"Our people have been discovered."
"They were all summoned by their Heads of House. When they came back, they were acting strangely-the aftereffects of having the Imperius Curse lifted."
"I tried contacting some of them, but none responded."
At the outer edge of the Forbidden Forest, a small figure sat beneath a tree in the shadows. Unless someone came close to look, they would never have noticed anyone there.
The voice belonged to a girl, and it had a soft, slightly sweet quality.
"How exactly were they discovered?"
About five seconds after the girl finished speaking, a hoarse voice rang out with the question.
"Based on my observations over the past few days, it most likely has something to do with the two crystal balls outside the dining hall doors."
"But I haven't figured out exactly what they do yet."
"I did find out that both crystal balls were made by Professor Katelyle."
The girl spoke again, answering cautiously.
As before, a brief silence followed before the hoarse voice spoke again. "Keep observing, and be careful to conceal your identity."
"Yes, my lord." The girl fell silent for a moment, then rose and left.
Draped in a black robe, the petite figure raced through the darkness, trailing a swirl of black mist.
"Who's there?"
At the sound of the voice, the running figure immediately picked up speed.
Hagrid stared at the rapidly retreating figure, surprise and concern in his eyes, then broke into a run himself.
With the new term underway, all kinds of dangers could arise at any moment. Dumbledore had specifically warned Hagrid, which was why he made several patrols each night.
He had not expected to discover someone sneaking around tonight, and judging by the figure, it even seemed to be a student.
One ahead and one