"Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"
Just as Su Er, under the alias Professor Aibo, was exchanging stares with the young wizards, a discordant voice rang out. Oh, it was that contrarian-Zacharias Smith.
"Though I don't know your name," Su Er said, looking at Smith with a smile, "I believe that, as a polite English gentleman, you ought to address me as your senior, or perhaps-"
"Don't be ridiculous. We don't even know who you are," Smith immediately retorted. "Who knows whether you're someone with bad intentions who used some trick to fool Hermione Granger-"
Su Er did not respond. Instead, he looked at the others with a smile.
"Do you all think so too?"
Nobody answered, but some made no attempt to hide the suspicion in their eyes. Smith had raised a concern someone had voiced during their earlier discussion.
"Professor Ai-Mr. Aibo absolutely does not have bad intentions." It was Hermione's turn to step in. This was precisely one of the situations they had discussed that might arise when Su Er appeared before the students.
"Surely you don't think a highly skilled wizard could enter Hogwarts without attracting Headmaster Dumbledore's attention?"
"You mean-" Fred immediately spoke up. "Headmaster Dumbledore knows we're-"
Hermione nodded without hesitation. "Exactly!"
Everyone's expressions immediately changed, and they excitedly began chattering with those beside them.
The notice Umbridge had posted on every house noticeboard on Monday had kept them on edge. According to it, they were now in outright violation of school rules, and discovery would inevitably mean expulsion.
But if Dumbledore knew they had organized a group like this, that changed everything.
It meant they were a regular army, not a ragtag band with nothing but reckless courage!
Of course, this was a lie, one meant to reassure the young wizards, and it