bacchusnovels Chapter 137 He jumped even more energetically
Chapter 137 He jumped even more energetically
Chapter 137 He jumped even more energetically
During the conversation.
The two men went to Sean's office.
Seeing Hermione's sincere attitude, Sean's own attitude softened.
He sighed and said, "Hermione, I'll talk to Mr. Filch about this and see if he's willing to forgive you. But remember, respecting other people's privacy is very important. I don't want anything like this to happen again."
Hermione looked up, her eyes shining with determination: "Professor, I will remember this lesson. I will be more respectful of other people's privacy and more careful about my own behavior in the future."
Sean nodded.
As for how to punish the little witch, all that came to his mind were inappropriate images. After venting all of these thoughts, his mind went completely blank.
He racked his brains before coming up with a good idea.
"As for the punishment," Sean paused deliberately, and slowly spoke under Hermione's tense and expectant gaze, "I'll punish you by making you come to my office in a while to reply to those fans' letters for me."
Hermione's eyes widened, clearly not expecting Sean to propose such a "punishment".
She had expected a severe reprimand or even worse punishment, but the result surprised her.
This isn't punishment...
For her, it was a tremendous reward!
She had been looking forward to this day for a long time.
"Really, Professor Sean?" Hermione's voice was filled with excitement and disbelief. "I can really help you reply to your fans' letters?"
Sean looked into her bright, shining eyes, smiled, and nodded. "Of course, I believe you can do a great job. But don't forget about this."
Hermione's face immediately lit up with a bright smile, and she quickly assured him, "I will never forget, Professor."
"Very good, Hermione. I look forward to seeing how you do," Sean encouraged.
Hermione was filled with gratitude and motivation. She bowed deeply and then left the office excitedly.
Sean was left lost in thought, staring at the fleeting glimpse of snow-white skin in the little witch's retreating figure.
These past few days, Sean has been thinking about a problem.
Which Horcrux should Riddle use to feed the diary?
As is widely known, Voldemort possessed a total of seven Horcruxes.
The seven Horcruxes are his diary, Marvolo Gaunt's ring, Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's tiara of wisdom, Nagini, and poor Harry Potter.
Excluding the last two uncontrollable intelligent beings, Marvolo Gaunt's ring was hidden in Gaunt's ancestral home in the woods outside Little Hanlton; Slytherin's locket should now be in the Black family's old house.
Hufflepuff's cup is kept in the treasury of Bellatrix's husband's family in Gringotts; Ravenclaw's crown of wisdom is placed in the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts.
For Sean, the easiest things to obtain right now are the latter two—the Hufflepuff Cup and the Ravenclaw Crown of Wisdom.
He only needs to ask Bella for the key to Gringotts, the family business, to get the former; for the latter, he only needs to go out and search the Room of Requirement in the castle.
Even in the time it takes to eat a dinner, he could pack Ravenclaw's crown of wisdom into his backpack.
But... is it really that easy?
Sean felt that things weren't that simple.
The rain outside the window continued to pour down, and the night was as dark as ink, but the atmosphere inside the room was bright and cheerful.
Firelight danced on countless soft armchairs, creating a warm atmosphere, where the young wizards were each immersed in a sea of books, chatter, or homework.
Fred and George, the energetic Lee brothers, are engrossed in discussing a fascinating experiment—the reaction of a fire lizard after being fed a firework.
The bright orange salamander that Fred had "rescued" from the Magical Creatures class was now lying on the table, surrounded by a group of curious onlookers, while its body burned with a sullen rage.
Just as Hermione was about to tell Ron and Harry about what had happened to her that day, the salamander suddenly took to the air, spinning wildly in the room, crackling with sparks and accompanied by a deafening roar.
Percy sternly reprimanded Fred and George in a hoarse voice. Meanwhile, the orange-red sparks spewing from the salamander's mouth were beautiful and spectacular, a visual feast.
