Chapter Sixty-Nine: Arrangements After the Event

After the members of the Hogwarts Board of Governors had departed, only Headmaster Dippet, the four Heads of House, and Hevin remained in the room.

Professor Melus drew a notebook from somewhere and, with her quill, crossed off a line. She glanced at the last remaining note, then looked up at the others and announced, “Well, there’s one more task left—restoring the castle’s functions!”

The professors nodded in agreement.

“That’s right, curfew is nearly upon us, but the Slytherin students still can’t get into their common room. Most of them are just waiting out in the courtyard!” Professor Slughorn gestured toward the door as he spoke.

“Exactly! The entrance to the Hufflepuff common room—the barrel—won’t transform into a passage anymore, it’s completely blocked!” Professor Birley chimed in.

Dumbledore joined the conversation with amused interest. “And as luck would have it, the Fat Lady can’t open the entrance to Gryffindor’s common room either.”

At his words, the three other Heads of House simultaneously turned to look at Professor Melus.

“All right,” Professor Melus said, spreading her hands in exasperation. “The eagle-shaped knocker of Ravenclaw has lost its magic as well.”

Listening to their conversation, Hevin pricked up his ears, sensing he was overhearing something quite significant.

‘Doesn’t this mean I now know the entrances to the other common rooms? Maybe…’ Hevin thought with growing excitement, though he quickly dismissed the idea. After all, not every house was as eccentric as Ravenclaw, which didn’t even bother setting a proper password.

“Ahem…” Headmaster Dippet coughed twice, leaning back wearily in his chair with a sigh. “But after nearly a thousand years, we’ve long since lost the detailed magical blueprints of the castle. With our current knowledge, there’s no way to accurately repair the magic nodes.”

“In that case, we may have to reconfigure the magical system of the castle from scratch,” Professor Melus said, pressing her forehead in distress. “That’s not a job that can be done in a day or two. The students can’t wait that long.”

The professors fell silent, each contemplating how to resolve the issue with the magic nodes.

“Leaving other matters aside, we at least need to get through tonight. Perhaps we should find another place for the students to rest?” Professor Birley voiced his concern, wondering if the disaster would cause emotional distress among the students. “Who’s in charge of calming them down at the moment?”

“Huma and Adbay are seeing to that,” Dumbledore replied. “After such an incident, none of the professors have gone home. Everyone is helping to settle the students. The prefects are assisting as well. The atmosphere in the castle is still fairly calm; nothing disastrous has happened.”

“That’s a relief,” Professor Birley said, exhaling.

“Why not lay out bedding in the Great Hall tonight and let the students sleep there?” Professor Slughorn suggested. “It’s spacious, it’s on the ground floor, and it’ll be easy to look after everyone if anything happens.”

“It seems that’s our best option,” Professor Melus agreed. “Let’s get to it. Everyone, see to your own house’s students.”

“As for you, Armando, get some rest. Have you seen the state you’re in?” she added sharply, turning to Headmaster Dippet.

“I can manage a bit longer,” Dippet replied with a strained smile, forcing himself upright.

“Don’t push yourself, Headmaster. Rest when you need to,” Professor Slughorn said, taking a potion from his storage box and handing it to Dippet.

Then he turned to Hevin with a smile. “Come along, Hevin. Let’s go inform the little Slytherins.”

Yet, as the professors quickly divided their tasks, Hevin felt something was missing.

“Professor, what about those trapped inside the common rooms?” He asked.

Professor Slughorn froze mid-step.

“You mean… there are students still trapped inside?” he asked.

Hevin nodded. “Yes, I have two roommates who are in there.”

The other professors, hearing this, walked over with grave expressions.

“Horace, do you know how well ventilated your common room is without magical support?” Headmaster Dippet asked with a frown.

“To be honest, I have no idea. No one’s ever experienced this before!” Slughorn replied anxiously, shaking his head.

“Then we have to assume the worst. Depending on the size of the room, the students might not last a full day inside. We must prepare for the worst,” the Headmaster sighed heavily. “If necessary, we’ll have to force open the entrance to the common room…”

The prospect of damaging the common rooms brought complicated and reluctant looks to the faces of the professors.

After all, each house’s common room carried the traditions of a thousand years and the cherished memories of generations of students. The professors themselves had once been students; their affection for the common rooms ran deep. The thought of destroying them was almost unbearable.

“Armando, wait a moment,” Dumbledore said, suddenly glancing at Hevin and as if struck by inspiration. “There may be someone who knows how to repair the castle’s magic nodes.”

“You mean…” Dippet asked.

“Lady Grey!”

…

Deep in the dungeons of Hogwarts was a lavish cell.

It was furnished with plush wool carpets, two luxurious sofas, a tea table, and a writing desk—hardly a cell at all, but more like a well-appointed apartment.

The ghost, Hevin, floated above one of the couches, gazing at his visitors with a wry smile.

“So, you’ve realized the real culprit was someone else?” he asked.

“Mr. Strange, I offer my sincerest apologies for having wronged you earlier,” Headmaster Dippet said, bowing to the ghost.

“That’s enough, enough—no need for apologies,” Hevin replied, drifting aside. After all, the Headmaster was a man of three hundred years; Hevin had no desire to be bowed to by his elders.

“If an apology could solve everything, what need would there be for compensation? Let’s get down to business,”

He crossed his arms and hovered in the air, looking down at the professors with a faint smile.

…

…