"I saw the look he gave my Invisibility Cloak last year, Professor!" Harry spat out. "Fred and George were there! They saw it too. Ask them how Ron looked at it!" McGonagall glanced at the two older boys who looked guiltily at each other before turning back to her and slowly nodding. "It was the first time I ever got anything! I got worried he might try something so I warded my trunk. There's three layers. One in case someone tries to open it that sends an alert to the entwined rune on my robes and sounds a warning here as well. The second activates if they try again and it marks their head. See!" Harry jerked his chin towards Ron who had the word THIEF across his forehead as if written with a green Magic Marker. One of the twins snorted and nodded approvingly. McGonagall's eyes just narrowed. "The third layer knocks them back and gives a mild electric shock. You have to deliberately want to take something to keep going through all three!"
Harry spat at the redhead who had finally managed to stumble to his feet. "What? Got tired how thinking how the Heir of Slytherin had such nice things? You wanted to take some for yourself?"
"I heard Hermione was attacked!" Ron yelled back, his face darkening. "I wanted to follow you and get proof that you're the one hurting people! That Cloak's the best way to do it!"
"That's the only thing I have of my father you arse! You want to take the pictures of my parents as well?! How about my mother's notebooks?! Or maybe you're more interested in the rune case Shiva gave me? Or the etching set from Hermione? Well!? What else do you want you – "
"That's enough, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said forcefully. Unlike in the hospital wing earlier, Harry calmed down enough to simply glare at Ron. "Mr. Weasley. 25 points from Gryffindor and a week of detention served between myself and Mr. Filch. I am ashamed that you resort to petty theft of a family heirloom! Rest assured this will be brought up to your parents. Mr.'s Fred and George Weasley, please escort your brother to the hospital wing to ensure that any injuries he has are treated." Both twins nodded and moved to grab Ron's shoulders. Fred patted Harry on the back as they passed muttered a quiet, "sorry mate," to him. "Mr. Potter. I understand the stress you are currently under but this is not the way to deal with the situation. 15 points deducted for physical altercation. 5 points gained for a creative warding scheme." McGonagall sighed. "Miss Granger will be fine, Harry. She was petrified yes, but she is otherwise uninjured. You need to calm down so that you remain that way yourself. Mr. Longbottom, please ensure to take care of him in the meantime."
"So why are we going to Hagrid again?" Neville asked following Harry. It had been nearly a day until Harry was calm enough to go out and talk to the large man. Shiva had tried to speak with Harry a few times since then but he had simply stayed silent, standing vigil over Hermione.
"Hermione was looking up something about dangerous magical creatures. Who do we know who is the best source to get more information on that particular topic?" Harry said with raised eyebrows.
Neville chuckled. "Yeah. Good point." He stopped and squinted towards their friend's hut. "Hey, that's the Minister. And Aurors…what are they doing at Hagrid's?"
Harry's insides went cold. "Neville, activate your Ninja and listen at the window."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." Harry grabbed his own rune stone and pushed the activator etching. Feeling the now familiar shiver of the camouflage and silencing wards wrapping around him, Harry hurried to kneel down by the window to Hagrid's hut. He saw a small shimmer in the air next to him and knew that Neville had arrived as well.
"Really, Minister, this is unnecessary." Dumbledore's voice drifted out to them from somewhere inside.
"Now, now, Albus, the attacks have yet to stop. The Ministry must be seen to be doing something!" Harry's eyes narrowed at the implications of that statement. He shifted so that he could watch the man in the lime green bowler hat. The Minister was standing behind a trio of Aurors talking with Dumbledore while Hagrid sobbed into a large handkerchief at his table.
"Hagrid does not even have a wand. And the last time he was accused, the creature he was found with was an acromantula. Acromantulas cannot petrify victims in any way, Cornelius."
One of the Aurors shifted her weight from foot to foot. Harry started as he recognized Tonks. Her hair wasn't pink anymore but instead was brown and mousy. He could barely recognize her without the wild hair or carefree expression. "He's right Minister Fudge. I looked it up. Acromantulas can kill no problem and they're smart as hell but…they couldn't be related to what's happening right now."
"Be that as it may I am the Minister, Auror, and I say what is and is not possible!" Harry snarled. This man was even worse than Ron. At least the idiot Weasley used some form of logic. "Now arrest him and bring him to Azkaban until this mess is all solved!"
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