Who let this Dementor into Hogwarts!

There is a huge treasure chest in front of Chapter 111. It is recommended to hold it with both hands.

"Your detention is tonight." Professor McGonagall moved on to the next task. "You will help Mr. Filch clean the trophy room. No magic allowed - Weasley, clean it all by hand."

Ron suffered cardiopulmonary arrest.

"Potter, go help Professor Lockhart reply to his admirers." Professor McGonagall said to Harry.

"Oh, no, can I go and clean the prizes too?" Harry pleaded desperately.

"Of course not," said Professor McGonagall sternly. "And Norton and Granger, you're going to help Mr. Filch clean the picture frames at eight o'clock tonight. Weasley and Potter's second detention is tomorrow night, just like Norton and Granger's - how did the four of you manage to get six detentions in less than a week at school?"

"Any achievements?" Cohen was curious. "In fact, I can do more—"

"No!" said Professor McGonagall angrily. "I don't want to see you in detention again this term - otherwise I'm going to wonder if ordinary detentions won't teach you a lesson!"

"That means we can get locked up a few more times next term," Coin said after Professor McGonagall left.

"That's not what Professor McGonagall meant at all!" Hermione wanted to distance herself from Cohen and the others.

"Filch's killing me!" Ron said miserably. "No magic! There must be a hundred trophies in that room, and I'm not a Muggle-like scrubber..."

"Remember to polish mine," Cohen said suddenly, imitating Filch's tone. "'Don't let me see a speck of dust on it!'"

Harry and Hermione both laughed - only Ron elbowed Coin in anger.

"Filch is alone, and he can't oversee both the trophy room and the castle corridors at the same time," Hermione said uncomfortably. "I don't want him following me around all the time...that's too weird."

"Don't worry," said Ron glumly. "He'd much rather be sitting in the trophy room watching over me than running around the castle with you all."

But that's not the case.

At eight o'clock in the evening, they parted ways on the fourth floor.

Ron was going to the trophy room on the fourth floor, which was now empty.

Harry was going to the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's office on the third floor, where Lockhart was humming a tune.

Coin and Hermione needed to go to Filch's office next to the entrance hall.

"Fred said it was dirty and dark in there," Coin said to Hermione, "and it smelled of grilled fish—though that shouldn't be the case now, because Mrs. Norris can't eat fish now..."

"You're doomed if Filch hears this," Hermione said with a pursed mouth. "Luckily, I used to do housework at home... Cleaning picture frames shouldn't be difficult - have you ever done housework?"

"Ha—" Cohen said happily, "I don't have a chance at all. My dad takes care of all the housework at home."

But it shouldn't be difficult to wipe the picture frame, and Filch probably won't follow them, so they can take it easy.

They walked up the quiet castle stairs, through the silent Great Hall, and into the long outer corridor that led to Filch's office.

The crackling of burning torches on the castle walls was a scene that would fit right in with a horror film – a deserted Hogwarts certainly looked like a haunted place – no, Hogwarts was haunted.

Now it's even more haunted.

Kill...Kill you...

The sound of the basilisk came from the wall not far away. It was swimming further away - and that was Filch's office.

Cohen paused and slowed his pace.

"What's wrong? It's almost eight o'clock, we need to speed up..." Hermione noticed that Cohen had slowed down and urged him, "If you're late, your detention time might be extended..."

"I feel like we don't need to be put in solitary confinement anymore..." Cohen exclaimed.

"Huh?" Hermione asked in confusion.

The basilisk was already in place—Cohen was debating whether to go in. They had to pretend they knew nothing and not run away, or else once Filch's body or the statue was found, the two students who had "hit and run" would be the prime suspects.

But they couldn't go in now because the basilisk was still inside - Cohen himself was fine, at most he would turn into stone, but Hermione would definitely die if she saw it directly.

So at Filch's door, Cohen stopped Hermione.

[Soul Strength: 40]

[Soul Strength: 7]

Filch was still alive, but he probably didn't look directly at the basilisk and turned into a stone statue.

But the basilisk was still inside; Cohen could see it circling the room, and then...

It "looked" towards Cohen's position, and seemed to smell Cohen's scent through the wall.

But just when Cohen thought it was going to break open the door and rush out - it ran away.

The basilisk flew away along the wall without making any sound.

"Cohen?" Hermione seemed to realize something.

"I have a bad feeling." Cohen pushed open Filch's door.

Hermione gasped in shock at the scene inside.

"This this……"

Hermione's breathing quickened.

Filch faced the window with a look of horror - there was a dark sky outside, and the candlelight shone on the window, reflecting Filch's face.

He was petrified, as was his cat.

"Is he—is he dead?" Hermione asked in a trembling voice, and she took a few steps back.

"Like his cat." Coin closed the door. "I think we should go tell Professor McGonagall—something's wrong."

This matter is indeed easy to arouse suspicion, but following the normal logic of "discovering the crime scene → reporting the crime" is the most normal choice at present. This really has nothing to do with them.

Voldemort made no movement and attacked without warning.

"Yes... yes, we have to tell Professor McGonagall quickly..." Hermione's mind went blank, and she didn't even think that she would become a suspect.

They hurried to Professor McGonagall's office.

"Shouldn't you be going to Mr. Filch?" Professor McGonagall frowned.

"Professor McGonagall! Mr. Filch—" Hermione gasped. "Something's happened—"

"What?!" Professor McGonagall stood up from behind her desk in an instant.

"Just like the last time we saw Mrs. Norris in the corridor, Professor..." Cohen had made his face extremely pale before coming, looking frightened. "Should we find a doctor - or -"

"I'll go find Professor Dumbledore. You shouldn't be involved in this," Professor McGonagall said sternly. "I'll send you back to the common room. Don't come out tonight—I remember Mr. Weasley is in the trophy room, right?"

Professor McGonagall immediately led them towards Gryffindor Tower, taking Harry from Lockhart's place and Ron from the trophy room with her along the way.

"What happened?" Harry's hands were covered in violet ink. He was startled when Professor McGonagall pushed the door open.

"Don't leave the common room!" Professor McGonagall warned the four people in an unprecedentedly stern tone. "It's dangerous now - all of you stay put!"

(End of this chapter)