While Headmaster Dumbledore and Head Snape discussed Luan in the Headmaster's Office, the young wizard had already arrived near the Great Hall.
As he passed the stairs beside the Herbology Club, Luan stopped and examined the area carefully.
The troll had just fallen from here after being hit by nine Locomotor Mortis spells.
The stairs were high, and the troll was enormous, so the impact of its fall had been tremendous.
More than a dozen hard marble floor tiles had been smashed apart, while the troll had left behind three teeth and sticky, bloody fluid.
But now, the blood had been cleaned away, and all the tiles had been restored to their original state.
There was no sign whatsoever that a fight had taken place here half an hour earlier.
Meanwhile, the Great Hall was buzzing with noise, every young wizard chattering happily.
George and Fred were the loudest among them, and Luan heard them talking about Charlie.
"In Romania, it takes seven or eight wizards casting spells together to subdue an enraged fire dragon."
"That's right. When Charlie came back, he even demonstrated it for us."
Amid this chaotic scene, the Great Hall doors opened once more.
Every sound at the feast stopped at once, as though everyone had received an order.
Hundreds of eyes turned in unison toward the young wizard standing beneath the Great Hall's enormous wooden doors.
Luan had originally planned to slip over to the Gryffindor table alone while everyone was cheering. He did not want to draw any attention.
But the creaking scrape of the doors opening still made everyone notice him.
Ordinarily, no one would pay attention when a first-year young wizard entered the Great Hall.
But tonight, everyone knew that only one young wizard would arrive late.
That mysterious young wizard whom