Homecoming from Hogwarts

In the cramped space, the coin emitting red light that floated out of Ron's pocket drove away the surrounding darkness.

Harry shuddered and realized something.

Professor Brain left him a time-turner, left Hermione a book stating that they should travel back in time, and left Ron a commemorative coin.

Among them, the time converter and the time in the book both played a role, but Ron's commemorative coins have not played any role yet.

Could it be that this coin simply meant that Ron should go back to the past with them?
The truth is probably not so.

The coin emitting red light seemed to sense the gazes of the three people. It vibrated and made a buzzing sound in the air, and then floated upwards on its own.

"Don't go!"

Ron screamed and subconsciously reached out to pick up the coin.

However, something even more surprising happened to the three of them.

Ron's palm reached out for the coin, but the coin floated out from Ron's clenched fist, like a ghost passing through a wall unhindered.

"Follow it!"

After hesitating for a moment, Hermione's eyes flashed with realization.
"It's taking us to Professor Blaine!"

"Ouch!"

Ron withdrew his hand, his voice trembling,

"He's really thoughtful, isn't he? I mean, Professor Brian."

"He is the same kind of person as Professor Dumbledore."

' Harry said, climbing up the stairs on his hands and knees, while Hermione called out 'Invisibility Cloak' below him.
"We can't follow the coin with the Invisibility Cloak on, Hermione, use the Disillusionment Charm!"

The three people, their hands and feet frozen stiff, pushed the witch's hunchback away with difficulty and jumped into the corridor of Hogwarts through the secret passage.

The bright moonlight filtered through the window and spread across the deserted corridor. This ordinary scene caused Harry and the other two to sigh with emotion.

In the years when the Marauder's Map lay quietly in Filch's office and Fred and George had not yet entered Hogwarts, it seemed that no one had ever set foot in this corridor.

The cold rock floor was covered with dust and there was not a single footprint. Even the figures in the frames on the walls were unwilling to stay in their dirty frames and went to find other ways out.

The coin emitting red light had floated to a place thirty feet away from them. The three of them did not have much time to feel sad. After casting an Illusion Spell on themselves, they hurriedly followed.

It is now nearly ten o'clock in the evening. At this time, in a normal Hogwarts, the young wizards would have returned to the dormitory to rest, not to mention that it is still the Christmas holiday.

"We're the only ones who can see it!"

When they followed the ancient corridor filled with sculptures and turned into another corridor, a ghost suddenly appeared in the empty corridor through the wall, and the coin passed through the ghost's body!

The shock made the three of them scared to death. Harry gasped and almost bit off his tongue!

But the ghost ignored the coin that passed through its body, and instead looked in Harry's direction in confusion, attracted by the sound he made.

After a few seconds, the ghost, who found nothing, shook its head, leaving a thin, hazy white mist in the air, and disappeared straight through the floor.

Ron let out a fainting sound, but was immediately hit hard in the ribs by Hermione's elbow.

"You're pretty scared yourself, aren't you?"

Ron clutched his ribs and grimaced at Hermione.

"Hurry up and follow me!"

Harry said, covering his mouth, interrupting Hermione who was about to retort.

It must be said that the time turner helped them choose a good time to travel back to Hogwarts.

On the way to the auditorium, they did not encounter any accidents. Even the portraits hanging everywhere, most of them had fallen asleep in their frames. The few that remained were discussing recent hot topics.

"That boy was so bold as to release the calendar fire in the Forbidden Forest. I'm surprised the Ministry of Magic didn't prosecute him for it!"

As they walked down from the second floor to the Great Hall, on the stairs, a lady dressed as a medieval noble was muttering to the fat lady who came to visit.

"Most Gryffindors feel the same way, Aurore, and—"

The Fat Lady lowered her voice.
"A well-informed friend of mine who is in touch with a portrait of the headmaster in the headmaster's office told me that Dumbledore did consider expelling the child from Hogwarts. Dumbledore thought that—"

The portraits nearby pricked up their ears to listen to the Fat Lady's revelation, and even Harry and the other two paused for a moment.
"Hurry up, what did Dumbledore say?"

The female noble asked anxiously.

"Dumbledore thinks that child is a bit dangerous, you see.
He has been in Hogwarts for five years, and has never had a good reputation. He has performed mediocrely, but an ordinary child cannot be able to use advanced defensive spells to block Dumbledore's magic in the fifth grade. "

"He is hiding his magical prowess. Why?"

Someone in the photo frame next to it questioned.

"I don't know. Normal wizards wouldn't do that. We all know students. Generally speaking, they will try their best to make themselves look better than others, rather than hiding it."

"Bad intentions!"

The noblewoman's face turned pale as she made her assessment.

A critical voice reached the ears of the three people.

"If it weren't for the interference of the Slytherin headmaster, he might have packed his bags and left. Hogwarts should not accept such a despicable student!"

A knight on a tall horse said indignantly.

When they walked down the stairs to the Great Hall, Harry and the other two looked gloomy.

