บท 260: Forest?
In Memory of Maggie Smith
Professor McGonagall might not approve of me saying this, but today we raise our wands for the incredible Dame Maggie Smith. Her portrayal of the sharp, witty, and ever-fierce Professor Minerva McGonagall made us all love Hogwarts a little more. Thank you, Maggie, for bringing so much magic to our world. You'll always be part of the wizarding family. Rest in peace.
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As they made their way back to the castle, girls couldn't stop talking about their experience, and Harry walked alongside them, enjoying the light-hearted atmosphere.
Susan couldn't stop grinning. "I can't wait to tell Pansy," she said, her voice bubbling with excitement. "She was going on about how she shared a ride with Harry, but now I can say I got a special ride!"
Hannah, walking beside her, laughed softly. "I'm sure she'll be absolutely jealous. She loves teasing Harry, but you know she won't let this one slide easily."
Ginny chimed in, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I can already hear her coming up with some clever retort. Probably something about how she was the first, so it still counts more."
Luna with a soft smile added, "Maybe she'll say that Hippogriffs prefer her because of some hidden connection. You know, like the way Nargles are drawn to mistletoe."
The girls all laughed, their light-hearted banter filling the corridor as they walked. Even Astoria was caught up in the excitement. "I just hope Pansy doesn't try to one-up us by convincing Harry to let her ride again. She seems competitive."
Harry walked slightly ahead of them, listening with a small smile. It was nice to see them all enjoying themselves, and the playful teasing about Pansy was nothing new. He let the conversation flow around him, content to stay quiet and let the girls have their fun.
As they entered the castle, the laughter and lighthearted chatter quickly faded. Standing in the middle of the corridor was a toad-like figure with a pink cardigan stretched across her wide chest. Dolores Umbridge eyed them with that unsettling, almost gleeful expression she always seemed to wear when she thought she had caught someone breaking a rule.
"Hn. Hn. Where were you lot?" she croaked, her beady eyes narrowing as she looked them over. Astoria instinctively shrank behind Harry, who stood calmly in front of the group.
Harry locked eyes with Umbridge, his expression cool and unbothered. "Ah, Professor Umbridge, I can certainly appreciate your unwavering commitment to upholding the highest standards of student conduct within the esteemed halls of Hogwarts. However, it appears that the nature of our recent activities—completely benign and well within the acceptable parameters of school regulations, I assure you—might be more suitably classified under a category of events that, while tangentially related to the overall educational experience, do not necessarily fall within the scope of matters requiring immediate oversight by someone of your considerable stature and authority," he said, his words smooth and laced with just enough politeness to keep her from having an easy comeback, yet still giving her nothing.
Umbridge's smile twitched, clearly thrown off by Harry's overly complex and polite explanation. "What?" she snapped, her tone laced with irritation.
Harry chuckled lightly, but his eyes remained sharp. "To put it simply, Professor, our activities are our own business. As long as we stay within the school grounds and fulfill our responsibilities as students, it's our right to do as we please. If that's still unclear, let me spell it out—this is not your concern."
Umbridge's eyes narrowed, her pudgy hands gripping the edges of her cardigan as if trying to rein in her frustration. "Everything that happens within this school is my concern, Potter," she hissed, her voice dropping to that sickly sweet tone she used when she was trying to sound in control. "And you would do well to remember that."
Harry raised an eyebrow, his expression unbothered. "Of course, Professor. But until we've done something that actually warrants your attention, I think we're free to go about our day."
The girls behind him remained quiet, watching the exchange with apprehension and amusement. Even Astoria, who had initially shrunk back, seemed to find some comfort in Harry's calm demeanor.
Umbridge looked as if she wanted to argue further, but Harry's polite yet firm response left her with little room to maneuver. Her mouth opened and closed a few times before she finally settled on a dismissive wave of her hand. "Just make sure you don't forget who's in charge here, Potter," she snapped before turning sharply on her heel and waddling off down the corridor.
Once she was out of earshot, Ginny let out a low whistle. "Nicely done, Harry. I thought she was going to explode for a second there."
Harry shrugged, slipping his hands into his pockets. "She's all bark, no bite. At least for now."
Susan grinned. "I think she's still trying to figure out what you said in the first place."
Luna, tilting her head thoughtfully, added, "Maybe she's worried you've confused her with a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. They don't take well to being challenged, you know."
Hannah giggled, and even Harry cracked a smile at Luna's whimsical comment. The tension that Umbridge had brought to the group quickly dissipated.
Astoria had to head off for her Double Potions class with the rest of the first-year Slytherins, which she wasn't exactly thrilled about. Harry made a mental note to help her with that soon—Potions was too important to be dreaded. Susan and Hannah also peeled away, heading to their electives, leaving Harry alone with Ginny and Luna.
"So, ladies," Harry said, turning to face them with a grin. "What's the plan? I've got most of the day free."
The duo exchanged quick glances, their eyes lighting up with excitement. They huddled together, whispering in conspiratorial tones, casting occasional side glances at Harry. He stood there, arms crossed, pretending not to be overly curious but keeping an ear out for their plotting.
After what felt like an eternity of muffled giggles and secretive murmurs, Ginny and Luna finally straightened up, identical grins plastered on their faces. They spoke in unison, their voices dripping with mock-seriousness. "We have decided, Harry," Ginny began, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "We're going to have an adventure."
"An adventure?" Harry repeated, raising an eyebrow. "And what exactly does this 'adventure' entail?"
Luna nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, you know, something exciting but not too risky. Maybe a bit of exploring around the castle grounds or the Forbidden Forest's edge."
Ginny added, her grin widening, "But not too far into the forest, of course. Just enough to feel like we're doing something... adventurous, but not reckless."
Harry sighed, looking at Ginny and Luna with a bemused expression. "You know, you're the first two to actually ask me to go into the Forbidden Forest in all my three years here," he remarked, shaking his head slightly.
Ginny and Luna exchanged nervous glances before dropping their gazes to the floor, a bit of guilt creeping into their expressions. "We thought it would be fun," Ginny mumbled, her usual confidence faltering slightly.
Harry chuckled, his grin widening. "I didn't say it wouldn't be. In fact, it's about time someone got as curious as me."
At his words, the girls' faces lit up with excitement. They stepped closer to Harry, their earlier hesitance gone. "So, we can really go?" Luna asked, her voice full of wonder.
Harry nodded, though his expression turned more serious. "Yes, but there are rules. You'll need to listen to me and do exactly as I say. And we're not going too deep. While I can handle myself, I'd rather not have to deal with angry professors or anything lurking in the deeper parts of the forest."
Ginny nodded eagerly, her eyes wide with anticipation. "We promise, Harry. We'll stick to your rules."
Luna added with a thoughtful tone, "I've heard there are Mooncalves that only come out at night. Maybe we'll get lucky and see one."
Harry smirked. "Let's hope we just run into something harmless, then. Come on, let's head out before anyone decides to stop us."
The girls jumped up in delight, practically bouncing on their feet as they fell in step on either side of Harry. Ginny's red hair bobbed with excitement as she grinned at Luna, who looked equally thrilled by the prospect of their adventure.
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