HP - Shadow Monarch! [BOOK 1]

Chapter 168 - Forbidden Forest Again.

[Chapter Size: 1900 Words.]

Third Person POV

Hogwarts.

...

...

Snape entered the Common Hall with narrowed eyes as he noticed the commotion at all the tables and among everyone around them. He could see the fear and despair in most of the Hogwarts students, as many were crying and their peers were trying to console them.

It was something very similar to what had happened last year when dark wizards attacked Hogsmeade...

Snape was a bit confused about it, but he could see some Aurors alongside the teachers' table. It seemed that something serious had happened.

Meanwhile, a fake Dumbledore was sitting in his chair, merely posing. He wasn't properly talking to the Aurors and didn't seem to be giving them any orders or requests. In fact, it was Professor McGonagall, along with Professor Slughorn and Flitwick, who appeared to be managing the castle in the absence of the real Dumbledore.

Snape had spent the entire day working on his potions, so he knew nothing until this moment as he began to walk, curiously observing, especially toward the Hufflepuff table, where the crying was the loudest.

"Their brother was devoured..."

"They say only a few parts were left..."

"This is terrible, how can they let those things get so close to the students?!"

"I heard a teacher say there shouldn't be those things so close to the entrance of the Forbidden Forest..."

"Why are they attacking us!?"

"The Care of Magical Creatures professor acted quickly; she managed to repel three other Acromantulas before they attacked the other students."

"The sister of the one who died hasn't even left her room; she's been sobbing for hours. She always loved her younger brother..."

"What a tragedy... isn't the Ministry going to do anything?"

Snape kept walking, listening to all the tables as they discussed what had happened. He simply moved on after that and took his seat.

"You're here... do you already know what happened?" Clarisse commented.

"Yes... I managed to hear something. Acromantulas are showing up at the forest's edge. Do you know why?" Snape asked.

"No one knows why... but the centaurs are investigating, according to what Professor Slughorn said. But no one understands why the giant spiders are acting like this..." she said.

"I see... that's really strange," Snape said thoughtfully. "Who died?" he asked.

"A fifth-year Hufflepuff boy... his sister is in the same house, but in the seventh year... they couldn't even recover the complete body..." she said, also seeming quite shaken by it.

"It was him! He made a deal with the shadow creatures! The Dark Lord is starting to act!!!" A student at the Slytherin table suddenly spoke to everyone there, while some supported him, and others remained silent. He was obviously talking about Voldemort.

"..." Snape stayed silent as Professor McGonagall stood from her chair and made everyone pay attention to her by tapping her glass with her utensil.

"I ask for your attention, all of you," she said, as everyone stopped their conversations and looked at her.

"As you know, we lost a student today in an attack in the Forest of Death, during an outdoor class..."

She began her speech, reporting who the student was, his achievements within the school, trying to convey a good memory of him, and making it clear that they were deeply sorry. She emphasized that both the school and the Ministry of Magic would be working swiftly to find out why the giant spiders were acting that way and would be dealing with the victim's family the following morning.