ebookslot Chapter 209 Investigating the Attack Scene
Chapter 209 Investigating the Attack Scene
Chapter 209 Investigating the Attack Scene
After Snape left, a subtle silence fell over the corridor, broken only by the crackling of the torches burning on the walls.
Lin Qi stood still, his gaze fixed on the line of words written in dragon blood on the wall, as if trying to glean more information from those dark red strokes.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from the other end of the corridor.
Upon being notified, Mrs. Pomfrey and Professor Sprout rushed to the scene, their faces filled with worry.
"Merlin!" As soon as Madam Pomfrey saw Justin lying on the ground, she rushed forward and knelt beside him. Her wand moved swiftly and precisely, emitting a series of diagnostic spells, the pale golden halo scanning Justin's stiff body.
"His vital signs are stable, but he's fallen into a... magical coma I've never seen before." Madam Pomfrey frowned, taking several vials of potions from her medicine box. "His bodily functions have almost completely stopped, but it's not a normal petrification spell. He must be taken to the university hospital immediately for further examination."
Professor Sprout, the Headmistress of Hufflepuff, looked at her student in this state with worry and heartache on her face. She quickly stepped forward and carefully lifted Justin's body with a levitation charm, her movements as gentle as if she were moving a precious, fragile object.
"Poor child," Professor Sprout's voice trembled, "who could be so cruel!"
Mrs. Pomfrey nodded to Professor McGonagall, and then, together with Professor Sprout, the two of them carefully escorted Justin toward the university hospital.
Their figures quickly disappeared around the corner of the corridor, leaving only the sound of their footsteps fading into the distance.
Professor McGonagall watched them leave, then raised her wand and began casting complex sealing spells at both ends of the corridor.
Beams of silver-blue light shot out from the tip of her staff, weaving into a fine magical grid at the entrance of the corridor before disappearing into the air.
"No one is allowed to enter," she said sternly to Filch, who had rushed to the scene after hearing the news, "until the investigation is complete."
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Filch muttered and nodded, then picked up his oil lamp and began patrolling the entrance to the corridor.
Meanwhile, Lynch continued his on-site investigation. He not only carefully examined the blood-written words on the walls, but also began pacing back and forth along the corridor, his sharp eyes sweeping over every inch of the floor, every suit of armor, and even the cobwebs on the ceiling.
He lingered at both ends of the corridor for a long time, sometimes crouching down to lightly touch the ground with his fingers, sometimes drawing complex symbols in the air with his fingers to record the remaining traces of magic.
Just as Professor McGonagall was busy setting up the sealing spell, Snape's figure reappeared at the end of the corridor.
His steps were heavier as he walked back than when he left, his face so gloomy it seemed to drip water, his black robe billowing behind him as if propelled by an invisible rage.
Seeing Snape's expression, Lynch knew the answer—the dragon blood on the wall was indeed stolen from Snape.
"I told you you should have put more security measures on your storage room," Lynch joked.
Snape's lips pressed into a thin line, and a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.
"I'll make whoever did this regret it," he said coldly, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth. "They'll regret stepping into my storeroom, and even more regret using my materials for this... despicable performance."
"Then you'll have to wait in line," Lynch shook his head slightly, his gaze thoughtfully sweeping over the blood-written words on the wall. "Before you, there were many people who wanted to have a close conversation with this mastermind. Professor McGonagall, myself, and our beloved Headmaster Dumbledore were all very interested in this mysterious figure."
Professor McGonagall, who had just returned after completing the sealing spell, happened to overhear this conversation.
Her brow furrowed, her face etched with worry: "Any progress, Professor Lynch? Have we found any clues?"
Lynch turned to Professor McGonagall, his expression grave: "I've already questioned all the portraits and those living armors in this corridor."
He pointed to several ancient suits of armor standing on either side of the corridor, standing silently in the shadows, their metallic surfaces reflecting the flickering firelight.
"What's puzzling is that none of them saw how Justin Finley got into this corridor," Lynch continued. "According to them, everything was normal last night, and no one passed through here. Until this morning, Justin was lying here as if he had appeared out of thin air."
Professor McGonagall gasped, "This is impossible! Every portrait and every suit of armor at Hogwarts is our spy..."
"That's the crux of the matter," Lynch interrupted, his gaze deepening. "Either someone has cast an extremely sophisticated confusion spell on them, or..."
He paused, looking around the gloomy corridor: "Either the attacker used some kind of secret passage we don't know about, or worse—he has some way of circumventing the castle's surveillance system."
Snape replied somberly, "Or perhaps those portraits and armor are lying."
"That's impossible." Lynch shook his head. "They can't lie to me."
Professor McGonagall and Snape looked at Lynch with surprise, somewhat puzzled as to why he was so certain.
But Lynch didn't explain. Instead, he continued, "The most crucial thing right now is to investigate Justin Finley's movements. Professor McGonagall, you should have noticed that this corridor isn't on the usual route back from the main hall to the Hufflepuff common room. We need to figure out why Justin would be alone in this secluded corner during curfew."
He paced to the wall, staring at the line of blood-red words: "It's unusual in itself for a Hufflepuff first-year student to come alone to this almost deserted corridor at night. Was he invited here? Or did he discover something and come here against his will? Or perhaps..."
Lynch paused, then turned to the two professors. "Was he drawn here by something? We must find out every step he took last night, who he met, and whether he acted strangely. And now, even the portraits in the castle can't tell us how he got here, which makes things even more complicated."
Professor McGonagall nodded seriously. "I'll immediately ask the Hufflepuff students, especially Justin's roommate and friends. Perhaps someone knows why he's here."
"I will follow this can of dragon's blood," Snape added somberly, his gaze still fixed on the blood-written words on the wall, as if trying to see through the dark red marks to the true face of the mastermind behind it all.
Lynch gave the scene one last look: "Let's split up. Professor McGonagall, please investigate Justin's itinerary from yesterday; Professor Snape, please carefully verify the details and timing of the theft from the storeroom; and I will continue the investigation here. If there is any secret passage or some kind of passage we don't know about, I will find it."