Trapped

"Ugh!" "Aaargh!"

In the Slytherin boys' dormitory, Crabbe and Goyle, dressed in tattered zombie costumes, had started making a racket again.

Meanwhile, Draco stood in front of the full-length mirror, smiling confidently as he meticulously combed his slicked-back blond hair with a pomade-coated comb.

He wore fangs and a pair of hose typical of the previous century.

A massive gemstone necklace hung heavily against his chest, its jewel as large as a dove's egg. His dark green brocade coat shimmered in the light, even brighter than the pomade in his hair.

Tonight, the young master was dressed as a vampire earl.

"Hmm? Where's Klein?"

Only after he had finally styled his hair to his satisfaction did Draco stop fussing with it.

He looked around, but when he couldn't find Klein, he frowned and asked Crabbe and Goyle in confusion.

"Boss Klein's still in the bathroom. Probably putting on makeup." "Draco, you've been hogging the full-length mirror for ages, so Boss Klein had to go do his makeup in there."

Crabbe and Goyle, their faces covered in makeup, turned around at the same time and casually replied before going back to horsing around.

Draco felt a little embarrassed, but he hid it well.

Sitting down on his bed, he stared at the dormitory bathroom's closed wooden door and grinned.

No matter what Klein dressed as, he definitely wouldn't look as handsome as Draco.

Tonight, Draco Malfoy was destined to be the best-looking guy there!

Meanwhile, inside the bathroom.

"Headmaster, you must be joking."

The voice that suddenly rang out in Klein's mind left him speechless. Looking at his completely transformed reflection, he rubbed his temples with a wry smile.

"Did you forget our house is holding a Bal Masqué tonight? I just changed into my costume."

"There's no time. A troll has already broken into the school. It must have been Voldemort. Snape and I are keeping an eye on Quirrell, so you're the only one who can protect the students!"

Dumbledore's voice rang out again, more serious than Klein had ever heard it.

"All right, I'll deal with the troll. Don't worry."

Klein took a deep breath, thought it over for a second, then nodded in agreement.

They had agreed on this beforehand: Dumbledore would help him turn public opinion around, and Klein would help Dumbledore protect Hogwarts's staff and students.

Just before cutting off the communication, Dumbledore paused, then finally voiced what had been weighing on his mind.

"If Snape and I meet with an accident, I hope you'll keep protecting Hogwarts—or leave this place and go as far away as you can."

It wasn't an order, but a request.

There was even a hint of pleading in his voice.

Without Albus Dumbledore in the castle, Klein Grindelwald would become the greatest danger there.

As the school's headmaster, the old man had to consider the well-being of all the staff and students.

Even if he and Klein had become quite close.

"Old people really do worry too much."

Dumbledore's words made Klein shake his head with a wry smile.

Still, he could understand.

Steadying himself, he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, dressed in full armor. His expression grew blank, and his eyes gradually turned cold.

Klein knew that, in the original Destiny Trajectory, the Halloween Banquet would be disrupted by unexpected events. But after badly wounding Quirrell and Voldemort, he had temporarily put them out of his mind.

After all, a damaged soul wasn't easy to heal. Anyone with a lick of sense would lie low rather than come out and cause trouble.

He hadn't expected Voldemort's desire for the Philosopher's Stone to be so strong that he'd risk further damage to his soul just to make a move.

He really was stubborn as a mule.

"I thought you'd behave for a while, at least until the final stage was set.

"Tom, you'll pay dearly for ruining my fun."

Muttering to himself, Klein turned the doorknob and stepped out of the dormitory bathroom.

Third floor of Hogwarts Castle, girls' bathroom.

"Shh. Don't make a sound."

Pansy, dressed as Snow White, trembled as she spoke.

Though terrified, she managed to make herself perfectly clear.

The monster was right outside in the corridor. Anyone who lost their nerve would get everyone in here killed!

The Slytherin girls, all dressed for the dance, nodded and huddled in the corner, shaking with fear. Hermione, the only one in the bathroom wearing Gryffindor robes, fought back tears and covered her mouth.

It would be all right. Everything would be all right.

As long as they stayed quiet, the monster would never—

"Bang!"

Hermione was still trying to reassure herself when someone suddenly shoved the bathroom door open from outside!

The girls jumped in fright and screamed without thinking.

The person at the door was startled by their screams, each one louder than the last, and stumbled backward three or four steps before stopping.

"Hey, stop! It's us!" "We're not monsters!"

Harry and Ron, both pale as sheets, waved their hands, trying to calm the girls down.

But once fear spread like a plague, it was hard to stop.

"Thud, thud, thud."

Heavy footsteps approached from nearby, and Harry and Ron's expressions changed.

There was no time to think. They hurried into the bathroom and locked the door behind them.

"That's it. We're done for."

They had meant to rescue Hermione. Who would've thought they'd get trapped in here too? Ron clutched his head in frustration and sank helplessly to the floor.

"Sigh."

Harry sighed, his mood growing unbearably restless.

The troll had already gone upstairs, but these girls had somehow drawn it back down!

"You two—why are you here?"

Hermione was the first among the girls to recover. Eyes wide, she stared at them in disbelief.

"You're asking why? We came to find you, of course! You'd been gone all afternoon, and Petil said you were in here. We came to rescue you!"

Ron shouted, worked up by Hermione's question.

If he and Harry hadn't felt they couldn't just leave her, would they have gotten themselves trapped in here too?

And now look at them—all trapped together, just waiting for the troll to wipe them out!

"You!"

Ron's words were aimed at Hermione, so Pansy naturally took her anger out on her too.

If it weren't for Hermione, none of this would've happened!

"Hmph!"

Hermione knew that much of what had happened was her fault, but she didn't want to show weakness in front of Pansy.

She gave a cold snort, tossed her bushy brown curls, and pulled out her wand, feigning calm.

"If you have enough energy to complain, you'd be better off figuring out how to deal with the monster outside."

Meeting Pansy's eyes, she forced down her fear and spoke slowly, one word at a time.

"Don't underestimate me. Do you even know who you're talking to?"

Through gritted teeth, Pansy drew her own wand.

Now it was Harry and Ron's turn to stare dumbfounded.

What on earth was going on?