flew into the air before David caught it with ease.
"Wow!" Ron exclaimed, clearly impressed.
"It's simple to cast," David continued, "but hitting your target takes practice. You'll need to work on your aim."
Harry immediately tried the spell. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted, pointing his wand at Ron. A faint flash of light erupted from his wand, missing Ron entirely and hitting the wall instead.
"Not bad for a first try," David said, nodding approvingly. "Keep practicing. You'll get the hang of it."
Ron and Harry spent the next hour practicing while David lay down on his bed. He closed his eyes, but sleep eluded him. Hermione's parting words echoed in his mind, filling him with unease.
Around 11:30 p.m., David heard the sound of footsteps. He opened his eyes just in time to see Harry and Ron sneaking out of the dormitory. A few moments later, David noticed that Seamus was still in bed, but Neville's bed was empty.
Where's Neville? David wondered, a frown creasing his forehead. He decided to investigate. As he pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady, he caught a glimpse of four figures disappearing around a corner.
Wait… Neville? And Hermione? What is she doing with them?
David shook his head in disbelief. It seemed like a strange group for a midnight adventure. Still, he figured they could handle themselves.
Turning away, David decided to head to the Forbidden Forest instead. He had been meaning to check on the gray sable, a magical creature he had befriended during one of his earlier excursions. But as he approached the edge of the forest, he noticed something strange. The usual sounds of rustling leaves and chirping insects were absent. The forest was eerily silent.
David froze. His instincts told him something was wrong.
Suddenly, a small gray shape darted out of the trees. It was the sable. It ran up to David, chittering urgently.
"Bad guy," it squeaked. "Unicorn. Bad guy. Unicorn."
David's eyes narrowed. Someone was harming a unicorn.
Without hesitation, David pulled out his wand. He couldn't ignore this. He quickly cast a spell, sending a magical bird flying toward the castle to summon help. If the culprit was who he thought it might be, he would need reinforcements.
"Hold on," David muttered to himself. "Just hold on until Dumbledore gets here."
With the sable leading the way, David plunged into the shadowy depths of the Forbidden Forest, his wand held tightly in his hand.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone