When McGonagall arrived on the fourth floor, she saw a very familiar broom fly out of the window.
It destroyed the school's valuable automated defense armor, along with a long corridor.
In addition, violating the no-fly order...
She was so angry that she clutched her chest and trembled.
"Minerva— " Flitwick cautiously stepped forward.
"They must have accidentally done it during the chase—"
"Filius, I know the situation." McGonagall walked to the window expressionlessly. "The fact that they could push Severus Vincent to this point means we're on the right track."
That's the person, the You-Know-Who whose name can't even be revealed.
When Sprout arrived with the children, both of them looked increasingly grim.
"What about them?"
"Outside," Flitwick's furrowed brow slightly relaxed, "Pomona, can you take care of the children?"
"No, Professor!" Harry unexpectedly objected. "It was him, wasn't it? He went back to Hogwarts."
"It's just highly likely—"
"It must be him, otherwise Professor Snape Vincent would never have worked together."
McGonagall was somewhat relieved, but overall she was still very angry.
She reached out and placed her hand on Harry's shoulder, leaning down as calmly as possible:
"Whether it's us or Professor Dumbledore, your safety is our top priority."
But he—
"We are professors, and this is our responsibility."
Fred and George immediately swallowed their objections.
Their dean is no docile kitten; this is clearly not the time for jokes.
After they both gave up, Hermione looked away from the window.
She seemed very unwilling. "Professor McGonagall, the Basilisk is huge, and there won't be many places in the castle where it can hide."
Flitwick nodded kindly to her. "Miss Granger, we understand your good intentions, but the situation doesn't allow it."
Voldemort, who secretly plotted to steal the Sorcerer's Stone last year, wasn't scary; the Voldemort who seized the opportunity to release the Basilisk tonight is truly terrifying.
"Filius, Pomona— " McGonagall slowly stood up. "That's what makes him so clever—using the children to keep us in check."
That clever brain of mine will definitely find a way to prevent the professors from joining.
The fact that he threw stones into the Chamber of Secrets, poured water into it, and tried to escape just now shows that he is not without scruples.
"Minerva, but they are just children."
"Children don't have the ability to find the Chamber of Secrets."
Flitwick paused for a moment, then said, "We can't rule out the possibility of taking people hostage..."
Sprout's face lacked its usual friendliness.
Her seriousness mirrored McGonagall's. "Children, stay close behind us and tell us immediately if you notice anything unusual."
Snape Vincent are chasing Voldemort, so their mission is to find the Basilisk.
A professor led two people, searching floor by floor.
"Harry, Hermione, come with me." McGonagall Dobby followed.
Sprout brought Cedric and Rolf with him, of course.
Flitwick's eye twitched slightly.
Fred and George, the Hogwarts twin troublemakers.
"Signal the castle immediately upon spotting the Basilisk." McGonagall stood in the stairwell, with Hermione and Harry behind her.
"Do not act rashly before we are all here."
Outside the castle.
The Rascal Rabbit, carrying Vincent and Snape, had already flown around ten times.
They flew close to the windowpane, so they could see everything that was happening inside.
First, on the third floor, the entire corridor was wet because the taps were left running.
Then came the black smoke blowing from the fourth floor, which inexplicably drifted towards the Forbidden Forest.
Finally, the Fat Lady, who should have been on the Seventh Floor, is now drinking in the portrait of Madam Violet on the sixth floor.
"Professor Snape, didn't you close the door?"
Vincent didn't hear a reply.
"Okay, tonight is going to be long." He controlled the Rascal Rabbit to fly upwards.
There was nothing unusual about the boys' washrooms or the empty classrooms.
The Seventh Floor is above that.
Apart from the empty picture frames by the Gryffindor dormitory door, there seemed to be nothing else unusual.
"Wayne, we're wasting our time."
"Not necessarily." Vincent controlled the Rascal Rabbit to circle around.
"If he has any ulterior motives tonight, then the hide-and-seek party he's throwing for us certainly won't end before dawn."
Snape scoffed, "Using our time to waste his time?"
Wayne, I thought you'd come up with a more creative idea.
"Of course there are." The Rascal Rabbit stopped by the window of a dormitory.
Vincent tapped his wand lightly, opened the window, and jumped out. "Professor Snape, could you please wait outside for a moment?"
"You'd better hurry up." Snape's extremely impatient gaze fell on the broom he was riding.
Without this, Slytherin's Quidditch team would be stuck in the same place.
Unfortunately, it's not advisable.
The scoundrels inside have Cleansweep the company's shares; they'll probably try to get back something even more powerful.
But if they don't do that, Slytherin will probably have to remain in captivity for another six years.
While Snape hesitated and struggled, Vincent had already held the "ultimate secret" in his arms.
"Gu Gu?"
"Shh—I'll dress you up in a bit, and you can pretend to be a rooster."
"Gu Gu??"
"Oh right, and a pair of glasses."
Gu Gu was very unhappy wearing the bat eye mask.
Waking it up in the dead of night is definitely not a good thing.
Vincent opened the briefcase and took out a prototype sniper rifle made of an iron-copper alloy.
"See that big bat outside? We're going to lure the big villain out together later."
"Gu Gu???" Gu Gu, who was filled with questions, didn't have time to refuse before he put a small piece of clothing on him.
It was pitch black and not eye-catching enough.
The feathers on its head turned red, and a Winky gold chain was added.
With the lights on, it's definitely brighter than fireflies in the dark.
Before jumping, Vincent hesitated and glanced back.
Perhaps he was used to it, but he thought it was quite normal for his three roommates to be sleeping like logs.
"Did anyone come in just now?"
Gu Gu shook its little head, indicating that it had just fallen into a deep sleep as well.
Snape looked terrible, especially knowing he was in charge of lighting the lamps.
"Wayne, he's not stupid."
"But he has a very strong sense of pride."
Using an owl to impersonate a rooster is a blatant provocation against Voldemort.
If the other party doesn't fall for it, Vincent will even dare to make sarcastic remarks on public channels.
"Ha—clever little thing." Snape raised the wand he was holding.
Admittedly, this method is extremely underhanded.
If it were him, he would have given him a flying kick.
Gu Gu flapped its little wings twice, and as soon as it rose, it fell Vincent's arms.
Without any embarrassment, he pulled out a small rope.
"You've gained weight again. You could fly during the day."
"Gu Gu!!!" The round, chubby "Gu Gu" indicates that it's due to the strong wind at night.
"I don't believe you. You must have gone to the kitchen with Leif."
Snape had lost all patience. "Wayne!"
"Here it comes!" Vincent tied up Gu Gu and hung it under the Rascal Rabbit.
"On your marks—" He moved a little further away from the castle.
The backdrop, stage, lighting, and actors are all ready.
"1, 2, 3—Action!"
Gu Gu its little head back, puffed out its cheeks, and took a big breath of air.
"Gu Gu!!!" With the help of the Sonorus, its cry instantly enveloped the entire castle.