The Halloween party went smoothly.
The food on the table was as plentiful as ever.
As Morris was leisurely eating a beef pie, the Great Hall doors were suddenly pushed open.
A cold wind blew in, causing the candle to flicker.
Immediately afterwards, a group of figures marched in with synchronized steps.
It's a skeleton.
At the same time, music started playing.
"I can't believe Headmaster Dumbledore actually hired the Skeleton Dance Troupe!" Cho Chang exclaimed in a low voice.
Dumbledore rose from his seat, his voice carrying clearly throughout the Great Hall, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Elegant Skeletons Dance Company."
The applause began hesitantly, but quickly grew enthusiastic.
The music suddenly changed, turning into a lively waltz.
The members of the Skeleton Dance Troupe scattered and began to dance in the Great Hall.
Morris was stunned.
Well... how should I put it? The skeletons' dance looked like some kind of mysterious ritual; describing it as a chaotic dance of demons wouldn't be an exaggeration.
This was within his expectations—wizards' aesthetic sense is inherently different from that of ordinary people.
However, although the dance was difficult to appreciate, the skeleton dancers had maintained their bones very well, which gleamed with a warm luster under the lights and looked quite beautiful—at least that's what he thought.
Throughout the performance, Morris kept searching for Madam Caroline.
Unfortunately, no matter how he looked at it, most of the skeletons in the dance troupe looked pretty much the same.
A dozen minutes later, the music stopped with a final, brilliant note.
All the skeletons froze simultaneously, turned in unison to the long tables of the four academies, and bowed deeply.
The applause erupted like thunder.
The skeletons straightened up, turned back to the High Table, and bowed to Professor Dumbledore.
Then, maintaining their formation, they slowly retreated towards the Great Hall doors.
As Morris passed Ravenclaw's long table, he saw the skull at the front nod at him.
It was indeed Madam Caroline; he finally recognized her.
"Impressive," Cho Chang's voice rang out. "What do you think, Morris?"
"Yes." Morris picked up a sugar cookie from the table and casually asked, "How much would Professor Dumbledore charge for a dance performance like this?"
"I know that!"
Kyle, who was standing nearby, leaned over and proudly announced a number that Morris could not have imagined.
The latter silently put down the biscuit and began to seriously consider the feasibility of forming Skeleton Dance Troupe.
If all else fails, he could go up and jump a couple of times himself.
The banquet ended in a lively atmosphere, with students laughing and joking as they poured out of the Great Hall, their excited chatter echoing through the castle corridors.
"That spin! The bones didn't even break!"
"Those skeletons were all female, what a pity..."
Morris moved slowly with the flow of people, holding several eyeball-shaped gummies in his hand, the eyeballs inside constantly moving.
For some reason, he had been feeling somewhat uneasy ever since.
And soon, this unease was confirmed.
As they reached a corridor on the third floor, a gasp suddenly erupted from the group at the front, followed by an eerie silence.
Without hesitation, Morris quickly squeezed to the front.
The sight before him made his gaze freeze.
On the wall between the two windows, a line of dark red writing was painted, appearing particularly glaring in the torchlight.
" The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Beware of those who oppose the heir."
But what truly froze the air wasn't this threatening slogan.
Instead, it was Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing not far from the wall, along with the two motionless, stiff cats hanging above them.
One was Mrs. Norris of Filch, and the other—
It's Morris's Ghost Cat, Guantou.
Surrounded by the dense crowd, Harry couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.
He could clearly feel the gazes directed at him, a mixture of curiosity, fear, suspicion, and scrutiny... like needles pricking his skin.
Just now, he, Hermione, and Ron had just finished attending the 500th anniversary of Nearly Headless Nick Deathday Party in the basement, and on their way back to the Great Hall, they suddenly heard a very strange sound.
Following the sound, they stumbled upon this horrifying scene.
Harry didn't know what words to use to express his current feelings.
He recognized the two cats at a glance.
Mrs. Norris didn't care much; it was a bad cat, and he might be more comfortable without it.
He was interested in the other one.
That's Morris's cat!
Harry whirled around, frantically searching for his target amidst the throng of heads.
He found it quickly.
Morris stood at the front of the crowd, silently observing his pet cat with a calm gaze.
For some reason, seeing that look in the other person's eyes made Harry feel a little uneasy.
In the dead silence, someone suddenly spoke, seemingly out of place.
It's Draco Malfoy.
"Beware of those who oppose the heir! You're next, Mudblood!"
Draco stared at the two cats hanging on the wall, a sinister grin spreading across his face.
The next moment, he felt a light tap on his shoulder.
The force was not strong; one could even say it was somewhat casual.
He turned his head sharply and met a pair of silver-gray eyes.
" Malfoy, did you do this?" Morris's voice was not loud, and there was not much emotion in it.
Draco jumped back in alarm, "What... what do you want to do, Black!"
He still vividly remembered the terrifying Fire-Making Spell from a few days ago, and he didn't want to provoke the other party now.
Seeing Draco's shifty gaze, Morris calmed down.
He was in too much of a hurry.
It's obvious without even thinking that Draco Malfoy couldn't be the murderer.
Right now, all Morris wants to do is find the murderer and then reward them with an all-you-can-eat Pain Curse.
It would be unwise to harm his cat.
Morris ignored Draco and raised his wand.
On the wall, the Guantou's body trembled slightly, then floated up and landed in his arms.
After a quick check, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Although their limbs are stiff, they are not dead—that's for sure. As long as their consciousness and soul remain, undead creatures will not truly die.
The Guantou goods are currently in a state of slumber, more like they're asleep.
Morris took out his wand and tried to use the Finite Incantatem, but it didn't work.
What happened here!?
Filch pushed through the crowd and rushed over, screaming in terror the moment he saw Mrs. Norris.
"My cat! What have you done to it!?"
Dumbledore and a group of professors then arrived at the scene and took all the parties involved to Lockhart's office, which was the nearest one.