Michael's remarkable performance brought smiles to several professors' faces, and Professor Sinistra stopped dwelling on his previous words, shaking her head as she let him sit down to continue eating.
Professor Abigail chuckled and suddenly said, "Vid, several professors left during the competition, was there an emergency situation?"
Vid looked at her quizzically and said, "I'm not quite sure, Professor, perhaps you could ask Professor Dumbledore?"
Michael interjected, "Professor, we were watching the match the whole time. But at the end, I think I saw Professor Snape, he should know what's going on."
"Hmm, alright then…" Professor Abigail looked thoughtfully at Vid and said, "I don't know why, but I always feel like you might know something… but never mind. Regarding the matter we discussed last time..."
"It's mostly done, I can give it to you on Monday." Vid said.
"That's wonderful!" Professor Abigail smiled.
The professors headed to the faculty table—Serra Abigail from Defense Against the Dark Arts, Aurora Sinistra from Astronomy, Charity Burbage from Muggle Studies, Setima Victor from Numerological Divination, Basheeda Babulin from Ancient Magic Script Class.
The group consisted entirely of female professors, and Abigail did not seem out of place among them; her beauty was quite dazzling, yet her demeanor was harmonious and natural.
Vid overheard the group discussing his name, like Professor Babulin complaining that Vid always secretly helped other students solve introductory puzzles; the tone sounded more like bragging than complaining.
They began to discuss fervently.
Extremely outstanding students and extremely poor students are both focal points of the professors' attention.
When Vid sat down, he saw Michael staring at him.
"What's up?" Vid asked.
Michael leaned closer and asked quietly, "Does Professor Abigail have any issues?"
Vid was taken aback and did not immediately answer.
During the first and second years, he had an unconscious Transmigrator's superiority complex, treating Hogwarts as the fairy tale world he had seen in movies.
But as this world revealed more of its true and cruel nature, Vid became much more cautious.
He did not immediately deny it, and Michael already knew the answer.
"Sigh—"
Michael sighed deeply and said, "In the first year, the professor had a Mysterious Man's pendant, and in the second year, a servant of the Mysterious Man disguised as a pet lurked in the student dormitory. I originally thought this year was so peaceful, a bit unusual!"
"Peace is unusual?" Padma heard a bit of the conversation and asked in confusion, "Hasn't it always been peaceful?"
Michael smiled, "Hmm, you are right. By the way, do you want some pear juice?"
He seemed to forget what he had just said, diligently pouring a drink for Padma from a transparent glass bottle.
Vid, however, fell silent for a long time because of his words.
...
Watching Snape disappear with Vid, Hayley exclaimed in surprise and then immediately covered her mouth.
Mabel, holding a little girl, looked at the white-bearded old man in front of her, and asked, "Hey, how will you deal with us?"
Dumbledore examined the two through his half-moon glasses and asked them gently, "What ideas do you have for yourselves?"
"I… I know I killed someone, you can kill me if you want! But don't harm Hayley, don't experiment on her!" Mabel said fiercely.
"No, that's not okay!" Hayley said loudly, "I don't want Mabel to die! If Mabel has to die, then I'll go with you!"
"Do not fear, my children." Dumbledore reassured, "I promise no one will die here… Do you remember your parents? Do you know where your home is?"
Mabel shook her head and said, "I don't remember anything from before."
Hayley said, "My mom died, and my dad doesn't want me." She held Mabel's waist tightly and said, "Where Mabel is, that's my home!"
"Hmm… I see…" Dumbledore asked, "Do you mind if I perform a simple examination on you?—With magic."
Instinctively, Mabel wanted to refuse but then realized that the old man in front of her was terrifyingly powerful. He actually didn't need her consent, so she reluctantly nodded.
Dumbledore waved his Magic Wand, soft rays of light fell upon the two, like countless white feathers silently drifting down.
Hayley curiously reached out to grab, as the feathers passed through her arm, merging into her body.
Mabel watched intently, her entire body tensed, with dark energy looming as if it might erupt at any moment.
A moment later, Dumbledore withdrew his Magic Wand, his expression slightly solemn.
Hayley was in good condition; aside from malnutrition and slight anemia, this girl who nearly died presented a reassuringly healthy state.
Yet, as he guessed, Mabel's memory had been entirely erased, utterly gone, with no possibility of recovery.
Worse still was the Obscurus.
Children parasitized and consumed by this Dark Power usually do not live past ten, for the Obscurus constantly burns the host's soul.
But Mabel was already fourteen.
It seemed that Muggles had used some method on her to suppress Magic Power, causing the brewing Obscurus to remain dormant. Until today... until she was freed from its bindings...
Dumbledore did not disclose his examination results and remained silent for a long time before finally smiling.