Dementors Still Linger

Colin unfolded a copy of the Daily Prophet, and the young wizards around him immediately crowded around. Seamus leaned in and read aloud:

"Peter has been brought to justice... The Ministry of Magic confirmed today that Wormtail Peter was captured by Dementor outside Hogwarts Castle and executed with Dementor's Kiss. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement is closing the case and has notified Peter's family to come and claim his body..."

Behind a long string of words praising the Ministry of Magic was a large photograph of a pale, balding, short, stout middle-aged man lying on the grass, looking like a dead man, with only his slightly heaving belly indicating that the body still retained some vitality.

"This is really...good news..." When Ron saw that person's photo again, many "sweet memories" flashed through his mind, and his face turned pale. He instantly lost his appetite for breakfast.

Seamus clicked his tongue with a hint of regret. "Tsk, I thought this would at least drag on until Christmas, like the past two years. I was even planning to stay on campus and go on an adventure with you guys..."

Seamus Finnegan, the Gryffindor champion, once again missed his chance to make a name for himself.

The middle-aged man in the photo was surrounded by many black cloaks. Harry saw the Dementor and felt a chill run down his spine. The horrific state of Wormtail filled him with mixed emotions. "The Dementor's Kiss... Is he dead?"

Harry was somewhat surprised and disappointed. He thought Wormtail Peter was carrying out some secret plan, but who knew that he would be dealt with so quickly and so casually... The execution of Wormtail, who betrayed his parents, did not bring Harry much pleasure. In his heart, his greatest enemy was still Voldemort.

"He's not dead, but he's practically dead. His soul was devoured by the Dementor, leaving only an empty shell devoid of consciousness," Ernie of Hufflepuff explained, having somehow appeared beside him. "He deserved it; he killed twelve people and was a powerful supporter of the Dark Lord ..."

"Voldemort?" Harry blurted out instinctively.

"Huh~"

The few junior wizards around him gave a shushing sound, as if they had been frightened, and then quickly left.

Hermione listened intently, then secretly glanced at Loren.

Wormtail Peter was discovered by a patrolling Dementor outside the school and given Dementor's Kiss. The fugitive received the fate he deserved, and the Ministry of Magic Ministry of Magic fulfilled its duty...

The whole thing was so normal, with no trace of Loren, that the little Witch found it strange.

Hermione whispered in his ear, "Did you do this?"

"What?"

"The Dementor's Kiss?"

"Why do you say that? I'm not Dementor."

"Intuition."

"Um..."

Loren hesitated for a moment, his expression unreadable, then neatly stacked the food packaged in brown paper, stood up calmly, and said, "Let's go, it's time for class."

Hermione curled her lip. "Tch, fine, I won't say then."

The first major period on Monday morning is elective: Divination, Muggle Studies, and Ancient Rune.

The Divination classroom in the tower was still filled with the suffocating smell of spices, and the ventilation windows were tightly closed, so the young wizards could only grit their teeth and decipher the various blurry patterns and symbols.

Professor Trelawney, just like last time, put on an air of mystery, but after Professor McGonagall's reminder, no one really believed him.

The bell had just rung when Seamus dashed out of the Divination Classroom without looking back, his legs practically blurring into a shadow. It was as if Professor Trelawney were some kind of 5X-level dangerous creature.

When Loren came out, he saw him leaning against the railing, panting heavily, his face pale.

"By Merlin, the last time I had such a hard time was in first year. She reminds me of Quirrell's turban..." Seamus said.

The second lesson was on Transfiguration. Perhaps because of the good news she had received that morning, Professor McGonagall had an unusually gentle smile on her face, "That concludes our discussion of Animagus. If any of you are interested in further study, you are welcome to join our Teaching Class. The selection exam will be held after Halloween, so you will have plenty of time to prepare."

"The coming period will be rainy, which is a good time to perform the Animagus Ritual."

