Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Opening Banquet
The cold rain was pouring down, and by the time everyone walked down the marble staircase into the castle, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Harry's face was no longer so pale, and Evan felt like he was almost recovering, and his legs finally stopped shaking.
The enticing aroma of food wafted from the auditorium, and the laughter and laughter inside made the young wizards feel like they were back in the world.
Evan sniffed his nose, and his stomach felt empty.
It was a shame that he had missed the opening party last year and had not eaten anything, and he wanted to see the sorting ceremony in addition to the food at the banquet.
Just as he was following Harry, about to enter the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall's voice suddenly came through the crowd.
"Mason, Potter, Granger, I want to see you three!"
A few people turned their heads in surprise as they saw Professor McGonagall walking over with a stern face, and Evan quickly wondered if he had done something wrong lately.
"You don't have to be so sad, I just want to talk to you in the office. She turned her head and continued, "Weasley, Creevey, you go to the banquet first. ”
Ron and Colin stared as Professor McGonagall led Avan, Harry, and Hermione away from the chattering crowd.
They walked through the antechamber into her office, a small room with a welcoming fire burning in the fireplace.
The three of them were surprised to find that Madam Pomfrey, the head nurse, was already waiting there.
"Professor Lupin sent an owl first, saying you're sick on the train, Potter. Professor McGonagall worried, "As for you, Mason, Lupin said that you actually used a full Patronus Charm, which is incredible, and given your current age, your body must be under a lot of load." ”
"No, Professor, us"
Before they could finish their sentences, they were interrupted by Madam Pomfrey.
"It's the two of you!" she said in a voice that suddenly dawned, "I thought you wouldn't do anything dangerous again, last time it was a basilisk, what is it this time?"
"It's four Dementors, Pomfrey. Professor McGonagall said.
They exchanged inconspicuous glances, and Madam Pomfrey took a deep breath of cold air and let out a disapproving gurgling.
"I knew that Dementors should be stationed around the school. She grunted and touched Evan and Harry's foreheads, "Poor boy, you're not the first to break down. It's terrible stuff, and the effect they have on people who can't stand the touch."
"We can't stand the touch!" Harry shouted.
"Of course you aren't. Madam Pomfrey said absentmindedly, "It looks pretty good, what do you need, bed rest or"
"I think we're fine, maybe it's because I have a lot of happy things to remember, and the spell isn't as heavy on me as I thought. Evan said hurriedly.
Ever since he took the magic potion, he had clearly felt that his magic power was much more than before, and his actual level was far beyond that of young wizards of the same age, and using a Patronus Charm would not have much impact on his body. However, Evan also wondered why he had released a complete physical Patronus, he was so desperate that he couldn't think of any happy things in his head.
"I don't need anything either!" Harry nodded approvingly, "Professor Lupin gave me some chocolate, I'm feeling better now!"
"So, we have a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who has mastered the healing methods. Madam Pomfrey muttered quietly.
Then, after Evan and Harry had made sure they were okay, they went out with Madam Pomfrey, and Professor McGonagall had something to say to Hermione.
"What else does Professor McGonagall have to say to Hermione?" asked Harry, curious.
"I guess it's about the course selection, she took all the new classes in her third year, and the schedules were all conflicting, maybe Professor McGonagall was trying to persuade her to give up a few. ”
That being said, Evan knew that Professor McGonagall would give Hermione a time turner.
He had used it at the end of last semester, and the time turner had been made by Royne Ravenclaw, and it was so powerful that it could transport him to Hogwarts a millennium before he didn't exist.
Unfortunately, when he returned, Ravenclaw didn't give it to him.
From the time turner, Evan thought that the secret room where he got it should have other useful things in it, but he wasn't sure where it was, the basilisk was running around the castle with them, and he couldn't go to Ravenclaw Tower to rummage around for a hidden secret room.
There is also the secret treasure left by the Big Four, and he has no clues about the key to unlocking the treasure now, and he doesn't know what those riddles mean.
As Evan frowned and thought, Hermione came out, looking very happy, and behind her was Professor McGonagall, and the four of them walked down the stairs back to the Great Hall.
The auditorium was a sea of pointed black hats, and each long table was filled with students, their faces lit up by thousands of candles suspended in mid-air above the tables, and Professor Flitwick was walking out of the auditorium with an old hat and a three-legged stool.
"Oh my God!" Evan covered his forehead, "I won't miss the sorting ceremony again." ”
"That's right, you're unlucky!" Colin looked at Evan sympathetically, and he made room for him beside him.
By the time Evan sat down, he noticed that there were a few more fresh faces on the Gryffindor director's table, presumably this year's freshmen.
He didn't know each other, but they all seemed to know him.
In fact, throughout the dinner, people kept turning their heads to look at Evan or Harry, and people were pointing fingers at them, and the news of what was happening on the train was fast.
It was obvious that everyone was very interested in this matter, whether it was why Harry fainted, or what kind of spell Aven used to defeat the Dementors.
Maybe after I finish writing "Me and the Basilisk at Hogwarts", I can have another copy of "Me and the Dementors at Hogwarts", anyway, these are real things, as long as you follow Lockhart's routine, it will be very popular.
Aven's age is the best selling point, besides him, how many twelve-year-old wizards have the experience of defeating basilisks and dementors?!
It wasn't until there was a round of applause that Evan came to his senses.
He saw Hagrid standing in the teacher's chair with a flushed face, glaring at his big hands, and smiling hidden in his messy black beard.
Dumbledore had just introduced two new professors this year, with Lupin unsurprisingly becoming the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher and Hagrid teaching the protection of magical creatures. Everyone except Snape and the students of Slytherin House was sincerely happy with this decision.
Needless to say, all the young wizards knew him very well, and after clearing his years of grievances, it seemed logical that he would replace the retired Professor Kettleburn as the new teacher of the Conservation of Magical Creatures.
As for Professor Lupin, all the students who had experienced the Dementor attack on the train applauded vigorously, and although he was dressed shabby, he looked much more reliable than Quirrell and Lockhart, and everyone was very happy to finally have a Defence Against the Dark Arts professor who was capable of it.
Even Malfoy, Goyle, and Crabbe clapped a few times, but they quickly stopped.
Following their gaze, Evan saw Snape staring at Professor Lupin.
The look on his face was more than annoyance, it was hatred. Against the gloomy backdrop over the auditorium, it's chilling.
Evan and Harry quietly glanced at each other, their mood just getting better, ruined by Snape's expression.
Dumbledore's next words culminated in the solemnity of the scene, telling everyone that the Dementors had been allowed by the Ministry of Magic to be stationed at all entrances to the school grounds, and that all students must restrain themselves from clashing with the Dementors, as the creatures were inherently unaware of requests or excuses, and would perceive any non-cooperation as provocation and attack them.
In the face of the attack of the Dementors, with the magical abilities of a little wizard, no one is immune.
As soon as Dumbledore's words fell, Evan noticed that everyone was looking at him, no one was speaking, and the atmosphere was heavy and terrifying.