Hogwarts: I'm Truly a Model Wizard

As soon as Kyle saw Professor Dumbledore, he realized that whatever they had been involved in was now well beyond their control.

The other professors soon arrived, too. A tabby cat leaped gracefully from a column by the stairs, transforming mid-air into Professor McGonagall. Snape rushed over, visibly tense, only to relax slightly upon seeing that Kanna was safe. Professor Lupin followed behind, gripping his wand tightly.

"Chasing after Black... what kind of reckless stunt did you think you were pulling?" Professor McGonagall's face was pale with anger, her voice icy. "Black is one of the most dangerous criminals in wizarding history. Do you have any idea how close you came to getting yourselves killed?"

Snape shot Kyle a sharp, intimidating glance.

"So, could someone please explain what happened?" Professor Dumbledore's tone was equally serious.

"Well, Professor…" Fred and George stepped forward and recounted the events in detail, carefully omitting the Room of Requirement and the Mist Gem. Instead, they claimed they had been testing a new joke prop in an empty room.

"By the time we realized, the feast had already begun…"

"We saw Black on our way to the Great Hall…"

"He was standing in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady, trying to get into the Gryffindor common room…"

"If we hadn't been there, he might have managed it…" Fred couldn't resist taking some credit. "It was a close call."

"Actually, only the Fat Lady herself can open the entrance to the common room," Professor McGonagall said, her expression severe, though her tone softened slightly. "Without her permission, Black wouldn't have been able to get in, even if he had tried to break through the wall."

Fred and George exchanged embarrassed glances, avoiding her gaze.

"Then why, after you saw he had run off, did you decide to chase him?" Professor McGonagall's tone turned heated again. "Why couldn't you have gone straight to the Great Hall to inform the professors, like Miss Cho Chang?"

"We were afraid he might attack the other students…" Fred explained. "We just wanted to catch him as quickly as possible."

"Black didn't have a wand, so we thought it was the best chance to stop him."

"Mr. Weasley…" Professor McGonagall said firmly, "can you guarantee that Sirius Black hadn't already stolen a wand from another wizard?"

"Then why did he run…" George muttered under his breath. "I mean, if he had a wand, he could have just attacked us instead of fleeing…"

"Perhaps he wanted to lull you into a false sense of security," Snape interjected darkly, "so he could kill you one by one." His expression was grim, his voice dripping with disdain. "That foul creature…"

Professor Lupin's face reflected a conflicted mix of emotions as he listened to Snape's remarks. He didn't argue, though he let out a quiet, pained sigh.

"Which way did he go?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"I lost him, Professor," Kyle replied. "He knows the school well, and I couldn't keep up."

"Yes, no one knows it better than he does," Dumbledore said thoughtfully.

Lupin stepped up beside him. "Professor, we need to conduct a full search of the castle."

"Eager to catch Black, are you?" Snape sneered, his eyes narrowing. "Or do you have some other agenda?"

"You should know, Severus," Lupin replied firmly, "that I want to catch him more than anyone."

"I hope so…" Snape muttered, his lips barely moving, as though he didn't want Kyle and the others to hear too much.

"Professor McGonagall," Dumbledore interjected, "I'm sure these students must be starving. While the feast is still underway, could you take them to the Great Hall? And since we'll be searching the entire castle, the students might as well spend the night there. Let the feast continue a bit longer."

"Of course," Professor McGonagall agreed, nodding. She led Kyle and the others back down the corridor. As they passed the portrait of the Fat Lady, Kyle noticed that a large section of her canvas had been torn. The Fat Lady herself was nowhere to be seen; she must have hidden in another painting.

Professor McGonagall noticed as well, her expression darkening further. "See, Sirius Black didn't even spare a single painting. Do you understand now just how reckless your actions were?"

When they reached the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall pushed open the doors, allowing them to enter. Professors Flitwick and Sprout were stationed at the entrance, wands at the ready.

"Minerva, what happened?" Professor Flitwick asked, lowering his wand slightly.

"It was Sirius Black," Professor McGonagall whispered grimly.

Professor Flitwick clutched his chest and gasped. "How did he get in? Didn't the Dementors at the gates notice him?"

"I don't know, but it's not the first time they've let Black slip by…" McGonagall replied. "We'll conduct a full search of the castle, and the students will stay here in the Great Hall for the night."

Turning to the group behind her, she added, "Due to your recklessness, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff will each lose ten points… and Ravenclaw will gain twenty, as Miss Cho Chang was the only one who made the responsible choice."

With that, Professor McGonagall left them in the hall and returned to her duties.

Kyle, Kanna, and Cedric made their way to the Hufflepuff table. The table was laden with delicious food, yet no one was eating. All eyes were fixed on them, and students bombarded them with questions about what had happened.

"Quiet!" Professor Flitwick called out, his voice carrying firmly across the hall. "Don't worry, nothing will happen—let the feast continue…"

The Great Hall fell into a brief silence, though whispers of conversation still lingered in the air.

"Are you guys okay?" Cho asked, having somehow slipped over to the Hufflepuff table and was now hiding between Kanna and Cedric.

"We're fine," Cedric replied. "The professors will be back in about two minutes. But how did you get from the eighth floor to the Great Hall so fast?"

"Oh, I didn't run," Cho replied with a grin. "I went back to the Room of Requirement, grabbed a broom, and flew straight here."

"Oh… clever," Cedric said, giving her a thumbs-up. "That's so Ravenclaw."

"Don't start with that, I haven't even gotten to you yet," Cho huffed, looking at them with annoyance. "You all said you were going to notify the professors, but instead, you all rushed off ahead of me!"

"Well, I wasn't exactly thinking…" Cedric admitted, scratching his head. "I just instinctively ran after you."

"Then why did you not drag me along?" Cho shot him a glare. "Don't deny it—I saw everything. Did you think I was too weak and would slow you down?"

"Someone had to warn everyone else," Cedric replied, a bit sheepishly.

"And I was right, wasn't I?" He added with a shrug. "Both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor lost ten points each, and only Ravenclaw gained twenty."

"Oh, please," Cho scoffed, crossing her arms and still glaring at Cedric. "Ravenclaw only got twenty points?"

"Ahem… Ravenclaw is actually first in House points now," Kyle interjected, pointing discreetly to the scoreboard. "And you're five points ahead of Slytherin."

Cho's words faltered, and she fell silent for a moment.

"Exactly," Cedric added quickly. "Now Ravenclaw is in the lead, and those twenty points could make all the difference in winning the House Cup."