At half past ten, with the moon high overhead, Hogwarts was deathly quiet. Ravenclaw Tower did not have so much as a ghost in sight—ever since Helena had gone to another world, Ravenclaw had been without a ghost.
But ghosts came and went unpredictably, and Helena had been especially reclusive, so the Ravenclaws had yet to notice that their house ghost was gone.
Hermione carefully and quietly closed the dormitory door behind her, then went downstairs to the Common Room.
The few braziers in the Common Room still burned faintly. Together with the moonlight spilling through the windows, they gave the room a hazy glow.
The carpet beneath her feet and the ceiling above her were dotted with stars and moons that emitted a soft fluorescence, making her feel as though she were walking through the Milky Way.
Perhaps because she was about to do something important, Hermione felt a little nervous.
"Hermione, over here." Ted called softly from beside the wall.
Hermione jumped. "You scared me to death!" she whispered.
"Are you a little scared?" Ted asked.
Hermione nodded. They were about to face the Dark Lord, after all! Ted comforted her, "Don't worry. Nothing can happen to us at Hogwarts. And you shouldn't underestimate Dumbledore. As the greatest White Wizard of this century, since he dared bring the Philosopher's Stone back, he must have made thorough preparations."
"You mean Dumbledore knows?" Hermione could hardly believe it.
"At least part of it. But since he hasn't acted, he naturally has his own considerations. We only need to do what we think is right, and that will already be cooperating with him."
Ted cast "Invisibility" on Hermione and held her hand as they headed toward the Main Tower. She did not say a word along the way, instead considering what