Harry Potter: The Forgotten Chronicles-Book 1

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"Now Malfoy knows about Norbert..." Evelyn muttered, her voice heavy with despair as the four of them made their way back to the castle. The wind seemed colder now, biting through their robes as they trudged up the path.

"And he saw us," Hermione added, her anxiety evident in the tightness of her voice. The weight of their situation was sinking in fast, and Evelyn felt a pit of dread growing in her stomach.

"Can't get any worse, can it?" Harry said, though his words carried more resignation than hope. His shoulders were hunched as if bracing for the inevitable.

"It can," Ron suddenly said, his voice halting. He came to an abrupt stop, causing the others to freeze as well. They followed his gaze, and Evelyn's heart skipped a beat.

"Good evening," Professor McGonagall's voice rang out with an unmistakable edge. She stood there, towering and severe, her eyes locked on them with a mixture of disappointment and anger. And next to her, practically oozing smugness, was Malfoy. His grin was infuriating, stretching from ear to ear, clearly relishing the moment. Evelyn's blood boiled at the sight of him.

Without a word, McGonagall turned and began walking, her robes sweeping behind her. The four followed in sullen silence, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. Malfoy strutted alongside them, his eyes glinting with malicious satisfaction. Every step toward the classroom felt like a march to the gallows.

Inside the classroom, McGonagall wasted no time. She spun around to face them, her expression stern, her lips pressed into a thin line of disapproval. The dim light of the room cast harsh shadows across her face, making her appear even more formidable.

"Nothing," McGonagall began, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade, "I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to be out of bed after hours." Her eyes swept over them, lingering just long enough on each of their faces to drive home her point. Evelyn felt a shiver run down her spine under that gaze.

"Therefore," she continued, her tone cold and resolute, "50 points will be taken from your house."

"Fifty?!" Harry burst out, his voice a mix of shock and anger.

"Each," McGonagall added, her voice brooking no argument. The words hit like a hammer, and Evelyn felt the weight of the punishment settle heavily on her shoulders. "And as a further consequence, the five of you will have detention."

Malfoy, who had been basking in the others' misery, suddenly stiffened. His face, which had been so smug a moment ago, twisted in confusion. He stepped forward, his voice rising with disbelief. "Sorry, Professor, I must have heard you wrong... Did you say the five of us?"

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall replied with a steely calm that only made the moment worse for him. "You heard me correctly. As noble as you may think your intentions were, you were also out of bed after hours. You will join your classmates in detention."

The shift in Malfoy's expression was priceless. His smugness evaporated, replaced by a look of utter disbelief and outrage. His mouth opened as if to protest, but no words came out. His eyes darted from McGonagall to the others, and for once, he seemed at a loss for words.

Evelyn couldn't help but feel a small, satisfying spark of victory flare up inside her. She glanced at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and saw the same flicker of triumph in their eyes. They were all struggling to keep straight faces, their lips twitching as they held back laughter. It wasn't much, but it was enough to lighten the weight of their punishment, at least a little.

As they turned to leave the classroom, Malfoy's furious glare bore into them, but Evelyn didn't care. Let him stew in his own mess. He might have tried to get them in trouble, but seeing his plan backfire had made the whole ordeal almost worth it. Almost.