Rescuing Someone Cost Him Points

Luo Bin shot out of the water on his broom with Hermione, sending up a great splash. Before they could enjoy the relief of surviving, they saw a cold-faced Professor Snape and a tight-lipped Professor McGonagall striding toward them.

"Luo Bin, I think we're in big trouble!"

Yesterday's classroom accident had made the professors especially vigilant about student safety. And now someone had fallen into the lake. Talk about terrible timing!

"Don't worry. Nobody falls into a lake on purpose!"

Luo Bin guided the broom down to the shore. Snape's cold gaze swept over the two dripping students, then over Salasha's impassive face. "Two days off weren't an invitation to play in the water. Ten points each from Luo Bin and Hermione!"

"Professor Snape, you can't do that! I was standing on the shore when an invisible force pushed me into the lake. Then, out in the middle, something invisible wrapped around my ankle. I felt it trying to drag me out there and drown me. Luo Bin jumped in to save me. He saved my life! He deserves points, not a deduction."

Hermione raised her voice as she explained.

"Enough, Miss Hermione Granger. Are you saying a mysterious monster is hiding in the Black Lake and enjoys dragging young Wizards into the water? Professor Snape, ten points clearly won't make Miss Hermione Granger reflect on this. Thirty points from Gryffindor, and... fifteen from Slytherin!" Professor McGonagall said sternly.

Three accidents in two days were bound to set the students talking. If the professors accepted Hermione's account of an "invisible force," the rumors among the young Wizards might take an ugly turn.

For instance: a monster hidden at Hogwarts had awakened or escaped. As time passed, it had grown ever more bloodthirsty. Pranks and destruction no longer satisfied it; now