Amid a series of explosions, it finally escaped into the fire. This unexpected farce made Hermione completely forget about Filch and the envelope about the quick spell.
On Halloween night, the whole school was enjoying a Halloween party. As usual, the auditorium was decorated with live bats, adding a touch of mystery.
Hagrid's carefully cultivated giant pumpkin was carved into a lantern, its spacious interior large enough to comfortably seat three people.
Even more excitingly, rumors have it that Dumbledore has specially booked a skeleton dance troupe to bring everyone a unique performance.
So at 6:30, Sean walked straight through a doorway that led directly to the crowded auditorium.
The place was brightly lit and candlelit, with tempting gold plates on the table. Just as Sean was about to go and satisfy his hunger, he saw a familiar figure walking towards the underground classroom.
Looking at that dark golden hair and thin figure.
It looks like... Luna?
What was she doing in the underground classroom?
There... it looks like some kind of banquet is being held there?
Sean, filled with doubt, followed them.
The passageway Luna passed through was now dimly lit by candles.
However, these candles were slender and dim, emitting a faint blue light when burning, which illuminated Sean's face and created an eerie atmosphere.
As Sean walked, the temperature around him seemed to gradually drop, and Sean unconsciously tightened his clothes to ward off the chill.
Just then, a sound entered my ears, like countless fingernails scratching across a blackboard, piercing and chilling.
"What's that sound?" Sean muttered.
He realized for the first time that Hogwarts had such a gloomy place—compared to the Halloween decorations here, the Great Hall was practically a Disney children's playground.
But when Sean rounded a bend, the truth finally came to light.
He saw Nick, who was almost headless, standing in the doorway, draped in a black velvet curtain, like a solemn guardian.
"Professor Phillips," Nick said to him with delight, "you've come to celebrate my 500th death anniversary. Welcome, it's a great honor to have you here."
As he spoke, Nick removed his feathered hat and bowed deeply.
Sean was a little overwhelmed by Nick's enthusiasm.
He had no desire to participate in any celebrations related to the anniversary of his death, which he considered somewhat unlucky.
However, when he saw Nick's sincere and expectant eyes, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
At this point, Sean's limited kindness became his biggest flaw.
"Ah, yes, Nick, of course I'll come," Sean said finally, trying to make his smile look natural. "After all, it's an important day."
Upon entering the room, Sean was astonished to find that the scene inside was simply breathtaking.
In the underground classroom, hundreds of milky white, semi-transparent figures moved through the crowded dance floor, dancing a waltz to the eerie trembling of thirty musical saws.
On stage, a band sat in seats covered by black cloth, playing with complete concentration. Thousands of black candles burned in the chandeliers overhead, emitting a ghostly blue midnight glow.
His breath condensed into mist in the cold air, as if he were in a freezer.
But... what about Luna?
Sean did not forget his goal for this mission.
He walked slowly along the edge of the dance floor, passing a group of melancholy nuns, a man in heavy clothes and chains, and the fat monk.
A cheerful Hufflepuff ghost is having a pleasant conversation with a knight with an arrow stuck in his head.
He also saw the expected Bloody Barrow—the ghost of Slytherin. He was emaciated, with empty eyes, and covered in silver bloodstains. The other ghosts made way for him.
Upon seeing Barrow the Blood Man, Sean instinctively pulled his little notebook from the lining of his robe.
After flipping through countless pages, I finally found the record of last year's Halloween:
10 month 31 day.
Barrow the Blood Man and Nick the Headless openly oppose me. (Chapter 37)
Today is the Knicks' home game, so he felt awkward doing anything to the Knicks.
But the Blood Man Barrow...
He seems to have come up with a good idea.
Sean's gaze lingered among the ghosts in the hall until... in a corner, he spotted a tall ghost.
Her appearance was beautiful and captivating; her hair reached her waist, was as smooth as silk, and shimmered with a soft, moonlit glow.
