A certain broken Hogwarts

Chapter 29 Ms. Grey

The lightly floating tarot cards slowly landed, and the human and the ghost looked at each other in complete silence.

"Then...do you know who I am?" Ms. Gray stared intently at Owen, her tone probing.

"Since you put it that way, does that mean you, Ms. Grey, allow me... to peer into your mind with some restraint?" Owen said politely, his gaze confident and sincere. "Of course, if you don't want to, you don't need to worry. I've always been a person who follows the rules, and I would never wantonly probe into the secrets hidden deep in people's hearts."

"Tell me, who am I?" Ms. Gray said firmly.

"Well, if that's what you expect..." Owen bowed gracefully, placing a hand on his chest. "Ms. Helena Ravenclaw."

In that instant, Ms. Gray's expression completely lost its composure. She floated back a large step, distancing herself from Owen.

Only two people at Hogwarts knew her true identity, or rather, two ghosts. Besides herself, the other was Barrow the Blood, whom she despised but knew he would never reveal. Perhaps many years ago, a similar young man had used sweet talk to extract this information from her.

Ms. Gray sized up the boy before her, involuntarily comparing him to the young man from years ago. The same elegance and composure, the same youthful good looks and charm. They looked so similar, yet completely different; at least the young man from years ago never possessed this penetrating magic and this contradictory allure of flamboyance yet restraint.

He's a very mysterious person, but surprisingly, he's not unlikeable.

"So, what is your purpose?" Ms. Gray put away her arrogance, and her expression and tone became serious and cautious.

Mutual respect and equality are prerequisites for in-depth exchanges and cooperation.

Owen flashed a bright smile and cut to the chase: "Ms. Grey, do you know about the Truth Machine that appeared in the castle?"

"I know," Ms. Gray said succinctly. "Are you interested in it?"

"Yes, I need to find it and ask it a question. I think no one knows better than you how to find something at Hogwarts." Owen's smile faded, and he looked sincerely into the other's hazy, silvery eyes. "I don't expect you to tell me the moment you find it. I understand that everyone has questions they want answered, and everyone has the right to get those answers."

"My hope is that if you find it a second time, and you happen to be planning to share this with someone, please consider me first," Owen said calmly. "After all, each person can only use it once a year..."

"I don't expect it to answer any of my questions; that would be meaningless to a ghost." Mrs. Gray looked at him, seemingly smiling. "However, it just so happens that a student from my college asked me about this before you."

"I see," Irving said with a helpless expression, then turned serious and said, "Then please allow me to wait in line!"

Ms. Gray's smile deepened slightly: "I agree. I'll consider you as soon as possible."

She paused, then said in a voice so low it was almost inaudible, "Considering you were the first to think that even ghosts need answers."

"Please allow me to express my gratitude in advance, Ms. Gray." Owen bowed again. "At this time every day, I will be waiting in the small room on the side of the first-floor auditorium."

"By the way, let's get to know each other formally," Owen extended his right hand, "Owen Shafik, nice to meet you, Ms. Gray."

"Nice to meet you... Owen." Ms. Gray extended her silvery-white palm and gently touched his palm before withdrawing her hand.

Without touching each other, Irving felt as if he were immersing his palm in a cloud of cold steam, a chill spreading rapidly through his hand.

The atmosphere became much more harmonious. Owen picked up the suitcase he had placed on the ground and asked in a relaxed tone, "Ms. Grey, I've heard that the ghosts of Hogwarts often gather. Would I have the honor of attending one?"

"You want all the ghosts to be your eyes and ears?" Ms. Gray smiled at him, easily seeing through his undisguised thoughts. "Then you'd better be prepared to run into a wall."

"I'm quite confident in my communication skills," Irving said with a smile.

Ms. Gray nodded slightly: "I can invite you to our next gathering, tomorrow night at nine o'clock, in the classroom on the far right of the basement level."

"It's an honor, Ms. Grey," Owen said.

He drew his wand and chanted a spell over the scattered tarot cards on the ground. The cards leaped lightly from the ground and flew back into his hand like swallows returning to their nests.

Next, Owen bid farewell to Ms. Gray and, under her calm gaze, continued his exploration along the predetermined route.

No further surprises followed. Irving searched all the way to the seventh floor, the hands of his pocket watch pointing to one in the morning. He was mentally prepared to end the search and quickly returned to his dormitory.

The lights in the dormitory room were off, and the water of the Black Lake rippled gently, casting soft, soothing dark green ripples in the round room, becoming the only source of light.

Once his eyes adjusted to the dim light, Owen finally saw a dark figure sitting at the round table in the middle of the dormitory, which was quite startling at first glance.

Irving looked closer and realized it was Draco Malfoy. He then looked at Theodore's bed and, unsurprisingly, saw a pale face peeking out from behind the curtains... well, this one was even more horrifying.

"Still not asleep this late?" Owen put his unused briefcase back in its place.

"We only found out in the dead of night that you and Harry weren't there," Draco said in his characteristically slow tone. "I didn't expect you to be interested in that sensational rumor. I thought only a fool like Harry would be interested..."

"He's not back yet?" Owen glanced at Harry's four-poster bed, unsurprised that the kid would sneak out to join the fun.

"I thought you were with him." Draco glanced at Owen arrogantly, his gray eyes gleaming in the darkness. "I'm here just to give you a piece of advice. Next time you do something like this, you'd better not hide it from us, lest you get caught and the Dean questions me for not keeping a close eye on you."

"Don't worry, it won't affect you," Owen said with a laugh, "as long as you don't get involved like us."

"I don't believe such a ridiculous joke." Draco raised his chin even higher. "But you'd better ask my opinion before you go out next time. Although I would never like to go with you, I'm not incapable of helping you out if you're sincere."

"Just say you want to go. Why are you beating around the bush like this? It's hard for me to understand," Owen said jokingly.

"I don't want to go!" Draco jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"Okay, I understand," Owen said as he tidied himself up.

Harry arrived late, after he had climbed into bed. Judging from the somewhat disappointed look on his face, he had also come up empty-handed.

Irving yawned, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

(End of this chapter)