Herman listened intently to what they said, and several times he wanted to say something to explain, but he swallowed the words back.
He didn't want to get involved in their theories about Quirrell. On one hand, he really had no interest in the investigation, and on the other hand, Draco was sitting next to him. If he chimed in with Neville's words, Draco would probably think he had betrayed the organization.
Neville finally seemed to remember the important reason he came today. He glanced at the darkening sky outside the window, then looked around the empty room and asked, "Where's Hagrid? Why isn't he back yet?"
Herman placed his teacup back on the table, the bottom of which made a soft sound as it hit the wooden surface. "Something came up at the Forbidden Forest; he had to go out and handle it temporarily."
Neville's eyes lit up noticeably when he heard the words " Forbidden Forest," as if a switch had been flipped. "Was that Quirrell's doing?"
Herman opened his mouth, feeling as if the question was a badminton shuttlecock with a string that they had already hit, and no matter how he tried to catch it, it would bounce back in the same direction. "How did you all portray Professor Quirrell as so utterly wicked?"
Hugo chimed in, "We didn't say he was utterly wicked, it's just that the timing of his appearance in the Forbidden Forest was too coincidental, and he was in such a hurry that he didn't even change his clothes."
Ron chimed in quietly from behind, "Besides, Hogsmeade was sealed off around the same time. What if the two things are related?"
Draco had been sitting to the side for a long time, raised her chin and said with a blunt tone that said, "You guys are really something else": " Hogsmeade was sealed off because of Vampire, but Vampire can't be related to Professor Quirrell, can they?"
She didn't look at Ron when she spoke, but her words were clearly directed at what Ron had just said.
Ron's cheeks flushed red. She opened her mouth as if to refute, but couldn't think of a suitable answer for a moment, so she could only turn to Hugo for help.
Hugo picked up the conversation, her tone relatively calm. "You never know. Professor Quirrell can catch Vampire Monster in class; he himself has contact with dark creatures. What if those Vampire are after him, or maybe he was there to make contact..."
Herman sighed helplessly and interrupted him, "Can't you think of something more positive? Maybe something really did happen in the Forbidden Forest, and the professors would rush there to deal with it."
He paused for a moment after saying that, feeling that "thinking in a better light" didn't quite fit the context, so he repeated himself, "What I mean is, if something really did happen in the Forbidden Forest, it's probably related to the Vampire we encountered on the train. Hogsmeade is probably the same. The professors went to deal with it, and it has nothing to do with Professor Quirrell himself."
He thought for a moment and added, "Besides, that kind of thing is probably none of our business, so we don't need to worry about it."
Neville looked at him with the expression of someone looking at a younger person who hadn't experienced the harsh realities of society, and his tone became condescending. " Herman, you're just too kind. You think too highly of Quirrell. He treated you like that in class, and you didn't complain."
Herman felt his breath catch in his throat when he heard those words.
He sat there, the empty teacup still on the table, looking at Neville's earnest face, with only one thought in his mind: Had I just been friend-zoned?
I didn't confess my feelings, what's going on here?
After calming himself down, he waved his hand and said, "Whatever, think what you want."
He didn't say anything more, shifting his gaze from Neville to the flickering flames in the fireplace.
Draco sat beside her, her attention already diverted from the argument that had just taken place.
She noticed that Ron's gaze was fixed on the plate of pastries wrapped in a cloth on the table. Hugo also glanced down at the cloth, as if wondering what was inside.
Ron reached out to lift a corner of the cloth, Draco's gaze followed her finger. The corners of her mouth curved slightly, as if she were waiting for an outcome she had already foreseen.
Herman noticed Draco's expression and followed her gaze, seeing that Ron had lifted a corner of the cloth, revealing the grayish-brown lumps underneath.
Ron picked up one of the cakes and examined it from all angles, seemingly unsure if it was edible. After hesitating for a while, she gave a piece to Hugo. The two looked at the cake and pondered whether they should try it. To be honest, after running around for so long and having a mental workout, they were indeed quite hungry.
Just as Herman and Draco were eagerly waiting to see Ron and Hugo bite into Hagrid's Giant- flavored pastry, the door to Hagrid's Hut was suddenly pushed open.
The door slammed against the wall with a dull thud, and the evening breeze rushed in, causing the flames in the fireplace to be blown sharply to one side.
By the dim light from outside, a black figure stood in the doorway, the hem of his robe billowing in the still air, resembling a giant bat in the dim light. His face was also unusually pale, almost indistinguishable from the ghosts of Hogwarts who never saw the light of day.
Herman's heart skipped a beat when he first saw the silhouette, and the thought of Vampire invasion flashed through his mind. But then he saw the face clearly: black hair, a hooked nose, and lips pressed into a line —Snape.
Herman slowly exhaled, swallowing back the scream that almost escaped his lips.
Everyone present recognized him and greeted him.
Neville straightened up, his tone carrying the nervousness of someone caught by a teacher. " Professor Snape."
Hugo also called out "Professor," while Ron, still clutching the lava cake, fidgeted and muttered, " Professor Snape."
Draco, on the other hand, was much more at ease, speaking with the casualness of an elder visiting her home, " Head of House Snape, what brings you here?"
Herman quickly followed, saying, "Hello, Dean."
Snape's gaze swept across everyone's faces, from Neville to Hugo to Ron, lingering for a moment on Draco's face before finally landing on Herman, like a needle finally finding its mark.
He stepped into the cabin, his boots making a dull thud on the wooden floor, the hem of his robe brushing against the edge of the threshold, stirring up a small patch of dust.
He stood in the center of the room, his gaze still fixed on Herman, his tone as indifferent as if he were announcing something unrelated to himself. "The school is now under martial law. All students are prohibited from leaving the school grounds, and it's best not to leave the castle, much less approach the Forbidden Forest."
Neville immediately agreed, his voice a few decibels louder than before. "Yes, Professor, we'll head back now. But I need to leave a letter for Hagrid on the table, just in case he worries when he gets back."
As he spoke, he turned around and started looking for paper and pen on the table, his movements so swift and efficient that it seemed as if he had prepared this long ago.
He had indeed been preparing for this for a long time. Neville had wanted to go back for a while, and he needed to find a suitable place to keep an eye on him and see when Quirrell would return.
Snape nodded in agreement, but his gaze never left Herman's direction.