The sudden loss discouraged Professor Horace Slughorn from continuing to introduce his valuable collection to his students.

In the rest of the "After-School Practice", Matthew and Malfoy began to put dragon skin gloves in the storage room of the Potions classroom, and they needed to clean the Japanese puffer fish eyeballs with Motra rat juice and grains...... It's a very delicate job, but it's not a lot of work.

By the time the two of them had completed their task, the three students in the "second group" in the Potions classroom had almost half of their work left.

The difference in treatment is naturally self-evident.

......

At lunchtime, Matthew came to the auditorium.

He was surprised to find that it was as peaceful as usual.

It was not at all like the atmosphere that should have been after another attack.

A few hours earlier, he had heard from the Minister of Magic, Lady Millicent Barnold, that another child was missing!

Perhaps, the attack has not yet been publicized, so the vast majority of students are unaware.

Matthew secretly guessed.

So, who will be the fourth victim?

He craned his neck and looked around the auditorium a few times......

Of course, this is in vain. It is almost impossible to find the "missing person" among so many students.

Lunch began, with a lot of food on the table and Matthew eating a quick bite to eat, before he was ready to go to the library to borrow some books to take back to the Slytherin common room...... Professor Slughorn specially approved that he and Malfoy's "after-school practice" for today had been completed, and there was no need to go to the Potions classroom to help organize the medicinal materials.

But just as Matthew walked out of the auditorium, two people suddenly appeared in front of him, blocking his way.

"Hermione, and Neville?" Matthew asked softly, looking at the two familiar faces in front of him, "What's the matter?"

Whether it was Hermione Granger or Neville Longbottom, the expressions on their faces at this time were extremely serious, and they didn't look like twelve-year-olds at all.

"We want to talk to you, Matthew. Neville's voice sounded hoarse, "Are you free now?"

"Absolutely. Matthew nodded hesitantly.

He looked Neville Longbottom up and down, the tall and handsome boy here now had messy hair and dark circles under his eyes, and he looked like he hadn't rested well.

"What's wrong with you, Neville?" Matthew asked, with some concern, "You don't seem to be in a good state?"

"It's over, for some special reasons. Neville said hoarsely, "Come with us, Matthew!"

......

The three of them arrived at the nearest history of magic classroom.

Since it was a Saturday, the huge classroom was empty, pitch black, and there was no one at the same time.

Neville walked in and closed the curtains, while Hermione looked around and quietly closed the door, both of them very careful and a little sneaky...... In the end, the three of them gathered around a torch, and the atmosphere was like the secret joint of MI6 agents.

"What the hell is going on?" asked Matthew softly.

"Matthew, you know what......" Neville's voice was a little heavy, "Just yesterday, there was another attack...... Someone is missing, most likely by the attacker who hid in the school!"

This is in line with what Minister Millison Barnold said earlier.

"Who's missing?" asked Matthew, frowning, with a serious expression.

"Justin...... Hufflepuff first-year Justin Finchrie!" Hermione whispered from the side.

Since the curtains and doors were closed, the surrounding light was dim, and everyone could not see each other's faces clearly......

Otherwise, Hermione and Neville would have been surprised to see Matthew's expression, because Matthew's face suddenly showed a look of relief.

"When?" Matthew continued.

"Just yesterday afternoon......" Neville lowered his voice, "I've experienced it firsthand." ”

"Justin and I were still in confinement at the time, and we were in charge of helping Professor Kettleburn get a few bags of fodder back into the Forbidden Forest...... However, it was the two of us when we walked into the Forbidden Forest, and I was the only one left when I left the Forbidden Forest......"

Neville's voice sounded a little scared.

“...... I don't know exactly when Justin disappeared, in fact I didn't feel it at all. Gathering his courage, he continued: "It was Professor Kettleburn who reminded me that I realized that I was the only one left...... Professor Kettleburn and his friends searched the entire Forbidden Forest completely, but they couldn't find Justin's whereabouts at all...... Not even the body was found......"

As he spoke, Neville couldn't help but shed a few tears:

"I hurt him...... Poor Justin, if I had found out that he was missing in time and had gone to the teacher in time, I might have been able to get him back......"

"It's not your fault, Neville. Matthew whispered.

"I've been enlightening Neville. Hermione on the side said, "In that case, he was lucky to be able to return safely...... Justin's disappearance has nothing to do with him at all, and he doesn't need to blame himself. ”

Neville wiped away his tears and tried to make himself strong.

"Justin's disappearance brought my confinement to an early end. He smiled a little self-deprecatingly: "Of course, I am forbidden to make this matter public, otherwise I will be punished more severely...... Now, I can only tell you the news secretly. ”

"You're right, Neville. Matthew said calmly.

He looked at Neville Longbottom's wrist, which still had obvious signs of chaining...... This is what he left behind when he was in confinement.

"You mean that?" Neville also noticed Matthew's gaze, and he raised his two hands.

His voice also became very passionate: "I'm not afraid, what is this little injury...... Matthew, I'm sure I didn't do anything wrong! Even if Hogwarts is locked up for this term and all the time after that, I don't care!"

"Neville......" Matthew looked at his friend.

His eyes shone with courage.