Her demeanor exudes an innate elegance.
She wore a long dress, the hem of which swayed gently with her movements, like a blooming flower. Her attire was that of a princess, both noble and gentle.
When Sean saw her, his eyes lit up.
So he waved and, under the furtive gaze of the Blood Man Barrow, warmly greeted her, "Hello, Ms. Helena Ravenclaw!"
Helena raised her head, revealing her deep and bright eyes.
She paused for a moment, and although somewhat puzzled, she smiled gracefully. "Oh, it's Professor Phillips. Hello. I didn't expect to meet you here."
Helena is the daughter of Rowena, the founder of Ravenclaw.
Shortly after entering Hogwarts, out of jealousy of her mother's wisdom, she stole her mother's crown and fled to Albania.
Her mother fell seriously ill while she was away. In order to see her daughter one last time, she sent the Blood Man Barrow to find her. The Blood Man Barrow had a one-sided love for Helena.
Enraged, Barrow killed Helena when she refused to return with him, and then committed suicide out of remorse for his actions.
Whether Sean was truly acting out of mischief, wanting to seduce Helena in front of Barrow the Blood Man, or was trying to learn about the Ravenclaw's Crown of Wisdom hidden in the Room of Requirement, we cannot know.
All we could see was Sean smiling and praising Helena's beauty, "Ms. Helena,"
Your elegance and beauty are truly unparalleled; every time I see you, I am genuinely amazed.
Coupled with Sean's sincere words and the admiration in his eyes for Helena, plus his greatest weapon—his charming and handsome face—Helena appeared somewhat shy.
So sometimes when you praise someone and they don't react, it's not because the praise wasn't sincere, nor because the gestures were inappropriate; it's because they lack the good looks of someone like Sean.
Helena gently bit her lower lip and smiled as she replied, "Professor Phillips, you flatter me. I'm just an ordinary ghost, not as remarkable as you make me out to be."
"No, you are absolutely extraordinary." Sean shook his head firmly. "Every time you appear, you shine like starlight, impossible to ignore. Your beauty and elegance are not only reflected in your appearance, but also in your temperament and inner qualities."
Helena's shyness deepened upon hearing Sean's words. She lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly, and said,
Thank you for your compliment, I am truly grateful.
Professor Phillips' words reminded Helena of someone.
An outstanding student from Slytherin fifty years ago.
He praised himself in the same way, except that Professor Phillips was more handsome and spoke more eloquently.
Helena tried hard to recall that person's name.
His name seems to be Riddle...
Helena was pulled from her reverie by Sean's invitation. Sean extended his hand, making a gentlemanly gesture of invitation: "Ms. Helena, would you like to dance with me tonight?"
Helena hesitated for a moment, then gracefully extended her hand and placed it in Sean's. "It's an honor, Professor Phillips."
As the music started, the two stepped onto the dance floor and began their light dance steps.
This feeling is very strange.
In fact, humans cannot touch ghosts, but the two seemed unaware of this. In other words, their perfect understanding made other ghosts watching them unconsciously forget this characteristic.
It was as if... they could actually touch each other.
While dancing, Sean didn't forget to secretly head towards the direction of the Blood Man Barrow.
The blood-soaked Barrow silently watched all of this, his eyes revealing undisguised envy and jealousy.
So Sean jumped even more enthusiastically.
After a long while, the dance ended.
Helena and Sean stopped dancing, looked at each other, and smiled.
"Thank you, Phillips," Helena said softly. "I haven't danced this happily in a long time." "I'm also very happy to dance with you, Helena," Sean replied, then glanced at his watch and gave Helena an apologetic smile. "It's getting late, I should go."
Hearing Sean's words, Helena felt a little disappointed, but she nodded understandingly and said gracefully, "Yes, it is indeed getting late. Thank you for your company tonight, Phillips."
Sean didn't intend to get anything out of Helena all at once.
That would only alert the other party.
