The Hogwarts Emerald

Chapter 626 Sleepless Night
No matter who it is, tonight is destined to be a sleepless night.

The crowd gradually dispersed, and the students returned to the common room under the guidance of their prefects. The Aurors also dispersed, either setting up sentries to protect Hogwarts or returning to the Ministry of Magic to work. The Aurors wished they could use one person as two.

Dumbledore's body was taken away by Hagrid, who cried like a child who had not grown up yet. It was Dumbledore who kept him in school after he was expelled, it was Dumbledore who made him a gamekeeper, and it was still Dumbledore who offered him a professorship.

Ida vaguely remembered the last time Hagrid got angry. At that time, Karkaroff was very disrespectful to Dumbledore and spitted at him. The angry half-blood giant almost tore Karkaroff to pieces. That was also the only time he got angry in Ida's memory.

Suddenly, I heard the song of the phoenix. The elegy was so sad and moving, and the sadness echoed in the campus and between the windows of the castle.

Whenever Dumbledore needed the phoenix, it would appear. Now that the person who called the phoenix was gone, it was time for Fawkes to leave.

The crowd dispersed, and Ada also walked towards the castle. She walked up the stairs and entered the entrance hall. The huge funnel belonging to Gryffindor was broken, and the scattered rubies were collected by Filch, making it look empty.

A sense of things and people changing came over her spontaneously, and Ada became sentimental on this night. Shaking her head to dispel the sadness in her heart, she continued to walk towards the marble staircase.

When Ada walked into the school infirmary, Neville Longbottom was sleeping on the bed at the door. Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Luna, Tonks, Lupin and Angelica were gathered around the innermost bed. Mrs. Weasley and Fleur were hugging each other and crying.

Walking over and just taking a look at the wound on Bill's face, Ada understood.

The handsome eldest son of the Weasley family was disfigured. Although he would not turn into a werewolf, these hideous scars would accompany him for the rest of his life.

Seeing Ada coming over, Ron, who had a rare moment of attentiveness, gave up his seat. Furong began to apply medicine to Bill again, her technique was clumsy, but very serious.

A friend in need is a friend indeed. Unfortunately, Bill was bitten by the werewolf Greyback, but fortunately he was not abandoned by anyone.

Mrs. Weasley turned and hugged Ada, sobbing softly. Ada put her arm around her shoulders and comforted her softly. The Boggart at Grimmauld Place was Mrs. Weasley's knot. Her eldest son almost died tonight, and she couldn't stop crying.

After a while, Lupin and Sirius whispered about the future of the school. Lupin was worried that Hogwarts would be closed. What happened tonight was far more serious than the year of the Chamber of Secrets. The headmaster of Hogwarts was murdered by his own teachers in the school. It was horrific.

"It's all Snape's fault, damn bastard!" Little Angel cursed in a low voice, "Not only did he kill James and Lily, he also killed Dumbledore! He trusted him so much, what an ungrateful bastard!"

It seems that they already knew about Snape's leak of the "prophecy". Cinderella and Lupin knew about it, so it's impossible for Harry not to know about it, and it was probably him who told them.

"You can always trust Severus Snape, no matter what he does next."

The words are still ringing in my ears, but the speaker is gone. Ada trusted Snape just like Dumbledore, not because of the unbreakable oath, nor because of his care for her over the years, but because Ada saw what he was carrying.

Retracting her scattered thoughts, Ada suddenly found that Tonks had been staring at Lupin. Lupin had been avoiding Tonks's gaze, using the excuse of chatting with Sirius to avoid responding, and only occasionally stole a glance at her.

Just like the look of wanting to kill someone, the look of loving someone cannot be hidden either. It seems that Lupin and Tonks will be showing their affection soon. Maybe the timing is a little inappropriate, but Dumbledore won't mind.

Not long after, Percy, Fred, and George, who had received the news, also rushed over. The twins gnashed their back teeth until they heard that Greyback had died at the hands of Ada. Only then did the two brothers put away their cannibalistic faces.

Percy pulled Ada aside and told her about his encounter with the Hogwarts directors. The directors seemed to be coming with bad intentions, and seemed to want to accuse him.

After saying that, Percy awkwardly greeted Lupin, Sirius and Tonks, then sat next to his mother in silence.

Ada walked out of the school infirmary. Her footsteps were the only sound in the empty corridor. She wanted to see which blind bastard dared to embarrass Minerva McGonagall!
At Hogwarts, the headmaster is the school manager, and the vice-headmaster is the assistant. When the headmaster loses his ability to act, the vice-headmaster will temporarily take over the duties of the headmaster until the board of directors elects a new headmaster. The board of directors of Hogwarts is composed of 12 people, all of whom have a certain social status. Lucius Malfoy was once a member of the board of directors. The most important power they hold is the appointment and removal of the headmaster.

Walking all the way to the eighth floor and standing at the door of the room behind the stone monster, Ada could clearly hear the discussion in the office.

"We hope that Professor Dumbledore can rest in peace in Hogwarts." This was Professor McGonagall's voice. Ada was very familiar with it. She hadn't heard it for a long time.

An unfamiliar, unctuous voice said, "What does the Ministry say, Mr. Weasley?"

"The Ministry has no objection to this," said Mr. Weasley. "As Professor Flitwick said, Hogwarts should be Dumbledore's final resting place."

"But... the school has existed for a thousand years," said another strange voice, sounding a little hesitant, "and no principal has ever been buried on campus. This is a bit..."

Hagrid must be standing by the door, because his roar made Ada's ears buzz -

"No headmaster has ever made such a great contribution to the school!" Hagrid roared, "Dumbledore is a great wizard!"

At this time, an old voice sounded in the office. He said, "I agree with Professor McGonagall and others. Every student should remember their headmaster."

"But..." the annoying greasy voice said again.

"No buts!" the old man said loudly, "He is Albus Dumbledore, and his contribution deserves Hogwarts!"

After a while, the tripartite meeting of the Ministry of Magic, the Board of Directors, and the professors ended. Dumbledore's grave was set at Hogwarts, and the students went home after attending the funeral. The school would open as usual on September 1st.

The office door was opened from the inside, and the first person to come out was Hagrid, holding a large, wrinkled handkerchief in his hand, his huge body shaking with sadness.

Next came the three representatives of the school board, two well-dressed middle-aged men and an old man with gray hair and a sad face. When they saw Ada, the two middle-aged men showed fear.

The three head of houses, representing Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin, also came out one after another.

Slughorn looked pale and sweaty. He looked at Ada in surprise before leaving. Professor Flitwick had a large bruise on his forehead. He nodded to Ada as he left. Professor Sprout wiped away her tears as she left, as if she was trying to look stronger.

The last person to leave the office was Mr. Weasley.

Mr. Weasley, looking tired, touched Ada's head like a father, and his smile was the first comfort Ada received tonight.

Walking into the headmaster's office, the round room was still the same, with the Sorting Hat and the silver utensils. However...Fawkes's perch was empty, and there was one more portrait of the headmasters of past generations on the wall.

Professor McGonagall stood at the window, staring out at the grounds.

Hearing the footsteps coming from the door, Professor McGonagall turned around, her eyes instantly reddened, and she said in a trembling voice: "Come back... I'm glad you're back, I'm glad you're back."

(End of this chapter)