Matthew Wakefield didn't know that his two friends were in such a crisis at this moment.

He couldn't have thought of that at all.

Because in his view, Hermione and Neville should have finished lunch in the Great Hall and then returned to their common rooms.

The afternoon class is a Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

Matthew, along with the rest of the Slytherin first-year students, arrived in the classroom.

Defence Against the Dark Arts class was taught by Slytherin and Ravenclaw House, but among the Ravenclaw students, Matthew didn't see Hermione Granger.

She's late?

This is not often the case.

While thinking to himself, Matthew opened his book of "Dark Arts: Self-Defense Guide" and looked at it with some boredom.

Minutes and seconds passed.

Class time has already begun for several minutes.

However, the vice president, Professor Rozier, did not appear in class for a long time.

This is a rare occurrence in the past.

Could something happen?

Matthew was keenly aware.

......

They didn't have to wait long, and after about five minutes—

Mr. Pringer, the Administrator, suddenly bursts into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.

He shouted, "Professor Rozier's class is cancelled today, everyone stay in the classroom, and your dean will come to pick you up and take you back to your common room!"

"What's going on?" Draco Malfoy asked, standing up.

"That's not what you need to care about. Mr. Pringer glared at Malfoy: "Whoever dares to appear in another part of the castle rashly, and any consequences will be responsible." ”

"What consequences?" asked Padma Patil of Ravenclaw, curious.

Mr. Pringer smiled coldly at her, "Missing, wounded, or dead......"

As soon as he finished speaking, he strode out of the classroom, and the golden retriever followed him.

With Mr. Pringer gone, the entire classroom was thrown into chaos.

"What's going on!" said Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle as they gathered around Matthew, eagerly discussing.

"Doesn't it look like a Hufflepuff student was attacked in the morning?"

"But, then, they should have contacted us in the morning!" Malfoy was unconvinced by this reason.

"Matthew. Goyle's gaze turned to Matthew, "What do you think?"

"Perha......ps," Matthew replied after a moment's hesitation, "what has happened since that Hufflepuff student in the morning?"

Glancing at the group of girls in Ravenclaw again, still not seeing Hermione Granger, Matthew suddenly thought of a very bad situation.

And Matthew's words, in an instant, caused a panic among several boys.

If there had been two attacks at Hogwarts in one day, they would have to start thinking about their situation.

"I was so stupid, I was really wrong!" Malfoy said with some regret.

"My father wanted to send me to Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but I heard that Hogwarts was the best school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world, so I insisted on coming here...... If I hadn't come to Hogwarts, I wouldn't have been attacked by a dark magic object and spent months in the school hospital...... If I hadn't come to Hogwarts, I wouldn't have met these bad things......"

"Alright, Draco. Malfoy motioned for Matthew to stop talking.

Because Professor Flitwick, the head of Ravenclaw, and Professor Slughorn, the head of Slytherin, have already arrived here.

......

"Kids, follow me!" Slughorn, who had always been smiling, had a serious expression on his face at this moment, "I'll take you back to the common room." ”

More than a dozen Slytherin first-year students, lined up in two columns, followed closely behind their headmaster.

"Hogwarts hasn't been very peaceful lately!" Slughorn sighed, "Remember, you're all strictly forbidden to leave the Slytherin common room today and for the rest of the weekend. ”

"What?"

"We're going to be in the common room for two and a half days?"

"So what about eating. ”

"Exactly, Mr. Crabbe. Slughorn replied, first at Crabbe and then at Greengrass, "And Miss Greengrass, don't worry about the meal, the house-elves will deliver the food to your dormitory." ”

"What the hell is going on, Professor?" asked Malfoy, puzzled.

"Draco, I'm afraid I can't tell you about this......" Slughorn spread his hands.

He stopped answering everyone's questions, and just led them in the direction of the Slytherin common room.

At the same time, he looked around vigilantly from time to time, especially when passing through the eerie forks in the hallway.

Nothing to say all the way.

......

They made it to the stone gate of the Slytherin common room.

First-year students walked in one by one, but Matthew Wakefield remained alone at the back of the line.

Until only he and Slughorn were left outside the door.

"Professor Slughorn. Matthew asked softly, "What happened, can you tell me...... I swear, I would never tell anyone else!"

"Okay, Matthew...... If only to tell you the words of one person......" Slughorn sighed as he lowered his voice:

"There was an attack on the school hospital, which is now in shambles, with blood everywhere...... Madam Pomfrey was knocked unconscious, and she should not have woken up yet...... In addition......"

Slughorn looked hesitant for a moment.

"Other victims?" asked Matthew, grimacing.

"Yes, two first-graders...... Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger. Slughorn sighed, "They're all missing...... Professor Rozier, who is leading people to search for them throughout the school......"

Matthew's heart sank, and it seemed that he had really guessed the worst-case scenario.

He took a deep breath, then continued to ask:

"By the way, Professor, you said we were forbidden to leave the Slytherin common room for the past few days......"

“...... That's right, Matthew. Slughorn smiled, "I know this can't be hidden from you, I changed the password for the stone gate, and made it work for attempts to leave the common room...... None of you know the password, so you can't leave the common room. ”

"But, Professor. Matthew said with a serious face: "Have you forgotten, there was also an accident in the common room before...... If there's any more chaos here these days, we won't be able to leave...... It doesn't get any worse than that!"

"You're right, Matthew. Slughorn said thoughtfully, and he nodded.

"You should at least give the prefects the password. Matthew suggested.

"You can bring me a message to them, I still have to go to Longbottom and Granger's search. Slughorn agreed: "Remember, don't let anyone other than the prefect know the password......"

"Of course!" Matthew nodded without thinking.

"The new password, is—" Horace Slughorn lowered his voice:

"Merlin!"