The Bard of Hogwarts

Chapter 359 The Flying Owl

"Professor! Listen to me, there's really no need for this."

In a spotless, pristine room of about ten square meters, Ino sat on the hospital bed, making her final protest to Professor McGonagall.

"Lie down right now! What you just did..." Professor McGonagall ignored the protest, paused briefly, and then reorganized her thoughts before saying:

"You were just now... never mind! To be honest, you weren't acting right, very wrong..."

Professor McGonagall frankly admitted that she would have used a white lie to fool any other student.

But as for Ino... after much deliberation, she chose to tell the truth.

Faced with Professor McGonagall's candor, Ino also chose not to hide anything.

"Professor, I know what you're saying, but I've already thought of a preliminary solution. Besides, it's not serious..."

To be honest, Ino was aware of his condition and knew that the matter was not serious. As long as he was no longer stimulated or used magic recklessly, everything would gradually return to normal.

After some explanation, Professor McGonagall finally reluctantly accepted it.

"But you'll have to stay here for two days, let Pomfrey check on you, and get some quiet rest. Merlin! You really scared me just now..."

Professor McGonagall looked pale; she had been genuinely frightened, not only for Ino's safety but also for the students at Hogsmeade.

Keep in mind that quite a few students didn't evacuate earlier, and if the fighting really continues...

The thought of that outcome still lingered in her mind. Moreover, she harbored a latent worry that returning to the dormitory now might not be a good idea for Ino.

On the other side...

After seeing Professor McGonagall's expression, Ino understood immediately.

"Okay! I'll stay here for a few days! Come to think of it, this is the first time I've been admitted to the school hospital in four years."

"But I hope this is the last time," Professor McGonagall said earnestly.

The conversation between the two did not last long, as Mrs. Pomfrey had already pushed open the door and entered the room.

Unlike before when a tray was all that was done, this time Mrs. Pomfrey even pushed a small cart.

The vehicle was not only filled with various bottles and jars, but also with many unidentified medical instruments.

……

The school hospital was quiet, but the entire castle was just as quiet.

The four houses of Hogwarts.

At this moment, all four common lounges remain quiet.

Despite the overcrowding, not a single person uttered a word of complaint; it was truly a place where you could hear a pin drop.

Because everyone was gathered together, their eyes glued to the video mirror brought back from Hogsmeade.

The scene opens with the two facing off in the air, amidst swirling snow, dark clouds shrouding the sky, and skeleton soldiers appearing and disappearing within the mist...

More than half an hour later, the final swarm of insects blotted out the sky, deafening explosions rang out, and flames, like venomous snakes, rivaled the blizzard.

Time passed by, second by second.

The images seen in the video mirror refreshed the young wizards' understanding.

So this is how magic can be used.

Whether they were Muggle wizards or pure-blood or half-blood wizards, they all had only one thought in their minds: Hogwarts was probably teaching them fake magic.

A match can turn into a needle, make a pineapple dance, float a feather... it can be used to make medicine for boils and even fertilize herbs...

Students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang also saw the footage.

But both Fleur and Krom abandoned their ambitions to win the championship at this moment and instead set their sights on second place.

……

While the viewing mirror was being used at Hogwarts, many owls also flew to their destination.

London, Ministry of Magic.

The minister's office on the first floor.

Fudge sat quietly at his large desk, on which sat a luxurious two-foot-long mirror, displaying a clear close-up of Voldemort's face.

Finally, as Voldemort turned away with a flourish, the image in the video mirror gradually faded away.

Although the content had ended, Fudge remained in his original sitting posture, as if he were under a petrification spell, completely motionless.

a long time.

"Sigh..." A weary sigh echoed in the office.

Fudge already knew about Voldemort's resurrection a week ago, when Dumbledore and Barty the Elder visited him and explained the matter in detail.

Although he didn't take it seriously at the time, he still took corresponding measures.

Not only were the guards on Azkaban increased, but they also contacted some former pure-blood families, including the Lestrange, Malfoy, and even Crabbe families…

Be prepared for both possibilities; defend if you can, and if you really can't defend, then join in.

……

Although everything was prepared.

But Voldemort's sudden appearance caught him completely off guard.

Not only did they not go to Azkaban to rescue people, but they also did not gather their exonerated former followers. They simply appeared in Hogsmeade in a blatant manner.

Thinking of this, Fudge covered his forehead in distress.

If given another chance, he would definitely push Barty and Dumbledore out immediately, and would never hide them again for fear of unrest.

But it's too late now; everything is already beyond repair. It goes without saying that the public will naturally turn their anger towards the Ministry of Magic, and he, the Minister, will be the first to bear the brunt.

A sense of desolate helplessness arose spontaneously.

In the quiet office, Fudge looked at the video mirror on the desk again.

He had a love-hate relationship with this new thing.

What he resented was how clearly this thing had captured the Black Demon, but what also gave him temporary relief was the video mirror. Because in the footage, someone was successfully holding off the enemy in direct combat.

The Black Demon's reputation has undoubtedly been diminished.

This is much like the role Dumbledore played during that era, a pillar of the English wizarding world's spirit.

The difference is that this time, it was Sven Bourne who blocked the Dark Lord, a younger, more energetic student who hadn't even graduated yet.

"I have to go see him... I'll take the Daily Prophet reporter with me..." Fudge muttered to himself, staring into the video camera.

Gradually, Fudge came up with a way to break the deadlock, a method he had used when he first took over the Ministry of Magic—standing with the people's hopes.

Back then, he relied on standing by Dumbledore's side and using the other man's name to successfully complete the transition period as minister and the subsequent transfer of power.

Now, it's just a repeat of the past, only with a different target.

……

There is no precise statistic on how fast owls can fly.

While not precise, it's roughly accurate. Depending on the species, owls typically fly at speeds between 45 and 100 kilometers per hour.

Since the end of the Hogsmeade incident, in just half a day, more than 80% of the owls have completed their messenger missions.

The letters and packages that needed to be delivered should have already reached their recipients by now.

(End of this chapter)