Stepping out of the portrait of the Fat Lady, Professor McGonagall stood in the empty corridor, her brow furrowed.
Parvati's words echoed in her ears; though they carried a girlish gossip tone, they might not be entirely without merit.
Knowing Draco's aversion to trouble and Hermione's brave but shy nature, she realized they might indeed be looking for a quiet place to hide away.
"Curfew hours, staying out all night..."
Professor McGonagall muttered to herself, shaking her head. Under normal circumstances, this would have been enough to warrant solitary confinement and House Points.
But considering what they had done tonight, the enemy they faced was Voldemort, and the fact that they had successfully rescued Harry... this little mistake seemed insignificant.
"Fine... I'll just turn a blind eye this time." Professor McGonagall sighed, thinking that if the two of them showed up in the Great Hall on time tomorrow morning, she would pretend she knew nothing about it.
After all, the children also need rest and some private space to process what happened tonight.
I just hope... they don't spend the night in any strange places, and don't cause any other trouble.
She turned and walked toward her office, intending to write a brief report for Dumbledore.
Slytherin Common Room
The atmosphere in the cellar was completely different from upstairs.
When Professor Snape slithered into the common room like a bat and announced that Harry Potter had been safely found and was out of danger, a complex commotion arose in the room.
Most people visibly breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless of their personal feelings towards Potter, the disappearance of the Savior under Hogwarts' protection, coupled with the involvement of dark wizards, was not good for the reputation of Slytherin House or the entire school.
However, some people could not hide their disappointment.
They might be thinking that Potter's incident would cause trouble for Gryffindor, thus increasing their chances of winning this year's Quidditch Cup.
After all, Draco hasn't played since his first year.
However, under Professor Snape's cold gaze, no one dared to show such emotions.
Draco's younger brother Vincent instinctively looked at Goyle, only to find Goyle fidgeting restlessly with his fat body.
Finally, Goyle mustered his courage and, as Professor Snape turned to leave, asked, "Professor... where's Draco? He... he hasn't come back either... and Granger..."
The lounge fell silent instantly.
Everyone looked at Professor Snape.
The fact that the Malfoy family heir seems to be involved in this matter tonight, and that he's disappeared along with that Mudblood Granger, is intriguing enough in itself.
Professor Snape stopped in his tracks, slowly turned around, his black robes fluttering even without wind, and his dark eyes, like cold, deep pools, swept over Goyle, causing the latter to shrink back.
" Mr. Malfoy," Snape's voice was colder than usual, "And Miss Granger, they played a role in helping to rescue Potter..."
"After that, they have other plans, which is none of your concern, Mr. Goyle. Mind your own business, and your... mouth that always asks unnecessary questions. Slytherin, deduct five points for your foolish chatter."
Startled, Goyle quickly lowered his head, not daring to ask any more questions.
The others immediately fell silent.
With a cold snort, Professor Snape turned and left the common room, leaving behind a stifling silence and whispers.
Everyone was even more curious about Draco's whereabouts, but no one dared to discuss it openly anymore. However, the news that Draco and Hermione had participated in the rescue of Harry Potter was enough to become the hottest gossip in Slytherin Crypt that night.
The Hufflepuff Common Room is warm and comfortable, with various plants growing everywhere and the aroma of snacks filling the air.
Since it's close to the kitchen, even if I don't eat there, I can just grab some food when I come back so others can eat it when they're hungry.
When Professor Sprout walked in with a warm smile and announced that Harry Potter was safe and sound, the badgers collectively erupted in sincere and loud cheers and applause.
"Very good!"
"By Merlin!"
"I'm so glad Harry's alright!"
Hannah and Susan, the two best friends, hugged each other tightly, their faces beaming with relieved smiles.
Macmillan puffed out his chest, as if he were proud:
"I knew it! Justice will prevail over evil! Harry is our friend, he'll be alright!"
The badger cubs are kind and loyal.
They were genuinely happy for their friend's safety.
Although they were curious about the specific rescue process and details, they did not have the same strong desire for exploration Gryffindor, nor did they have the complex thoughts of Slytherin.
After the professor briefly explained that the Ministry of Magic and the school had worked together to successfully rescue them, everyone accepted the result with peace of mind.
"Alright, children, the matter has been resolved satisfactorily, and it's getting late, so everyone should get some rest. You have classes tomorrow," Professor Sprout urged gently.
The badger cubs were very obedient. They said goodnight to each other and then returned to their respective dormitories in twos and threes, feeling relieved that their friends were safe and sound, and soon fell asleep.
For them, peace is a blessing; knowing Harry is safe means they can finally sleep soundly tonight.
Ravenclaw Tower, a gathering place for wise men.
When Professor Flitwick announced Harry's rescue, a flurry of analysis and discussion erupted in the common room.
"Sure enough, I knew Hogwarts ' security and the Ministry of Magic's efficiency couldn't be that low."
"But the fact that they were able to kidnap Harry at Hogsmeade clearly shows that they are no ordinary people."
"The rescue operation must have been very dangerous."
"Yes, I wonder what strategy they used?"
"It's good that Harry is alright... I wonder if he's hurt." Cho Chang breathed a sigh of relief, but worry still lingered in his eyes.
" The Wrackspurt are particularly active tonight. It seems the trouble surrounding Harry has temporarily passed. However, I think I saw something like Crumple-Horned Snorkack floating outside the castle..." Luna continued to say things that were still inexplicable.
Listening to the students' discussion, Professor Flitwick used a similar official explanation to Professor McGonagall to describe the rescue operation.
But the eaglets didn't believe it easily.
They then began to discuss various possibilities in hushed tones, analyze loopholes, and try to piece together a picture that was closer to the truth.
"A joint operation? So efficient?"
"Indeed, this is not in line with the Ministry of Magic's usual practices."
Could it be the Order of the Phoenix?
"I don't know, but the principal definitely got involved."
"Could Malfoy and Granger have been involved as well?"
"Possibly. The Malfoy family has been gaining momentum in the Ministry of Magic lately, Draco Malfoy's own abilities are a mystery..."
" Granger is one of Harry's best friends; given her personality, she'll definitely try to save him."
"And, Draco and Hermione's relationship... it wouldn't be surprising if they were working together. But where are they now?" Cho Chang joined the discussion.
Looking at the group of eaglets engrossed in their analysis, Professor Flitwick was both pleased with their intelligence and somewhat troubled.
"Alright, students! The specific details of the operation are classified and not something we should be discussing now."
"The important thing is the result— Mr Potter is safe!"
"It's getting late, everyone should rest. Professor Babbling doesn't like seeing anyone dozing off!"
Mentioning the stern Professor Babbling, a portion of the Ravenclaw temporarily detached themselves from the mystery game and decided to go to sleep.
However, some researchers and analysts are still enthusiastically exchanging information and speculations in hushed tones, trying to uncover more truth from the limited clues.
For them,
The pleasure of unraveling mysteries sometimes surpasses even the event itself; for many Ravenclaw, this night was destined to be half spent in brainstorming and logical deduction.
The castle gradually returned to tranquility, but the discussions, speculations, and aftershocks of this thrilling night were only just beginning to ferment in the minds of different colleges and different groups of people.
Meanwhile, the two main characters at the center of the storm are sound asleep in the warm embrace of the Room of Requirement, completely unaware of and indifferent to the commotion outside.