As Professor Brian has become more and more popular in recent years, some strange stories about his time at Hogwarts have been dug up.

The fact that he had sneaked into the Forbidden Forest in his fifth year and was attacked by a dark witch, causing her to set fire to the forest, was no longer known only to the three of them.

It was no secret that he was ostracized when he was studying in Slytherin, but they didn't expect that the environment Professor Blaine was facing at that time was so bad. Harry thought of the first semester of his second year.

At that time, most people in Hogwarts believed that he opened Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets, and few people trusted him except Ron and Hermione.

The situation at that time seemed to be similar to the one Professor Brian is facing today.

Several ghosts floating around in the auditorium were also discussing the same topic. Chatting about hot news was one of the few things they could use as entertainment in their eternal "life".

The glowing coin passed through their bodies and led Harry and the other two to the right side of the hall, towards the door to the Slytherin basement, and passed straight through.

Hermione looked back at the ghosts who were chatting animatedly, carefully opened a crack in the door, and squeezed in.

"He's pretty amazing, isn't he?"

The stairs leading straight down were dark and damp, and their breath left a noticeable trail of smoke in the air.

Ron blew a few puffs of hot air into his palms and said in a low voice as if he was acting,

"If it were me, I might have broken off relations with Hogwarts."

Harry nodded sympathetically.

Objectively speaking, the attention he received from the wizarding world had never diminished over the years, but the time when he was clearly targeted was not long. Most of the time, people felt honored to know the 'Boy Who Lived'.

But Professor Brain always seemed to be the one being 'bullied'.

"Speaking of which, why did Professor Brian hide his strength?"

Harry asked, frowning.

Ron shrugged, and Hermione remained silent, as if she knew the answer.

Harry thought that the coin would lead them to the Slytherin common room, but after going around in circles for a while, the coin's light faded in front of an office and fell back into Ron's hands.

"Dumbledore went to Paris for a meeting?"

The three of them had just time to exchange glances when they heard vague voices coming from the closed office door. The three of them hurried to the door, and Harry used the Invisibility Cloak as a curtain to cover themselves.

"You seem particularly interested in the whereabouts of our beloved headmaster, Amosta?"

A familiar voice spoke, with an irritating hint of sarcasm in its tone.

"Isn't that natural?"

The young voice spoke again,
"If a person is always trying to kill me and I can't do anything about it, then I can't help but always be concerned about where he is."

There was a moment of silence, as if these words had some impact on the owner of the office.

"Dumbledore did not intend to kill you, Amosta. Of course, I do not deny that he was wary of outstanding young Slytherins."

A short, slightly contemptuous snort -
"Thank you for your compliment, Professor Snape. Well, I suppose my detention for the night is over. May I go back to my dormitory?"

Said the young voice.

After another period of silence, the younger Snape asked in a heavy voice,

"You really don't want to go to London with me, Amosta. If you think the place where I live is too shabby and can't accommodate your noble soul."

"Thank you very much, Professor—"

Young Amosta interrupted Snape.
"I want to stay in the castle for a while, you know. After all, I might be kicked out one day."

"I expect you to behave yourself, Amosta, at least during the Christmas holidays!"

Obviously, there was more annoyance in Professor Snape's voice.

"Don't let me get up tomorrow morning to see the headline in the Daily Prophet that you set fire to Hogwarts. Or, bloodbathed the Gryffindor dormitory!"

"Of course not—"

Young Amosta chuckled.

"At least not until I can handle Dumbledore."

"Amosta!"

Snape's growling voice could almost be described as exasperated.

There was no more talking, and Harry and the other two heard footsteps approaching quickly.

The three of them held their breath, the tension even gave them goose bumps.

Although he believed in Hermione's excellent Disillusionment Charm and was covered by the Invisibility Cloak, Harry was still unconfident.
This is Professor Brian. Although he is still young, about the same age as them, who knows how capable he is now!
Click!

The door was opened, and a young man who was almost as thin as Percy, with a sharp profile and a cold aura finally appeared in front of them!

"Amosta!"

Snape chased out of the office, his face dark and his chest heaving violently.

The three people who had studied at Hogwarts for nearly five years had rarely seen Snape so emotional.

They looked at Snape's annoyed and helpless face from the corner of their eyes, and listened to him say -
"Stay quietly in your dormitory, Amosta, and don't think about investigating the dark wizard who attacked you. You know, no matter what you do in this school, you can't hide it from the principal's eyes!"

The young figure who had walked some distance away stopped and turned around.

The moment they saw that face, Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't help but feel a throbbing sensation. Hermione tried her best to hold back the urge to sob!

Professor Brian. He has been protecting Hogwarts and the wizarding world, and now his life or death is still unknown!
"I"

Amosta, with a chilling smile on his face, was about to speak when a trace of confusion suddenly crept up his slightly furrowed brows. He paused, his eyes fixed, and then he looked at the wall next to the office door frame.

(End of this chapter)