Rita Skeeter II

At 2:30, in the Hospital Wing, on the bed near the window, Ron remained petrified, seemingly having been Petrificus Totalus again.

"Fred, why didn't Madam Pomfrey send them away?" Harry asked.

"Oh, okay, I admit it, I am Fred. Harry, what are you?" Fred asked curiously.

"Yes, Harry, how did you recognize me?" This is George.

"I've observed that between the two of you, Fred usually speaks first." This time, Harry was a little more discreet and didn't directly say that he learned this from Ryan.

"Where is Madam Pomfrey?" Harry continued to ask.

"She said that normally, just wrapping him in some Dittany extract and bandaging him would be enough, but when she saw that we had petrified Ron and brought him in, and since Ron needed to use his wand for the next two classes (if he was wrapped in thick bandages, it would be better for him to rest in the Hospital Wing, George said), Madam Pomfrey decided to go to Professor Sprout's to get some fresh Geraniums and use some clever methods."

"In that case, I estimate his hand will be back to normal by this afternoon," Fred said.

"However, that method is very painful and you can't move, so we need to stay here and occasionally give our dear little brother a Petrification Curse," George added, winking.

"So, somehow after they found out Madam Pomfrey wasn't there, this group of people swarmed over, saying they were waiting for you, Neville, or Malfoy," Fred said, puzzled, but then understood. "I see, George. Do you know Kate LeWinster of Ravenclaw?"

"I see." George immediately understood what his twin brother meant.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"The only person who could pull off such a feat, and simultaneously connect Four Houses, is Rita Skeeter II of Ravenclaw."

"It is said that he made Rita Skeeter suffer in silence, unable to retaliate."

"When we first enrolled, we investigated the revenge that Percy had suffered a year earlier, and eventually the investigation led us to this person."

"They're not to be trifled with."

"And it was Percy's fault to begin with," Fred and George chimed in.

"So how did I offend her?" Harry asked, annoyed. Ryan, still in Charms Class, smiled without saying a word. Who told you to be a third wheel? Although it was also Ryan's own fault, he'd probably be much easier to appease after Kate vented her anger. Thank you, Harry.

On the other hand, George guessed, "This matter itself is already generating buzz. Kate just played a connecting role and didn't really push things along. She probably just made sure that people who care about this matter know that Madam Pomfrey isn't here right now, and that you'll definitely be here."

"She was probably just venting her anger, but not really angry, Harry. You're probably just taking it out on her."

"However, I strongly advise you not to go to her. Just let this matter rest," Fred added.

"You have no idea how difficult she is, and it's troublesome in itself for a guy to go looking for trouble with a woman."

"You have no evidence."

"She and your Prefect Penelope are good friends, they're inseparable."

"She caused trouble for Percy before because of Penelope; our brother has a crush on your Prefect."

"But they used the wrong approach." Fred and George continued their back-and-forth, finally ending the topic.

Soon after, Madam Pomfrey returned, and the students around her all disappeared.

She sent Fred and George back to class, but surprisingly, Harry was allowed to stay until Ron recovered.

"Alright, you must be Neville from the news." Madam Pomfrey was a stern lady who rarely went out, which is why she didn't recognize Harry.

"I am Harry Potter," Harry said. Harry was also a little surprised, and his father looked almost exactly like him, so how could this lady not recognize him?

However, he did not know that Madam Pomfrey would not remember the faces of anyone other than those who were important to her.

For her, a Slytherin graduate, the leader of the Gryffindor band of Marauders was nothing more than a passing cloud.

"It seems Rita Skeeter's guess was wrong after all; Neville and Ron don't have any real feelings for each other," Madam Pomfrey said regretfully, clicking her tongue.

It seems she's Neville / Ron supporter.

"Alright, Mr. Potter, please move aside."

"If you want to recover quickly, you have to put in a lot of effort. It's been decades since I left St. Mungo's Hospital that I've tried this again!" Madam Pomfrey also had to take out her curtains and hang them around Ron's bed, as if afraid that Harry would see something unpleasant.

"Poor Harry, come here for a moment." Madam Pomfrey pulled back the bed curtains a little. "Also, just hand me the white sheet in front of the bed. Don't look at it, or you definitely won't be able to eat dinner."

"Madam Pomfrey, what is this?" Harry asked, puzzled. In his view, getting something was just a matter of waving a wand for adult wizards like them.

"Cover Weasley's eyes. I just noticed that when he was petrified, his eyes were down, staring straight at his hands. That shouldn't be the case, since I can't free my hands right now," said Madam Pomfrey, taking the white sheet and covering Ron's head before pulling the bed curtains closed.

Ten minutes later, Madam Pomfrey drew back the bed curtains. The traces inside had probably been wiped away by the Cleaning spell. Ron was also freed from petrification and lay on the bed, feeling quite depressed, but his hands had recovered.

"Ron, you don't know, but the way you had a white sheet over your head reminded me of a morgue." Seeing Ron wake up, Madam Pomfrey went to the next room to make tea, Harry finally couldn't help but say.

"The morgue? The place where Muggle get married, Harry? You're joking about that too?" Ron frowned.

"No, no, no, a white cloth over the head represents death in the Muggle World, and the morgue is where corpses are kept," Harry hurriedly explained.

"Hey! I'd rather you meant the morgue exactly as I did. Merlin, please fly away!" Ron chanted the wizarding world's superstitious saying about banishing bad words.

"You wouldn't believe it, Fred and George were making fun of me while I was petrified, and they didn't even replenish the Petrification Curse in time," Ron complained.

"So, your eyes were down because after you untied them, you moved your eyes again and then you were petrified again?" Harry guessed.

"Yes, Harry, you guessed right."

"What time is it now?" Ron asked.

"Let me see, it's 3:15, Defense Against the Dark Arts is about to start!" Harry exclaimed after checking the time.

"I thought it was already evening, and it was Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'm a patient!"

"Damn it! I'm going to get suffocated by the fumes again. Harry, could you talk to Madam Pomfrey and ask if I can get some more rest?" Ron said hopefully.

"No, children, it's time for class. It's 3:30. The third floor is such a short distance. There's no way you'll make it in time." Madam Pomfrey suddenly appeared and refused outright.

Ron tilted his head back to avoid letting his sorrowful tears flow like a river.