He has important things to do tonight.
After Sean left, Harry came in with Hermione and Ron.
"Look, food!" Ron said, pointing to the distance.
At the other end of the underground classroom was a long table, also covered with black velvet.
However, as soon as they approached, they stopped abruptly, their faces showing horror. The foul odor was nauseating.
On the table were large chunks of rotten meat, haphazardly placed on exquisite silver platters; blackened, burnt cakes were piled on a large tray, looking eerily strange; there were also large amounts of minced tripe infested with maggots and a piece of cheese covered in green mold, which was simply horrifying.
In the very center of the table, a huge, tombstone-shaped gray cake stood out prominently, with the following words written on it in tar-like icing:
Sir Nicholas de Minsie-Poppinton died on October 31, 1492. Hermione stared wide-eyed, deeply shocked by the eerie scene.
Just then, a fat ghost slowly walked towards the table.
Without hesitation, he squatted down and walked right through the middle of the table, his mouth wide open, just as a large, foul-smelling salmon passed through.
"If you just walk right through, will you be able to taste anything?" Harry asked curiously.
"More or less," the ghost replied with a hint of sorrow, then turned and drifted away.
Hermione covered her mouth and cautiously approached the rotting objects. "I suspect they let the objects rot on purpose, maybe to make the smell stronger," she said thoughtfully.
Ron could no longer stand the disgusting scene. "Let's go, I can't take it anymore," he urged.
Nick, who was almost headless, gracefully floated out of the crowd, his figure appearing particularly mysterious in the dim light.
"Did you have a good time?" he asked with concern.
"Oh, yes, we're very happy." They both told a little white lie, trying to make their tone sound sincere.
"Looks like the number of people is satisfactory to you." Nick smiled proudly. "Even the Weeping Widow has come all the way from faraway Kent—I'm about to go on stage to speak, so I need to remind the band to get ready first."
However, at that moment, the band unexpectedly stopped playing.
The entire underground classroom fell into an unusual silence. Then, a loud horn pierced the night sky, making everyone excitedly look around.
"Oh my God." Nick frowned in pain.
Immediately afterwards, twelve ghost horses galloped out from the classroom walls, each with a headless rider on it.
This spectacular sight immediately drew enthusiastic applause, and Hermione couldn't help but clap her hands as well, but she stopped when she saw Nick's furrowed brow.
The ghost horses came to a stop in the dance hall. They first stood upright on their hind legs, then kicked their hind hooves, barely making a 2-second lunge.
The action.
A burly ghost sat on the foremost horse, his head covered with a thick beard tucked under his arm, and he jumped off the horse while blowing a horn.
He held his head high, surveying the crowd from above, then strode toward Nick, casually tucking his head back into his neck as he did so.
"Nick!" he shouted. "Are you alright? Is your head still hanging there?"
After saying that, he let out a rough laugh and patted Nick on the shoulder.
"Welcome, Sir Patrick." Nick nodded slightly, his tone a little stiff.
"Wow, there are living people!" Ser Patsink spotted Yarley, Ron, and Hermione at a glance. He jumped up in feigned surprise, only to have his head fall off again.
"This is really funny." Nick said with a straight face, trying to hide his displeasure.
"Forget Nick!" Sir Patrick's head boomed from the floor. "He's still brooding over not getting him into the Hunters! But then again—look at this guy—"
"Attention, everyone!" Nick announced loudly, striding towards the podium and stepping into the cold, dark spotlight. "My departed lords, ladies and gentlemen, my heart is heavy with grief at this moment—."
at the same time.
Sean breathed a sigh of relief after setting up the scene. He looked at his masterpiece and nodded in satisfaction. Just as he was about to leave and return to the auditorium, a clear voice suddenly came from behind him.
"What's the matter with you here?"
The sound made his hair stand on end, and he stiffly turned his neck and head to look.
It's Luna.
Luna, who just disappeared.