"Those who are interested can learn more from the Teaching Class members. I won't go into details now, let's continue the lesson... Now we'll begin..."

Below the stage, Hermione, who had just finished three classes, reached out and nudged her deskmate, Loren.

Loren, who was taking notes, stopped writing with his quill and turned his head in confusion. "What?"

Considering that Hermione had three classes in a row, the task of taking notes fell to Loren. Although Hermione would still copy them down after class, at least it would be easier for her now.

"Why don't you start practicing holding Mandrake Leaf in your mouth? I heard some older students have already started."

Thinking about the experience of not being able to chew food properly, Loren rubbed his temples with a headache. "Let's talk about it later. The effect of the Time-Turner on the Animagus Ritual is still uncertain. I want to practice with you."

Hermione touched the gold chain around her neck, lost in thought.

As the Transfiguration was about to end, Harry stood up and asked, "Professor, now that Wormtail Peter has been executed, when will the Dementor outside the school leave?"

Professor McGonagall's smile softened further, "It will be soon. Representatives from the Ministry of Magic have arrived at the school, Headmaster Dumbledore is discussing the matter with them."

Headmaster's office.

The walls were covered with portraits of past principals. Principal Dilys Devant had her eyelids drooping as if she were fast asleep, but the occasional blinking of her eyelashes and the slight trembling of her ears gave away that she was eavesdropping.

Like her, most of the paintings on the wall pretend to be fast asleep, but are actually eavesdropping.

On an entire wall of paintings, the frame of the old headmaster Dexter Foster stood out. Several headmasters crowded around this frame, holding Foster's hand and covering his mouth, afraid that he might get angry and point at the Minister for Magic below and start yelling.

Old Headmaster Black, a Slytherin alumnus, looked down at Cornelius Fudge, his goatee twitching with rage.

As the weather turned cooler, the long-legged desk was once again filled with oddly shaped silver objects, which hummed and spun, emitting white smoke.

"So you intend to continue letting those Dementor roam outside the school, is that what you mean, Cornelius?" Dumbledore's deep blue eyes fixed on Fudge with penetrating gaze.

Today, the old headmaster wore a square, gold-red wizard's hat and a magnificent, wide robe in gold and red. Even though he sat there with a smile, a sense of oppression still inadvertently leaked out.

Sitting opposite him was Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, a short, stout man with messy gray hair, wearing a purple pinstripe suit and a bright red tie.

Fudge forced a smile and once again pulled out a handkerchief to wipe non-existent sweat from his forehead, "Albus, you know, that mad Death Eater Witch is still wandering outside. The Dementor are there to protect the children."

"I can assure you, Cornelius, that the professors at Hogwarts will protect every young wizard." Dumbledore smiled kindly, slowly picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and the clinking sound as he put the cup down made Fudge's heart skip a beat. "You are also Hogwarts graduate, so I think you know the professors' abilities well. Please trust us."

Fudge could tell from his smile that it carried a threatening and intimidating connotation, but he didn't want to recall the Dementor. Arranging for the Dementor to patrol and monitor Hogwarts gave him a sense of pleasure, as if he had outmaneuvered Dumbledore.

Fudge forced an unnatural smile, "Of course, no one trusts the Hogwarts professors more than I do. But look at it from my perspective, Albus, there's a vicious Death Eater on the run, the Board of Governors wants me to do this, and the parents want me to do this too..."

"Those loyal guards certainly won't harm the young wizards, and they're just loitering outside the school; they won't go inside."

Dumbledore remained silent, gazing at Fudge with a meaningful look, his deep blue eyes seeming to see into the depths of Fudge's heart.

Just as Fudge was about to succumb to the pressure, Senior Undersecretary Umbridge, dressed in a pink outfit, rushed in from outside the office, exclaiming in a sweet, high-pitched girlish voice, "Minister Fudge, the Department of International Magical Cooperation has sent an urgent letter! Several countries are requesting that the International Wizarding Congress be held in New York!"